From chanting to dancing and meeting to greeting, Greek life is in full swing once again as the hopeful recruitments prepare for rush, and the sororities and fraternities welcome them with open arms.
CU has over 25 different Greek organizations and rush is an opportunity for students to explore the idea of joining one. The next few days will be busy on campus with formal rush underway and the new recruits and students from the CU Greek system all coming together to expand the Greek community.
Anna Wiggin, a 21-year-old senior communication major in Aplha Chi Omega, said on the fifth day, the new girls find out the chapter they have been accepted to.
“When the recruitment process begins, we go all day,” Wiggin said. “We talk to all the girls and promote our values and why being in Alpha Chi and in a sorority in general is a great commitment.”
There are many reasons girls decide to become part of the Greek system. Cheri Han, an 18-year-old freshman open-option major, said she decided to rush for the experience.
“I love it,” Han said. “I used to cheer back home, and it kind of reminds me of my cheer team. I also want to meet new people.”
Wiggin said she has loved her four years as part of the Greek community and would advise any newcomer to maintain a positive attitude.
“I would say that every chapter on campus has something wonderful to offer and that being in the Greek system in general is the time of your life,” Wiggin said. “Trust the process and be open-minded, and it will only enhance your career at CU.”
Han said each house has a specific personality. In order to match the right house with the right girl, the sororities hand out forms for the girls to fill out and discover which chapter is best for them based on their character traits.
The Greek life experience is different for everyone. Larissa Gordon, an 18-year-old freshman environmental science major, said she tried rush but did not feel like it was the best fit for her.
“At first, I did it to meet people,” Gordon said. “It was a lot of money, and I didn’t want to be in it as bad as the cost was.”
Brandon Kinnard, a 21-year-old senior political science major, said his time at Theta Xi has been well worth it.
“I came into CU thinking that fraternity life was not for me,” Kinnard said. “I met some folks from Theta Xi, and they showed me that being integrated in the Greek community can be very beneficial in regards to connections and networking.”
Garrett Russell, an 18-year-old freshman architecture and planning major, said he plans to rush in September, and he hopes to become a part of the Theta Xi community.
“I thought it would be fun and a good way to meet people,” Russell said.
How a campus perceives it’s Greek community varies from university to university, and Kinnard and Dahl said they find it unfortunate to face stereotypes from non-Greek members at CU.
“Unfortunately, people who don’t see the Greek community first-hand don’t see the large academic and leadership experience,” Dahl said.
In the spring, everyone can witness this Greek “experience” during Greek Week. Kinnard said the Inner Fraternal Council, which is the government that regulates fraternities, and the Panhellenic Council, which is the government that regulates sororities, pair fraternities and sororities. During Greek Week, these pairs compete for points through philanthropic events such as Song Fest, the Miss Greek Pageant, and a dancing competition. All the money raised by the end of the week is donated to Clinica Family Health Services, which is an organization that provides low-income families medical help.
“The Greek community is a strong foundation built upon lasting friendships and social networking,” Kinnard said. “There is a fraternity on this campus for every person. I’ve made friends that I will keep for the rest of my life.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Catarina Massa At Catarina.massa@colorado.edu
