Delta Alpha Chi, a Christian men’s fraternity, is returning to campus after a hiatus.
The fraternity left in 2016 after a loss of leadership, said Dr. Charles Neff, vice president for university-church relations and adviser of the club.
Ryan Cabe Killingsworth, DAX vice president and biology/Spanish sophomore, said the fraternity will bring something to students the campus lacks.
“We don’t really have a men’s small group on campus. There’s not really a specific organization or anything that guys can really go to talk about their faith and stuff,” Killingsworth said.
Killingsworth said fellowship has been an influential part of his life and is a major motivator for getting the club off the ground.
“Back at home, I have this amazing group of guys that I grew up with at church, and just going through middle school and high school, we were in a small group,” he said.
Killingsworth said the group got so close they would hang out outside of church functions.
“Just having those relationships really helped me get through certain things in my life,” he said.
Killingsworth said he is looking for prospective brothers who want to be more involved with their faith on campus.
“We’re just looking for some guys who are wanting to dig deeper in their faith and who are wanting to have this strong group of guys who’s coming together each week,” he said.
Greek fraternity members are welcome to join the non-Greek affiliated fraternity, said Austin Jones, music theater sophomore and DAX president.
“That way, if people wanted the option to, they could join both a Greek fraternity and a Christian fraternity, in order to have kind of that balance in their life,” he said.
Jones identifies as a nondenominational Christian, but he said his family life rooted him in the church early on. He said his father is a pastor of a Pentecostal Holiness Church.
“I grew up in a very religious household, and my dad always encouraged me to believe in my faith and be open about my faith,” he said.
Jones said his dad has always been open-minded, and this informed his faith.
“Usually, people of faith are very judgmental—my dad is not. Love is the center of my faith. If you don’t have love, you can’t approach people rightfully with faith. I just think that’s very important to remember that, you know, even though sometimes people don’t agree with you, people are never going to understand you, you still have to love that person regardless,” he said.
Jones said the cornerstones of his faith—love, understanding and acceptance—will be the DAX foundation.
“That’s what DAX is also built upon—the unification of brothers who want to explore faith,” he said.
The Rev. Elizabeth Horton-Ware, student religious life director, said she looks forward to the organization’s return to campus and its potential impact.
“Trying to help more people find a spiritual home on campus is the main goal,” she said.
Horton-Ware said giving men on campus a place to become leaders through their faith is a unique asset DAX offers.
“I think it’ll be a great addition. You know, each of the organizations on campus is what students make it, so having the option to come at that from a faithful direction is just one more option to offer on this campus,” she said.
Jones said students should watch for flyers on campus, social media and in their email for more information about the first DAX meet and greet.
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