Greek Life

For Parents

What Does it Mean to be a Greek?

 

Being Greek means more than just wearing Greek letters, attending meetings, and going to parties. Being in a fraternity/sorority is about making friendships that will last far beyond your college years while enhancing your personal development by committing to ideals of scholarship, leadership, and service. It is being respected for your individuality while being part of a brotherhood/sisterhood with individuals who share the same goals and values. Your brothers/sisters are there to support you, making your transition to college easy and fun.

Leadership

The fraternity and sorority community offers a variety of leadership opportunites to prepare students for future careers. Fraternity and sorority chapters run under their own executive boards, chairpersons and committees composed from the undergraduate membership. Each national fraternity and sorority also sponsors leadership conferences that are held regionally and nationally for its membership. Additionally, members may choose to become involved in the leadership of one of the governing councils or the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society

Scholarship

Academic achievement is a value of the Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi fraternity and sorority community. Members are encouraged to strive for scholarly excellence through incentive programs, study partners, mentors, workshops and study hours, and national recognition. Members are rewarded for their academic achievements through chapter events and by membership in the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society. Additionally, many organizations also offer scholarships and recognition awards for academic excellence. Each fraternity and sorority maintains internal academic standards that all members are expected to achieve. As a result of these efforts, many chapters have a grade point average about the all men’s and all women’s GPA.

Civic Engagement

The fraternity and sorority community is committed to participating in community service and philanthropic efforts. Many national organizations have a specific service or philanthropy, such as domestic violence prevention, Pediatric Diabetes, St. Jude’s Hospital, Campfire USA, Children’s Burn Awareness, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Pediatric AIDS, reading to K-3 children, Breast Cancer Awareness, TRIO Programs, CPR Awareness, and Hispanic Leadership Development Program . Campus chapters have adopted many other programs, such as the American Cancer Society, the American Red Cross, Muscular Dystrophy Association, and Adopt-a-Highway. As a fraternity or sorority member, you will have the opportunity to support the local and campus community by being involved in volunteer activities such as reading to children, serving in a soup kitchen, sponsoring a blood drive, or doing a clean-up at a local park.

Network/Support

On a campus with over 8,000 students, it is important to find a network of friends and allies to provide the support needed to be successful. As an undergraduate, the fraternity/sorority experience provides opportunities to meet students from other campus chapters. Members are encouraged to participate in other campus life programs and to join other student organizations. Intramural sports and special campus events provide even more opportunities to meet students, faculty and staff from various agencies and departments. The chapter also provides opportunities for members to meet brothers and sisters from chapters at other campuses, usually through a regional or national leadership conference. The fraternity and sorority experience is not limited to the college years, as it continues through adulthood. Alumni/ae associations are available across the country and the potential for career connections are endless. Alumni/ae and national volunteers provide advice and guidance for the chapter and its members as well as serve on alumni/ae corporations.

Social Life

Offering a break from the demands of the classroom is one of the benefits of the Greek community. Throughout the year fraternities and sororities will participate in many social events such as Homecoming/Parents Weekend, Greek Week, Greek Night at Islander Basketball Games, mixers, cookouts, and spring formals. These events not only allow you to spend time with your chapter members, but also give you the opportunity to socialize with other Greeks.

University Involvement

Fraternity and sorority members may be found in all parts of campus life: Student Government Association, Intramural Sports, Resident Assistants, Honor Societies, Orientation Leaders, Islander Cultural Alliance, house councils and area governments, as student staff in many offices and departments, varsity sports, the Pep Band, and throughout the 100+ students organizations found on campus. Fraternity and sorority members play an important role in many of the events and initiatives on the campus, either through their chapter or through involvement with other associations.

Friendship

The result of fraternity and sorority membership: a bond that transcends time and space- a friendship that lasts a life time. A fundamental principle of every fraternity and sorority chapter is friendship: a brotherhood or sisterhood that one shares through the good times and provides support during the difficult challenges that come with being a college student. The fraternity and sorority chapter provides opportunities for members to periodically assemble and renew those bonds of friendship: Homecoming, Alumni weekends, newsletters, a chapter web page, and athletic events. Many national chapters have alumni chapters in major urban areas, where alumni/ae from various chapters can continue to create new bonds of friendship.

Career Networking

Say you've graduated or are just looking for a summer job. Now what? In today's economy and job market, it's going to take more than looking at want-ads and job postings. You need to network with people. The fraternity/sorority is one of the best ways to do just that. Using the resources of fraternity/sorority members like alumni, you may find that job you're looking for - that head start in life, all because you joined a fraternity/sorority. Joining a fraternity/sorority can be an investment in your future!