Raising the Standard: A Salute to Sam Terry
By Greg Rush
Join us in bidding Director of Growth Sam Terry farewell as we commend him on three and a half years of excellence in growth.
After Sam concluded his term as Kappa Gamma Chapter’s President, then-Sr. Director of Growth Zack Brown encouraged him to bring his passion for Theta Chi to the International level—an invitation Sam didn’t take lightly. Sam joined the International Headquarters staff as a Growth Specialist in June 2022, was promoted to Assistant Director of Growth in June 2023, and to Director of Growth in January 2024, where he managed our team of Growth Specialists.
Sam traced his earliest interest in applying to work at IHQ back to his collegiate experience and the mindset that shaped his leadership early on: a competitive drive paired with genuine pride in what the Fraternity was able to give him. As Chapter President, he wanted Theta Chi to be the best fraternity on campus and considered the bigger question: how can I help Theta Chi be the best fraternity on every campus? That energy and a desire to transmit the Fraternity to future generations of Resolute Men translated naturally into recruitment and growth, where the real “win” is helping men join and shape something real, sustainable, and worthwhile. For Sam, the most exciting part of the work was taking the kind of experience he had as a collegian—impactful to him and the men around him—and helping create opportunities for students on other campuses who might not have had it otherwise.
During his time on staff, Sam played a role in a wide range of expansion, (re)colonization/(re)installation, and redevelopment efforts—supporting groups from coast to coast, including Rho/Illinois, Alpha Gamma Colony/Michigan, Alpha Zeta/Rochester, Alpha Rho/Washington, Alpha Upsilon Colony/Nebraska, Gamma Lambda/Denver, Gamma Sigma/Durham, NC, Delta Epsilon/Miami (FL), Delta Phi/North Texas, Zeta Gamma/Alberta, Zeta Omega Colony/West Chester, Eta Alpha/Clemson, Eta Delta/Babson, Eta Zeta Colony/Edinboro, Eta Upsilon/Texas A&M, Theta Tau Colony/Western Michigan, and Kappa Rho/FAU.
Just prior to his departure, Sam launched Theta Chi’s two main expansion projects for spring 2026: the recolonizations of Beta Iota/Arizona and Gamma Omega/Vanderbilt.
Sam credits his journey at IHQ with sharpening various practical skills such as sales, public speaking, and time management, but he emphasized something deeper and less translatable: the culture of accountability and improvement. That mindset shaped Sam as a leader and a teammate, and it’s a big part of what made his impact felt across the Growth team.
“IHQ is an environment that encourages collaborative learning. You’re going to make mistakes as you find your footing as a professional, but here mistakes don’t end a conversation. They start a process of improvement and getting better together,” Sam reflected.
When asked what he’ll take with him from his time working at IHQ, Sam referenced a concept he’d come across that stuck with him: giving an organization your time, talent, and treasure.
“Organizations as transformative as ours endure because people collectively decide the mission matters enough to invest in it. So, my biggest takeaway from my time on staff is: if the work matters, go all in.”
Sam will transition into cybersecurity sales at Varonis Systems in Raleigh-Durham, NC. While he may be leaving staff, he is planning to stay involved in Theta Chi and doesn’t see that changing any time soon.
As far as advice for anyone considering a professional start at IHQ, it was classic Sam: Have fun with it.
“Working at headquarters is a unique job with unique circumstances, and no matter what, you’ll walk from your time here with a great story to tell. You’ll get a chance to go places, meet people, and see things you wouldn’t have otherwise…so build the lore.”
Thank you for your service to Theta Chi Fraternity, Sam. We wish you success in your next chapter—and we’re grateful for the chapters you helped others begin.