Greek Life: Sorority Literacy

1. Greek Life: Sorority Literacy Amy Flynn

2. Overview • Definition of Sorority Discourse • History • Regular activities of Sorority Women • What Sorority’s Stand For • Society Perceptions Of Sorority Women • The Future of Sororities

3. Sorority Discourse • A group of university women that come together for social reasons. • Recruitment • Ritualsand Sisterhood • It’s a discourse within a discourse • A language of its own (Its all Greek to Me)

4. Past • Women formed these “Secret Societies’ Form various motives • The main idea was to have a self governing organization • Infiltrating particular social circles • Female identity among male dominated society

5. Present • Mission Statement • (Example) Fraternity is an organization of women, which seeks for every member throughout her life bonds of friendship, mutual support, opportunities for self-growth, respect for intellectual development and an understanding of and an allegiance to positive ethical principles.

6. Outsider • Interviewee #1 • Cost • The feeling of insincerity and fake • Interviewee #2 • Don’t really know about it • Stories of Hazing/Partying Questions: Would you join a sorority? Why or why not? What is who perception of a sorority girl? Where do you believe you got this perception? (last two answered on next slide)

7. Outsider • Stereotypes/Media • Drinking/Partying • “Paying for friends” • Getting the “Mrs.” Degree • Hazing • Daddy’s Credit Card

8. Insider • Interviewee #2 • Involvement in so much more. • Opportunities for career connections • Exposure to diversity of involvement • Scholarship Opportunities • Self Governing organizations • Interviewee #4 • Sisterhood Bonds • Volunteering for Communities • Held to a high standard Questions: 1. Why did you join a sorority? 2. What benefits do you feel come from being involved in a Greek organization? Negatives? 3.What do you think are the Societal perceptions of Greek Life?

9. Insider • Lots of involvement within chapter • Requirements are extensive • Dues • Grades • Standards • Attendance

10. Statistics of Development • About 1800- 7% of the total full-time undergraduate student population are Greek • Raised $53,404 for Make-A-Wish Foundation for Greek Week • Volunteered over 30,000 community service hours and raised over $100,000 for other philanthropies • Had nearly 700 programs and events • Attained a 3.141 All-Greek GPA, exceeding the All-University average • 1,364 (63%) of Greeks were in one or more other campus or community organizations, and hold over 600 leadership positions • Over $100,000 in merit- and need-based scholarships was awarded by our fraternities and sororities to their members • 13 of our fraternities and sororities were recognized by their national fraternity or other inter/national fraternal conference for organizational and individual member excellence.

11. Future • Future of Sororities is ever evolving • The identity of each Greek Organization is different in each organization • The number of chapters and new charters is ever growing • Here at the University of Cincinnati the number of women going through Formal Sorority Rush is getting larger every year • At UC the “small” Greek community impacts the Campus and City tremendously

12. Sources • Interviews with 2 Non affiliated and 2 Members • "Greek Life, University of Cincinnati." Greek Life, University of Cincinnati. University of Cincinnati. Web. 06 June 2012. <http://www.uc.edu/greeklife.html>.