Spiritual
The First S
The spiritual aspect of Beta Sigma Psi is what sets us apart from the other houses in the Greek Community. We were founded upon the Lutheran faith in 1925. Since then, our first 'S' has been central to who we are, as Beta Sigma Psi strives to promote the development of Christian Gentlemen at Iowa State University. Many Beta Sigs attend Memorial Lutheran Church (LCMS), which is just a few blocks from the house. The house is also about a block from Lutheran Campus Ministry in the University Lutheran Center (ELCA). Members are encouraged to attend weekly and are free to attend any church of their choosing.
Members participate in a number of different activities related to building their relationships with God, including regular devotionals and Bible studies with other members. Some of our members are involved with Memorial Brass Choir, Memorial Bells, ushering, teaching Sunday School, the International Student Ministry, and other general volunteering at the churches. Many members are also very involved with the college ministries on campus and in the Lutheran churches.
In addition to all of these opportunities, conversations with roommates and other men in the house are where the Spiritual side of the chapter really shows through. These combine to make Beta Sigma Psi a unique experience and a great stepping stone to develop leaders and Christian men for the rest of their lives.
Scholastic
The Second S
At Beta Sigma Psi, we place great emphasis on our members' academic success, and our outstanding record shows that. Beta Sigma Psi consistently ranks near the top in Iowa State's fraternity community in GPA. To assist us in academic efforts, we are blessed to have the regular council of our long-time Academic Advisor, Dr. Donald Beitz. From the day you move in, you will find a network of brothers willing to help you academically, as our members' majors vary widely from Engineering to Agriculture, from Business to Design, from Political Science to Computer Science, from Liberal Arts to Music and beyond. There is a great chance that you will be studying a field that others are also studying, which means we will have various study aids available to you. Even if you have a unique field of study, we believe that Beta Sigma Psi is the best place for you to achieve your academic goals while maintaining a strong connection to your faith.
We positively motivate our new members to succeed scholastically during their first year in college by teaching good study habits, helping them set up study groups, and being around when questions on homework arise. Many of our older members help out the younger members by suggesting the best classes to take, giving professors advice, and sharing lessons learned from earlier years. New members are given at least one older roommate who can help guide them to a very successful first year. Also, the chapter pays for up to $100 worth of tutoring through the University should you want additional instruction.
Our house has study hours from 7 - 10 p.m. and quiet hours from 7 p.m. - 7 a.m every school night to help foster a positive study environment. Additionally, you are welcome to utilize our Library, the largest one in the Greek Community (pictured above), our "War Room" (pictured below), or our Main Floor Lounge, all of which offer quiet study areas for individuals and groups every day of the year. During "Dead Week" and Finals Week, we have 23 hours of quiet to promote a good study environment. During the "Loud Hour" from 10 - 11 p.m., we have study treats made for us by our wonderful chef, John Anderson. We take that time to relax and gather our sanity again before it is time to resume studying.
Social
The Third S
The social environment at Beta Sig promotes brotherhood, confidence, and strength of character through numerous functions throughout the year. Some of these events include socials with other fraternities and sororities in the Greek Community. These can include anything from flag football games to ice cream sundaes to Super Bowl watch parties, and these are often with our Homecoming and Greek Week pairings. These events are a chance for our members to take a break from studying and meet new members of the Greek Community. The chapter often organizes fun events for just our chapter members to participate in, such as bowling or paintball, and we typically organize one house dance or formal each semester.
As a Beta Sigma Psi member, you’ll also get the opportunity to compete in Iowa State’s Homecoming and Greek Week events, which take place in the fall and spring semesters, respectively. For these events, we are paired with a sorority and another fraternity to compete in sporting tournaments, performances like Yell Like Hell and Lip Sync (ask about those!), different community service events, and other fun competitions with others fraternities and sororities throughout the week. It’s a great time. Homecoming also brings the opportunity to see several of our alumni who return on the day of the football game. In addition to these events, Beta Sigma Psi competes annually in Varieties, a mini-musical competition put on by the Student Union Board.
Members also frequently go on road trips together. In the past, members have traveled to Iowa State bowl games, gone skiing in Colorado, and traveled to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, among several other destinations. Beta Sigma Psi strives to promote an environment where members can enjoy their college experience while still taking their academics and spiritual life seriously.