All Greek life organizations are gearing up for the official commencement of Greek Week 2024, slated to run from April 7 to 13. This week-long event encompasses a multitude of activities, including fundraising, games, skits and more.

Greek Week, a longstanding tradition at SEMO serves the dual purpose of benefiting the community and fostering participation among members of diverse Greek affiliations.

Greek Week consists of a series of points from each event that leads to an overall winner.

According to Associate Vice President of Student Life Bruce Skinner, maintaining a healthy yet respectful competition status is key.

“There is an overall winner for Greek Week, but there are also winners for the blood drive or Greek sing.” Skinner said. “Greek week is also student-led by members of all different chapters, so when you mix in that there are multiple chances to win and our students are running it, it helps keep things generally under control.”

Skinner said that there will be both educational as well as philanthropic benefits to Greek week.

“There is an educational component to it, that is the ability to work with other people, motivate other people around a specific goal,” Skinner said. “The clothing drive, the blood drive and the dollars being raised is where the philanthropy side lies.”

The week is planned out a year in advance by two student chairs as well as a Greek Week Executive board, and a committee called “Steer Co” that serves as extra hands under exec.

Sophomore marketing major Alexa Greff, currently serving as a member of Steer Co, plays an active role in coordinating the week's activities.

“Being the only member of my chapter in Steer Co, having the opportunity to meet and work with people outside of my own chapter has been really fun.” Greff said.

Although the bulk of Greek Week festivities are yet to unfold, two preliminary events have already taken place in the past month.

The Special Olympics Polar Plunge took place in early March, and the Greek Week blood drive through the Red Cross occurred this past week.

Each fraternity and sorority pairing actively has their own nonprofit organization assignment where they work alongside the local organizations to raise money and awareness for that specific cause.

According to junior mechanical engineering major Jayden Lucas, Greek Week sheds a positive light on Greek life here at SEMO in the various volunteering forms.

“It shows that Greek life is more than just Greek life, we do stuff outside of our Greek organization. It really brings everyone together,” Lucas said. “Everyone thinks it’s kinda cliquey, but Greek Week really shows that we can come together and work towards bettering our image.”