Alumni Spotlights
Brotherhood Lasts a Lifetime
Greg Ethridge ’00 on His Commitment to Texas Delts
As a high school senior, Greg Ethridge ’00 never expected to join a fraternity in college. Pledging Delt turned out to be one of the best decisions of his life.
“I had a small graduating class in high school, so I was not used to the scale of such a huge university,” Greg recalls. “Finding a smaller group of friends on campus gave me some comfort.”
Gamma Iota opened a world of leadership opportunities for Greg, from chapter treasurer and the Delt Leadership Academy in Bethany to an IFC officer role and Greek Man of the Year. Like many Texas Delts before and after, he also learned about table manners and professional etiquette from longtime housemother Miss Abbott. Greg’s competitive nature motivated him to help make Delt a top fraternity at the University of Texas—a goal that’s stuck with him ever since.
Greg has served on the House Corporation since 2004 and led the Alumni Association for nearly as long. The Association maintains communications and mailings like Texas Delts and laid the groundwork for Gamma Iota’s capital campaign. To that end, Greg helped connect prospective donors and alumni leaders on the fundraising side. Since then, he’s kept busy working with other directors documenting the agreements between the Buidling Association and the Foundations, ensuring Gamma Iota can fund the house expansion and renovation projects.
“I never expected to be a longtime alumni volunteer, but here I am, nearly 20 years later,” Greg said. “The impact that we have on these young men is critical. In this age of technology, social media, and depression, I think the fraternity experience is just as important as ever (if not more). It gives young men a stable place and a group of friends, and it can help them disconnect with the bad parts of life and social media.”
When it comes to reconnecting or giving back to Delt, Greg encourages alumni to reflect on their experiences. “We all support organizations that impacted us or that we believe are valuable to others. If the fraternity was important to your growth as a person, as a leader, or in your career, it’s worth considering how you can support its future.”
Greg and his family lived in New York for 20 years, where he would organize several alumni gatherings a year with anyone who could make it. He moved back to Dallas in 2020, where alumni and chapter gatherings have been slow since the pandemic. Greg hopes they’ll become more frequent soon and is working with alumni of several eras to make it a reality again.