The Lambda Theta Phi fraternity is looking to clean up stereotypes of Hispanic males.
"As Latino males, we already have a stereotype," said Ruben Salazar, vice president of the fraternity's UNM chapter. "Usually, people only see the negative aspects of us. They only see the gangsters and the drunks or whatever."
Lambda Theta Phi, the only Hispanic fraternity at UNM, is expanding to New Mexico State University this summer, Salazar said. Fraternity members will travel to Las Cruces this weekend to post fliers and recruit, he said.
Salazar said fraternity members are required to give back to the community.
"Many people, they think that we're the stereotypical fraternity, where it's nothing but parties or whatever," he said. "And when they see how involved we are, they kind of back away from that."
Salazar said all of the 120 Lambda Theta Phi chapters are participating in a penny drive.
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"Every chapter is collecting as many pennies as they can, and all the money is going to Saint Jude's Children's Hospital," he said.
Member Gian Chaves said students don't have to be Hispanic to join the fraternity.
"We've had some members in the past that were Caucasian," he said. "We had one that was black and one that was Native American and one from East India."
Chaves said most fraternity brothers have gone on to be successful.
"Just at ours alone, we have doctors, lawyers and people that work at the biomedical research aspect," he said. "We have social workers. We have many, many engineers. We have people that are in politics and a couple of the brothers who work for Heather Wilson and Pete Domenici."
Juan Martinez, expansion officer for the fraternity, said Lambda Theta Phi always planned on expanding to NMSU.
"I personally think this is important," he said. "I think it's great to have diversity as far as what different organizations students can enjoy on campus. Since right now there's not an active chapter in Las Cruces, I think it's our job to give them the opportunity to start that down there."
