With the exception of four, every United States President and Vice President since the first social fraternity was founded in 1825 has been a member of a fraternity.

     The first female astronaut was in a sorority.

     85% of Fortune 500 executives are Greek.

     So why is Greek life being scolded the way it is?

With the recent controversy surrounding Greek life due to allegations against Greek organizations, there has been harsh backlash against the entity. Greek organizations are often talked about in a negative light, with references to drugs, alcohol, hazing, rape; the list goes on and on. There have been recent instances that have involved Greek life in regard to such allegations, such as the vandalism against Alpha Epsilon Pi at Emory University and the Phi Kappa Psi gang rape case at the University of Virginia. Yet, these two occurrences are rare cases that have been incorrectly used to exemplify all Greek life across the country. We agree that the individuals involved in these cases should be dealt with accordingly and that their actions were completely unacceptable. Yet the choices that these people made should not set the tone for organizations that have not only made a positive impact on their respective universities, but on their communities as well.

The prominence of Greek life on campus and the level of involvement of Greeks only reflect the positive impact that these chapters make. According to the New Jersey Institute of Technology, “over 85% of the student leaders on some 730 campuses are involved in the Greek community.” Greeks also tend to have stronger academic standing than non-Greeks. The average GPA of students involved in Greek life tends to be higher than those not involved. According to USA Today, college graduation rates are 20% higher among Greeks than their counterparts. Community service is also a large part of representing your chapter. Annually, the Greek community volunteers around 850,000 hours. Almost every chapter has its own philanthropy project and raises thousands of dollars per year toward its cause, adding up to about $7 million contributed annually nationwide. In every aspect of mature life, Greeks outdo their non-Greek counterparts … and society’s expectations.

Greek life can pave the way for friendships and bonds that last a lifetime. It allows members to create connections, personally and professionally, and encourages involvement that molds the most successful and influential students on campus. Greek life provides reassurance and a community that one is able to call his or her home away from home.

We do acknowledge that we are part of Greek life and thus many may think that our opinions are somewhat biased. However, considering the facts, we believe our views hold legitimacy. There is truly no place we would rather be than our sorority, and we must credit some of our success to the organization. We don't drink to belligerency every night. We don't only care about partying and going out. Getting on the upcoming date function isn't our biggest aspiration in life. It’s time for others to see the true value of Greek life, and while it is always easier to focus on negative stereotypes, it’s time to start focusing on reality.