Phi Delta Theta is proud to announce its 2022 Clay and Debbie Jones Peer Mentor class for the Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute. The program, open to undergraduate Phis entering their junior or senior year, focuses on enhancing leadership and group facilitation skills and provides specialized education allowing peer mentors to become more familiar with Phi Delta Theta as an international organization.
Each undergraduate peer mentor is paired with a faculty member and becomes an integral part of his Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute chapter. He navigates the conference with the delegates in his Kleberg chapter, sits with them during General Sessions, and assists the lead faculty member in facilitating the chapter meeting curriculum.
Peer mentors also participate in unique educational opportunities during Kleberg, including discussion and presentation topics vital to Phi Delta Theta and the broader inter-fraternal world.
Phi Delta Theta would like to thank Clay and Debbie Jones for sponsoring the Peer Mentor program and the Leadership and Ethics Academy.
2022 PEER MENTOR CLASS
JAROD FIXMER, COLORADO STATE (COLORADO GAMMA)
Jarod Fixmer currently serves as the chapter warden of Colorado Gamma at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. He studies business administration with a double concentration in accounting and supply chain management. Once he graduates, Jarod wants to enter corporate accounting with aspirations of becoming a CPA. In addition, he enjoys lifting, rock climbing, watching movies, and hanging out with his friends during his free time.
JACOB VICK, MERCER (GEORGIA GAMMA)
Jacob Vick is a junior mechanical engineering student at Mercer University, a member of the Georgia Gamma Chapter of Phi Delta Theta, holding several positions, including secretary and currently serving as president. Jacob is also the president of the Touch 3D Club, which makes 3D yearbooks for the Georgia Academy for the Blind. After college, Jacob plans to pursue his master’s in business administration, which will help him accomplish his goal of opening an engineering firm. Jacob enjoys watching college football, playing lacrosse, and playing football with his friends.
MICHAEL SCHAEPER, HANOVER (INDIANA EPSILON)
Michael Schaeper currently serves as chapter president of Indiana Epsilon at Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana. He studies business with a concentration in management. Michael is heavily involved in the Business Scholars Program at Hanover College. He enjoys hanging out with friends, playing lacrosse, and hiking in his free time.
JACK HENDRICKSON, WASHBURN (KANSAS BETA)
Jack Hendrickson currently serves as chapter vice president of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Jack is majoring in criminal justice with an emphasis in law enforcement and a minor in political science. After graduation, Jack hopes to join the Kansas Highway Patrol or participate in politics. Jack enjoys welding, working cattle, playing golf, and having fun with his Phi Delt brothers.
KYLE HEFFERNAN, KENTUCKY (KENTUCKY EPSILON)
Kyle currently serves as chapter president of Kentucky Epsilon at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. He studies product design and is also pursuing a distillation and brewing sciences certificate. He is also involved in the Industrial Design Society of America in the UK and serves as their treasurer. He has served as president of the Interfraternity Council at Kentucky and in various positions within Phi Delt, including awards chairman, scholarship chairman, and treasurer. He can be found in his studio designing and creating projects for his major when he’s not busy with chapter activities. In his free time, he occasionally enjoys watching the Kentucky Wildcats and the New York Jets.
NATHANIEL DAVIS, WESTERN KENTUCKY (KENTUCKY ETA)
Nate Davis currently serves as the chapter president of Kentucky Eta at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He is an accounting major with a concentration in business data analytics. Nate is also the Good Deeds Club president, a Volunteer Club at WKU that helps people in need across Bowling Green. He enjoys all types of music and plays the guitar and banjo. On the weekends, he plays country music shows with his fraternity family.
CAMERON JOHNSON, KETTERING (MICHIGAN DELTA)
Cameron currently serves as chapter president of Michigan Delta at Kettering University. He studies mechanical engineering with a concentration of machine design and advanced materials. He enjoys putting time into his chapter, his friends, and building fun contraptions.
TYLER BLIZNIK, KETTERING (MICHIGAN DELTA)
Tyler Bliznik previously served as the recruitment chairman and currently sits on the recruitment committee for the Michigan Delta Chapter. He studies mechanical engineering with a biology minor. Tyler is a team captain on the ultimate frisbee team at Kettering. Tyler is also an Eagle Scout. In his free time, he loves working out, playing sports, relaxing outdoors, rock climbing, board games, video games, meeting new people, and hanging out with friends.
NATHAN CARTER, NEVADA, LAS VEGAS (NEVADA BETA)
Nathan Carter formerly served as chapter recruitment chairman of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is currently studying international business with a concentration in finance. Apart from being in Nevada Beta, he is also a part of the NSLS (the National Society of Leadership and Success). In his free time, Nathan enjoys cooking, playing soccer, and rock climbing.
JORDAN TUCKER – APPALACHIAN STATE (NORTH CAROLINA ETA)
Jordan Tucker is the founding president and Bond #1 of the North Carolina Eta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta. He was born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he attended West Forsyth High School—eventually furthering his education at Appalachian State. He reached out to the Fraternity to charter a chapter in 2020. After many ups and downs, the chapter received our charter on April 23, 2022.
KEANDRE BUYNA, APPALACHIAN STATE (NORTH CAROLINA ETA)
KeAndre Buyna attends Appalachian State University and is a founding member of the North Carolina Eta Chapter. He has served as the recruitment chairman for the chapter, where he has recruited over twenty-five members in the chapter during its first two semesters on campus. He also helped facilitate ideas and plans among the chapter to ensure the most efficient and effective road to installation.
NICHOLAS PALLAS, CAMPBELL (NORTH CAROLINA ZETA)
Nicholas J. Pallas is a biomedical humanities major with a minor in health communications. He currently serves as the chapter president but has also served as the risk management chairman. He is very active in his school’s music program and participates in the marching band, pep band, and numerous other ensembles, specializing in low brass instruments. He currently works as an optometric assistant at Eyedeals Optometry in Raleigh, North Carolina, but plans on attaining his master’s in bioethics after undergraduate school.
CONNOR CRAGO, NORTH DAKOTA STATE (NORTH DAKOTA BETA)
Connor Crago currently serves as the director of health and safety for the NDSU Interfraternity Council. He is also a founding father of North Dakota Beta in Fargo, North Dakota. He served as the first chapter president from 2020–22. He is studying sociology and minoring in homeland security and military science. Connor is also involved in Army ROTC as the NDSU Bison Battalion executive officer. He also currently works for the West Fargo Police Department as a community service officer and has worked as a Firefighter/EMT at the West Fargo Police Department. He has also served in the North Dakota Army National Guard since 2019. In his free time, he enjoys weightlifting, listening to vinyl, and exploring nature.
RAD BEAUFORD ZUHIRAH UQDAH, OHIO (OHIO GAMMA)
Beau Z. Uqdah currently serves as vice president for Phi Delta Theta and Interfraternity Council president. When he is not planning events with his brothers, he is busy working in Steven’s Literacy Center with the after-school club. Outside school, Beau enjoys hiking, watching hockey and movies, and playing video games. He hopes to continue giving back to the Fraternity that changed his undergraduate experience for the best.
AUSTIN REARDON, ALLEGHENY (PENNSYLVANIA DELTA)
Austin Reardon is a rising senior at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Originally from Long Island, New York, he is the current vice president of Phi Delta Theta Pennsylvania Delta and is a dual major in environmental science and sustainability and political science. In his free time, Austin enjoys spending time in Pittsburgh, where he currently lives, hiking nature trails, making music, and playing volleyball.
RILEY HAYS, INDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA (PENNSYLVANIA LAMBDA)
Riley Hays currently serves as chapter president of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, Pennsylvania. He is majoring in safety science and is pursuing a minor in mathematics. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games, watching shows, being outdoors, and spending time with his brothers.
MICHAEL MCGRATH, INDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA (PENNSYLVANIA LAMBDA)
Brother Michael McGrath is a junior at the Pennsylvania Lambda Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Michael joined Phi Delta Theta in the fall of 2021. Immediately after joining, he was elected to be the chapter’s vice president, the position he currently holds today. On top of that, Michael was the chapter steward and recently got elected to be the chapter’s public relations chairman. Michael is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in biology education, intending to become a high school biology teacher. After attending the McKenzie Family Presidents Leadership Conference in January, Michael knew that he wanted to give back to the next generation of leaders by becoming a peer mentor at the Kleberg Emerging Leadership Institute. He is looking forward to this conference and the next few years as an undergraduate, helping pave the way for the future leaders of Phi Delta Theta.
DONOVAN POWERS, WIDENER (PENNSYLVANIA MU)
Donavan currently serves as the chapter vice president for the Pennsylvania Mu Chapter at Widener University. He studies robotics engineering while working part-time as an apprentice automation engineer at ZETA USA. Donavan enjoys tinkering and 3D printing, and in his free time loves to play video games and do photography.
JETHRO CASIE, ST. JOHN’S (NEW YORK LAMBDA)
Jethro has held the philanthropy chairman and risk management chairman officer positions and currently serves as recruitment chairman going into his senior year at St. John’s University. He studies business analytics and will potentially pursue a masters. In his free time, Jethro loves going on retreats, reading, working out, and has recently started working on a podcast.
BRAYDON BECKWITH, GEORGE MASON (VIRGINIA LAMBDA)
Braydon Beckwith was the president and founder of Virginia Lambda at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Braydon just graduated with his BA in global affairs, concentration in global governance, and minor in intelligence studies this past May. Throughout his four years at George Mason, he served as the vice president of the men’s club volleyball team for three years and as a resident assistant for three years. Braydon wanted to set better precedence for what Greek life looked like on his campus and turned Phi Delta Theta and Virginia Lambda into the most academically successful, and most diverse fraternities on campus. You can find him in the gym, on a volleyball court, or spending quality time with his friends in his free time. Who knows, you might see him as a diplomat one day too.
RENE DEL BARCO, PUGET SOUND (WASHINGTON DELTA)
Rene Del Barco served as vice president of his chapter in 2021 and now serves as the president of the Interfraternal Council at the University of Puget Sound. He majors in biochemistry with a bioethics emphasis and a minor in mathematics on a pre-medical track. He has served as the varsity men’s tennis team captain for two years. He is researching nanoparticles and their stabilization in physiological (body) conditions.
ROBERT MANN, WISCONSIN–WHITEWATER (WISCONSIN ZETA)
Bobby Mann currently serves as chapter president of the Wisconsin Zeta Chapter in Whitewater, Wisconsin. He studies general management BBA Major with a nonprofit management emphasis, world religions minor, and a digital marketing certificate. Bobby is also involved with the Interfraternity Council and many other community service projects. In his spare time, he likes to travel, hike, draw, and spend time with friends.
