Welcome Parents!
What is your greatest hope for your son?
He graduates.
He graduates with a strong resume.
He grows up happy.
He is respected by his peers.
He continues the legacy which you've prepared him for.
Let's face it; college can be the intersection of hopes and fears in life. Short term pleasure and temptations often compete with college success and post-college career goals.
Your list of hopes for your son probably didn't include being a "frat guy". Well, we agree. Being a "frat guy" is easy — but being a "fraternity man" is the road less traveled, but much more rewarding!
We realize that 18 to 22 year old males usually don't need much guidance on how to have fun —it comes naturally. However, we do realize that leadership, ethical behavior, and people skills are critical to a young man’s personal development and each takes a little more effort, planning, thought, and guidance.
Theta Xi offers its members tremendous leadership development programs not available to the average college or university undergraduate. Theta Xi’s leadership programs, commonly referred to as our All True Men Initiative, provides tools and programming for our members to develop the same leadership skills that America’s most well-respected corporations offer to their top executives.
Include Iowa State’s Greek Community in your son's experience. Take the time to research our values, history and mission. See if it aligns with your family's values and your hopes for your son. We’re confident your son will benefit from a Greek experience, and especially one with Theta Xi!
Letter from a Parent of a Theta Xi
Dear Parents,
My son is a student at the University of Colorado at Boulder and joined Theta Xi as a freshman in the fall of 2006. College fraternities make a large college seem smaller and bring friendships that will last a lifetime. But being a member of a well run fraternity is not just about a place to hang out and be with friends, it is an opportunity to be part of a team with leadership and organizational experiences that will help him be successful in college and beyond. You have probably seen some of the statistics: 85% of the Fortune 500 CEOs, 85% of Supreme Court justices, 76% of Congressmen and Senators and all but two Presidents and Vice Presidents since 1825 have been fraternity members.
My wife and I have been very pleased about our son Alex’s experience as a member of Theta Xi at Boulder. This group of young men is down to earth, but they are all driven to succeed in both academics and in life. The commitment that they have to each other’s success and the zeal with which they take on every activity are a real pleasure to see and I am sure a predictor of their future success beyond college.
I would encourage all parents to get their son to go through fraternity rush and look at all of the houses. I am sure they will find that every house and their membership will have a unique personality. If your son wants to be part of a group that is committed to academic excellence while being part of a strong team and living life to the fullest, I am sure they will like what they see at Theta Xi.
Sincerely,
Brett Shockley
Father of Alex Shockley, Univ. of Colorado, Class of 2010Parent’s Clubs
Parents and guardians are not only invited, but urged, to get involved with Theta Xi as members of the chapter’s Parent’s Club. At Iowa State, the chapter and its alumni will be initiating the formation of a club to complement the work of volunteer alumni officers and provide another level of support, advice and counsel to your son and all chapter brothers. The role of a Parents Club is to provide parents and guardians of chapter members with regular communication regarding the activities and accomplishments of the chapter and its members. The Parents Club will also schedule weekend programs to bring parents and guardians together with their sons to meet other parents and guardians.
FAQ
We know that your son has made a lot of very important decisions about his future in the past few months, and choosing to join or not join a fraternity is as important as any of them. To help allay your concerns, we have compiled a list of the questions most frequently asked by parents and guardians.
Will my son be hazed?NO! Theta Xi does not believe in hazing nor does it condone it. Theta Xi promotes leadership, team-building and brotherhood, not physical or mental harm. We believe that hazing anyone is unacceptable and completely contrary to the concept of brotherhood.
Theta Xi has established a core membership education program that is designed to orient him to the Fraternity’s history, organizational structure, policies and responsibilities. A summary of the program is available for your review.
*Link to the Core Education Program*Will joining Theta Xi have an affect my son’s grades?Yes! And in a good way! Theta Xi promotes a scholastic program that gives each member the opportunity to learn and excel in his field. Theta Xi recently introduced the All True Men initiative that focuses on academic excellence and leadership, not only within the chapter, but also at Iowa State. We encourage each member to get involved in organizations that are related to his major. All True Men chapters are charged to maintain a grade point average above the all-men’s average. Theta Xi has implemented a written scholastic program that includes minimum scholastic requirements for all members. Will it help my son become a better man?Theta Xi promotes a well-rounded lifestyle. So, if your son takes advantage of the beneficial activities that Theta Xi offers he will become a better man as a result of his membership in Theta Xi. The Fraternity also strives to provide leadership training and opportunities within the chapter and by promoting each brother’s active involvement in campus and community clubs and organizations.*Link to Leadership page*How much will this cost?Living in the house is a good value and an alternative to dormitory life. Your son will most likely want to live in the house, therefore making it possible to avoid many of the fees that come with living on campus. Dues for members not living in a house or for chapter that do not have a house are very reasonable. Overall, the cost to live in the house including board and dues, runs comparable or less than university room and board charges.