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Jared Jones
Prof. Fielding
Section 40
1/27/16
Im a TEKE: an Autoethnography
A fraternity can be defined as a group of people sharing a common profession or
interests. They are also thought of as exclusive secret societies with varying rituals. Before
coming to college, I had always been interested in fraternities even though I was not too sure
what they were all about. So, last semester I decided to rush a Greek letter organization here on
campus. I was unaware of the amount of brotherhood and connections I would be immersed in.
Since joining Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE), I have learned everything about my fraternitys history,
participated in many brotherhood and philanthropy events, and become a better man.
The origin of fraternities dates back to ancient Greece. However, the first Greek letter
organization in the United States was created in 1776. Phi Beta Kappa (BK) was established at
the College of William and Mary as an academic honor society (Worthen). Social fraternities
started to emerge and grow in popularity during the 19th century. It was during this time that
fraternity houses became the norm (Worthen). At the very end of the 19th century, on January
10th, 1899, The Knights of Classic Lore was created at Illinois Wesleyan University. There were
already two social fraternities on campus at the time, Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) and Sigma Chi
(X). In 1902, The Knights of Classic Lore name would be changed to Tau Kappa Epsilon.
Tau Kappa Epsilon was founded on a few basic principles and beliefs. Tau Kappa
Epsilons mission is to aid men in their mental, moral, and social development for life. The

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founders of Tau Kappa Epsilon wanted to create a new type of fraternity. The fraternity they
wanted to build was going to be focused on personal growth rather than wealth. In addition to
Tau Kappa Epsilons mission, we believe in love, charity, and esteem. These three characteristics
are what drive our fraternity. We express love by being there for one another and pushing each
other to be the best that we can be; we express charity by being dedicated to St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital, our philanthropy; and we express esteem by holding ourselves to higher
standards than other fraternities and men. These are the building blocks of Tau Kappa Epsilon.
Some of Tau Kappa Epsilons practices include, but are not limited to, philanthropy,
social events, and alumni relations. The founder of St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, Danny
Thomas, is a brother of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Because of this, St. Jude is our philanthropy.
Sometimes we have joined philanthropy events with Delta Delta Delta (), a sorority who has
the same philanthropy as us. Every semester we have TKE Week. TKE Week is a week filled
with events and fundraisers to raise money and awareness for the hospital. In addition to TKE
Week, every brother has an app on their phone called Charity Miles. Every brother picks St. Jude
as their charity and for every mile walked/ran money is donated to St. Jude. Since last semester
weve accumulated 2254 miles, 168 of which are mine. Tau Kappa Epsilon also participates in
social events. These social events include mixers, which are closed events that only include Tau
Kappa Epsilon and a sorority or organization. These events usually have themes and allow Greek
life members to meet those in other organizations. In addition to philanthropy and social events,
we are very involved with our alumni. In Tau Kappa Epsilon we believe staying connected with
alumni is very important. We have various events throughout the year that are aimed at alumni.
This way alumni can get back together with one another and with current members of the
chapter. This allows current and graduated brothers to exchange stories, share advice, and have a

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good time in general. Philanthropy, social events, and alumni relations are just some of our most
important practices.
Membership of Tau Kappa Epsilon has its requirements, but being a part of a fraternity in
general has its questionable and controversial elements as well. When becoming a member of
Tau Kappa Epsilon, there are a few things you must keep in mind. First, you have to rush to be
considered for membership. At the beginning of every semester fraternities hold rush, a week
where there are events for students to meet and spend time with brothers. After rush, students are
told if they are going to be considered for membership or not. If a student gets initiated, then
there are two more things they must worry about, dues and involvement. Every semester there
are due that must be paid so that the fraternity can function. During rush, students are warned of
the financial commitment. Next, members must be involved. There is no point in joining an
organization, or a fraternity for that matter, if someone does not plan on being involved. That is
why it is important that every brother be involved with the fraternity and the direction its going
in. All of these things must be kept in mind when considering joining a fraternity.
Next, there are some controversies about being in a fraternity. Fraternities are associated
with bad grades, partying all the time, and being dangerous. When it comes to the bad grades
stereotype, Tau Kappa Epsilon has decided to combat that. Every week during the semester, TKE
has mandatory study hours for brothers with a cumulative GPA below a 2.5. This way we can
ensure that brothers get the study time they need if they fall behind. Secondly, even though there
are social events, it is not a requirement that brothers attend parties. There are also not parties on
week nights. There are also some weekends where we do not have any parties or social events.
Lastly, at Tau Kappa Epsilon we have measures in place to ensure that all of our events are safe
and accident free. There are brothers put in place to watch over the event for problems or

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activities that should not be happening. I am proud to say that my fraternity cares about my
academics and social welfare. We have combatted all of these stereotypes to ensure that we are
not like other fraternities.
As previously mentioned, I was interested in joining a fraternity before coming to
college. During FROG week and following weeks, I took my time to visit several fraternities
here on campus. After searching around, I met the brothers at Tau Kappa Epsilon. They were
different from every other fraternity I had met and seemed like they had really strong
brotherhood. This is what I was looking for because I had three things in mind during rush week:
brotherhood, fun, and connections. These are the three reasons I wanted nothing more than to be
initiated into Tau Kappa Epsilon. Now, as a member, I have my own responsibilities that are
similar to what I mentioned earlier. My responsibilities as a brother are to: pay dues, promote
Tau Kappa Epsilon, participate in events and philanthropy, and build brotherhood. I also have
expectations that include: staying involved, holding positions, and moving the fraternity in the
correct direction. This semester I brought some friends of mine out to rush so they could meet all
of the brothers and see how much fun it is. I also plan on running for Social Chair or Rush Chair
next semester since elections were held before my initiation. I proudly hold myself to all of these
expectations and requirements.
I have learned everything about my fraternitys history, participated in many brotherhood
and philanthropy events, and become a better man since joining Tau Kappa Epsilon. I honestly
believe that Tau Kappa Epsilon has made me a better person. Joining a fraternity became so
much more than I expected, and it is the best thing I have done since moving into my dorm back
in August. Finally, I encourage anyone who is interested in Greek life to at least go to rush and
check it out so they can see how happy I am to be a part of this organization.

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This is just a picture of me in
my letters, with my flag as my
background in my dorm. Im
proud to be a Teke.

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Works Cited
Worthen, Meredith G.F. "Fraternities." SAGE Reference. SAGE Publications, Inc, n.d. Web. 27
Jan. 2016.