New Addition to Greek Life Spring 2014

In college, you learn how important and visible Greek life on campus truly is.  Most fraternities and sororities members accomplish much while being a part of these groups, from creating philanthropy projects to hosting charity fundraisers to diverse activities and events for the community. Most importantly, Greek life offers a lifetime commitment of brothers and sisters, and joining these groups is practically like joining a second family.

This spring there is a new fraternity being added to Greek life mix here at Frostburg State University (FSU), and it goes by name Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity. Phi Lambda Phi is a social fraternity that started in 1895 at Yale University.  Phi Lambda Phi Fraternity’s sole mission is to produce successful young men into the world of business, entertainment, politics, athletics, and so much more. As Patrick Spanner, a FSU special programs coordinator  said, “[Lambda Phi members strive to] provide an environment in which individuals join together, share experiences and commit to excellence.”

Specific goals in creating this new organization are to establish lifelong friendships, maximize educational experiences, promote social, organizational, and civic and community responsibility, to be able to develop leadership skills, achieve personal growth, and dynamically adapt to foster change. Pi Lambda Phi is currently active in over 40 campuses worldwide and since its founding, Pi Lambda Phi developed chapters at over 150 campuses.

Spanner is a 2012 alumni of the fraternity’s WA Epsilon Alpha Chapter at Eastern Washington University. He is proud of his fraternity and happy to explain what sets his apart from others’. “Every sorority or fraternity is different and what separates ours from the rest is our idea of equality and diversity and that is the whole foundation of our organization,” he said.

With Pi Lambda Phi, Spanner is striving to break the mold and create a fresh, genuine fraternity to campus. Spanner said, “Pi Lambda Phi is classified as the first non-discriminating fraternity. For example, non-discriminate based on religion, etc…”

Spanner continued, stating, “Our goal is to build a chapter that benefits this campus, the Greek community and just the surrounding community. Right now were just trying to learn about this campus, what does it need, and what do the students here want out of a new organization.”

Vincent Pennix, a 2012 alumni of the fraternity and colleague of Spanner, weighed in on what it takes to become a Pi Lambda Phi member, stating, “It consists of finding the right people we think would be good for members.  For now, we are just trying to get our name out there, to make sure people know that we are here.”

Pennix also said, “Our most important goal is getting new members and establishing good relationships with the other sororities and fraternities here on campus.”

When it comes to the challenges of re-establishing  a newly Greek organization,  Pennix replied, “With every school come different challenges, whatever the reputations might be here already for Greek organizations,  you have to start with individuals to organizations, to fraternity to brotherhood. The most challenging part will be to get the brothers to build those bonds.”

No matter the reasoning, this new fraternity seems to a positive and influential one that FSU could benefit greatly from.

“We just want to leave a legacy here at Frostburg,” Spanner said.

For more information about Pi Lambda Phi, contact Patrick Spanner at patrick.spanner@pilambdaphi.org, or visit Pi Lambda Phi’s official Facebook page at facebook.com/frostburgpilam.