Published February 23, 2022
Greek Life at NYU Means Leadership, Service, and Community
No matter where you are in your college search, you’ve likely heard about the importance of finding your community on campus. One way to do that is joining one of NYU’s fraternities or sororities. Here, these Greek life organizations, with an emphasis on service and academics as well as on social activities, can help you find like-minded people.
“We have a great balance of programming,” says Dea Elezaj. She is the current president of the Panhellenic Council, the governing body for sororities at NYU. “While we plan fun social events, like parties and game nights, a lot of our programming is philanthropic.”
Many Ways to Give Back—And Have Fun
Today, NYU has 23 active Greek life organizations, each with its own focus and philanthropic goals. For example, the promotion of “unity among womxn and the awareness of the Asian/Asian American culture and heritage” is Sigma Psi Zeta’s mission. At the same time, Delta Lambda Phi, which welcomes gay, bisexual, and progressive men, is known for their annual drag show fundraiser, which benefits Health Outreach to Teens.
Many of NYU’s Greek organizations partner throughout the year with the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation. This organization supports families who are dealing with childhood cancer. “They match us with kids who we call B+ Heroes,” Dea explains. “Basically, we adopt them into our organization. We throw them birthday parties and have fun together. Additionally, we go to the hospital and support them throughout the treatment process.” Each spring, everyone from Greek life gets together for NYDM, NYU’s 12-hour dance marathon benefiting the B+ Foundation. And even if you don’t join a fraternity or sorority, you can still get involved. Since the event began in 2012, the greater NYU community has raised over $2.8 million.
Academic Excellence
Another advantage of Greek life is academic support whenever you need it. “Many of us take the same courses, so there is always someone to study with,” Dea says. “And if anyone is struggling with their grades, they get paired with another student and work together to come up with an academic plan. Everybody wants to achieve a certain level of excellence.”
Instant Community
Now in her final semester as a Psychology major, Dea is quick to describe how the last four years of sorority life transformed her NYU experience. “Greek life makes NYU feel more like a small campus. You see students that you know everywhere,” she says. “You’ll always have somebody to eat lunch with, study with, or just hang out with. It’s a real game changer to have a huge community of people to support you.”
Related
My Big Fat Greek Experience: Sorority Life at NYU
NYU has a vibrant Greek life with seven sororities. Here is a helpful guide to sorority life.
Clubs and Communities: Finding Family at NYU
How do you make friends and find community at NYU? Check out these top five tips for a smooth transition into your first year of college.
