Going into 2023, the High Alpha, Grayton Hudson, and High Theta, Jake Connell, at Auburn University made a lofty goal to raise $50,000 for philanthropies during their term. They have since exceeded that goal and raised almost $63,000 for various organizations, but that did not come without a lot of hard work and determination.
Before becoming High Alpha, Hudson noticed a lack of philanthropy in his Chapter.
“We are one of the larger Lambda Chi Alpha Chapters. To have 200 guys and not be able to have a steady philanthropy was kind of embarrassing to me,” Hudson said.
He noted the consistent need for help in the world and with a Chapter full of able-bodied men, they could do a lot of good. Philanthropy, to him, means helping someone out who doesn’t have as many resources and using that spirit of true, perfect brotherly love to give back to someone who’s less fortunate. He wanted philanthropy to be a big part of what the Chapter did during his term.
“To be in college is a privilege, but to be in Greek Life is an even greater privilege. So I thought, why not do as much as we can to help as many people as we can,” Hudson said.
Hudson knew the perfect Brother to help him achieve this.
On a similar note, Connell has always wanted philanthropy to be a big part of his career. It’s how he feels he can live out his purpose. So, when Hudson told him of the philanthropy plans he had for their Chapter, Connell was propelled to join in on the adventure. The two saw eye to eye and were ready to hit their goal, bring back some events from the past, and hit the ground running.
After attending the High Alpha Summit in January of 2023, Hudson was inspired by other High Alphas and their Chapters’ philanthropy events. Like other Lambda Chi Alpha Chapters, Connell and Hudson landed on the “Watermelon Bash”. The Chapter hadn’t hosted an event like this for over a decade, but the two worked hard to make this happen and it was a success. They raised $2,200 for Movember during their “Watermelon Bash”.
“You know what, $2,200 is still a lot of money. We were happy with it. We saw this year’s event as a foundation for how we can position the Chapter to do this more successfully year after year,” said Hudson.
Connell and Hudson took initiative, created a philanthropy event from scratch, and set their Chapter up for future success.
The Brothers from Auburn University aren’t the only Members who have made a large impact on their community this year. Chapters at Georgia Tech, the University of Idaho, and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville have also had recent philanthropic success.
Georgia Tech
After noticing a lack in availability of lower weight dumbbells at their on-campus gym, Xavier Bardell, High Alpha, and Luke Towery, High Theta, wanted to do something about it. One of the Brothers had a connection at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the Chapter volunteered at concession stands during events in the venue to raise money. They raised over $4,000 and turned it into a new set of dumbbells. This donation has had a positive impact on their campus community.
“A lot of people have been reaching out, some we don’t even know, saying how happy they are to have the extra weight. I’ve overheard people at the gym even, having conversations about having these weights that weren’t there before,” said Towery.
University of Idaho
The Brothers from the University of Idaho raised $8,000 for the Moscow and Kamiah Food Banks this fall. They hosted a multitude of events during their philanthropy week, ending with a charity concert featuring Tony Holiday and Landon Vance.
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Our Chapter at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville hosted a Watermelon Bust philanthropy week at the beginning of October. The week-long philanthropy event consisted of flag football, a watermelon eating contest, a canned food drive and a few other events. The Brothers raised $9,000 for Second Harvest Food Bank.
Strength through service is one of the main pillars of Lambda Chi Alpha. We celebrate all of our Members making an difference on campus and in their communities.
