Amid Unprecedented Pandemic and Economic Crisis, Two Organizations Offer Combined Programs to Provide Guidance for Young Men
CARMEL, IN and KANSAS CITY, MO – (January 19, 2021) Seeking to bridge the gap between youth and college brotherhood and leadership programs, Lambda Chi Alpha, one of the largest fraternities in North America, and DeMolay International, the world’s premier youth leadership organization striving to shape men into leaders of character, today announced a joint pilot program and commitment to offer young men lifelong mentorship and networking opportunities.
“It’s never too early to start mentoring the next generation of leaders.” said Troy Medley, Chief Executive Officer of Lambda Chi Alpha. “Our partnership with DeMolay will allow our Brothers to share their experiences and help other young men navigate the difficult years of high school so they can better prepare for college and life as an adult. Today’s young men need strong support and a deep network more than ever before. I believe this partnership will prove to be a critical component of transforming young men into good men and good men into tomorrow’s leaders.”
Christian Moore, CPRP, Executive Director DeMolay International, said, “We are extremely excited about this partnership with Lambda Chi Alpha. This is about more than a sharing of resources. It’s about shared values and a shared vision of supporting young men as they define and achieve their success. We look forward to working with Lambda Chi Alpha to support young men during their formative years, through the collegiate experience, and for the rest of their lives.”
As our society becomes increasingly fragmented, meaningful connections, whether between peers or role models and mentees become more difficult to find. Under this partnership, both organizations will encourage their members and chapters to engage in lifelong joint activities ranging from mentoring to service, charity and other social and philanthropic opportunities.
Executives from both organizations signed a five-year agreement, which renews automatically for successive one-year terms. Through the agreement, the general offices of Lambda Chi and DeMolay will encourage their chapters to work together. While respecting the confidentiality of traditions and intellectual property, each organization will encourage their respective chapters to promote and engage in joint advertising, mentoring programs, service opportunities, charity fundraising and other such appropriate opportunities. Both organizations will also assist each other in efforts to establish new chapters, recruit members and develop assets that will help both organizations grow.
Founded in 1909, Lambda Chi Alpha supports nearly 300,000 total members from 300 chapters across North America to inspire and equip young men to lead an ethical life of growth, service and leadership. Today, the fraternal organization maintains 185 chapters with 9,000 undergraduate members. Some notable Lambda Chi alumni include former U.S. President Harry S. Truman, country music star Kenny Chesney and ESPN sports television network founder Bill Rasmussen. DeMolay also boasts notable members from former U.S. President Bill Clinton to American icon Walt Disney, DeMolay International supports young men between ages 12 and 21 and focuses on developing leadership skills and good moral character. Founded in 1919, the 501(c)(3) organization supports over 14,000 members from 600 chapters and tens of thousands of members in four international franchise organizations.
While observing COVID-19 precautions and safety practices, the pilot Lambda Chi-DeMolay program will begin this spring and fall. Some of the initial programs will include and connect the DeMolay Speedway Chapter and Lambda Chi Alpha-Alpha Chapter at Butler University in Indiana, the DeMolay Shoreline Chapter and Alpha-Psi Lambda Chi Chapter at the University of Washington, Cherokee DeMolay Chapter and Zeta-Sigma Lambda Chi Chapter at the University of Louisville and Paul Revere DeMolay Chapter and Pi-Omega Lambda Chi Chapter at the University of Tampa. Both organizations will host introductory sessions among leadership and alumni. They will then collect feedback and incorporate successes and best practices into the program’s larger scale rollout. Both organizations expect to expand the program and market successes in the U.S. and Canada in 2022 during the spring and fall semesters.
