The Foundation for Fraternal Excellence (FFE) and the North American Interfraternity Conference are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Men’s College Scholarship, a program designed to support outstanding young men as they pursue higher education and prepare for future success.

Founded in 2022 by a diverse group of fraternity alumni, the Men’s College Scholarship was created in response to a growing challenge facing higher education: fewer young men are enrolling in and graduating from college, and men continue to trail women across numerous educational outcomes, creating a widening gender gap in higher education.

At a time when college enrollment among men remains a national concern, scholarships and support systems that encourage college attendance are more important than ever. The Men’s College Scholarship seeks to remove financial barriers and empower recipients to take advantage of the opportunities that higher education provides, one of which is the fraternity experience.

Research consistently demonstrates that students who develop meaningful connections and a strong sense of belonging on campus are more likely to thrive academically and personally. Studies show that fraternity members report stronger mental health and well-being, greater leadership confidence, higher levels of campus engagement and stronger career outcomes than their nonaffiliated peers. Research also finds that fraternity alumni are more likely to report thriving in their careers, communities, finances, physical health and social well-being, underscoring the long-term value of supportive peer networks and mentorship throughout the college experience. These findings reinforce the importance of investing in young men as they begin their collegiate journeys.

This year, after reviewing 3,803 completed applications from young men across the United States, FFE is proud to award 72 scholarships totaling $42,000. Recipients represent 49 states and Washington, D.C., with nearly a third identifying as first-generation college students.

We are grateful to the organizational and individual donors of the Elevating Fraternities Campaign, whose generosity continues to make this program possible. Their investment in the next generation of leaders is helping more young men access higher education and pursue their goals with confidence.

Congratulations to each scholarship recipient. We look forward to celebrating your achievements and following your success in the years ahead.

2026 Scholarship Recipients:

If you would like to make a gift in support of the Men’s College Scholarship, contact NIC President & CEO Judson Horras and/or FFE Executive Director Will Foran.

A New Approach to Mental Health, Engagement, and Member Success

Fraternity leadership today is being asked to navigate a challenge that is both urgent and complex. Across the country, young men are struggling with stress, pressure, isolation, and uncertainty. Yet despite increased awareness and expanded resources, one reality continues to persist: many fraternity men are not seeking help when they need it. This is not due to a lack of care. It is not due to a lack of resources. It is due to something far more difficult to solve. The problem is not awareness. It is the gap between awareness and having the guidance to take action in the moments that matter.

The Silent Gap in Men’s Mental Health

A silent gap exists across campuses nationwide. Fraternity men exist in a unique environment. They are surrounded by brotherhood, leadership opportunities, fellowship, and shared experiences. They are often the most involved students on campus and support other organizations from student government roles to sports teams, advocacy groups, and philanthropic efforts. And yet, they are also often influenced by societal expectations to internalize their stressors and feel pressure to “hold it all together.”

Even when support systems exist, many do not take the first step. They may not know where to start. They may not feel comfortable. Or they may simply wait until challenges escalate.

The Moments That Matter Most

The most important moments in a student’s life do not happen in structured settings.

They happen:

• Late at night 
• During high academic stress 
• In moments of isolation 
• When something feels off, but not yet urgent 

These are the moments where students are not walking into an office. They are not asking for help.

And yet, these are the exact moments where outcomes can change.

A Different Approach: From Awareness to Action

To truly support fraternity men, we must move beyond awareness and into action. This requires a system that meets students where they are, providing privacy and comfort for them to self-reflect and process their stressors. Taking the first step is the hardest part. This approach is designed to reduce that friction. It also must connect them at the right time—before challenges escalate.

UBYou is a mental health app that was built around this principle.

Not as another app competing for attention, but as a behavior-driven support system designed to help students take action in real-life moments.

UBYou: Designed for Real Behavior, Not App Addiction

UBYou operates differently from traditional platforms. It is not designed to maximize screen time, built to create dependency, or to give the user another addictive social media experience. It is intentionally built as an as-needed resource.

Fraternity men use it during the semester in high stress periods where there are a few moments when they truly need support. This is exactly how the app works. Success is not measured by time spent in the app, but by what students do because of it.

Turning Reflection Into Action

At its core, UBYou helps students pause and reflect. They recognize when something feels off and turn to the app to take a small, manageable next step.  

That step may be a breathing exercise, a moment of self-reflection, or stepping back into their environment. There are options to also connect to campus or national fraternity resources on the app. In more serious moments, it can also guide students directly to professional or crisis support. This is where behavior change occurs. Not in theory. Not just in programming. But in real-time decisions made by students in the moments that matter most.

Reaching the Members Who Need It Most

Perhaps the most important outcome is who this approach reaches. UBYou supports the student who would not normally walk into counseling, the leader who feels pressure to stay strong, or the member who appears fine on the outside. These are often the individuals that traditional systems miss, and they are often the ones who need support the most.

UBYou creates a centralized layer that bridges both. It connects students seamlessly to campus-based resources and national fraternity support systems. This provides a single, trusted starting point. UBYou is not just a tool. It is an infrastructure that supports students across every environment they are part of.

Proven Impact in Fraternity Communities

At Florida Gulf Coast University, UBYou has been integrated into fraternity life as part of a broader effort to support student well-being and success. The results have been significant.

FGCU’s Interfraternity Council earned three national awards from the North American Interfraternity Council:

• Outstanding Community Impact Award 
• Outstanding IFC President 
• Outstanding IFC Advisor 

A central part of this success was the partnership with UBYou, helping elevate how fraternity men engage with mental health and wellness.

In a survey of Greek Life members at FGCU:

• 98.1% said they would recommend UBYou 
• 89.7% said it made them more likely to stay enrolled 
• 88.8% said it helped them manage stress 
• 86.9% said it strengthened their sense of belonging

These are indicators of behavior change across retention, engagement, and community impact.

UBYou is proud to partner with Alpha Tau Omega, supporting chapters across 18 states—here’s what chapter presidents are saying:

• “UBYou is one of the clearest ways we show we’re serious about supporting mental health, and members consistently say they value having it.” – Chapter President
• “I valued UBYou as president by using it in stressful situations. The big part that I liked about it was I was able to meditate and focus on my breathing with the help of UBYou, something I never did before.” – Chapter President
• “In coordination with our chapter’s mental health chair, UBYou has helped build an invaluable support network within the chapter. Further, the chapter’s use of UBYou was highlighted in our end-of-year report to IFC, helping elevate the chapter to honors status.” – Chapter President

The question is no longer whether resources exist. The question is:

Are we providing a system that members will actually use when it matters most?

UBYou represents a new approach. One that aligns with how fraternity men actually behave. One that supports them in real moments. One that turns awareness into action.

The strongest fraternities are not defined solely by brotherhood. They are defined by their ability to support one another when it matters most. The opportunity in front of national leadership is clear. Move beyond awareness and build systems that create real impact.

Ready to bring UBYou to your chapters? Start at https://www.ubyoucampuswellness.com

By Dan Pozner, Birches Health Head of Partnerships

On college campuses and in chapter houses across the country, sports betting has quietly woven itself into the daily routines of student life. What was once an occasional wager between friends has become something far more constant and concerning. And during massive, multi-week events like March Madness, the betting opportunities are nearly endless. 

As the head of partnerships at Birches Health, I am proud to have formed partnerships with many of the largest fraternities in the country over the past two years. And as part of those, I’ve been fortunate to speak with hundreds of college students at events across the country. Many have told me the stats around college students gambling that I cited in my presentation may be correct, but that within their specific friend groups or chapter houses, the numbers are much higher. Some even said that they can’t watch a game on TV anymore without having a bet on it. 

That normalization carries particular risks for this cohort. Neurologically, they are still developing the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for impulse control, decision-making and risk assessment. That developmental stage can make college students especially vulnerable to behaviors that combine excitement, competition and the potential for financial reward.

Add to that the structural features of modern sports betting platforms: constant alerts, promotion notifications, live betting options and the ability to place wagers instantly from a phone. What once required a trip to a casino or a call to a bookie can now happen in seconds from a dorm room or even during class.

For most college students who bet, the activity remains casual entertainment. But for some, the line between recreation and compulsion blurs quickly. Some studies have shown that college students carry three times the risk of developing a gambling addiction, compared with the general population. 

A recent NCAA study asked college students if they’d know where to turn for help if they or someone they knew had a gambling problem. Only 10% said yes. 

Unlike alcohol abuse and drug addiction, problem gambling has been rarely discussed in campus wellness programs or freshman initiation educational sessions. Many students simply don’t realize that gambling disorder is a real, diagnosable behavioral addiction with established treatment options.

This gap between increasing prevalence and low awareness is part of what led Birches Health to develop partnerships with fraternities across the country. Birches is not just a treatment provider; we offer educational materials, custom content and communications, and live training sessions – all at no cost to our partners. And the goal is not just to treat the problems when they arise, but to reduce the likelihood of them developing in the first place. 

If treatment is ever needed, Birches has hundreds of specially trained licensed therapists across the country who understand the unique psychological patterns behind compulsive betting. And because behavioral addictions often overlap, that care can be tailored to address related issues such as pornography addiction, excessive video gaming and compulsive internet use. Treatment is confidential, available in all 50 states and can be covered by insurance. 

March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month, so this is an important time to think about the growing problem of gambling addiction among young men, and if there’s anything else your organization could be doing to combat it. Please feel free to email me directly at dan@bircheshealth.com if you are interested in discussing a free partnership with Birches Health.