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What are they saying? Do you want to know what all those words mean? Here’s your “inside connection” to Greek Life lingo!

Active Member An initiated member of a fraternity or sorority in good standing

Alumnus/Alumna An initiated member of a fraternity or sorority who has graduated from college

Associate/New Member A non-initiated member of a fraternity or sorority; after a period of education about the organization and fulfilling special requirements, he or she may be initiated

Badge The pin of an initiated member, received during initiation, and worn in a designated location on dress clothing

Big Brother/Sister An active member of the organization who sponsors, advices and guides a new member through their new member education program and initiation

Brother A term used by fraternity members to refer to one another

Chapter The local group of a national organization

Community Service Volunteer hours spent helping a specific cause

Continuous Open Recruitment (COR) An open invitation to join a sorority or fraternity

Formal Recruitment The period set aside for structured recruiting of new members, predominately first-year students. This happens early in the spring semester.

Greek A member of a fraternity or sorority

Greek Week An annual celebration held during the spring semester in which chapters participate in athletic events, community service, brotherhood and sisterhood activities, and various social events

Initiation The formal ceremony which brings the new member into full active membership

Informal Recruitment A time in the fall set aside for Upperclassmen to join fraternities and sororities

Interfraternity Council (IFC) The collective governing and policy making body of the five fraternities at Gannon University

Invitation to Membership (Bid) An invitation to join a fraternity or sorority

Legacy A prospective member who’s grandparent, parent, aunt or uncle, sister or brother is an active or alum of a particular fraternity or sorority (Consult each individual organization to find out their legacy policies)

Mutual Selection The selection process during the recruitment process when the potential members choose the chapters and the chapters choose the potential members

New Member Education A period of education in the history, ideals and values of a Greek organization prior to initiation

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) The national conference comprised of the nine historically and predominately African-American Greek letter organizations

Panhellenic Council (Panhel) The collective governing and policy making body of the five sororities at Gannon University; a collegiate chapter of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC)

Philanthropy A charitable project or event that raises funds for a particular cause or organization

Prospective Member A male or female student who is not affiliated with a Greek-letter organization, and is interested in joining. A prospective member must have a 2.25 grade point average to participate in recruitment.

Recruitment Counselor (Rho Gamma) A sorority woman who has disaffiliated from her individual chapter during formal recruitment to assist the prospective members. Recruitment Counselors, or Rho Gammas, are a very special group of women chosen through an interview process by members of Panhellenic. They represent the sororities to those who are interested in joining. The recruitment counselor is there to give support, guide those interested through the recruitment process, answer questions, and share experiences and/or just to listen.

Ritual The traditional, secret initiation ceremonies and ideals of a fraternity or sorority

Sister A term used by sorority members when referring to one another