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Colgate’s Greek Community dates back to 1856 when the university’s first fraternity was chartered. In the century and a half since, many students have chosen to join the school’s fraternities and sororities keeping the Greek community active, engaged, and energized. Below are a few of the factors that lead students to join Colgate’s Greek Life community.
Residential
Members of Greek organizations reside together in facilities that are university owned and managed. The residential aspect of Greek Life is an integral part of the overall experience. Residential factors that make Greek Life unique include:
- Separate meal plans, each organization has its own dining program with most houses employing their own cook
- Large common rooms and shared space minimizing the “dorm” aspect of housing
- Day-to-day responsibility of facilities as well as increased accountability
- Community, imagine living in a house of 30 of your closest friends
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Academics
Joining a fraternity or sorority at Colgate does not mean GPAs are left at the door. Some of the academic benefits associated with Greek Life include:
- Scholarships and awards provided by some houses to promote academic success
- Gamma Sigma Alpha, a National Academic Greek Honor Society (GSA), chartered at Colgate to recognize outstanding scholars within the fraternity/sorority community
- Faculty receptions held by some chapters to build a relationship between Greeks and Professors
- National Honors Societies such as Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Eta Sigma have had numerous Greek inductees
- Scholarship programs are maintained by many chapters to help brothers and sisters when they struggle academically
Philanthropy
Members of Colgate’s Greek system put an enormous amount of effort into philanthropic work in the Hamilton and Colgate communities. Chapter’s most successful events include:
- Row for Hope
- Party for Pink
- Global Aids Awareness Campaign
- SAVE the VOTE Campaign
- Delta Duck Derby
- Pumpkin Grams
- Carnation Candy Grams
- Pancake Breakfast
- Rain Forest Partnership
- Christmas Grams
- Trunk Sale
- Kappa Kisses
- Clothing Sales
- Triple play Kickball Tournament
- And more!!!
Leadership
As a member of a Greek-letter organization, one has many opportunities to develop leadership skills and to use those skills in the Colgate community.
- Student government, the current student body President and Vice President are both Greeks
- Leadership positions in various student organizations (e.g., Colgate 13\Discords, Democracy Matters, Maroon News, WRCU Radio station, and more!!)
- Serving in various positions as a member of the Residence Life Student Staff
- Serving as Tour Guides and Ambassadors for the Colgate Admissions Office
- Volunteering in various organizations (e.g., Outdoor Education, the COVE, Links Staff)
Networking
The Colgate Connection is a valuable resource for students once they leave Hamilton allowing other Colgate Grads to connect to a students background by merely knowing that they too went to Colgate. Greek Letter Organizations similarly connect students to
- Alumni provide for their undergraduate brothers and sisters and stay in frequent contact with their chapters
- National Greek Letter organizations, students are connected to a broad network of other Greeks in their Organization that went to Universities from around the country
- Greeks get ahead, consider the fact that all but 4 presidents since 1825 have been fraternity men
Social
Last but not least is the social aspect of Greek Life. College is a transitional period in everyone’s life bringing children to adulthood. Fraternities and sororities provide a setting for students to grow together to adulthood.
- Greeks outside of the classroom participate in various varsity and intramural sports such as soccer, basketball, crew, lacrosse, and squash.
- Beta Theta Pi Fraternity hosts it's annual Beta Beach event as a welcome back to school event.
- Phi Kappa Tau hosts its annual Party 4 Pink event each spring to raise awareness, funds for cancer research.
- Many chapters host various performance groups during the annual Spring Party Weekend.
- Greeks participate in Greek Week activities which include a philanthropic focus and competitive events
- Residents within the Broad Street Initiative co-host various educational and social dinners between Greek- and college-themed houses along Broad Street.