When you hear the term “Greek Life,” what comes to mind? Perhaps you imagine parties on weekends, with copious amounts of alcohol and hazing. Maybe you think of media depictions like Monsters University. Or, especially over the past two weeks, you think of a deluge of emails and promotions for different socials. But if you ask a certain sophomore, three words come to mind for Greek Life: service, family, fun.
Collegiate Greek Life often has a negative reputation in general. However, in conversing with Maggie Diaz, a member of Delta Phi Epsilon, a more positive picture of Greek Life, especially at Ursinus, can be painted.
Ursinus College is home to twelve active Greek organizations, comprising six fraternities (three of which are gender-neutral) and six sororities, to which approximately 20% of the student body belongs, according to the college itself. These Greek organizations will have their “rush weeks,” or recruitment period, during the school year, typically early in the fall and spring semesters. The requirements for joining each organization vary, but the standard is having a minimum GPA, attending multiple events during “rush week,” and having a minimum number of college credits.
Whether they outright call themselves this or not, those involved in Greek life at Ursinus, like those in Tau Sigma Gamma and Sigma Gamma Rho (whom I had the pleasure of interviewing), are advocates for more people to experience it. This includes Diaz ‘28. Diaz, now a sophomore, wanted to get involved in Greek Life “as soon as she possibly could,” in her words. Unlike many new college students, her perspective on Greek Life was more positive. “[A lot of people] have a skewed vision of what sororities are or what they involve, and I think a lot of people have that view because they are not in it,” Diaz stated. “But my mom was the president of her sorority in college, and that made me want to be a part of a sorority, whether it be her exact Greek org or not.”
Diaz followed through with her intentions and joined the Zeta Xi chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon in February 2025. Arriving in early 2024, Delta Phi Epsilon is Ursinus’s newest chartered Greek organization and one of the few international ones. Delta Phi Epsilon, like other organizations on campus, participates in one of the major draws of Greek Life: service. “Our philanthropy,” Diaz said, “is with ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders), the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Delta Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation. We focus on these causes when it comes to our fundraising because this is what we believe in. Body positivity and education are huge for us.”
Speaking of, hosting activities is not only a means of connecting with their community for Greek organizations; it also helps fundraise for their causes. As Diaz explains, “You can see us going around and raising money by holding various activities. Last semester, we set out Easter eggs for families and hosted activities like ‘Pluck-A-Duck.’ All of that is to raise money for DPhiE’s (Delta Phi Epsilon) contribution to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Delta Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation. So it all goes through our international organization, which is headquartered in Philly. It’s pretty cool that we’re working close to the heart of Delta Phi Epsilon.”
Organizations mean little without the people behind them, and Greek Life ones are no exception. “Rush Week” in particular is a way to interact with potential organizational “siblings” and learn more about their practices. “Greek week is probably the most exciting for me and a lot of my sisters because it’s a full week of just full pride in who you’re repping, what your sorority is,” Diaz said. “We [DPhiE] do trucker hat decorating and ‘sip and paint,’ which involves setting up little mocktails and painting canvases. We curate these events to have fun and spark a more natural interaction with PNM (potential new members) and just any way that we can really kind of spark those connections and get to know people.”
If Greek Life interests you, but you cannot join the semester, rest assured; organizations stress that there are other ways to find out more. When asked for advice about those interested in joining, Diaz replied: “I would just do it, even if you are nervous or you don’t know you want to commit. Just go to it! You’re not committed to anything until you accept a bid to the sorority. You never know; you might just find a home away from home.”