Restoring a Legacy at Oregon

In college, I helped re-establish the historic Alpha Sigma Chapter of Theta Chi at the University of Oregon.

Backstory

During my sophomore year at the University of Oregon, I joined a colony working to re-establish the historic Alpha Sigma Chapter of Theta Chi and earn full chapter status. We were building the fraternity from the ground up, without a house, an established campus presence, or the infrastructure that existing chapters already had. Every new member had to believe in what the chapter could become rather than what it already was.

Recruitment was our biggest challenge. While the opportunity to become a founding father attracted some interest, I realized that established fraternities offered something we couldn't yet match: a memorable social experience. If we wanted people to buy into our vision, we needed to create an environment they wanted to be part of.

To help fill that gap, I became the fraternity DJ and focused on improving the energy and consistency of our social events. Music became more than entertainment—it was a way to shape the atmosphere, strengthen our culture, and leave a positive first impression on guests and prospective members.

Over the next year and a half, the colony steadily grew. Recruitment gained momentum, membership expanded to more than 50 brothers, and we ultimately earned full chapter status, successfully restoring the Alpha Sigma Chapter of Theta Chi at the University of Oregon.