The charts illustrate Greek Week accomplishments from 2019 and 2021. There is no data for Greek Week 2020 due to students being sent home due to the pandemic.
Graphics submitted by the Greek Week 2022 Steering Committee
Think back to your spirit week in high school. Now imagine this spirit week raising thousands of dollars for nonprofits in your community. This is a great idea of what Southeast Greek Week is all about.
Graphics submitted by the Greek Week 2022 Steering Committee
Matt Rolwing, a former member of the Missouri Zeta chapter of Phi Delta Theta, currently serves as Southeast Student Life Coordinator.
“This is really an opportunity for our Greek students to try to break some of those stereotypes, give back to the community and make a difference not only for the Southeast school community, but also for the Cape community Girardeau and southeast Missouri,” Rolwing said. .
Greek Week Director Haley Taylor and co-director Nic Feltz said SEMO students from the nine Interfraternity Councils (IFCs) and seven Panhellenic chapters are grouped into pairs based on their membership. These duos compete in graded events during the spring semester in hopes of winning first place for Greek Week.
Each year there is an overall theme for Greek Week. Each pair chooses a subtheme from a list determined by the Greek Week steering committee, which is generally made up of six people from the Greek Life community. The 2022 Greek Week is comprised of five and the theme “Southeast Showtime” will focus on musicals.
The steering committee meets in the fall and spring semesters. The six members are chosen from candidates in the Greek Life community. These members do not participate in their chapter’s efforts during Greek Week.
“We want to be able to keep this a secret because it’s so exciting to announce it to the chapters,” Taylor said. “It’s incredibly difficult to keep a secret.”
Graphic by Sophia Davis
Alpha Chi Omega and Phi Delta Theta are raising money for Dream Factory, an organization that seeks to make the dreams of seriously and chronically ill children come true. Alpha Delta Pi and Sigma Chi are raising funds for Hope For One More, a comprehensive foster care support and advocacy agency. Alpha Phi is associated with Tau Kappa Epsilon and Theta Zi. The trio of organizations raise money for One City, a nonprofit that has a community center located at 610 Independence. Another group of three, Alpha Xi Delta, Lambda Chi Alpha and Delta Chi, will donate to the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri, a community support organization. Delta Delta Delta sorority and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity will raise funds for SEMO NASV, which provides advocacy and counseling services to children and adults who have experienced child sexual violence or physical abuse. Gamma Phi Beta and Sigma Nu donate to Educare, an organization that seeks to improve the quality of child care and early learning programs. Finally, Sigma Sigma Sigma and Sigma Phi Epsilon will raise funds for Voices For Children, which organizes volunteers who are the voices of children in the foster care system.
Greek Week takes place this year between April 3 and 10, although there are many events outside of this week that count toward each duo’s total score. One of these events was “Shiver ‘N’ Slide”, which took place on March 9th. During this event, students used the land between the Towers complex and the Parker building as a slide. The donations totaled more than $900, according to Rolwing. Couples also host “sharing parties” with certain restaurants, which share a percentage of the profits with the couple for their respective nonprofits.
“Every event is completely different, that’s why we don’t judge them all the same,” Feltz said.
Another major aspect of Greek Week in the Southeast is the blood drive. Historically, this blood drive brings in more than a thousand units of blood to the Red Cross. This year, the blood drive will take place from April 27 to 30 at the Recreation Center, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Greek Games, similar to a field day, will take place on April 3. April 4 is designated for the Canned Food Drive, during which pairs make donations to stock the RedHawk Food Pantry. Walk A Mile in Their Shoes will take place on Tuesday, April 5. In the past, speakers have given presentations on sexual and domestic violations. After the presentation, SEMO Greeks walk across campus, sometimes in high heels, to support survivors. On Thursday, April 7, groups will donate clothing during the day and participate in a lip sync battle during the evening. Greek Sing is considered by many to be the main event of Greek Week.
Greek Sing is an opportunity for each duo to present a skit with a SEMO twist – such as some characters impersonating notable faces from the Southeast like President Vargas – based on their subtheme in front of a jury composed of teachers and administrators, as well as their chapters. Prizes are distributed to the winners the next day at the All Greek Chapter.
“I would say the best way to get involved is through the blood drive,” Feltz said. “There are actually a lot of people in our Greek community who can’t donate blood. »
Greek Week is not just for those involved in IFC or Panhellenic organizations. Anyone looking for an opportunity to participate in service hours, canned food or clothing donations is encouraged to participate. The viewer is also encouraged. To find information about Greek Week events, follow @segreekweek on Instagram.
