A Parent's Guide to Fraternity & Sorority Life

Fraternity and sorority life exists as a proven support network for your student. It can help with many of the worries and concerns your son or daughter might have regarding their college experience.  It will also help your child succeed academically, become involved in campus organizations, prepare for their career and become a contributing member of the campus community. Some advantages to fraternity and sorority life include:

• A support group which will serve as a family away from home to help make the adjustment to college easier.
• Scholastic resources to help students achieve their academic goals,
• Leadership skills acquired through hands-on experience.
• Encouragement to get involved and maximize their potential on campus.
• Opportunities for active participation in community service projects.
• National research has shown that involvement in fraternities and sororities increases students' chances of graduating from college.
• Membership in a fraternity or sorority is for a lifetime, and extends far beyond the IWU campus. Your son or daughter will join a national network which can benefit them for years to come.

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Campus Participation
In addition to being active within their own chapters, fraternity and sorority members can also be found participating in various music ensembles, intramural sports, clubs, service organizations, and special interest groups on campus. The fraternity and sorority community is represented on nearly all of the NCAA sports teams at IWU. In the past few years many positions in the Student Senate, including some of the highest offices, were held by fraternity and sorority members.

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Fraternity & Sorority Life and Academics
Academics should be your child's number one focus while in college. That's why most fraternities and sororities require a minimum GPA in order to remain a member. Usually, each individual chapter has an elected officer who is responsible for keeping track of members and their academic performance. Furthermore, the fraternities and sororities on campus have educational programs, such as tutoring and study sessions, which can assist the entire chapter in excelling academically.

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Leadership and Service
Joining a fraternity or sorority provides a multitude of leadership opportunities. Each chapter elects a board of officers including a president, Vice-President, Scholarship Chair, Treasurer and more. In addition, there are campus wide governing councils for fraternities and sororities that offers leadership and learning opportunities. Your son or daughter can also gain leadership experience through the community service opportunities by working on each chapter's national and local philanthropy projects.

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Life Long Benefits
The friendships your child will make as a member of a fraternity or sorority will last far into post-college years. Membership in a chapter can be a life long experience that is an investment in your child's future, as fraternities and sororities have strong networks for their members to use for careers and job relocations. Wherever your son or daughter ends up after college, chances are he or she will be able to find an alumni chapter or members from their fraternity or sorority in the areas for professional networking and social support.