A MESSAGE FROM JON AXELSSON IFC VICE PRESIDENT FOR RECRUITMENT Dear Future Fraternity Member, Congratulations on taking your first step towards becoming a true Penn Stater. Your time spent at Penn State will work to shape and define the man you will become for the rest of your life. You have an opportunity to decide which aspects of student life you experi- ence to the fullest, and which you miss out on completely. Joining a fraternity is a decision that will provide you with opportunities you simply can- not find elsewhere. Fraternities at Penn State participate in every aspect of student life and provide additional opportunities that are not available to those who don’t partici- pate. Every year, fraternity men participate in community service, philanthropy, intra- mural sports, Dance Marathon, and more. Beyond that, they learn to manage functional households, often with operating budgets of more than $150,000, balance a social life with a professional life, network with successful alumni across the nation, and gain invaluable leadership experience in the process. Fraternity life has played a vital role in shaping Penn State’s history. As seen below, many of Penn State’s historic leaders, and leaders of our nation, were members of fraternities. For example, legendary football coach Joe Paterno joined a fraternity at Brown, and some of Penn State’s greatest presidents are in fraternities -- George Atherton, Milton Eisenhower, Edwin Sparks, and James Beaver. This distinction may come as a shock to you, but the truth may be much more surprising: most of America’s greatest leaders are members of a fraternity, including all but three presidents since 1825, and 80% of For- tune 500 executives were members of a fraternity. Fraternities have been able to hone young men’s leadership abilities for generations, producing gentlemen fit to combat the challenges set forth of them unlike any institutions before, besides the military, have been able to do. Fraternities set themselves apart because they were founded on dedication to values that transcend social trends. In fact, fraternities and sororities make up the largest con- tingency of values-based student organizations in the nation. Values like honor, excel- lence, and brotherhood truly withstand the test of time. Our commitment to our own values is what makes fraternity life is an invaluable investment, one that is guaranteed to provide dividends like no other form of student involvement at this institution. This short letter can only give you a brief insight into fraternity life, as one must experi- ence the real intricacies for himself. I can only hope to encourage and inspire you to find out. Joining a fraternity can be the most rewarding experience in a young man’s life and create some of his fondest memories. I hope that you are able to find these for yourself. Best of Luck, Jon Axelsson IFC Vice President for Recruitment 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Fraternity and Sorority Terminology .............. 5 Greek Alphabet ............................ 7 Why Join A Fraternity? ....................... 8 Fraternity Life at PSU ........................ 9 Interfraternity Council Policies ................. 11 Fraternity and Sorority Traditional Events ......... 13 Homecoming ............................ 14 Greek Week ............................ 14 Greek Sing ............................. 15 Intramural Events ......................... 15 THON ................................. 16 Holiday Lights ........................... 17 IFC Executive Board Bios .................... 18 Fraternity Profiles .......................... 22 Recruitment Schedule ...................... 76 WWW.PSU-IFC-RECRUIT.COM 4 FRATERNITY AND SORORITY TERMINOLOGY Active An initiated member of a fraternity or sorority currently in college. Advisor An alumni member who serves as a resource for the active chapter and liaison between the alums and collegians. Badge Also known as a pin, it is an item of jewelry given to members upon initiation. The badge is to be worn at all official functions, and upon a members death it should be returned to the sorority or fraternity headquarters. The badge must be worn with business like attire, usually over the heart and above all other pins. Bid An invitation to join a fraternity. They are given out on bid day, during formal recruitment. Bid Day The last day of recruitment in which potential new members receive formal invitations to join a fraternity or sorority. Big Nickname for big brother, a mentor assigned to a new member. Chapter A branch of a national fraternity, established at a campus. Each will have their own name, usually designated by Greek letters. Charter Permission from the national organization to have a chapter. Colony A new organization that is awaiting official recognition from their national to have a chapter at a campus. Crest Insignia used by fraternity members. Most fraternities and sororities reserve the crest for initiated members only. Each crest has esoteric meanings behind it. Also known as a coat of arms or shield. Dues Cost of joining a fraternity or sorority. Covers costs of operation, formal events, activities, and other events. Family Multiple generations of big brothers, brought together to form a family line. Founders Day An event celebrated by fraternities to highlight the founding of their organization and celebrate its history. It’s not necessarily held on the day the organization was founded. Frat A nickname for fraternity that is generally offensive and should not be used. Fraternity A Greek-letter organization for men. Also refers to co-ed organizations, and many sororities are officially named fraternities. Greek Week An organized week of activities including games, competitions, and com- munity service. House Corporation The entity that holds the title to property that a chapter lives or meets in. This is usually an alumni group like an advisory board. IFC Stands for Interfraternity Council, and is the governing body of the fraternities who are members of the North-American Interfraternity Conference. Initiate A person who has recently learned the ritual of a fraternity or sorority and is a full member. 5 Initiation A ceremony where a new member becomes a full member of the organiza- tion. Initiation ceremonies are private and different for all organizations. Legacy The son or brother of an initiated or alum member. Some organizations also include grandchildren or stepchildren. Little The nickname for a new member who is being mentored by a Big. MGC The Multicultural Greek-Letter Council governs all multicultural fraternities and sororities at Penn State. These social fraternities and sororities are Hispanic, Asian, and South Asian Greek-letter organizations. National A fraternity or sorority’s national or international headquarters. Usually incor- rectly called “nationals.” The term should be “national” or “international headquarters.” New Member/Pledge After receiving and accepting a bid, the person becomes a new member. Sometimes called Associate Member. New Member Pin A distinctive badge worn on the chest designating a new member of a particular fraternity for the period of time between bid acceptance and initiation. New Member Class The group of new members that will be going through the new member program and initiation together. New Member Program The time period where the new member learns about their new fraternity before initiation. NIC Stands for the North-American Interfraternity Conference, and is the national gov- erning body of men’s fraternities who are members of the NIC and who are governed by the Interfraternity Council. NPHC The National Pan-Hellenic Council governs the nine African-American fraterni- ties and sororities in the United States. Eight of the nine organizations are currently active at Penn State. Panhellenic Association The governing body of the 26 national or international sororities who are members of the National Panhellenic Conference. Philanthropy A charity or fundraiser that the fraternity or sorority supports. Can be national or local or both. Pinning Term for a fraternity member giving his pin or a sweetheart pin to his girlfriend. Often a precursor to an engagement. Ritual An esoteric ceremony of a social fraternity or sorority. Also, the formal docu- ment that contains the esoteric principles and ideals upon which the fraternity or sorority was founded. Ritual elements are sacred to each sorority and fraternity and have been handed down through the generations. Only initiate members may be privy to rituals. Recruitment/Rush The process where fraternities get new members. Potential new members tour each house and are invited to events. Sorority A Greek-letter organization for women. Many of the sororities are actually called fraternities, as many were founded before the word sorority was coined. Despite this, most will call themselves sororities. 6 GREEK ALPHABET A B G D Alpha Beta Gamma Delta EEpsilon ZZeta HEta QTheta I K L M Iota Kappa Lambda Mu N X O P Nu Xi Omicron Pi R S T U Rho Sigma Tau Upsilon F C Y W Phi Chi Psi Omega 7 WHY JOIN A FRATERNITY? Why should I join a fraternity? Joining a fraternity at Penn State will be one of the best decisions you ever make. Sororities and fraternities have a rich history at Penn State dating back to the 1870s. These organizations are rooted in founding principles that foster academic achievement, student involvement, community service, and life-long friendships. Fraternities are groups of men who come together to form a per- sonal network of individuals with similar