Who Is Your "Signature" Chapter?
 

Just about every national fraternity and sorority has one or two chapters that everyone knows. These are chapters that have been great forever and distinguished themselves for generations through their campus standing and their powerful and influential alumni.
If I had to pick the best all-time chapters, here's some of my best guesses:

Kappa Sigma fraternity: University of Arkansas "Fabulous Xi Chapter" once had over 300 active members; current house holds over 100 men.

Alpha Xi Delta sorority: West Virginia University; generation after generation of beauty queens and Phi Beta Kappas.

Alpha Tau Omega: University of Florida; three or four Governors, many of the state's political leaders of the 20th Century.

Beta Theta Pi: University of Missouri; Sam Walton and Ken Lay are among the many famous (and infamous) alumni.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon: University of Alabama; Mother Chapter.

Sigma Chi: Southen California; John Wayne; glamour chapter in a glamour city.

Probably the 'Ole Miss chapter for Sigma Nu... It's almost always a "Rock" Chapter -- an award that goes to our top chapters. Their alums are folks like Senator Trent Lott... One of their actives is Eli Manning, QB for 'Ole Miss.

Unless something has changed at the U of Arkansas lately, I definitely would not put the Kappa Sigs as numero uno. When I was there, they literally tore their house up and had to be housed in the Skull Creek Apartments for 2 years while it was being rebuilt.

Sorority girls were afraid to visit them.

Never really given that much thought. I'm very impressed with our chapter (Beta Tau) at Nebraska which is pretty remarkable in terms of size, academics, awards won, etc.

To: Deltalum
 

Your Texas Tech chapter has the best fraternity website I've ever seen, but I've always heard that the Delts' signature chapter was at University of Kentucky.

Delta Sigma Phi:

Beta Gamma Chapter at UCLA: Our strongest chapter on the West Coast.

Beta Chapter at Colombia: Our oldest Chapter

Kappa Chapter at Auburn: YOU KNOW WHY

Eta Chapter at Texas: Just a great chapter

Hmm ... good question. Based on my own observation, I would like to give credits to these Charges of Theta Delta Chi:

Kappa Charge (Tufts) for its longest continuos existance, since 1856
Zeta (Brown) and Omicron Deut (Dartmouth) for their large number (yes, Ivy League school! Who-oo) ;)
Eta Deut (Stanford) for its large number, even though the school environment is no longer Greek friendly anymore (hang on there buddy)
Nu (Virginia) for its beautiful and historic location

I don't mean to offend anyone at all, but I have visited the West Virginia University campus a lot recently and my impression of the Alpha Xi's there is that indeed they are definitely one of the stronger groups on the campus and have lots to be proud of, but in comparison with other NPC's top chapters, it's not as impressive. I am not a member of Alpha Sigma Tau, but I have seen their chapter at U Central Arkansas and all I can say is *wow*...that is by far the most impressive sorority chapter I've seen by any NPC group. They dominate the pageant circuit in Arkansas and claim a Miss America.

From what I've heard, the chapter has changed a lot - at our National Conclave two years ago, the chapter was pointed to as one of the best in the country.

interesting question! If I had to name one, it would be Delta chapter, at Indiana University. It is Kappa Kappa Gamma's oldest continously operating chapter, and the one responsible for writing and cementing much of our ritual. Moderator imsohappythatiama is an alumna of Delta chapter.

Thanks for the compliment about my sisters at U Central Arkansas!! BTW, I'm an AST! :)

To: Queequek, and Mrsfergie...
 

Quequek: Which Theta Delta Chi chapter (you call 'em 'Charges'?) and house was featured in the movie The Graduate? Why did they shoot it there; was Dustin Hoffman a Theta Delt?
Mrsfergie: Re the Alpha Xi Deltas at WVU, I guess my whole premise here is not which chapter is necessarily on top right now, but which one is viewed as the most high profile, most accomplished over many decades. Who is pointed to as the all-time 'signature' of a particular fraternity or sorority.

Bolingbaker, that's our Charge at UC Berkeley (Delta Deut). I'm not sure why they chosed our house, I think partly because it was really beautiful house. Dustin Hoffman is not a Theta Delt, though.

As far as Chapter or Charge, most of the fraternity/sorority call their houses as Chapter. I think only a few organization call them Charge, and Theta Delta Chi is one of them.

Surprise someone still noticed that! :)

I'm not sure on this, and it's just opinion, but I would say for Gamma Phi Beta that the Beta Alpha (USC) and Alpha Epsilon (Univ. of Arizona) are two of our prominent chapters. Mainly because these chapters have a lot of leaders in our organization and tend to be very well respected by the sorority in general.

I know these answers are totally subjective, but I would have to see more than a history of pledging beauty queens before I would call a chapter outstanding. Do they have more going for them that you haven't mentioned? Large numbers, outstanding grades, high profile philanthropy projects, etc?

At last year's AGD Convention, I noticed that the same two collegiate chapters walked away with the most awards for Scholarship, Philanthropy, Housing, etc. etc... Of these two, I heard from the grapevine [since it was my first Convention and all], that one of the two was a perennial winner in the Most Outstanding Collegiate Chapter category.

I still think there's a difference between "Most Outstanding" and "Best."

I look at the Members of IHQ and the VST and I noticed that there was a wide variety of chapters represented.

Maybe it's because I'm so isolated from the other chapters that I wouldn't be able to tell you who I think [and not what my IHQ thinks] is my signature Alpha Gamma Delta chapter.

Can I say how much I detest the title of this thread?

If you asked "who has won the most awards" that is one thing...but a term like "signature chapter" implies that everyone in the org should strive to be like that, and if you fall short, you suck. There are chapters of my sorority that have beauty queens, awards and numbers out the wazoo, but does that mean I would want to be like them? Most emphatically no. I'm proud of EVERY chapter of my org, not just a few.

Sorry to sound so bitchy, but I hate "opinion" topics like this - it just fosters the stereotype that all we as Greeks care about is our image and what people think.

Hmm... I'm not sure, because I haven't visited any of these chapters, but I think our top three are USC, UF, and Ole Miss... Y'all can correct me if I'm wrong if you want, but that's what I've always heard. Not that there aren't other very strong chapters, 'cause there are tons.

Kilarney - Yes, they pretty much dominate the campus - sweep up all the campus awards, homecoming court, the Miss Conway pageant every year, Miss here, there, yonder and everywhere...and every single member is absolutely stunning. I've seen a lot of sorority chapters on a lot of different campuses and I'm telling you - this chapter means business.

I'm sure our WV chapter is wonderful - but they are not one of the chapters I've heard the most about.

It's funny, different chapters are outstanding in different ways, and frequently different than you'd expect. One produces alums that give a lot of money; another produces volunteers galore for the fraternity. One houses beauty queens, while another churns out ELCs. One is the "top" on campus; one is the "nicest"; one sweeps the scholarships. For that reason alone I'd be hesitant to say "X" is our top chapter. Furthersome, some of our best-performing chapters are new ... they have ten strong years of history, but they wouldn't spring to the minds of our oldest alums.

However, our organization does give out the "Xi Achievement" award every year, which is similar to "top chapter," so I'll have to go with the party line and mention those winners. This year it was the U of Delaware.

All of our chapters are outstanding for different things. But, to try and answer your question...

Omicron - University of Tennessee is our oldest operating chapter.

Delta Omega - Murray State and Lambda Sigma - University of Georgia received the outstanding chapter award at Convention.

Kappa Deltas at UIUC belong to the #1 KD chapter in the nation, from what I've heard.

I think Phi Mu's "signature" chapter has to be Alpha Alpha from UGA. They raised over $22,000 for CMN and maintain high numbers. The current Miss Georgia was an AA, as well as Panhel President.

I also think Auburn has a really great Phi Mu chapter. They won several awards at this year's National Convention.

well, from my experience there are two chapters in Phi Sig that are always spotlighted and who also win a lot of awards. Often chapter consultants come from those chapters as well.

They are Xi - Temple University and Delta Delta -Linfield College....I might be getting the letters mixed up, but I think this is correct.

But of course every chapter is a benefit to the organization...my chapter may have had less than 10 members but we worked hard and had fun.

I think that the "signature" Phi Psi chapters would probably be the UCLA chapter and probably the Indiana University chapter (because of the movie "Breaking Away" and the Phi Psi 500). But, all our chapters are significant in their own way!:cool:

To the Gamma Phi who said the U of Arizona chapter was one of their best, yeah I have heard that too. And it's well deserved. I was a Recruitment Counselor this year and all of my girls wanted to be Gamma Phi and 4 or 5 (out of 30 in my group) ended up getting bid to GPhiB. The GPhis are a really great, well rounded group of women. They're beautiful, really involved, and just seem to win everything. They're also some of the nicest women that I have met.

It was USC but no more :( I will restart when I'm old and making films and what not and blow sig X out the water.

umm
 

i got a buddy in the sigmachi at usc and they just got refounded
and sae's mother mu chapter got kicked off

Fingerbang: re SAE 'Mother Chapter'
 

You said SAE's 'mother chapter' got kicked off. SAE at Alabama has been on double-secret-probation of some sort or another for years. Conflict over that chapter caused a mini-civil war within SAE national, I'm told. They are listed as a chapter on the SAE national website, but on some kind of alumni receivership. And yet, talk to other Greeks at University of Alabama and you'll hear that SAE is still one of the top two or three strongest and most prestigeous fraternities on campus, with a fabulous house and over 100 members.

Actually, "Fabulous" Xi is one of the best chapters at the University of Arkansas, and is one of the top Kappa Sigma chapters. The house was "tor(n) up", but this is necessary for renovations and repairs.


"Fabulous" Xi's homepage

Photos of Xi's house

Yea!
 

I just found out that my chapter won the higest GPA award (cumulative over two years) at Convention this summer. I am surprised and quite proud!:D
-M

33girl, very eloquently put. I agree !

No no, kapsigcub, what I mean is that the members literally tore the house apart. I would go in there one week to study with someone and by the next week, 3 new holes would've been punched in the walls. The walls were nasty from food fights and the place smelled like rotting food and mildew everywhere. People just tossed broken furniture out the window and it stayed there. The administration was furious with the chapter, the house was condemned, and the chapter had to move out to rescue the house. This wasn't any planned thing!

Edited to add: they were the stars of the yearbook as they had their full-page chapter shot taken in blazers, ties, dress shirts...and underwear. And one guy pulled his underwear down in front to below his hips. (Can you see his mother, "Fred! Where are you in this shot?")

Anyway, I'm glad to hear they've done so well since then...that chapter must be over 100 years old!

in TKE, i'd have to say everyone knows "scorpion" chapter at cornell because they're the only TKE chapter without a greek letter designation. the other would be the zeta-mu's WPI b/c they road trip so much (at least when i was an undergrad) it seems like everyone has a worcester (pronounced wooster) story. ahh, memories.

We had a chapter like that: the "Hilgard" chapter of UC Santa Barbara, which is now inactive.

Building wise, I have to give credit to our Psi Deut Charge (UCLA). Their nickname is the "Country Club" for its poolside setting and spacious backyard complete with palm trees.

Yeah, I feel your right on the money Stan.

Hung out with the guys from Eta=UT-Austin awesome, well-established, and very supportive of our colony(soon to be chapter Nov. 16).

Check out Gamma Xi Chapter(www.deltasigs.net)=UNT was their for a year, we had great alumni relations, definitely pushing Eta Chapter for bragging rights...oddly enough they can't seem to get along.

Best Chapter I think would be at the University of Michigan=those guys rock

Our Alpha Chapter is our only co-ed chapter (well, it's alpha <i>society</i> ) because Middlebury forced its fraternities to go co-ed.

Our Beta Chapter at Cornel, Even people in other houses seem to know about it. They're just a really great bunch of guys that keep on goin' on. Rock on guys.

One day, our chapter will be great. Iota Beta, represent

I don't really know much about UF or USC chapters, but I know that Ole Miss is definateyl one as it is now considered our founding location since the original school we were established at is closed. And yes, there are tons of good chapters for DG! Thanks CarolinaDG for that! :D

I think a great AZD chapter is the one at Miami University in Ohio. They are awesome girls and win tons of national awards!