Fraternity Chapters & Recruitment

Mission: Dedicated to building men of principle for a principled life.

Established at USD: 1912 

Colors: Delicate shades of Pink and Blue
Motto: Exulting in Brotherhood
Philanthropy: Heartland Humane Society
Philanthropy Events: Beta Burgers and Beta Beans
Capacity: 54
 

Beta Theta Pi was founded on August 8th, 1839, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Beta Theta Pi was founded with the mission to develop Men of Principle. We are located at 429 North Plum Street and have the largest property of all the fraternities. Our property includes a spacious backyard with a 40-car parking lot, patio, putting green, volleyball court, wiffle ball court and frisbee golf course. In the house we have 44 members living in (the most of any fraternity) and a cook that makes two delicious meals a day. Our chapter emphasizes the importance of scholarship, encouraging members to excel in their studies, this past spring we were given $27,000 in scholarships and $29,000 the year before that. $500 is guaranteed to any freshmen with a 3.0 GPA or more and plans to live in the house the following year. Socially, we host two formals a year in places like Rapid City, one semi-formal, multiple socials with the sororities, a prime-time tailgate spot, parent’s weekend, alumni weekend, and regular fun associated with our Chapter. The fact that 44 people are willing to all live in one house goes to show how impactful this Chapter is for them.

Beta Theta Pi

Mission: Committed to lives of excellence.

Established at USD: 1924 

Colors: Purple and Gold
Motto: Committed to Lives of Excellence
Philanthropy: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Philanthropy Events:
Fall: Delt Dogs, Teddy Bear Run,
Spring: Dunk-a-Delt
Capacity: 34

Delta Tau Delta is the place for leaders to hone their skills, youths to grow, students to find support and guidance and men to find their paths to a life of excellence. With 100 years of guiding men via Truth, Courage, Faith and Power, the Delta Tau Delta experience has fostered innovators, advocates, change agents and community leaders by affecting the world through self-discovery.

Delta Tau Delta

Mission: To enhance our members by inspiring the highest character, values, leadership, scholarship service and personal growth.

Established at USD: 1916 

Colors: Royal Purple, Kelly Green, Old Gold
Motto: Every Man a Man
Philanthropy: Feeding South Dakota
Philanthropy Events: Football Run, Haunted House, Watermelon Bash
Capacity: 23

Lambda Chi Alpha at USD was officially chartered in 1916 and has remained active ever since, making it the fifth oldest continuously operating chapter in the country. For over a century, Lambda Chi has produced leaders in science, business, academia, technology, medicine, and the military. Within government alone, we claim four former SD Governors, three U.S. Representatives, one U.S. Senator, and four State Supreme Court Justices. We look for men of strong character and integrity to continue this legacy. Today, Lambda Chi's mission is to inspire and equip men to lead an ethical life of learning, service, and leadership, a mission we continue to exemplify today. Last year we raised over $3,000 for Feeding South Dakota and volunteered over 1,000 hours for various campus and community initiatives. Additionally, we awarded just over $27,000 in scholarships to our members and achieved the highest cumulative grade point average among the entire USD Greek system in the Spring 2025 semester. For our outstanding efforts over the past year, our chapter was awarded the Scholarship Pillar award, and our members were the 2024 recipients of the Greek Sophomore Man of the Year and USD Greek Man of the Year awards as well. We were also named a Five Star Chapter and received the South Dakota Board of Regents Student Organization Award for Academic Excellence. The men of Lambda Chi Alpha are eager to welcome the next outstanding group of new members into both our chapter and Greek community at USD this Fall! 

Lambda Chi Alpha

Mission: To cultivate friendship among our members, to have them acquire a high degree of mental culture and to attain a high standard of morality.
Established at USD: 1906

Colors: Azure (Blue) and Argent (White)
Motto: “One Man is No Man”
Philanthropy: Live Like Lou Foundation for ALS
Philanthropy Events: Goats and Floats, Chislic Feed, Pie a Phi
House Capacity: 36

The men of Phi Delta Theta uphold a long history of leadership and service on our campus. Founded in 1906, our chapter is the longest-standing active fraternity at USD. Our guiding principles are friendship, sound learning, and moral rectitude, which guide how we carry ourselves in our community. Our chapter hosts multiple philanthropy events every year for the Live Like Lou Foundation, which supports research for ALS and was created in honor of legendary baseball player and Phi Delt alum Lou Gehrig. Throughout the year, our chapter hosts various events including formals, brotherhood retreats, socials with other sororities, tailgates at football games, and much more. Members keep themselves busy by joining and leading other campus organizations, participating in fraternity intramural teams, and spending time at the chapter house with others. Our chapter has consistently been awarded excellence in academics, risk reduction, and member development by our national organization. In the past year, we were recognized as a Five Star Fraternity at the USD Greek Life Awards and honored as a Gold Star Chapter—the highest achievement possible—by our fraternity’s General Headquarters. We also proudly earned second place in academics among fraternities for the Spring 2025 semester. Members have been awarded over $20,000 in scholarships and receive strong alumni support at all our events. We look forward to meeting the incoming class for this year’s fraternity recruitment! 

Phi Delta Theta

Mission: Dedicated to developing men of integrity, intellect, and high moral character and to fostering a truly lifelong fraternal experience.
Established at USD: 1997 

Colors: Garnet and Old Gold
Motto: Once a Pike, Always a Pike
Philanthropy: Cure Kids Cancer
Philanthropy Events: Dining for Kids, Thursday Night Live & PIKE Dream Girl Competition, Extra Life, Taylor Trudeau Cycle for Life, PIKE Week of Service, PIKES in the Park
Capacity: 21

PIKE is unlike any fraternity. We are Scholars. We are Leaders. We are Athletes. We are Gentlemen. We Are PIKES. PIKE shapes lives that shape the world. Over the past decade, Pi Kappa Alpha has won Fraternity of the Year more than any fraternity. Our chapter has also had five Student Government Association Presidents in the past decade. Our fraternity enriches the college experience through opportunities for involvement, leadership, service, and athletics. By doing so, PIKE brings out the best in people. Our fraternity is far more than a social organization, a place to live, or a way to meet people: PIKE is a group of men dedicated to making an impact at USD and beyond. PIKE is dedicated to developing men of integrity, intellect, and high moral character and to fostering a truly lifelong fraternal experience. Last year, our brothers dedicated nearly 10,000 service hour to worthy causes, received top academic accolades, and contributed more than $42,000 to charitable causes.

Pi Kappa Alpha

Mission: To promote the highest standards of friendship, scholarship and service for our members.
Established at USD: 1911 

Colors: Royal Purple and Gold
Motto: True Gentlemen
Philanthropy: Children’s Miracle Network and Be The Match
Philanthropy Events: SAE Carwash, Grilled Cheese with SAE’s, Paddy Murphy Week!
Capacity: 40 persons

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity was founded March 9, 1856 at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The 8 founding fathers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon believed in the strength of True Gentlemen to promote our mission of, “advancing the highest standards of friendship, scholarship, leadership, and service for our members throughout life.” Sigma Alpha Epsilon is so dedicated to the success of its members that it was the first national Fraternity to create a Leadership program to educate collegiate members how to advance their skills for the rest of their lives. We are proud to contribute to our national philanthropies, the Children’s Miracle Network, Be the Match marrow donations, and Movember. Through Be The Match we helped several people in the community get tested to see if they are a match to save someone who has a chronic blood disease. We are proud to say, one of our own members was flown to Houston to donate bone marrow to save another man’s life this past year. We pride ourselves on the continuous involvement of our successful alumni, who understand that they will always be members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Our Chapter cannot wait to meet the Gentlemen participating in recruitment this year.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon

Mission: To aid men in the mental, moral and social development for life.
Established at USD: 1960 

Chapter: Tau Kappa Epsilon
Colors: Cherry and Gray
Motto: Better Men for a Better World
Philanthropy: St. Jude’s Childrens Hospital
Philanthropy Events: TKE Dance Night, Superbowl Squares, D-Days 50/50 Raffle, TKE Tacos
Capacity: 15 Single Rooms

Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) is an international fraternity founded on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University. TKE is one of the largest fraternities, with over 290 active chapters and colonies across the United States and Canada. The fraternity emphasizes leadership, scholarship, character, teamwork, service, and brotherhood. TKE’s mission is to aid men in their mental, moral, and social development for life, fostering an environment of personal growth and mutual support. The fraternity’s motto is “Better Men for a Better World,” reflecting its commitment to positive impact and lifelong friendships. This past year TKE raised over $3,000 for St. Jude’s children hospital and participated in an Earth Day cleanup of Vermillion’s parks. The members of TKE are excited to meet all the men participating in recruitment this year! 

Tau Kappa Epsilon