By: Colin Schroyer
September 7, 2023
As the start of the fall semester kicks into high gear, Thiel College’s fraternities start preparing for their upcoming recruitment period, known as Fraternity Rush.
Thiel’s fraternities can recruit all year, but Fraternity Rush is the roughly week-long period in which the fraternities hold various events to meet students and get to know prospective brothers. At these events, students get to meet the fraternity brothers and have fun together. Then, hopefully, they will receive a bid, which is a formal invitation to join a given fraternity.
Thiel College features three fraternal groups on campus. These include Kappa Sigma, Phi Theta Phi, and Sigma Phi Epsilon. Each of these fraternities has a close network of brothers, both on and off campus, along with a philanthropy that each fraternity raises money for.
Kappa Sigma, or K Sig, is the oldest of Thiel’s fraternities nationally, founded in 1869. Even though the K Sigs were not locally founded until 1996, they have made a name for themselves on campus with their annual See-Saw-A-Thon, which raises money for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. In addition to that, every spring semester, they organize Military Heroes Appreciation Week.
Phi Theta Phi was founded locally in 1965. Unlike the other fraternities on Thiel’s campus, Phi (as referred to in a shortened manner) originated at Thiel, where its only chapter operates. The Phis participate in an annual Walk-A-Thon for its philanthropy: The Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital. They raise money for the hospital’s Free Care Fund and are recognized as a top 10 donor.
Sigma Phi Epsilon, also known as the Sig Eps, was nationally founded in 1901 but formed locally in 1948. One of the largest fraternities nationally, the local chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon raises funds for Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America. In addition, they organize “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” every spring to raise awareness for victims of domestic abuse.
These organizations of young men comprise Thiel College’s fraternities.
Thiel’s fraternities’ biggest opportunity for recruitment is during Fraternity Rush. Kappa Sigma has already begun hosting events starting at the end of August and running through mid-September. Sigma Phi Epsilon’s events will start September 12th and run through the 17th. Phi Theta Phi will host their events in mid-September.
Each fraternity hopes to meet new students who will hopefully become new brothers.
Even if Fraternity Rush flies by, there will still be opportunities to receive a bid all year, along with more recruitment events and opportunities in the spring semester.
For more information, see each fraternity’s Instagram account: @kappasigma_tc, @phi_theta_phi_official, and @tcsigep.
