The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Multicultural Greek Council is making a difference on campus, inspiring students and offering cultural-based communities that become home for many.
Greek life is a dominant force on UNL’s campus, composed of nearly 4,000 students, making up nearly 17% of the student body. Fraternity and sorority organizations are made up of 4 councils, allowing students to become involved with Greek life in many different capacities.
The Multicultural Greek Council, or MGC, is one of the four councils, founded in December 2003. MGC’s purpose is “to create and maintain high academic, moral, and social standards… by addressing and unifying organizations to provide community service and the enhancement of leadership skills,” according to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
“MGC covers eight chapters that are Asian and Latinx multiculturally based,” MGC President and member of Delta Phi Lambda Helena Tran said. Tran added that MGC chapters are just like any other Greek chapter on campus. “We are more involved with our culture, and use that to inspire what we want to do on campus.”
MGCs nationwide are committed to what the National Multicultural Greek Council defines as multiculturalism. At Nebraska, the MGC expresses multiculturalism by providing a home for students of all different backgrounds, as well as inspiring inclusivity and cultural diversity, according to the council’s website. Tran said that each chapter strives to create a community and a safe environment for its members.
“MGC has been one of the parts of my college career that has enriched my experience and given me a community that I cherish deeply,” Naree Philavanh, a junior Clifton Builders management and marketing major and member of Sigma Psi Zeta, said. “It opened doors for me to learn daily and connect with people from all different walks of life… and taught me how to advocate for myself, and most importantly, others.”
For students who call UNL’s MGC chapters home, the ability to learn from and with other chapter’s students builds valuable experiences. The MGC makes efforts to connect members of different organizations in order to allow members to share their culture with one another.
“It’s really cool being invited to events [by other MGC organizations] where it’s focused on their culture so that we get to experience it with them and they’re happy to share and we’re happy to learn,” Bree Bell, a sophomore marketing major and member of Lambda Theta Nu, said.
Along with supporting community and personal development, the Multicultural Greek Council focuses its member development on scholarship and service.
Each member organization establishes study hours and grade requirements, usually at or above a 2.5 GPA for each member, according to the UNL MGC council. Organizations like Sigma Psi Zeta and Delta Phi Lambda consistently rank above the all-Greek GPA average.
“Scholarship is one of our values,” Tran said. “We always put our academics in high regard and that’s something I also do myself. It makes sure I push myself academically.”
Each member organization also has a national philanthropic organization they consistently contribute to. Through volunteer work and events to raise awareness and funds, members get the opportunity to develop their spirit of service, Tran said.
Many of the MGC chapters also offer first-generation scholarships to members of their chapter and cultural community, like Delta Phi Lambda and Lambda Theta Nu. These scholarships encourage recipients to have an educational support system and a community when they arrive on campus, according to the chapters’ foundation websites.
“MGC has shown me that although we are a small group of individuals on campus, together, we can do great things despite what stands in our way,” Philavahn said.
MGC students and executive members alike say they are excited to continue to unite MGC chapters with the campus community and other Greek organizations on campus.
“A lot of us are passionate about where we come from and we want to share our knowledge, even if others don’t share the same culture,” Bell said. “Seeing where all Greek organizations can start supporting each other would be a great thing for the community.”
Students can get involved with and support MGC in multiple different ways. Attending philanthropy events and spreading the word about it are two of the main ways students can show their support, Tran said. Big events like MGC Stroll-Off in the spring, and philanthropy events like Sigma Psi Zeta’s upcoming Take Back the Night for Domestic Violence Awareness allow students to support the MGC chapters with their attendance.
For students looking to become part of an MGC chapter, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life has plenty of resources for joining chapters, an interest form and informational sessions on the membership process. Check out all of the fraternities and sororities MGC covers on the OFSL website.
“MGC is just like any other chapter on campus. We’re open to so many people. You don’t have to be a certain ethnicity to join any of our chapters,” Tran said. “We are just here and ready to see what everyone has to offer.”
news@dailynebraskan.com
Credit:Source link
