One of the first and biggest Greek–sponsored events of the year will take place all next week with Greek Week, when both Greeks and non–affiliated students will participate in various activities and competitions, such as dodgeball, singing and dancing in costumes.
Greek Week coordinator, Jessica Markiewicz, ’11, described the six–day event as a time for the entire campus.
“It is a great way for the unaffiliated members of the campus, especially freshmen and people interested in Greek life, to get to know the Greeks and have some fun with us,” Markiewicz said. “All of the chapters have philanthropic events open to the entire campus, but we don’t frequently get to show the campus our social side and the sense of sisterhood and brotherhood that comes with being in a Greek organization.”
Greek Week begins on Sunday, Sept. 9 with a dodgeball tournament. It continues Monday with “Meet the Greeks,” a reception that allows Allegheny students interested in Greek life to talk to sorority and fraternity members about their chapters.
On Tuesday, Greeks will host a picnic open to all students, with games on Brooks lawn.
The Greek God and Goddess pageant happens Wednesday from 8 to 9:30 p.m. in the Campus Center lobby. At this event, a member of each Greek chapter competes for the title of Greek God or Goddess. The competition is held between nominated members of each fraternity and sorority chapter.
Last year, to win the title, one candidate yelled his fraternity’s creed while a brother held out a large scroll.
Finally, Greek Week ends with Greek Sing on Friday, which Markiewicz called “a college favorite.”
Each chapter will compete by performing songs, cheers, and dances for non–affiliated Gators in the Shafer Auditorium from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
“Fraternity and sorority members organize and compete in these events, but anyone is welcome and encouraged to attend,” Markiewicz said.
Although this is true, there are many non–affiliated students who choose not to attend Greek Week events, either because they are uninterested in Greek life, or they are against what they consider Greek life to be about.
“I am fairly anti–Greek,” said Sam Finder, ’12. “I’ve always thought that we, as youths, are sub–divided by all these factors, and there’s no reason I can see for us to sub–divide ourselves even more [by being Greek]. I see it as putting up more walls between us, when we should be tearing them down instead.”
Despite some reluctance towards Greek life on campus, Greek Week remains a resource for learning about the recruitment process that takes place in the spring semester.
There are ten active and nationally affiliated Greek chapters on campus to choose from, and, according to the Student Involvement website, these ten chapters make up approximately twenty–five percent of Allegheny’s student population.
All chapters participate in planning and competing in Greek Week.
This year’s event has changed since last year, as Greeks have added a more established competitive component to the competition: a canned food drive benefitting the Meadville Food Pantry in the Center For Family Services.
“Meet the Greeks” is also new, and the dodgeball competition is replacing last year’s bocce ball tournament.
“Greek Week is a time for all of the sororities and fraternities to come together for a little healthy competition, but at the same time have a lot of fun and boost spirit on campus,” said Amy Biery, ’12 of Alpha Chi Omega.