why greek life? · whether greek life introduced you to your spouse or your future boss, your major...

W H Y

G R E E K L I F E ?

C O N N E C T I O N • T R A N S F O R M A T I O N P U R P O S E • H A P P I N E S S

H O W F R A T E R N I T I E S A N D S O R O R I T I E S C R E A T E C O N F I D E N T , C O M P A S S I O N A T E

L E A D E R S A N D F O S T E R D E E P , L I F E L O N G F R I E N D S H I P S

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INTRODUCTIONYou already know the impact Greek life has—how it can shape you into the person you are today—because you lived it. The term ‘social fraternity’ might give the impression that the Greek experience is superficial. But research shows that personal connections and deep friendships are the key to happiness and living through a global pandemic is validating it.

“Social distancing has shown us how important friendship is—the strong bonds we created as fraternity brothers are coming through now that we’re so isolated. Human contact—family, brotherhood, friends—is vital. My fraternity brothers were the core of many incredible experiences and relationships in college—and that continues to this day,” says one alum.

These lifelong relationships are only part of what makes the fraternity experience so transformational. Centuries before professional development courses and internships became vogue, the ultimate leadership training program was thriving in fraternities and sororities across college campuses and remains very much alive today. You know uniquely why they will continue into another century.

From your career trajectory to your family’s values, your fraternity experience played a key role. The Greek system

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taught you how to lead and how to give back. You learned personal responsibility and the true meaning of being part of something bigger than yourself. You learned there are times for courage and times for compassion. You discovered your place in the world and how to make the most of it.

Your experiences made you into the person you are today. Whether Greek life introduced you to your spouse or your future boss, your major life events are marked with your fraternity and sorority friends at your side. And as the most seasoned alumni will tell you, they will be there till the end.

Following are some of the best responses to a survey seeking experiences from members of Greek communities across the country. These quotes illustrate why Greek life is and will remain a key part of the higher education experience.



The SAE experience left me with best friends for life. These are friends that I hold more dear than those friends made at other times in my life

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An absolute high point in my life was my membership in Sigma Chi right after World War II. I saw how important fraternity life could be in developing responsibility, leadership and scholarship skills. We all enjoyed the benefits of

Brotherhood and learning to help and support each other, which, in time, led to lifelong friendships.

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For me, Lambda Chi was like an extended family. We shared our lives with each other in a way that probably would not have happened otherwise. Lambda Chi

established lifelong friendships that endure to this day (I am now 87). I feel confident that even with Brothers I have not had contact with in many years, renewing any contact would be welcomed. I have been, and continue to be, in contact with Brothers and consider these people to be among my dearest friends.

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I look back on the few short years I spent at Pi Kap as some of the best years of my life. Brotherhood made getting an education a great and memorable experience for me.

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I couldn’t have made it at Tech without the KA house, and I barely made it at Tech because of the KA house, but the fact is, I did make it and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. So many

experiences to be thankful for — Brotherhood and lifelong friendships, late-night debates, music, girls, parties, the V. Maybe that’s why college was the best 10 years of my life.

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I support, and have supported, Beta of DKE because of the profound influence my experience there had on me and continues to have on me. The friendships I made there are among the most important in my life.

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AXO has the power to transform your life — mentally, physically and spiritually! AXO gave me such a wonderful group of women to learn from. The house had women

who were small-town farmers, big-city charity volunteers, political activists, fitness experts and religious scholars. If you open your mind you can learn something from all of them. I learned so much about life in addition to my studies in class. I came out a much more compassionate, understanding and loving individual because of those I met. AXO was the only sorority that had as much diversity as it did. I loved it!

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Although being in a social fraternity was a lot of fun, what was most valuable to me was the chance at leadership it gave me. It boosted my self-confidence and honed skills that have allowed me to have the kind of life I have now. College would’ve been an empty experience if not for Sigma Nu.

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I have always felt that my fraternity Brothers were the greatest group of men that I had, before and ever since, been associated with. The times were great, with fellowship, discipline,

intramural sports, sorority associations, educational benefits, loyalty to a group with a common purpose and the maturing that comes with all the before mentioned. Teaching manners, respect for others and competition within the fraternities helped make me a much more mature individual. It was a great experience!

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10In November 2015, friends who live in western Massachusetts asked me to come spend Thanksgiving with them. One of my best friends in the class of ’61 was Doug Peklo. He was in a care home nearby with Alzheimer’s. I phoned Merlin Miller, who lives near Boston, and he drove out 150 miles so we could take Doug to lunch. Doug passed away not long after.


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The most valuable part of my Pi Kapp experience is the continued relationships I have with other alumni. Each August, a large group of us meet to

play golf in State College, stay at the Nittany Lion Inn and enjoy the camaraderie of the Brotherhood. We share old war stories, as well as provide our own updates on family, life, retirement, etc. It’s a fun weekend! Each year there is someone who comes to the event who may not have been back for decades.

Additionally, one Brother retired and moved back to the area, and we get together for Homecoming weekend or other football weekends and crash at his place. His wife is a Pi Kapp Big Sister. We tailgate, attend a game or two and enjoy reminiscing about our time at Pi Kappa Phi.

By far, relationships with others remains the most valuable part of the Pi Kapp experience.

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The most valuable part of my Theta Chi experience is obviously the relationships. I’ve been able to meet, grow with and help advise dozens of resolute men, and aim to continue doing so for as long as I am able. The deep friendships I formed during my time at Penn State have helped me build and sustain a fulfilling life and to grow as an individual. I want to do my part in creating opportunity for others to have the same, or even a better experience, than I had.

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There are so many great memories from my years at GT and Phi Ep/ZBT. I’ve made lifelong friends. When we get together, it still seems almost like

yesterday that we were at GT. The stories never get old, even though I’ve heard them dozens of times. They still bring a smile to my face.

Reflecting back as an alum, the most valuable part of ZBT was building relationships with my Brothers not only during the school years, but for many more decades beyond graduation. I stay in touch with so many of my Brothers with regular, frequent lunch meetings, dinners and watching Tech football and basketball games, as well as texting and emailing with Brothers that have moved out of the Atlanta area.

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As an alum, I feel that the most valuable parts of my ZBT experience are the lifelong memories of my shared experiences with my fellow Brothers

at the house, as well as the lasting friendships that have continued over the years. We communicate with each other often and try to get together whenever we have the chance.

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16My DTD experience is a lifelong commitment. While I had the most fun I’ve ever had as an undergraduate Delt, the most valuable part of my DTD experience is now being part of our Young Alumni Association and giving back to the next generation of Delts.



Our fraternity has been special for me. Although one typically thinks of the fraternity when in school, the saying that Phi Gamma Delta is not for college

days alone is so dramatically true. Over the years, I’ve seen Brothers frequently. Some are pledge class Brothers. Others, perhaps, I’ve just met. There’s just a common bond that one feels. I have relished the feeling for years.

The class of ’61 started as having reunions every five years. Now, we have them every two

years, because we know that each time, there’ll be one or two fewer people in attendance.

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I developed a bond of friendship with my Lambda Chi

Alpha Brothers that has been with me for the majority of my life. I am still connected with many of them today. We experienced something special because we joined the fraternity. It’s a bond that we will always share."

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The most valuable part of the fraternity experience was the friendships I made with such high-quality guys. These are guys who went on to become doctors,

lawyers, investment bankers, Wall Street success stories and successful businessmen. When you surround yourself with high-quality folks, you up your game. I upped my game to keep up with this group and am proud to have them as my friends.

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I have fond memories of the friendships created at UNC and the PDT house. Brothers in the Bond really means something. It lasts. It is an intangible

not replicated anywhere else.

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22The friendships and extended relationships from my fraternity experience have been critical in my development over the years, and I absolutely treasure the memories of my time at the Beta chapter. I keep in touch with many alumni, including my pledge class, on a regular basis. The experiences shared at 132 S. Columbia are etched into my brain and provide a constant reminder of the history and impact that the chapter has had.

Tau Kappa Epsilon had a major effect on my growing up at Penn State. I learned how to live with 40-

plus other fraters and also the proper way to set a table and how to pass the butter …without getting my thumb in the butter. I also learned respect for others and, most of all, I learned the meaning of a fraternity. I also owe to TKE my first date with a Gamma Phi Beta sorority sister who saved me by agreeing to be my date for the Orchid Dance in the fall of 1957. We’re now celebrating our 50th anniversary this August; Joyce Mack was the young lady that rescued me. The three years I lived in the House were three memorable years.

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I feel a great loyalty to Alpha Sig. The house was a place to call home while at Cornell, and the friendships I made there have lasted a lifetime.

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I consider my fraternity experience at Denison one of my most memorable. I made lifelong friendships at the Beta House. As a Columbus resident, I run into Brothers that were

with me during my years and we always greet one another with a great smile and warm embrace. The smile reflects the many laughs and unusual events that we encountered during our days at Beta. Those events were never repeated quite the same way after graduation. It was a unique experience in a different time.

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I treasured the time that I spent with my Brothers during my undergraduate years at Penn and I am, and will be, forever grateful that they gave me a place where I felt welcomed, appreciated and supported. That really says it all for me. I am proud to support SAE in the hope that it continues to provide the same benefits and cherished memories to young men at Penn now.

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I have always strived to surround myself with people who can enrich my own life. Sigma Chi at Penn seems to consistently attract people who care about academics and

the Penn community —through sports or arts and one another. My Brothers motivated me to do better in each one of those areas, and they still do today.

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As an alumna, I see the most valuable part of my Alpha Chi Omega experience to be the friends and family I have made. When we talk to potential members and tell them that you will find your bridesmaids here, we’re not lying. I have been a part of multiple weddings with Sisters as bridesmaids, and for my very own wedding I didn’t have a second thought about asking my Sisters to stand next to me as I married my husband. I spend almost every weekend with a fellow Sister and am in constant contact with my big. Without Alpha Chi Omega, I wouldn’t have had a chance to meet many of my Sisters.

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I have ran into Sisters from other chapters constantly while traveling and find it refreshing to be able to have a bond with

a complete stranger within minutes of meeting them. On my most recent travels, I had the opportunity to connect with multiple alumnae and their families during layovers, all because they recognized our letters embroidered on my carry-on bag.

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The best part of the experience was the Brotherhood. It got me through some rough times. Someone was always there to help. I can’t imagine going through Tech without the fraternity.

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There’s lots of value drawn from my Chi Phi experience, but the most impactful is definitely the relationships made. I remain close with my pledge class and guys who were

older and younger than me. I could move to likely any major American city and know a Chi Phi, or know someone I met through being a Chi Phi.

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I thoroughly enjoyed my college years spent as a member of SAE, and continue many of the friendships made as a direct result of that membership. When I meet a Brother, unseen or without contact over many years, the connection is still felt. I am thankful for my SAE experience, and realize that it was only possible because of the investment of time and money from many previous members who built and maintained the facility and the culture.

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The friends I met in the House have become my closest friends in life. We still have reunions almost annually and have vacationed together. I’d like to

ensure other young men have the same opportunity.

Sigma Chi was a central part of my college experience. To this day, I see many of our Brothers on a regular basis. We still have as much fun today as we did then, sometimes more.

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Fraternal life was as important and as significant as my academic education. The Brotherhood provided a competitive environment,

helping me to meet my professional goals, and was a part of my social maturation.

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36As I reflect on the many rich and rewarding experiences of my life, I realize that the fraternity experience ranks high among them. I am particularly grateful for the friends I made while an active Brother and for the support those friends gave me throughout the undergraduate years.



The friends I made have never been forgotten. Even though I live in California now, I will never forget the people I knew and the fun we had in

the house. I still hear from some of the guys now and then, and it rekindles my interest in seeing Alpha Delta back on campus in its radiant glory.

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38My becoming a Kappa Sig was an experience that helped me become a much more outgoing, well-rounded, social individual. The friendships, the social life, the coming of age in this environment were all a major influence on my success through life.



Much of the success I enjoyed in school, both academically and socially, can be directly attributed to my involvement with my fraternity. Who can forget the Monday-night

meals, weekend parties and camaraderie of intramurals, homecoming floats and Greek Week? To this day, I maintain many of those relationships and still feel the excitement of returning to campus to see the Brothers and friends I made while at school.

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I recently got engaged and when I asked myself, who do I want to participate at my wedding, I thought to myself: Wow, the majority of my closest friends today, 10 years later, are Brothers I met while in college.

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My three years at the Skull House are among my fondest memories. Good friends, great social life, excellent training in the social graces all were

part of the Phi Kap experience. I’ll never forget it.

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I have always attributed my “growing up” to my interactions with my fellow fraternity members. I learned a lot about life and how to deal with the many challenges facing a young person making the transition from high school to college life. In addition, I look fondly on my many memories associated with this fraternity experience. I have kept in touch with a number of Brothers from my class over the years.

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Shared college friendships never die. Good times, bad times, stupid times, exotic times, good jokes, old jokes, off-color jokes, fraternity trips, sports at

all levels, coeds we think about and are afraid to think about, house parties that always created memories that got more exciting with age — and I haven’t even mentioned the scholarship advantages we absorbed for life’s later challenges while enjoying fraternity living and friendships.

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SAE was a major factor in my being able to graduate and teaching me how to act as a responsible adult. Through SAE and the many campus activities I was involved with, I made life-long friends. After 50-plus years, our pledge class has regular reunions, so we are Brothers beyond our PSU/SAE years — the best four years of my life.

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I have supported Sigma Nu because of the friends I made while an active member. I remember fondly some of the stories coming from those years,

and they are a part of my personal story, which I relate at any opportunity. I was delighted to see members of the class of 1956 with their pictures in a recent publication, which was taken at their 50th reunion in front of the house. Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed when I was the only representative of my class at our 50th. But the times I spent as an active member will be always remembered fondly.

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To be honest, if it was not for Theta Chi I would not have made my many strong friendships that have lasted a lifetime.

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Our college experience was vitally enriched by the time we spent at our fraternity. Sleeping under the same roof, dining and partying together and competing against

other fraternities allowed us to form lasting, familial bonds. This sense of family is perhaps the most indelible aspect of our college days.

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The years I was at Tech were hard work, but fun — all because of our great fraternity. Back then, that was the only real social outlet we had. And the friendships made were genuine and in many cases, long-lasting. I’m grateful that I was part of such a wonderful group of guys and I cherish the memories.

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I had so many great times with the guys from the house during college. The parties, road trips, football and basketball games and even just spending

time around the house were a welcome break from studying. We had such a great group of Brothers who were from a variety of backgrounds and places around the state and country, so that it was never boring at the house.

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The Brotherhood I found during my years as an undergraduate Zeta Sig at W&L yielded lifelong friendships that I treasure to this day. We still find time to take trips together, attend the weddings of each other’s children and rejoice at the news of the births of each other’s grandchildren. In short, we have become extended family. Each time I have visited the W&L campus as an alumnus and have encountered current undergraduate Sigma Chis, I have been extended a warm and heartfelt welcome. I wish for those current Zeta Brothers the richness of a life-long experience of lasting friendships that I have enjoyed.

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If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proven by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of your self and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your mind, the kind that blind side you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.

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By Mary Schmich

WEAR SUNSCREEN


Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.

Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out. Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth. But trust me on the sunscreen.



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why greek life? · whether greek life introduced you to your spouse or your future boss, your major...

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