Everything I Had Imagined...and More

My experience as New Member Educator was everything I had imagined and more. I knew that I was made for the job as soon as my own Member Ed, Matt Wooters, asked us to reflect on the ways we could dedicate ourselves to leadership in the fraternity. Soon enough, I was elected. During the beginning stages it was very challenging trying to win the respect of other Betas especially since I was such a new initiate. It was challenging incorporating all the changes that I wanted but with hard work and help from my advisor, Joel Mullner, and assistant, Andrew Lane, I was able to have one of the most fulfilling years in Beta yet.

Joel and Andrew were my closest brothers during the pledge period and they had helped me to see all my visions come true. In my first semester with the Gamma class, we had all worked diligently to incorporate, for the first time ever, a brotherhood retreat for the new members, focusing on brotherhood, trust, and the Beta Spirit. The retreat was a life-changing experience for the Gamma class and also for the retreat leaders, which left me very excited for Initiation and the rest of my term.

This past fall, I had the opportunity to have our largest class yet: the Delta class. The Delta class was composed of thirteen men, all of them unique and with their own life stories. It was another new challenge trying to conduct a class with so many people but in many ways it was a test for my future career. It made me realize that I had the potential to be a teacher and that I would be good at it. Throughout the rest of the term, I experimented with many different activities and also many techniques of teaching. It was an amazing time for me to get a little taste of my future career but it was most fulfilling to see both of my classes gain such a rich and genuine appreciation for the principles and history of Beta. Being the New Member Educator has not only made me a better educator, but it has shown me that I have the capabilities to change people, to inspire, and to lead—and that’s more than I could have asked for.

Reflection by 2009 Member Educator Jurell G. Sison '10