No human life should besacrificed for a good time, a fun party or a membership into a Greek organization. It was a heartbreaking tragedy thatMaxwell Gruver died so young under those circumstances, and this was not the first or last time there will be a tragedy involving Greek life. Sororities and fraternities have been in the spotlight over the last few years for a variety of unfortunate reasons.
However, overall, Greek organizations benefit the school, community and members in infinite ways. Every sorority or fraternity has a philanthropy they serve or donate money to. According to the LSU Greek Life Annual Report, Greek Life had a combined total of 49,245 recorded community service hours during the 2015-16 school year. Some members don’t realize how much they’ll fall in love with a charity or cause until they’re encouraged to participate in a Greek philanthropy event.
There are also grade requirements to maintain membership. For the 2015-16 school year, the average sorority GPA was 3.233 while the average undergraduate women’s GPA was a 3.046, according to Greek Life’s report. It varies depending on which organization you’re a part of, but if a member ever falls below the requirements, the chapter always works with the student to raise their grades before further actions are taken. Many chapters offer tutors within the chapter and host study nights at the houses. The University’s Phi Mu Alpha Eta boosts morale by offering a prize to the most “scholarly sister” every week.
Grades aren’t the only area in which Greek members excel. Student Government welcomes Greeks like former SG president Andrew Mahtook who was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Greek Life’s report showed 26 students chosen for Leadership LSU were Greek and 50 percent of the LSU Homecoming Court were Greek. Additionally, 25 percent of the cheerleaders, Golden Girls or Tiger Girls were Greek, proving that Greeks make up a diverse, hardworking portion of the student body.
Finding a group of people who are like-minded and generally embody many great values and morals should not be something pawned off as “buying friends.” Greek Life is much more meaningful to the members who participate: it’s finding friends who encourage you to join clubs or meet people. The organizations push chapter members to be their best selves while gently alerting them when they’re not doing so.
For people like myself, participating in Greek Life keeps my grades in check while still finding a balance of a social life by way of philanthropy events or events down Greek Row. When houses down the Row host events, it’s amazing how much support they get from the rest of the Greek community. We all simply want the best for each other.
Greek life has flaws, but the majority of its members couldn’t imagine a better part of their college experience. It brought them friends, kept them motivated and allowed them to experience things they may have never pushed themselves to try in the first place.
Jordan Miller is a 20-year-old elementary education junior from New Orleans, Louisiana.