Volunteer Profile – Jason Schwemer
Thank you for your lifelong engagement to Phi Delta Theta!
Once a Phi Delt, always a Phi Delt. The bonds created at the beginning of membership are designed to sustain each person through every stage of life, keeping all connected through peer-to-peer relationships and via valuable mentor/mentee networking and intergenerational sharing of wisdom. Phi Delta Theta prides itself on having an incredible network of dedicated alumni and supporters who dedicate their time to give back to the organization. A lifelong commitment to the Fraternity by volunteers enables members to become the greatest version of themselves.
Meet Jason Schwemer, Widener ’12, a dedicated volunteer with Phi Delta Theta. Jason is the Gamma South province president, a chapter advisory board member for the Pennsylvania Chapter, and a dual general manager for Colwen Hotels.
Do you feel that Phi Delta Theta made a difference in your life?
Phi Delta Theta has absolutely made a difference in my life; when I was an undergraduate at Widener University, I was very unhappy and homesick during my freshman year. I would spend many nights alone and on the phone with family back home. At the end of my freshman year, I planned to transfer to a community college and finish my college education there. But then I decided to give it one more semester; during the summer between freshman and sophomore year, I found the brothers of Phi Delta Theta, many of whom are still my friends today. They gave me the home and family I was looking for and missing. Through the friendships I made with Phi Delta Theta, I felt more comfortable at college and felt like I belonged. Because of the Fraternity, I gained confidence and took on multiple leadership roles, including Phikeia educator, for four semesters. This leadership experience fostered many skills I still use today. If it was not for Phi Delta Theta, I would not have found many of my lifelong friends, would not have finished college, and would not have found a successful career in hotel management. After graduation I have relocated multiple times for different jobs. Without my experience in the Fraternity, I would never have considered these moves, which have made me successful in my career and life. Through my Phi Delta Theta network, I knew no matter where I moved, I could find someone with a common interest and build friendships. I feel that Phi Delta Theta made a difference in my life and fostered all of the success I have had post-college.
How have you stayed connected with Phi Delta Theta after graduation?
As an undergraduate, I always thought the way to give back was financial. After twelve years of volunteering, I have realized that offering time to undergraduates is just as valuable to the Fraternity. After graduating, staying connected was very important to me as Phi Delta Theta shaped my college career, and many volunteers helped me through this journey. I wanted to give back to do this for undergraduates after me. After graduating, I moved from Philadelphia to California, so staying connected with my chapter was hard. I stayed involved with the local California alumni club to keep connected with Phi Delta Theta. When I moved back East, I was quick to get involved in Pennsylvania Mu’s chapter advisory board and advise on Phikeia education. As my career kept me moving around the East Coast, I was able to stay involved as a CAB chair at my home chapter even though I was not directly located near the chapter. This created a great way to allow more local alumni to be involved, and I could lead from a distance. I serve on a chapter advisory board and volunteer my time to serve as a faculty at the Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute and McKenzie Family Presidents Leadership Conference to advise both the members of my home chapter and those across the Phi Delt nation. Volunteering as a CAB member and faculty has kept me refreshed and relevant as a leader in my career. To this day, twelve years into my journey, I still learn more about myself from the undergraduates than I teach them.
If you could go back in time, would you change anything about your experience? If so, what?
The answer here is simple, the only thing I would change to my Phi Delta Theta experience is when I joined. Prior to college, I was not interested in fraternities. I was under the impression from the movies that fraternities were only about social life. I didn’t see the benefit until I met the group of brothers entering my sophomore year. Looking back, I wish I had joined earlier as I would have had that much more time to spend with these brothers.
