On December 5, 1776, underneath the wooden roof of the Raleigh Tavern, John Heath, a student at the College of William and Mary, held the inaugural meeting of Phi Beta Kappa (ΦΒΚ). The fraternity was founded to provide students with an opportunity to speak freely amidst the highly regimented curriculum of American colleges, marking the beginning of nearly three centuries of Greek life in the United States.
Now, 249 years later, Greek life has taken the nation by storm, with thousands of active chapters across the U.S. and Canada. These chapters allow students to engage in discourse, take part in philanthropy and gather in social settings.
The Greek life value of raising awareness and fundraising was in full force on Wednesday, April 16, from 6-8 p.m. at the Student Organization Pong Tournament held inside Jamrich Hall. Hosted by NMU Greek Council, the competition consisted of two full-size pong tables, overhead speakers playing party music and an assortment of snacks and beverages that kept participants at the top of their game.
Gwen Feamster, a graduate student and Greek Council advisor, spoke on the nature of the event. “[Greek Council] are really trying to get more outreach to the community,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s for charity.”
While competition was certainly a motivator at the event, its main focus was to raise money for the Northern Lights Child Advocacy Center (NLCAC), a Marquette-based nonprofit organization that “offers a constellation of high-quality, trauma-informed, child-centered services” (Northern Lights Child Advocacy Center, n.d.).
To participate in the tournament, each club donated a minimum of $5, which went toward NLCAC. Once entered, teams were placed into a randomized bracket and prepared to face off in gladiatorial fashion. Winners received a variety of donated goods from local businesses and, more importantly, bragging rights.
Every semester, NMU’s Greek Council aims to put on an event that benefits the community. Jack Martin, Greek Council president, was excited to give back in a way that incorporated a “Greek twist.”
“We wanted to take the event further,” Martin said. “So, we invited ASNMU (Associated Students of NMU), NAE (Northern Arts and Entertainment) and so many other student orgs… over 20 plus came together as a school to do something we all love.”
The competition proved to be one of the most successful events of the year.
“Massive thank you to all the organizations that came… this would not be possible without them,” Martin said.
Sadly, the pong tournament was Greek Council’s final event of the year. Those unable to attend can look forward to Anti-Hazing Week next fall, where they seek to promote awareness of hazing’s negative impact on students.
