The fraternity will be reinstated at IU after leaving campus in 1959. It will join the 33 current chapters on campus this semester.
The expansion process started last spring when 10 to 15 students reached out to Pi Lambda Phi headquarters to restart the chapter, said Patrick Spanner , Pi Lambda Phi director of Chapter Operations.
The chapter aims to recruit 50 to 60 men during the eight-week recruitment process, Spanner said. The men will be recruited not only as members but also as re-founding fathers of Pi Lambda Phi.
“Fraternities, at the basis, are created to prepare you for the rest of your life,” Spanner said. “‘To build better men.’ So not only do we do that with all of our groups but especially with our founding fathers. You’re getting basically that building better men plus plus. You’re getting that tangible creation entrepreneur ?experience.”
Pledges will take on a dual membership process as they learn about the ?chapter’s history, values and personal development through new member education and leadership ?training.
“There has been a precedent that has already been set,” said Matthias Lebherz , sophomore Pi Lambda Phi member. “As a founding father, how can we take in what they’ve done in the past and incorporate that to what we’ve done? And what can we do to bring upon a change?”
Pi Lambda Phi’s creation was a result of social change. Originally founded in 1895 , the organization was the first non-sectarian fraternity and the first to break down the color barrier in the 1960s by admitting black brothers, Spanner said.
The chapter honors this history in its creed, eliminating prejudice, and uses this as a guideline to find the right candidates.
“We don’t discriminate on anything — race, creed, religion, where you’re from, whether you’re in Kelley or not,” Spanner said. “None of that matters to us. What’s important to us is that we find men of good character who align with our values and want to work hard and have fun.”
Pi Lambda Phi’s philanthropy, the Elimination of Prejudice, fosters educated discussions about diversity, notably, through its Wall of Prejudice event, Spanner said.
Other chapters built a wall where students and faculty on campus can write any term of hate they’ve heard. Later on, participants donated a dollar for a chance to take a hammer to the wall as a symbolic destroying of prejudice.
“I want to make that a tradition here,” said Daniel Keay , sophomore Pi Lambda Phi member. “I want to do something really big like that, that causes a stir and gets people to start talking about things.”
The value of inclusiveness carries over into Pi Lambda Phi’s recruitment process as well, Spanner said.
The chapter is recruiting through one-on-one informational interviews with one of three representatives from its headquarters in addition to the Interfraternity Council’s formal ?recruitment.
The fraternity is also interested in reaching out to students who didn’t initially think they would go greek or those who haven’t found their home in the greek community yet, Spanner said.
“I never thought that I would fit into the greek community at all,” Lebherz said.
Part of the unique recruitment process for colonizing fraternities is referrals from faculty, students and other greek members. Candidates will also each have to meet a 2.8 GPA ?requirement.
After receiving a bid, brothers will be expected to complete 15 hours of community service every semester. They will also be required to be part of at least one other organization outside of the fraternity, Spanner said.
Eleven fraternity brothers have accepted a Pi Lambda Phi bid so far. The fraternity is not only looking for freshman and sophomores but upperclassmen as well, Spanner said.
“I look for a young man who wants to grow as an individual,” Spanner said. “Someone that’s willing to take on that challenge, that true challenge of building a new organization. They’re willing to do that and move through that journey.”
