4 Things the News WON’T Tell you about Sorority Girls

On October 13, 2013 Dartmouth College, a prestigious private college in Hanover, New Hampshire, made local headlines for all the wrong reasons. In a publication by Gawker.com, a set of incriminating internal documents written and exchanged by the bothers of Beta Alpha Omega, were leaked to the public. Within the Google documents, carelessly labeled as “public” by the brothers, were detailed descriptions of alcohol-soaked hazing rituals, degrading banter about various Dartmouth women and even an extensive list of brothers pornography preferences.

Scandal and negative attention is nothing new for Dartmouth’s Greek system. In an article published by the Dartmouth student newspaper, the incident is referred to as “routine” stating,  “once again, the nation is confronted with the mind-boggling failures of our Greek system. Once again potential applicants are off-put enough to rethink their college options. And once again, the administration has punished the specific organization or students implicated in the scandal without interrogating the underlying structures that made it all possible.”

Andrew Lohse, a Dartmouth student and fraternity brother, describes his time as a pledge in a tell-all article for the student newspaper. He says that as a pledge, he “ceased to be a human being. Instead, [he] became ‘whale shit.’”  Hazing rituals witnessed and performed by Lohse include, eating omelets made of vomit and chugging cups of vinegar, as for the others…I’ll spare you the repulsion. In regards to the on-going issue of hazing on campus Andrew said, “fraternity life is at the core of the College’s human and cultural dysfunctions.”

In September, after denying sorority membership to an African-American student, The Alpha Gamma Delta chapter at University of Alabama similarly drew negative attention. The denied candidate, as reported by the Crimson White, University of Alabama Student Newspaper, was seemingly flawless, a must have addition to any club or organization. Despite a 4.3 high school GPA, and a family with “deep roots in local and state public service,” the candidate, who wishes to remain anonymous, was apparently “not good enough” to be a sister of Alpha Gamma Delta. She was denied membership, a decision made exclusive by chapter advisors and executive board, because of one outrageous reason not only beyond her control but also insanely obsolete.

While these incidents are without doubt alarming and down right wrong, they are not what I wish the focus of this article to be. Instead I’d like to draw your attention to the good that sororities and fraternities can generate. Specifically, the good that sororities right here on Hawk Hill are generating each day.

Urban Dictionary defines “sorority girl” as, “female college students who are…typically high maintenance and very uppity. Most are spoiled and extremely materialistic. These bleach blondes are extremely loud and spend most of their time shopping and partying with frat boys. Often confused to be sluts…Sorority girls are sometimes extremely protective of their sorority sisters and can only be distracted by a professional wingman.”

This is the stigma that Greek women on Hawk Hill work to demolish every single day.

We all remember Rebecca Martinson, the “deranged sorority girl” who seemed to fit the stereotype perfectly, no exceptions. The author of an unbelievably demeaning, condescending and down right bitchy email addressed to her sisters at the University of Maryland, Rebecca played no part in proving the stereotype wrong. Her words were harsh and they were real. She was hurtful and rude; neither a leader nor a role model.

And while I don’t personally know every woman involved in Greek life at SJU, I can guarantee you wont find a Rebecca Martinson here on campus. What you’ll find instead is a womanhood of devoted leaders, determined students and compassionate friends; a group of individuals who are whole-heartedly concerned with the wellbeing of their “sisters”, themselves and the community where they are placed.

In my 4 years as a sister of Alpha Gamma Delta, I’ve seen endless amounts of good come from the St. Joe’s Greek system. Here are the top 4 “good” things that I’ve seen come from Greek Life at Saint Joseph’s University.

1.     Leadership: Mindy McGuire, president of Alpha Omicron Pi, describes her leadership position as “the best experience…It’s difficult being the “face” of the chapter sometimes…but at the end of the day, the bonds I have with all of the women in my chapter make the technical tasks so worth it. I’ve seen our chapter grow in ways I never thought it could.” Mindy continues saying, “Being a leader of a Greek organization has taught me many valuable lessons that I will carry with me into the business world. I’ve had to run meetings, speak in front of large groups of people, communicate with officers and advisers daily, and find solutions to problems quickly and efficiently.“

Mindy is a senior studying marketing and human capitol. After graduation she hopes to peruse a career in Public Relations or Event Planning. Using the skills she has learned from her course as well as her leadership role in Alpha Omircon Pi, Mindy hopes to someday own her own business. 

2.     Personal Growth: The ideals and traditions upheld by a sorority can help women become better versions of themselves, breaking them out of their shells, allowing them to experience personal growth and new opportunities in ways they never thought possible. For Alyssa Mlotkiewicz of Alpha Phi, Greek life “has allowed me to transition from a girl to a young woman…always knowing that my sisters will have my back; a lot of them helping me not to be so shy!” In regards to her current search for post-graduate employment, Alyssa said  “I have noticed that I am not so afraid to approach potential employers, or executives…Alpha Phi has allowed me to become more cordial, and has helped build my self-confidence tremendously.”

Had she never became a member of Greek Life at SJU, Alyssa knows that she would be a completely different woman than the one she is today. 

3.     Life-Long Commitment: As the saying goes, joining a sorority is not just a “four year” commitment. Instead, it’s “for life.” Alpha Gamma Delta alumna, Tara Mulcahy took this phrase to heart after she graduated from SJU in 2012 and became the Risk Management and Alpha Experience advisor for an AGD chapter on Long Island, New York. “I knew that once I got settled into my job it was time to look for a new way to challenge myself outside of the workplace. Becoming an advisor to an Alpha Gamma Delta chapter was a great avenue for a new challenge and a wonderful opportunity to give back to the organization that has given me so much.”

Tara highly recommends staying involved with your chapter even after graduation. “It is a rewarding experience and a great way for you to stay in touch with your sorority and meet some incredible women from other chapters all throughout the country.”

4.     Philanthropy: Whether it’s AOPi’s Strike-out Arthritis kickball tournament, or Sigma Sigma Sigma’s spring event, the Mr. SJU Pageant, the Greek Life community at St. Joe’s is unconditionally devoted to giving back. Philanthropy events provide a way for Greek chapters to give back to the charities and foundations that are so close to their hearts. This spring, Sigma Sigma Sigma will be raising money and awareness for the Robbie Page Memorial Fund, a foundation that supports play therapy in children’s hospitals. The money collected from admission to their Mr. SJU Pageant, as well as a silent auction that will take place during the show, will be donated directly to the fund. 

Sigma Sigma Sigma sister, Lexie Guistwhite insists, “It’s important that we give back to the organization that has given us so much. Without our philanthropic dedication and efforts, I don’t think my involvement with Greek life would be nearly as meaningful.” At St. Joe’s philanthropy efforts are not a chore, they are not dreaded or forced on anyone. Instead, Greek Life welcomes the opportunity to give back and absolutely cherishes it.

So while the reality of Greek life may be ruthless on some college campuses, we assure you that’s not the case on Hawk Hill. Here, you’ll find outstanding leaders, philanthropists, students and alumni working cohesively to demolish the stereotypes so immensely incorporated into the worlds understanding of the phrase “sorority girl.” You may not hear about them in the news, or read about them on Gawker and BuzzFeed, but they’re out there. And they deserve some attention, too.  

Don’t believe me? Come see for yourself November 25th at “Meet the Sisters”, an event brought to you by SJU’s Pan-Hellenic Council in preparation and excitement for upcoming spring recruitment. Learn what each sorority is all about and become acquainted with the newest member of SJU’s Greek community, Phi Sigma Sigma.