Rush week is a time for you to come inside the house and spend some time with the brothers—so we can get to know you and you can get to know us. It's a time for the brothers to evaluate your character, and for you to decide whether you'd fit well in Sigma Chi. During rush week, we have an activity every day, all of which are optional—so come to whichever your schedule allows.

The best part is all the activities involve food and are completely free. So if for nothing else, come for some free food. But don't think you have to come alone; it's easier when you bring a friend.

During rush week, each fraternity at Marquette has its own recruitment events. We encourage you to go to events at multiple fraternities so that you find your best fit. Note how the brothers make you feel, the vibe you get from the house, and how the fraternity carries out its ideals. Also weigh the stats: Its numbers, its alumni support, its global network and its other resources. All this is important in joining a fraternity, which is a lifelong commitment.

Our next rush begins Sept. 7, 2009. We hope to see you at the house this fall (we're on Kilbourn at 14th). If you can't wait till then, feel free to stop by and visit the house at any time to meet with a brother and learn more about Sigma Chi.

Becoming a Sigma Chi is the chance of a lifetime. Not only will you gain a set of friends—brothers—to grow with, but you can challenge yourself by taking on a gamut of leadership, service and travel opportunities. You will gain alumni contacts in every industry. You'll be joined in brotherhood with thousands of other Sigs around the world.

But that journey doesn't begin until you're initiated, and that can't happen until you've completed pledging. And you can't pledge until you've rushed. So it all starts here.

At the end of rush week, the brothers decide to which rushes to offer bids. If you are deemed to possess the qualities outlined in the Jordan Standard, and have at least a 2.3 GPA (it'll have to be a bit higher for you to be initiated), you may receive a bid—an invitation to pledge for Sigma Chi.

Should you choose to accept the bid, you will embark on the journey of pledgeship.

Pledgeship consists of intellectual exercises and forming friendships of a higher order—working toward enlisting worthy men in a meaningful, lifelong commitment. You'll have to take on some new obligations—they're not so bad, but it's important to remember that these obligations become heavier once you're initiated. Like any student organization, you need to pull your weight as a member. The benefits of brotherhood, though, far outweigh the burden of these obligations.