Ethan Sledge ’27 will forever be linked to the history of Southwestern University. In April, he became the first SU student to be inducted into The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., a pivotal moment in Southwestern’s quest to bring a Divine Nine fraternity to campus for the first time. Heading into the fall Greek Life recruitment cycle, Sledge is looking to establish the organization’s presence on campus and further spread Omega Psi Phi’s mission of service and community-building.

Established in 1911 at Howard University in Washington, D.C., The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is the first international fraternal organization founded on the campus of a historically Black college. Omega Psi Phi was derived from the initials of the Greek phrase “Friendship is Essential to the Soul,” a mantra that now serves as the organization’s motto.

“The founders started this fraternity to have educated men be able to come together, network, and live our motto, ‘Friendship is Essential to the Soul,’” Sledge said. “That’s what I want to do on this campus. I want to have an outlet for Black men and people of color to come together and have a sense of friendship, especially the [first-year students] coming in trying to build their foundation. This fraternity now being on campus can help further that for many people.”

The process of establishing the fraternity’s presence on Southwestern’s campus began with SU Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life Ron Swain, who joined Omega Psi Phi’s Omicron Psi Chapter in 1968 during his undergraduate studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.

Swain reached out to Dexter Caston, the basileus, or president, of Omega Psi Phi’s Omicron Nu Nu Chapter, which serves much of Central Texas from its headquarters in nearby Round Rock. Caston and Swain worked with Southwestern President Laura Skandera Trombley to bring to life the University’s long-held vision of welcoming a Divine Nine fraternity to campus.

“To provide the opportunity for young men at Southwestern to experience the brotherhood, is an extraordinary accomplishment,” Swain said. “From this modest beginning in 2025, I envision growth in the coming years. It is true that Omega is not for everyone, and not everyone is for Omega. We believe that ‘eight men thoroughly immersed in the true Omega spirit are far greater assets than eighty with lukewarm enthusiasm.’”

Caston and his team began to establish a presence on campus, holding information sessions and meeting with students, including Sledge, who was drawn toward Omega Psi Phi’s rich history and cardinal principles of manhood, scholarship, perseverance, and uplift.

“Especially as a history major, I really took the time to learn about the fraternity and piece things together,” he said. “When you do a deep dive, you can really learn about how Omega has touched on so many different professions, from science to education to the military. I’m just very excited and very happy to see this on campus.”

Throughout its history, members of The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. have become leaders in art, academics, athletics, business, civil rights, education, government, and science across the country and around the world. Sledge added his name to the rich history of both Omega Psi Phi and Southwestern by becoming the fraternity’s first inductee on campus.

“Brother Sledge has demonstrated exceptional leadership, character, and perseverance,” Caston said. “He is widely respected as a vocal yet humble leader who uplifts his peers and leads by example. His path into Omega as a solo initiate of Spring 2026 reflects the determination and excellence that define the fraternity.”

As the first, and currently only, inductee, he represents the second National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organization to come to Southwestern, joining Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. The NPHC, founded in 1930 at Howard University, is the governing umbrella for the Divine Nine historically African American fraternities and sororities, dedicated to leadership, service, and academic excellence.

“These organizations give people of color another outlet to be able to find a group that they can align themselves with,” Sledge said. “It is going to be really great to participate in some of our programs and have events for people to connect and learn more about other organizations on campus. I’m looking forward to working with Alpha Kappa Alpha to have more events to put the word out about both the fraternity and the sorority.”

Even before joining the Southwestern University community, Sledge was familiar with the Divine Nine and what the organizations stand for. As the youngest of four children, he was introduced to the Divine Nine by his older sister, who is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

“She was so excited when I told her I was joining the Omegas,” Sledge said. “She realizes that this is really good, not only for the school, but for the community. It’s also good for me personally because of how it will help me in life. The fraternity is more than just something you experience in college. After college, we have graduate chapters where you can continue to serve the community and network. There’s a lot of benefits.”

The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. formally welcomed Sledge into the organization during a ceremony on campus on April 30, 2026. A tradition amongst the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities, probates are public ceremonies where new members are introduced to their campus communities. Sledge’s probate featured Divine Nine traditions including synchronized stepping, strolling, and chanting.

“In the frat, we say that there is always work to be done, then the fun will come after. We’re big on wanting to put the work in, take the time to plan and do things right, then afterwards, we can relax and feel the joy,” Sledge said. “For me, probate was fun. It was a lot of work and a lot of practice, but it was just a really fun experience to say it’s finally here. We finally brought it to campus. Now we’re going to focus on the future.”

For Sledge, that future begins with building relationships with other organizations on campus, from the Center for Career and Professional Development, to athletic teams, to other Greek Life organizations, and beyond.

“Anyone who wants to work with Omega Psi Phi, please let us know,” he said. “We would love to start building connections, building friendships, and building ways to work with each other. We’re really fun, we know how to help get people out of their comfort zone, and we have outlets to help people grow. I’m really excited to get integrated with other organizations on campus and really build a foothold. I want to see us serving the campus community and the community in Georgetown.”

(Photo credit: Nico Klementzos)Sledge is no stranger to building community on campus. In fact, that is one of the reasons why he transferred to Southwestern from Abilene Christian University prior to the start of the Spring 2025 semester. A member of the track and field team, Sledge opted to enter the NCAA’s Transfer Portal after suffering a season-ending injury. He was recruited to join the track and field team at Southwestern by head coach Kenneth Eboh.

“He was looking for athletes who could help change the culture of the team here so that we can have more of that mentality of winning our conference and sending people to DIII Nationals,” Sledge said. “Last fall, I spent my first year here helping everybody get to know each other through hangouts and different events on campus. I try to help instill that in the current athletes we have, and also the new students coming in. I want to help them get acclimated with school and help them discover what they want to do with their four years of college.”

The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. needs eight total members to begin the process of formally applying for a dedicated chapter at Southwestern University. With fall recruitment on the horizon, Sledge is working hard to encourage his community to learn more about Omega Psi Phi and explore membership opportunities.

“If you are somebody who likes service for the community and for your fellow man, do research on the fraternity and learn what we’re about,” he said. “When you see other people from Omega Psi Phi on campus, come up and have a conversation. You will really learn a lot about a person who is in this fraternity and why they do what they do. This fraternity helps bring people from different backgrounds and different creeds together to get to know each other and learn.”