The 31 sororities and fraternities at Mississippi State University host numerous philanthropic activities each year.
Taylor Reed, Interfraternity Council president, said philanthropy is an important aspect of each fraternity at MSU because the members have the ability and desire to help those in need.
“Every fraternity was founded on strong beliefs of the importance of service, and, as a council, we try to support and
encourage fraternities’ service as much as possible,” he said.
RReed said IFC will participate in Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, St. Jude Children’s Hospitals’ Up ’til Dawn and Relay for Life. In addition to these council-wide philanthropy events, many fraternities are hosting philanthropic events throughout the semester, including Kappa Sigma’s Charity Classic beginning Feb. 27, Sigma Chi’s Derby Week beginning March 26, Sigma Phi Epsilon’s volleyball tournament beginning April 9 and Sigma Nu’s crawfish boil on April 21.
Will Ford, Phi Delta Theta president, said his fraternity has made philanthropy a priority and supports the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association, an organization searching for treatment and a cure for Lou Gehrig’s disease, through a variety of fundraisers each year.
“Our philanthropy is important to us because it keeps us focused on the world around us,” he said. “We hope that with our philanthropic projects we can cultivate awareness and aid financially in the research for a cure.”
Phi Delta Theta will host a fish fry on March 7 and a volleyball tournament and crawfish boil on April 18 to raise funds for the ALS association.
Clark Price, Alpha Tau Omega president, said philanthropy is not only a good way to give back to the community, but it is also a way for the Greek system and all students at MSU to work together to serve those in need.
“Speaking for myself, my chapter and those benefited through the philanthropic endeavors, we are eternally grateful for the support not only the Greek students but all MSU students give to our events,” he said.
Morgan Lott, Phi Mu philanthropy chairperson, said philanthropy is one of the most important parts of her sorority.
“The first line of our creed reads, ‘To lend to those less fortunate a helping hand,'” she said. “As Phi Mus, those words serve as a reminder as to how we should strive to live our lives daily.”
Paige Watson, former Phi Mu recruitment chairperson, said she appreciates the philanthropic opportunities she has had in the sorority.
“I believe philanthropy is important for Phi Mu because it teaches our members to continually give back to the community, and it instills those habits in us for life,” she said.
Phi Mu, which raised $31,000 for its philanthropy last year, is currently hosting a raffle for an iPad 2 and will host a pizza late night event on April 19 to raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network.
Willie Brewster, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity president, said his National Pan-Hellenic fraternity runs on a different philanthropic system than IFC and NPC fraternities and sororities. NPHC fraternities have national programs for all chapters to support, he said.
Brewster said he thinks philanthropic practices are important for his fraternity because everyone has a civic duty to serve others.
“One of my fraternity’s aims is ‘love for all mankind,’ and the most basic way to fulfill this aim is by serving,” he said. “The future of this world does not rest on who you know and how you know them, but on the lasting impression and foundation you set out for your respective communities.”
Alpha Phi Alpha, which has a partnership with March of Dimes, will host a coin drive benefitting the March of Dimes beginning April 1.