Delta Upsilon - University of Missouri

The A Publication of Delta Upsilon at the University of Missouri • Spring 2022 Duck call I t's easy to find negative news about fraternities. There are certainly legitimate criticisms and challenges to overcome, but all too often, the positive impacts are ignored. To address that concern, you should be aware of a recently published report from the North American Interfraternity Conference. I encourage you to read the entire report on their website, https://nicfraternity.org, but wanted to share some highlights in this newsletter. Fraternity members experience stronger mental health and wellness. While more than half of today's college men say they've experienced loneliness in the last month as rates of depression are increasing, fraternities empower students and provide a strong support system. This "family" offers help and guidance when a member needs it most. Research shows these connections can create a strong sense of belonging, leading members to have better mental health and less anxiety and depression than other students. When members seek help, they look to their brothers twice as often as anyone else. Fraternities are an accelerator for success—in college and beyond. Students spend 90% of their time outside the classroom. Fraternities capitalize on those hours by preparing men for success in college and in their futures, far beyond what their peers experience. This holds true regardless of an individual's background or socioeconomic status. Because of higher expectations as well as the support and network fraternities provide, members experience greater gains in learning and graduate at higher rates than their peers. Nearly 75% of chapters offer focused leadership development programming at least monthly, and 83% of members say their confidence in leadership skills increased because of their membership. It is not surprising that fraternity alumni are twice as likely to believe their college experience prepared them well for life after graduation. Fraternities create a lifelong connection to one's campus, community, and peers. Fraternity membership connects men to their university in a way that nonmembers simply don't experience. Brothers are more engaged inside and outside of the classroom than their peers, they report feeling more supported by their faculty, and nearly half serve in leadership roles across campus. They're also more connected to their local communities, with research showing they spend significantly more time volunteering than nonaffiliated students. So, thank you for giving your time and resources to Delta Upsilon and our chapter. You are making a difference in the lives of our members and are a big reason this experience is so impactful. Fraternally, E. Bruce McKinney '74 President, Missouri Alumni of Delta Upsilon ebmckin@gmail.com (816) 260-5735 "I joined DU because I want to be part of a brotherhood. Academic success and non-secrecy are important to me. I've hung out with groups of guys from different fraternities, and I like spending time with the DU guys the most." –Alder Hinz-Harding '25 "I chose DU because, after spending my first semester at Arkansas where I didn't have many friends, I realized I needed to stop taking friendships for granted. When I came to Mizzou, DU seemed like a Fraternity where everyone was close with one another and really cared about each other, which was something I was missing from back home as I never experienced that at Arkansas. In the short time I've been at Mizzou, DU has taught me to cherish the friendships I've made so far and the ones I'll make in the future." –Charlie Barnidge '25 Fraternity Impact on College Life How About Some Good News? What Delta Upsilon Means to New Members Our initiation ceremony at the chapter house on December 5.

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