Alumni Involvement:

Ways to get involved with your chapter and the Greek Community…even from afar

During our recent series of Dialogues with Greek alumni (Spokane and the Tri-Cities in November, and Vancouver and Bellevue in March) current campus issues were discussed and many alumni asked for ways to get involved. 

One of the greatest challenges facing the Greek Community today is a critical need for alumni to participate in mentoring undergraduates.  Whether you live down the street or across the mountains, have a little or much time to give; you can be a mentor to a chapter leader.  Today’s college students want and need mentoring from alumni.  The most successful chapter advisory boards are those that have an alumni advisor corresponding with each chapter officer.  The time commitment for these volunteers is more manageable and the student leaders get the attention they need and want. 

In addition, the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life is partnering with the Washington State University Foundation to make a difference in the lives of Greek affiliated students and Greek chapters.  Through this unique partnership, our goal over the next several years is to not only provide scholarships for Greek students, but also promote a strong and healthy Greek Community. 

• A recent trend of upperclass students moving out of the chapter houses has negatively affected our chapters.  Without many of the Juniors and very few of the Seniors living in the houses, many chapters’ executive board consists of newly initiated first year members and sophomores. 

We would like to see scholarships developed specifically for upperclass students who are holding important chapter offices and residing in the chapter house.  By reversing this trend, we can significantly impact the culture and success of each Greek chapter and the entire community.

• Many Greek chapter facilities have major concerns.  As you know, most of the facilities were built before 1950 and as such have infrastructure issues that are costly to remedy.  Legislation is in progress at the national level to allow donations to the capital campaign for Greek houses to be tax deductible. 

The WSU Foundation is able to serve as a resource for chapters with their fundraising efforts as well as provide the opportunity for some fundraising dollars to be challenged through special accounts. 

• While each of us became a part of the Greek Community via our own chapters, and therein lies our deepest loyalty, we all know that each of our chapters is part of a much larger community.  Greek leadership development initiatives such as the Greek Leadership Academy, the Ethical Leadership Series (featuring the book, Freakonomics), National Hazing Prevention Week, and topical workshops on recruitment and decision making, are all important programs provided by the CFSL.  Currently such initiatives are coordinated by the CFSL, however student fees or occasional grant funding provides the resources for the event. 

In addition, leadership initiatives at the national level such as the NIC’s Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute, or LeaderShape, offer spectacular growth opportunities for student leaders.  The opportunity to enroll in these programs is not typically a budget item for our chapters. 

Alumni can work to strengthen and empower the entire Greek Community by creating opportunities for sponsorship or scholarships for such programs.

In coming months, we will share with you exciting details regarding how you can contribute, if you so choose! Patrick Kramer, Associate Vice President for University Development, at the WSU Foundation will serve as the point of contact for giving.  

By visiting the CFSL web site www.wsu.edu/GreekLife in the alumni section you can contact the primary Chapter Advisor to get involved in mentoring chapter leaders as well as find more resources and information on issues pertinent to alumni. 

As alumni and friends of Greek Life, you can and do play a valuable role in the success of Greek students and Greek chapters by giving of your time, your expertise and perhaps your financial resources.  Greek chapters need committed and involved alumni to be successful.  We encourage and welcome your engagement!