There are many reasons to go Greek, but here a few of the bigger highlights with advice from some of the top universities in the nation. The Top Five Reasons to go Greek:

1. Leadership

There are many opportunities for students of Greek organizations to become leaders. Leadership opportunities are also available in various other campus organizations and activities. Each year, members of Greek organizations are found among the campus leaders and officers in every phase of the University, including Student Government, academic honor societies, and various other organizations. Greek Life enables it members to learn how to live and work within a group environment. It can also help the members gain planning skills and teach you how to manage your time. The leadership knowledge and skills you gain through your experience will prove invaluable and rewarding during your college career and beyond.

2. Scholarship

The mission of the University is to provide a solid learning environment for its students, and Greek organizations provide a network of support to succeed academically. Serious scholarship and academic excellence are encouraged among all students. A variety of incentives and programs are designed to help all members reach their fullest potential. Dedicate yourself first to academics, as its academic rewards will ensure a more enjoyable college experience, as well as a successful future. Greek life is a commitment to scholarship excellence.

3. Community Service

Greek organizations  pride themselves on community service participation; it has been a corner stone of the Greek experience since its founding days. Philanthropy projects are events in which the Greek community as a whole or as individual chapters donates their time and efforts to raise money for a variety of worthwhile causes. Throughout the year, Greek organizations strive to strengthen the relationship with the community by increasing individual member involvement in local causes and events. Participation in such events provide meaningful learning experiences for all.

4. Brotherhood / Sisterhood
Brotherhood / Sisterhood is more than wearing Greek letters, attending meetings, and participating in activities. It is the joining of individuals in love and friendship, striving for similar goals that draw them together as one strong unit. It is the opportunity for you to meet new people and appreciate their individuality while sharing a common bond. You will learn many things about yourself and what it means to have shared lifetime commitments to the same values. Your brothers/sisters will be a part of your life for many years to come and will help you to create some wonderful memories throughout your college career and beyond. Each organization has something unique to offer, just as you have something unique to offer them.

5. Social
Social opportunities are another way for all organizations to come together and interact with others. Some of these activities include Retreats, Greek Week, athletic competitions, alumnae gatherings, mixers with other Greek organizations, step shows, and formals. By interacting with the Greek community, members gain friendships with people from other organizations. This creates a closer bond among the community and helps the organizations support one another’s events. Through these activities, Greek organizations fulfill their goal of bringing together a group of people to build their values, while enjoying the bonds of friendship.

The Phi Beta Kappa Society, founded on 5 December 1776, at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, is generally recognized to be the first Greek-letter student society in North America. It was founded by John Heath, who had failed at admission to the two existing Latin-letter fraternities at the College, the F.H.C. Society (nicknamed as backronym the “Flat Hat Club“) and the P.D.A. Society (nicknamed “Please Don’t Ask”). The main developments associated with Phi Beta Kappa are the use of Greek-letter initials as a society name and the establishment of branches or “chapters” at different campuses, following the pattern set by Masonic lodges.

The Greek letters (ΦΒΚ) come from the motto Φιλοσοφία Βίου Κυβερνήτης (philosophia biou kybernētēs, “Philosophy is the helmsman of life”), now officially translated as “Philosophy is the guide of life”. Greek was chosen as the language for the motto due generally to classical education at the time, and specifically because Heath “was the best Greek scholar in college.” One official historian of the society, William T. Hastings, and some others believe that the society was originally knows by the Latin name Societas Philosophiae (Philosophical Society), and that the name Phi Beta Kappa only came to be taken as the society name over time. This use of Greek letters was briefly preceded by the use of Latin letters, notably the F.H.C. Society drawing its name from its secret motto, presumed to be “Fraternitas, Humanitas, et Cognitio” or “Fraternitas Humanitas Cognitioque” (two renderings of “brotherhood, humaneness, and knowledge”.

However, Phi Beta Kappa was very different from a typical college fraternity of today in that the membership was generally restricted to upperclassmen, if not seniors; and men who had been initiated as students continued to be active in the society after becoming members of the faculty of the host university. The annual Phi Beta Kappa exercises at Yale were public literary exercises, with as many or more faculty members of the society than undergraduate.

As Phi Beta Kappa developed it came to be an influential association of faculty and select students on several college campuses, with membership becoming more of an honor and less of social selection. The increasing influence of the society came to be seen by many as undemocratic and contrary to the free flow of intellectual ideas in American academia, and, as a curious side effect of the anti-masonic controversy of the early Republic, the secrets of Phi Beta Kappa in the appendix to a book published in 1831. After that time, Phi Beta Kappa ceased to be a social fraternity in any real sense and is now only an honorary society, although prominent and respected.

Leadership is critical to Greek development. These are a few pointers from the classic book How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Building Personal Relationships

Never criticize, condemn or complain.
-Self-criticism is extremely rare. Your criticism won’t be welcome.
-Criticism makes others defensive and resentful.
-Positive Reinforcement works better.

Become genuinely interested in other people.
-People are most interested in themselves.
-Remember people’s birthdays and other important details.

Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.
-Find the interests of others and talk about those things.
-If you know nothing of their interests, ask intelligent questions.

Be a good listener.
-Give your exclusive attention to others.
-Urge others to talk about themselves. Ask pointed questions.

Make the other person feel important.
-People yearn to feel important and appreciated.
-Praise others’ strengths and they’ll strive to reinforce your opinion.

Use Names whenever possible.

Smile.
-Greet others with smiles and enthusiasm.
-Smiling comes through even over the phone.

Selling your Ideas: Establish a Space for Cooperation

Avoid arguments: you can only lose.
-Arguers will defend and embrace their previous positions.
-Even “winning” will hurt the loser’s pride and build resentment.

A Guide to avoiding arguments:
1. Welcome the disagreement. Be thankful for a new opinion.
2. Stay calm.
3. Listen first. Hear your opponents out.
4. Identify areas of agreement.
5. Admitting errors will make it easier for others to admit theirs.
6. If no resolution is found, postpone action and promise to explore the opposing perspective.

Begin in a friendly way.
-Open conversation with sincere praise, appreciation and sympathy.
-A friendly tone will allow others to broach discussions more openly.

Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
-Eagerly listen to concerns to diffuse tension and build relationships.
-Others need to finish spilling their ideas before listening to you.

Be sympathetic.
-Most people hunger for sympathy.
-Tell them: “I’d feel the same way under those circumstances.”

Respect others’ opinions. Never say, “You’re wrong.”
-People don’t like to admit they’re wrong and may take it personally.

If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
-Demonstrate your willingness to rationally examine the facts.
-If another is about to criticize you, don’t let them start!
-A harsh self-rebuke may prompt the others to soften their critiques.
-Admitting errors clears guilt and everyone to move forward quickly.

Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.
-Another’s perspective and motivation is the key to understanding their decisions, agenda and personality.

Frame requests in terms of what others find motivating.
-Ask yourself: “Why would someone want to do what I’m asking?”

Selling your Ideas: Closing the Deal

Get the other person saying “yes, yes” as soon as possible.
-Emphasize things all parties already agree on.
-You will build momentum toward acceptance.

Dramatize your ideas.
-It helps to make a visual, visceral demonstration.

Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
-People are more committed to their own ideas.
-Make suggestions and let others come to the desired conclusion.

Appeal to the nobler motives.
-Appeal to ideals: a mother’s love, personal character, integrity, etc.

Throw down a challenge.
-Stimulate competition among co-workers.
-Challenge someone’s capabilities/self-perceptions.

Leadership: Giving Criticism & Driving Improvement

Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
-It is easier to take criticism after some praise.
-Look for things done well before calling attention to failings.

Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
-The burden of criticism is easier to bear when shared.
-It’s motivating when another has overcome the same challenges.

Call attention to people’s errors indirectly.
-Direct, harsh criticism can destroy incentive to improve.
-Suggest alternatives: “How user-friendly will this feature will be?”
-Suggest that the idea isn’t flawed; it’s the environment or situation.

Let the other person save face.
-Others will get defensive for fear of being embarrassed.
-Additionally, always try to give criticism in private.

Make the fault seem easy to correct. Use encouragement.
-Make faults seem easy to correct and new skills easy to learn.

Praise the slightest improvement and every improvement.
-Praise reinforces the development of a desired behavior.
-Make praise as specific as possible.

Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
-Example: “You’re quite capable, but your recent projects aren’t up to your old standards.”
-Respecting others’ capabilities will empower them to succeed.

Leadership: Motivating Others

Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
-Example: “Would it make sense to organize these alphabetically?”
-Try to make the other person happy about doing things you suggest.

Make others feel too important for tasks you don’t want them to do.

Give out titles and authority: make others happy contributors

Step by Step Guide to movtivating others to do tasks:
1. Be Sincere. Don’t promise what you can’t do or deliver.
2. Know preciesly what it is you want the other person to do.
3. Be Empathetic. Try to understand what others want.
4. Focus on any benefits the other person might receive.
5. Explain how those benefits match the other person’s wants.
6. Frame requests to communicate that the other person will personally benefit.