You may remember Greek Week. You might recall Rock for Tots. You may have heard of Days with the Reds. Death by Chocolate might have been made an appearance in your little black book. These are a few of the many social events and community service programs Gustavus Greeks organize.
On Sunday, May 16 at 7:00 p.m. in Alumni Hall, the Greek Awards Banquet, put on by the Order of Omega, will take place to honor those Greeks who do so much for the campus and the community.
“This year we are changing around the awards night from previous years. In the past it has been a very small event which included a dinner and awards ceremony to celebrate the accomplishment with just nominees and the presidents of the chapters. We felt that since these awards are important, we wanted to showcase them in front of the majority of the Greeks on campus rather than just a select few. As such this year, we have invited all of the Greeks on campus to come together in one location to celebrate the most outstanding accomplishments and events of the year. We hope that in doing this we can encourage more individuals to see what others have accomplished and encourage them to follow suit,” Junior Physics Major and Sigma Alpha Epsilon member Dan Mellema said.
“[The Greeks] do a lot of good things, and it’s important to recognize the things we do,” Junior Philosophy and Physics Major, Sigma Sigma Sigma member and Order of Omega Co-President Amanda Hochstatter said.
Just this last Sunday, the Gustavus Greek community collaborated with the MSU Greeks and the Special Olympics of Minnesota to help run the track and field events at Gustavus for the organization. In addition, “each chapter holds their own events, which often focus on raising awareness for various causes or raising money for a specific philanthropic organization. Additionally, the Greek system donates a lot of service hours helping other organizations,” Mellema said.
In addition to doing a great deal for the community and Gustavus students, Greek organizations give members a connection to their fellow Greeks.
Hochstatter quoted another Greek, “Friendship is one thing; sisterhood is another.” Speaking of the sense of unity that comes with being Greek, she said, “We’re all Greek … Being Greek means forming bonds with other people and learning how to work in groups. It means learning to love despite your differences.”
“[Being Greek] means being part of a sisterhood or brotherhood committed to one common goal or vision,” Senior Economics and Political Science Major and member of Delta Phi Omega Sara Schnell said.
The Greek Awards Banquet is a way to applaud the goals Greeks have achieved throughout the year. Over a fondue dessert reception, the Greeks will reflect on the year and honor each other for the work they have done.
“This is a time where we celebrate with each other,” Hochstatter said. “A lot of the chapters are nominated for really phenomenal things.”
There are awards for Outstanding Fraternity and Outstanding Sorority; there are also awards for chapter advisors and new members who, as Hochstatter put it, “take on leadership roles from the get-go.”
After a full year of events, this year’s Greek Awards Banquet promises to be first class, and all members of Greek organizations are encouraged to take part.