Kappa Delta Rho (), commonly known as KDR, is an American collegiate social fraternity that was established at Middlebury College in 1905. Middlebury was the site of chapters of three fraternities that year: Chi Psi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, and Delta Upsilon. However, not finding these organizations to their liking, the founders of Kappa Delta Rho chose to create their new organization. Kappa Delta Rho was the created by ten men from the Middlebury Commons Club. The ten principal founders are George Edwin Kimball, Irving Thurston Coates, John Beecher, Pierce Wordsworth Darrow, Thomas Howard Bartley, Benjamin Edward Farr, Gideon Russell Norton, Gino Arturo Ratti, Chester Monroe Walch and Roy Dyer Wood.

In the fraternity's first year, founders Kimball, Walch, and Ratti met by committee to draft the ritual, open motto, and constitution. Walch created the fraternity's secret motto and password. For its organizational structure, the founders chose Roman nomenclature for fraternity positions, evocative of Roman values. Ratti, who had previous artistic experience, designed the coat of arms and helped develop the ritual. He also chose the fraternity's colors and flower.

Kappa Delta Rho is one of two fraternities (the other being Alpha Delta Phi) to have a co-ed chapter within the North American Interfraternity Conference.

Symbols and traditions

Kappa Delta Rho's open motto is "Honor Super Omnia" or "Honor Above All Things".

The Pathfinder is the KDR educational and historical manual. It is given to those who choose to pledge to the fraternity so that they may understand the responsibilities of membership. It also provides them with an introduction to how KDR is organized, how it operates, and what the roles are of the chapter, alumni, and National Office. The Manual is updated every few years by the National Office to bring it up to date with new information, policies, and ideas.

Awards

Awards are given out to chapters and individual Brothers each year at the National Convention. Chapter awards include the Robert D. Corrie Award for Chapter of The Year, O.D. Roberts Award for Chapter Improvement, Donald C. Wolfe for Outstanding Newsletter, George E. Kimball Award for Outstanding Social Service, John L. Blakely Award for Outstanding Philanthropics, Leo T. Wolford Award for Outstanding Campus Involvement, Gino A. Ratti Award for Outstanding Alumni Relations, E. Mayer Maloney Award for Outstanding Faculty Relations, Dr. Harold Osborn Award for Outstanding Intramural Sports, and the George E. Shaw Award for Outstanding Public Relations.

Individual awards are also handed out, including Outstanding Senior, Outstanding New Member, Outstanding Advisor, and the Red Rose Award. In addition, qualified Alumni may be inducted into the prestigious Ordo Honoris based upon achievements in either their career, community, or their dedication to the fraternity.

Foundation

Kappa Delta Rho is financially supported through undergraduate dues and by the Kappa Delta Rho Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity. The Foundation raises funds from Brothers, family, and friends of KDR to financially support the educational, leadership, and character development programs undertaken by the National Fraternity. The Foundation also manages both individual and collective scholarship endowments of the National Fraternity, providing more than $100,000 in academic support each year to qualified members of the Fraternity.

Scholarships

The Kappa Delta Rho Foundation provides competitive scholarships based on academic achievement, as well as financial need. Applications are submitted online. The Foundation also serves as a caretaker to several Chapter-specific scholarships and area-of-study-specific scholarships that can be applied for with the same application. The Foundation typically gives away more than $100,000 in annual scholarships with individual awards ranging from a minimum of $500 upwards to $5,000.

In addition to competitive academic scholarships the Foundation also gives away non-competitive New Member academic scholarships. Any KDR brother who received above a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale during his pledging semester will receive $100 from the Foundation, providing they submit the proper documentation.

The Kappa Delta Rho Foundation also offers scholarships for the Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute and Futures Quest, both of which are educational programs run by the North American Interfraternity Conference. The scholarships cover the full cost of registration for each program.

Programs

The Elmon M. Williams Leadership Academy is a multi-day leadership program that occurs each August (in conjunction with the National Convention in even-numbered years) and is funded in large part by the Foundation. The Academy allows undergraduate KDR brothers to learn more about being an effective leader in their Chapter and the professional world.

The Consuls Academy is a three-day leadership program held every January for incoming Chapter Consuls (presidents). This intensive academy prepares Consuls for the responsibilities of running a Chapter.

In 2007 the KDR Foundation created the Kappa Delta Rho Wilderness Institute, which occurred once a year in a different wilderness location around the country. Brothers who were admitted to the program through an application process took part in a multi-day hike that was led by an alumni mentor and experienced guide. The program was designed to provide hands-on leadership programming, substance-free brotherhood-building activities, personal growth opportunities, and core values exploration. The Wilderness Institute continued until 2011.

In 2014, KDR introduced a total-member education program called The Legion. This four-year personal development track grounded in the Fraternity's values combines the latest educational technology with a holistic personal development curriculum to mold Brothers from the first day of new member education to prepare them for life after graduation.

Chapters

Kappa Delta Rho has 84 chapters, 35 of which are active.

Local chapter or individual member misconduct

In 2003, the KDR chapter at Colgate University had its recognition withdrawn for repeated violations of the university's hazing policy.

In 2015, the KDR chapter at Pennsylvania State University was suspended for three years after their private Facebook page that showed naked women who appeared to be sleeping, passed out, or otherwise incapacitated, apparently without the subjects' consent. At least 144 current KDR members and alumni were members of the social media group. An earlier version of the site had been taken down after a woman saw a naked photo of herself and threatened to report it. 38 members of the fraternity were expelled. A student claimed that as a pledge, he was burned with cigarettes, physically beaten, and forced to drink liquor mixed with urine and hot sauce.

In 2024, Bucknell University revoked KDR's recognition after an alleged hazing incident.

Notable members

Business

  • Nicholas M. Bonaddio, Tau 2004 - CEO, numberFire and Chief Product Officer, FanDuel
  • Douglas Cifu, Nu Alpha 1987 - CEO, Virtu Financial; vice chairman and alternate governor, Florida Panthers
  • Robert J. Sinclair, Rho 1953 - President, Saab-Scania of America, Inc.
  • Colston E. Warne, Beta 1920 - founder of Consumers Union; publisher of Consumer Reports magazine
  • Archibald C. West, Epsilon 1936 - Vice President, Frito-Lay; creator of Doritos

Athletics

  • C. Edward Ackerly, Beta 1920 - 1920 Olympic Games gold medalist, wrestling
  • Steve Axman, Beta Alpha 1969 - Indoor Football League and college football coach
  • John Cannady, Nu 1947 - Pro Bowl NFL linebacker
  • Milt Graham, Delta 1956 - CFL and AFL football player
  • Jim LeClair, Beta Alpha 1966 - NFL quarterback