Jake Eads did not find Student Government on his own. His fraternity big brother took him there.
When Eads arrived at the University of Central Oklahoma from Ada, Oklahoma, Sigma Nu was the first organization that gave him a foothold on campus. He built relationships, took on responsibility, and watched older members model what engaged leadership looked like. One of those members — his fraternity big — was serving as a student senator at the time and encouraged Eads to come to meetings and get involved.
“That experience sparked my passion for student advocacy, leadership, and service,” said Eads, a senior majoring in Organizational Leadership with a minor in Pre-Law.
What followed was one of the more thorough apprenticeships in student governance a college resume can show. Before winning the Student Body Presidency, Eads served as Election Commission Chairman, Ways and Means Chairman, Chair of Congress, and Director of Campus Collaborations for UCO’s Central Pantry — the campus food assistance program. He also served as LEAD Chairman within Sigma Nu and Director of New Member Education for his chapter, a role that put him directly in the business of developing the next generation of fraternity leaders.
Listening as Strategy
Eads’ approach to both campaigning and governing starts in the same place: a genuine conversation with a student who has a problem to solve.
“Talk to students on campus regularly and take the time to understand the problems and challenges they are facing,” he said. “Meaningful change begins with sparking a conversation, listening to different perspectives, and working with others to find solutions.”
His campaign drew heavily on the relationships he had built across the fraternity and sorority community, which provided endorsements, campaign team members, and a network of student leaders who amplified his message across campus. But the infrastructure was built long before any campaign announcement — through years of showing up, serving on committees, and earning trust one interaction at a time.
“Be intentional when listening and talking to others,” he said, “and ensure that students feel represented in the decisions being made.”
It is a standard he holds himself to as president and one he traces directly to his chapter. “Great leaders make others feel valued, heard, and motivated,” Eads said simply.
The Long Game
After UCO, Eads plans to attend law school and pursue a career as an attorney — bringing the same instincts for advocacy and public service he has developed in student government into the legal field.
“Through my involvement on campus, I have learned the value of communication, collaboration, and being a voice for others,” he said. “As an attorney, I want to use my skills to help others and create positive change within the communities I serve.”
The path from a freshman who needed his fraternity big to introduce him to Student Government, to the student who now leads it, is the kind of story the ENGAGE initiative was built to tell. The chapter room is where it started. The courtroom may be where it ends up.
Jake Eads is a senior at the University of Central Oklahoma, Director of New Member Education for his Sigma Nu chapter, and Student Body President. ENGAGE is an initiative of the North American Interfraternity Conference connecting fraternity and sorority student government leaders to a national network of advocacy, resources, and opportunity.
