Brian Steck '89 

What made Delta Upsilon the right fraternity for you? 

I arrived on campus with no prior exposure to the Greek system and went through fall rush my freshman year—more out of curiosity than anything else. I was particularly drawn to houses that had a quality that I would later recognize was “brotherhood.” Sure, we were going to have a good time, but we would look out for one another as well. For me, this was most evident at DU, and I joined without hesitation. 

It proved to be a very good decision. I moved into the Chapter House that fall and stayed though graduation. Thirty-five years later, the brothers I met remain among my closest friends. 

How did being a member of the Chapter help shape you as a person? 

While I did not fully appreciate it at the time, the concept of giving 60 college guys a house and a budget with nothing more than their traditions and collective judgment to guide the way is rather extraordinary. From this I learned leadership, problem solving, and how to work with and happily coexist with people who have different perspectives and priorities. If I wanted to put a fancy title on it, I would say it was a great experience in social entrepreneurship. 

What are some of your favorite memories with the DU brotherhood? 

We’ve made a lot of good memories in the last few years alone. They include getting together for the Cubs World Series, connecting many brothers in Chicago around Thanksgiving, biking with Tom Mereckis ’90 and Eric O’Daffer ’88 in the Wenatchee Mountains, having brothers and their wives visit us in Massachusetts, and all the text chatter that comes with the annual March Madness pool (hosted by Kurt Winiecki ’88). Sure, we are older, but the connections remain and the good times continue. 

What led you to increase your donation to the campaign? 

There were three things that did it: 

1. Anyone that has been involved in a project like this understands that with 80% of the intended budget, you don’t get 80% of the result. The details matter and they cost money. 

2. I moved into the house in the fall of ’85—immediately after a major renovation that was paid for by a bunch of alumni whom I had never met. Their generosity ensured that my generation of DUs enjoyed the high-quality physical structure that was the backbone of our experience. Every party, latenight card game, Chapter meeting, and rush session benefited from their contribution. 

Related to this point: in 2022, Maria and I visited the house while on a cross-country road trip. From this visit, it was clear to me that my generation needed to do more. Maria’s comment was even more poignant: she said that if I had rushed today, I probably would not have joined. She was right, and I would have missed out on one of the most impactful experiences of my formative years. 

3. Finally, I saw how much effort friends like Chuck Bleck ’90.5, Dave “Tarbo” Taraboletti ’89.5, and Tom Mereckis ’90 have put into the project, and I knew that they deserved the additional support. 

If you can, you should. I could, and so I did. 

What are your hopes for the future of DU, following a successful campaign and house renovation? 

It’s pretty simple. I hope that DU continues to mean as much to current and future brothers as it does to me and my generation. It’s a special place and a special time in people’s lives. It’s when and where you figure out who you really want to be. I am a better man today because I lived with 60 brothers who helped me figure that out. 

Is there anything else you would like to add? 

Life is too short, and great friends and experiences are too rare. With this in mind, I branded last summer as “The Summer of Yes.” Since then, I have doubled down on getting off the couch and saying yes to things, to making fun things happen, and to investing in new and existing relationships. I hope everyone who reads this does the same. I will know who took this advice when I see who makes it to the Chapter House in September.