About 1,000 men interested in joining a fraternity are slated to rush this week, according to Michael Colletti, Interfraternity Council president.
Unlike its sorority counterpart, men’s rush is informal and those rushing can visit any of the 20 Interfraternity Council chapters they are most interested in joining. Colletti said he recommends men rushing visit a larger amount of chapters at the beginning of the week, then whittle it down toward the end.
Colletti said he is expecting about 100 more men to rush this year than last year because of the council’s more innovative marketing strategy. The council put table toppers in the Student Union Memorial Center, flyers in residence halls and classrooms and a banner on the mall.
“We are trying new things this year to reach more eyes and get more men interested in registering (to rush),” he said.
The council’s new academic policy, which requires that all potential members have at least a 3.0 cumulative high school grade point average or a 2.5 cumulative college GPA after 12 or more college credits, was another way to increase membership, according to Colletti.
Rush registration cost $10 and all proceeds go to the Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse. The last day of registration was Sunday, at which point the fee increased to $20. Rush events vary from chapter to chapter, because each specific chapter is responsible for creating their own events. Those who receive bids, or invitations to join fraternal organizations, have up to a year to accept it.
Kyle McGillicuddy, a political science junior and member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, said fraternities are a great “first step” to get involved on campus.
“Fraternities open doors,” he said. “Between leadership, academics and intramural sports, you can get as involved as possible.”
Scott Lampert, an economics junior, said his fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau, has been his family for the past two years and that the members are the “greatest group of guys” he has met in his life.
“The best things that have happened in college are because of this fraternity,” he said.
Men interested in rushing attended a pre-rush event on Aug. 25 on the UA Mall. Different fraternities tabled the event and acquainted themselves with potential members.
Alex Paffenbarger, a visual communications freshman, said he was interested in joining a fraternity because most of the men in his family had done so. He said he was most interested in joining Phi Gamma Delta because his grandfather was one.
“It’s tradition,” Paffenbarger said.
Although many men planning to rush are freshmen, one does not have to be a freshman in order to rush.
TJ Lundstrom, an aerospace engineering sophomore, said he did not rush last year because he did not know what it was “all about.” Now that he already has friends in fraternities, he explained, he realized Greek Life is “a good way to meet people.”
