Recently, I was in the same position as most people. I don’t attend a traditional university, therefore, my institution doesn’t participate in Greek life that you would see at most colleges. I believed the crazy party stereotype. But in reality, these Greek students are doing more and giving back to the community.

Longwood University in Virginia, Nicholas Sims is a junior, Business major in Theta Chi. Sims told Teen Scene, “The school only requires us to do five community service hours a semester, but most Greeks go above and beyond that. We [Theta Chi] do 20 because it allows us to attend a variety of events.”

This particular fraternity does the traditional canned food drive, but goes further by working with FACES and Stop Hunger. FACES gives out food to the less fortunate and the boys “go to help bag, hand out food, and load the food into people’s cars.” Stop Hunger has allowed “other students, Greek and non-Greek alike to bag 10,000 meals to feed people in foreign countries.” Theta Chi even help out the sorority Alpha Delta Pi during their 5K for Alzheimer’s research by setting up and working water stations. The hardworking boys even work with Relay for Life.

Aside from the obvious benefit of helping others, the participants also get to benefit from their causes. “It feels good to give back and you can see that you are making a difference.” Sims continued: “Especially at FACES when we distribute food, you see first hand who is getting it and how badly they need it. It makes you feel good when they are happy and you know they will be able to eat the next week.”

Even at the University in Georgia, the sorority Alpha Gamma Delta feel for their own cause. Nicole Hoag tells us, “The fact that we are able to give so much back to that condition [Juvenile Diabetes] in particular has meant a lot to our sorority as a whole and myself.”

The sorority has taken on the cause for years. Hoag, a junior Biological Engineering, Pre-Med major, is in the same sorority as her mom, a UGA graduate of 1988, who was raising awareness during her stay.

During the course of the year there are many events to raise money including BBQs and “Percentage Nights” (the restaurant donates a portion of the profits), but their biggest event is the annual fall concert at the Georgia Theatre. In 2007, Taylor Swift performed to help the girls raise money. And this past October, country band Love and Theft performed with Michael Logan as the opener.

The girls plan and budget the entire event. Katelyn Fish, a Public Relations and Psychology major and the Philanthropy Chair for Alpha Gamma Delta, worked closely with planning the big gig by working with the booking agents and managers. Fish said, “Every year we send a $3000 check to the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation which benefits Diabetes Research.“

These two houses have given me a different perspective into Greek life. They are a strong force into giving back to the community, and it should inspire more young people to get involved and do something that others can benefit from and instill confidence in themselves.

Image Credits: Theata Chi and Katylen Fish

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