Greek community more than parties, clothes and reality television

Dear Editor:

I was appalled to read “The evolution of a Greek: a Darwinian perspective” in Thursday’s issue of the Stater. Sure, Allison Brager may be a successful graduate student in biological sciences, and I’m not meaning to insult her intelligence, but Greek life cannot be described in three simple observational results as she proposed.

Before joining a sorority, I admit I was one of the many that viewed fraternities and sororities as the stereotypical institutions portrayed in popular movies and television shows. Looking back, the arrogance and egocentrism I embodied was nothing short of selfish. Ms. Brager’s research merely skims the surface of Greek life and, in fact, lacks any truthfulness. The article portrays Greek brothers and sisters as unintelligent and arrogant college students who only posses the need to party, shop and get our collegiate education from episodes of “Laguna Beach.” She could not be more wrong.

Kent State University’s Greek community, from my experience, is proud to combine more than just fashion and business majors. My sorority alone is comprised of nursing, journalism, education, pre-med, pre-law, biology and political science majors, just to name a few, as well as several girls involved in ROTC.

Ask sorority and fraternity members how much money they raised for Relay for Life or how many community service hours his or her chapter accumulated last semester.

Ask the president of Delta Gamma, Sigma Chi, Chi Omega, Sigma Nu or any other sorority or fraternity where they rank in the “friendly competition” for highest G.P.A. amongst Kent State’s Greek chapters, which I am proud to say most of the chapters have a combined grade point average of 3.2 or higher.

Take a moment to discuss with each chapter what their annual philanthropy is and how much money they donate each year to a national and local cause.

The article not only insults the thousands of students on campus who associate with a Greek organization but insults alumni who have used their experiences from college to gain respectable positions in the business world. Would you want to insult your doctor who may have been a Delta Zeta or your lawyer who could be an alumnus of Alpha Tau Omega?

I have no problem with a student taking observations and printing them in the newspaper, but research must be thorough, well-examined and correct, above all other things. Accurate results for a study of Kent State’s Greek life cannot come from an evening walk down Main Street.

In conclusion, I am proud to be in my sorority and proud of my fifteen community service hours earned over the summer. I take pride in my cumulative 3.7 G.P.A, my brown hair and the boxer shorts and t-shirt I sit in currently as I write this letter to the editor.

I am also proud of the grammar exercise I am getting right now as well. So, thank you Ms. Brager for supplying me with an opportunity to display my journalism skills: You are indeed “the bestest.”

Monica Volante

junior electronic media production major