By Charlie Cole | Broadcast Reporter
When it comes to Greek life at Baylor, the first thing that comes to mind may be All-University Sing, Homecoming floats or intramural competitions, but Greek organizations do have a more impactful mission: philanthropy.
Philanthropy has long been an integral part of Greek life. Nearly every fraternity and sorority around the country has a specific philanthropy or charity that it supports, requiring members to commit service hours to raise money for these organizations.
This seems to be a severely overlooked part of Greek life here at Baylor, and I think it’s time for a change.
Baylor’s Greek organizations make it relatively easy to get involved and support their philanthropies. Many public philanthropy events are held throughout the school year, such as Kappa Alpha Theta’s CASA Cookout and Concert, Zeta Tau Alpha’s Big Man on Campus and Chi Omega and Alpha Tau Omega’s Chili Cook-off.
These events typically cost a small fee to attend and participate in, with most or all proceeds going directly to their designated philanthropy. Many aim to engage other student organizations through festivities to raise more money.
The issue for Greek organizations has been reaching the broader student population, particularly those not involved in extracurricular activities. This is where students need to do a better job of seeking out opportunities to support a good cause and give back to their local community.
Many weeks of the school year are chosen as philanthropy week by fraternities and sororities and often include profit shares with local restaurants, donation opportunities and merchandise sales supporting the philanthropy. These weeks are usually highlighted by a large event or several smaller ones that collectively raise money to be donated to local or national organizations.
Children’s Miracle Network, CASA of McLennan County and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital are just a few of the organizations that are represented by Baylor Greek life. During the 2024-25 school year, Baylor’s Greek organizations collectively completed more than 71,000 service hours and raised $1.4 million for these philanthropies.
However, with only almost 30% of Baylor’s student population involved in Greek life, there is significant room for growth.
Information about these philanthropy events can primarily be found on the fraternities and sororities’ Instagram pages. Many will create a post with the weekly schedule or daily stories updating profit shares. I would strongly encourage students to go check these out each week and see how they can help support a good cause.
While a $5-10 contribution may not seem like much to students, when hundreds of such donations add up, they make a huge difference and can raise significant funds for philanthropies. This is also one of the easiest ways for students to give back during the school year.
It may be difficult or time-consuming to attend service events or volunteer, but attending a fun evening event is a surefire way to give back to a charitable cause.
So next time you have a free afternoon or want to go get dinner at the grease pit, do some quick research on Greek organizations’ Instagram pages to see how you can make it a charitable experience. After all, Greek life is more than just Sing and Homecoming, and support for their philanthropy causes would be greatly appreciated.
