Joining a Culturally Based Greek Organization NSE Presentation

NSE Author

05/09/2025 Added

11 Plays

Description

Searchable Transcript

Search:

[00:00:00.000]Hi, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me today to learn a little bit about joining a culturally-based fraternal organization at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
[00:00:09.600]My name is Leigh Tiedemann. I use she/her pronouns, and I serve as the director of fraternity and sorority life.
[00:00:14.320]I've been in this role for about six years, and so that means I've gotten to work with so many of our fraternities and sororities here on campus, and it's truly a joy to get to work with our community.
[00:00:27.340]So a little bit about the presenters. I already introduced myself as Leigh, the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life. If you were seeing this presentation in person, you would also be joined by Jocelyn Garcia Gutierrez, who is a member of the Fraternity and Sorority Life summer staff.
[00:00:39.580]She's also a member of the Multicultural Greek Council, and will be doing the presentations in person for NSE this summer.
[00:00:45.660]Some information about the fraternity and sorority community before we get started on the nitty gritty details.
[00:00:52.920]One thing to know is we're celebrating our 150th anniversary this year.
[00:00:57.120]Of fraternities and sororities on campus, and we're so excited.
[00:00:59.400]The university was founded in 1869, and we saw our first fraternity here on campus in 1875.
[00:01:05.860]So we're very proud of the fact that we have been a part of the fabric of the university community since the very beginning.
[00:01:11.560]We've got a lot of fun celebrations happening this fall, particularly around homecoming.
[00:01:15.660]So if you are or were a member of our fraternity and sorority community, please come back at homecoming and join us for these events.
[00:01:22.680]We have more than 50 organizations that are part of the fraternity and sorority community.
[00:01:27.100]And almost 4,400 members in our community.
[00:01:30.000]So that means almost one in four students walking around campus are a part of our community and have found a home in one of our chapters.
[00:01:37.100]We have four different councils that are here on campus.
[00:01:40.140]Our Interfraternity Council, our Multicultural Greek Council, our National Panhellenic Council, and our Panhellenic Association.
[00:01:46.660]So for today, since I'm talking about our culturally based organizations, that's going to be fraternities and sororities that are part of our Multicultural Greek Council or National Panhellenic.
[00:01:56.660]There are different sessions available if you are interested in learning more about the Interfraternity Council or the Panhellenic Association.
[00:02:03.360]But there's four different councils and four unique ways that you can join our community.
[00:02:07.640]So before we get started on the councils, I want to talk a little bit about the values within our fraternity and sorority community.
[00:02:14.260]Each of our organizations has their own set of values that are near and dear to them, and they use these all the time, but it's a part of their membership selection process.
[00:02:22.520]It's also the way they develop programming.
[00:02:24.540]It's what their membership practices are all about,
[00:02:26.640]but we also have values in the fraternity and sorority community as a whole.
[00:02:30.600]The first one is academic achievement.
[00:02:32.560]Academics are really important to our community.
[00:02:34.920]You can see that in our GPAs, which are available online on our website, but the all-Greek GPA is consistently higher than the non-Greek GPA here on campus.
[00:02:44.800]We tell our students in our community that they are students first before members, and that's really important.
[00:02:50.580]That's the reason they're here, is to graduate and get a degree.
[00:02:53.460]Each of our organizations has GPA requirements.
[00:02:56.460]that are part of the joining process.
[00:02:58.360]They have GPA expectations while you are a member, but they also have academic programs, ways to support one another when you're in the chapter around academics, too, because it is incredibly important.
[00:03:09.940]Leadership development is our second value, and there's so many different ways that you can get involved as a student here on our campus, whether it's a committee within your own organization, it's serving as chapter president, you could serve on one of the governing councils.
[00:03:24.300]There's also committees just across the university.
[00:03:26.300]You will find members of the fraternity and sorority community in almost every RSO here on campus because there's so many of us.
[00:03:32.300]So there's so many ways you can get involved.
[00:03:34.300]The third value is civic engagement, and this is how we give back.
[00:03:38.300]So whether that's through philanthropy or raising money, through community service, using our hands to make a difference, or advocacy, which is sharing awareness about an event or cause that's important to us, all three of those avenues show up within our chapters.
[00:03:52.300]Many of our organizations support local and national foundations or causes.
[00:03:56.300]And so if there's a cause that's really important to you, we probably have an organization that is supporting it along the way.
[00:04:02.300]So please do your research and see which organization really aligns with what you care about.
[00:04:07.300]The final value is community and belonging, and this shows up in so many different ways.
[00:04:12.300]We know, like all studies about universities show us, that if a student can find their people or their crew within the first six weeks of setting foot on campus, it leads to higher retention rates, higher graduation rates, and higher persistence on campus.
[00:04:25.300]We see those tangible numbers in fraternity and sorority life.
[00:04:28.300]I am really proud to report that from our retention rates from first year to second year, if you are a member of the fraternity and sorority community, that rate is at a 93%.
[00:04:37.620]If you are for the rest of the community, or if you are not a member of the Greek community, excuse me, that's at an 83.1%.
[00:04:45.300]So 10% points higher if you are a member of a fraternity or sorority.
[00:04:50.780]And our graduation rates are even better, if you can believe it or not.
[00:04:54.300]So for both four-year and six-year graduation rates, we're about 20 points higher if you
[00:04:59.320]are a member of the fraternity or sorority community, likelihood to graduate in four
[00:05:02.520]to six years versus non-Greek.
[00:05:04.480]And so those are huge bragging points for our community, like tangible results.
[00:05:08.480]But I would also say that community and belonging is that brotherhood and sisterhood that our
[00:05:13.060]students feel in the community.
[00:05:14.100]And that makes such a huge difference to their collegiate experience.
[00:05:16.820]We also truly believe that anyone can find a home in our community if they keep their
[00:05:21.200]options open.
[00:05:21.840]Again, we've got 50 different organizations.
[00:05:23.820]So many different ways you can join, so many ways to get connected.
[00:05:27.540]And so if you keep an open mind through the recruitment process, there is a home for you
[00:05:31.620]here at UNL.
[00:05:32.560]I'm going to talk a little bit more about our councils.
[00:05:36.620]The first one is our Multicultural Greek Council, or MGC.
[00:05:39.440]Our first MGC chapter here on campus was Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity
[00:05:44.420]Incorporated, and they were chartered at UNL in 1998.
[00:05:47.420]Our council was then chartered in 2003.
[00:05:50.420]So that means there were multiple chapters by 2003.
[00:05:54.120]MGC currently has nine recognized organizations that are a part of their council.
[00:05:57.780]We have six sororities and three fraternities.
[00:06:00.000]And within that, we have Asian interests, Latinx interests, and multicultural Greek
[00:06:05.340]interests as a part of that council.
[00:06:07.120]Got some other events listed here, ways students are involved.
[00:06:11.780]So they host an MGC week that's got educational programs and socials and community service
[00:06:16.340]events.
[00:06:16.780]Each organization hosts different events.
[00:06:19.140]Our students are big proponents in the stroll off that happens every spring.
[00:06:23.560]And also our block party that happens in the fall.
[00:06:25.740]The council hosts multicultural Greek 101 sessions, two in the fall, two in the spring
[00:06:30.560]to share information about how to join.
[00:06:32.380]And of course, they're doing all kinds of community service and philanthropy events.
[00:06:36.140]For NPHC or our National Panhellenic Council, our first chapter was chartered here in 1916
[00:06:43.120]with the ADA chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated.
[00:06:45.820]The executive council was established in 2003, the same year as MGC.
[00:06:50.300]Our NPHC council is our governing council.
[00:06:53.460]or our historically black Greek organizations here on campus.
[00:06:56.640]This fall, we will have four of the nine organizations
[00:06:59.420]represented here on campus. But if you or your student are interested in an organization that
[00:07:04.540]does not have active members, please talk to our office. We're always open for more organizations
[00:07:10.060]to be here on campus. We are in communication with many of the organizations. So if there's
[00:07:14.500]one that's not here that you're interested in, please let us know. And then a little bit more
[00:07:19.460]about NPHC events. So they also have semesterly events, including NPHC week, which looks similar
[00:07:24.420]to MGC in that they have socials, they do community service. They also do some really great
[00:07:28.480]educational programs. NPHC had a bowling night just a few weeks ago, which was very fun.
[00:07:32.980]Each organization hosts a week that has information sessions and socials as well.
[00:07:38.260]They have the opportunity to go to conferences. They always show up for our spring stroll off
[00:07:43.500]and participate in the block party. And they will also host Black Greek 101 sessions in the
[00:07:48.420]fall and the spring as opportunities to learn more about joining the community. And of course,
[00:07:53.040]they do community service and philanthropy events. So you might be wondering about the
[00:07:58.480]new member intake process. What does this mean? How do I prepare? So the intake process is really
[00:08:03.780]designed to keep all of us on the same page. The university, the organization, and all the
[00:08:08.200]members participating and those potential new members. We have really open communication.
[00:08:12.400]As an office, we know which chapters are participating in intake. We're aware of their
[00:08:17.640]calendar of events and when things are happening. Intake can happen in either the fall or the spring
[00:08:22.960]semester. We have organizations that do intake both in the fall and the spring. And we also have
[00:08:28.480]ones that just do the fall or just do the spring. Sometimes it depends on the year,
[00:08:31.740]what they're looking for, for a number of members. It could also have to do with their
[00:08:35.500]international requirements. What you should know going in is this about an eight to 12-week process
[00:08:40.860]from start to finish. And it's a combination of a lot of different activities. Membership
[00:08:45.540]education meetings, there's bonding or team building activities, there's community service,
[00:08:50.000]there is a test or an evaluation, and then there's a new member presentation or reveal
[00:08:55.660]that happens at the end. And I'm going to talk more about that in a few slides.
[00:08:58.480]So here are some of the things you could do to prepare. You do need to attend either a
[00:09:04.320]multicultural Greek 101 or Black Greek 101 meeting in either the fall or the spring.
[00:09:08.180]I said earlier, we host two of these in the fall and two of them in the spring, and they are good
[00:09:12.680]for a year. So if you attend in the fall, but you don't join a group until the spring, that's
[00:09:17.620]perfectly fine, that your attendance is good for that full calendar year. There is a preference
[00:09:24.480]for students to be at full-time collegiate status. So that means they are enrolled in 12
[00:09:28.480]or more credit hours and have already 12 or more credit hours that have been earned,
[00:09:33.720]but exceptions can be made by organizations. So if you're curious, you should talk to that
[00:09:38.380]organization, check out their information on their social media pages, see what those requirements
[00:09:42.380]are. Most need to have a collegiate GPA of 2.5 or higher. There's some asterisks there because
[00:09:48.560]some of our organizations, the GPA requirement is even higher than the 2.5 and consistent community
[00:09:53.720]service. So I often get questions about what does that mean? It means we want you to have a relationship
[00:09:58.480]with someone local in the community that you've been giving back to. It's not just you've got a
[00:10:03.960]one-off, you did a few hours of community service. This is a group that you've gone back to that you
[00:10:07.780]have a relationship with. They could write you a letter of recommendation because they know you.
[00:10:11.060]And then finally, you need to attend council and chapter events and informationals throughout the
[00:10:15.680]fall and spring semester to show that you've got some interest. This talks a little bit about the recruitment timelines, so I mentioned a little about
[00:10:22.980]council and chapter events. This is a great way to show discrete interest in the councils and the chapters
[00:10:28.480]that you might be interested in joining. Once you've decided you've got significant interest,
[00:10:32.980]you're going to attend those rush events or informational events. You cannot miss when
[00:10:38.480]chapters are hosting these because they will be all over their social media. But these are fun,
[00:10:42.260]information-filled programs to help your student learn more about the organization and get to know
[00:10:46.400]members. Once you've accepted that you're going to be joining this group, you're going to start
[00:10:50.780]your new member education. So again, this is that eight to 12-week period where newest members learn
[00:10:55.640]about the organization, their traditions, their rituals, their policies.
[00:10:58.480]At the end, you're going to have an initiation process, and this is a special ritual that's
[00:11:04.260]unique to each organization. Typically, it's a ceremony of sorts where active members are
[00:11:09.120]involved and alumni might be present as well. And then the very final step is that new member
[00:11:13.740]presentation when new members are revealed and the whole community gets to celebrate the newest
[00:11:18.460]members in our community. It is a really fun process. As a staff member, I love getting to go
[00:11:23.180]and see our newest members join our community. One of the traditions
[00:11:28.480]thats really important to our community is stepping and strolling. They are one of the most prominent
[00:11:32.620]traditions within MGC and NPHC. There is a long history with stepping and strolling which roots
[00:11:38.060]are in African traditions, American slavery, the Black church, historically Black colleges and
[00:11:42.920]universities as well as modern Black Greek culture. In almost all steps and strolls,
[00:11:48.240]members are moving in a counterclockwise fashion, typically in a circle. That circle represents
[00:11:52.680]unity and strength. The counterclockwise motion is reminiscent of African rituals. There is
[00:11:58.480]many stepping and strolling opportunities that happen here on campus, including at those new
[00:12:02.100]member presentations, at the stroll-off that we host. We're going to be hosting a yard show this
[00:12:07.680]fall during homecoming week. So it's a very fun way for our chapters and members to get involved
[00:12:12.220]and showcase what they love about their chapters. Many of our chapters travel or participate to
[00:12:16.660]watch showcases at other universities as well. So that's really exciting. And one of the cardinal
[00:12:21.280]rules with stepping and strolling is to never break that line or interrupt a presentation.
[00:12:25.020]This is to show respect for that organization and their members.
[00:12:28.480]So we always want to make sure we highlight that. The other tradition that I think is pretty
[00:12:33.120]important are these new member presentations. So they're the culmination of that new member process.
[00:12:36.980]Newest members present the history. They reveal who they are. They often step and stroll. But it's
[00:12:41.680]really exciting time for the whole fraternity and sorority community to welcome these new members
[00:12:45.760]into our community. I've got four pictures here of recent new member presentations that we've been
[00:12:51.280]able to attend. But like I said, it's really fun to get to see them revealed and join our community.
[00:12:56.460]So that takes
[00:12:58.480]us through our presentation. I want to make sure you've got time to get our contact information.
[00:13:02.260]There's a lot of different ways you can get in touch with us. For information about the community,
[00:13:07.260]following us on Instagram, whether it's our office, MGC or NPHC, is going to be the best way to get
[00:13:12.200]that information. We have included our emails on here and the fsl@unl.edu email address comes
[00:13:18.040]straight to our office. So you're going to have a staff person answering that. The MGC and NPHC
[00:13:22.980]emails are, you will hear from a student. If you do those, you can always come to our office and come
[00:13:28.480]see us. We're located on the second floor of the union in 220. And then our phone number for the
[00:13:33.340]office, 402-472-2582. We answer questions all day long from parent and family members, from
[00:13:39.880]prospective students, from current students that are interested in joining the community. So please
[00:13:44.180]don't hesitate to give us a call if there's more information that you need. Like again, my name is
[00:13:49.260]Leigh Tiedemann. I serve as the director of fraternity sorority life. I'm happy that you are thinking
[00:13:53.360]about joining the community and look forward to answering your questions. Thank you so much.

The screen size you are trying to search captions on is too small!

You can always jump over to MediaHub and check it out there.

Comments

0 Comments

Joining a Culturally Based Greek Organization NSE Presentation

Description

Searchable Transcript

Comments icon comment

Related Channels

Comments