Fraternity & Sorority Organizations
Fraternity and Sorority Participation
14%
Men who participate in fraternities.
9%
Women who participate in sororities.
20,000
Community service hours performed since 2001.
Greek Life at Clarkson
Clarkson's first fraternity was established in 1903; sororities followed in 1977. Today, we recognize eight fraternities and four sororities.
Fraternities
Alpha Chi Rho
Clarkson's first national fraternity.
Delta Upsilon
A non-secret fraternity whose motto is to Build Better Men.
Phi Kappa Sigma
Join 1,200 active members and 40,000 alumni.
Sigma Chi
Established at Clarkson in 1988 to promote friendship, justice and learning.
Sigma Phi Epsilon
Dedicated to the principles of virtue, diligence and brotherly love.
Tau Epsilon Phi
Espousing friendship, chivalry and service at Clarkson since 1966.
Tau Kappa Epsilon
Aiding the mental, moral and social development of men.
Zeta Nu
Fostering intellectual, personal and professional growth at Clarkson since 1956.
Sororities
Delta Zeta
Established at Clarkson in 1986 with a commitment to do more, care more and be more.
Kappa Delta Chi
A Latina-founded national service sorority that leads with integrity and is united through service.
Phi Sigma Sigma
Clarkson's first sorority, founded in 1977. A progressive, successful women’s philanthropic and social organization.
Theta Phi Alpha
Committed to justice, wisdom, loyalty, faith, truth and honor.
Q&A
You can join a fraternity or sorority during or after the second semester of your first year. You need to be in good academic standing and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.
Allegations or concerns about hazing should be brought to the attention of the Dean of Students or Office of Student Life immediately. Please note: physical and mental hazing is not tolerated at Clarkson or under New York State law.
Dues are regular membership fees paid by members to a fraternity or sorority chapter, typically on a per-semester basis, to cover the costs of maintaining the organization and its activities. Think of dues as being similar to a gym membership - you pay to reap the benefits of being a member!
We always want Golden Knight families to be on the same page when their student is joining a fraternity or sorority. If your parents are uncertain about your interest in joining, we encourage you to connect your parents with family members of current students who have already joined organizations. If they’re still unsure, feel welcome to direct them to the Office of Student Life so that we can help ease their concerns.
Not only do students gain a tight-knit community and close friend group within their organization, but they also gain an alumni network that expands beyond the organization. Often, students are able to obtain jobs, internships and co-ops through alumni that are affiliated with their organization.
Students learn valuable soft skills through their organization such as leadership skills, communication skills, planning, risk management, and collaboration skills. Students are drawn to the allure of establishing lifelong friendships and mentorships.
Greek Life at Clarkson is a small, tight-knit community, where the students support one another through and through.
The Office of Student Life directly supports Greek Life students by providing relevant training, administrative support, and helps the campus community learn about the good work of our Greek Life organizations.
On-campus houses are one of the chapters that live in a “theme house” on campus. Off-campus houses, do not have a house on-campus but instead live in a property, often owned by the alumni board of the organization, off-campus and in Potsdam. Some organizations don’t have a physical house at all and instead live together in on-campus housing like apartments.