Column by Emily Gregor

Gregor is a first-year graphic design major and can be reached at [email protected]

Photo courtesy of Kelly Tafoya

Philanthropy was one of the first things I experienced on our campus as a new member of Alpha Phi sorority. I got to know my sisters better, meet the men and women of other Greek organizations and support something that was important, something that actually mattered.

All week it’s a competition between the houses to get the most points, and winning is the greatest feeling ever. Not only does the healthy competition make it more fun, but it also encourages more support, which obviously helps more people. Doing more to help others is definitely one of the reasons I went Greek and I’ve loved all the experiences I’ve had so far through supporting philanthropy weeks.

Philanthropies may seem like something that is only for members of the Greek community — however — participation from the independents of our campus is just as important.

The causes supported by Greek organizations on campus range from general health, to education to promoting social change. Each house supports an organization, and all the donations people have given throughout their respective philanthropy weeks are given to their supported organization.

Supporting Greek philanthropies doesn’t support the members of the Greek organizations, it supports the organizations we donate our money to, which in turn supports the people affected by the cause.

By supporting Alpha Phi’s philanthropy for the American Heart Association you are supporting the reduction of disabilities and deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases and strokes. By supporting Delta Gamma’s Service for Sight, you are supporting the assistance of people with blindness and visual impairments.  When you support the gentlemen of Sigma Phi Epsilon, in Queen of Hearts, you’re helping people who suffer from leukemia and lymphoma.

This just goes to show that Greek organizations are supporting causes that are important to all of us, not just the Greek community, not just athletes, everyone. Everyone can benefit from helping out other people.

The contributions made by Greek organizations help ensure that these causes continue to make strides towards their goals and improve the living conditions of our neighbors, our friends and everyone else we’ve never even met.

Helping other people makes me feel good about myself, and you can’t tell me it doesn’t make you feel better too.

Philanthropies are a fun way to get to know people — they allow us to connect even more with the people we see every morning while we’re eating breakfast at Hubbell, or the people you have in your classes, or who you see at the gym.

It’s one more way to be involved in campus and not just have a good time with your friends, but really to give back to those who in need.