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OUR POPULAR CULTURE (INCLUDING MOVIES LIKE
“ANIMAL HOUSE” AND “OLD SCHOOL”), HAS OFTEN
SHOWN SORORITIES AND FRATERNITIES IN A NEGATIVE
LIGHT, PORTRAYING THEM AS ELITIST GROUPS
INTERESTED IN NOTHING BUT THE NEXT BIG PARTY.
But is this stereotype accurate? Not according to Pat Grant.
Grant is the founder and director of a company that helps
young women navigate the sorority recruitment process,
and she pointed to several eye-opening facts. “Many of the
best grades are made by those in Greek organizations, thanks
to the accountability factor from other members and older
members,” she said. “More than 85 percent of the leaders on
most campuses are members of a Greek organization.”
While they’ll always be a few wild ones in any bunch (it is
college, after all), Grant emphasized the benefits students can
reap from joining a sorority or fraternity. “A college education
is like anything else; you get out what you put in,” she said.
“Greek organizations give students opportunities to try
different leadership positions, and it is a great way to start
building networks that will be important throughout the rest
of your life, especially when it comes time to find a job.”
Many freshmen know a few people from their hometown
or high school, but when it comes to branching out, they can
meet people in their dorm and in their classes. Grant stressed
how Greek organizations help here too. “Students involved
in Greek life have a ready-made group of friends, people who
are interested in similar things. It gives freshman an instant
home away from home, and the new friendships are one of
the major pros.”
Executive Director of the National Panhellenic Conference
Nicki Meneley knows a lot about the ins and outs of Greek
life. She echoed Grant, citing the chances for personal growth
as some of Greek organizations’ major pluses. “Fraternity
and sorority organizations offer vast leadership, personal
28
development and service opportunities for their members.
They allow members a variety of opportunities to engage in
campus and community life.
Art Rousseau is Assistant Dean of Students at Faulkner
University in Montgomery, where about 23 percent of the
student body is in one of the university’s eight (four for men
and four for women) Greek social clubs. He agreed with Grant
and Meneley, pointing to friendship as a big positive of Greek
A GOOD START
“
IT GIVES FRESHMAN
AN INSTANT HOME
AWAY FROM HOME,
AND THE NEW
FRIENDSHIPS ARE ONE
”
OF THE MAJOR PROS.
- PAT GRANT
IMAGE COURTESY OF TROY UNIVERSITY
IMAGE COURTESY OF TROY UNIVERSITY
Go
IS YOUR TEEN CONSIDERING
JOINING A FRATERNITY OR
SORORITY ONCE THEY GET
TO COLLEGE? READ ON TO
LEARN SOME OF THE INS
AND OUTS, PROS AND CONS
OF GOING GREEK.
organizations. “They provide fellowship and social support
as well as an increase in institutional loyalty,” he said. But he
also listed a few drawbacks. “Some of the events and projects
taken on by the clubs are praiseworthy but can be a stressor
for students who are struggling academically.”
He does encourage students to be a part of something on
campus, whether it is a Greek organization or not. “My advice
is to get involved,” he said. “Our clubs are into everything on
campus, and they provide ample opportunities to lead and
be involved in the community.”
Meneley encourages students still on the fence to consider
going through recruitment anyway. “T