Dartmouth College’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity former member and writer Andrew Lohse recently gave an interview to Fox News about the deaths of two students at the University of Mississippi, allegations of cocaine distribution involving fraternity at Penn State University, and suspected bullying incidents at the University of Wisconsin-Madison fraternity.
36-year-old Lohse, author of “Confessions of an Ivy League Frat Boy,” has openly disclosed the severe hazing he experienced in the fraternity. He stated, “For the past ten years, whenever someone in a fraternity died, my phone would ring.”
On September 21, two students from the University of Mississippi – 20-year-old junior Robert Strang from Atlanta and 18-year-old freshman Aidan Hamilton from Colorado – were found dead.
Strang was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, found dead at an off-campus residence; Hamilton was discovered in a campus dormitory. Kratom, a drug available on the market but prohibited in the university town of Oxford where Ole Miss is located, was found at both scenes.
The cause of death, whether related to this substance or others, has not yet been confirmed, and toxicology reports are still ongoing.
Phi Delta Theta national organization expressed deep sorrow for Strang’s passing and joined the University of Mississippi community in mourning the two students, emphasizing the importance of campus health and safety. The fraternity has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Lohse also mentioned the recent case at Penn State University. In August 2026, the Pennsylvania prosecutor charged 13 current or former students with cocaine trafficking, involving Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternity houses. Some new members were allegedly forced to participate in cocaine cutting and packaging during initiation.
This incident, different from the high-profile 2017 case of Timothy Piazza at Penn State University, where the sophomore died after being forced to drink during a Beta Theta Pi pledge event, has once again raised concerns about fraternity culture.
On the evening of September 23, the Madison City Police in Wisconsin received an anonymous tip and found about 30 disheveled young men covered in food, condiments, and other liquids in the basement of the Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) fraternity house. Some new members showed signs of physical assault.
Two 20-year-old chapter leaders were arrested and initially charged with misdemeanor bullying and disorderly conduct. The AEPi national headquarters stated they take the allegations seriously, will cooperate with the investigation, and firmly condemn bullying. The chapter had its recognition revoked by the University of Wisconsin-Madison over a decade ago.
Reflecting on his time at the SAE fraternity, Lohse recalled being forced to swim in a pool filled with vomit, having urine poured on him, consuming vinegar or milk excessively, and spending long hours in a cramped basement drinking heavily. He believes the ‘code of silence’ within fraternities is one of the reasons behind recurring hazing and drug issues and describes some modern fraternity behavior as resembling that of criminal organizations.
He views recent news regarding fraternity behavior as “a sad moment for society and civilization as these organizations should be forces for good.”
He pointed out the emergence of a “void” in higher education and American society, once filled by religion and churches, now left vacant, with young people in greater need of moral guidance. Dartmouth’s SAE, reinstated in 2026 after a suspension of about 10 years due to hazing issues, serves as an example.
Lohse did not directly discourage students from joining fraternities or sororities but advised them to calculate the “opportunity cost”: “While potential opportunities are not zero, they pale in comparison to potential risks.” He urged students to consider what they truly want to gain from university and the kind of people they want to associate with.
Judson Horras, President of the North American Interfraternity Conference, stated that student safety is the top priority. The organization has been advocating for improved health and safety guidelines and supporting anti-hazing legislation in multiple states and the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act. He expressed condolences for the deaths of the two University of Mississippi students.
The investigations into the two deaths at the University of Mississippi are still ongoing, with officials yet to determine the cause of death or any fraternity misconduct.