DeKALB– Vicki Gerentes, NIU’s director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, spoke to the Northern Star about herself and her position.
WHAT KIND OF THINGS DO YOU DO IN YOUR FREETIME?
“I am a family person, I’m the oldest of three, and I try to visit with my parents quite a bit. Fraternity and Sorority Life is my job, but it’s also something I volunteer with. I serve as an advisor outside of here, I volunteer quite a bit with other organizations, and with my own sorority, Delta Gamma.”
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE?
“I went to Lake Forest College and I studied English. I then went to Loyola Chicago for my master’s degree in higher education.”
“I joined Delta Gamma when I attended Lake Forest College. Fraternity and Sorority Life was something that was really important to me but wasn’t something that I sought out. Joining an organization, it could’ve been a sorority, it could’ve been anything, it was really going to help me feel more connected at school.”
“I was our (Delta Gamma’s) chapter president at one point and I also served on the Panhellenic Council (at Lake Forest College).
HOW DID YOU GET THIS JOB AT NIU?
“I’ve been working in higher education for 10 years. This journey really started while I was in college. I worked at a few different schools. I’ve worked at Illinois Institute of Technology, San Jose State University, and then I did move back to Illinois because my family is from here which was a big pull for me.”
WHAT DOES YOUR POSITION AS THE DIRECTOR OF FRATERNITY AND SORORITY LIFE DO?
“I have a senior associate director who’s with me and then a graduate assistant. The team of three is responsible for making sure that we have a wonderful program for students to be able to join. We manage rosters and provide grade reports to each organization as well. Between my staff and I, we each oversee two councils. I’m advising the National Panhellenic Council and the Panhellenic Council, but we both meet with every single chapter in some way.”
“We’re here to support the students, we are here to find ways that help the students in this process. My role is just to make sure that we have a really strong and great community. If there is an opportunity to have the Center for Greek Life, that by the time it gets there, that it’s just something that enhances a wonderful program. I’m here to make sure that experience is well supported, that we have staff members and resources that can help you work through challenges.”
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE FUTURE GREEK LIFE CENTER?
“There was a task force put together to help revitalize Greek Life, so a lot of administrators, students and alumni came together and put together this ultimate report after lots of conversations, lots of listening sessions, about how we can take Greek Life into the next phase. That hasn’t quite been funded yet and totally launched, but the land is there and there are secured plans for what it could look like.”
WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU HAVE OR EXPECT TO FACE?
“I think I’m just a new person, right? A lot that is really just learning more about the university, how we do things here, what kind of forms do you fill out in order to oversee certain things, which offices manage different programs and support students in different ways. It is a lot of relationship building and you can’t meet everybody in a day. It is a lot of time that I also have to spend, not just getting to know them [the students], but also colleagues, peers, the campus and the greater area.”
HOW WILL YOU APPROACH BUILDING CONNECTIONS WITH THE GREEK ORGANIZATIONS AT NIU?
“That really started on day one when I got here in November. We do have lots of organizations, so it is really just trying to say, ‘Hey, I’m the new director for Fraternity and Sorority Life, I’d love to meet you.’ The students were very open and welcoming. It also is about learning more about what their experience has been like so far. What can someone like me do to help them? A lot of that relationship building is trying to learn more about what are the goals from them, for their chapter, for the community and how we can work together better.”
