Across the country, every SAE chapter is adjusting to a tremendous change that requires members to take special consideration as to who becomes initiated into the fraternity. The inaugural True Gentleman Experience is well into its progression, as each chapter has initiated a new group of young men a mere few weeks after accepting their bid to join the fraternity. There are mixed feelings about the new process implemented by SAE’s nationals, but, ultimately, the TGE will prove to take the fraternity to higher levels of success in shaping future leaders.
SAE, like many other national fraternities, was accustomed to a formal, lengthy pledge process in which pledges would learn a great amount of detail about the fraternity’s secrets and other details that make up the organization. This lengthy process has been replaced to eliminate the semester-long process in favor of a much more brief process, basically eliminating the pledge process all together. The issue with the replacement is one that has a potential to create a lack of unity or closeness among brothers of the fraternity.
The former pledge process was one that allowed a group of mostly strangers to come together and create friendships with the idea of a common goal of joining a fraternity and making the most out of their college experience. In a matter of a few short weeks, a new group of brothers have been initiated into the fraternity without having much of a chance to share the same opportunity to create similar friendships. The lack of a formal pledge process also removes a chance for potential new members to bond with the brotherhood. Many friendships in the fraternity are formed as pledges try to show members they could potentially become a brother. Brothers get a chance to see the dedication these potential new members and a sense of respect is built between the two groups.
The True Gentleman Experience is an aspect of SAE that brothers will be forced to accept and will cause phases of adjustment. However, with the implementation of this process and the removal of the former process, the chance of long-lasting friendships and bonding experiences may also be removed.
