By No doubt, letters out.
With all the negative news flooding the press in wake of recent campus controversy and Greek life being at the forefront of pessimistic gossip, members of sororities and fraternities still wear their letters with pride.
As the Long Beach Police Department investigates allegations of sexual assault at a recent Kappa Sigma party, the prevalence of Greek letters being repped on campus doesn’t seem to have decreased.
People assume sorority and fraternity members are required to wear their Greek-related shirts, jackets and baseball caps while at school, but that is not necessarily the case.
Greeks are known to wear their gear on campus for the majority of the semester, not just during Week of Welcome and semester recruitment. Second-year student Kathleen Hoang, a member of Alpha Omicron Pi, said wearing the gear can be used to keep members accountable for their actions, which makes it less of a chore and more of a personal responsibility.
“There’s this negative stigma with Greek life. People think that if you are in a sorority or a fraternity you party a lot and aren’t very responsible,” Hoang said. “When we wear our letters, what we really want to do is show that we are good students and good friends.”
The letters can be used to spot fellow members or spark an interest in those who are curious about the Greek system. Greeks said they are willing to answer any questions other students have about joining, and if their T-shirts started that discussion, then they are worth wearing.
“We are more than just Greek letters, we are more than just a sorority,” ASI Vice President and Lambda Theta Alpha member Miriam Hernandez said. “There is no pressure [to wear our letters] because of the pride. You want to rock them.”
Many Greeks expressed an overwhelming amount of passion when discussing their sorority or fraternity. The sense of fellowship seemed to be the main topic of conversation.
“It’s just that you are a part of something bigger than yourself. For me, back in high school I was a part of a team, and I think the rest of the girls were a part of a sports team. You feel a sense of pride because you’re representing a community you really, really love,” Jeannie Bui of Gamma Phi Beta said.
Most of the Greeks pride themselves on building a positive community within their own group, while also reaching out and helping the community around them.
Each fraternity and sorority under the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils support national philanthropies through regular fundraisers held on or near the CSULB campus.
These fundraisers range from internal, food-based events held throughout Long Beach to on-campus demonstrations that directly involve non-Greek students. Recently, Delta Zeta sorority was recognized for raising $1,500 in donations for Starkey Hearing Foundation with a single event.
Closer to home, efforts such as beach cleanups and tree planting events are commonplace for Greeks.
“I feel really proud wearing my letters. Going through the recruiting process, I feel like I’ve earned it and it gives meaning to them,” Alfonzo Aguilar of Delta Chi said
Each sorority and fraternity caters to different personalities and may provide social acceptance, business networking and personal development to students at any point of their undergraduate career. Some Greek affiliations are overseen on a national level, and some independent organizations are more culturally based to provide a safe unit for those seeking a community rooted their ethnic background.
Despite all the controversy surrounding Greeks, they are still expressing support for their sororities and fraternities in a very visual way.
