Arts and Entertainment

Going Greek at CSU

August 22, 2014

There’s a phrase in Phi Gamma Delta: Your fraternity brothers are the groomsmen at your wedding and the pallbearers at your funeral.

Within Greek life, students have the opportunity to build leadership skills and make lifelong friendships. Greek life has been active at Colorado State University for 99 years, including the Sigma Nu fraternity.

Lindsay Sell, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, said within that time, the nature of these chapters has ebbed and flowed with the community. The CSU Greek community originated with historically white chapters, but today’s chapters are often founded on a shared religion, culture or field of study.

Eric Irshay, a founding father of Alpha Epsilon Pi, said he started his Jewish fraternity because of the small Jewish population in Fort Collins.

“We didn’t know each other existed,” Irshay said. “We wanted to find other people we had this religion in common with.”

Bobby Moreno, president of Phi Gamma Delta, transferred to CSU. After previously competing in track and cross country, Moreno said he wanted to get involved on campus in a different way.

“I never thought I would do Greek life,” Moreno, a senior studying business, said. “Right away, I instantly knew I wanted to join.”

Moreno said he immediately experienced a connection with his fraternity and made good friends.

Sell, a Kappa Alpha Theta alumna, said Greek life emphasizes academic success, service and philanthropy, leadership and personal development and the building of a brotherhood or sisterhood. Ultimately, he said, these values set students up for success.

“[Greek life] forces you to try things you haven’t done before,” Moreno said, citing the numerous philanthropic events fraternities and sororities participate in. “There are more opportunities to give back to CSU you wouldn’t have otherwise.”

In addition to events held by the governing councils, individual chapters will also host their own events for recruitment week.

“Fraternities are a great way to develop social skills, leadership experience, and a work ethic necessary to succeed in life,” Moreno said.

Fall semester will witness the reestablishment of Kappa Alpha Theta and Sigma Pi.

Moreno said students can expect to participate in events such as hiking Horsetooth, a barbecue and poker night.