In the Fall of 1904 at Middlebury College, in Middlebury, Vermont, ten young men not yet affiliated with any Greek letter organization, gathered together in room 14 of Old Painter Hall. They wished to form their own, unique brotherhood, one based on stern Roman values and “Honor Super Omnia” (Honor Above All Things). On May 17, 1905, before leaving campus for the summer, these young men gathered together again formally, as the new fraternity of Kappa Delta Rho (KDR).
Since its founding, Kappa Delta Rho has grown from ten members to more than 1,200 undergraduate members, 35 active chapters, and over 25,000 initiated members. While all Brothers of KDR are familiar with the values of respect, responsibility, and hard work, many have gone on to truly lead lives of excellence, including Stephen Sanborn (Vice President, Standard & Poors Corp.), Charles W. Berger (Vice President, Apple Inc.), Patrick J. Reilly (President of the Professional Golfers Association), and Ari Fleischer (Press Secretary for President George W. Bush). With Brothers like these, it’s easy to see why so many men want to wear the Kappa Delta Rho blue and orange.
The Brothers of Kappa Delta Rho understand that young people must be properly nurtured in order for them to grow into the leaders of tomorrow, and for this reason, all members are active supporters of KDR Kids. A wide-reaching philanthropic initiative, KDR Kids encourages local chapters to support numerous organizations that focus on the literacy, health, and overall well-being of children in their communities. Many of these groups are national organizations, such as Make-a-Wish, St. Jude’s Children’s Miracle Network, Special Olympics, and First Book. In these philanthropic endeavors, the Brothers of KDR actively fulfill their precept to, “Engage in the service of mankind, not for the praise or recognition that such service may bring, but because it is the right thing to do.”
The Kappa Delta Rho values of Fellowship, Leadership, Scholarship, Service, and Tradition, are a firm foundation on which members may build successful, honorable lives. Much like the knight’s helmet found in their coat-of-arms, the traditions of KDR are armor for all Brothers to wear, reminding them to treat everyone they meet with dignity and respect and to place honor above all things, whether in the fraternity house or out in the world.