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Welcome Parents!
Entering college is an exciting time in a student’s life. The challenge and rewards of this new life can be enhanced through the fraternity or sorority experience at Northwestern. Fraternities and sororities have been a part of NU for 145 years. Traditionally, they have challenged students to achieve even greater heights intellectually, personally and socially. Over the years, the fraternity and sorority community at Northwestern has grown, creating a variety of options for fraternity/sorority life including single-sex, culturally based groups. The undergraduate members at Northwestern pride themselves on the individual personality and nature of each fraternity and sorority on campus. The fraternity and sorority community offers a rich and rewarding experience for their members. In addition, fraternities, and sororities have contributed substantially to campus life, community service, and the educational mission of the University.
For many parents, the Greek community conjures up images of “Animal House” and MTV's "Sorority Life". There are many myths about the Greek community, but the reality is that men and women in fraternities and sororities are committed to their academics, volunteer time in the community, develop and strengthen leadership skills, form a campus support network, and have access to affordable housing.
The underlying purpose of the University is education: to nurture intellectual curiosity, to instruct in various disciplines, to encourage social and moral growth, and to provide an atmosphere conducive to the pursuit of these goals. It is the responsibility of fraternities and sororities to foster an atmosphere of learning, social responsibility, respect for human dignity, and to provide positive influence and constructive development for members and prospective members.
Scholarship
Northwestern's Greek community prides itself on contributing to the University's high academic achievements and standards. Individual chapters focus on academic excellence by holding study tables, conducting inchapter peer advising and scholarship awards. The Greek community honors members through scholarships, as well as Greek honor societies such as Order of Omega, Gamma Sigma Alpha, and Rho Lambda. Most chapters require members to maintain a minimum grade point average to remain in good standing and offer support to help them do so. The all-Greek grade point average is consistently higher than the all-student grade point average. Alumni help undergraduates with important networking opportunities for internships and future careers.
Civic Responsibility
In addition to scholastic programming, Northwestern's Greek members participate in philanthropic endeavors in both the Evanston and Chicago communities.
Organizations hold their own philanthropies and encourage members to get involved on an individual basis. These charitable activities not only provide valuable opportunities for interaction with the community, but also establish a basis for philanthropic behavior in the future. National surveys have found that Greek members are more likely to volunteer during adulthood. Last year, Greek organizations raised more than $60,000 for charitable organizations and volunteerd more than 19,000 hours.
Social Life and Risk Management
The social aspects of fraternal living at Northwestern add another unique facet to one's college experiences. Members of fraternities and sororities have frequent opportunities to interact at events sponsored throughout the year. Within the past several years, Northwestern's Greek community has made a continued effort to offer students a safe social environment. Northwestern has instituted risk management policies that aim to combine fun with responsibility. Tragedies at other universities
have proven the importance of keeping social activities safe. All of our sorority houses, and several of our fraternity houses, have adopted "substance-free" policies which prohibits alcohol and other drugs in their houses. Northwestern's Greek organizations advocate responsible social functions and provide a variety of activities for their members, including formal dances, date parties, exchanges, and coffeehouses.
Financial Responsibility
Greek chapters have always been self-sufficient organizations. Chapters collect dues and membership fees from every member. Most groups have one-time initiation fees, plus quarterly dues. Dues are spent on philanthropic events, social events, scholarship programming, membership recruitment, chapter house renovations and capital improvements, administrative costs and parent/alumni programming. Most chapters offer payment plans and scholarships to help their members meet their financial obligations. Historically, room and board costs for many chapters are less than or equal to that of University residence halls.
Members of fraternities and sororities are involved in a variety of functions which enhance their college experience. We hope you will be supportive of your family member's decision to explore fraternity and sorority membership at Northwestern.
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48% of all US presidents have been Greek
42% of US Senators are Greek
30% of US Congressmen/women are Greek
40% of all US Supreme Court Justices have been Greek
30% of Fortune 500 Executives are Greek
10% of all listed in Who’s Who are Greek
...Greeks make up only 3% of US population
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