Daily Collegian Story - Turnout Successful at IFC Rush Mixer
Photo by David Whalen - Matt Erikson (sophomore - business administration) signs Theta Chi Fraternity's rush list as friends Joe Kidda (junior - finance) and Ed Brown (junior - general arts) look on.
As appeared in the Jan. 17, 1985 edition of The Daily Collegian
More than 1,000 male students turned out last night to look into the University's 51 fraternities at the Interfraternity Council's spring rush mixer.
IFC Membership Chairman Kurt Krause, who oversees rush events, said the number of men at the mixer was a little higher than expected. Spring rush mixers have a lower turn out than mixers in the fall, he said.
Last fall 1,500 signed up for rush, making it the largest rush mixer"in IFC history. Krause said an "overall positive attitude about fraternities across the nation" is responsible for the increased interest at Penn State.
Most of the fraternity houses re-ported about 100 to 300 signatures on preference cards. Preference cards are used by individual fraternities to contact students about future rush events.
General rush sign-up was also available., The general rush list is distributed by the IFC to all the fraternities to create a pool of potential pledges.
IFC President Maury Billig said many of the students at last night's mixer were freshmen or transfer students who did not learn enough about the Greek system last fall.
“I came to find out what kind of fraternities there are," said Joe Altavilla (freshman - DUS). "I didn't come last time because I wanted to get my feet on the ground," he added.
Scott Maddlin (sophomore - petroleum engineering) said he was rush-ing to "seek more organization, meet new friends and business contacts. It was good talking to the people here." In the next few weeks, rushees will attend dinners and parties at the fraternities with whom they signed. Eventually, 10-20 rushees will begin pledging for initiation to each fraternity house.
Story by Damon Chapple