At this point you may have seen Greek letters on campus. But what do these letters mean? For us, these Greek letters stand for our values and commitment to each other. Our fraternities and sororities are committed to helping their members grow into better men and women during their time at GW. Every person and every chapter is unique, but we are held together by our common values.

GW Greek-letter life is composed of the Inter-Fraternity Council, Panhellenic Council and Multicultural Greek Council. Together, we represent nearly 25 percent of the undergraduate population. We are a group of socially exceptional individuals contributing to nearly every aspect of campus life.

It is no coincidence that members of Greek-letter life hold some of the highest leadership positions in the student body. As a Greek, you will have many opportunities to become a leader within your chapter and the network to become a leader outside of it. Greeks hold positions in various organizations, and their roles include the Student Association President and the Executive Vice President, members of Colonial Inauguration Headquarters and members of GW’s Program Board.

Another way Greek-letter life helps you develop is through a commitment to our community and friendships. Last year, Greeks completed thousands of hours of community service and raised tens of thousands of dollars more through donations to their respective philanthropic organizations. Not only do chapters participate in service events such as Freshman Day of Service and Alternative Spring Break, but chapters also hold numerous fun philanthropy and service events of their own throughout the year.

Most importantly, Greek-letter life offers you a home at GW. You will have a support system of brothers and sisters with whom to attend formals, explore D.C., laugh, cry and try new things. You will form lifelong friendships based on your common values and experiences.

Sorority recruitment starts this Thursday and lasts until Sept. 27. You will have the opportunity to meet the sisters of all ten sororities throughout the weekend and find your best fit. You will be assigned a Recruitment Counselor to guide you along the way. The whole process culminates with Bid Day Tuesday, when you will celebrate with your new sisters on University Yard.

IFC recruitment begins Sept. 20 and continues until Oct. 1. Each of the 16 fraternities will have three events completely open to any interested undergraduate males. Following open events, all fraternities will host two Invite Nights, which are determined by interactions over the previous weeks. Every fraternity shares many of the same values, but each chapter is different. The best rush experience will come from attending as many events as possible and learning about what each chapter exemplifies.

The Multicultural Greek Council seeks a proactive interest. The best way to obtain membership in an organization under MGC is to attend events and programs sponsored by the organization of interest. MGC organizations value potential members who seek out and research the organizations they are aspiring to join. MGC organizations’ recruitment dates and intake windows vary from chapter to chapter. Since the dates are specific to each organization, the best way to obtain information about specific membership requirements is to speak with a brother or sister from his or her respective organization. We all love talking about our organizations, so don’t be shy!

-The writers are the presidents of the Panhellenic Association, the Inter-Fraternity Council and the Multicultural Greek Council.

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