By Mackenzie Menter, Staff Writer
Phi Gamma Delta fraternity is working to obtain their charter in hopes of becoming an official chapter this year.
The fraternity is entering its third year on campus.
“We, right now, are in the colonization process,” said Reed Bentley, FIJI president and acting senior. “We basically just have to prove to our national headquarters that we are sustainable, and that’s a word that we keep hearing.”
This process is different for every chapter, Bentley said.
Their individual chartering process is based on four criteria: academic, philanthropic, financial, and retention.
“Sometimes people think that means like a certain number of guys, or that means that we have to raise a certain amount of money, and it really isn’t,” Bentley said. “It always comes back to the size of the school that you’re at, and how many men go Greek, and how many other chapters there are.
“It’s just a very, very individualized process, which has been very, not difficult, but kind of confusing to navigate.”
Bentley said he is excited about this opportunity for his chapter.
“This is the closest that I have felt to it, ever. I’ve been with FIJI since the end of my freshman year, and it’s been great to see this kind of overall change that we had over the past few years,” Bentley said. “It feels tangible now, and that’s something I feel like I haven’t experienced yet.”
FIJI has proved sustainable in three of the four areas.
Their national headquarters is looking for them to boost their numbers because of the size of the other two fraternities on campus.
“Recruitment is the next step and our final step,” said Connor Branson, acting/music junior and FIJI recruitment chairman.
FIJI plans to host a recruitment month in October.
Branson said he is optimistic about the upcoming recruitment and charter process.
“As a fraternity, I am absolutely thrilled with the amount of love that I see between brothers, and the amount of passion that comes from that,” Branson said. “I’ve never experienced anything this strong in a brotherhood sense.”
Zach Turner, music theater junior and FIJI’s pledge educator, is excited for their potential to become an official Inter Fraternity Council chapter.
“We also offer a AAA scholarship to our new members, so that’s if they get over a 3.2 average, then their pledging semester is paid for,” Turner said.
FIJI is grateful for the support of the rest of the campus.
“I’ve admired how they have kept trying even though it was hard to get guys,” said Mary Elizabeth Drake, music theater junior.“I think if Phi Mu can get as many girls as they did, I think that they can probably do the same thing.”
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