Written by: Keith Stubblebine
In 1997, Florida State alumnus Brother Bill Stropp (Florida State, ’73) opened his front door to find two unfamiliar faces—Greg Sevening and RJ Johnson, cadets at the United States Air Force Academy.
At the time, Stropp wasn’t yet known for hosting cadets. But something about this visit was different. Both Greg and RJ were far from home—and both were baseball players. As a former Florida State University baseball player himself, Stropp was interested.
So, when they knocked, he opened the door. And just like that, a lasting bond began. No one could have known that this ordinary moment—an act of hospitality, kindness, and mentorship—would decades later shape the blueprint of multiple lives and cultivate countless memories for all those involved.
Greg Sevening isn’t a Member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Neither is Johnson. But over the years, both became fixtures in Stropp’s life. Stropp became a grandfather to Greg’s children, hosting Thanksgivings, sharing sports memories, and serving as a constant source of support. What began as a sponsorship turned into something much deeper: a chosen family, built on the values of connection, loyalty, and presence.
One of the future members of that chosen family that would inevitably be impacted by Stropp and Greg meeting would be Greg’s son, Grant Sevening.
Growing up, Grant was immersed in Zeta-Rho culture and friendships, long before he knew what that really meant. Family friends like Brothers Randy Guemple (Florida State, ‘73), Larry Lopez (Florida State, ‘73), and Doug Mannheimer (Florida State ‘76) were ever-present. Vacations, weddings, and weekends were filled with stories of FSU, football, and Zeta-Rho Brotherhood. Even Stropp’s biological son, Sid Stropp (Florida State, ’13), followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Chapter, adding another layer of meaning to the family’s Lambda Chi legacy.
Fast forward to 2025, and Grant (Florida State, ‘26) now serves as President of the newly returned Zeta-Rho Zeta at Florida State, the very Chapter that began shaping Bill Stropp’s own life decades earlier. Grant was recently initiated, and became Stropp’s Lambda Chi Brother on March 1, 2025, roughly 55 years after Stropp’s own Initiation into Lambda Chi Alpha. A twist of fate, perhaps. But as Grant tells it, it’s something much more than coincidence.
“Bill’s been in my life as long as I can remember,” Grant says. “He’s been a grandfather in every way but blood. And through him, I’ve known the Brotherhood of Lambda Chi before I ever even considered joining.”
One memory stands out among the many: the 2014 NCAA Football Championship. Stropp, knowing Grant’s passion for FSU, surprised him with tickets and a signed Devonta Freeman jersey. After FSU won, Freeman pulled young Grant from the crowd and took him along for post-game interviews.
“That day,” Grant says, “sealed the deal. I was an FSU fan for life—and I saw firsthand what Brotherhood and connection could do.”
Grant was taught from a very young age to be a Florida State Seminole fan. This upbringing brought him to Florida State for college.
Still, when Grant was on campus years later, the idea of joining a fraternity wasn’t at the top of his mind. As a junior, Grant wasn’t sure if joining a Fraternity was worth it. He was hesitant, 80% leaning no, as he puts it. Despite this, something sparked in one of the first meetings to learn about the upcoming Expansion. The vision, the values, and the opportunity to shape a legacy all clicked into place.
“I remembered everything I grew up around—the relationships, the mentorship, the way these men still showed up for each other after all these years. I knew I wanted that. I wanted to build that.”
Now, as a Founding Father and High Alpha of Zeta-Rho Zeta, Grant is doing exactly that.
He leads not only with the teachings of Stropp in mind, but with the active support and wisdom that continues to come from him and from Brothers like Guemple, Mannheimer, Lopez, and the broader Zeta-Rho network that has always been a part of his life.
“This isn’t just about founding a Chapter,” Grant explains. “It’s about carrying forward what I’ve seen my entire life. The way Bill mentors. The way Zeta-Rho men build and sustain friendships. That’s what I want for this Brotherhood.”
Stropp, for his part, never imagined his small choice to answer a knock on the door would lead here. But it did. Because Lambda Chi Alpha isn’t just a collegiate experience—it’s a lifetime of intentional relationships that ripple forward in ways we can’t always predict.
And now, with Grant leading Zeta-Rho into a new era, the values Stropp once passed down over holiday dinners and FSU football games are alive and well, echoing through a new generation of Brothers, all because one man answered the door.
