Feb. 7, 2002
Focus
Page 13
Greeks volunteer on campus
Photo submitted
Members of Sigma Sigma Sigma try to stay warm while
participating in “Rockin for Robbie ”
Caroline Battista
Reporter
Often, when people think of
Greek life here on Elon’s campus,
they associate Greeks with social
functions and sporting letter shirts.
However, Greek organizations
contribute a lot more to Elon than
stereotypes suggest. Community
service plays a very, significant role
in Greek life here on campus.
The 2000 Elon Volunteers! end-
of-the-year report stated that mem
bers of Greek organizations donated
more than 7,000 hours volunteer
ing for various service events to
support their philanthropies.
All Greek organizations have a
philanthropy they support with
events such as “Frats at Bat” or
“Pumpkin Fest.” Often, other or
ganizations will donate money to a
philanthropy as an entrance fee to
compete in events. “Frats at Bat,”
“Pumpkin Fest” and “Derby Days”
are all fundraisers, and most orga
nizations have at least one such
event per year.
More than $25,000 was raised
and hundreds of canned goods and
clothing items were collected and
donated to various charitable
groups.
Lindsey Westcott, a member of
Phi Mu, said that joining a sorority
has helped her become more in
volved in community service.
“It is so rewarding when we get
the chance to visit the patients at
Duke Children’s Hospital and ac
tually see what our donations to the
Children’s Miracle Network have
been able to provide for them, such
as new heart monitors and incuba
tors,” Westcott said.
Fraternities are equally involved
and supportive of their philan
thropy. Zach Palmer, a member of
Lambda Chi Alpha, said that par
ticipating in service events orga
nized by his fraternity has provided
him with the chance to give back
to the community.
“This year, Lambda Chi col
lected and donated 8,000 pounds of
food to the local charitable organi
zation, Loaves and Fishes,” he said.
“It is nice to know that through our
efforts many families around the
Burlington area will be fed.”
Greeks also contribute to many
other causes throughout the year.
They can be seen helping out at the
Special Olympics or donating
blood. In the days following Sept.
11, Lambda Chi Alpha joined with
Sigma Sigma Sigma to raise more
than $5,000 in two days to donate
to the Red Cross.
Greek Vocabulary
Alumni: initiated members who are college graduates
Chapter: the name applied to the local organization of a national
fraternity or sorority
Depledge: the process of dropping out of a fraternity or sorority after
joining, but before initiation
Formal Recruitment: a series of events hosted by each fraternity
and sorority during a period that is scheduled and governed
IFC: Interfratemity Council; the national and local governing body
for fraternities
Initiate: man or woman who has recently become an active
member of a fraternity or sorority
Initiation: the formal ceremony in which new members become
active members
NPC: National Panhellenic Conference; the national and local
governing body for sororities
NPHC: National Pan-Hellenic Conference; the national governing
body for historically black sororities and fraternities
New Member: a man or woman who has accepted the bid offered by
a fraternity or sorority and has taken the first step towards full
membership but has not been initiated.
Panhellenic: the governing body of all campus sororities
Philanthropy: a charitable project sponsored by a fraternity or
sorority
Recruitment Week: the period in which fraternities, sororities and
potential New Members become acquainted
Greek Alphabet
Alpha
Nu
Beta
Xi
Gamma
Omicron
Delta
Pi
Epsilon
Rho
Zeta
Sigma
Eta
Tau
Theta
Upsilon
Iota
Phi
Kappa
Chi
Lambda
Psi
Mu
Omega
List compiled from 2002 Guide to Greek Life at Elon University
Greek system at Elon builds on traditions, strives for unity
Becca Lestner
Reporter
Long before Elon became a
university, the Greek life system
^as born on campus. Sigma
Sigma Sigma was the first soror
ity on campus in 1970, and Kappa
Sigma became the first fraternity
in 1973.
The system has continued to
grow each year with the help of a
successful recruitment process.
The 2002 spring Panhellenic
recruitment was no different, add
ing 271 women to the mix of
more than 1,100 Greek students.
More than 35 percent of Elon’s
undergraduate student body is
affiliated with a Greek organiza
tion.
A team of both faculty and stu
dent leaders is responsible for
making the system prosper and
function. Representatives from
each organization form councils
to govern Greek life.
Three Greek councils that gov
ern national Greek life are repre
sented on all college campuses.
Interfraternity Council oversees
Elon’s seven fraternities. Na
tional Pan-Hellenic Council rep
resents the six historically black
organizations on campus and
Panhellenic council represents
the seven sororities on Elon’s
campus.
Supervising the future of
Elon’s Greek system are Director
of Greek Life Melissa Murphey
and IFC Advisor Norman
Schroth. Both are new to Elon.
Murphey said she wants to
strengthen the system and add
ideas.
Murphey said one important
issue is alcohol abuse.
“We are always concentrating
on risk management and alcohol
use,’’ Murphey said.
Workshops and meetings are
held by the student-run organiza
tion titled Greeks Advocating
Mature Management of Alcohol.
Abuse of drugs or alcohol is a
constant concern on college cam--
puses.
G.A.M.M.A. tries to educate
the Greek community about pos
sible consequences.
Murphey has also added new
programming, which includes a
presidents’ retreat, a charity
dance marathon and a new mem
ber conference.
Each are being planned for
upcoming semesters and will in
corporate members from all three
councils to help unify all Greeks
on campus.
The new member conference
is a new idea striving to bring to
gether members of all Greek or
ganizations.
“It will probably be about five
members from each chapter,”
Murphey said. “It will help to
build a community from the time
they are new.”
The leadership workshop will
strive to teach incoming Greek
members about the importance of
unity and teamwork.