2019 Leadership Institute

Since 1969, Indianapolis, Indiana has been home to the Delta Upsilon International Fraternity Headquarters. This summer, it also played host to DU's 2019 Leadership Institute.

The Leadership Institute is Delta Upsilon’s biggest event of the year. Nearly 300 undergraduate and alumni brothers converged on downtown Indianapolis July 25-28, 2019, for a weekend of fellowship, learning and celebration. Held at the Hyatt Regency hotel, LI featured 28 different educational programs, Fraternity and Foundation Board and committee meetings, awards presentations, and donor events. LI is also the home to DU’s bicameral legislative sessions: the Undergraduate Convention and Assembly of Trustees.

“The Leadership Institute is our chance to celebrate our brotherhood and the friendships and opportunities Delta Upsilon brings us,” International Fraternity President Tom Durein, Oregon State ’92, said during the Welcome Dinner. “The next three days are the best three days in Delta Upsilon each year.”

LI 2019 officially kicked off Thursday, July 25 as attendees made their way to Indianapolis. Those arriving early had the opportunity to participate in a Regional GSI service event with the American Red Cross to install smoke detectors in an at-risk Indianapolis neighborhood. Brothers also had the chance to visit IHQ that afternoon for a tour. The Welcome Dinner Thursday evening saw DU present its first awards of the weekend, recap the successes of 2018-2019, as well as conduct the Initiation Ceremony, with The Charge address given by Joshua Katz, Central Florida ’97.

Friday’s schedule featured educational programs throughout the day for both undergraduates and alumni. Topics ranged from DU’s Membership Outcomes Assessment, chapter reporting, DU history and Ritual, substance-free housing, sexual assault prevention, and more. That evening, undergraduate brothers had the chance to visit the NCAA Hall of Champions, an interactive sports museum located within the NCAA’s headquarters. The DU Educational Foundation also hosted a Wine Tasting fundraiser and donor reception at the Indiana Repertory Theatre.

More educational programs were held Saturday, with the highlight of the day being the Grand Banquet. Here, DU recognized its Sweepstakes Finalists, named its Distinguished Undergraduate and set the tone for the year ahead.

“For more than 170 years, chapters have been gathering together annually to conduct the business of the entire Fraternity together,” said Craig Sowell, Houston ’92, during Friday’s Awards Luncheon. “By now, I hope many of you first timers have discovered just how important and meaningful LI is.”