The UW-Madison Greek community will welcome a new fraternity chapter this spring.
Beta Chi Theta accepted the bid Tuesday for 10 UW-Madison students to form a chapter of the national South Asian fraternity on campus.
The group of UW-Madison students, including sophomore Abhi Pulla, sent their application to the national organization in early February. After reviewing their application video and essays, the national fraternity called Pulla to tell him they had accepted the UW-Madison bid.
Beta Chi Theta's National Vice President of External Affairs Rahul Kapoor said the fraternity is interested in expanding to the UW-Madison community because of the school's attention to the pillars our fraternity is primarily based upon."" The pillars include service, athletics and academics.
""I guess we kind of showed to them that we can balance our schoolwork, we're a good group of guys who are dedicated and committed and we like to party, but at the same time we're responsible,"" Pulla said. ""I think that's what they were looking for.""
Kapoor said he receives several requests from universities on a daily basis, but UW-Madison's stood out.
""They're well-rounded,"" he said.
Pulla originally heard about Beta Chi Theta through a friend and went to a meeting with a fraternity representative to hear more.
""It really intrigued me,"" Pulla said. ""I thought I could definitely be an asset to this fraternity.""
In March, a ""new membership educator"" will come to Madison to help the students complete the process of becoming a colony of Beta Chi Theta. Kapoor said the men would concentrate on learning how to run an organization.
Pulla said the UW-Madison Beta Chi Theta chapter will likely establish themselves in the campus' Greek system through the Multicultural Greek Council, as opposed to the Interfraternity Council, in which houses do not affiliate with particular ethnicities.
Although it is South Asian-based, the fraternity is not limited to students of South Asian ethnicity, according to Pulla.
""As long as you promote South Asian awareness, that's the important thing,"" he said.
