Brotherhood With a Heartbeat

Most of us left college with a few good stories. Caroline Hagens, a senior at WSU and Delta Gamma member, along with Branson Kennicut (Junior), the Program Manager and current president of the Gamma Theta Beta Theta Pi house, helped promote a lifelong lesson in helping today’s students leave with something else: the confidence to step up when someone’s life is on the line.

For Caroline, bystander CPR is deeply personal. She performed CPR on her dad, Gamma Theta alumnus and advisor Jason Hagens, and saved his life. Bringing that experience to students gave this training a purpose that no programming checklist could capture. The Pullman Fire Department was surprised, as attendance was at full capacity and the Beta and DG's put their heart into learning something new.

Working with programming leaders from Delta Gamma and Beta Theta Pi, Caroline helped organize a hands-on session with the Pullman Fire Department. The firefighters arrived to a full house. The students practiced chest compressions on training mannequins, and the Pullman firefighters answered questions about life-saving techniques.

I know a couple of Beta brothers who were looking for more than that… and learned about using automated external defibrillators, or AEDs. This wasn’t a certification course; it was a chance to get hands-on experience and see how much more they still had to learn.

Then came a little cross-house chemistry. Betas and DGs counted off into mixed groups, met new people, and worked through the exercises together. A frightening family experience became a reason for students to connect, build confidence, and look out for one another. If you remember your own chapter programming, here’s a reason to lean in. School requirements may get an event onto the calendar, but student leadership gives it meaning. Caroline, Branson, and the chapter organizers brought a personal story, a community partnership, and a practical skill into the same room.

“It goes a lot deeper than that,” Branson said, referring to Greek life and the familiar party reputation. He explained that educational programming helps members become better men and women. That evening offered a concrete example: students showing up to learn how to help someone through an emergency. Caroline hopes to bring the training back, explore additional Narcan education, and work with Panhellenic and IFC leaders to expand it across the Greek community.

“You don’t expect every day to wake up and have to save your dad’s life,” she said. Neither do the rest of us. But thanks to Caroline, the Betas, the Pullman Fire Department, and students willing to learn, more members of this community have practiced what it means to step forward when a brother, friend, or parent needs them most.

Betas are working the compressions!

"It's great to get back to basics: how to survive and thrive, learn new things, meet new people, and see fraternities and sororities working together. In a time when everything is about sexual assault and getting sued, we should be proud of our WSU / BOII heritage."

Thanks for reading,

Jason Hagens