Throw the stereotypes out the window. These fraternity brothers are compassionate, caring and community minded.
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What comes to mind when you hear the word Fraternity? A group of partying, wild and crazy, reckless toga-wearing-college boys, with little or no respect for others as depicted in the movie Animal House?
Disrespectful college boys who hang signs for fathers to leave their freshman daughters with them?
The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at UCLA, is an example of what a great fraternity looks like. |
Cruel college boys who use hazing as a right of passage to accept new pledges into their elite group?
These incidents are fortunately not the norm, and not to lessen the severity of the harm that these incidents caused, college fraternities contribute an incredible amount of good to college life and to the community. Most fraternities are service oriented, not just social organizations; hold fundraisers to support a chapter cause, and mandate study sessions, especially for new pledges, requiring their members to have decent grades.
The Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity at UCLA, is an example of what a great fraternity chapter looks like; helping to cheer a little girl fighting cancer. This is one of the good stories that don’t always get shared.
Imagine a little girl, in the hospital being treated for a cancerous sarcoma, which has spread to her lungs. Her mom, having a little fun, put a sign in her window requesting pizza delivery. What she didn’t know is that her daughter’s room overlooked the SAE fraternity house on the UCLA campus. The brothers not only showed up in 12-year-old Lexi Brown’s room with pizza, they brought roses too, and visited her several times during her stay, bringing a guitar and singing, sometimes breaking visitation rules to come by and cheer her up.
They had the opportunity to personally help someone and know they were making a direct impact in her life. |
Each year, SAE decorates their house for the holiday. To honor Lexi, they added purple lights and put her name on the roof so she could enjoy it from her hospital room. In addition to bringing joy to Lexi and her family, they had the opportunity to personally help someone and know they were making a direct impact in her life. Something these young men will take with them long after they graduate.
Although Lexi has now returned home, the lights with LEXI boldly displayed, will remain during the holiday season.
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Photos: YouTube/CBS Los Angeles
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