Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Freshmen and transfer students have multiple opportunities to get involved in campus life. Joining a fraternity or sorority is one of the most popular ways for new students to immerse themselves in the tradition and school spirit on campus.
Going Greek at the University is a choice made by roughly one in every five students on campus.
The Greek system is made up of three governing bodies: Interfraternity Council (IFC), which oversees fraternities, National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), which consists of the historical African-American fraternities and sororities, and Panhellenic Association (PHA), which oversees the sororities.
Male students can choose from 25 fraternities, 21 IFC and 4 NPHC, and female students can choose from 16 sororities, 13 PHA and 3 NPHC.
The Greek community began at the University in 1873 when Beta Theta Pi Fraternity and Pi Beta Phi Sorority opened their doors.
During the last 135 years, the Greek community has been an agent of service, leadership and school spirit on campus.
Each house has a philanthropy chairperson, who organizes community service projects to help the Lawrence and the University communities. Greek houses also play a major role in the annual homecoming parade by chalking campus sidewalks and building floats for the parade.
These projects serve as opportunities for Greek members to show leadership skills and demonstrate their commitment to the University.
“I learned so many invaluable lessons participating in Greek projects like Rock Chalk Review and DG Anchor Splash,” said Lindsay Fetter, St. Louis senior, and former member of Delta Gamma.
Fetter said Greek leadership experiences also helped her while interviewing for real world jobs.
The Greek community also provides students a chance to apply their competitive spirit through intramural sports.
“For a guy like me who misses high school sports, inter-fraternity competition is the next best thing,” said Jake Finnicum, Omaha senior.
These extracurricular activities are advantages to joining a fraternity or sorority, but the most lasting experience that truly satisfies the community’s members are the lifelong bonds that students make while living in the houses.
“The friends I made at Delta Gamma are by the most important thing I will take away from living in a sorority,” Fetter said.
Formal rush for fraternities has already taken place, but the Interfraternity Council sponsors informal rush throughout the fall semester.
The Panhellenic Association’s formal recruitment for sororities began from August 15. The eight-day process will give women a chance to visit each house and meet the women of each sorority.
Students interested in National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and sororities can participate in informal recruitment throughout the entire year.
— Edited by Sachiko Miyakawa
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