Fraternity and Sorority Life

Dia de los Muertos Celebration Draws Hundreds to Kauffman

Although Dia de los Muertos occurs on the first and second of November, hundreds of students, faculty and staff, and members of the community gathered in Kauffman Hall to celebrate on Nov. 4.

The Mexican American Student Association (MASA) and Lambda Theta Nu Sorority, Inc. planned the event that included food, crafts, music and more. In addition, the Mexican Dance Academy of Nebraska performed traditional dances and showcased a play related to the holiday and the importance of remembrance.

46 Greek leaders participate in suicide prevention training

As most students returned to campus on Sunday, Jan. 8, leaders of the fraternity and sorority community at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln tackled a tough topic—suicide. Presidents from 46 organizations attended QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Program training led by Nebraska Youth Suicide Prevention Project Region V, a grant-funded project focused on bystander intervention.

Presenters reviewed the three steps of Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) to help save lives, emphasizing that you can make a difference.

Students share the tradition of Lunar New Year

On Thursday, Jan. 26, the Office of Academic Support and Intercultural Services hosted a Lunar New Year celebration for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus community.

Greek leadership symposia encourage education and reflection

On Friday, Feb. 24, the second Greek leadership symposium of the semester took place with more than 142 students present. At the symposium Nolan Conradt, the education and training officer for the University Police Department, presented on emergency plans and situational preparedness.

“It is good to be mindful of what actions to take in the case of emergencies or crises and to be more aware of our surroundings,” said Shayne Arriola, a member of Pi Kappa Alpha and president of the Interfraternity Council.

RSO workshops provide student groups with tools for success

Student Involvement hosted recognized student organization (RSO) workshops on risk management, motivation and inspiration, civil discourse and navigating the Student Organization Financial Services (SOFS).

Director of Risk Management and Insured Benefits Gayle Schanou, Outdoor Adventure Center Coordinator Todd Grier and Coordinator of Fraternity Life Jon Gayer led the risk management workshop on Feb. 14. The presenters discussed perceived risk and how to be prepared for unexpected situations.

Getting to Know Our Global Neighbors

Our students come from all backgrounds and walks of life, but one group with a most unique perspective is international students. Hailing from 129 countries, these students enrich the UNL community with an array of languages, variety of cultural experiences and diverse views.

Nebraska Greek members show higher retention and graduation rates

A 2016 report from the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln shows Greek members possess higher first-year retention and graduation rates than their peers.

FIRST-YEAR RETENTION

Incoming students who joined sororities in fall 2015 were retained at the university at 90.98 percent, a rate 7.88 percentage points higher than the female campus average for the same period. Similarly, the retention for men who joined fraternities was 88.95 percent, 7.65 points higher than the male campus average.

Schwartzkopf Awarded for Exemplary Service to Students

The UNL community showed appreciation for Linda Schwartzkopf’s years of exemplary service when she was honored with the James V. Griesen Exemplary Service to Students Award April 24 during the annual All-University Honors Convocation at the Lied Center for Performing Arts.

Greek Preview offers glimpse at fraternity and sorority life

By Olivia Beier and Thomas Hoxmeier

The Officer of Fraternity and Sorority Life at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln hosted the eighth annual Greek Preview on Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5, attracting more than 900 students and guests to campus. Designed to introduce high school seniors to Greek life, the event invites future huskers to learn about fraternities and sororities, and to understand the recruitment processes.

Celebrating 100 Years of Brotherhood

Smiles, hearty laughter and stories of the good old days flowed freely when members of Kappa Alpha Psi gathered to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Eta Chapter at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“It’s like a second homecoming – though UNL has their homecoming in the fall, it’s like that second homecoming for the individuals and they just made a big weekend out of it,” said Alfonzo Cooper, a graduate advisor to the Kappa Alpha Psi chapter at UNL.

Greek Weekend filled with activities, friendly competition

From Friday, April 7 to Monday, April 10, sororities and fraternities participated in Greek Weekend. Groups of chapters called triads worked together to try and win Greek Weekend bragging rights.

Making Strides: Increasing Minority Student Graduation Rates

In March the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was recognized by The Education Trust for its 10-point reduction in the achievement gap between white and black students between 2003 and 2013. At the same time, UNL increased the overall graduation rate by 4.5 percent. While there is room for continued improvement, this great feat should be celebrated and studied to examine how to further close the achievement gap for minority students.

Award-winning program introduces international students to Greek life

Intercultural Conversations, a program developed last fall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln which strives to integrate international and domestic students with intentionality, won the Innovative Program Award at the 2017 Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education (NODA) Region V Conference.