Delta Sigma Phi's Leadership Institute (LI) returned to the Colorado Rockies this summer, bringing the Alpha Eta class together at the CSU Mountain Campus in Bellvue from July 19 to 23, 2026. Twenty-seven undergraduate brothers, representing chapters from across the country, spent five days at nearly 9,000 feet working on the same thing: how to lead.

LI is the Fraternity's flagship leadership program and the centerpiece of the Pursue Education pillar of the Next Era Strategic Plan. The idea behind it is straightforward — leadership, critical thinking, and communication aren't things you pick up automatically just by being in a chapter. They have to be taught, practiced, and reflected on.

The curriculum is built around the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership: leading by example, embracing innovation, inspiring a shared vision, empowering others, and recognizing contributions. Rather than lecturing brothers through the framework, facilitators leaned on case studies, small group discussion, and personal reflection — and it was those small group conversations, more than anything on the schedule, that brothers pointed to afterward as where the real growth happened.

Learning to Lead

LI is designed to challenge brothers to think differently about leadership, but one message echoed throughout the week: leadership is built through connection.

That idea came into focus during the keynote from Jedidiah Collins, CFP, a former NFL fullback turned financial literacy coach, who challenged the room to "Be a Pro." Jedidiah drew a line between managing and leading: a manager can be optimized, and AI may soon do that work better than people can, but leadership runs on inspiration — and inspiration runs on trust. His point was that stories, more than data or directives, are what actually move people to act, and that the leaders who learn to tell them are the ones who motivate others to follow.

For Mason Boutwell, Oklahoma '25, that lesson resonated. "Collins was a great speaker and also taught something I find extremely valuable for leadership, which is being a great storyteller. That allows you to connect at a deeper level with people you are leading and inspire them."

The theme of connecting in order to lead extended well beyond the keynote. Brothers arrived representing very different chapters and left having realized their struggles are shared and their network is national. As Alex Davis, Ohio State '24, put it, what stood out most was "the session with Jedidiah and the ability to meet so many passionate brothers from around the country." Several men who came in uncertain about their own leadership capacity left ready to take ownership when they got home.

The week ran on its trained alumni volunteers. The 2026 program was guided by returning lead facilitators Tom Wible, Ohio Northern '02, and Arthur Montejano, Cal State, Fresno '08, joined by small group facilitators Michael Cherry, Utah State '17; Chris DeMartino, Johnson & Wales '97; Nick Rodabaugh, Washington State '21; Hunter Gurney, Utah '17; Nathan Stromberg, Northern Colorado '21; Jorge Ochoa, Texas Tech '11; Michael Nacy, Missouri S&T '17; and Max Spitalny, Towson '08, whose preparation and steadiness set the tone for the week.

Adventure on the Mountain

The Alpha Eta class's bus ran into trouble on the way up the mountain. Everyone came through safe, and what happened next is the part the class will remember: brothers looking out for one another, staying steady, and turning a rough start into one of the tightest weeks the program has run.

Then they hit the trail, and for the second year running, the mountain became its own classroom. One group set an alarm for 3 a.m. and, guided by facilitator Max Spitalny, climbed through the dark to reach the summit at first light. Another group rose early for a hike out to a B-17 bomber crash site tucked into the surrounding wilderness, trading the lodge for history and hard miles. The summit and the trail were named among the most bonding experiences of the week — a fitting close to a week spent studying leadership, and a reminder that leadership is rarely about the plan going perfectly.

Looking Ahead

The Leadership Institute has anchored the Pursue Education pillar for more than three decades, graduating over 1,300 undergraduate brothers since its founding, many of whom have gone on to become the Fraternity's most committed leaders. It remains one of Delta Sigma Phi's most accessible experiences as well. Through the generosity of the Delta Sigma Phi Foundation, which underwrites the cost of attending, brothers take part regardless of their financial circumstances.

The Leadership Institute is a cornerstone of the Next Era Strategic Plan, the Fraternity's roadmap for strengthening the member experience, expanding its impact, and preparing brothers for what comes next. Every summit reached in Colorado and every lesson carried home advances a larger vision: for Delta Sigma Phi to become the greatest launchpad for men pursuing educational, professional, and civic success. The Alpha Eta class is the newest proof of what that looks like in practice.

With another strong class behind it, the Institute continues to sharpen its focus on practical, applicable leadership that brothers can put to work the moment they return to campus. Planning for the 2027 program is already underway, and the mountains will be waiting.

Take the Next Step

Weeks like this one are only possible because brothers show up ready to grow and because donors invest in the experiences that shape them. There are two ways to be part of what comes next.

Apply for a flagship program. Delta Sigma Phi's flagship experiences develop leaders across the Pursue Education, Launch Careers, and Embrace Service pillars. Explore the Leadership Institute, the Career Accelerator, and the Civic Engagement Institute, and apply when the next cycle opens.

Support the next cohort. Every brother who attends does so because someone gave. A gift to the Delta Sigma Phi Foundation directly underwrites registration, travel, and lodging for future classes, opening these experiences to more men regardless of financial need.