As fall rush for the Interfraternity Council is underway, Phi Kappa Psi joins its ranks as the 24th and newest fraternity on Clemson’s campus.
Commonly known as Phi Psi, the fraternity was established in 1852 and currently has 90 active chapters, all with a focus on “the great joy of serving others,” according to their website.
However, Clemson’s colony did not begin until January 2024, when the current president Aiden Clausen received a text from Phi Psi’s national leadership.
“In (fall 2023), I was walking back from class with our vice president, and we were joking around about how awesome it would be if we started our own fraternity. We found Phi Psi and started looking into what the process was, and we decided that just between the two of us, it would be impossible, so the idea kind of got dropped,” Clausen told The Tiger in an interview.
“Then, on the very first day of spring semester, an expansion consultant from Phi Psi nationals (reached out) saying they’re starting a chapter at Clemson and wondered if we wanted to be part of it.”
Phi Psi at Clemson currently has 33 active members, with the following leadership team:
President: Aiden Clausen
Vice President: TJ Meehan
Cosecretaries: Mike Prodeline and Matthew Muncy
Treasurer: Zach Woloff
Historian and Rush Chair: Jordan Adams
Co-social chairs: Brennan Harshaw and Gavin Crepeau
Sergeant: Felix Felipe
Messenger: Sy Black
Chaplain: Lucas Dominick
Although the fraternity acquired seven new pledges during formal rush this fall, they hope to continue growing their membership through open rush. In fact, all 33 brothers discovered Phi Psi through open rush last spring, bringing in one of the largest spring pledge classes for a Clemson fraternity in recent history.
“I was invited to go to a paintball event that was completely covered by the fraternity, and I had a blast with everyone I met,” Crepeau told The Tiger. “I decided I was on board, and luckily, a good majority of them came on board with me as well.”
As part of their philanthropic efforts, Phi Psi partners with Hunter’s Fund, a nonprofit that works to combat distracted driving, according to their website. Last spring, Clemson’s chapter hosted a Safe Driving Week fundraiser and raised almost $10,000 to support the organization.
This year, Phi Psi hopes to hold a similar fundraiser this spring while also plugging their members into other service events and charities within the Clemson area.
What Phi Psi may be lacking in size, it makes up for in its unique, close-knit community.
“With a fraternity that has 150 people, you’re not going to personally know everyone, but genuinely, everyone in Phi Psi is someone I can hang out with, and it’s not awkward,” Clausen told The Tiger.
In fact, joining a small fraternity allows more people the opportunity to hold leadership positions, receive scholarships and more, brothers said.
“Everyone gets a chance to shine right now because everyone has to do their part for us to succeed,” Harshaw told The Tiger.
Ultimately, becoming part of a fledgling fraternity and being one of the founding members provides a once-in-a-lifetime avenue to pave a new, lasting legacy at Clemson.
“You would be considered a founding father if you joined,” Clausen told The Tiger. “You can directly say that you had an impact in something that will last for years to come, something that your name will be on.”
Anyone interested in rushing Phi Psi can find more information on their page on the Clemson Interfraternity Council website.
