I had the pleasure of interviewing Bryan Pfeffer, a sophomore at the University of Maryland and president of Zeta Beta Tau. His drive to better himself and his community is truly admirable, and I wanted to share a little bit about him and his passions.
When did you first get involved in Greek Life? Had you always wanted to be in a fraternity?
I first got involved in Greek Life the spring of my freshman year. Coming into college, I had never thought that a fraternity would be a good fit for myself. However, after being at University of Maryland for a semester, it quickly became apparent that the best way to have an active social life and positive network of friends was to get involved on campus. Despite hesitations about Greek Life, my friend showed me the value that the Greek system could have in an ideal world. When I saw the opportunity to get involved with a new organization on campus, I jumped at it. I thought the Greek system had so much potential and I wanted to see it all come to fruition. No better place to start than with a new organization.
What influenced you to become president of Zeta Beta Tau?
I guess along the same lines, I joined the group, found a niche with a great group of guys, and recognized quickly that we had the potential to do something great. A lot of the brothers started to realize that I had a vision for what we could become, and they started buying into the system. It made me very confident and excited to lead the organization to better things.
Being new on campus, what are your goals for your fraternity?
My goal for our fraternity is to be on the forefront of organizations that begin to change the preconceived notions about Greek Life. Bringing college students into a values-based organization gives so many possibilities for positive impact, and I feel that is something that fraternities have gone away from in recent times. I want to be the group that shows that we can responsibly enjoy ourselves but also have a positive impact on our brothers, campus, and greater community.
What impact do you want to make on Greek Life/how do you want your fraternity to be different?
I hope to continue to prove that there are effective ways to build a value-based organization with strong brotherhood without hazing or dangerous behavior. Further, we want to continue to always add value to the communities that house us. I thought I constantly have is “if my chapter closed down tomorrow, who would care?” The same applies to the greater Greek community as a whole. If the campus and surrounding communities would not feel the impact of your disappearance, you are adding no value, and it is time to reevaluate. I hope to continue to be on the front of this change, providing positive value to all communities that we hold membership in.
What else are you involved in on campus?
I currently serve on the University of Maryland Senate on the student affairs committee. I also work closely with Maryland Hillel on community outreach and social justice.
What do you find most rewarding about your job?
I think the most rewarding piece of my job is watching my brothers follow our shared vision and take the lead on making a difference on campus, in College Park, and in Greek Life. Seeing brothers rally around philanthropy events and working hard to plan productive community service programming, as well as continuing their commitments to academics, it is truly rewarding. When you have a vision for the way things should be, and a group of dedicated brothers working hard and buying into that vision, there is no better feeling.
What are your future plans?
Keeping in line with the interview, I hope to continue to be involved in my fraternity through the end of my college career and afterwards, as an alumni. In the near future, I hope to take up the cause of working with at-risk middle and high school students to show them the benefits college has to offer, and encourage them to stay on a productive track. In the future, I hope to work for a company dedicated to social justice. I do not have a specific set goal, just hope to continue to lead the charge towards a better world, no matter what organization I end up with.