By Derek Lutchko, Interfraternity Council PresidentThis year the IFC set its sights on one primary goal: building a stronger sense of community among Greek chapters at Lehigh. As leaders, our executive board officers know the underestimated value of close personal relationships and looked to help develop those relationships in hopes of that effect trickling down.
From the get-go, we planned several things including: a chapter presidents vs. delegates football game (in the rain), an all-Greek "Hill Opening" pig roast with Greek performers, and icebreakers at every IFC meeting.
Each of these small, intentional undertakings played a big role in cultivating new relationships. To further develop these relationships, monthly "presidents club meetings" allowed for a relaxed setting to chat about stresses and take a break from the job.
In other larger community building moves, we reached out both to assist and ask for help. We helped kick off Panhel's wildly successful Pink Week by covering Lehigh's campus and off-campus community with pink balloons and a schedule of events. We also provided the handsome models for their first annual Pink Week Bra Show.
While we supported the brand-new Multicultural Greek Council throughout the year, our fondest memory is DanceFest, when we received guidance from MGC members. We reached out to the brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi to help us, the IFC Dance Team, to choreograph a crowd-pleasing dance. While the dance was great, the time leading up to it, learning the dance and sharing ideas with Karl, Greg, and our interfraternal team was most rewarding.
Our year-long efforts culminated with "Beat It for Charity". This philanthropy-focused week saw numerous chapters cultivate new partnerships ans raise a ton of dough for various charities, including the American Diabetes Association, Children's Miracle Network, and the American Cancer Society.
While we could go on about our programs and progress, the above-mentioned times represent the best successes of our year. In working together, we became closer as a Council and were able to take down some of the barriers that separate fraternities from each other and divide the Greek community.