PANHELLENIC
Empowering Women Today and Everyday.
Welcome
Welcome to the University of Central Florida! We are certain that you share in your son or daughter's excitement as they prepare to embark on their collegiate experience. The transition from high school to college can be a time of great anticipation, but can also include many questions and challenges. New students are often concerned about a number of issues: How do I make new friends and meet other students with similar interests? Will I be able to succeed academically? Where will I find opportunities to develop leadership skills? How can I prepare for my career? Will I feel like part of the campus community? As a parent, we imagine that you share some of these same concerns with your son or daughter.
To alleviate some of that stress, we at the University of Central Florida (UCF) feel it is important that you, the parent, be educated about the enriching experience that your son or daughter will find by being involved in a fraternity or sorority at UCF. Sororities and fraternities have been on the University of Central Florida campus since 1971. These organizations are rooted in founding principles that foster academic achievement, leadership, community service, and life-long friendships. By joining a fraternity or sorority, students belong to a smaller, more connected community within the campus, where they get to know other students on a personal level and can really develop a support network of peers both socially and academically.
Academically, fraternities and sororities at UCF continue to exceed the average student. Statistically speaking, the past five years at UCF have seen the All-Greek GPA exceed the all-Undergraduate GPA, the All-Fraternity GPA exceed the Undergraduate Men’s GPA, and the All-Sorority GPA exceed the Undergraduate Women’s GPA. In short, Greeks continue to set the standard academically. To ensure this level of performance is maintained, all organizations have academic requirements that students must meet in order to join the organization, as well as maintain a strong academic record in order to remain in the chapter. Academic programs include incentives and recognition for individual academic achievement, building connections with university faculty and staff, study support and tutoring programs, as well as specific support for academic major fields of study.
Leadership is another component of being in a fraternity or sorority. Students have tremendous opportunities to develop leadership skills through participating in different workshops and programs, planning and implementing projects and events, and holding an elected officer position within the organization. Aside from their own organizations, fraternity and sorority members hold leadership positions in other student organizations across campus as well, including the Student Government Association (SGA), Knights of the Roundtable (KORT), Volunteer UCF, Multi-Cultural Student Center (MSC), and Campus Activities Board (CAB) to name a few.
An area often overlooked is the service and philanthropic endeavors fraternities and sororities partake in over the course of an academic year. Did you know that in the past year, fraternity and sorority members at UCF completed over 48,000 hours of service to the community, donated over 116,000 pounds of food, and raised over $132,000 for local and national charities. Through involvement in service programs, members develop organizational skills, increase their understanding of civic responsibility, and expand their perspectives of our global society. Fraternity and sorority members here at the University of Central Florida take great pride in the service that they provide to the larger community, and most students say that these experiences are among the most rewarding that they have participated in during their college career.
As you can see, fraternity or sorority membership can be an incredible experience for students looking to make the most of their college career. But when it comes down to the practical concerns of new students starting college, their first and foremost interest is making new friends. Fraternities and sororities are social organizations, and are an ideal environment for connecting with new people. At UCF, the fraternity and sorority life community is over 3,000 members strong. This number may seem intimidating but on a campus of over 50,000 students, the Greek community provides a “home away from home” feel to students at UCF. Fraternities and sororities plan a number of events each semester for social purposes where students can come together for fun and fellowship. It is through these experiences that life-long friendships and bonds are formed long after students have graduated from UCF.
In summary, fraternity and sorority members at UCF are committed to being better students, better leaders, and creating an unparalleled experience that no other student organization can offer. To ensure you are fully knowledgeable about a certain fraternity or sorority at UCF for your son or daughter, consider asking the following questions:
• How will my student benefit from joining a fraternity/sorority?
• How will joining a fraternity/sorority affect my student’s academic pursuit?
• What leadership opportunities are available to students as both new members and active members?
• Does the chapter perform hands-on community service? If so, how often?
• Does the fraternity or sorority offer housing? If so, does the organization require members to live in the facility? If so, for how long?
• What are the expenses associated with membership? How does this vary as a new member?
• What type of member is the chapter looking for?
• What values does this organization promote?
• Is the organization officially recognized by the University? If not, why is this the case?
• What is the time commitment? How long is the new member process?
If you are not Greek, take a look at these websites for more information:
http://www.thesororitylife.com/
We hope that your son or daughter is interested in taking a closer look at all of the opportunities that fraternity and sorority membership have to offer. As parents, we hope that you will continue to take an active interest in the new and exciting adventure that your son or daughter is preparing to begin. If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at (407) 823-2072 or by email at ucfgreek@ucf.edu.