NIU’s Masonic Order upholds values like freedom, philanthropy, community service and brotherhood while providing a moral center for members. Erik Calmeyer, senior OMIS major, founded the organization in the Spring of 2010. Calmeyer said his goal was to spread awareness of freemasonry and its rich history while recruiting for the DeKalb Masonic Lodge.

The NIU Masonic Order has been so successful in recruiting individuals into DeKalb’s Masonic Lodge that there are plans to found similar student organizations in other state schools.

Terry Seward, Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Illinois Masonic Lodge, confirmed plans for other state schools like University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Illinois State University at Bloomington-Normal to begin Masonic organizations on campus. This is directly related to the success of NIU’s Masonic Order.

“I would like to see us have one at every university,” Seward said. “We offer a feeling of belonging and trust with other men which is unsurpassed in any other organization I know of.”

Current NIU Masonic Order president Seth Peritz said NIU’s Masonic Order is a student organization which teaches about freemasonry and encourages them to pursue membership in the DeKalb Lodge. The Freemasons date back to the late 1500s and are a brotherhood which accepts all ages, races and religions. DeKalb’s lodge donates money, or at least time, once a week to people in need. These volunteer events range from funding local high school academic competitions to fundraising for the recently widowed or orphaned.

“Freemasonry is about brotherhood, morality, becoming a better person, helping people in need, making your friends and brothers better and helping the community to become the best community it can [be],” Peritz said.

Seward also said the U.S. boasted 1.5 million Freemasons in 2009. Illinois membership accounts for 67,000 Freemasons.

Peritz said the average age of men in the DeKalb Masonic Lodge is 60.

“That’s not good for an organization that wants to stick around.” Peritz said, “I believe that bringing in students is important for both the students and the lodges.”

One student who began in the NIU Masonic Order and moved into the DeKalb Lodge was Cameron Lythberg, junior political science major. Lythberg said the organization’s philanthropy appealed to him because he is an avid volunteer, but he stayed for the brotherhood.

“I can learn from 90-year-old men; call them my equal. No other organization in the world can do that,” Lythberg said. “One day, I’ll be that 90-year-old man telling 20-year-olds, ‘Hey, if you ever need anything, let me know.'”

Peritz said membership for both the NIU Masonic Order and the DeKalb Masonic Lodge continues to grow. He attributes this to the ideologies taught through the organization.

“That’s how I know I’m back in DeKalb, when I go to lodge,” Peritz said. “I’m home. I’m safe. I can count on these people.”