How to fit in and stand out at the same time

Our Fraternity was built on three pillars that haven’t budged an inch since Phi Delta Theta was founded by “The Immortal Six” way back in 1848. The pillars are: The cultivation of friendship among its members, the acquirement individually of a high degree of mental culture, and the attainment personally of a high standard of morality. Shortened, we refer to the principles as friendship, sound learning and rectitude.

Helping every individual to meet his true potential is the bedrock of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. By celebrating each person’s true self, and by learning from each other’s strengths while helping to improve each other’s weaknesses, every member of Phi Delta Theta develops into a greater version of himself than he could ever on his own. Rather than try to find young men to “mold” into some ideal, we celebrate the uniqueness of each individual and, through encouragement, values, example and brotherhood, empower every brother to exceed his personal expectations.

Serious. Fun. Seriously fun.

Phi Delts share a reputation of carrying the highest grade point averages on campus. When it comes to community service projects and philanthropy, Phi Delts are the ones you can count on. But through all the hard work, we also have fun. Each chapter has a social chairman who’s in charge of keeping the calendar packed with great events like mixers, socials, formals and community service projects. And there’s also a brotherhood chairman who schedules the week with casual events like pickup basketball games, camping trips and tailgating trips to sports events. And then, of course, we make time for just hanging out- maybe the best time of all for the brothers to get to know each other.

Interested in Phi Delt? Fill Out This Form.

Go ahead, shoot for the moon.

A glance at a list of Phi Delta Theta alumni is all the evidence needed that our values-based approach works. Our members include: the first man to walk on the moon, six Major League Baseball Hall of Famers, eight Pulitzer Prize winners, 5,000 World War I veterans, fifteen Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, nine Medal of Honor heroes, a Chief Justice of the United States, a Vice President of the United States, a President of the United States, and leaders in virtually any field you can think of.

Real friends in high places

The list of Phi Delts indeed reads like a list of Who’s Who. Now imagine having 175,000 highly successful alumni on your contact list. These aren’t social network “virtual friends” but true brothers who share your values and experiences and have a strong desire to help you in any way they can. That’s the power network that every Phi Delt takes with them upon graduation.

It’s Greek to me

You may have some preconceptions of fraternities or sororities from popular movies that depict reckless party animals majoring in debauchery. These stereotypes make for good (and funny) movies, but the reality is that the Greek fraternities and sororities of today are reputable organizations that offer fellowship, academic support, leadership training, and participation in campus activities and philanthropy in the community.

It’s a decision you shouldn’t be “rushed” into

Most fraternities and sororities gain new members by a process called “rush” – a meet and greet whirlwind of a week that’s sort of like speed dating where neither party really gets a chance to know the other. At Phi Delta Theta, we prefer not to use the word “rush,” exclusively because we don’t feel anyone should be rushed into a decision that’s this important. After all, joining a fraternity is a lifelong commitment.

Our recruitment process usually begins by receiving referrals from Phi Delta Theta brothers, campus leaders and alumni who personally can recommend young men with integrity. Unlike traditional “rush” which takes place two weeks out of the year, we are constantly on the lookout for standouts all year long. We seek out scholars, future business leaders, service-minded individuals, athletes, many different kinds of campus leaders, and all around gentlemen. Once we find guys who are the real deal, we simply hand out information and tell our story. We ask him a lot of questions about what he wants in life and where he’s going. If it feels right for both of us, we start a friendship that may very well end up in being brothers for life.

The path to a greater you

Even if you find out Phi Delta Theta is not the perfect choice for you, we encourage you to get involved with Greek Life. The right fraternity (or sorority) can enrich your college years with rewarding service to the community, leadership training, social activities, academic achievement, and friendships that will last a lifetime.