Letters Today… Leaders Tomorrow

Deciding to go Greek can be one of the biggest and best decisions you make in life. Joining a fraternity or a sorority can be a great way to experience all that Rogers State University has to offer. Greek life encompasses fun and service! Greek life encourages involvement in activities on campus and in the Claremore area. Going Greek means your college career will involve more than textbooks, classrooms, athletics, and social functions.

By the Numbers

Since 1825

All but two US presidents and two US vice presidents have been Greek

30%

US Congressmen/women who are Greek

42%

US Senators who are Greek

40%

Total Supreme Court Justices who have been Greek

30%

Fortune 500 Executives who are Greek

10%

People listed in Who’s Who are Greek

71%

Percentage of Greeks who graduate college (while only about 50% of non-Greeks do)

100%

Apollo 11 astronauts who were Greek

2%

Percentage of Greeks who make up the US population

Famous Greeks

These are just a few of the famous people that were in a fraternity or sorority when they attended college.

Bob Barker
Bob Hope
Elvis Presley
Ronald Regan
George Bush
Burt Reynolds
Jim Carey
John Wayne
Amy Grant
Les Paul
Merv Griffin
Paul Newman
Harrison Ford
Rosa Parks
Harry Truman
Robert Frost
Gladys Knight

John Ritter
Ted Koppel
Andy Rooney
Dick Clark
Dr. Seuss
Bill Cosby
Paul Simon
Kevin Costner
Willie Nelson
Jon Stewart
Sam Elliot
Oscar Meyer
Payne Stewart
James Dean
John Elway
Bette Midler
David Spade

Warren Beatty
Terry Bradshaw
Georgia O’Keefe
Aretha Franklin
William Faulkner
Nelson Mandela
Heather Locklear
David Letterman
Farrah Fawcett
Rev. Jessie Jackson
Stephen Spielberg
Matthew McConaghey
Langston Hughes
Orville Redenbacker
Gen. George S. Patton
Dr. George Washington Carver
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Why go Greek?

Many college students ask this same question. Greek life offers the opportunity to come in contact with new people who share similar interests and values and who will become your friend for life. Fraternities and sororities bring out the best in their members through strong friendships and common goals.

Greek organizations have an impact on their member’s lives in many ways, offering them learning and life experiences through community service, friendship, leadership, recruitment, scholarship, and social activities.

Community Service

Each Greek organization at RSU actively supports a national philanthropy and participates in several community service projects. The projects are one of the most rewarding aspects of being a member of a Greek organization. The philanthropies are service projects that provide sorority and fraternity members with the opportunity to help others who are less fortunate than them. Working together on these projects benefit all those involved and fosters a greater unity among chapter members.

Friendship

Greek life is a time when friendships are cemented and closed ties are woven between members through living, studying, working, and competing together. These relationships go beyond ordinary friendship and become like those of a family…often lasting a lifetime. Participating in Greek life in college gives you a connection to other Greeks and often provides professional and personal networking opportunities.

Social Life

For many students, the Greek social life helps to make college a more fulfilling experience. The Greek social life includes sports intramurals, date functions, basketball games, and other organized social activities. Social activities are definitely one of the fun parts of being in a fraternity or sorority but remember there is a lot more that makes up a chapter than the social life.

Leadership

You will learn important skills and get a chance to practice them as a chapter officer or committee member. Membership in a Greek organization provides an excellent place to gain experience and knowledge, which is necessary for successful leadership. As a student involved in Greek life at RSU you will have many opportunities. Through your involvement, you will find that many Greeks are the driving force in Student Government and also hold positions in honorary societies, campus organizations, and athletics. If you are the type of person who likes to make decisions and be part of the action, then becoming a member of a Greek organization is for you.

Scholarship

The primary reason for attending college is to receive a good education, and the Greek organizations at RSU have a strong tradition of high academic standards. Each chapter promotes education through its own scholarship programs and study hours. They devote many hours to helping their members achieve academic excellence. Not only is academics promoted at the university level, but also each national organization highly promotes scholarship.

How to Go Greek

Recruitment week is a time for you to meet the members of RSU’s Greek community. It is an opportunity to meet many students from each group and learn about the many advantages of Greek Life and what the Greek experience has meant to them.

It is a time for students to:

  • ask questions
  • define financial obligations
  • define time commitments
  • define membership requirements

As someone going through recruitment, you should remember that Greek Life offers you the opportunity to grow and develop. Be careful in selecting the group to which you belong. You should seek to join the organization that you will benefit from and contribute too most easily.

It should be clear that there is no such thing as “best group on campus”. Every person will have their own best chapter – one that represents their own individual interests and needs. Do not let your friends or families influence your decision.

Recruitment is a mutual selection process for joining a Greek organization. Through participating in the various recruitment activities, you will be able to familiarize yourself with the different membership options available to you.

Remember that the recruitment period can be hectic, but it is definitely worth it! You should plan your time schedule for recruitment in advance, making sure that you allow plenty of time for studying before the activities. Scholarship is very important to every Greek organization.