Greek community looks to strengthen image with upcoming campaign

In 2013, the Interfraternity Council at Southeast Missouri State University launched its very first Greek Campaign. The campaign was started by former IFC Council President Nick Maddock as a method to promote a positive image of Greek Life and expose the involvement chapters have on campus.

In recent months, Greek organizations have come under heavy fire, with incidents like the controversial racist chant from Oklahoma's Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter and the suspension of Sigma Phi Epsilon at Clemson University in South Carolina over the death of an associate member.

Being the campaign's third year, the committee has set out to combat the negative stigma sometimes associated with Greek Life and to develop a method that better envisions a traditional Greek student.

"This is our third year doing the campaign. This year it's especially important due to the negative press Greek Life is getting around the world," current IFC President Parker Butler said.

Butler added that this year's campaign seeks to find a better way to reach out to those who are not affiliated with Greek Life and to strengthen the relationship with Southeast's student body. To Butler, showcasing Greek organizations' involvement with community service and philanthropic opportunities is a key goal in striving for a more positive image.

"In past years it's been more of a marketing thing. It's been more about social media, fliers and chalking. This year our goal is to impact and reach people. I want there to be an interpersonal relationship built with people outside the Greek system," Butler said. "I would really like the non-Greek population to see the great work we do."

Vice President of Public Relations David Heppe said he feels highlighting Greek Life's display of diversity and devotion to nurturing the community is the strongest form of stereotype bashing.

"What I saw before with the Greek Campaign was that it was essentially used to advertise Greek success," Heppe said. "Now what I really want to focus on with the campaign is to show how the Greek community gives back to Southeast and its surrounding communities. I would also love to touch base on the diversity with Greek Life."

Heppe said the purpose of this year's campaign is to further expose Greek Life's involvement with the community and campus. Heppe believes that Southeast's student body should focus more on the types of individuals each chapter is seeking out as opposed to committing all attention toward the negative stereotypes one may associate with the Greek community.

"We have things like Hazing Prevention Week, which shows we are taking initiative," Heppe said. "We are seeing more and more diverse culture because you'll see people who are getting bids who don't fit the specific look or mold of Greek Life, and I think that's incredibly important."

In March, Butler and Heppe set out to establish a committee through a process of interviews from interested applicants. Those selected were chosen to be the representatives of the operations the campaign will carry out.

"The biggest thing we are looking for is someone who can step out of their own shoes," Butler said. "We need people who will step back from being a member of their chapter and look at what's really going on."

Butler noted that the committee members were selected by an interview process, which consisted of a series of questions relating to whether those interested were able to uphold their organization's values outside their chapter.

"Most of the work is going to entail brainstorming, thinking about what is it, what we can do along the lines of marketing and events to promote Greek Life, to get all these things we are doing out to the general population of Southeast and to the Cape Girardeau community," Butler said.

The campaign is currently in the process of early development. The committee plans to release its first promotional material in the fall semester.