- Paul Bruda,
IFC president
NORMAL – As the fire spread over the entire roof of the house, everyone could do nothing but watch. The smoldering walls and the smoke pouring out of the windows was a sight no one expected to see. It seemed like seconds ago all of the men were inside, having a normal Wednesday night. However, everything seemed to change in a blink of an eye and all the unfortunate Delta Sigma Phi men watched as their home away from home burnt to ashes.
“When asked to become part of the construction team, I jumped at the opportunity,” Paul Burda, senior technology education major and Interfraternity Council president, said a year after the fire. “My current roommate this year is an alumni of the Delta Sigma Phi house and was already part of the crew. To be a part of something that big is something I couldn't pass up.”
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| Paul Burda, senior technology education major and Interfraternity Council president, listens for an audience comment during a recent IFC meeting. (Photo by George Jett / Staff Photographer) |
While helping to rebuild the house from square one, Burda also holds a large position with the ISU fraternities.
“I was initiated into Delta Sigma Phi in the fall of 2008 and ever since then I instantly started getting involved in any position that I could get a hold of. I was recruitment chairman for my own chapter last year when the house burnt down. I also got the chance last summer to go to Delta Sigs’ National Convention in Orlando, Florida. I am currently our chapter's house historian,” Burda said.
As if all the numerous positions were not enough for Burda, he started as a delegate for the ISU Interfraternity Council four days after his initiation.
Last year, after he was elected the vice president of IFC recruitment, Burda helped recruit over 250 new members into the ISU Greek community. The long days of conversing with new members paid off in the long run.
“When the term was over I decided to help the council further by running, and later winning, the title of IFC president where I now see to the day-to-day workings of our fraternity life at Illinois State and oversee the rest of our council,” he said.
Other than attending to the ins and outs of the campus fraternities, Burda packs more events and meetings into his schedule. He also attends weekly meetings for the Homecoming Planning Committee and completes several office hours each week.
“There’s constantly a flow of texts, phone calls, and emails each day. So by the end of the week it all really adds up. But I wouldn't trade it for anything, I love it,” he said.
Kaitlin Kirk, IFC advisor, said people are drawn to Burda and he does a good job of earning the trust of others quickly.
“It can be hard to be in an authority position over your peers, but Paul does a good job of navigating that by maintaining clear expectations but also relating to our members. Under Paul’s leadership, the Interfraternity Council has taken steps towards more responsible budget management, better policy compliance, and less tension among fraternities,” Kirk said.
After the countless amount of hours put in IFC, the optimistic president plans to leave the council and fraternity life in a better, more successful, state from when he first started.
“I have seen our Greek system at its best back in 2008 and hit a rougher patch more recently. But throughout this year already we have seen two new colonies spring up on our campus as well as help some lingering chapters stay on their feet. With any luck we may see even more new chapters come in and strengthen our community even more so than it was a few years ago,” he said.