Originally from Olathe, KS, Pedro von Simson, Colorado ’16, grew up in a Kansas City suburb as an immigrant from Brazil. “With a name like Pedro, you’re not really looking for another way to stand out,” von Simson recalled.
“I chose to go out of state to CU Boulder for undergrad because I felt as if I had already experienced the University of Kansas after growing up 20 minutes from it. Once I got to CU, I realized I was going to need to put myself out there to meet new people so I decided to rush in the fall of my freshmen year. Phi Tau quickly became my top choice given the diversity and openness of the chapter,” von Simson said. “I was open with the brothers about my sexuality and they offered me a bid anyway - that was surprising to me given what I thought I knew about fraternities.”
During his four years at CU as a member of the Psi Chapter, Pedro held positions as Secretary and Vice President. “Feeling accepted is one thing, but when your brothers vote for you to help lead them, it really shows their respect for all walks of life”.
After graduation, Pedro took a job at a tech startup in Denver. He began on the sales team and has since progressed into a marketing manager role.
In 2021, Pedro joined the Phi Kappa Tau national Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility committee. “When the committee chair asked me to join, I was humbled and energized by the strides we are making to be a sustainable organization in the 21st century”, von Simson acknowledged. “Study after study has shown that diverse groups of people are more likely to come to better decisions. There’s a reason you see most public companies investing in diversity and inclusion efforts - it is good for your bottom line”.
Pedro still lives in Denver and is part of his LGBTQ+ community at work and in his neighborhood. “My experience with Phi Tau helped me develop the confidence to put myself out there in other communities I once thought to be daunting”.
“This month is about being proud of who we are as individuals and as an organization that accepts, includes, and supports the LGBTQ+ community”.