Members of the College's Inter-Greek Council (IGC) and Panhellenic Association took home 11 awards in a variety of categories at the Northeast Greek Leadership Association Conference.
The College was among the top three award-winning colleges. Tim Wilkinson, director of Fraternity and Sorority Programs, said this is because the College's Greek programs balance social and community service efforts.
"The awards are reflective of the fact that we are one of the top Greek communities in the Northeast," Wilkinson said.
Former IGC president David Dziengowski, was one of 10 awarded the Greek Leader of Distinction honor at the event, held in Pittsburgh, Pa. March 3-6.
The College's Greek councils also collected 10 Programming Excellence awards in the following areas: Philanthropy and Community Service, Public Relations, Risk Reduction and Management, Leadership and Educational Development, Academic Achievement and Council Management.
The Northeast Greek Leadership Association represents Greek communities along the east coast, from North Virginia
to Maine. Its mission statement says, "NGLA exists to promote the founding principles and positive traditions of all Greek letter organizations through opportunities that encourage learning and leadership for the Northeast region."
The College was one of the few schools participating in the event that has an IGC. It includes 12 sororities, 11 fraternities and one coed group. The purpose of IGC is to encourage collaboration and cooperation among the College's diverse Greek population.
The College's Panhellenic Association, which consists of seven sororities, won four awards this year.
Wilkinson said that over 800 members from hundreds of
of schools attended the event. Council members from each school assembled packets with information about programs they had run that fit into certain criteria to apply for each award. Schools that have fulfilled the criteria for a submitted category receive an award.
"We've really worked hard in the last four years to raise our standards," he said. "Last year alone, fraternities and sororities put on over 400 programs. They really do an amazing amount."
The College's Greek organizations focus on member accountability, fighting stereotypes, cosponsorship with non-Greek organizations and philanthropy.
Some of the philanthropic efforts sponsored by Greek organizations include blood drives, Lollanobooza, Adopt-A-Highway (Route 206), Trenton Charter School's playground cleanup and senior citizen dances.
According to Claire O'Brien, Panhellenic Association president and junior communication studies major, Panhellenic has a philanthropic focus.
"We have great service and programming," she said.
Membership also provides leadership opportunities and experiences that can pave the road to success after college.
"We talk a lot about business contacts and it's the truth," O'Brien said. "There are a lot of business contacts. The programs you put on and the contacts that you make are things you could potentially use in the real world."
Panhellenic promotes academic achievement, study hours, scholarship opportunities and an academic awards banquet for sorority sisters with a high GPA. Some Greek organizations have academic requirements.
"We make sure you're not falling behind," O'Brien said. "We also have a lot of fun."
The College's Greek councils had not applied for any awards in 2003, but won five in 2004. IGC president Laura DeMaio, junior business administration major, expressed great pride in the improvement.
