Greek Life is a student’s second home here at Olivet. It’s a place where you go and become your better self with your Greek brothers and sisters, and other Greeks!
Greek Societies started in the 1770’s, with the first fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa, founded at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA in 1775. The first sorority, called ‘women’s fraternities’ back then, named Alpha Delta Pi was established at the Wesleyan College in Macon, GA in 1851.
You explore and learn about Greek actives by going to their meet and greet parties, called ‘smokers’ for fraternities, tea parties for sororities, and tokers for co-eds. Typically this happens in the Fall semester for most campuses. All Greek houses have two to three parties throughout the fall semester where you learn about the house, meet the actives (members) and other potential Greeks. This is the time to ask them any questions you want! Anything about the house, the actives, the traditions and values of the society, and anything else you can think of!
Once you met all the actives, and you want to become one yourself, you have to go through the process called ‘pledging’, where those who receive a bid from the house of their choosing, you accept the bid, and start the process! If you don’t get a bid, do not worry! You can always go through this process again the following year! Pledging starts in the beginning of Spring
semester, and typically lasts 2-3 weeks at Olivet.
