CORTLAND, NY (05/06/2008)(readMedia)-- When many people hear the words “fraternity” or “sorority,” visions of the movie “National Lampoon’s Animal House” with its burnt-down houses, kegs of beer on the front lawn, and its wild and crazy party animals, come to mind.

At SUNY Cortland, more than 300 fraternity brothers and sorority sisters are proving those popular images do not reflect the reality of their organizations.

“Being Greek is being a leader by choice so we have to live up to those expectations and get rid of the stereotypes that just label us and bring us down,” said Russ Daniels, president of the College’s oldest recognized fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi.

Daniels and the rest of the Greeks at SUNY Cortland volunteer in the community and fundraise for numerous foundations while gaining leadership skills.

The College boasts four social fraternities, including Pi Kappa Phi, Delta Chi, Lambda Upsilon Lambda multicultural fraternity, Kappa Sigma and one co-educational service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. It houses four sororities: Delta Phi Epslion, Alpha Phi, Sigma Delta Tau, Nu Sigma Chi, and the Omega Phi Beta latina sorority interest group.

Many local agencies, including the YMCA, YWCA, Cortland Youth Bureau, SPCA and the J.M. McDonald Sports Complex, benefit from services provided by the College’s fraternities and sororoities. The City of Cortland’s first annual Chill-A-Bration was a success with the help from Delta Chi, Delta Phi Epsilon, Alpha Phi, Nu Sigma Chi, Alpha Phi Omega, Kappa Sigma and Omega Phi Beta. These chapters ran tables, staffed games and sold merchandise throughout the day. The YMCA in Cortland holds an annual Family Fun Night with the help of Delta Phi Epsilon and Pi Kappa Phi.

The J.M. McDonald Sports Complex in Cortland hosted its second annual WinterFest, a carnival filled with games and contests for children around the area. Sigma Delta Tau, Nu Sigma Chi and Delta Chi volunteered to set up, facilitate and break down the event.

“The help from the Greek community is invaluable and we could not do the festival without them,” said Sue Covington, office manager and event planner for the complex.

In April, Delta Phi Epsilon held its first-ever “65 Roses” dinner in Corey Union to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The women invited David Compton, executive director of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Central New York Chapter, to speak about the disease and the importance of fundraising for medical research.

"I was very fortunate to be able to plan an event like this,” said Mollie O’Brien, vice president of programming and a sister in Delta Phi Epsilon, which raised $864 for the foundation. “Since it was our first year planning 65 Roses, we had a good turnout, but I think in the future it will become more successful. Hopefully, we can raise more awareness and more money for Cystic Fibrosis."

This past fall, Delta Chi raised $1,660 through its Homecoming Queen competition for The V Foundation and Relay for Life, which both support cancer research.

Beyond the benefit to the greater Cortland community, the SUNY Cortland students are acquiring skills that will serve them well following graduation.

“Every member of a fraternity or sorority has the chance to take on a leadership position,” said junior Ed Reiser, president of the national award-winning chapter of Delta Chi.

Meghan Ida, president of the Delta Phi Epsilon, said that joining a sorority has given her the opportunity to fine-tune her leadership skills.

“Being Greek means more to me than most accomplishments I've ever made,” she noted. “It has also taught me a lot about myself and what I am capable of as far as my leadership skills.”

“Being Greek doesn't just stay in Cortland,” said Courtney Jensen, president of Alpha Phi. “No matter where I go, I represent my chapter and continue to meet more Greeks. I have met some from all over the country and have been able to learn from all of them.”

“Being Greek means always living up to the ideals of an individual’s respective organization and is a lifetime commitment,” said Sandra Wohlleber, assistant director of Campus Activities and Greek Affairs. “Every chapter at SUNY Cortland has a potential for greatness.”

The future for the Greek system at SUNY Cortland looks promising. Recently, Kappa Sigma and Omega Phi Beta interest group were added as viable options, while another, National Panhellenic Conference sorority, will be added in Fall 2008. Wohlleber trusts that new groups will give students a wider range of options to choose from, helping to fill that void for underrepresented students.

For more information about Greek Life at SUNY Cortland, contact Wohlleber at (607) 753-5574 or email wohllebers@cortland.edu.

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Posted Tuesday May 06, 2008 at 01:19 pm by SUNY Cortland