When fraternities and sororities first started, members were recognized by the colors they wore.

Similarly, today, members of NIU’s Greek organizations are easily spotted on campus. One just has to see their shirts with bright Greek letters emblazoned on them.

The colors of NIU’s fraternities and sororities have a wide range of meanings. Some on the other hand, don’t have any significance at all.

“Colors for sororities and fraternities date all the way back to the founding of our organizations, and frankly, the founders picked these colors for various reasons; mostly to stand out against others,” said Troy Tillis, vice president of Public Relations for the Interfraternity Council (IFC).

Tiffany Williams, a junior special education major, is a member of Zeta Phi Beta. Her sorority’s colors are royal blue and pure white. She said that royal blue symbolizes blue skies. Pure white symbolizes white heavens.

Other chapters are more secretive about what their colors mean.

Jordan Smith is a senior political science major and member of Sigma Kappa, whose colors are maroon and lavender. When asked what the colors mean, Smith said, “we’re not allowed to say.”

The business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi’s colors are old gold and royal purple. Jim Boguslawski, a sophomore marketing major and member, said that he didn’t know what the colors mean or if they mean anything at all.

Some chapters don’t know why they have the colors that they do or where they came from.

Jenny Dudczak, president of Sigma Lambda Sigma and senior accounting major, said that their colors are blue and gray, which are meant to symbolize the good times (blue) and the bad times (gray) that they go through together.

Dudczak said that right now they are trying to find out who the founder of their sorority is, so they know who chose the colors and when they were chosen.

When asked if they were proud of their sorority’s colors Dudczak said, “Of course. We are proud of everything, all of it.”