Chi Psi
• Bill Belichick – NFL Coach

Delta Chi
• Ashton Kutcher – Actor
• Kevin Costner – Actor

Delta Kappa Epsilon
• George H. W. Bush – Former President
• George W. Bush – Former President
• J.P. Morgan – Entrepreneur
• Dick Clark – Entertainer


Delta Tau Delta
• Drew Carey – Entertainer
• Matthew McConaughey – Actor
• Will Ferrell – Actor


Delta Upsilon
• Tommy Hilfiger – Designer

Kappa Sigma
• Edward R. Murrow – Journalist
• Jimmy Buffett – Singer
• Robert Redford – Actor
• Ted Turner – Entrepreneur

Lambda Chi Alpha
• Benjamin Bratt – Actor
• Kenny Chesney – Singer
• Will Forte – Actor

Pi Kappa Alpha
• Colonel Sanders – Founder KFC
• Bobby Bowden – College Football Coach
• Tim McGraw – Singer
• Jeremy Piven – Actor

Phi Gamma Delta
• Jack Nicklaus – Professional Golfer
• Donald Trump – Entrepreneur
• Matthew Fox – Actor
• Johnny Carson – Entertainer

Phi Kappa Tau
• Paul Newman – Actor, Entrepreneur
• Bob Hope, Entertainer

Psi Upsilon
• Bud Wilkenson – College Football Coach

Sigma Alpha Epsilon
• David Spade – Actor
• Fred Savage – Actor
• Nick Lachey – Singer
• Troy Aikman – Former Pro Football Player

Sigma Chi
• Brad Pitt – Actor
• Andy Rooney – Journalist
• David Letterman – Entertainer
• Mike Ditka – Former Pro Football Player
• Tom Selleck – Actor
• Warren Beatty – Actor
• Matt Groening- Simpson’s Creator

Sigma Nu
• Eli Manning – Pro Football Player
• Paul Rudd – Actor

Sigma Phi Epsilon
• Dave Thomas – Founder of Wendy’s
• Dr. Seuss – Author
• James Naismith – Creator of Basketball

Tau Kappa Epsilon
• Elvis Presley – Singer
• Les Paul – Musician
• Willie Nelson – Singer
• Ronald Reagan – Former President

Enjoy the footage from a Kappa Alpha Psi Show

Prophyte Entrance

Neophyte Entrance

The process of joining a Greek letter organization varies greatly from organization to organization.  Members of IFC or PC traditionally begin with a recruitment period.  It’s commonly at the very beginning of the semesters and is more commonly known as “rush week.” Usually filled with different events and activities designed for members and potential members to learn about each other and the organization. At the end of this period which last a week, organizations hand out bids to those they want to join their organization.

For most organizations belonging to other councils, the process is a bit different.  Most of their recruitment takes place a bit after the traditional rush.  Most orgs have informational sessions where interested people can get a chance to learn more about the different organizations.  At that point the varying next steps that those potential new member need to complete to move along in the process are given.  Then, just like PC and IFC, invitations to commence an intake process are handed out, and so the journey begins.

While there’s no way to cover every tradition, we hope to have given you a better glimpse into the significant traditions in greek lettered organizations.

Up next we’ll talk about why you should, or shouldn’t become greek.  So stay tuned.

Creativity is the only limit to what the theme for the social/mixer could be.  To paint a better picture I’ll give you a few examples of some popular and often used ideas.

Nuts and Bolts

Once you have the number of people participating, you buy variations of nots and bolts.   The gentlemen get either the nuts or bolts, and the ladies get the other.  Then through out the evening, your mission is to find the person with your respective missing part.

Red Light Special

In a red light Special all the attendees wear red,  yellow, or green tops.  All depending on their relationship status.  Red means you are not single, yellow means you’re somewhere in between, and green signifies you’re “Single and ready to mingle.”  The idea isn’t necessarily for everyone to pair up and wind up on dates, but it is a fun twist on a theme.  Hilarity often ensues when you see what attire your brothers or sisters choose to wear.

Woodsers
Woodsers are normally a spring time event. Different organization have several variations on it, however, the premise is basically going on a camping trip. Some organizations head back home in the late evening/early morning, others actually set up tents, start a fire, and have the full camping experience.

Formals
Formals are normally take place in the fall. As it’s name eludes, it is a formal event. It’s basically a college greeks prom. Each hosted by the respective fraternity or sorority. The traditional formal even fan-fare is included: formal attire, a nice meal, and some time on the dance floor. Another nice tradition tied to Formals are the announcement of invitees. Most of the IFC organizations dress up in formal attire and make the rounds to the different sorority houses, offering a flower, or some other symbolic gesture to the young lady invited to formal. All adding to the magic of a very special date function.

Here’s a video of the brothers of Sigma Lambda Beta at Dickinson College

Saluting is a tradition common to many Latino-Greek Organizations. The tradition of saluting originated with the first Latin fraternity, Lambda Theta Phi, according to the book Latino by Birth, Lambda by Choice written by Jesus Pena, Esq. The purpose of Saluting is two-fold.  First, it allows members of an organization to praise another member within their fraternity or sorority. Secondly, it also allows members to display honor and respect to their organization’s accomplishments. Members themselves write the salutes. It’s not uncommon to find lyrics or a play on words of a contemporary song included in the salute. Once the words for the salute are prepared, the next step is to incorporate organized motions  synchronized with the salute. Typically there are several individuals performing the salute.  All those performing will synchronize their movements to appear as one united group. You may often witness a salute  at a “coming out show” or party hosted by one of the many organizations who include Saluting as an important tradition.

Check out a salute written and performed by the brothers of Lambda Theta Phi from both Pi and Epsilon Chapters.

Have you ever been to a club,and watched people dancing in a line, performing the same dance moves? Then you may have seen a “stroll” or “party-walk.”  Strolling is a tradition that can be traced back to the early 1900′s.  Like stepping, it has also been linked to Black Greek organizations like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA); which is the first historically black Greek sorority. It’s a tradition that has had wide appeal and is performed by many organizations to this day, not just those in the NPHC.

The way that strolling works is by having brothers or sisters of a particular Greek organization create a single file line. They then begin to move forward through the club in unison; united in dance motions or alternating dance moves. Strolling is obviously a coordinated production.  For it to work, all members performing must know every step of the choreographed stroll. It differs from stepping in that music is used and the military-like formations of stepping aren’t seen. The moves used during a stroll are typically rooted in the traditions of a particular organization, reflecting the significance of brotherhood or sisterhood.

Here’s a video of the University of Georgia AKA’s strolling.

Today, We’ll examine Stepping.

“Stomp..Clap, Clap, Stomp, Clap Clap, Stomp, Stomp….” Stepping is a tradition where performers synchronize their moves choreographing a dance, most often without music. This all comes together to incorporate clapping, stomping their feet, jumps.   The end result of that mix of sounds and motions produce complex rhythms and sounds through a mixture of footsteps, spoken word, and hand claps.

Stepping is a tradition that dates back to the first historically Black Greek organizations. No specific date for the origin of this tradition can be traced.   Some black greek organizations feel that this tradition can be traced back to Africa and customary tribal dances. Historians like Elizabeth C. Fine Ph.D who wrote the book Soulstepping: African American Step Shows feel the roots of stepping in greek culture did not begin until the 1920′s, and did not further develop until the 1940′s.  Fine lists the first reference to “stepping” as an article printed in 1925 on the Howard University newspaper, The Hilltop. It indicates that it was Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity who made their pledges sing and dance around campus in a rhythmic form like stepping.

Stepping is rooted within the competitive schoolyard song and dance rituals practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, beginning in the early-1900s. Today stepping performances can be rather intricate with organizations using props like blindfolds, machete knives, canes, and other items to take their performance to another level.  Don’t miss an opportunity to check out a competition if you get a chance!

Here’s a stepping performance by the Sigma Chapter of Pi Delta Psi at AASA 2008