BY: OLIVIA KRAUTH

 

Now that fraternity re- cruitment is upon us, we at the Louisville Cardinal thought it would be ben- eficial to students, especially pledges, if we introduced them to the multiple fraternities here at U of L. Consider this a guide not for rush pro- cedures, but for getting to know the values and philan- thropies behind each of the 14 chapters.

All information was gath- ered from either the chapter’s president or their website, ei- ther chapter or national.

ALPHA TAU OMEGA

Alpha Tau Omega is the youngest fraternity on cam- pus, only being founded on campus in 2011. They will become the newest chapter in the fraternity this fall. ATO is known as America’s Leader- ship Development Frater- nity. In their short time on campus, they implemented the Flex to Feed program, a program that allows students to donate flex points to Dare to Care. They will be host- ing the first annual Meat the Greeks grilling competition at the end of the month.

BETA THETA PI

The Delta Pi chapter of Beta Theta Pi was founded on U of L’s campus in 1971. Better known as simply Beta, this brotherhood values in- tellectual excellence, high standards of moral conduct, and responsible citizenship.

DELTA UPSILON

Delta Upsilon, nicknamed DU, was founded in 1921. This fraternity values the promotion of friendship, de- velopment of character, dif- fusion of liberal culture and advancement of justice. Their philanthropic work benefits a number of charities, includ- ing MDA, Dare to Care, and Global Services Initiative. Two of the Sigma Chi Sig- ma chapter’s annual campus events are Field Day and the Hunger Walk.

KAPPA SIGMA

The Mu Eta chapter of Kappa Sigma was founded in 1983. Their key values include leadership, fellowship, schol- arship, and service. Their major philanthropies are the U of L Disability Awareness Resource Center and the Military Heroes Campaign. The chapter hosts two major campus events each year: U of Hell, a haunted house, in the fall, and the Down and Dirty Dodgeball Tournament in the spring. On a side note, Kappa Sigma has the most McConnell Scholars out of all of the fraternities on campus.

LAMBDA CHI ALPHA

Referred to as Lambda Chi, the Zeta Sigma Zeta chapter was founded in 1948. They focus on seven key values: loyalty, duty, respect, service and stewardship, honor, in- tegrity, and personal courage. One of their major campus events is the annual Water- melon Bust.

PI KAPPA ALPHA

Perhaps better known as the Pikes, this fraternity was founded at U of L in 1993. Their key values are integ- rity, intellect, and high mor- al character. A few of their community service activities include working the Ken- Ducky Derby and an after school program at Cochran Elementary. They have won numerous awards in the past few years, including the 2013 Fryberger Most Entertaining Award and the 2012 Most Outstanding Student Organi- zation.

PHI DELTA THETA

Phi Delta Theta is anoth- er relatively new fraternity, having received its charter in 2007. They are guided by three Cardinal Principles: The cultivation of friend- ship among its members, the acquirement individually of a high degree of mental cul- ture, and the attainment per- sonally of a high standard of morality. The Kentucky Iota chapter works with the ALS Association to help fight Lou

Phi Kappa Tau attempts to draw in pledges for fall’s rush week by advertising at both its house and around campus. PHOTO BY OLIVIA KRAUTH / LOUISVILLE CARDINAL

Gehrig’s Disease.

PHI KAPPA TAU

The Beta Beta chapter of Phi Kappa Tau was gained its charter in 1947. Typically referred to as Phi Tau, they have been awarded the Na- tional Best Chapter Award four times, the most of any chapter. Their philanthropy is SeriousFun Children’s Net- work, formerly known as As- sociation of Hole in the Wall Camps, which provides free camps for children with seri- ous medical conditions.

SIGMA APHA EPSIO- LON

Nicknamed SAE, Sigma Alpha Epsilon was founded at U of L in 1999. Their values are derived from a short piece called “The True Gentleman” by John Walter Wayland. The Kentucky Sigma chap- ter’s major philanthropic events include Buzz for a Cure and Slam N Jam, which benefit cancer research and Kosair Children’s Hospital, respectively. The chapter was also the 2013 Campus Intra- mural Champions.

SIGMA CHI

The Iota Lambda chapter of Sigma Chi was founded

in 1989. Their core values consist of friendship, justice, and learning. They work with Big Brothers Big Sisters and Wrap Up America on a philanthropic basis. They also raise money for Kosair Children’s Hospital with Sigmapalooza. The chapter also received their first Gold Peterson Award, as well as an award for having the top scholarship program in the Fraternity as a whole.

SIGMA PI

The Iota Omicron chapter of Sigma Pi is another recent addition to the list of campus fraternities, as it gained its charter in 2012. Their core values consist of promoting fellowship, developing char- acter and leadership, advanc- ing heightened moral aware- ness, enabling academic achievement, and inspiring service. Sigma Pi’s national philanthropies are the ACE Project, Sean Vernon Amaz- ing Day Foundation, and Do- nate Life – Chana Founda- tion.

SIGMA PHI EPSILON

The Kentucky Beta chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, better known as SigEp on campus, was founded in 1947. They are known for their Balanced

Man Program, and take pride in it. The program focuses on individual and character de- velopment, as well as maintaining a sound mind and body. Their two major phi- lanthropies are YoungAids and the Leukemia/Lympho- ma Society.

TAU KAPPA EPSILON

Tau Kappa Epsilon, TKE for short, was founded at U of L in 1942. The Alpha Chi chapter’s key values are love, charity, and esteem. Their national philanthropy is St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, for whom they hold 5K runs each semester. This chapter was recognized as the top TKE chapter in the world in 2010. At U of L, they were the 2013 Intramural Basketball Champions.

TRIANGLE

The Louisville chapter of the Triangle fraternity was founded in 1941. They are focused on their values of leadership, friendship, schol- arship, and service. Triangle is focused on the fields of en- gineering, science, and math, only allowing majors in those fields into their fraternity. A complete list of accepted ma- jors can be located on their chapter website.