Another Greek Week at Creighton has graced us with its presence. While I am very eager to compete in the pie-eating contest and field day activities, I have to wonder if non-Greek students share the same enthusiasm.

I think it is safe to say Greek Week at Creighton University is only important to the fraternities and sororities on campus.

Only Greeks are allowed to take part in the week’s events. Due to participation, Greeks look at the week with importance because each Greek wants his or her organization to be named champion at the end of the festivities.

There is a great deal of competitiveness, as well as pride, shown in each of the activities. I can see how it would be hard for non-Greeks to become excited about events in which they are not allowed to participate.

The Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council plan the event only with Greeks in mind. Therefore, it is understandable that the rest of the student body feels excluded.

This particular feeling comes from not taking the chance to see what Greek life at Creighton represents.

The Greeks have more of an impact upon the university than the majority of non-Greeks realize. Students in fraternities and sororities hold some of the highest GPAs at Creighton.

According to the Division of Student Services’s Web site, “The Greek community’s GPA as a whole is generally higher than the campus’s average GPA.” Many students receive scholarships through their fraternities or sororities because of their academic achievements.

Greek Week is also a time to give back to the community through service. There is a day during the week in which Greek members participate in a service project for the community. Service is also done outside of Greek Week. Each fraternity and sorority has an annual philanthropy event that they put on for the university as well as the rest of the community.

For example, my sorority, Delta Zeta, holds a “Turtle Tug” charity event every year. Teams contribute money to participate in a tug-of-war contest over a pool of green Jell-O. The proceeds from this event go toward a local hearing and speech impaired daycare.

The Greek community at Creighton can work on getting more students involved with the week. This can be done by better advertisement of the week and its activities. This week could also be promoted as a time to experience what Greek life is like, particularly for freshmen and transfer students or anyone considering going through recruitment.

Non-Greeks can also take the initiative to get involved by understanding what this week is all about.

The week consists of more than just a competition between the sororities and fraternities on campus; it is also about giving back to the community. Participating could be as simple as going to cheer on your friend who is in a fraternity or sorority.

Greek Week should be important to the entire student body at Creighton, not just the Greek community.

I believe this can be accomplished through an effort by both Greeks and non-Greeks in the Creighton community.