Whether you have never heard of us or have been to every one of our date parties, the chances are you have run across a guy in BYX. 

I was exposed to BYX my junior year of high school, and it caught my attention immediately. BYX stood out to me as a group of men that could have fun in a creative and honorable way. Here are the top 5 things I have found by joining BYX:

1)  Friends
Entering UT as a freshman, you can make friends in an organization for any of your interests. A fraternity allows a group of guys to put on fun social events, push its members to study together and encourage the men to hang out with each other. BYX accomplishes this, with over 200 men to get to know.   

2) Growth 

For many people, college is the most transformative time of their lives. BYX pushes its members to work hard academically to earn a valuable degree so they can do great things for the world. In addition, every aspect of BYX has a spiritual component in which we constantly look to Jesus as the source of leadership. Compared to his first day in BYX, a member at graduation should have a better relationship with God and be ready to carry it on throughout his life.   

3) Accountability 

BYX allows its members to hold standards for each other's actions. Every man is in a cell group which consists of a few members and meets weekly. Within these meetings, everyone has the chance to discuss what is going on in their life as well as the thoughts and decisions they have made. The other members can encourage the positive steps the individual is making, and point out the destructive habits the individual is creating. Nobody is perfect—just look to the news to find out about the latest celebrity, politician or random person who has hurt himself or herself, others close to him or her, or just innocent people. If used correctly, these cell groups can stop poor decision-making habits which could ultimately lead to an extreme decision that causes pain and strife.     

4) Leadership 

BYX has appointed and elected positions, each of which allows room for ownership and creativity. I have served as the vice president of service and I am currently serving as the president for BYX. As with any organization, elected positions come with responsibility and decisions to make. However, BYX stands out in its support of leaders. BYX has a forgiving culture, and although I make mistakes, these men graciously support me. Through this I have learned from my errors and corrected the way I approach decisions, which has crafted me into a stronger leader.   

5) Lifelong Brotherhood 

I have met some of our alumni who are still involved with their fraternity brothers’ lives. Some have continued their cell groups after college and 25 years later still meet up to make sure they are staying humble. When life throws a curve ball and a family member gets an illness or a tragedy happens, BYX brothers are the first to be there to comfort the ailing friend and pray with them. They are involved in each others’ weddings. Their kids play with each other. Alumni offer to teach current members of BYX life lessons and skills they have acquired through experience. In fact, members and alumni from different chapters can connect with each other and develop these relationships as well. The point: This fraternity does not stop on graduation day, and it creates a lifelong brotherhood.

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