Megan

Neely
The Purdue Odyssey
Go Greek, Go Lead

Joining a fraternity or sorority is a big decision a person has to make when coming to college. Especially a
big college like Purdue, whose student population consists of almost 40,000 students, where a large portion of
those students are involved in Greek life. According to the Purdue Greek Organization, between the Interfraternity
Council, Panhellenic Council, the Multicultural Greek Council, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, there are over
79 organizations to choose from. So the decision comes to whether or not your plans are to be a part of those
statistics. The question comes to mind, Why join? Why make that decision to devote yourself to a life of
representing those few Greek letters. What does that even mean? Well, joining a fraternity or sorority means what
you want it to mean. Whether it comes to sisterhood or brotherhood, opportunity or philanthropy, a sense of
belonging or the desire for friends, the choice becomes yours for why you want to join.
One thing most students forget is the role they play when they join the organization. They realize they dont
really know what their role is, where it will take place, or how to obtain leadership within such a broad group of
people. But in a fraternity or sorority, whether you are involved in office or not, leadership probably takes the
biggest toll on how the chapter is shaped within your four years of membership. It is what you make of it. And
being involved with a chapter of dedicated, motivated, driven, and responsible leaders, is the best way you will
want to spend those four years in a fraternity or sorority.
Integrating her pledge class within the major decisions made for the chapter, as well as getting the chapter
involved with their mission of cardiac care awareness, sophomore Alpha Phi, Emma Young, has big goals, as she
becomes the new VP of marketing for the sorority. I love the fact that I can represent my sisters and that I can
contribute to the success of Alpha Phi as a whole.
According to Kappa Delta Rho sophomore, Brian Gunderson, leadership for him is seen more on campus,
rather than within the chapter, itself. I see myself making a difference by taking on bigger leadership
opportunities on campus, and making philanthropies more of a priority. He feels that as his position of
philanthropy chair, he wants his role assigned within the chapter, to be involved with whats going on outside the
chapter. He obtains leadership through BGR, PUDM and the American Advertising Federation. My role within the
chapter is to get involved with campus organizations so it can reflect well on KDR, Gunderson said.
Although all ways of elections and appointing may be different for every chapter, the concept is all the
same. The traditions were established in order to bring out the best leaders in each chapter, and have them
continue on the success that each gradating class started and has now left behind. When joining one of these
organizations, its important to think of your role and to think of what you want your role to potentially be. Not
only that, but to find good reasons for wanting to take on that role.
Avik Maewall, a sophomore in Sigma Chi, explains how its important for all active members to take a
leadership position in the house. Because during rush, you receive your bid based on the fact that you are going to
be a beneficial asset to your chapter. Maewall is the Scholarship Chair, which is similar to the academic chair, and
explains how you grow as a person when you run for a leadership position. It gives you practice for what will
happen in real life within your career in the future. You realize that through these positions, you learn to earn the
support of all members within your chapter, and that all of those people are helping you to live up to the best of
your leadership capability. He explains, Everyone develops an unmatchable pride in their chapter for the rest of
their lives. You will be reaping these benefits from participating in Greek life, so while youre here as an active
member, everyone should feel the urge to run for a position. Everyone should be apart of the movement of making
your house the best that it can be.
Whether youre in office or not, your role will always matter. You are a member of this chapter, and you
were asked to be here to make a difference. You were asked to be a member in hopes of bettering the chapter and
continuing on the success it has obtained on campus. So take advantage of that. Take advantage of those
opportunities given to you; to be a leader, to be a friend, to embrace the brotherhood or sisterhood that was
handed to you. No matter which reason you decided to join your chapter, no matter which role you decided to take
on a member, you will look back after those four years and realize it was the best decision you could have made.