No matter what letters you rep or colors you claim, there is an undeniable bond that holds Greek groups together. Despite our limited amount of fraternities or the fact that we’re local, Greek Life at Wooster is doing its part to contribute to the wider community, be it raising the retention rate of the College or volunteering all over Wooster.
It is hard to put into words something that can only be described by feeling the rush of completing New Member Education (pledging) or competing in Greek Week with all the other groups, for example. Even though I may be new to Greek Life, both as the founder of Delta Chi Delta and as a member of Greek Life, the simplest way I can describe it is a sense of belonging.
I know to those not a part of Greek Life, or even those that are, my viewpoint may sound cheesy or a cover for all the evil things you think Greek groups are doing, but that could not be further from the truth. Greek Life brings an energy to this campus that immediately captivated me, and I wanted to share that with people who I knew were looking for a home and a group to call their own. I set out to create a group that holds diversity, education, cultural competency and service as the foundation of our mission.
Starting Delta Chi Delta, or Delta Gamma Tau as it was first introduced, was an uphill battle filled with obstacle after obstacle. Sharing this vision with other people was even harder to fathom as it had been a long time since a new fraternity had been introduced. That being the case, it often felt like we were hitting dead ends. Either our wording was off, or language was incorrect, or perhaps our constitution was missing a piece. The obstacles never failed to appear. Through the support of Anthony Cisneros, my co-founder, we were able to set the groundwork for what has turned out to be a great group of guys dedicated to upholding the original mission Cisneros and I set out for them.
I understand my bias when it comes to sharing my view about Greek Life, but take a second to imagine a campus without it; that to me seems a little less inviting and, frankly, less exciting. I also understand the hesitancy for people who only hear about Greek Life when it is bad news, but I will be just as quick to point out all the volunteering, networking and support that Greek groups provide to their members and community.
I know people on campus who may be unfamiliar with the inner workings of Greek Life may be intimidated by the blitz of rush posters or the colorful arrays of Greek letters, but honestly, we are just proud of the group that we call home. If you find yourself on the fence about joining, just ask anyone sporting their Greek letters about what it is like and give it a shot. There is so much to be gained from simply trying.
Francisco Martinez, a Contributing Writer for the Voice, can be reached for comment at FMartinez19@wooster.edu.