Beta Lambda Zeta

Beta Lambda Zeta or BΛZ, is a social fraternity at Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia. Founded in 1927 in the college's Stuart Hall, the fraternity centers around brotherhood, love/loyalty and zeal. The fraternity's official colors are scarlet and grey. Among its most revered members are Frank Rowlett and Arthur "Big Al" Mitchell.

In the words of the first president of Beta Lambda Zeta, Robert Warner, one of the main reasons for starting a new fraternity was that, at the time, "even in the student government, there was evidence that certain groups of students could, and did, get by with breaking a lot of rules and regulations, while other students were punished. This affected even the honor system."

This led Mr. Warner and several of his class mates to create an organizational solution. They came up with the idea of starting a fraternity with the goal of providing an improved social life for the students, to establish a more moral approach to student activities, and to preserve the basic ideals of the college on to life afterwards. Although the organization has become a much more diverse and differentiated group of men - these ideals, and the underpinnings of honor that drive them, are the central facet of the fraternity to the present day.

In recent years, the Fraternity has continued to impact the direction of Emory and Henry College as several members are prominent figures in the college and alumni communities, and have served as members of various governing boards and bodies of the college. Starting in 1996, members Eric Drummond Smith and Tyler G. Kidd began a succession of several "Lambs" to serve as leaders of the student body when they served as successive presidents of the Council on Student Affairs or CSA, the precursor body to the current Student Government. They were followed by member Jason M. Clayman who served as the last President of the Council on Student Affairs.

Under Clayman's leadership of the CSA, a CSA committee headed by yet another BΛZ member drafted a Constitution for a Student Government incorporating three separate branches, and a new Honor Code. This new constitution, ratified in referendum by the student body in 1999 dramatically altered the culture of student leadership at the college by opening the doors of campus government to a wider, more transparent, and proportionally representative participation from the overall student body. The Honor Code was ratified in the same referendum - reinstating an historical tradition that had been in disuse since the college's Navy resident program during World War II - the same tradition of honor to which President Warner refers in the above quotation.

A "Lamb" was the first President of the Student Body under the new system of government and held the post for two years. Members Justin L. Oliverio, Brendan Roche and Dustin Crouse have each served as Presidents of the Student Body since this time. Alumni contributions have been even more numerous and lasting. Most recently, Brother Geoffrey Bodenhust served first as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chairman of the "Increase in Excellence" Capital Campaign - the largest single capital investment campaign in the history of the college. After the conclusion of the campaign, Bodenhust served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Brother William Wolfe currently serves as a Trustee. In addition to serving the college, the brothers of Beta Lambda Zeta also strive to make a positive impact on the community by holding many community service projects and student events.

While much of the distinguished history of the fraternity is a matter of public records, the culture, ritual, symbols and tradition that form the underlying foundations of the fraternity and it's indoctrination process have long been shrouded in secrecy.