The Triangle Fraternity recently partnered with Semester At Sea’s Engineering Maymester. Students attended classes on the boat and then were able see different significant engineering examples in the real world, such as the Panama Canal. The students also interacted with citizens from the various countries that they visited. Four fraternity men share their thoughts about this incredible fraternity experience.

Triangle Fraternity - SAS Maymester Voyage from Andrew Centofante on Vimeo.

This is a great example from Triangle Fraternity of how fraternities are providing innovative and leading opportunities for their members.

Would you consider studying abroad or semester at sea? How perfect would it be to blend that experience into your fraternity membership.

Overall, fraternity membership has now increased for the fifth straight year since the NIC began collecting this data.

These 397,039 fraternity members belong to 5626 different chapters on some 800 college campuses. There is strength in this fraternal network. But members also have a close-knit network in their home-away-from-home in their fraternity chapter.

Contact a chapter to learn more about joining a fraternity on your campus: Click Here

The Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) chapter at the University of Minnesota has perfected their philanthropic efforts. For the past 17 years, the SAE brothers have teamed up with the local police department to raise over $385,000 for the Special Olympics. The annual event is called Jail ‘N Bail because students, faculty and staff are “arrested”, taken to “jail” and then must bail themselves out by calling friends and family. The SAE men at Minnesota are not only doing good for the Special Olympics and their campus, but it helps to remind their members about the importance of giving to others while building meaningful relationships on campus.

Many fraternities have national philanthropies that they support and others can pick a cause that is close to the hearts of their individual chapter. Having the opportunity to serve or donate with your fraternity brothers will not only make you feel good, but will also make you closer. During recruitment, pay attention to the fraternities different philanthropies. If you have a passion for finding a cure for cancer, look for a chapter who supports the Lance Armstrong Foundation or the Children’s Miracle Network. Being able to contribute to help others will not only make you a good fraternity member, but an all around better man.

The first Greek lettered organization was the Phi Beta Kappa (FBK) society, founded in 1776 in Virginia by John Heath. Not wanting to be too similar to two pre-existing Latin societies, Health chose Greek letters to seem more prestigious. He even restricted group membership to upperclassmen and faculty.

As time passed and Phi Beta Kappa spread to other college campuses, the idea of secret societies caught on. In 1825, Kappa Alpha (KA) was founded at Union College, shaping its secrecy off of Phi Beta Kappa but changing its membership requirements to students only. Finally, around the 1830s, these societies became publicly known as fraternities as we know them today.

When Sigma Phi (SF) and Phi Delta (FD) were founded at Union College, creating what is known as the Union Triad, the three fraternities would often compete with each other. Each group recruited the top debaters, scholars and athletes in order to win the competitions. Immediately, Greek life was recognized as an integral part of student life as it attracted and showcased top not students.

Fraternity comes from the Latin word ‘frater’ meaning brother, signifying not only a men’s group, but also the primary meaning of these organizations.Brotherhood made seem like a cliché ideal, but it is the reason fraternities exist and have relevant meaning in the college social scene. Jordan Kuhns always thinks back to the time when he had to leave school for a family funeral. “Just two days after I had arrived back at my home, out of state, a card signed by all of my brothers came in the mail with written notes like, ‘Your brothers will always be here,’ and ‘We’ll help you get through this’.”

And while each organization will derive their Greek letters from secret meanings or mottos, making each letter unique and special to that fraternity, it is these Greek letters that bond Fraternities together. Any fraternity you join will have its own special definition of brotherhood and that is what makes each one special and unique.

Values, Values, Values

Perhaps most importantly, by joining a fraternity, it will show employers that you have core values that you will do your best to maintain. Just like corporations, fraternities have mission statements and core beliefs. Your ability to lead based on these values as a fraternity man will translate well for employers who are looking for ethical employees who strive to help their company be successful.

Leadership

Any leadership roles you take on within your fraternity - regardless of the position - can be treated as ‘on the job training’ that will help you grow as a person and become a better candidate for a future employer. Any accomplishment you helped establish for your fraternity will enhance your résumé and give you valuable experience.

Inside Connections

When it comes down to differentiating between quality candidates shared experiences will tip the scales in your favor. This certainly holds true for fraternity membership. Additionally, you may be able to find out about internship and job openings because your national fraternity provides job placement help or your chapter advisors have openings in their offices.

Long Term Commitment and Campus Involvement

Joining an organization and showing on your résumé that you have maintained your membership for 3 or 4 years will show employers that you are able to make a commitment and uphold the responsibilities of your membership for a long period of time.

Academic Bonus Points

Your fraternity may have study hours or other academic incentives to help brothers with their studies. You may even be in some of the same classes as your fraternity brothers or be able to be tutored by an older member. All of these things should help increase your GPA and excel in the classroom, therefore showing off your learning skills to a potential employer.

Community Service

Giving back to the community via service and philanthropy will be integral parts of your fraternity experience. Being able to increase your service hours will not only be a rewarding experience for you, but show potential employers you know the importance of giving back to your community.

Friendly Face

By joining a fraternity you will make friends with people who are different than you and have had different life experiences. You will have to work together to get things accomplished and it will show your future boss that you can collaborate with other and that you have communication skills that will make you an asset to the work environment.

1. Tell Someone!
If you want a leadership role, don’t stay quiet about it. Speak up and let your friends, pledge class, and current leaders know you are interested. They will provide you with support and hopefully give you some tricks to be the best candidate possible. Also, tell current leaders why you want a leadership position and what you hope to accomplish. They can give you inside tips on what works and what doesn’t.

2. Show It!
When you let people know you are interested in a leadership role, you are going to be commanding their attention at all times. They will notice if you show up late to chapter and if you are neglecting class assignments. Model the way for your peers! Then when you accept that leadership role your behavior will not have to change.

3. Start Small!
The best way to get a leadership role is to work your way up the ladder. Take on smaller leadership roles that could include volunteering to head up this weekend’s service project or offer to give additional support to the social chair at next month’s function. By demonstrating you can handle small amounts of responsibilities, your brothers will feel more confident trusting you in a larger leadership capacity.

4. Do Your Research!
How did other people in your organization get the leadership positions they have? You should ask them! How did someone in your fraternity on another campus get the leadership position you are interested in? Get in contact with them through your national organization or through social media and find out. Discuss the challenges, expectations and perks that come along with the role.

5. Be Prepared!
Be sure to find out what is specifically required of each of the leadership positions you are interested in. You do not want to be given the opportunity to serve in a position only to feel like you can’t successfully complete the requirements or because you don’t have the time to fit it all in your schedule. Being fully prepared will open you up for more leadership opportunities in the future.

6. Know Your Skills!
Look for positions that match your skill set or education. Your leadership position is ‘on the job training’ that will help you grow as a person and become a better candidate for a future employer. Fraternity leadership is not about the position you hold. It is about what you are able to accomplish for your chapter, campus and fraternity as a result of being in that position. And those accomplishments will pad your resume!

What tips do you have for building your fraternity leadership?

Here’s a summary of the value of fraternity in so few characters (140) based on responses we received on Twitter. Add your addition as a comment below and follow us on twitter at @fraternityinfo!

A #fraternity teaches what a group of people with common  goals can accomplish. Not to mention the bond of brotherhood.

Post by PugetSoundSigs (Sigma Chi - Delta Phi)

Fraternity is an opportunity to grow as an individual, focus your values & use both to become a leader

Post by CalDSP (Delta Sig – Berkeley)

Fraternities offer opportunities buffet style. There are many of them and  they are  never-ending.

Post by justsherm25 (Justin Sherman)

For ultimate college exp. join an environ. seeking excellence in academics, leadership, philanthropy, social and athletics

Post by Tkeibaa (TKE IB Alumni Assoc.)

Fraternity teaches you to use your strengths and values to impact the world

Post by BuildingHeroes (Building Heroes)

Fraternities commit you to living your life daily, DOing what you know is right, rooted in your values, purpose, mission.

Post by michaelmizrahi (Michael Mizrahi)

Fraternities teach you the life lessons that the college classroom is not equipped to. Brotherhood supports this learning.

Post by hust0058 (Andy Huston)

Life-long Friendships, Experiences, Memories and Success built upon a Solid Foundation of Values and Leadership.

Post by ChadPfister (Chad Pfister)

Add your thoughts as a comment below!

All these questions may seem nosy, but they are often the starting point of competition between different fraternities on campus. Competition is not always a bad thing, especially when it comes to improving grades and a sorority’s tug-of-war philanthropy. It is valid to want to join a fraternity that strives for excellence, but when competition between groups goes too far it distracts from the purpose of a Greek community. Don’t think of one fraternity is ‘better’ than another. One fraternity may just be a better fit for you then for someone else. The goal of fraternity recruitment is to have the prospective members and fraternities find their best mutual fit. When thinking about which fraternity to join, consider their recruitment tactics. Are they concerned with promoting their values and interests or battering the reputation of their neighbors?

Fraternities provide members with academic incentives, friends, community service and philanthropic opportunities and leadership skills. Promoting competition and hierarchies of popularity between groups distracts organizations from the values and goals they are striving towards. Discourage your future brothers from spreading rumors about the activities and interests of different organizations to eliminate unproductive competition. Everyone takes great pride in their own fraternity membership. We also need to take pride in the our collective membership in the Greek community.

The balance between healthy competition and wanting to be the premier fraternity on campus is a tough line. Definitely be sure to look up pie eating competition techniques and spend extra time at the gym the week before the flag football championship, because you may want to crush your competition in those areas. But Greeks collectively rely on each other for the success of their community. And those interfraternal relationships that you’ll build will be invaluable!

Fraternities are built upon the values of mentoring. This is something that is ingrained in the way our organizations operate. Fraternity men are mentored by upperclassmen, officers, their peers, and advisors. This forges tremendous relationships. While fraternity men receive a lot of advice, guidance and support from their mentors, they are also playing that role in someone else’s life. Giving back and sharing your knowledge with those that follow you can be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll have in college.

But these lessons don’t end in college. Mentoring becomes a life-long habit for fraternity men; a habit they started in their chapters.

The following segment, featuring Dale Long (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.), appeared on NBC Nightly News on February 23, 2011. This is a great story of his lifelong commitment to mentoring.

Talk and ask questions! During fraternity recruitment, actually hold meaningful conversations with the fraternity guys you meet. Talk about things that you like. Ask about the things they do as a fraternity. And when you find a group of guys that shares the same interests and values as you then you’ll know which fraternity chapter is the right fit for you. One of the best things about visiting with fraternities is seeing the different personalities of chapters. While the personalities may be different, they all operate on set of values including scholarship, leadership and service. This makes fraternities very similar.

Think about what you want to make out of college. Do you want to do well academically? Ask about the chapter’s grades and the majors of its members. If you want to be a leader or are into politics, see if there are any members in student government. Really think you are going to miss playing high school football? Find out how the fraternity did in intramurals last fall. Do you like to give back? Find out what the fraternities have done for community service or as fundraisers for charities. And when you find a fraternity that has people who have the same interests and goals as you do, you might as well order your extra cheese and pepperoni pizza.