NATIONAL GUIDE RIGHT CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE
across Kappa League Chapters doing the “wrong thing,” please contact me. 2. Kappa League is not “just” for elite students, our programs are open to all male students regardless of economic status or background. 3. Kappa League is a youth leadership development and mentoring program. Kappa Leaguers are not “junior Scrollers”, the do not “pledge” and they are not “initiated.” There is a public induction ceremony. There is no Kappa League hand sign. Kappa Leaguers do not wear masks over the eyes or upper face. 4. Kappa Leaguers do not automatically expect to join the Fraternity as undergraduates. Not all Kappa Leaguers should become Kappas. It does trouble me, that some young men are automati- cally “disqualified” by undergraduate Chapters because they were in Kappa League. It is con- cerning, when an undergraduate brother told me, he did not tell his Chapter he had been in Kappa League, until after he was initiated. This is not a new issue. In 1980, as St. Louis Kappa League Chairman, we sent three dynamic young men to separate colleges with Kappa League scholarships. All three came home the next year as members of other BGLOs. All three told me that they wanted to be Kappas but were not given any consideration by the local chapters because they had been in Kappa League. I respect the right of every chap- ter to select their prospective members, I ask that you do not disregard a student because he was in Kappa League. My own undergraduate chapter was restarted in 2008. They grew and achieved, winning province and Grand Chapter awards by giving many former Kappa Leaguers an opportu-
nity to be Kappas.
We still have work to do in Kappa League and Guide Right. Occasionally, we encounter obstacles and road- blocks to Kappa League. It our job to find a way around, through, over or under those hindrances. I still encoun- ter people that “do not care” about Kappa League, Guide Right or our youth. I believe that the benefits we provide and the results we achieve justify the struggle for Kappa League and Guide Right. The dedication and commit- ment of brothers committed to Kappa League is some- thing that sets up apart from other BGLOs. We are focused on raising the profile of Kappa League to gain increased access to outside funding, which will improve our program and our reach. Kappa League pro- vides a critical role in providing students with informa- tion and instruct in areas that schools miss. We are in essence filling in the holes and rounding out the student experience. The behavior I advocate for Guide Right/Kappa League brothers: 1. Be student-centric and focused. 2. “We” not “me.” This is not an “I” endeavor. 3. Use the Good Ole Kappa Spirit – be constructive not destructive. 4. Listen more than talk to the students – let them learn by doing and interacting. 5. Guide students to make good choices but do not impose your ideas or “emotional baggage” on them.
14 | SUMMER-FALL 2020 ♦ THE JOURNAL
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