ABOUT ADELANTE

Founded in 1907, Adelante is the oldest continuously running fraternity at Iowa State University.


Based on the three ideals of scholarship, fellowship, and leadership, Adelante strives to uphold these ideals is the driving point of the house.

OUR EARLY BEGINNINGS.

In September 1907, six students founded a club "to break up a political clique that was controlling campus positions." The men set up high ideals of scholarship, fellowship, and leadership. The group adopted the Spanish word Adelante, which means "forward."


Adelante Club was incorporated as Adelante Fraternity on November 12, 1912. Since that time, Adelante has repeatedly turned down

offers to become a chapter of a national social fraternity and has remained lowa State's only unaffiliated local fraternity. Adelante has additionally been recognized as the longest, continuously

operating local fraternity in the nation.

The seeds of Adelante were sown during the 1906-07 school year at a boarding house on Lynn Avenue known as West Parker, where the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house now stands. West Parker housed 16 men and contained eight bedrooms, a dining room, a kitchen, and cook's quarters in the basement. Several of the men who roomed there decided to stay together the next school year; and rented a house on Stanton Avenue for the 1907-08 school year. Here, the name of Adelante was coined, and a start was made toward an organization based on present needs rather than with the thought of forming a permanent fraternity.


During the next year, 1908-09, Adelante was located in the Jones house on Hyland Avenue. For the next several years. the Adelantes moved several times, living at 208 Stanton from 1909-12, 2811 West Street from 1912-13, and at 141 Campus Avenue from 1913-23.


From the fall of 1923 until 1972, Adelante was located at 304 Welch Avenue. This was the first house that was actually owned and built by Adelante.


In the beginning, the group had rather strong puritanical ideas: no drinking, no smoking, and no dancing! Emphasis was placed on scholarship in those days. Social privileges (i.e. dating, and reading of novel and popular magazines during extra hours) were suspended for any members not maintaining good grades.

SURVIVAL AT ALL COSTS.

During World War I, the Adelantes became rather inactive as only two Adelante men were living in the house at the time, (the rest of the space was occupied by the Student's Army Training Corps) although several other Adelantes were scattered throughout the campus. To keep the fires of Adelante burning, the parlor of the 304 Welch house was secured as Adelante's headquarters.


During the Depression years, money was tight and this affected pledging drastically. House bills had to be cut to induce men to pledge. So poor was the financial situation that it was suggested that Adelante merge with other fraternities. For various reasons, however, this idea was rejected.


During World War Il, things were also difficult for Adelante. In the spring of 1943, all fraternities on campus agreed to move out and allow women to occupy the houses. Two members were allowed to live in the cook's room and the men were allowed to use the basement. In the fall of 1944, the men were back in the house but no meals were served for the first year of re-occupancy.

A NEW HOME

FOR ADELANTE.

By the 1960s, a plan was devised to build a new house for Adelante. In 1968, it was decided if the house at 304 Welch could be sold, a new house would be built. In 1969, Alpha Chi Rho Fraternity took an option to purchase the old house, and in 1970, the sale was completed.


The lots on which the new home was built were purchased throughout the 1960s, and by 1970, architectural work for the new home at 318 Welch was complete. The construction budget for the new Adelante house was set at $240,000.


Construction on the house was completed in 1972. Built next to the previous Adelante house, the chapter house continues to house Adelantes to this day. The house has undergone several major renovations throughout the years, including in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2007.

ADELANTE THROUGH THE YEARS

OUR CORE IDEALS.

Adelante was founded on three core ideals: Scholarship, Fellowship, and Leadership. To this day, our members strive to uphold our ideals to the highest standard.


SCHOLARSHIP

At Adelante, we strive to promote academics in all our members. We believe we are first and foremost here to learn and for that, scholarship is our first ideal. We promote academics by requiring our members to achieve a minimum of a 2.5 GPA in order to stay active members. A scholarship is provided each semester for members who show they are working to uphold this ideal and achieve a 3.0 GPA or higher. Adelante also has a scholarship for incoming freshmen who live in house.


FELLOWSHIP

Fellowship is our second ideal. At Adelante we work to improve our social lives within the Ames community, as well as enjoying our years as college students at Iowa State. We actively participate in Homecoming and Greek Week with our sorority pairing. Our members work with the pairing on skits, banners, tournaments, and other events for the weeks. These are some of the most exciting and fun times of the year! They are great opportunities to meet many of the other members of the Greek Community.


Besides participating in Homecoming and Greek Week, our members are greatly involved in the community and clubs. Not only are they members, many also hold executive positions. Some examples of the clubs are: Interfraternity Council, University Honors Program, ISU Paintball Club, ISU Snowboard Club and others.


We also participate in multiple intramurals throughout the year. Broomball has always been a chapter favorite.


LEADERSHIP

Our third ideal, Leadership, is also held to a high regard. As Adelantes, we work to develop our members into strong leaders for positions in college, as well as after they graduate.


While in college, members of Adelante have multiple opportunities to hold leadership positions within the fraternity. Positions range from simple positions like Intramural Co-Chair, to executive positions, such as President. Although some positions aren’t available right when you join, the simpler positions work as stepping stones to prepare for executive leadership positions.


We also encourage our members to strive to hold leadership positions not only within our fraternity, but also in clubs and the community.

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