MEMBERS OF KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA PARTICIPATE IN PHI DELTA THETA'S FALL PHILANTHROPY EVENT, PHIVE D'S OF DODGEBALL. PHOTO CREDIT: PAULINE YANG
by Danielle James
With more than 34% of the undergraduate population belonging to Greek sororities and fraternities, each partnering with at least one charity, philanthropy has a huge presence on the Chapman campus.
“When I learned that Greek life was heavily influenced by philanthropy, it made my decision to go Greek that much easier,” said Janelle Farkas, a senior integrated education studies major.
But what if you’re not Greek? You don’t have to be in a sorority or fraternity to give back.
OrgSync, Chapman’s student involvement portal, has tons of opportunities for students to get involved in the community. Or, you could join a club on campus, such as the Lions Club or Circle K International.
“If you enter the (OrgSync) portal, you can see not only the list of the organizations we partner with, but those organizations can also post any deeds that they need to be done,” said Gabriel Flores, a junior sociology major, an assistant in the Civic Engagement Department. “A lot of the time, students just go volunteer because a friend didn’t want to go alone or they go for the free food, but by the end they stay for more information. That’s the best part of the job, helping people discover things that they didn’t even know they were interested in.”
Doing philanthropy work can also be an excuse to get out and explore your city a bit more.
There are benefit walks you can build a team for and go out and support, such as The Walk to End Alzheimer’s on November 15th and the 11th Annual Walk Now For Autism Speaks on December 7. Check out ocweekly.com/events for a complete list of upcoming benefits you and your friends can get involved in.
Of course, many of the largest philanthropic events are a part of Greek life. Events such as Kappa Alpha Theta’s KATWalk, Gamma Phi Beta’s Airbands, Delta Tau Delta’s Delta Queen, and Phi Kappa Tau’s Red and Gold Week are huge events that raise money for causes.
KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA HOSTS KAPPA KARNIVAL IN THE PIAZZA, BENEFITTING A RETREAT FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS. PHOTO CREDIT: SEANNIE BRYAN
And, you don’t have to be Greek to help them out. You’ll see the Greek chapters tabling on campus for at least a week before each event. You can drop off a donation for the cause.
