In November 1825, five college students established Kappa Alpha Society to ready themselves for careers that college courses did not prepare them for and to discuss topics that were not covered in class. Since then, fraternities and sororities, first sorority established in 1831, spread throughout different universities in North America. To this day, Greek Life has been providing its members with leadership opportunities, networking qualities, involvement in the community and developmental skills.
At SahlComm, we have three team members who are a part of Greek Life. Here are what Jade, Matt and Bree had to say about how their different Greek organizations have helped them acquire the professional skills they use day-to-day in the office.
“Greek Life encourages you to excel in academics, become involved in the community, allows for teamwork, leadership and responsibility and enhances your communication skills; all qualities needed to be successful in a career. Along with a required GPA, completed amount of study hours and community service, Phi Sigma Sigma values lifelong learning, inclusiveness and leadership through service. These values have helped me to challenge myself to reach career goals, be accepting of all and to be a model of service. During my time with the Zeta Omicron chapter, I learned how to become more efficient at networking, manage a large group, organize events, time management and heightened problem solving. These skills have helped me accomplish aspirations and efficiently complete work tasks. Not only has Phi Sigma Sigma taught me to be a woman of substance, but has introduced me to other women who believe in the same values and support one and other in their endeavors. I am proud to be a member of Greek Life. I am thankful for all the lessons I have learned and relationships I have made.” – Jade: Phi Sigma Sigma, Kutztown University
“Greek Life makes you choose an organization with a common set of values and goals that will ultimately decide what kind of person you become. It forces you to step out of your comfort zone and make connections and relationships with people you otherwise may not have. Despite having common values and goals, the people you meet in Greek Life come from all backgrounds, races, communities, religions, political beliefs and socio-economic conditions. This provides one with an enriching experience, learning about different ways and opinions that make the individual a more well-rounded and knowledgeable person. Not only do you befriend different kinds of people and learn from them, you work with them and further develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. It is these exact skills that many people lack when they graduate college. Many people go their entire academic careers without learning practical life skills and without developing a professional network. This leads many people, especially those with little to no work experience, to have difficulty finding and becoming acclimated with a new career right out of school. While I was in Delta Chi I learned to: coordinate events, quickly respond and to changing situations, develop and brainstorm ideas for fundraisers and activities in a large group environment, and how to constructively criticize ideas by offering pros/cons and potential helpful changes. Simultaneously, it has provided me with a built-in network of professional contacts with established careers in a multitude of fields.” – Matt: Delta Chi, West Chester University
“When I decided to join Greek Life, I never could have imagined what I would get out of joining a Panhellenic organization. Greek Life played such an enormously important part of my college career and I’m certain that I would not be the person I am today had I not joined. Zeta Tau Alpha provided me with friendships founded on a set of values that upheld our members to the highest standards. Our creed taught us, among many things, to be true to those within and without our circle and that love is the greatest of all things. Each member of the organization must meet a GPA requirement, in addition to being involved in other organizations on campus and contributing in leadership positions. While an inherent part of Greek Life is social interaction, there is much more to it than that. The hundreds of Greeks at Kutztown worked together to better the community, whether it was by raising thousands of dollars for charity through various events, cleaning up the campus or welcoming freshman to the university by helping them move into their dorms. ZTA provided me with countless opportunities to develop my leadership skills, as I held several council positions throughout my college career. Handling these responsibilities on top of schoolwork and other campus involvement required me to develop strong time management and organizational skills. Not to mention planning, promotion, teamwork and communication. Each one of these skills has translated to the workplace and makes me more successful at what I do. The value I received from my four years in Greek Life is priceless. I always was and still am proud to be a Zeta, and no amount of stereotyping will ever make me deny that.” – Bree: Zeta Tau Alpha, Kutztown University
While Greek Life may not be for everyone and is certainly not a necessity for success, Jade, Matt and Bree have obtained numerous benefits from their organizations. When entertaining the idea of Greek Life, remember that it’s more than just letters. The qualities the Greek members of SahlComm possess have proven to provide them with the skills needed to excel in the real world.