By Brother Richard Treadwell
Kappa Eta chapter was founded on the spirit of the brotherhood we experienced in the South. When I first arrived at Seton Hall University in the fall of 1972, I already knew I wanted to be a Que. I was first exposed to the fraternity while visiting my brother, Dr. Kenneth Treadwell (also a Que), when he was an undergraduate student at Morgan State College in Baltimore, Maryland. I was so impressed with how the brothers carried themselves on campus; I knew this was an organization I wanted to be a part of.
Since there was no undergraduate chapter in the area at the time, I pledged Upsilon Phi chapter in Newark, NJ, and crossed over in the spring of 1973. I was the only undergraduate brother on Seton Hall’s campus then but had a clear vision of establishing a chapter before I left.
We pledged 2 additional lines through Upsilon Phi before we had enough brothers to establish our own undergraduate chapter. During that time, we made several trips to HBCU homecomings. Through those experiences, we internalized the sense of brotherhood at the southern campuses we visited and used that as a platform to create Kappa Eta chapter.
Establishing a Black Greek organization on a private, Catholic university in the mid 1970’s was a monumental achievement. We also facilitated the expansion of Black Greek organizations on other campuses in northeast New Jersey. We were trailblazers in every sense of the word. We helped the greater community-at-large, built a solid platform to support young, black men doing well in whatever they chose to do in life and established the legacy that is now Kappa Eta chapter.
To all my chapter brothers, I say job well done. To my fellow founding brothers, I say thank you. May the legacy continue ….
Brother Richard Treadwell
Charter Basileus Kappa Eta Chapter