Smith
I’m glad Emporia State is a school that features fraternities and sororities that take pride in their academics and who respect Greek-lettered honor societies. But as a new student at ESU, I have to tell my fellow Greeks that I’m disappointed with their visibility on campus during the day and off campus at night.
Greek life is awesome, or at least it should be. It’s exciting to see the Interfraternity Council (IFC) taking active strides to expand the Greek community here in Emporia. Preparing to touch down in this city less than two weeks ago, I thought a slightly isolated campus with a fairly large student population would be the first to have Greeks who take pride in their ability to throw a major social event. The potential for infamy here is limitless.
Many of the frats and sororities in town don’t just reside in your average two-story fixer-upper under the care of a couple of 20-somethings. Every other block has what I can only describe as compounds decked out with large wooden letters that scream, “We run this town!” But I haven’t seen anything to prove these boasts are more than hand-me-downs from a far off era that respected my right as a college student to party.
I joined a chapter of Delta Sigma Iota in New Jersey in spring 2012 at the end of the hardest, but most valuable semester in my college career. My brothers and I made it our business to not only hit the books, but fill our house to capacity every Thursday night. It’s two weeks into the semester and I haven’t woken up sore yet satisfied from a crazy night. I haven’t posted a single irresponsible Facebook post or Tweeted my thanks to anyone for making sure I had the night of my life. I’m talking about one of those “Project X” nights you’ll never forget that prove there is no “I” in team.
ESU Greeks, your classmates are waiting for the party of the year. In the name of Greek life everywhere, I’m hoping you deliver.
Smith
All due respect Smith, you have a far different view of Greek life than just about everyone else on campus. I too just transferred in a few weeks ago, and my experience has been much different. I’ve been to more frat parties in the last few weeks than I can even remember. It’s been a blast. Maybe the difference is that I actually go out to have a good time instead of bashing Greek life behind a computer screen.
‘Many of the frats and sororities in town,’ I’m sorry but it is a fraternity and not a frat. As a fellow Greek, you should know that it is disrespectful. You came from the east coast to our front door step in the mid-west. Things are done differently here in Emporia than in New Jersey. The main priority of any Greek member and any GDI is and always will be Scholarship. We paid thousands of dollars in hopes of receiving a higher education and the chance to better ourselves to hopefully one day having a career in this crap economy. We didn’t come to Emporia or any other colleges to throw the party of the year. This is real life. Not a movie like ‘Poject X.’ Since when was it our duty to entertain the rest of the college population with banging parties? Did I miss something when I joined the Greek Community?
Being a part of the Greek Community is much more than the parties. Please stop stereotyping to that we only party. As a fellow Greek member, you should know there’s more to it than that. What about Community Service, Brotherhood/Sisterhood, Philanthropy, Chivalry and etc? Theres so much positives that you can get from Greek life and not just the parties.
Here’s a positive list of things about Greek life:
There are over 9 million Greek members nationally
Of the nation’s 50 largest corporations, 43 are headed by fraternity men.
85% of the Fortune 500 executives belong to a fraternity.
40 of 47 U.S. Supreme Court Justices since 1910 were fraternity men.
76% of all Congressmen and Senators belong to a fraternity.
Every U.S. President and Vice President, except two in each office, born since the first social fraternity was founded in 1825 have been members of a fraternity.
63% of the U.S. President’s Cabinet members since 1900 have been Greek.
A National Conference report shows a high percentage of the 4,000 NIC fraternity chapters are above the All-Men’s scholastic average on their respective campuses.
A U.S. Government study shows that over 70% of all those who join a fraternity/sororitiy graduate, while under 50% of all non-fraternity/sorority persons graduate.
Less than 2% of an average college student’s expenses go toward fraternity dues. (U.S. Office of Education)
Over 85% of the student leaders on some 730 campuses are involved in the Greek community.
1 st Female Senator was Greek
1 st Female Astronaut was Greek
All of the Apollo 11 Astronauts are Greek
Over $7 million is raised each year by Greeks nationally
The Greek system is the largest network of volunteers in the US, with members donating over 10 million hours of volunteer service each year
71% of those listed in “Who’s Who in America” belong to a fraternity
As Alumni, Greeks give approximately 75% of all money donated to universities
There are 123 fraternities and sororities with 9 million members total
There are 750,000 undergraduate members in 12,000 chapters on more than 800 campuses in the USA and Canada
Boom Roasted.
Fraternally,
George Jeng
Sigma Pi
Epsilon-Epsilon Chapter
But I do agree that the Greek Community needs more visibility on and off campus.