Many students of California State University, Bakersfield decide to join Greek life on campus to better their leadership, academics, and social skills. For many students who decide to be a part of Greek life on campus, they are able to join a group of people who will essentially be their family away from home.
CSUB has 11 fraternities and sororities including Kappa Alpha and Gamma Phi Beta where members are able to be very involved in their chapters on campus.
Whether you are part of a fraternity or sorority on campus or you have only heard of them, not many people know the history of how it is that they came to be.
The Phi Beta Kappa Society, at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia was the first fraternal organization in the U.S. in 1776.
According to Saint Joseph’s University at sju.edu, “Phi Beta Kappa had all the characteristics of today’s fraternities: a motto, a ritual, a badge, principals of high idealism, a bond of friendship and camaraderie. And an urge to share the organization’s values through expansion to other campuses.”
The first Greek-letter society came to be simply because one student had been refused entry into a William and Mary organization that went by the name of PDA (Please Don’t Ask). The rejected man was a superior Greek scholar, so with the help of four friends, he organized a society of his own and named it Phi Beta Kappa.
Once this group finally decided to get rid of their secrecy, it was revealed to the public that Philisophia Bios Kybernethes (Phi Betta Kappa) meant “Philosophy [is the] guide to life”.
Greek life has changed in many ways starting with the original society from the eighteenth century to the Phi Beta Kappa society it is today.
The 60’s carried a very anti-fraternity attitude and membership decreased overall. One good thing that came out of it was that many Greek groups got rid of racial and religious barriers of entry.
According to Georgia Mason University at gmu.edu, “The 1980’s saw several major developments in the Greek system, but the legal changes to the drinking age created a very awkward position for Greek organizations. Many Greek organizations had become the center of social life on many campuses. Now this was a huge liability.”
During the 90’s and into today, many Greek groups were able to move away from the negative stereotypes. This is especially true for Greek life on CSUB’s campus.
According to a 2012 article from Elite Daily, “Belonging to a fraternity or sorority increases one’s chances of completing a degree, with 71 percent of Greeks graduating versus 50 percent of non-Greeks.”
Since the beginning of Greek life on CSUB’s campus, sororities and fraternities have given students the opportunity to prosper and grow as young adults.
Greek life has come a long way since its beginnings and continues to transform as years go on.
