As college students settle into their classes for the new school year, fraternities are launching their promotional campaigns for the traditional rush week. The local Alpha Delta chapter of Delta Lambda Phi, the national gay fraternity, is no exception as they plan to introduce their group to all San Diego campuses.

“Our mantra is to provide dignified and purposeful, social, service and recreational activities for young gay, bi and progressive men,” said Robert Thomas, president of Alpha Delta. “We provide an outlet that is not available anywhere else for young gay men.”

Thomas said the frat stays away from the typical gay bar scene and sexual topics, and instead focuses on the brotherhood of gay students. “We provide a way for college-age gay guys to get together, and it’s not about hooking up and it’s not about sex. It’s about fun, brotherhood, friendship; it’s about helping each other out.”

Unlike most fraternities, Alpha Delta is not based on one campus or at one specific college. The Alpha Delta chapter was formed at San Diego State University in 1992, but expanded to become a multi-campus chapter in 1999, accepting students from all colleges and universities in the San Diego area. Current and alumni members are from San Diego State University; University of California, San Diego; University of San Diego; Southwestern College; Mesa College; San Diego City College; Grossmont College; and the Art Institute of California.

“We do camping trips, we go fishing, we do community service,” Thomas said. “There is not just one type of molded person in our club. Everyone is totally different. Our group is ethnically diverse, financially diverse, and [we] all come from different backgrounds.”

This year the group is also going to focus on new community service causes.

“We’re branching off and using our abilities and bringing light to something not as well known, like depression or mental illness in the gay community,” Thomas said. “There are other problems that are going on that are not being talked about.”

Thomas hopes that gay students in San Diego will be talking about the Delta Lambda Phi, Alpha Delta chapter as the group launches a packed rush week.

“Rush is when we’re putting ourselves out there and letting people know what we do. Every fraternity has a theme to it – there are business fraternities and fraternities for law students, Asian fraternities and Hispanic fraternities,” Thomas said. “What we do during rush week is tell you about what we do. We throw events and you can come and chill and relax with us.”

Alpha Delta’s rush week is Sept. 17-30, and includes everything from a community service event to a pizza night.

“We’re going to have a bonfire, a picnic at Balboa Park; for new people we are doing a tour of Hillcrest and have a movie night. It’s just like this laid-back, chill thing,” Thomas explained. “You get to know everybody, ask questions, [find out] what we stand for.”

After rush, the fraternity starts the pledge period where new students commit to the fraternity.

“Pledge period is a really fun time,” Thomas said. “One very important difference in our fraternity, however, is there is no hazing. We don’t haze. Our pledge period is fun because you don’t have to worry about that.”

Thomas did say there are tasks a pledge still has to do, because the fraternity does not have an open membership.

“We’re selective about our members, to make sure it is the best thing for the member and for the chapter,” Thomas said. “Without going into too much of the details, after that is brotherhood.”

To get more information on Alpha Delta, log on to www.dlp.org/alphadelta, e-mail DLPSanDiego@Gmail.com or call the frat’s vice president of outreach, Shawn Freeman, at (619) 339-1040.