Story by Brianna Willis, Contributing writer.
Evan Ditty was hired as the new Greek life coordinator over the summer and has plans to help improve Murray State’s system.
When Evan Ditty began his search in January 2015 for a position involved with student activities, Greek life or student leadership, it took him only a month to discover Murray State as a match.
Ditty, the new coordinator of Greek life and student leadership programs, said the University and the position was a perfect fit for him as he can focus on helping student organizations fulfill their missions.
“I believe in the fraternal movement and the idea of values-based student organizations, and being in this position allows me to assist the students in providing meaningful experiences for their members and all Murray State students through those organizations,” Ditty said.
Ditty aimed to stay east of the Mississippi River. Originally from rural Titusville, Penn., 12 hours from Murray, Ditty’s family consists of his parents, three sisters and a dog named Buddy.
His family, Buddy included, still live in Pennsylvania and he said he plans to get a dog of his own once settled into Murray. However, it was more than location that peaked his interest.
“I came to the campus and fell in love with the campus, the traditions and the people and knew that this is where I wanted to be,” Ditty said. “I’m really excited to be here and to work with the Greek community and all the Murray State students.”
Ditty is no stranger to Greek life. He served as president of Delta Sigma Phi while an undergraduate student, along with filling the roles of vice president and president of his Student Government Association at Thiel College.
He said those experiences played a major role in his development as a young man, which led him to want to pursue a career in creating a similar experience for future students.
But to create that experience at Murray State, Ditty said, you have to start small.
“We’re starting small, but the goal is to develop something that will last and really prove to be beneficial to our students,” he said. “For Greek Life, I think it might be too early to determine. I’m always looking for ways to move the community forward, so I’ll be excited to see what presents itself in the future.”
He said part of that future includes the Student Leadership Programs this academic year, which includes the Emerging Leaders Program, which will assist students in further developing their leadership skills.
Developing leadership skills and learning from leaders is something Ditty said he is passionate about so much so that this seeps into his leisure reading, which includes Steve Jobs’ autobiography.
Ditty said he would have loved the opportunity to have lunch with Steve Jobs, an individual who Ditty said was a wealth of knowledge and could always see the bigger picture.
Similarly, Ditty said he believes students should know he and his role on campus are centered on students and providing the best overall experience for them.
“The doors to my office are almost always open and I’m always willing to talk to students,” Ditty said. “My personal philosophy is that I’m here to serve the students, and a large portion of that is making sure I’m available and easily accessible.”