NSU Horizons Fall 2010

26 horizons For Nova Southeastern University junior Nikki Bignami, joining the sorority Sigma Delta Tau meant she had a group of sisters to watch out for her even though she was 1,300 miles away from her home in Long Island, New York. Sara Stevens, also a junior, and a sister in Delta Phi Epsilon, said meeting other people involved in Greek life was a great networking tool and was instrumental in her becom- ing vice president of the Student Government Association. There are more than 200 students active in 11 Greek organizations at Nova Southeastern University. Unlike other universities where Greek life has been embedded in the fabric of the campus for more than 100 years, NSU’s organizations are fairly new. The Delta Phi Epsilon sorority started a mere 17 years ago, while the NSU chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity was re-established in March 2009. These fraternities and sororities are growing by leaps and bounds at NSU, making a difference in the lives of the students, university life, and the community at large. Three more organizations are on the way to being added to the roster within the next year, according to Alicia Bates, graduate assistant for Greek Affairs. “Our diversity keeps growing so much that students are realiz- ing how important it is to start and join organizations that suit their needs and interests.” The mission of Greek organizations at NSU is to pro- mote friendship, leadership, scholarship, and community service. Also, the Office of Student Activities requires that students maintain a grade point average of at least 2.5 to keep their membership and to hold office. “My sorority [Delta Phi Epsilon] is based on the five S’s, which include social, service, self, sisterhood, and scholar- ship,” said Amanda Patterson, who arrived at NSU as a sophomore transfer student and graduated in 2004. She received a master’s degree in mental health counseling from NSU in 2007 and is now a clinical director working with adolescents. “Being involved in Greek life gives your college experience meaning. Not only do you build relationships with your sisters or brothers, you build relationships within the Greek community at large, as well as the NSU community.” Patterson, now an alumna, said she serves as a sorority adviser. “Being the adviser is a rewarding experience because I get to share with potential new members, as well as the current members, the experience that I had.” Unlike the common perception of sororities and fraternities where Greek houses dot the streets of college campuses, you won’t find a sorority or fraternity house at NSU. Not yet, anyway. But there is a floor devoted to Greek life in The Commons Residence Hall, the Greek Village Community. To live in the Greek Village, a student must be an active member of the NSU Greek system. With a varied mix of students living on campus and NSU’s steady population of commuters, Greek life becomes an even more important social element as a strong link to the university community. “I think it’s easy to fall into the trap of going to class and going back to your house or your dorm. But Greek life at NSU offers the potential to meet friends,” said Stevens, a marine biology major. For a student who wants to become involved in a Greek organization, but isn’t sure which one would be the best fit, Bignami, a marketing major, recommends shopping around. “I asked people I met during my first week at school what each sorority was about,” said Bignami, now the vice president of recruitment for Sigma Delta Tau. October 23, 1993 Delta Phi Epsilon (sorority) March 2, 1996 Phi Sigma Sigma (sorority) November 15, 1997 Beta Theta Pi (fraternity) October 31, 1999 Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. May 19, 2001 Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. T i m e l i n e o f n o v a / N S U G r e e k o r g a n i z a t i o n s greek life at nsu: Bonds of Brotherhood,