For the 9th consecutive year, Greek Life hosted their Mardi Gras-themed Greek Week.
This year’s festivities began on Sunday with fraternities and sororities inviting students, faculty and staff to tailgate at the baseball game against Louisiana-Lafayette where participants were able to feast in a crawfish eating contest.
Throughout the highly anticipated week, Greek Life held a blood drive, a Chipotle profit share, an “Amazing Race,” a Mardi Gras parade, an “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” game and an award ceremony to announce the winners for Greek Week 2019.
Although Greek Week seems to serve the Sam Houston State University and Huntsville community by providing a week-long worth of fun, Jerrell Sherman—Associate Dean of Students for Judicial Affairs and Student Development—explains the lasting tradition of Greek Week, and how it is effective in bringing Greek Life together.
“It’s about unity and collaboration,” Sherman said. “We have 30 active Greek organizations here on campus, so all of the Greek councils rarely ever come together for one event or one week. So it’s certainly about unity and having fun, but it’s also about giving back to the community.”
The tradition of Greek Week started in the early ‘90s. It did not have as many activities spanned over an entire week, but Greek chapters and council members participated in blood drives and other forms of community service to commune with their fellow Greek family.
As Greek organizations grew, so did the contemporary merriments of Greek Week.
“Back then, there were only a couple of days designated for Greek Week,” Sherman said. “Only two of the four chapters would engage in community service. Now, we have all four chapters helping build our community and, of course, the Greek family.”
Greek Week has come to an end, but Sherman is adamant that the forthcoming years will be even better.
“Greek Week gives the students that are part of every Greek organization the opportunity to network, communicate and come together outside of their chapters for a bigger picture initiative,” Sherman said. “I always see this as doing something positive for the city of Huntsville for years to come.”
