Approximately 150 undergraduate brothers learned about leadership, interpersonal relationships and the pursuit of excellence at the 2013 Kennesaw Mid-Year Leadership Conference, Feb. 9.
A special guest speaker, Lt. Col. Matthew G. Melvin (Epsilon Phi/Central Missouri 1990) gave the keynote address and taught two breakout sessions at the conference, which is targeted at Theta Chi’s new members and recently initiated brothers.
In his keynote speech, which examined the event’s theme, “Becoming Better Men,” Brother Melvin shared anecdotes about how Theta Chi can change its members for the better:
“I am going to tell you that you are all already better men with your initiation into Theta Chi, and if you are in pursuit of membership [in] Theta Chi, you are on the right road,” he said in his address.
“You are part of a fraternal organization that is in constant pursuit of excellence and responsibility… Theta Chi is about producing leaders in all aspects of life in an ever-changing world… Theta Chi is about responsibility. It’s about helping yourself by helping others. It’s pursing excellence when no one is looking and accepting responsibility when you make a mistake.”
Before the keynote, he taught two breakout sessions at each of the conference’s two tracks. In the Basic Track, he discussed how leaders are made and how to capitalize on the strengths that each member already has.
“I addressed the importance of understanding our current foundation and how it has been developed from playing sports, clubs, religion, parents, and other influences,” he said.
In his session for the Advanced Track, which he titled “It’s Lonely at the Top,” Brother Melvin shared stories from his personal experiences in college and from his tours of duty in Iraq to show how relationships can change when a person takes on a greater level of responsibility. “When someone is put in a position of authority over others, it can feel lonely at times,” he said, “but those feelings can be managed for the good of the team.”
Brother Melvin has over 22 years of active duty service and served on three combat tours supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn. He has had assignments in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Germany, Bosnia, Iraq, and Kuwait, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in strategic studies from the United States Air Force War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, AL.
“I wanted to share how I see the world and how my experiences of Theta Chi are still influencing me to this day, still shaping my outlook on life,” he said. “I walked away from the conference learning a lot as well. I had a great time and have become inspired by these young men’s dreams and visions,” he said.