Enhancing the Experience

Every Month

Benjamin Gerlinger

From day one, Delta Tau Delta has helped shape the future for Benjamin Gerlinger (University of Minnesota, 2014). The Fraternity played a critical role in his development; even as an undergraduate he hoped he could one day find a way to repay the Fraternity. Now an alumnus, Gerlinger is able to positively impact the Delt experience for our current undergraduates through his involvement with the Delt Foundation. His ongoing commitment as a recurring donor has earned him recognition in the Foundation’s Delta Alpha Kappa Society.

Joining Beta Eta during a “rebuilding” phase, Gerlinger was able to hold a very pivotal position and lead change that would shape the future of the chapter. Initially acting as the secretary and later spending two years as chapter president, Gerlinger moved mountains in collaboration with his chapter brothers.

“When I joined, our numbers were low, so I knew it would be a good opportunity for me to really improve my leadership skills. As president, we saw exponential growth and were eventually awarded the Court of Honor, which was a huge accomplishment considering where we started from.”

Through Gerlinger’s recurring contributions, he has earned membership in the Order of the C—, the highest recognition for annual giving. His generosity is a direct result of the leadership experiences and positive impact Delt had on his development. Today, Gerlinger lives in Atlanta with his wife and their two children. An equity research analyst for the Hovde Group, the Minnesota alumnus boasts nearly a decade of experience in investment banking.

“Delt gave me an opportunity from day one. Once I was able, I knew it was time to repay Delt for the opportunities that were provided to me. My goal is to ensure today’s young Delts have those opportunities too. I have come to realize the Delt experience expands far beyond your college days—the networking opportunities and relationships are incredibly valuable. I want to pay my good fortune forward; making a monthly gift accomplishes that goal in a way that fits my lifestyle.”

Gerlinger acknowledges how easy giving back to Delt can be. His contributions are forging the future for the next generation every month. By making automated gifts instead of a single annual gift he is able to make a bigger impact in the long run. “To me, it was the idea that giving the same amount month after month was a fool-proof and ample way to enhance the experience, provide a sense of belonging, development opportunities, and valuable resources to those coming after me.”

GERLINGER IS RECOGNIZED AS A MEMBER OF THE DELTA ALPHA KAPPA SOCIETY, THE ORDER OF THE C—, AND HAS REACHED 1858 SOCIETY STATUS FOR HIS LIFETIME GIVING. YOU CAN ESTABLISH A RECURRING GIFT BY SCANNING THE QR CODE OR AT WWW.FORGINGTHEFUTURECAMPAIGN.ORG.

FORGING THE FUTURE

Enhancing the Experience

Innovation and adaptability is a core focus of the Forging the Future Campaign and a priority for Delta Tau Delta. Supported in part by the Educational Foundation, the Membership Impact Study (MIS) is an annual assessment project designed to better understand the member experience over time.

We believe in order to provide a premier fraternal experience the Fraternity must understand how undergraduate men are experiencing membership in Delta Tau Delta. There are fundamental questions that the organization can always use to determine its value to members and society: How is the Fraternity successfully fostering an impactful experience? Where do the opportunities for improvement exist? Do the Mission and Values resonate in the undergraduate experience, and to what degree? How does the Fraternity enrich the lives of young men?

Understanding answers to these questions and making meaningful decisions around support, program offerings, and priority setting will only make the Fraternity better. The purpose of the MIS is to help the Fraternity answer these core questions so we can make informed, impactful decisions for the future of the organization and for current and future members.

The Fraternity will be able to use the data to design programs and chapter support models to bolster or address areas of operations. We will also be able to produce chapter reports to be shared with chapter officers and volunteers. We believe being transparent about chapter and national data will help local chapter leaders make decisions about chapter culture and will assist all members in understanding the direction and strategic choices made by the Fraternity.

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OF RESPONDENTS REPORT PAYING ALL OR SOME OF THEIR OWN DUES. OF RESPONDENTS REPORT A RACIAL IDENTITY OTHER THAN WHITE. OF RESPONDENTS REPORT A LEARNING DISABILITY.