Contributing to the Community: How Southeast’s Greek Week impacts Cape

Think back to your high school spirit week. Now, imagine that spirit week raising thousands of dollars for nonprofit organizations in your community. This is a good idea of what Southeast’s Greek Week is all about.

Graphics submitted by the Greek Week 2022 Steering Committee

Alumni member of the Missouri Zeta chapter of Phi Delta Theta, Matt Rolwing, currently serves as Southeast’s Student Life Coordinator.

“It's really the opportunity for our Greek students to try to break some of those stereotypes and give back to the community and make a difference for not only the Southeast school community, but the Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri community, as well,” Rolwing said.

Greek Week Director Haley Taylor and Co-Director Nic Feltz said SEMO students in the nine Interfraternity Council (IFC) and seven Panhellenic chapters are grouped together into pairings based on membership. These pairings participate in scored events during the spring semester in hopes of coming in first place for Greek Week.

Each year, there is a general Greek Week theme. Each pairing chooses a subtheme from a list determined by the Greek Week Steering Committee, which is typically comprised of six individuals from the Greek Life community. Greek Week 2022 is composed of five people, and the theme, “Southeast Showtime,” will focus on musicals.

The Steering Committee meets in the fall and spring semesters. The six members are chosen from applicants in the Greek Life community. These members do not participate in their chapter’s Greek Week efforts.

“We want to be able to keep it a secret because it’s so exciting to announce that to the chapters,” Taylor said. “It’s insanely hard to keep secret.”

Graphic by Sophia Davis

Alpha Chi Omega and Phi Delta Theta are raising money for Dream Factory, an organization that seeks to grant the dreams of children who are critically or chronically ill. Alpha Delta Pi and Sigma Chi are fundraising for Hope For One More, which is a full foster care support and advocacy agency. Alpha Phi is paired with Tau Kappa Epsilon and Theta Zi. The trio of organizations is fundraising for One City, a nonprofit that has a community center located at 610 Independence. Another group of three, Alpha Xi Delta, Lambda Chi Alpha and Delta Chi will donate to the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri, a community support organization. Sorority Delta Delta Delta and fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha will raise funds for SEMO NASV, which offers advocacy and counseling to children and adults who have experienced sexual violence or child physical abuse. Gamma Phi Beta and Sigma Nu are donating to Educare, which is an organization that seeks to improve the quality of child care and early learning programs. Finally, Sigma Sigma Sigma and Sigma Phi Epsilon will raise money for Voices For Children, which organizes volunteers who are voices for children in the foster care system.

Greek Week falls between April 3 and 10 this year, although there are many events outside of that week that count toward the total score of each pairing. One of these events was “Shiver ‘N’ Slide,” which took place March 9. During this event, students used the field between the Towers complex and Parker building as a slip and slide. Donations accounted for more than $900, according to Rolwing. Pairings also have “share nights” with some restaurants, who share a percentage of profits with the pairing for their respective nonprofits.

“Each event is completely different, which is why we don’t judge them all the same,” Feltz said.

Another major aspect of Greek Week at Southeast is the blood drive. Historically, this blood drive yields more than a thousand units of blood for the Red Cross. This year, the blood drive will take place April 27 through 30 at the Recreation Center, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Greek Games, similar to a field day, will be held April 3. April 4 is designated for the canned food drive, in which pairings make donations to stock the RedHawk Food Pantry. Walk A Mile in Their Shoes will be held Tuesday, April 5. In the past speakers have given presentations regarding sexual and domestic violations. Following the presentation, SEMO Greeks walk a mile around campus, sometimes in high heels in support of survivors. Thursday, April 7, the groups will donate clothing during the day and participate in a lip sync battle during the evening. Greek Sing is seen by many as the main event of Greek Week.

Greek Sing is an opportunity for each pairing to demonstrate a skit with a SEMO twist — such as some characters impersonating notable Southeast faces like President Vargas — based on their subtheme to a judging panel comprised of teachers and administrators, as well as their chapters. Awards are distributed to winners the next day at All Greek Chapter.

“I would say the best way to get involved is the blood drive,” Feltz said. “We have actually a lot of people in our Greek community that are unable to donate blood.”

Greek Week isn’t only for those involved in IFC or Panhellenic organizations. Anyone in search of an opportunity to participate in service hours, canned food or clothing donations is encouraged to participate. Spectatorship is also encouraged. To find information on Greek Week events, follow @segreekweek on Instagram.