By Kassie Meeks
Collegian Reporter

The theme song from “Cheers” irresistably runs through my head some days when I return to my house after a long day of classes. “…where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came….”

“My” house, you see, is a sorority house. And the insistence of those lyrics from “Cheers” points to the heart of sorority life: sisterhood. This amazing sisterhood—as well as its male equivalent of brotherhood—points to an answer for the question of why we have fraternities and sororities on this campus. What can the Greek system provide that cannot be gained through independence?

One big answer is networking. In the past couple of months, I’ve noticed more than ever how wonderful the networking aspect of Greek life is. Then Forbes published an article about the amazing number of CEOs who have fraternity ties.

This is not surprising in light of data from numerous studies, including studies done by UCLA and the University of Missouri, about fraternity and sorority members. These studies consistently show that Greeks are more likely than independents to complete college and to do more for and in their communities after graduation. Greeks also are more involved in volunteer work, clubs, sports and other campus activities during college. All of this demonstrates Greeks’ strong sense of community, which promotes enduring networking ties.

This is one of the biggest answers, in my opinion, to those who decry fraternities and sororities and ask who needs Greeks on campus anyway.
Those who wonder such things must not realize that the brotherhood and sisterhood bonds built in Greek houses are tight-knit, lasting far longer than undergrad and extending far beyond the local college chapter. Someone who belongs to a certain fraternity or sorority and sees someone else whom he or she has never met, but who bears the letters or wears the badge of the same greek affiliation, knows instantly what that person has sworn to stand for. There is an instantaneous, ineffacable bond.

Such things become immensely important when the fraternity or sorority member is, for instance, a job applicant, and the one who recognizes his or her affiliation is in a position to decide who gets the job or to give a weighty recommendation.

In short, Greek life includes a significant and substantial networking system that helps its members to succeed in their chosen vocations.
Before any condemn this as unfair, realize that even a superficial study of history substantiates that networking is integral to human nature.
Where there is no Greek system, recognition and pre-judging are based on something else.

None of us is really independent. We all know and depend on someone somewhere. Greek life is just a very efficient way to connect to an infintessimally greater number of people in far more places. One may call this a superficial way to do so, but my guess, in turn, would be that such a critic has never tasted what greek brotherhood or sisterhood is all about.
Fraternities and sororities are like extended families. Members stick together and help one another, as any healthy family does. And in an increasing number of cases, there are some for whom a fraternity or sorority is the only positive family they’ve ever known.

So think twice before arguing to abolish the Greek system from this or any given campus (or period, if you could). It does an immense amount of good for an incalculable number of people. And this good—far from being shallow or superficial—runs deep and wide.

Kassie Meeks is a junior majoring in English.