Why go Greek?

Being Greek means more than just wearing Greek letters, attending meetings, and going to parties. Being in a fraternity/sorority is about making friendships that will last far beyond your college years while enhancing your personal development by committing to ideals of scholarship, leadership, and service. It is being respected for your individuality while being part of a brotherhood/sisterhood with individuals who share the same goals and values. Your brothers/sisters are there to support you, making your transition to college easy and fun.

Being Greek may also mean choosing to live with your closest friends in the Chapter house. While not all groups have housing, 11 fraternities and four sororities have housing at the University of Akron. The live-in experience is a great personal development opportunity where you can learn important skills such as shared responsibility, positive communication and compromise. Living in your chapter house also helps you to establish closer friendships and stronger bonds with other chapter members and provides you with opportunities for academic improvement and social activities.

Greek individuals comprise only 2 percent of the population of the United States. However, this 2 percent is a very powerful group of individuals.

• More than 85 percent of the student leaders on some 730 campuses are involved in the Greek community.

• All but eight U.S. presidents have been fraternity men since 1825 when the first social fraternity was founded. Today, 76 percent of all U.S. congressmen and senators are Greek.

• Of the nations 50 largest corporations, 43 are led by fraternity men and sorority women.

• Greeks raise more than $7 million for charity every year.

• A U.S. government study shows that more than 70 percent of all those who join a fraternity/ sorority graduate, while less than 50 percent of all non-fraternity/sorority persons graduate.

• Students who join Greek organizations are more likely to return to school the following year.

• 850,000 hours are annually volunteered by Greeks across the country.

• Approximately 85 percent of the top executives of Fortune 500 companies belong to a fraternity or sorority.