Why Go Greek?
Fraternities provide men with many areas of development, through leadership,
community service/philanthropy, academics, as well as social interaction.
Social interaction is what makes fraternities the types of tight-knit,
cohesive groups which they have become throughout history. Through chapter
and brotherhood retreats and conferences, as well as sorority exchanges and
mixers, fraternities offer a bond which cannot be found or replicated
elsewhere.
For decades, thousands of young men, most of them fresh out of high school, have joined college fraternities. The vast majority of these new pledge members, happy with their choice of fraternity, have enjoyed their weeks or months of pledgeship and have been initiated into full active mem bership as a matter of course. Few of them have ever paused even for a moment to examine the reason, real or imagined, for adopting a badge of a particular Greek letter organization, much less to ask themselves why they pledged a fraternity at all.
Each fraternity has many positions within its chapter where members can
explore their leadership potential as well as attend conferences, both on a
local and national level, which will further enhance their leadership
qualities. Furthermore, leadership opportunities can also be found in other
areas of Greek Life, such as on the Interfraternity Council along with serving
as a chapter representative on one of the many associated student committees.
During your first year at WVU, either as a freshman or transfer, you are surrounded by a sea of new faces, names and challenges that may make you feel a little lost, especially without the many friends you had enjoyed all throughout your high school years. One of the many observations you will make in your first few college days is the spirit of belonging most fraternity men already seem to take for granted. As the saying goes, they have places to go, things to do, and friends who care. Most fraternities have many strong ties with the past and have grown through the years because of the enduring strength of their traditions; leadership, scholarship and friendship.
Joining a fraternity offers a host of opportunities that are hard to match when compared to students who decide not to go greek. Below are benefits most fraternity members list when considering why they joined and remain a proud fraternity member.
Leadership
Deciding to become involved in a campus organization is one of the greatest things one can do during their college career. Greek Life offers an extraordinary opportunity for you to become a leader. Chapters are self-governing bodies that provide a hands-on experience. Through this you will develop the leadership skills that are required to become a leader of the future. It's the best way to get and stay involved at WVU!
Fraternal membership is an education in itself. Each chapter has a responsibility of services to its members, the college and the community. It is well known that fraternity members enjoy a much higher level of involvement in campus and community life than non-fraternity members. For this reason there are more than enough challenges to keep every member active in the daily operations of the chapter. Whether it is organizing a winning intramural team, balancing the chapter books, or helping a brother with his homework, all the jobs are important to the chapter. In addition, membership in a fraternity helps you develop leadership skills through experiences. Each chapter promotes pledge education programs designed to help new members develop their own leadership potential and adopt effective scholarship habits. Helping each man discover and cultivate his particular talents develops strong individuals -- not the misconceived "every fraternity is alike" stereotype.
Scholarship
Fraternities at WVU place an emphasis on academic success. This is done through national and local scholarships, incentives and rewards, time management skills, workshops, tutoring and mentoring programs.
One of our greatest
achievements as a community is our average undergraduate GPA, one which is
higher than that of the non-Greek undergraduate GPA. Many chapters require a
minimum GPA once new members have been extended an invitation to membership,
and all of our chapters employ a "Big Brother" mentor program,
not only for the time in which the new member is becoming acclimated to
fraternity life, but for the remainder of their time at the university.
Brotherhood
The friends you meet through a fraternity are often friends you keep for your entire lifetime. The close interaction among members that occurs through participation during all type of events and by living in close quarters with your fraternity members, often for many years, builds this relationships that continue well beyond college.
National Affiliation
Each fraternity chapter at WVU is just one of many chapters for each fraternity nationally. Many fraternity chapters at WVU are part of a network of often hundreds of other chapters across the country that follow the same principles and ideals. The benefit from this national affiliation is that you have the opportunity to meet people and build relationships from across the country during national and regional events. These relationships promote
Community Service & Philanthropy
 One of the greatest advantages of being involved in the WVU greek community is the service and philanthropic events organized by chapters. Each chapter sponsors a national philanthropy. Working together on such projects not only benefits the community and worthy causes but also fosters personal growth and greater unity among members. Just a few of the numerous activities include playing games with the young and the elderly, cleaning up the community, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, United Way, blood drives, and sponsoring youth ball teams. In addition to individual chapter community service events such as volunteering, each fraternity participates in Homecoming Week and Mountaineer Week in the fall semester and Greek Week in the spring semester. These events promote a positive image for greek organizations and offer an opportunity to showcase WVU's school spirit.
Networking
Success in life is often directly tied to connections you've made along the way. Members of fraternities benefit from knowing many more people both in and outside their fraternities when compared to non-greek students. These relationships often assist members find great employment opportunities.
Education
Our Greek community is committed to the total education of our members. Not only do we concentrate on academics, we educate on social issues such a goal setting, relationship building, health and wellness, safety, sexual assault prevention, alcohol/drug use and abuse. Our chapter members graduate from WVU with the skills to be productive citizens with preparation to assume leadership roles in society.
Fraternity members can learn much that supplements the instruction he receives in the classroom. In addition to encouraging good scholarship, a fraternity helps the member to understand more about human relations and about himself. The lessons learned in this laboratory of social education can serve a man for a lifetime. But after all has been said and done, friendship and brotherhood in the context of a meaningful, manageable group relationships are what a fraternity is all about. It should come as no surprise to anyone that fraternity's remarkable capacity to foster the making and keeping of friends is the chief reason for its existence and the best assurance for its survival.
Intramurals
School spirit is established through playing intramural sports. Athletics prove to be an important physical and mental outlet for students and they help you improve self-confidence and develop teamwork. Members of the Greek Community participate in a fantastic intramural system here at WVU. Whatever your sport or skill level, you will always find an opportunity to play. Available intramural sports include basketball, flag football, bowling, tennis, softball and soccer, to name just a few.
Social
At West Virginia University, Greeks realize that the most essential reason you attend the university is to learn and excel academically, however many students will agree campus life extends beyond the realm of classroom and includes the delicate balance between academia and social life. Social and recreational activities give you the opportunity to meet a variety of people and strengthen your bonds of friendship and brotherhood. Formal dinners, retreats, athletic competitions, alumni and Homecoming activities, all offer the opportunity to relax and have a great time!
Friendship
Still questioning the value of a Fraternity? To many outsiders, fraternity membership is viewed as just a short college experience before embarking on a professional career. For most, however, the bond of fraternal friendship begun as an undergraduate remains unbroken throughout the years. Perhaps it is unforgettable social events, or the thrill of competing on a championship intramural team, or the mutual reward that follows the agony of brothers "pulling late nighters" for finals, it can't be stated in specifics. Whatever it is, thousands of young men have become part of the fraternity system at WVU and loved it.
|
Printable Version 