Eliza Dieck, Opinions Editor
Greek life is an integral aspect of Sewanee culture. After all, approximately 70% of the student body belongs to a Greek organization. This percentage may seem shockingly high given the prevalence of the #AbolishGreekLife movement. At Sewanee, stereotypes persist about the Greeks prioritizing partying over academics. However, the average GPAs of Sororities and Fraternities prove otherwise.
The University Registrar releases a “Greek Organizations GPA Report” at the end of each semester. The Advent Semester 2024 report reveals that Sewanee students who are members of Greek organizations had higher GPAs on average than students who are not. Fifty-seven percent of these Greek members have been inducted into the Order of the Gown. According to the Registrar’s report, the average GPA among Greeks at Sewanee was 3.46 while the average GPA of the “non-Greeks” was 3.33.
Donald Abels, the Director of Greek Life, told The Sewanee Purple that Greek organizations having a higher average GPA than the “non-Greek” student population is expected. “The average for sororities and fraternities combined is historically higher than for non-Greek students.”
At Sewanee, bias against the Greeks is nothing new. A 2020 Opinion piece in The Purple said, “Greek life damages the social and intellectual lives of its students.” At some universities, this may be true. However, after taking a look at the Registrar’s publication of the Greek Organizations GPA report from last semester, there is a correlation between sorority and fraternity membership and academic success.
Margaret Barton (C ’78), a former regent, trustee, and current President of the Alumni Greek Advisory Council told The Purple that she was “not surprised” that Greek organizations were averaging higher GPAs than non-Greeks. She and others say Sewanee Greek organizations are constantly encouraging their members to strive for academic excellence. The Sewanee Greek Council has implemented rules that mandate academic success to participate in the recruitment process. This rule motivates students to prioritize academics to earn the ability to participate in recruitment.
According to Donald Abels, “Greek organizations have built-in systems that serve a critical purpose – belonging, connection, support, and accountability. We know from years of national studies that members of fraternities and sororities develop a stronger attachment to their university, and they graduate at higher rates than non-affiliated students.”
Sydney Simpson (C ’26) said that her involvement in Phi Kappa Epsilon, a local sorority has given her “amazing friends who have similar and supportive mindsets when it comes to school.” She added that her sorority offers various leadership opportunities that prepare members for future jobs and strengthen relationships with the Sewanee community.
A study done by the National Library of Medicine in 2023 showed that “social support influences academic engagement through the mediating effect of life satisfaction.” Greek life is not the only form of social support at Sewanee. In fact, Sewanee offers a multitude of social outlets through clubs, sports teams, and community service. However, considering that approximately 70% of the student body is affiliated with a Greek organization, this statistic implies that these groups are inspiring better academic performance among their members.
Although the 19 Sewanee sororities and fraternities possess different personalities and histories, each offers critical social support, resulting in their academic success during the Advent 2024 semester. That support and success may be a significant reason for Sewanee’s strong Greek community, which is among the highest ranked per capita among American colleges in University according to a US News and World Report in 2023.
Sewanee sororities and fraternities have subverted the stereotype that painted Greeks as partiers and replaced it with a new story – one where the Greeks are in fact, geeks.
Opinions Editor Eliza Dieck is a member of the sorority Phi Kappa Epsilon.
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/most-sororities
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