Few annual events are anticipated as much as Greek Week at St. John’s. Started nearly 10 years ago, Greek Week is a celebration of all that Greek Life has to offer.
A week-long series of events is held, allowing students in Greek Life organizations to come together for competitions, educational experiences, and service opportunities.
This year, the kick-off event was Greek Fest, a day-long celebration of Greek Life. KTU Campus Invasion also took part in the opening day extravaganza.
Other events during the week included athletic competitions such as dodgeball, volleyball and basketball. There was also a Tug-O-War competition and a clean-up of Cunningham Park. There was also an academic recognition dinner hosted by ALFSA. The week’s culmination was Lip Sync, held in Carnesecca Arena.
The events allowed the students in the various organizations to have fun and express the four pillars of Greek Life: brotherhood/sisterhood, service, scholarship and leadership.
“It’s a great way for them to come together,” said Mary Pelkowski, director of leadership development. “It was a chance for them to bond in sisterhood and brotherhood and just to realize that they see each other at the tables in [the UC Commons] every single day and now they’re out there competing and hanging out and talking and joking around.”
The greatest aspect of Greek Week, however, is the feeling of unity that comes from participating in such events.
“It’s about unification,” said Vasco Lopes, president of the Inter-Fraternity Council. “The thing about Greek Week that most people don’t understand is that it’s not just about competition and sports. It’s also about community service and educational programs.”
Many students agreed that unity was an important part of Greek Week and Greek Life as a whole.
“Greek Week just showed the unity we’re all supposed to have,” said Stephen Sheppard of Sigma Alpha Mu. “Everyone put aside their petty differences and just chilled rather than fight.”
Others thought that the service aspect of Greek Week was one of the most important things.
“[I liked] the park clean-up,” said Tracey Smith of Delta Phi Epsilon. “I liked seeing all of Greek Life together. It was a very positive environment.”
Monica Rivera, president of ALFSA, agreed, saying, “It brings all the organizations together for a good cause.”
Along with all of the service, Greek Week is about competition and having fun, and that is something that was not forgotten during this year’s events.
This year’s winners were Gamma Phi Beta and Sigma Phi Epsilon, both winning for the fourth consecutive year.
“I enjoyed Greek Week a lot,” said Carlos Perez of Sigma Phi Epsilon. “It allowed the Greek organizations to open the doors for all of St. John’s to see. The ability to win first place just made it all even better.”
