Investing in the Next Generation of Zetes

For many Zetes, the Annual Convention is one of the highlights of the year. It is a time to reconnect with old friends, meet brothers from across the Fraternity, celebrate the accomplishments of our Chapters and members, and experience the lifelong brotherhood that makes Zeta Psi unique.

But for an undergraduate member, the opportunity to attend a Convention can sometimes be difficult to afford.

The Big Brother/Little Brother Scholarship Program was created to help change that.

At the 2026 Annual Convention in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, undergraduate brothers from Chapters across Zeta Psi were able to attend through scholarships that covered the cost of Convention registration. For these Little Brothers, the experience was about much more than simply being able to participate in a weekend of meetings and events. It was an opportunity to build relationships with Elders, meet brothers from other Chapters, hear stories from across the Fraternity, and begin creating their own Convention memories.

And, thanks to the generosity of Zeta Psi Elders and the Charlie Burrows Leadership Trust, $9,250 was made available to support these opportunities.

Creating the Next Generation of Convention Memories

For Tony Hodgson (Theta Xi ’83), supporting the program is about giving today’s undergraduates the opportunity to experience something that had a profound impact on his own Zeta Psi experience.

“For many years, convention week, for me, was the best week of the year. It was where I had made lifelong friends who I only saw once a year. Supporting the Big Brother/Little Brother Scholarship program gives me hope that the young men benefitting from the program can experience the same, starting with their first convention.”

That sentiment captures what makes the program so important. Convention is not simply an annual gathering. For many Zetes, it is where friendships are renewed, new relationships begin, and the larger Zeta Psi family becomes real.

Fr. Bob O’Donnell (Rho Alpha ’85) has seen that impact firsthand through his involvement with sponsored brothers from Iota Pi.

“I have been increasingly excited to contribute to the Big Brother/Little Brother scholarship so that more brothers will be able to afford coming to our Zeta Psi Annual Convention. The connections made with sponsored brothers from Iota Pi have been special in my connection to the chapter at UT Knoxville. And I was happy to let IHQ apply extra scholarships to other brothers, Rho Alpha (my own chapter), or any other chapter. Attending a Convention creates strong ties not only with one’s own chapter but also the wider Zete world!”

Those connections are exactly what the program is designed to create.

The Impact on Our Little Brothers

For the undergraduate brothers who received scholarships, the opportunity to attend Convention offered a chance to experience Zeta Psi beyond the boundaries of their own Chapter and campus.

Bradyn Colley, Chapter Phi of the Rho Tau Chapter at the University of Alabama, describes the experience as one that has helped him better understand the broader Fraternity and the opportunities available to its members.

“Convention is about much more than attending meetings or learning about the Fraternity. It gives younger brothers the chance to meet and build relationships with brothers from across the country and, just as importantly, with Elders and older members of Zeta Psi. Being able to sit down with these brothers, hear their stories, learn from their experiences, and share our own experiences creates connections that extend far beyond the few days of Convention.

For me, the Little Brother Scholarship has opened the door to experiences and relationships that I otherwise may never have had. It has helped me better understand the broader Zeta Psi organization and shown me how much opportunity there is within our Fraternity. I am extremely grateful for the scholarship and for the brothers who make it possible, and I hope other active brothers will have the opportunity to experience the Convention in the same way.”

Thank You to Our Big Brothers

The 2026 program was made possible through the generosity of $9,250 in contributions from individual Big Brothers, along with an additional $2,500 from the Charlie Burrows Leadership Trust on behalf of the Gamma (Syracuse) Elders.

Zeta Psi extends its sincere thanks to:

• Christopher Mezher
• C.R. Roberts
• David Morris
• Douglas Donaldson
• Evan Pressman
• Gary Mootz
• Jack O’Connell
• Michael Freiman
• Robert Edgmon
• Robert O’Donnell
• Tony Hodgson
• The Charlie Burrows Leadership Trust, on behalf of the Gamma (Syracuse) Elders

Their generosity helped make the Convention accessible to a group of undergraduate brothers who might otherwise have been unable to attend.

Welcoming the Next Generation of Zetes

The 2026 Little Brothers represented Chapters and provisional Chapters from across Zeta Psi:

A scholarship may begin by covering the cost of registration, but its impact can last a lifetime. It can introduce an undergraduate to an Elder who becomes a mentor, connect brothers from different Chapters who otherwise might never meet, or inspire a young Zete to remain engaged with the Fraternity long after graduation.

As Tony Hodgson reflected, the hope is that today’s Little Brothers will one day look back on Convention as a place where they made lifelong friends.

That is the investment our Big Brothers are making–not just in Convention, but in the future of Zeta Psi.