Avery Welna, Coe ’21 (AW)

Domenic Mularo, Mount Union ’19 (DM)

Q: Tell me about your time as an undergraduate member of Phi Kappa Tau.

AW: I am currently serving as the brotherhood chair, and previously served as the Secretary and Social Chair of the Iota Chapter of Phi Kappa Tau. I never actually planned to attend the recruitment event being put on by my chapter, but as I was passing by, I was welcomed and ended up having some amazing conversations with members of the chapter who would go on to be some of my closest friends. I'm incredibly active on campus, serving as the Interfraternal Council President, as well as President of our schools LGBTQ+ alliance, and a few others. I’m a double major in Political Science and International Studies with a Minor in Anthropology. Our Chapter is filled with motivated, dedicated, men of distinction who serve as huge leaders on campus, which helps us all strive to be our best and encourage each other in the process.

DM: I rushed Phi Kappa Tau Fall 2019, and I wasn't sure if fraternity life was going to be the right pick for me, but a few of my friends in marching band (while I was in it for that short semester) were in sororities and they encouraged me to rush. After the first recruitment event, I knew that these guys were going to be my best friends for life. I was able to hold the Philanthropy Chair position for Spring and Fall 2020, as well as Membership Orientation Officer for Spring and Fall 2021. Besides that, I was also able to be on the Interfraternity Council as the Community Service and Philanthropy Chairman in tandem with Membership Orientation Officer for my chapter. Other than that, I was a boring Psychology major with a Criminal Justice minor.

Q: What was your experience like as a member of the LGBTQ+ community going through recruitment?

AW: If you had asked me before college if I intended on joining a fraternity, I would've probably given you a strong "No", however that quickly changed when I met the brothers. Our chapter genuinely felt like a place for me to be myself and be seen by the men around me as equals, whereas in other spaces throughout life there were always times I felt looked down on or discriminated against for being a Trans man.

DM: As a member of the LGBTQ+ community going through recruitment, I was honestly quite scared. I had so many pre-conceived notions on how fraternities treated people like me, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to be myself around everyone. Luckily, the community at Mount Union has been, and I hope will continue to be, accepting and open to anyone who wants to join a Greek organization.

Q: What do you believe our organization could improve upon to be more inclusive to members of the LGBTQ+ community?

AW: In 2021, I attended a ΦΚΤ Leadership Conference and clearly remember the DEI workshop that was put on, expressing the importance of embracing ALL brothers. This only solidified for me that this community is strong and is always willing to grow, even in a world that can seem retrogressive at times. Continuing to remain outspoken and supportive of our brothers of all backgrounds is a foundational piece in continuing inclusivity, and ΦΚΤ does an amazing job of this.

DM: If there was anything that our organization could do to improve upon being more inclusive to members of the LGBTQ+ community, I would say being open to having conversations around issues the community faces. A lot of potential new members that may identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community can be terrified to join a Greek organization because they aren't sure where the national organization stands on LGBTQ+ issues. If we could open the opportunity to have brothers come forward and discuss these issues at a national level, I think that could improve our inclusivity efforts. I also think that just being open to LGBTQ+ members throughout recruitment and having LGBTQ+ brothers on the ground, actively recruiting these people can bring about unprecedented, positive change to the many Greek communities around the country.

Q: What was the greatest challenge you faced as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in a fraternal organization?

AW: Due to the historical stigma behind fraternities, there is still progress to be made. I was the first trans man to join my chapter, which was incredible, but I will always advocate for inclusivity to ensure that trans men and other men of various backgrounds feel like they can join fraternities and find a safe and supportive space. I know that this change doesn't happen overnight though, which has been hard for me at times to work through especially as someone who isn't always patient. As they always say, all good things take time.

*Domenic Mularo and fellow members of Epsilon Chapter.*

DM: The greatest challenge I faced as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in a fraternal organization was during my final semester as an Executive Board member on my campus' Interfraternity Council. We had an issue the semester prior with another fraternity's chapter on campus using homophobic slurs during recruitment towards our chapter to discourage potential new members from rushing our organization. It was extremely difficult to not only maintain my composure in the meetings to follow that discussed the issue at hand, but it was difficult to have faith and trust the disciplinary process. I was worried that this would get swept under the rug and forgotten about, which is not only heartbreaking to see as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, but it was also discouraging to potential new members who identify with the LGBTQ+ community. Issues like homophobia reflect poorly on a Greek community, and at Mount Union, our community is extremely open and accepting to anyone who wants to become a part of it. Luckily, we were able to work out these issues, the correct members of the chapter causing issues were reprimanded, and from what I saw as I was exiting my position, and graduating from Mount Union, interfraternal relationships have been better than they have been for years.

Q: What are some of your proudest moments? This could be personal, career, etc.

AW: ΦΚΤ has helped me continue my discovery into our Identity. Identities dig deep, they're deeper than the color of your skin, your sexuality, or your gender; things such as leader, motivator, go-getter, friend, brother, mentor, and the ways that someone interacts with the world around them and the people around them. My brothers are my friends, my rocks, and they also hold me accountable. They push me to be my best every day. I'm a straight A student, with heavy involvement in student government, athletics, research, advocacy on campus, and have been awarded for my leadership throughout the community. I know that this wouldn't be possible without my chapter, which continues to be one of the most positive forces in my life.

DM: Since becoming a graduate member of Phi Kappa Tau, some of my proudest moments have obviously been graduating from college and attaining a degree, as well as being able to work for Phi Kappa Tau as a recruiter. But specifically, I was able to help spearhead two of the first ever large-scale LGBTQ+ focused event on campus at Mount Union, Drag Cabaret and Drag Bingo. These events brought in local drag entertainers from the area to perform for students on campus and show important pieces of LGBTQ+ culture that are often misunderstood by the outside world. These events have been extremely successful, and I hope they will continue to grow and become an established tradition at Mount Union in the future.

Q: Do you have any parting words that you feel are important for our fellow brothers and readership to see?

*Avery Welna and fellow members of the Iota chapter.*

AW: One of the most important things in this world is community. The networks, connections, friendships, and journey you travel throughout your life. Entering college is a hard time for a lot of people, and I can't stress enough the importance of finding a group early on to be part of your support system as you work to figure out who you're going to be in the professional world. Generally, I believe this to be true in most spaces; you won't find happiness or fulfillment in a job that isn't a positive and uplifting space, you won't find fulfillment in a friendship that isn't positive or uplifting, and so on. Build these strong connections early on, it's a small investment into a lifetime of social and mental gains.

DM: If I had any parting words for our fellow brothers and readership to see, it would be that the first step to learning is asking a question. Never be afraid to ask if you don't understand something or have never heard about something. Being open to learning about someone's identity or community helps build acceptance and understanding over time, even if it is something small like asking what someone's pronouns are. These small steps can make a huge impact in the future, and you never know how much something small like that can mean to someone else.