Welcome
For more than 150 years, Greek organizations have been a staple at Transylvania University. The Fraternity and Sorority community strives to improve the lives of its members and the community through academic excellence, leadership development, and a focus on service and philanthropy. Fraternity and Sorority members are committed to living their values.
For many current students, Fraternity and Sorority Life plays an important role in their development and experience at TU. There are five inter/national fraternities and five inter/national sororities represented on campus. All of the fraternities belong to a governing council called the Interfraternity Council. Four sororities similarly belong to a governing council called the College Panhellenic Association and our two newest chartered groups make up our National Pan-Hellenic Council. Transylvania also hosts three honor societies that you can join, Order of Omega, Gamma Sigma Alpha and Rho Lambda.
Today, approximately 40 percent of the student body is a member of a fraternity or sorority. Though there are different national chapters on campus, all chapters share common founding principles and enhance the educational experience by emphasizing intellectual and social development. Being a part of the Fraternity & Sorority community means learning in and out of the classroom, seeking opportunities for engagement such as leadership positions and service events. Membership in a chapter is a lifelong commitment, not just while in college. Relationship building and network opportunities will extend beyond Transy.
Pillars of Fraternity & Sorority Life
Friendship
One of the greatest aspects of Fraternity & Sorority Life are the friendships that are made through membership. These friendships stand the test of time as alumni/ae can confirm. Involvement in a sorority or fraternity gives members an opportunity to widen their circle of friends beyond their majors, interests, and teams. As you learn more about your brothers and sisters, you will see growth and development in yourself.
Leadership
Leadership development is ingrained in Fraternity & Sorority Life. Early on, members are presented with leadership roles and opportunities. They are given skills and training to fine tune their leadership styles. Campus leaders often are members of the Fraternity & Sorority community. Regularly, Fraternity & Sorority members overlap with other roles such as resident advisors, athletic team captains, Student Government Association, Student Activities Board, Admissions Ambassadors, and First Engagement Scholars.
Academics
Academic excellence is at the core of the liberal arts education. Students come to Transy for the academic rigor and scholastic challenge. Historically, the Fraternity & Sorority GPA remains above the all campus average, term after term. Scholarship is valued by each chapter and as such, each chapter devotes resources and programs to assist members in achieving their academic goals. Tutoring, study sessions, and awards motivate members to do well in the classroom.
Service
Transylvania students and Fraternity & Sorority organizations are committed to community and civic engagement. This commitment is visible on campus through the various fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, and support shown for several non-profit organizations. Students can be seen collaborating on a blood drive, putting together peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, selling baked goods, or practicing for annual philanthropic events.
Interfraternity Council
The Transylvania University Interfraternity Council (IFC) is the governing body for four of our recognized fraternities on campus. The council consists of a delegate from each chapter, the chapter president, six officers from various chapters, and the Fraternity & Sorority Advisor. The council works to implement educational, social, and service activities throughout the year. Formal recruitment for IFC organizations occurs during the start of the Fall Term.
Delta Sigma Phi
Motto: Better Men. Better Lives.
Fraternity Founded: 1899, City College of New York
Chapter Chartered: 1941
Kappa Alpha Order
Motto: A moral compass for the modern gentleman.
Fraternity Founded: 1865, Washington College
Chapter Chartered: 1891
Phi Kappa Tau
Motto: Learning. Leading. Serving.
Fraternity Founded: 1906, Miami University
Chapter Chartered: 1919
Pi Kappa Alpha
Motto: To set the standard of integrity, intellect, and achievement for our members, host institutions, and the communities in which we live.
Fraternity Founded: 1868, University of Virginia
Chapter Chartered: 1888
Panhellenic Association
The College Panhellenic Association is the council that represents the four National Panhellenic Conference sororities on campus. The council is made up of one delegate from each chapter, each chapter president, eight executive officers from various chapters, and the Fraternity & Sorority Advisor. Panhellenic Association is responsible for organizing programs for the betterment of all sororities on campus. Recruitment for PHA occurs during the start of the Fall Term.
Alpha Omicron Pi
Motto: Inspire Ambition.
Sorority Founded: 1897, Barnard College
Chapter Chartered on Campus: 1987
Chi Omega
Motto: To work earnestly, to speak kindly, to act sincerely.
Sorority Founded: 1895. University of Arkansas
Chapter Chartered on Campus: 1903
Delta Delta Delta
Motto: Let us steadfastly love one another.
Sorority Founded: 1888, Boston University
Chapter Chartered on Campus: 1908
Phi Mu
Motto: The Faithful Sisters.
Sorority Founded: 1852, Wesleyan College
Chapter Chartered on Campus: 1939
National Pan-Hellenic Council
In Fall 2022, Transylvania University welcomed its first historically black greek letter organization, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated, by Spring 2023 they added Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated. These new additions to the Fraternity & Sorority community expand FSL’s student outreach and create opportunities for more students to see themselves within the fraternity sorority experience.
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
Motto: Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor
Fraternity Founded: 1911, Indiana University
Chapter Chartered on Campus: 2022
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.
Motto: Greater Service, Greater Progress
Sorority Founded: 1922. Butler University
Chapter Chartered on Campus: 2023
By the numbers
1903 — Transy’s first sorority is Chi Omega’s Chi chapter, The organization was founded at the University of Arkansas in 1895.
10 — Nationally recognized chapters
1888 — Pi Kappa Alpha, First fraternity chartered at Transy in 1888 while under the name Kentucky University. It is also the 10th chapter of PIKE.
40% — over forty percent of Transy students are affiliated with a Greek-lettered organization.
213 — sorority membership as of Spring 2024
189 — fraternity membership as of Spring 2024
3.421 — Spring 2024 all-Greek GPA
- all university — 3.368
- all fraternity — 3.287
- all men — 3.282
- all sorority — 3.545
- all women — 3.422
3.434 — Fall 2023 all-Greek GPA
- all university — 3.366
- all fraternity — 3.281
- all men — 3.272
- all sorority — 3.559
- all women — 3.437
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits to joining a fraternity or sorority?
Fraternity & Sorority organizations have a foundation of leadership, service, academics, and brother/sisterhood. Today’s members feel that Fraternity and Sorority Life provides ample opportunities to engage on and off campus, create lasting friendships, and land top notch leadership positions.
How do I register for recruitment?
To register for Panhellenic sorority recruitment, use this link: https://enroll.icsrecruiter.com/pan/tranun
Sorority recruitment will take place September 9-22nd. Registration opens July 1 and will close at Midnight on September 13, 2024.
To register for fraternity recruitment, use this link: https://tinyurl.com/3dp9tdkk
Fraternity recruitment will take place September 16-September 29, 2024. Registration opens July 1 and will close at Midnight on Wednesday September 18th, 2024.
Registration costs $35 and it covers a T Shirt, Bid Day Breakfast and technology usage. If this fee would prevent you from signing up for recruitment, the College Panhellenic Association and Interfraternity Council has a process to waive the fee. Please email Candy Rivera Evans at crivera@transy.edu requesting to waive the fee.
Membership Intake for our historically black fraternity and sorority takes place after IFC and Panhellenic recruitment. First year students are unable to join in their first semester as our NPHC organizations require a semester GPA from Transy and time to acclimate to campus. For additional information reach out to Chris Bryant, cdbryant25@transy.edu for questions about Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity Inc., and Kennedy Kniffley, kekniffley25@transy.edu for questions about Sigma Gamma Rho, Sorority Inc.
What are the requirements for joining a sorority or fraternity?
People wishing to participate in recruitment must register for recruitment and release their GPA to the chapters. Potential New Members wishing to participate in IFC recruitment must have at least a 2.75 high school GPA or a 2.5 college GPA. Sororities have internal GPA thresholds for membership that vary from chapter to chapter.
What is a Rho Gamma?
If you participate in Panhellenic recruitment, you will have a recruitment counselor called a Rho Gamma. A Rho Gamma is a member of a Panhellenic organization who is disaffiliated from their chapter during recruitment. Rho Gammas are impartial, unbiased recruitment resources. They are trained on how to best support you as you progress through recruitment. You will be connected to your Rho Gamma as you officially register for recruitment.
How much does this membership cost?
For all fraternities and sororities, membership dues support the chapter’s operational expenses, social functions, and national fees. New members can expect to pay higher dues during their first year due to new member and initiation fees, insurance fees and badge costs. Some chapters offer payment plans and some even offer scholarship opportunities to help make membership affordable. A detailed membership breakdown for Panhellenic sororities is given to each potential new member during recruitment.
President Messages
Hello All! On behalf of the entire Panhellenic community, it is my honor to welcome you to Transylvania University! College is one of the most wonderful, enriching experiences of your entire life. Returning as a senior, Transylvania now feels like a second home for myself and many others.
As you become more comfortable as Pioneers throughout the first few weeks, I encourage you to explore every opportunity with curiosity and excitement. All of the wonderful clubs and organizations on campus offer a variety of places to enjoy new friends or to continue pursuing passions. Jumping into something completely new such as attending college can be extremely overwhelming; But you are not alone! Over the next few weeks many exciting things will be coming your way so feel free to take advantage of all and enjoy every step into the next four years!
One of the most exciting things on campus is the Panhellenic community. Transy is home to five wonderful sororities on campus, four that make up the Panhellenic Council, all have their own unique values and are home to many students. This year, our executive council is putting on a Partially-Structured Recruitment. Our theme for sorority recruitment is Plant your Roots in FSL (Fraternity and Sorority Life). Together we are one big family, and I encourage everyone to get involved. This year we will begin with Open House as our executive council and chapters welcome you to sign up for recruitment. This is a chance for anyone to experiment with what the possibility of sorority life at Transy could look like for them. As this introduction finishes, participants registered for recruitment will be able to move forward with their journey to find their new home. This unique form of recruitment is designed for any and all individuals to participate in recruitment, whether they have athletic practices, work, or other extra curricular conflicts. There will be a time they are available to explore the opportunity to go through recruitment.
In case the recruitment process still seems intimidating, I would like to reaffirm the unique style of recruitment we use at Transy. At Transy we have values-based recruitment. This means that you find your home through your personal values as well as the chapters values. No matter what you look like, where you come from, or who you are friends with, values based recruitment is about you finding your home away from home for the next four years, and then the rest of your life. At Transy we want you to come as you are and discover where it is you want to plant your roots in FSL.
Charlotte Green
ccgreen25@transy.edu | 248.496.6794
President, Panhellenic Council
Class of 2025
Welcome!!
I am thrilled and honored to greet you too Transylvania Univerisity! At this point in your life, it’s your time to thrive and shine! There are several clubs and student organizations at Transy, including the choir, student government, sports, fraternity and sorority life, and more. Everyone can select what best suits them because there are so many possibilities available. Transylvania offers a variety of activities, including athletics, music, and aspiring student leaders. As new opportunities arise, I urge everyone to take a chance and attempt them. Finding our true selves and starting to reach our potential can only happen in college, which makes it a special time in every one of our lives.
Participating in Transylvania’s fraternity and sorority life is, in my opinion, the best way to connect and network with your respected peers on campus. Not only will you create lifelong friends in the fraternity, but also be on the path toward joining one. Transylvania offers four distinct IFC fraternities that may be tailored to your individual needs. Academics are the most important thing to all of the fraternities on campus. Every fraternity member completed their studies with a GPA average higher than 3.0, and several of them were named to the dean’s list. Among the various extracurricular activities that the fraternities on campus engage in are intramural sports, campus events, and charitable endeavors. Our campus chapters place a great deal of importance on philanthropy activities because they allow them to return the favor of giving back to the community that they much value. This is where fraternities and sororities can combine as a community on campus and make a change to people’s lives. Young men and women can assume leadership roles and lay the foundation for a successful life by participating in fraternity and sorority life.
When I first arrived on campus I had no intentions of joining Greek life. I knew several people attending school here, but was not close with any of them. My classes were challenging and I knew no one in them. When recruitment started I decided to give it a shot to meet new people. I would meet new people every single day and make connections with my classmates. I was able to connect with students in FSL (fraternity & sorority life) and really find a group of men who really shared my likes and interests. My decision to go through recruitment has been one of the best decisions I have ever made and I have made lifelong friends in my respected chapter. Being involved with IFC for two years now and being the President, I can genuinely say you will not regret going through recruitment. You never know who you might meet or the connections you could gain from just attending one event. I encourage everyone to reach out to any member of IFC or myself with any questions you may have regarding recruitment and or FSL. Welcome to Transylvania and let’s have another fantastic year!
Bennett Fain
cbfain25@transy.edu | 859.537.8931
President, Interfraternity Council
Class of 2025
Sorority Recruitment
New in 2024, Panhellenic has moved to a Partially structured Recruitment schedule, this allows the potential new member to find different times to initially meet all the chapters according to their schedule. partially structured recruitment is not a daily commitment but spreads out the events and days in order to balance the schedule and mimic what the sorority experience looks like in actual practice.
September 9: Plant your roots with Panhellenic (Open to all)
PNM’s attend an overview of the recruitment schedule while participating in a potted plant activity while getting to meet sorority members and ask questions about the recruitment process
September 10-13: Open House Events
Registration deadline closes at 11:59pm on Friday September 13th allowing for a PNM to meet the chapters before officially registering for Recruitment (A try before you buy experience).
September 16: Orientation
During orientation, you will receive a detailed schedule of recruitment, meet your Rho Gamma, and learn more about the recruitment process.
September 17-20: Invitational Rounds
PNM’s are invited back to no more than three chapters to learn more about their involvement with local and national philanthropies.
September 21: Preference Night
PNM’s meet with up to two chapters maximum and make their final selection.
September 22: Bid Day
Bid Day is the day that invitations to join a chapter are distributed. After receiving bids, you will join your chapter for sisterhood activities.
Fraternity Recruitment
September 16: IFC Kick Off & Orientation
During orientation, you will receive a detailed schedule of recruitment and learn more about the recruitment process.
September 17: tent night
You will have the opportunity to interact with each chapter in Back Circle. Fraternity chapters will host different activities in order to get to know the PNM’s.
September 18: chapter showcase
During chapter showcase, you will receive a short presentation from each fraternity. This will give you a chance to learn about each organization’s values, events, philanthropy, and new member education programs.
September 19 – 23: on/off campus events
You will be free to attend events with fraternities in which you are interested. You will be able to talk with members of each organization and learn more about each fraternity. These events also give the fraternity a chance to learn more about the potential new members.
September 24-28: formal smoker events (Invite only)
You will have the opportunity to attend fraternity smokers. Each smoker is planned to give you the most information possible about the fraternities. This will also be a chance to meet chapter leaders and alumni.
September 29: Bid Day
Bid Day is the day that invitations to join a chapter are distributed. After receiving bids, you will join your chapter for brotherhood activities.
Anti-Hazing Statement
Hazing is strictly prohibited by Transylvania university and all fraternities & sororities.
Hazing is strictly prohibited by Transylvania University and all fraternities and sororities. Hazing is defined as an act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or that destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in an organization/group. Participation or cooperation by the person(s) being hazed does not excuse the violation. Failing to intervene to prevent and/or failing to discourage and/or failing to report those acts may also violate this policy.
Such activities and situations may include but are not limited to paddling in any form, excessive fatigue, physical or psychological shocks, kidnaps, degrading, humiliating or fear-provoking games or activities, forced alcohol consumption, late work sessions which interfere with scholarship, menial tasks, and any other activity that is not consistent with the ideals and purposes of the student organization, or the regulations and policies of Transylvania University. Sanctioning will be decided in conjunction with the appropriate inter/national office and may include loss of campus recognition.