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CSU Greek life brings connections, community to students

Alexander Wilson, Staff Reporter

August 22, 2023

Collegian | Cat Blouch

Colorado State University students sit on the lawn at the Lory Student Center West Sculpture Garden Sept. 20. These students were participating in bid day, which is a part of the formal recruitment process for Greek life organizations on campus. Many chapters at CSU participate in the formal recruitment — or “rush” — experience. At the end of this experience, participants come together for bid day, when they find out which sorority or fraternity they have been accepted into.

At first glance, Greek life at Colorado State University can seem intimidating, with over 50 organizations to consider; however, many find their home away from home in fraternities and sororities. At CSU, Greek life is split between five organizations: the Panhellenic Association, the Multicultural Greek Council, the Interfraternity Council, the Professional Fraternity Council and the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

The Panhellenic Association is the governing body for 11 sororities at CSU: Alpha Sigma Kappa, Chi Omega, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi and Zeta Tau Alpha. All of these sororities have their own charity — otherwise known as philanthropy — that they support and fundraise for. Each sorority has requirements for recruitment, such as a student’s GPA. It is important to note that every Panhellenic sorority has a house, and many have requirements to live in the houses.

“The purpose of recruitment for Panhellenic sororities is to help students find a community on CSU’s campus that makes a large campus feel more like home, a community that aligns with their personal values and supports organizations that a member is passionate about and a community that will become lifelong,” said Jordan Mahaffey, president of CSU’s Panhellenic Association.

The recruitment process to join, otherwise known as “rush,” has a fee of $35 and no guarantee of being able to join.

“Incoming members can anticipate a three-day process with opportunities to meet Panhellenic chapters followed by bid day,” Mahaffey said. “The dates for Panhellenic recruitment this fall are Sept. 23-24 and 26-27.”

More information on fall recruitment for the Panhellenic Association can be found on their webpage.

The Multicultural Greek Council provides support to 11 organizations at CSU, primarily focusing on underrepresented students: Alpha Phi Gamma, Beta Gamma Nu, Delta Xi Nu, Gamma Zeta Alpha, Kappa Delta Chi, Lambda Theta Nu, Lambda Sigma Upsilon, Nu Alpha Kappa, Pi Lambda Chi, Sigma Lambda Beta and Sigma Lambda Gamma.

“I think one of the biggest benefits I’ve seen from being part of a Latinx organization on campus is being surrounded by like-minded individuals,” said Alejandro Manuel Munoz, president of Gamma Zeta Alpha. “A lot of us are first-generation college students who are learning to navigate an already confusing and stressful part of our lives, so being able to surround yourself with people who are going through the same struggles is a reassuring feeling. It provides you with a great support system while you go through these tough times, having people who are there for you and have your best interest.”

Every organization within the MGC has its own recruitment process to join, but more information can be found on their social media or on CSU’s Fraternity & Sorority Life website.

The Interfraternity Council is the governing body for 22 fraternities: Alpha Epsilon Pi, Alpha Gamma Rho, Alpha Sigma Phi, Alpha Tau Omega, Beta Theta Pi, Delta Chi, Delta Tau Delta, FarmHouse Fraternity, Kappa Sigma, Lambda Chi Alpha, Nu Alpha Kappa, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Gamma Delta, Phi Kappa Tau, Phi Kappa Theta, Sigma Nu, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Pi, Sigma Tau Gamma, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Theta Chi and Triangle Fraternity.

The IFC goes by a 365 recruitment process, meaning they recruit throughout the year. However, many chapters hold larger recruitment events at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. Similar to the PHA, the IFC holds requirements for recruitment such as financial obligations.

The Interfraternity Council denied comment, but more information on their recruitment process can be found on their webpage.

The Professional Fraternity Council is made up of six fraternities and sororities that have a professional focus: Alpha Phi Omega, Delta Sigma Pi, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Sigma Pi, Sigma Alpha and Sigma Alpha Iota.

“Students who join APO can gain professional resume experience (an example is animal/biology related majors can work with the Colorado wolf sanctuary) as well as benefit from the social aspects of APO, which include doing fun/new activities with a group of like-minded people,” said Fiona McKenna, the president of Alpha Phi Omega.

Joining an organization within the PFC is different depending on the organization, but more information can be requested on CSU’s Fraternity & Sorority Life website.

The National Pan-Hellenic Council encompasses nine historically Black fraternities and sororities traditionally called the Divine Nine: Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho and Iota Phi Theta.

The NPHC “promotes academic achievement, leadership development, health and wellness and civic engagement,” according to the CSU Fraternity & Sorority Life 2023-24 informational pamphlet. The NPHC currently has no undergraduate officers but hopes to fill those positions and welcome new members to their chapters, Director of CSU Fraternity & Sorority Life Lindsay Sell said.

Interested students should be comfortable attending meetings as well as completing an application and interview, and they can find more information on the NPHC Instagram @nphccolostate.

“Colorado State University has a zero-tolerance policy regarding hazing that is consistent with Colorado anti-hazing legislation,” the CSU Fraternity & Sorority Life website reads. “Visit the Hazing Prevention Education and Resources page to read specific definitions of hazing to which students are expected to abide at the council, university and state level. If you sense your student may be participating in inappropriate activities as a result of membership in a fraternity or sorority, we encourage you to visit the End Hazing website to complete a report on the website or call our office at 970-491-0966.”

Editor’s Note: In the interest of transparency, The Collegian discloses that Jordan Mahaffey has written articles for the publication in the past but did not work on this story.

Reach Alexander Wilson at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @csucollegian.

About the Contributor

Cat Blouch, Social Media Editor

Cat Blouch is the social media editor at The Collegian. They are a fourth-year student at Colorado State University studying business administration with a concentration in marketing and a minor in statistics from Delta, Colorado. They have been on The Collegian's team since the summer of 2020, starting on the opinion desk and later joining the photo team. Blouch began their social media interest by working on the @colostatememes page on Instagram and looked at the social media editor position as a way to further engage with the CSU community. They are excited to find new ways to hear the voice of the student body and engage more with readers through their positions at The Collegian. Blouch enjoys the flexibility of being able to pursue creativity in multiple mediums at The Collegian. When Blouch is off the clock, you can find them engaging in other creative areas such as creating music, writing poetry or filming a video. They hope to continue their creative pursuits after college through work in marketing analytics and content creation.

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