Sigma Alpha Mu has installed a new chapter at Colorado University-Boulder, having been absent from the campus for a half-century. The installment comes after the original three members have grown to fourteen in just a year, and included the presence of all eight members of the fraternity’s governing board. That is a rare occurence for a chapter installment.

“You hardly ever hear of the entire Octagon coming to an initiation,” said [chapter President Jeremy] Darling. “It’s pretty amazing.”

Another amazing feat: the three founding members’ ability to build their chapter to 14 men in just one year.

As one of the chapter’s three founding members, outgoing president and CU senior Ryan Winthrop said he began the process of opening the new chapter last spring alongside sophomore members Zach Levitt and Preston Alexander.

One thing they all had in common: the belief they would never join a fraternity during their time at CU.

“One of the things I think we all share in common [as fraternity brothers] is that we never would have pictured ourselves joining a fraternity,” said CU freshman Darling, of his fellow brothers.

Another common denominator between the men of Sigma Alpha Mu has been religion, particularly those of the Jewish faith, as the new chapter represents the University’s third Jewish fraternity.

Although CU already has a couple of Jewish fraternities, Winthrop said he believes his chapter represents a different segment of the University’s Jewish population.

“Everyone here identifies with their Jewish roots, but you don’t have to be Jewish to join. We wanted to create a middle ground that would allow us to express a different Jewish identity,” said Winthrop.