When Syracuse University students think of Greek life, social sororities and fraternities are usually the first to come to mind and rightly so. Social Greek letter organizations are some of the biggest student organizations on campus and maintain a strong presence in campus life.

Despite the large reputations of these organizations and the benefits that joining one can have, social Greek life is not for everyone. For students who are looking to get involved in Greek life but wish to avoid the gender-specific and often expensive world of social Greek life, professional Greek letter organizations provide an exciting alternative.

SU is currently home to 11 professional Greek letter organizations, 10 of which are gender inclusive. Joining these organizations can be a great way for students to meet people with similar interests and build professional connections for the future.

Emma Lambiaso, a sophomore at SU, joined Zeta Phi Eta, a professional communications fraternity, to make social and professional connections she hopes will last years into the future.

“Even though we were just initiated in December, I have already found so many people that I feel really close to and keep in touch with almost every day,” Lambiaso said of her friends in ZPE.

Taylor Huang, a junior at SU and a member of both ZPE and Kappa Theta Pi, a professional technology fraternity, said that she joined KTP in the fall of 2020 during the pandemic because she felt lost going into her sophomore year after being sent back home for the second half of the prior semester due to COVID-19.

“It ended up being a great way to make friends during a time when classes were almost nearly all online,” Huang said.
In addition to being a great way for students to make connections in their respective fields, professional Greek letter organizations often host events. For instance, they often have professional development events such as hosting guest speakers, organizing headshot events and facilitating LinkedIn workshops.

Another advantage of joining a professional Greek letter organization is the cost. Social Greek letter organizations often have expensive dues that can top upwards of $1,000 a semester. Professional ones, on the other hand, are much cheaper, rarely topping more than $150 a semester.

Unfortunately, a problem that many professional Greek letter organizations suffer from is a lack of visibility. Social Greek letter organizations are probably the most visible student organizations on SU’s campus. They have lots of members, a large social media presence and big houses brandishing their letters.

Professional Greek organizations don’t have nearly that same type of visibility, as most don’t have houses and are often smaller in number. It is often dependent on each individual organization and its members to promote the organization.

“Almost everyone can name a social Greek organization, but not many can name a professional one,” said Caroline Ridge, a freshman and member of Alpha Phi Omega, a professional community service fraternity.
Professional fraternities may be smaller and less advertised than their much larger social counterparts. But if students want to be involved in Greek life but don’t wish to get involved in the traditional world of sororities and fraternities, they should consider joining a professional Greek letter organization.

Evan Butow is a sophomore magazine, news and digital journalism major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at enbutow@syr.edu.

Published on February 22, 2022 at 10:15 pm