February 01, 2013

‘Greek Summit’ is set for Friday and Saturday

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The community is welcome to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Greek Summit this week to celebrate and learn about Greek life.

In conjunction with Black History Month, the focus of Greek Summit -- which is Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1-2 -- is on Greek pride, history and life, and in particular on African Americans in fraternity and sorority life.  The theme is “Being Greek is Not Just for the College Years -- It is for Life.”

The event kicks off Friday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Student Center’s Ballroom D.  Adrienne Kellum McDay, a 1976 inductee into the University’s Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., will be the keynote speaker and present “Being Greek-Inroads to Success.”  Greek organization members who are pillars of the University and surrounding community will be in attendance, along with Chancellor Rita Cheng and other campus administrators.

Saturday’s presentation is from 9 a.m. to noon, also in Ballroom D at the Student Center.  The focus will be on “What it Means to be Greek and Expectations of Being Greek.”  Presenters will include longtime Greeks from campus and surrounding area communities sharing their experiences.

Organizers encourage Greeks to wear their letters, but they emphasize the event is also for people who are not affiliated with a fraternity or sorority to enjoy a celebration of history and learn more about what it means to be part of a Greek life.  A reception and refreshments will follow each presentation.

Greek Summit sponsors include:  the Office of Associate Chancellor for Institutional Diversity, Center for Inclusive Excellence, Fraternity and Sorority Life and National Pan-Hellenic Council.  Other program contributors are:  Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.

For more information, contact Andy Morgan, coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life for SIU Carbondale at 618/453-5714 or by email at amorgan@siu.edu.  Information is also available on the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/events/325897457521417/.