On Friday, Sept. 20, Monmouth Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) held a Meet the Greeks tabling event on Shadow Lawn. The event occurred from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and consisted of the 15 chapters under Greek life, as well as the Panhellenic, the United Greek, and the Interfraternity Councils.
According to the Fraternity and Sorority Life page on the Monmouth website, there are many benefits of joining, such as fellowship, sharpening your interpersonal skills, and meeting new people with diverse perspectives and life experiences. They also mentioned that Greek life provides support for personal development. It’s known as a guide to staying focused on personal, academic, and professional goals.
Kimberly Mars, Assistant Director of Student Engagement for FSL, corroborated this by saying that it offers an opportunity for freshmen and undergrads to come out and learn more about each organization and the causes that they stand for. She said, “There’s so many things that Greek life can help you with, whether that’s networking opportunities, building a brotherhood or sisterhood and just getting to know new people on campus and having people to do things with.”
When it comes to picking an organization of choice, Mars thinks that it’s important to do research. She encouraged students to utilize events like Meet the Greeks to the best of their ability. She continued, “It allows you to talk to every single chapter, get to know them, and see if it aligns with the values that you have.”
Eliza Wilson, a member of the Panhellenic Council, sees Meet the Geeks as an introduction to the recruitment year and refers to it as a relaxed environment. She mentioned that Greek life has helped her cope with her distance from home. “I live two and a half hours away and this is how I made friends. I think it’s a good way to branch out, to network also,” she said. She highlighted the fact that students get academic support and lots of leadership opportunities. Wilson also said that it’s okay for incoming freshmen to be nervous. She explained, “It’s okay to feel a little bit out of place for a little while. It definitely takes time; it took me a little while too but if you are interested it doesn’t hurt to try new things. If it’s not for you that’s okay but we’re here to support you throughout the whole way.”
Rebecca Pimenteo is a junior MEPB student as well as a member of the sorority Alpha Sigma Tau. She said that students should join Greek life because it’s a great way to get involved. As someone who didn’t join until her sophomore year, she described how she noticed a difference. She said, “The immediate difference from joining was instantaneous. Knowing that there were always going to be people around campus that you know are going to be there for you means the world.”
Annika Jantz, a sophomore business administration student and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau, spoke about what this event means to her. She said that talking to potential members and sharing the love that they have for her sorority is something that she enjoys doing. A piece of advice that she would give to freshmen is to give everything a shot. She said, “If you’re thinking about Greek life, be open to it because a lot of people are really closed off and have stigmas around everything.” Being open to everything, meeting people, and trying something new is something that Jantz highly suggests.
Phi Kappa Psi is one of the fraternities that was present at Meet the Greeks. Michael Morgan is a junior communication student as well as a member of this fraternity. He believed that it’s crucial for students to join Greek life because they may never know who they might meet. He said, “When I joined my first year, I didn’t do much in the fall. I had friends but I didn’t have a solidified group and that’s what I found when I joined Greek life.” Morgan mentioned that being one of the smaller organizations on campus makes them even closer.
Karina Garica is a senior communication student and a member of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Incorporated. She explained that this event means a lot to her for several reasons, being that she is a part of one of the multicultural councils at a predominately white school. She said, “It’s important to get our name out there, and talk about who we are, and what we do.” She thinks it’s important for freshmen to join Greek life because it’s about a sense of community. Speaking from experience, she was able to click with her sisters when she was a freshman. She said, “It’s just about stepping out of your comfort zone. It’s okay to go to things alone and just talk to new people, that’s how you get your face out there.”
She concluded, “You may not become a sister or join an org., but you create friends and that’s what’s important.”
