Q. Will my son be
partying instead of studying?
A. Scholastic achievement is a key focus at
our fraternity along with service to our community. Over the past two semesters
the house has achieved an average house G.P.A. of 3.0 and 2.87. We also
enforce study hours (10 hour per week
for new members). In addition, our chapter offers three different scholarship
opportunities that are awarded to both new members and to brothers in financial
need.
Q. How is your fraternity different than others at Iowa State?
A. We offer a unique TRUE Brotherhood development program. It's not just a phrase—it's a framework that helps our members live out our ideals and principles. Built around the seven Lambda Chi core values, TRUE Brotherhood fosters success... during college and throughout life.
We also stand for for equality, and the evidence is in our Associate Member (A.M.) program. When a potential member signs a bid card he is accorded the respect, privileges and responsibilities of a fully initiated brother. Our Associate Member program is a demanding, but never demeaning, education framework that enables a young man's growth, maturation and development.
Our fraternity is also the right size...Lambda Chi Alpha at ISU is large enough to offer every opportunity a members expects, yet small enough to feel part of the brotherhood, and make bonds for life.
Q. Does your house have any rules?
A Lambda Chi has its own constitution and our chapter has its own by laws. These are provided to members in our statutory code and in the Big Bro/Lil Bro manual, which outlines the duties of every brother of Lambda Chi. Every member in our chapter accepts the responsibility to grow within our seven core values of Loyalty , Duty , Respect , Service & Stewardship , Honor , Integrity and Personal Courage .
Q. What opportunities for leadership will my son encounter?
A. An ambitious Associate Member can take on a leadership role from day one, both within his Associate Member class and within the greater chapter. He can run for any office (except for ritualist) and vote on any matter other than issues involving our ritual and initiation. All positions in our chapter carry unique responsibilities, and many relate directly to educational majors and career opportunities. For example, if a new member is in ISU's accounting program, the position of High Tau (Treasurer) in our fraternity will be impressive on a resume. For prospective employers, it demonstrates first-hand experience in dealing with the financial and business side of our fraternity.
Q. What is your house known for on campus?
A. Our house is known through all of Greekland at Iowa State for "Gorevile", our fall philanthropy event. Gorevile is one of the largest philanthropies on campus, requiring weeks of preparation and hundreds of man-hours to turn our entire fraternity house into a frighteningly real, haunted house experience. Working gallows, a draw bridge and moat, skit rooms and a maze make this a highly anticipated attraction for the entire Ames community. Proceeds go to Johnston Iowa Childserve, which keeps the money in state, helping handicapped children and their families.
Q. Are there any famous Lambda Chi's?
From among more than 265,000 members, Lambda Chis have led the nation in virtually every career field. Members of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity include:
- Harry S Truman, 33rd President of the United States
- Harry Blackmun, former Supreme Court Justice
- James Owens, CEO Caterpillar
- Richard Clark, CEO Merck & Co
- Thomas Akers, Richard Richards and Terry Wilcutt, NASA astronauts
In addition, our local Ames chapter has produced outstanding leaders at several levels. They include brother Gregg Behrens, AT 552, from Strawberry Point, Iowa, who recently retired as the CEO of the Asia-Pacific region of Northern Trust, a financial holding company based in Chicago, IL.