Leasau is a senior at San Diego State University, majoring in mechanical engineering and pursuing a master’s degree in bioengineering. He lives in Skyline.
Before entering college, I honestly did not know much about any of the “Divine Nine” organizations. It wasn’t until a conversation with my mom while on my way to school that I began to think about my life intertwined with Greek life. My only knowledge of Greek life was what was depicted in movies, but after some research, I found very quickly that that portrayal was nothing like the Divine Nine at all.
Once beginning my school year, I observed various organizations across campus looking for friends and relationships that would best support my goals at San Diego State University. One group of men stood out to me in particular because in such a short time I had seen these handful of brothers actively involved in leading student organizations, hosting events on campus and welcoming all students back with planned social activities. This interested me enough to research Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. I was trying to understand how four people were able to be in so many places and successfully navigate them with ease.
The same success the organization explained it wanted from its members was the success that was being depicted by the brothers in front of me. From my time observing, the key characteristics of members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. were honesty, ambition, courage and, most importantly, persistence. There are other characteristics that could be used to describe members, but personally these were the most noticeable to me. To truly embody a Kappa man, one must be willing to apply these characteristics to every aspect of one’s life as the work doesn’t end at graduation. Whether it is professional development, community outreach or personal and familial relationships, the expectation is achievement in the highest form possible. Immediately I was convinced this was where I needed to be to develop myself. In my almost four years as a Kappa, I have been able to serve on both my chapter and provincial executive boards. In the Delta Epsilon chapter, I have served as our keeper of exchequer (treasurer), keeper of records (secretary) and polemarch (president).
I served as an undergraduate board member in our western province for two years, helping members in the western United States, Japan and South Korea. These positions allowed me to attend various conferences in the state and across the country meant to help develop members’ skills as Kappa men. These leadership conferences opened discussions about financial literacy, leadership styles, interviewing techniques, resume preparation and other skills we need as young men yearning to be leaders within our communities. One experience particularly that embodies Kappa to me was “LEAD Kappa” in 2019.
