Building Better Men, In Order to Build a Better World

Our commitment to building better men dates back more than 110 years to our beginnings at the University of Illinois, where Triangle was founded by 16 civil engineers who chose to lead in the classroom, on the campus, and within the community. Their choice was to form a group to provide support for their social, academic and professional goals.

Since that founding, we have expanded nationwide and broadened our membership to include men pursuing STEM and Architecture degrees – essentially becoming a STEM fraternity experience before the acronym was even created. We remain dedicated to supporting our members socially, academically and professionally.

There is no other men’s STEM fraternity experience.  If you are looking for a STEM group to support your academic goals and graduation, provide leadership and social opportunities, and a connection with thousands of prominent alumni in the fields of engineering, architecture, and science, talk to Triangle.

Our members understand the challenges of a technical degree path and can be both a support system and valuable stepping stone on the path to a successful technical career.

 

Core Values
Triangle’s values are taught to each member through our Ritual of Initiation. During this secret ceremony, we learn, in the words of our founders, the values and ideals upon which our fraternity was built more than a century ago. Our Ritual is a call to action – a commitment to strive each day to live by our founding principles and work perpetually for the betterment of Triangle and the world. More importantly, however, is how we publicly express our values.

Our Code of Ethics codifies the lessons and commitments made during our Ritual of Initiation; it is the basis for our public values statement. Our Code of Ethics, expresses to all members – initiated and associate members, students and alumni – and non-members the principles upon which Triangle was founded and upon which our daily decisions should be made.

Code of Ethics

As a member of Triangle, I recognize my obligation to:

Observe the precepts of the Fraternity as set forth in the Ritual;

Accept cheerfully my full share of any task, however menial, involved in maintaining a chapter home;

Preserve and promote the chosen ideals of my Fraternity;

Pay all personal bills promptly, and always live within my means;

Help create in my chapter home an environment in which enduring friendships may be formed;

Maintain a creditable scholastic record;

Promote the welfare of my profession;

Maintain self-respect by proper conduct at all times;

Uphold faithfully the traditions and program of my Alma Mater;

Pay the price of success in honest effort.

Leadership Development
Triangle Fraternity is a values-based membership development organization that focuses on building brotherhood through character enhancement, leadership development, academic achievement, commitment to service, and lifelong friendship and social experiences.


New Member Education

The new member education period is just the starting point of your Triangle experience. It is a fun and exciting time where you will get to learn all about Triangle, meet new people and discover who you want to become not only as a member, but as a son, student, and friend.

Think of the new member education process as your orientation; it is your introduction to Triangle. The purpose of the new member education period is to:

  • Help individuals become familiar with the history, facts, and principles of Triangle. While this may not be the most important thing you learn during your new member period, understanding how Triangle came to be is a necessary foundation for your membership.
  • Introduce members to what the fraternity experience will look like. The new member process should be a combination of learning information and engaging in the normal day-to-day activities of fraternity business.

To learn more about the Everyman Program, Triangle’s New Member Education, please click here.

Continued Education

Triangle is an interfraternal leader in educating its members. From our annual on-the-ground programming to our on-site chapter education, to our newly developed online learning, Triangle is committed to meeting the needs of our new members, active members, and alumni members.

To address emerging trends on campuses and in fraternities, Triangle has developed a comprehensive member education palate called The Journey, which is relevant to today’s college men and which provides opportunities for a meaningful lifelong fraternity experience, preparing them to shoulder their full responsibility as citizens in a global society.  To learn more about the Journey, click here.

Leadership Through Service
It was important to us that we found a cause that our members could contribute their skill-set to and that they would be passionate about.  We are thrilled to begin a new partnership with FIRST® where our members will have the opportunity to work with kids from kindergarten to 12th grade in one of four programs (FIRST® LEGO® LEAGUE JR., FIRST® LEGO® LEAGUE, FIRST® TECH CHALLENGE, and FIRST® ROBOTICS COMPETITION).

The mission of FIRST “is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.”

To learn more about FIRST® and their partnership with Triangle, click here.

Risk Management Education
Triangle believes very strongly in providing education, training and adult guidance to help our collegiate members make good choices and to understand the consequences of their choices.

In an effort to ensure the safety and well-being of our chapters and members, we have joined the Fraternal Health & Safety Initiative Consortium who has created a comprehensive educational approach to address the negative behaviors associated with alcohol and drug abuse, hazing and sexual abuse. The curriculum’s key learning objectives are delivered by trained facilitators and supplemented by advisors, alumni, and staff members. The FHSI training modules are designed to help empower members to be change agents in their communities.

To learn more about FHSI and the programs offered, please click here.


Risk Management Guidelines

As a member of the Fraternal Information & Programming Group (FIPG), Triangle endorses the FIPG risk management guidelines, which help to reduce risks for individual members as well as the greater organization. The FIPG guidelines are the standard for nearly every fraternity and sorority.

Costs of Membership

If you were offered a way to get more out of your college experience, increase your chance to graduate on time and to be employed soon after graduation – all for only 3-5% more than your base tuition and college costs, would you do it? That’s what Triangle provides… for only a bit more than the four-year cost of college without fraternity membership, you can improve your experience and potential for success.

Triangle encourages its members to ask, “what do we get for our money?” While many benefits of fraternity membership can’t be measured by price, fees are collected in order to subsidize national events and resources, undergraduate chapter support, expansion efforts, alumni services, and much more. It is only a small percentage of the overall price of your education, but the benefits provide a value far beyond the costs.


Financial Obligation of Membership

All fees below are assessed by Triangle National Headquarters. Additional fees may apply at the chapter and local levels.

  1. National Pledge Fee: $90 due within 14 days of the formal pledging ceremony and is a one-time fee. This fee provides each new member with a new member manual and new member education materials.
  2. National Initiation Fee: $260 due within 14 days prior to scheduled initiation. This is a one-time fee. This fee provides each brother with the official Fraternity membership badge and certificates and a lifelong subscription to the national magazine, The Triangle Review.
  3. National Active Fee: $250. This fee is split evenly each academic term over the course of the year and subsidizes national events and resources, undergraduate chapter support, expansion efforts, alumni services, and Triangle Headquarters operations.
  4. National Education Fee*: $120. This fee is often paid by your chapter’s education fund within the Triangle Education Foundation, so is not billed to members. The fee underwrites educational programs and events during the year.
  5. Risk Management Fee*: $150 per member, per year (this is the “base rate”; chapters may pay more or less, depending on their claims and performance history). This fee is due September 15th of every year and is paid in order to ensure a safe undergraduate experience. Triangle has one of the lowest insurance fees of any fraternity.

* This signifies the fee is a chapter fee, not an individual cost.

Many chapters decide to incorporate all the national fees into their local dues structure. Triangle’s governing bylaws allow each chapter to set and levy their own dues beyond the national minimums. Typical semester dues may include local fees such as housing, Interfraternity dues, social activities or meal plans. The amount of dues you pay each semester will depend on the specific chapter.

You need to be aware of these, and all associated costs before committing to Triangle. Prospective members often find that creating a three- or four-year, personal budget will aid in determining whether or not Triangle is affordable for them. Among the 60+ North-American Interfraternity Conference member fraternities, Triangle’s four-year cost of membership is consistently at or just below the median.

Fraternity membership generally, adds less than 5% to the total costs of a four-year education, yet provides outstanding value for that investment. Triangle’s focus on grades, on-time graduation and great jobs after actually helps most members succeed and have employment options by graduation.