What is your greatest hope for your son?
+ He graduates from a top university?
+ He graduates with honors?
+ He grows up happy?
+ He lives a successful and meaningful life?
+ He is respected by his peers?
+ He continues the legacy which you’ve prepared him for?

What is your biggest fear for your son?
- He takes from society without giving back?
- He gets hurt or in trouble with the law?
- He’s disrespectful to others?
- He lives by no set of values, ethics, or morals?
- He abuses the opportunities that you’ve given him?

  Let's face it; college can be the fork in the road where hopes and fears meet. Short term pleasure and temptations often compete with the paths to opportunities and success.  Your list of hopes for your son probably didn't include being a "frat guy". Well it isn't on the top of our list either. Being a "frat guy" is easy —but being a “fraternity man” and a Sigma Nu is the road less traveled. 

  We realize that 18 to 22 year old males usually don't need much guidance how to have fun —it comes naturally. But we do realize that leadership, morals, dealing with people, defining achievement all take a little more planning, thought, and guidance.

  Don't count Sigma Nu out of your son's experience. Please take the time to research our values, history and mission. See if it aligns with your family's values and your hopes for your son.

What your Son WILL Experience

The LEAD Program

  Sigma Nu is fortunate to offer its members the best leadership development program available to greek students. Sigma Nu's LEAD Program, which stands for Leadership, Ethics, Achievement, Development, provides the tools for our members to develop the same leadership skills that most corporations offer to their top executives.  This program is offered only to our members.

  In alignment with Sigma Nu's continuing efforts "To develop ethical leaders..." Theta Xi chapter offers the LEAD Program as a tool to assist our membership in both gaining the knowledge and developing the skills and abilities needed to be an effective and ethical leader for life. The LEAD Program is a comprehensive ethical leadership development program designed to ensure participants "learn by doing." We are not at all concerned with merely creating good fraternity members; rather, we are dedicated to instilling the ethical leadership skills that will make your son a respected citizen and an invaluable member of society. 

Brotherhood

  Here at Theta Xi, we take great pride in our fraternity’s brotherhood.  To us, brotherhood is not just a word: it is a life we choose to live every day with each other.  Our true and close brotherhood here at Virginia Tech is unlike any other fraternity’s on campus.  For many of us, Virginia Tech is several hours away from the homes we knew before attending college.  Sigma Nu is our family here at school, and it is one we are very proud to be a part of.  Our brotherhood will push your son to be the very best man he can be while being part of a fantastic support network.

Being Held to High Standards

  Sigma Nu is a very proactive organization that pushes its chapters and members to reach their fullest potential.  Our organization is held to high standards for excellence in six different areas to ensure we are well rounded and that we participate in activities outside our chapter.  Part of the Strategic Plan adopted by the Fraternity's High Council in November of 2000 was to develop a set of "minimum standards" for chapter performance. In March of 2002, the Ad Hoc Committee on Minimum Standards met in Lexington, Virginia to begin the process of making such recommendations. After thorough discussion, the committee came to three important conclusions:

1. Minimum standards for chapter performance were necessary to support the Fraternity's mission.
2. Such standards should be flexible enough to allow for each chapter's uniqueness. In implementing such standards initially, the Fraternity must allow adequate time for preparation by chapters. 
3. These three initial conclusions guided the work in developing The Pursuit of Excellence Program.  

  Six categories of chapter operation were agreed upon for measurement: Membership Development, Chapter Development, Chapter Management, Support Structure, Chapter Governance, and Campus and Community Involvement.  Of the 110 total points available, chapters must achieve a minimum score of 80 to be in good standing.  Specifics such as academics, philanthropies, charities, community service hours, and member development are all included in program.

One of the biggest fears for parents is the thought of your son being hazed. We assure you that mental or physical abuse is not part of the Sigma Nu experience.  Sigma Nu is a fraternity of men, not boys.  In fact, in 1869 when Sigma Nu was founded at the Virginia Military Institute, the Fraternity was established in firm opposition to poor treatment and upon a strict honor principle. Instead we believe that our LEAD Program builds better men through interactive simulations, lectures, workshops, and mentoring to help them with their own personal dreams and ambitions.

Our goal has always been to build men of the highest character and ingrain them with ethical teachings. We believe it is the unity and respect we have for each other that brings us together, and haziing has no place in our organization. As a chapter, we continually strive to educate our members on the dangers of unethical treatment, as well as prevening it from occuring in our strong organization.