Delt Stories

Growing up Chad Brand (University of Alabama, 2018) heard stories about his dad’s time in the Delta Eta Chapter and the strong bonds he had made.

“Going through the recruitment process, I quickly recognized that the genuine character of the guys at Delta Eta was the same my dad had experienced more than 20 years ago and is one of the main reasons I chose to join Delta Tau Delta,” Chad said.

As Chad took his oath in Nov. 2014 with his father in attendance, he would reignite Chuck Brand’s (University of Alabama, 1990) passion for the Fraternity.

“Watching him decide to go to my alma mater and then deciding to join my Fraternity I was full of pride,” Chuck said. “It was really nice to see the Ritual, to see him go Greek and become a member, and now looking back on how he has grown and matured in the chapter.”

The Fraternity has always been a comfortable place for Chuck and now this is an experience he can share with his son.

Now, Chad is president of the Delta Eta Chapter, while his dad serves as house corporation president.

“Not a day goes by where we don't talk about the Fraternity and where it is heading and how we can improve it in our respective roles,” Chad said. “He is a built-in accountability partner and keeps me focused on the tasks that I need to be getting accomplished.”

This dynamic has done more than bring the Brand’s closer together it has bridged the divide between the house corporation and the chapter. “The relationship between the brothers and house corporation improved dramatically because they knew him before either of us took on the roles we are in and know we want what is best for the chapter as a whole,” Chad said.

With the house corporation taking a more active role in the chapter than in previous years it has allowed barriers and misconceptions to be torn down. “We are here to support and help them grow so that the members can reach their potential,” Chuck said.

Being involved again has reminded Chuck how much the Fraternity meant to him during his undergraduate years. He also, admits being involved with the chapter has given him an excuse to reach out to a lot of friends and brothers he had lost connection with.

“The crazy thing is, some of these people I have talked to and reconnected with are people I might not have talked to for 10 or 15 years, but it feels like I saw them last week from a phone conversation,” Chuck said. “It is amazing how you drift apart, blocked out of the way of keeping some of those connections in place, how quickly, because of those bonds, you can reconnect with them.”

Those bonds now transcend to the next generation. “It has allowed our relationship to grow in a different way. Hopefully, he sees me differently, and I know that I see him differently as well,” Chuck said.

Chad said it has been incredible getting to share the Fraternity experience with his dad. “It is an interesting dynamic that most don't fully understand, but I could not imagine doing it any other way,” he said.