Greek Life is a great way to get involved on campus and meet new people. You get the opportunity to become a part of something bigger than yourself with over 14 percent of undergrad students being part of Greek Life, 2,200 of which live in their chapters’ house. 

Here’s how you can get involved. 

Fraternities started at Iowa State in 1875. There are 32 different chapters on campus ranging from nationwide fraternities to campus specific. 

While there are a lot of options, no two fraternity is the same. They can range from a nonspecific fraternity that is simply a group of guys living together, to an academically oriented fraternity specific to certain majors, such as Triangle, a fraternity that limits their members to men who are majoring in engineering fields. 

There is a fraternity and sorority for everyone. If you’re interested, recruitment is fairly easy. 

Recruitment for fraternities is mainly informal. 

You are able to “rush” a fraternity at any time during your career at Iowa State. There is an online form that can be found on the IFC page that you can fill out. Fraternities that line up with your interests will be notified of your interest and will reach out to you. 

IFC also holds an event in the beginning of the spring semester called the IFC experience. It is a two day event where you are able to meet IFC officials, recruiters from each fraternity, and tour the houses. After the event is over, the fraternities are able to send out bids to prospective members. 

For more information about each fraternity on campus, there is a guide booklet online with information about cost of membership, house capacity, and so on.

Sororities have 15 chapters on campus. Most of which have houses. Recruitment is primarily formal. 

While you are able to show interest in a sorority at anytime during your time as a Cyclone, most members go through what is called Primary Recruitment. 

Primary Recruitment is held each fall before classes start. It is a six day event in which you get the opportunity to find out what sorority is best for you.

Of those sororities, there are 17 sorority chapters who are a part of the Collegiate Panhellenic Council at Iowa State, and there are multiple multicultural sororities and chapters part of the national branch of the Pan-Hellenic Council that can be joined by those interested.

Similarly, fraternities have 32 chapters at Iowa State associated with the Interfraternity Council fraternities and multiple chapters for multicultural students. 

One example, Delta Lambda Phi, says on their website they “promote an open and accepting group for all men on campus. We work against the discrimination of all minority groups on a local and regional scale.”

Another multicultural chapter is the sorority Gamma Rho Lambda. 

“Gamma Rho Lambda – Omicron Chapter is a multicultural all-inclusive social sorority for the LGBTQ and Ally community,” says their website. “GRL of ISU exemplifies the qualities of acceptance, diversity, unity and trust, which provides a network of assistance in the areas of scholastic guidance, emotional support, and community service while ultimately developing the life-long bonds of sibling-hood. “

For the complete list of sorority and fraternity chapters, go to the “chapters” section of the Iowa State greek life website.