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What To Know About Greek Life At Georgetown University

Whether you are looking to make friends or find professional opportunities, Greek life is a great way to make connections. Here’s what to know about Greek life at Georgetown University, including how to join, when to join and which groups to join.

The public Instagram account of Delta Phi Epsilon, Georgetown’s foreign service sorority (Credit: Instagram @dpesorority). 

 As a historically Jesuit institution, Georgetown University does not condone Greek life, and campus fraternities and sororities do not receive funding from the Student Activities Commission. However, a lack of administrative support has not stopped the growth of campus Greek life in recent years. According to the Georgetown University Student Association, about 10% of Georgetown University students belong to campus fraternities and sororities.  Of course, there are plenty of ways to get involved on Georgetown’s campus beside Greek life such as theater, political organizations and club sports. But if you’re looking to make friends while networking and giving back to the community, a fraternity or a sorority is a great place to start. 

How to Join a Fraternity or Sorority 

If you are interested in Greek life, odds are you have heard of “rush,” or the process of recruitment for fraternities and sororities. During rush, most of the Greek organizations will host various social events like mixers and Q&A panels. Though intimidating at first, recruitment events are an opportunity to meet new people and find your Hilltop home. 

There are a couple of ways to learn about an organization and find its schedule of events. Every fall, Georgetown’s Council of Advisory Boards organizes an Activities and Organizations Fair, known to students as the “CAB” Fair. At CAB Fair, most Georgetown clubs and organizations staff tables on the front lawn and attempt to attract new members with free merchandise and elevator pitches. Odds are, Greek organizations will be at CAB Fair. 

Another way to get involved in Greek life is to follow organizations on social media, sign up for newsletters or reach out directly to board members. Lastly, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for flyers posted around campus—it sounds obvious, but you would be amazed at how many opportunities you might miss because you refuse to stop and read the signs.

Georgetown University is located in Northwest, Washington D.C. just a few miles from the National Mall. 

While some groups, like Delta Psi Epsilon, request that you attend a couple recruitment events before you submit your formal application, other groups like Alpha Epsilon Pi assert that their rush events are optional. As with all social and professional organizations, though, it is probably best to make a few club contacts before you submit your application, which can typically be found under the “recruitment” tab on a chapter website. 

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When to Join a Fraternity or Sorority

Most Georgetown fraternities and sororities begin their formal recruitment process, otherwise known as the “Panhellenic process”,  in the fall. However, fall is by no means your only chance to apply to a Greek organization. If you want more time to weigh your options or  adjust to college life, many fraternities and sororities also have continuous open bidding in the spring, which is a period of informal recruitment meant to level out member numbers among the groups. 

Delaying the recruitment process can also be a great way to save money, as membership dues can range anywhere from $50 to $500 or more per semester, depending on which organization you decide to join. Most organizations do not want finances to be a barrier to recruitment, however, and it’s always a good idea to talk to an organization’s recruitment chair about your options. 

The public Instagram page of Kappa Alpha Theta, one of Georgetown’s social sororities (Credit: Instagram @georgetowntheta). 

Which Fraternity or Sorority Is Right For You? 

Unlike larger public universities, only a handful of fraternities and sororities exist at Georgetown, given the university’s reluctance to support Greek life. That being said, the organizations differ in their philanthropic missions, networking abilities, cost of membership and social support, so it can be difficult to discern which group is right for you. Here’s a quick guide to Georgetown’s active fraternities and sororities with links to their websites for you to learn more!

Fraternities

  • Sigma Phi Epsilon: “SigEp” is a social fraternity founded on “Virtue, Diligence and Brotherly Love,” according to their website. It vows to offer its brothers vibrant social experiences that do not include hazing or pledging, which means that parents can rest easily knowing that their child’s Greek experience is safe. SigEp is heavily involved in campus community service. In 2019, SigEp raised the most money ($27,000) during Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society. Each fall, they also host a 5K for domestic violence that benefits Doorways for Women and Families. 
  • Sigma Chi: Sigma Chi is Georgetown’s freshman fraternity, meaning its Mu Theta chapter was only installed at Georgetown in 2019. According to its website, Sigma Chi started in Harbin Hall, a freshman dormitory, which proves that the friendships you form during your first year of college might be your strongest. Sigma Chi’s national charity is the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, an organization which aims to alleviate financial and physical burdens on cancer patients and their families. 

No matter where your interests lie, Georgetown probably has a fraternity or sorority that is perfect for you (Credit: Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels).

  • Alpha Epsilon Pi: AEPi boasts that it is the oldest and largest social fraternity at Georgetown University, though it is not the only one. It was formed in 1913 to provide social and professional opportunities for Jewish men; AEPi’s presence on Georgetown’s campus is especially important given the school’s Jesuit values and Catholic presence. Like SigEp, AEPi has a no-hazing policy in line with their core values of honesty, perseverance, mutual helpfulness, faith and humility. 
  • Zeta Psi: I’m gonna be honest, it was nearly impossible to find information on Zeta Psi given the group’s almost-inactive Facebook page and faulty website link; yet, I think their minimal social media presence reflects Zeta Psi’s mysterious campus presence. By mysterious, I mean that I do not know a single person in this organization and never see them out when the sun is shining. However, I can confirm that I have walked past several Zeta Psi parties and, according to my inside source, this fraternity rarely has a “closed-door” policy which makes it hard to control who goes in and out of their events. I would encourage you to do some more investigating before pledging allegiance to this fraternity. 

Sororities

  • Kappa Kappa Gamma: Kappa Kappa Gamma is a relatively new campus sorority—its first pledge class was initiated in 2013. Since then, the chapter has continued to flourish, particularly because of its charitable outreach and the support it offers its members. For example, the national organization offers scholarships for members, and Georgetown’s chapter has an Academic Excellence Committee to help members who fall behind on their schoolwork. When it comes to philanthropy, Kappa Kappa Gamma works with a variety of local organizations such as the DC Rape Crisis Center, the Georgetown Women’s Center and Campus Kitchen. Notable Kappas include Sophia Bush and Ashley Judd. 
  • Kappa Alpha Theta: It’s hard to break down the major differences between Kappas and Thetas, as most members will tell you that it comes down to the vibes and missions of its members. Theta is an organization focused on sisterhood and empowering the next generation of female leaders. Theta members hold impressive leadership roles both on and off campus, serving in organizations like ROTC and the Georgetown University Student Association and interning for Congress members and the Lombardi Cancer Center. Theta’s national charity is CASA, an organization which enhances the lives of abused and neglected children through legal advocacy.

Professional groups are a way to develop industry skills while still making friends (Credit: photo by fauxels from Pexels.

Professional Groups

  • Alpha Kappa Psi: You might expect a business fraternity to have a thriving LinkedIn page and sleek website, but AKPsi defies those expectations with a Facebook page that has been ignored since 2017. I do know that Alpha Kappa Psi is a co-ed organization, but that’s where my knowledge ends. Hopefully this organization will reappear in the next couple years, but until then, you might be better off joining one of Georgetown’s other professional fraternities. 
  • Delta Phi Epsilon: Founded nationally in 1920, DPE is America’s only professional foreign service fraternity whose notable alumni  include Emma Watson, Maya Angelou, Walt Disney and Michella Obama. At Georgetown, DPE is both a fraternity and a sorority and though the groups have separate recruitment processes, they come together for professional and social programming. Unlike the other Greek organizations on campus, DPE has its own house—one perk of its impressive legacy. Plus, a little birdie told me that DPE has low dues ($60) compared to other groups with dues ranging anywhere from $100-$500. 
  • Alpha Phi Omega: One of the university’s co-ed groups, APO is the only campus Greek organization to exclusively focus on community service. As a result, it is also the only group to be funded by Georgetown’s administration and to have the support of the Center for Social Justice. APO also wins points for being the only group without a selective rush  process—as long as pledges complete 50 hours of community service, they’re in! 

I also want to note that over the years, Georgetown has been home to several  historically black fraternities and sororities, such as Alpha Phi Alpha, Omega Psi and Kappa Alpha Psi. Their exclusion from this list does not mean that there are no historically black Greek organizations at Georgetown or that they are not an active part of Georgetown’s identity. Rather, I chose not to include groups whose presence I could not confirm through social media pages, websites or word of mouth. 

Greek life can be a great way to make friends, find professional opportunities, and give back to your college community. Don’t be afraid to reach out to members and ask questions. Remember: Greek life should be fun! (Credit: Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels).

In Conclusion

As you can see, no matter where your interests lie, Georgetown probably has a fraternity or sorority that is perfect for you. However, while Greek life is a vibrant aspect of student life, campus culture is hardly dependent on it. I didn’t participate in Greek life at Georgetown and I still had amazing experiences. Your college life is what you make it, and, if Greek life isn’t right for you, you’re guaranteed to find a club that is.