Greek Life at Stanford
Even though the Inter-Sorority Community is made up of seven individual sororities, each chapter offers four basic tenants that bind all sorority women together: scholarship, leadership, service, and sisterhood.
Scholarship is an important aspect of every Stanford student's life, and is encouraged from the beginning of New Member Education (the first six weeks of membership when all the new members become acquainted with their new sisters). Greek women study for HumBio together, work on psets, and advise one another on major and career paths. Contact with upperclassmen mentors is pivotal for many younger Greeks. In addition, chapters host major nights and dinners with professors, resume and internship workshops, as well as Greek-wide study breaks.
Leadership within the sorority system is vital to its very existence. We are self-governing organizations whose elected undergraduates shape the Greek community every year. From Philanthropy Chairs to the Inter-Sorority Council delegates to Directors of Public Relations to Chapter Treasurers, there are numerous opportunities to serve your chapter and gain valuable experience, and to take a direct role in the type of Greek experience you will have and how you can affect the larger Stanford community. Leadership positions are also excellent references for prospective employers and for building critical skill sets. Furthermore, as a member of a Greek organization, you are part of an extensive network of professional alumni, who can assist you in your internship and job searches.
Stanford Greek women are also highly motivated to give back to their communities. Each chapter participates in service and philanthropy throughout the year, serving both local and national causes. Chapters hold clothing drives, marathons, spa days, brunches, concerts, car washes, dodgeball tournaments, blood drives, and even speed dating to raise money and awareness for issues important to their chapter. In addition, individual chapters and ISC strive to raise awareness for critical issues that affect Stanford students, such as violence against women and positive body image.
At its root, however, sororities are support systems for their members and sisterhood remains a central aspect of the sorority experience. Every new member is welcomed into her new chapter with open arms and matched with a big sister to help her navigate this new experience. Chapter members soon form close bonds of friendship within their own pledge classes and with older girls, through events like lineage dinners, girls' nights out, Fraiche-dates, Sprinkles parties, coffee chats, formals, movie nights, mixers, Gossip Girl fests, barbeques, karaoke, and more. In addition, sisters often choose to live together, either in their chapter houses or by drawing with one another.
There is no experience quite like sorority membership: recruitment, new member education, initiation, chapter meetings, lineage dinners, social events, rally gear, special dinners, chapter retreats, and countless other activities and experiences that bind each sisterhood together. Keep in mind, however, that sorority membership is an experience designed to enhance undergraduate life, but it is in no way the only activity that sisters participate in. Nearly all sorority members participate in other activities on campus that range from varsity and club sports to student government to Charity Fashion Show to Rams Head to Habitat for Humanity.
The entire Greek community (IFC and ISC, MGC, AAFSA) is supported by the Greek Program of Stanford Residential Education.