Greek History (and Myth)
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Director of Greek Affairs and Assistant Director of Pesidence Life Jantzen Eddington advises McKendree students to
“Go Greek.”
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McKendree University had completed nearly 10 years of history
as an educational institution before a literary society was formed.
In early January 1837, an invitation was issued to the
student body and seven students attended the first meeting.
These seven pioneers elected leaders, appointed a committee
to draft a constitution and called themselves Philosophian—lovers
of learning. The group grew to 31 members in a year and was
followed by the founding of other literary societies. Over
the years, McKendree’s literary societies grew into modern
fraternities and sororities.
Although the most broadly recognized form of Greek society
is of the social nature, types of fraternities include general (social),
service, professional, and honorary. Movies like “Animal House”
mischaracterize Greek life rooted in the literary society tradition.
Most fraternities were founded on dedication to principles such
as community service, academic achievement, and leadership.
McKendree’s societies reflect these fundamental principles in
their dedication to the community, academics and each other.
Members of McKendree’s Greek societies must adhere to set grade
point average, community service and behavior standards.
“These standards are routinely exceeded. For example, members
of our fraternities are required to complete 10 hours of community
service and last spring over 1,000 community service hours were
completed by our Greek societies,” reported McKendree's Director
of Greek Affairs Jantzen Eddington, who also serves as the assistant
director of residence life and the coordinator of the early alert
program.
“The average GPA for Greek societies is higher than that of the
general student body. This is not uncommon since study hours are
the responsibility of the individual organization and it gets to be a bit
of a competition among the groups,” explained Eddington. “They
will have a stronger connection to the campus, the university, their
peers and the Greek organization.”
Emily Thoman, a McKendree sophomore from Edwardsville, Ill. and
proud member of Kappa Lambda Iota (KLI, also known as Clio or the
Clionian Literary Society), agrees.
“All the sisters are so closely knit,” said Thoman. “Every moment is
absolutely irreplaceable and the memories are everlasting. This is
what sisterhood and strong bonds of friendship are all about.”
Participation in McKendree’s Greek life provides valuable lessons
in leadership, program design and development and opportunities
to work with others toward a shared goal. Greek organizations also
enrich the educational experience through community service.
“The skills learned through fraternity membership are transferable
to the workplace,” Eddington said. “Members are recruiting and
promoting themselves and the organization, working together
towards a common goal, presenting ideas and dealing with others
with diverse backgrounds.”
“Being a part of any Greek organization you get tons of leadership,
scholarship and instant networking opportunities,” Thoman said. “I’ve
learned how to manage and organize different situations and network
with many different groups with all kinds of different interests.”
This experience may explain why many fraternity members have
gone on to successful positions in American society. Eddington
noted a large number of Fortune 500 executives, U.S. presidents
and legislators have participated in Greek societies.
Members of McKendree’s Greek societies develop deep friendships
that continue long after graduation. Whether a member holds an
office or simply carries out her or his fraternal duties, s/he becomes
more responsible and dependable. There is a sense of unity and
loyalty. These characteristics add a fresh and exciting dimension to
university life.
“Going Greek is a big decision, but if it’s right for you, it’s one you’ll
never regret making,” Thoman said. “Being a part of Clio gives me
the opportunity to do more than get a degree, it gives me the chance
to be a part of something great; it is an organization where I can help
myself and others discover who they want to be and where they want
to get in life.”
“All things considered fraternities can fulfill more of your needs than
any other organization on campus,” Eddington said. “Greek life at
McKendree is not about who you are but who you can become.”
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