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[/media-credit]The University of Wisconsin Greek community and Wisconsin Alumni Association welcomed hundreds of Greek alumni to celebrate the 150-year anniversary of sorority and fraternity life on campus.
“The university experience doesn’t end after four years,” UW Student Involvement Coordinator Barbara Kautz said. “This weekend made a lot of positive connections with students and alumni, and it’s a great opportunity to show the entire campus about Greek life in a positive way.”
The National Pan-Hellenic Council, a historically African-American Greek society, kicked off the weekend with an alumni reception at Memorial Union. Each participating chapter hosted a gameday barbeque, followed by a “Stomp Da Madness” step show and a Greek residence life tour the next day.
About 900 alumni returned to campus from all over the country, Greek Life intern Beau Levinson said, adding about 200 alumni purchased Wisconsin vs. Northern Illinois football tickets and attended their respective chapter’s barbeque after the game.
“It’s been a great success,” Levinson said. “It’s amazing to bring people back. Though it’s a lot of work, in the end you see the connections people make with each other, and you’re rewarded for everything.”
UW Panhellenic Sorority Association President Sarah Anderson said a lot of the success had to do with the interaction among the Greek branches.
UW has four divisions of Greek life: the Panhellenic Association, the Interfraternity Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Multicultural Greek Council, Anderson said.
“We all have our own events planned, though we help each other out,” Anderson said. “[The step show] was planned by the National Pan-Hellenic Council and their chapters here, but we all take our part in supporting each other.”
Alpha Kappa Alpha hit the Union Theater stage in the step show Saturday, wearing light pink and green eye shadow, pink suspenders and brown messenger caps. The curtain rose to unveil a 1920s-themed set with three park benches, trees and bulb lights.
“I’d say we’ve been practicing for over two months,” said Itoro Udoeyop, National Pan-Hellenic Council President and AKA member. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be part of the contributions that Greek life has made over the last 150 years.”
Alumni toured the Langdon Street neighborhood in the “parade of homes” event Sunday.
“It’s fun for the alumni and fun for us too,” Gamma Phi Beta alumni relations chair Kelsey Crowley said. “It’s an exchange of memories from the past and present. We both want to hear each other’s stories, so interacting with them is so easy.”
Zeta Beta Tau President Ben Borsuk also said meeting his alumni was a stimulating experience. His Langdon Street fraternity house is about 100 years old, though the fraternity just moved in six years ago.
“Bringing back alumni strengthens the chapter and Greek community,” Borsuk said. “It’s kind of a shock, but meeting them is just such good exposure.”
According to Levinson, the money raised this weekend will pay for the event costs. The rest of the money will be used toward a scholarship cosponsored by the UW Foundation for a prospective UW Greek with financial limitations.
