Greek Life at Plymouth State University

Greek Life at Plymouth State UniversityTracie Massey, Assistant Director for Student Activities & Greek Life, PSUGreek Life at Plymouth State University (PSU) has been an integral part of the student experience for over 50 years. There are many aspects of being Greek that are exciting and forward moving. A very important and often unspoken, aspect of being Greek is the sisterhood and brotherhood that is shared. The bonds that are shared between members of Greek organizations are what set them apart from non-Greeks. It is more than friendship. It is the understanding that each member has taken a vow to uphold the foundations and values of the organization. Being a member of a sorority or fraternity is like having a second family. Friendships come and go, but sisterhood/brotherhood is forever. While the member of PSU's sororities and fraternities are serious about scholarship, service, and leadership, they like to have a good time too! College is about having a good time as well as earning a degree. Being Greek will afford you the opportunity to socialize and have fun. Theme parties, date nights, social mixers between fraternities and sororities, formals, and Greek Week are some of the social events that are available to Greek members.A University is the ideal place for a student to develop leadership potential. Joining a sorority or fraternity provides individuals with numerous opportunities to demonstrate leadership. Whether it be as an officer or committee member, valuable experience will be gained, experience that will be well used in future endeavors. Before becoming career successful, PSU Greeks also hold important offices and positions outside of their organizations. Greeks earn valuable skills inside of their organizations. In addition, leadership programs and conferences within each fraternity and sorority at the local, regional and national level also provide an opportunity for members to sharpen their leadership skills. Greek members also have the opportunity to participate in both team and individual intramural sports through the Recreation Programs department. Participation in intramural athletic activities creates a spirit of unity within the Greek community and is a lot of fun.Greek organizations at PSU are committed to excellence in academic pursuits. Historically, Greek-letter organizations were founded on the principle of academic success and friendship. Today, PSU fraternities and sororities continue to promote scholarship by providing many options for their members. Tutoring, academic advisors, study buddies, scholarships, and awards are just a few opportunities available through a Greek organization. Prospective members must meet a minimum GPA of a 2.0 in order to join a Greek organization and must have 12 university credit hours.Each fraternity or sorority has an individual philanthropy (community service project) that is near and dear to each particular organization. At PSU each fraternity and sorority prides themselves on their service to the PSU community and the Plymouth community. Greek students promote service events on campus and often are highly involved with service projects on campus. They do this through donating their time and fund-raising to help others. This year PSU's Greek community has joined with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in a program titled St. Jude's Up 'til Dawn. Up 'til Dawn is a student led, student run program hosted by colleges and universities across the nation. The program involves fund raising throughout the year, and then culminates with an all-night extravaganza that will keep the students "Up 'til Dawn." It will be a fun-filled night to celebrate PSU's fund-raising accomplishments and the commitment to St. Jude.Each fraternity and sorority has local projects they do as well. Some great examples are the Sigma Phi Epsilon "Boxathon" where for 48 hours they sleep on Mainstreet in Plymouth in cardboard boxes to raise money for the Pemi Homeless Shelter. The Panhellenic Council sponsors a Clothing Drive during the Community Service Learning Center's Hunger and Homelessness Week. Delta Zeta sponsors a Service Auction raising over $400 for their philanthropy Gaullaudet University (Hearing Impaired University). As you can see there are many opportunities to get involved in Greek Life at PSU.With all of the positive things that the recognized fraternities and sororities do at PSU, there is a negative stereotype that plagues these Greek organizations. At PSU there are both recognized fraternities and sororities like Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Zeta, Iota Delta Chi, Kappa Delta Phi nas, Sigma Phi Epsilon, and Sigma Tau Gamma; there are also a number of unrecognized groups. The university does not sanction unrecognized groups. These groups have either formed without following university policies, or were previously unrecognized by the university for not following policies. These groups may have lost recognition for reasons such as hazing, breaking alcohol policies, or underground pledging. The university does not recognize new local fraternities or sororities on campus. A new local organization does not have the support structure that a national organization does. A national organization has a local advisory board, national officers around the country and a national headquarters that assists them with following national policy. PSU has been in the limelight with the recent tragedy involving an unrecognized 'sorority'. Although these women were part of an unrecognized group, the public views them as related to Greek life on campus. This is not the case. These unrecognized, underground groups are not representative of what Greek life encapsulates. Greek life at PSU is a positive influence, a positive experience and a fantastic way for students to gain leadership qualities.