Greek life offers way to get involved

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Northern Star File Photo

Greek community around campus actively involved during all home football games through fall 2021.

It is important to be involved on campus so you can make the most of your college life. For some, being a part of Greek life can help with that and more. 

Greek Life at NIU is split up into four councils that hold a number of fraternities and sororities. The councils include the Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Panhellenic Association and Multicultural Greek Council.

Interfraternity Council (IFC)

The IFC is home to 9 men’s fraternities including Alpha Kappa Lambda, Alpha Sigma Phi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. If looking to join a fraternity in the IFC, they host a formal recruitment week during the fall semester and first-semester students are eligible to join any chapter. 

Every year, the IFC hosts a Tugs competition between the chapters. In each round, two chapters go head to head in an intense tug-of-war game. The final two teams will face off in the championship match for the first place trophy.  

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. are the five historically African American fraternities of the NPHC. 

The NPHC is also home to four historically African American sororities, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.

Collectively all chapters in the NPHC are known as the “Divine Nine.” All chapters host their own individual intake programs and all interested students need between 12 and 24 credit hours in order to be eligible. 

Panhellenic Council (PHC)

The PHC is home to a total of eight sororities. First-semester students are eligible to join any of the eight chapters.

Lambda Theta Alpha, Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. and Sigma Lambda Sigma are the three chapters that host their own individual recruitment and intake programs while the other five chapters, including Alpha Phi and Delta Gamma, host a formal recruitment process during the fall semester. 

Multicultural Greek Council (MGC)

The MGC is home to seven fraternities, six sororities and one co-ed fraternity such as Alpha Psi Lambda National Inc., Kappa Pi Beta Fraternity, Inc. and Alpha Sigma Omega Latina Sorority Inc. All MGC chapters hold their multicultural histories as an important organizational value.  

Each chapter in the MGC hosts its own individual intake and recruitment programs, but interested students need to have between 12 and 24 credit hours in order to join a chapter. 

No matter the council, all chapters partner with a National Philanthropy organization to raise money, tying in with their community values of service, scholarship, siblinghood, leadership and cultural awareness. 

To register for a chapter, go on the Fraternity and Sorority Life website to fill out the registration form depending on which council you are interested in joining.

For events, members will learn more once they join a chapter or check out any of the councils’ social media accounts. 

This issue was originally printed in our Back to School issue. This report has been altered to reflect the following changes: Panhellenic Association (PHA) has been changed to Panhellenic Council (PHC). Under the Multicultural Greek Council, Kappa Phi Beta Fraternity Inc. has been changed to Kappa Pi Beta Fraternity, Inc. Additionally, Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. and Alpha Kappa Lambda are no longer active and Delta Sigma Pi is not an organization overseen by OFSL. Sigma Lambda Gamma has been changed to Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. For MGC, there are seven fraternities and six sororities, not eight of each. All chapters partner with a National Philanthropy organization, not philosophy.