It is no great secret that Phi Kappa Tau and the majority of the fraternity world is made up of primarily white men. Yet, although this is the reality, we are continuing to make strides as an organization to not only recruit men of distinction from all backgrounds, but to highlight our members of color continually throughout the year. In our pursuit of improvement, we decided to end the month of February with a Q&A, discussing the experience of three of our brothers:
CeVonte Jones, Lynchburg ’21 (CJ)
Jayneil Latham, Westminster ’21 (JL)
Justin Pronk, Georgetown ’23 (JP)
Jayneil and the brothers of Beta Phi, following the pinning of his girlfriend.
Q: Tell us a bit about the makeup of your campus. Do you find there to be a diverse range of students from different backgrounds?
CJ: The student body on campus at the University of Lynchburg is more than diverse, it’s a community of its own. Everyone here has their own unique identity that makes them stand out from others.
JL: Most of the students on our campus are similar in background. There is plenty of opportunity to be able to enroll at Westminster, but with it being a private school in a very small town not many know about, it makes it hard for it to be super diverse. The majority of students are local kids that come to play a sport, so most of us have a lot in common.
JP: There are all sorts of students who come from different walks of life at Georgetown College. While most of the students are from here in Georgetown, we have athletes that attend the school from all around the world such as, England, Spain, Portugal, Jamacia, Columbia, and many more. There are also students from all corners of Kentucky, as well as different states around the country
Q: What was your recruitment experience like? What compelled you to become a member of Phi Kappa Tau?
CJ: My recruitment experience was a lot different than normal. I got my bid for Phi Tau during the peak of covid in 2021. It was all online, but the current members still saw potential in me as a man of character. I was looking for a way to get involved on campus as a commuter and I had a couple friends in Phi Kappa Tau already, so they reached out to me to come to a rush event and the members were very welcoming and inclusive of me as a potential new member. It felt like I had known these guys for years upon first meeting them.
JL: Looking back at my recruitment process, I was just taken under the wing of a brother at Phi Kappa Tau. I was completely not interested in joining a fraternity at Westminster, but it was the bond I made with that brother that when he said, “Hey you should come take a look at Phi Tau and see what we are about,” I trusted his word and started participating in recruitment. It was not the big house, or events, but honestly it was quality time with the brothers during recruitment that compelled me to become a member of Phi Kappa Tau.
JP: I had a good time during my recruitment experience. I went to all the houses on campus, however, none of them stuck out like Phi Tau did. The guys at Phi Tau had a genuine friendship, and tried their best to connect with others, while having a good time.
Q: When it comes to recruiting a more diverse range of undergraduate men, what improvements or services could our fraternity provide to our chapters around the country?
CeVonte Jones.
CJ: When recruiting new members, I think we are taking the right steps to make our chapters more diverse around the country. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of all peoples has been a top priority which has shown a stronger sense of brotherhood.
JL: The only thing I could possibly think of would be grants or scholarships awarded from Phi Kappa Tau for things like dues and tuition for students of diverse backgrounds. At most schools like mine, the tuition is a pretty hefty burden, so more money that students may owe if they join a fraternity can really set them away from joining. Some help in this area would greatly impact the diversity of students.
JP: My advice would be to put yourself out there on campus and be inclusive towards others. When you put yourself out there, you get more opportunities to meet other guys who are searching for that brotherhood experience during college, and long after. Also, host a range of different recruitment events. This way, all sorts of people will attend and get to meet everyone in the fraternity. Most importantly, move as a unit. When everyone works together to create a good experience for everyone, your group will be more than successful.
Q: Do you believe Phi Kappa Tau is doing all that it could to be inclusive toward black members and alumni? If not, how do we improve going forward?
CJ: I believe that Phi Kappa Tau is taking all the right steps to be inclusive of black members and alumni but a slight improvement I would consider making is not only placing a spotlight on them during black history month.
Justin Pronk.
JL: As long as each brother can look at themselves in the mirror and honestly say they are doing their best not to discriminate against black members and alumni, then I think that Phi Kappa Tau is doing a great job! Just because there may not be huge representation of black members in Phi Kappa Tau, does not always mean it is the fault of the organization.
JP: From my standpoint I think that Phi Tau does an excellent job, however, it is important to note that diversity means nothing without men of character and distinction.
Q: Do you have any parting thoughts for our brothers and readership?
CJ: Phi Kappa Tau is an organization that has changed the trajectory of my college years. It has grown me into a better man with many important life skills and experiences and only continues to build onto that. Phi Kappa Tau has become my second family and with that said, I think this organization has the potential to change the lives of many others as it did mine.
JP: College, and the fraternity experience is what you make it! Live your college life in a way that you can always look forward to the days ahead. Go far.