Greek Life has made great strives at Southeast

Greek Life is continuously growing at Southeast Missouri State University.

In the fall of 2014, the fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon was reintroduced on campus as the 10th fraternity after the organization’s charter was dropped at Southeast 24 years ago. Tau Kappa Epsilon has since been successful in having a rising number of members join each year due to their growth of popularity on campus.

Sigma Phi Epsilon's new house, Greystone 2.0, was finished as a part of phase one of the Greek Village project.Photo by Stone Selsor

They were successful in being the winners of Greek Week in the spring semester of 2016 with their partners Delta Chi and Alpha Delta Pi. Their president, Keyeon Pitts, also was crowned the Greek God that same year for his outstanding performances representing his chapter through several activities.

The number of sororities at Southeast is smaller compared to the fraternities, with only seven total, including Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Delta Delta, Gamma Phi Beta, Sigma Sigma Sigma and Alpha Phi.

Alpha Phi was introduced as the seventh chapter on campus in August.

“I think it’s great that Southeast has brought another chapter here on campus because the number of girls going through recruitment grows every year, so now girls have another option to find their home,” Danielle Bridges, member of Panhellenic Council, said.

Alpha Phi participated in the recruitment process a little differently this year compared to the other chapter already on campus. During formal recruitment, Alpha Phi only participated in the first night. For the next three nights, the sorority dropped out and let the other six chapters recruit as normal.

After the recruitment process was finished, Alpha Phi was given a three-week extension to extend bids to women up to their bid day, which was on Sept. 29. They were successful on giving 82 bids out to women as the founding members of the chapter at Southeast.

“There are no current plans to add another chapter here on campus, but with the constant growing numbers here at Southeast there could possibly be another added in the next couple years,” Bridges said.

The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is reaching out to students as well by getting more involved on campus by having more events. This is to help student realize that if they want to join they can.

NPHC is the divine nine of all historically black Greek organizations, of which five are represented at Southeast. They include Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Sigma Gamma Rho, Iota Phi Theta and Zeta Phi Beta. There are informational meetings that the NPHC has to inform students about what they do on campus and how they can get involved.

“The campus is growing. I definitely think we will grow as Greek Life,” Jaleea Wilson, Sophomore in Delta Sigma Theta, said.

Everyone in the NPHC participated in the Out of the Darkness walk, an annual walk to promote suicide prevention, on Sept. 25.

“At this event there were survivors who came out and gave their stories, told what they have been through and how they are doing now,” Wilson said.

MPC is trying to come up with more community service events for the NPHC.

“We all want to come together as a whole for Southeast and for Cape Girardeau,” Wilson said.

They’re also working on planning homecoming weekend.

“The NPHC has helped me get involved on campus through our core values that we use in our everyday lives,” Wilson said.

Those values are sisterhood/brotherhood, public service and scholarship.

“I feel that it has enhanced my scholarship because I was never slacking before, but it made me realize that without scholarship you will not get a degree. It has improved my public service by helping out the community throughout my sorority, and in sisterhood I now have people that are now my friends and family here on campus,” Wilson said.

The NPHC in general makes you think of business. In different fraternities and sororities, you have certain values,” Wilson said.

“With ours it’s more of like a business where you must promote yourself to be professional,” Wilson said.