Tech students give back through philanthropy and service

Tech students give back through philanthropy and service

May 9, 2024| General News, Students

The annual Greek Week series of events at Louisiana Tech University resulted in over $30,000 raised by students to go towards various charitable causes, accomplished as a direct result of the spirited competition the week's games are known for.

The Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council raised around $12,500 and $14,000 respectively from the "money wars" alone, a gamified version of fundraising that encourages Greek Life students to rally behind their letters with donations to see who can collect the most. Song Fest, a Greek Week staple, brought together fraternities, sororities, and their friends in the Thomas Assembly Center and added another $5,000 to the amount through ticket sales, $3,800 of which were sold in advance.

Raising such a significant amount of money was rightfully celebrated by the Greek Life students involved, but they know it is only half of the process and that giving back to the community is the ultimate goal.

The Panhellenic Council's main beneficiary from the money wars funds is the Pine Hills Advocacy Center, a Ruston nonprofit that serves victims of child abuse. In addition, their Greek Week efforts will benefit the community-focused United Way of Northeast Louisiana and the Emerge Center in Baton Rouge, an organization supporting children with autism.

"It was incredible to facilitate such an impactful week with the team," said Panhellenic Council President Hailee Rivers. "I can't explain how proud I am of our Greek community for the love and service they've shown over the course of the week."

MedCamps of Louisiana, an organization with a strong partnership with the University, was chosen by the Interfraternity Council as the main recipient of their fundraising dollars.

"Supporting our local area is one of our focuses every year," said Interfraternity Council President Holden Mittendorf. "We outraised our dollar amount from 2023 by $2,000, and it's amazing to see the impact that can be made by all of our organizations working together."

In addition to the usual Greek Week activities like volleyball tournaments and fiery tug-of-war competitions, Greek Life students joined with other student organizations from all areas of campus on April 20 for the Big Event. The annual day of community service gathered more than 1,800 students. While spending a damp and cloudy Saturday doing things like raking yards and cleaning litter from Ruston's roads may not be for the faint of heart, it did not discourage the crowd of students that converged early at Joe Aillet Stadium to prepare to lend helping hands.

Though there are trophies to be raised and high fives to be doled out with pride among the students, the focus on uplifting the community and supporting important causes was never lost throughout the week.

"Our students utilized the platforms that they have for the betterment of others, a characteristic of true leaders," said Wes Cavin, director of student activities. "I'm proud of them for using their influence to motivate their peers in acts of service that benefit our community in great ways."

With the benchmarks and milestones of Greek Week 2024, the fraternities and sororities on Louisiana Tech's campus are already planning to make the 2025 event a successful one, with their dedication to giving back at the forefront of all they do.

To learn more about Greek Life and the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils at Louisiana Tech, visit LATech.edu/Greek-Life