Nine years ago this month, I was inducted as a member of Beta Chapter at St. Louis University. That same month, I was voted onto the chapter's executive board as Recording Secretary. Since then, I have served consecutive terms nationally and/or locally either as an officer or a director. Aside from my current office, my most significant offices held include Chapter President, National Student Representative, and four consecutive years as National Executive Vice President.

My name is Derrick Cabrera, and I was elected National President at our most recent Convention in Ft. Lauderdale this past August. It was an inspiring time for me as well as others, as there have been many who have been expecting me to step up for some time now. And while you may or may not know me, I just wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself, as well as mention some of the goals that we, as the National Council, have for the next couple of years.

Alpha Delta Gamma National Fraternity has always been a haven for true brotherhood, rather than being operated too much like a business. We must be brothers to each other, but we also must know how to survive. The idea of properly performing the operations of this fraternity is always on everyone's mind. This National Council will audit our chapters to ensure that they are indeed grooming the leaders of tomorrow. And we want to ensure that their protocols, from risk management to tradition to new member education, are preserved, reviewed and, if necessary, improved.

Alpha Delta Gamma is also very interested in finding more campuses for possible expansion. This past October marks the chartering of Alpha Delta Gamma onto the Philadelphia University campus. Twenty minutes away, Chestnut Hill College colony has started their final year of the colonization process. And while two opportunities may not seem much when compared to larger national fraternities, this is great news for ADG.

The National Council will continue to pursue other expansion opportunities and hopes to create at least two more colonies before we leave office in 2006.

Another goal I'd like to mention revolves around our Actives and giving more in return. We want to return as much as we can back to the chapters in several different programs. Some of these are:

• National Finance Incentive Program
  -- Providing financial assistance for Chapters' rush and recruitment, rewarding timely fulfillment of chapter/active-to-national financial responsibilities.
• Convention and Leadership Conference Travel Assistance Program
  -- Designed to further increase attendance at the national convention and the leadership conference.
• National Insurance
  -- Soliciting more competitive quotes from a broader range of insurance providers, affording better coverage with lower premiums to actives.
• Chapter President's Leadership Forum
  -- Our most challenging financial goal: to fund travel and delegate fees for chapter presidents who would come together in a forum setting, learn from each other and from other leadership programs and seminars focused around their respective presidencies.

The last item I'd like to mention (something I plan to discuss in more detail at a later date) is the idea of getting more alumni to be involved with their chapters. After attended the NIC Small Fraternity Working Group meeting in October, I was amazed at the number of alumni who support their fraternities. Many expressed disappointment that their convention attendance was "only" 50% alums. These fraternities consider alumni involvement as a necessity to their existence and survival, locally and nationally, and so must ADG.

The National Council plans to review our emphasis on alumni relations with respect to the chapter and the national. I further hope to increase communications with Charlie Johnson, our new ADGEF President, and the rest of the ADGEF board with respect to this issue as well.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. The Council is working diligently to ensure the success of our chapters as well as the national. I hope that we can increase involvement from the alumni in the very near future.

Fraternally,
Derrick Cabrera
National President
president@alphadeltagamma.org