Student Life
Greek Life
Roughly twenty percent of the students at Washington College belong to a fraternity or sorority. Men may pledge one of four national Greek-letter organizations: Kappa Alpha, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta, and Theta Chi. The women's national sororities are Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Omicron Pi, and Zeta Tau Alpha.
Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order is one of the oldest American fraternities today. The Order was founded at Washington & Lee University in 1865, modeling its ideals of chivalry and gentlemanly conduct after its spiritual founder, General Robert E. Lee. Kappa Alpha is Washington College's oldest fraternity, having been founded in 1936. KA is filled with a rich tradition of gentility, honor, and respect. Today, its members are very involved in college life as it has athletes on the baseball, ice hockey, rugby, sailing, and swimming teams. They are also members of different clubs/organizations, hold office in the Student Government Association, and participate in intramural athletics. The fraternity's philanthropy is the Muscular Dystrophy Association. They have kept the Loving Cup for the past two years, which represents that they maintain the highest GPA above the male average at Washington College.
Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma is an international fraternity with over 200 chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma was founded in Bologna, Italy in 1400 and brought to America in 1869 to the University of Virginia. Kappa Sigma's ideals are centered around four pillars: Fellowship, Leadership, Scholarship, and Service. The brothers of Kappa Sigma live their lives by the Star and Crescent, which are the symbols of the fraternity. Kappa Sigma is the newest fraternity at Washington College. The brothers became the Omicron-Phi Chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity on April 14, 2007. Together they seek to maintain academic excellence, serve the community, be leaders on campus, and support one another to become better men.
The Phi Delta Theta crab feast at the Hynson Pavilion overlooking the Chester River is an annual affair for student and alumni brothers, friends, and families.
Phi Delta Theta
Six members of the cloth on the Campus of Miami University (OH) founded the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity in 1848. The chapter of Phi Delta Theta at Washington College was founded in 1992. This chapter has many unique individuals ranging in academic interests from philosophy to economics and psychology to music. The current brothers are extremely active in athletics, community service, campus wide activities and international conventions and leadership programs.
Theta Chi
Theta Chi is the seventh largest national men's fraternity. It was founded on April 10, 1856 at Norwich University in Vermont. As an organization, Theta Chi has always stressed that its' members conduct themselves in the highest of gentlemanly conduct. Washington College's chapter was founded in 1940. Its members participate in sports such as crew, baseball, and basketball as well as many other extracurricular activities. The main purpose is to develop outstanding brothers that are ready to enter the real world, and be tomorrow's leaders.
Inter-fraternity Council
Made up of representative from the three oldest fraternities on campus, the IFC assists with coordinating and regulating fraternal activities. Membership is contingent upon initiation into one of the following recognized fraternities: Kappa Alpha, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta, or Theta Chi.
Alpha Chi Omega
Alpha Chi Omega is a national women's organization that enriches the lives of both its collegiate and alumnae members through lifetime opportunities for friendship, leadership, learning, and service. The purpose of Alpha Chi Omega, as stated in the Constitution, is "to encourage the true spirit of sisterhood, to develop through personal effort a high moral and mental standard, and to advance the appreciation and practice of fine arts among its members." Alpha Chi Omega's national philanthropy supports the victims of domestic violence. In order to help support this cause the sisters of AXO hold an annual Casino Night. Approximately $2500 was raised for charity. They also held an annual Christmas Party for underprivileged children in the Chestertown area. The organization also participated in the Adopt-A-Highway program for the first time this fall. In December was the Masquerade Ball, which is AXO's Fall formal.
In the spring the group is trying to bring Kristen's Story on to campus. This is a national program that deals with depression and suicide. The mother of a former Alpha Chi from another college gives this presentation. This program is required by the national organization. Currently there are 38 members of the Beta Pi chapter at Washington College.
Alpha Omicron Pi
Alpha Omicron Pi is an international women's fraternity promoting friendship for a lifetime, inspiring academic excellence and lifelong learning, and developing leadership skills through service to the fraternity and community. With an average grade point average of 3.0, Alpha Omicron Pi has the second highest grade point average of the sororities and third highest out of all Greek Life on campus.
More than half of the 36 members are Varsity athletes at the college playing one or more sports. AOTT's philanthropy is arthritis research for which the sisters have spent much effort in raising money through various activities. After their participation in Greek Games in the fall, AOTT sisters volunteered at a Halloween festival in cooperation with Kent County Parks and Recreation. They chaperoned hay rides, painted children's faces, played games, and helped children decorate pumpkins to take home. In cooperation with AXO, they sponsored a registered party, which was followed by the annual AOTT Crush Party. The sisters of AOTT also participated in a Santa's Workshop, sponsored an eating disorder talk, and a presentation about the dangers of alcohol. The spring plans include the annual Rose Ball, Sweethearts Party, and Founders' Day celebration.
Zeta Tau Alpha
The Gamma Beta chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha strives to intensify friendship, foster the spirit of love, to make a difference in the lives of its forty members and teach them the nobility of serving. The ZTA sisters are actively involved in numerous activities on campus in and outside of Zeta. In the Fall ZTA's activities include Adopt a Highway, Relay for Life, Race for the Cure, a Mr. Zeta pageant raising funds for its philanthropy the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, sleepovers, lectures, education standard events, tie dye and a numerous of other sisterhood activities. Sisterhood for ZTA sisters does not just end with activities, the sisters of ZTA are bonded in friendship, tradition and service which allows each one to grow making our world and campus a better place. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is the national philanthropy of the Zeta Tau Alpha fraternity but the Gamma Beta's service does not stop there.
Sisters participate in community events, volunteering at charities; helping with blood drives as well as other service events. The sisters of ZTA encourage you to take a look at their website link on the Washington College Site and leave a message on our message board and allow us to share with you our love for WAC and ZTA.
Pan Hellenic Council
Comprised of sisters from each of the three sororities—Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Omicron Pi, and Zeta Tau Alpha—the Council oversees rush events and bids, sponsors social events as well as guest lectures, and cooperates with member sororities and the College administration in concern for high moral and social standards.
For more information, please contact the Student Affairs Office at 410-778-7752.
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