My name is Robert Spero. I am the President of Beta Theta Pi at Temple University, and I also serve as an elected County Committeeman in Parsippany, New Jersey.
But the truth is, the path that brought me here tonight did not start in a fraternity house, or in politics, or even on a college campus.
It started in a small apartment, with five people living in a two-bedroom.
I was adopted as a child and grew up as the youngest in a family where my parents worked incredibly hard to give me opportunities they never had …. like the chance to go to college.
Like millions of Americans, my parents are baby boomers who grew up believing in something simple but powerful: that if you work hard, take responsibility, and surround yourself with the right people, you can build a better future than the one you started with.
That belief is what we call the American Dream.
When I arrived at Temple University, I was searching for direction, for community, and for a way to grow.
What I found in Greek life was far more than a social organization.
I found mentorship.
I found accountability.
And I found my best friends ….. a group of men who challenged me every day to lead, to serve, and to become better.
Today, because of that experience, I stand before you not only as a fraternity president, but as someone who has already taken his first steps into public service.
And one day, I hope to take those steps even further.
Because like so many young Americans, I believe deeply in this country.
I believe that someone who grew up in a small apartment, who started with very little, can still aspire to stand on the biggest stages in the world even someday to serve as President of the United States.
But the American Dream does not happen in isolation.
It happens in communities.
It happens in organizations that teach leadership, responsibility, and service.
And for hundreds of thousands of students across this country, Greek life has long been one of the most powerful places where those lessons are learned.
Fraternities and sororities produce entrepreneurs, community leaders, philanthropists, and public servants. They raise millions of dollars for charity every year. They provide mentorship networks that span generations. And they create environments where young people are encouraged to step up, take responsibility, and lead.
But today, that opportunity is quietly disappearing on many campuses across the country.
Over the last decade, some universities have seen Greek life membership decline by as much as 15 to 60 percent.
That decline is not just about fraternities or sororities.
It represents fewer students finding the kind of mentorship, leadership development, and lifelong community that helped shape my own journey.
When fewer students have access to these experiences, we risk losing one of the most effective training grounds for future American leaders.
Because the leadership lessons learned in fraternity chapter rooms today become the leadership that shapes businesses, communities, and governments tomorrow.
If we want to reverse that trend, we must make sure universities support — not discourage — student leadership communities. That means protecting the ability of fraternities and sororities to recruit, operate independently, and continue providing mentorship and leadership opportunities for students who are searching for direction just like I was.
For me, Greek life did more than give me friends.
It gave me the confidence to run for public office.
It gave me the courage to pursue my dreams.
And tonight, it has given me the incredible honor of standing here in Washington, D.C., speaking with many of the leaders who inspire my own aspirations for the future.
If we want the next generation to believe in the American Dream the way my parents did, we must protect the institutions that help make that dream possible.
That means ensuring students have the freedom and opportunity to build strong, values-driven communities on campus.
Because somewhere right now, there is a student arriving on a campus just like I did — searching for direction, searching for community, and searching for the opportunity to build something bigger than themselves.
Greek life can give them that opportunity.
And when we support those opportunities, we keep the American Dream alive for the next generation.
Thank you.
Robert Spero is a sophomore at Temple University, and a member of Beta Theta Pi. He was the male student speaker at the 2026 FSPAC Congressional Dinner on April 15, 2026.
