Welcome Back Block Party unites Greek Councils

Photo by Giselle Cancio/FIUSM

Giselle Cancio/Contributing Writer 

Free food, free refreshments and a chance to meet those apart of Greek life at FIU? Sounds like the annual Greek BBQ, except that happens in the Fall semester. Sorority and Fraternity life hosted its inaugural Block Party this past Friday to welcome back students to the spring semester, hoping to replicate the success of the annual Greek BBQ.

Andrea Sanchez, freshman with an undecided major said, “This is pretty cool. I didn’t know Greek life came together to put together events, I thought it was just each sorority or fraternity on its own.”

Joining a sorority or fraternity has many advantages. They allow students to network, meet lifelong friends, get involved on campus and support several philanthropic efforts. Over the past year, Greeks at FIU have raised over $100 thousand, which have been donated to over 35 different philanthropic organizations. Although FIU’s Greek population is small compared to other schools across the state, numbers are increasing each year.

Only 4.5 percent of FIU’s undergraduate population is Greek, but students like Marcos Rivera, junior majoring in accounting said, “Only 4.5 percent? They must follow me around campus then, because they are the only ones I see.”

There is a push for Greek unity across the four councils: Panhellenic, Interfraternity, Multicultural Greek and National Panhellenic, and all were represented well at the Block Party.

“I think it’s great to see IFC, PC, MGC and NPHC come together for an event to promote Greek life,” said Pi Kappa Pi member Miguel Diaz, a junior majoring in communication arts and organizational studies.

With over 200 Greek men and women in attendance, and over 100 nonaffiliated, each organization’s members tried to show students the positive attributes of going Greek.

“It’s not about the letters we wear across our chests, but about the differences we make in the community and the bonds we build with one another,” said Alpha Xi Delta member Mary Corbin, a junior majoring in broadcast journalism and political science.

The idea for the Block Party came about at a planning meeting back in the Fall semester. A committee was formed and Hector Cuevas, senior majoring in psychology and criminal justice, IFC Vice President of Membership and member of Beta Theta Pi, was the head.

“We wanted to incorporate all four Greek councils into an event that would attract a numerous amount of students in efforts of welcoming them back to Spring 2014,” Cuevas said.

Free food including chicken wings, corn dogs, cotton candy and sno-cones were distributed throughout the event.

“It was nice to have an event where it wasn’t a competition or a game, just affiliated students hanging out showing Greek unity,” Sofia Sanchez, junior majoring in public relations, Panhellenic Council President and member of Phi Sigma Sigma.

The committee expected non-affiliated students to be able to come out and have a good time while learning what Greek life was all about, and based off the crowd and conversations, those expectations came true.

“Before I went Greek, I thought I would be paying for friends, but in a short year, my view on Greek life has changed completely.” Cuevas said. “I have grown both professionally and personally as an individual, and Greek life has helped me attain and exceed my goals including becoming a part of several on campus organizations and being the recipient of the 2013 New Member of the Year.

life@fiusm.com 

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