Phi Delta Theta and Pennsylvania Theta alumni are excited to announce that the Fraternity will return to Penn State University in the fall of 2023.
The return of Pennsylvania Theta is the result of conversations that began at the Fraternity’s General Council in 2019. Since then, the leadership of the Fraternity and Pennsylvania Theta alumni have worked closely and in collaboration with Penn State and the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform to reach an agreement to move forward with a return to Penn State.
As partners in ensuring a successful relaunch of the chapter, the Fraternity, and Pennsylvania Theta alumni appointed new leadership and are providing enhanced funding and resources to support the first year’s setup, promotion, and recruiting on campus. The alumni’s commitment to this effort also includes a significant gift to the Phi Delta Theta Foundation by the Cosgrove Foundation that will be provided to Penn State to bolster the recruiting efforts by funding first-generation student scholarships focused on providing diversity in background; key initiatives of both the Fraternity and Penn State.
Phi Delta Theta Fraternity’s Executive Vice President and CEO Sean Wagner remarked, “The best chapters in Phi Delta Theta are supported through alumni and a university vested in their success. Through our process in considering a return to Happy Valley, we looked at how we could not only return but create a flagship chapter at the forefront of where Phi Delta Theta and the Greek community are headed. We look forward to working with all current and future players to make this happen.”
Sharing the alumni’s excitement of the return, Joe DiRenzo, president of the Pennsylvania Theta alumni added, “On behalf of the PA Theta alumni, we are extremely excited for the return of a chapter at Penn State. I am proud and grateful for our alumni maintaining a strong bond, staying active in the Penn State community, and for their dedication to education and scholarships. We are eager to welcome the emerging chapter and advance our efforts in partnership with Phi Delta Theta and the university to empower generations to come.”
Following the move of the Piazza Center to the Penn State campus in 2019, Penn State has enacted additional health and safety measures and policies, and staffing has nearly doubled. The collaboration with the Piazza Center by both the Fraternity and alumni, coupled with the Fraternity’s standards for local support, will provide the Pennsylvania Theta Chapter, its alumni, and the General Fraternity the opportunity for great success going forward.
If you know undergraduate men at Penn State who would be great founders of Phi Delta Theta, we would love to obtain your referral(s). Upon submitting a referral, our team will reach out to the individual to schedule an in-person meeting and discuss the benefits of the opportunity.
A great Chapter Advisory Board (CAB) is crucial to the successful development of an emerging chapter. If you have an interest in joining this advisory board and becoming a vital piece of the chapter’s development, please complete our volunteer interest form.
Our team will reach out to those interested to share more about our volunteer opportunities. Our goal is to develop a diverse collection of volunteers: men/women, Phi Delts/non-Phi Delts, Phi Delts from multiple chapters, in-person/virtual, etc.
Looking for an easy way to support the Fraternity’s return to Penn State? Phi Delta Theta now offers the opportunity to sponsor a new member from a chapter of choice. By making a contribution to sponsor a Pennsylvania Theta new member, you will help our recruitment efforts and the young men we recruit.
All transactions are non-tax deductible and are used to directly offset new member and initiation dues that are billed to the emerging chapter.
Are you a student on campus who is interested in becoming a Founder of Phi Delta Theta? We love to chat with you about the unique opportunity to start a fraternity on campus alongside other leaders.
All inquiries about the Fraternity’s return to Pennsylvania State University can be sent to Phi Delta Theta Recruitment Specialist Brian Lyke.
