The Panhellenic Association and the Interfraternity Council kicks off Greek Week 2015 on March 23, which will include dance-offs, a cookout and field games in the biggest Greek event of the semester.
Michelle Le, president of the Panhellenic Association and junior in the School of Public Affairs, helped organize the event. She said it will be a chance for members of Greek life to bond while raising money for charity.
“It’s this huge week-long event where all of the sororities and fraternities, including the professional organizations this year, just kind of get to know each other, work together and have fun,” Le said.
The week’s events include an ongoing penny war between teams, a Nando’s fundraiser, a 90s throwback themed dance-off, “canned castles,” in which teams build structures from donated canned goods that will go to D.C. Central Kitchen, and an end of the week carnival which will serve as closing celebration for the teams.
The largest event will be a cookout on the quad, March 25, which will be set up like “American’s Top Chef,” according to Le.
Each team will cook a dish of their choosing and table with it. People attending the cookout will buy tickets and give their ticket to the table they think has the best dish. Unlike most other Greek Week events, this is open to the public and all are encouraged to come support the participating teams.
Participants from different chapters will be put into teams of three to four organizations and participate in team activities such as the canned castles competition and cookout throughout the week, according to Le.
Similar events have taken place in the past in different formats, Le said. This is the first time in the past few years an entire week has been dedicated to Greek life. Greek Week 2015 is also the first time that professional fraternities will join in on the activities.
“They’ve never joined us before so hopefully it will be a good coming out, like ‘this is who we are, this is our organization, come get to know us,’” Le said.
Greek Week 2015 is also introducing a charitable aspect to the event for the first time, which Le hopes will encourage more people to participate. In the past, the event has typically been a single day or weekend of Greek activities that did not benefit a charity.
“Our hope is that this year by having a charity incentive more people will come out and donate because it’s not just hanging out, but also working for a cause,” Le said.
All proceeds from Greek Week events will go to College Bound, a program based in D.C. that pairs adult and student tutors with local high school students who have the desire to go college, but may not have all of the direction or resources needed to do so. Volunteers tutor the students in academics, as well as teach them other skills they will need in college, according to Le.
College Bound representatives will also be present at Greek Week events to reach out to AU student who would like to volunteer.
“It’s spring, it’s quadding season, come out to Greek Week and bond with us,” Le said.
A full schedule of Greek Week activities can be found on the event’s Facebook page.
