How Michigan Eta Is Shaping Greek Life at Western Michigan
By Justin Rodriguez, Western Michigan ’28, Chapter President
We, the gentlemen of Michigan Eta, are in our third year of being chartered and aspire to continue bringing positive change to our campus and the community at large. For the past two years, we have been named Western Michigan University’s Greek Chapter of the Year, and we aim to win a third consecutive award for our internal and external efforts. We also wish to be in contention for the Founders Trophy, and our chapter is driven to exceed what is asked of us, believing it to be our bound duty to strive for the highest.
We have just wrapped up a successful recruitment season, welcoming eight exceptional gentlemen to be Phikeias. This year, we tried going outside the box with our recruitment schedule, stretching the usual week-long process into a three-week one. Two events were scheduled each week, alternating days to accommodate our brothers’ busy schedules and ensure an attendance rate of at least 80 percent. We have found this schedule to be more conducive to spring, as in previous years, where we have had issues with member burnout and potential new members missing the week.
This semester, we hope to strengthen our philanthropy and community service. Thus far, we have about eleven members interested in becoming Iron Phis. We hope to leave ALS better than we found it and to continue our outreach to our families. In the words of our previous president and future Iron Phi, Ryan Wehmeier, ’27, “it is not only incredibly rewarding to help those afflicted with ALS, but to also contribute to research for a cure.” We are currently planning an event on our campus to engage those who are not brothers in our mission. For our community, we have brothers set to participate in our local Polar Plunge this month, and we have future events planned, including volunteering with Adopt-a-Highway, helping Sigma Chi with their river cleanup efforts, and more. Last year, our IFC hosted Greek Week, a philanthropic event with all Greek chapters on campus, and raised over $20,000 for the Special Days Camp and WMU Essential Needs; we are excited to participate again this year and hope to win.
We are looking forward to not only leading our Greek community but also our campus at large. Last year, our brothers Luke Kritzman, ’26, and Kaden Jaarsma, ’27, were elected president and executive chief of staff, respectively. Brother Kritzman has already begun campaigning for reelection this year and is running against Brother Mehran Nayeem, ’27. We also have members participating in the Office of Student Transitions again this year. We had eight brothers involved in orientation, and we hope to increase that number to ten. Last December, brothers Ryan Wehmeier and Logan Rodi, ’27, were elected to WMU’s IFC as vice president of external affairs and director of finance. We hope not only to see the change but also to be the change.
As a chapter, we continually seek ways to grow. We seek challenges, not out of desire but out of necessity. We, the brothers of Michigan Eta, strive to be the change and to be role models for all men on our campus.
