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For me, Lehigh has always been about the people. Each person I meet, from professors to friendly passersby, has contributed something to my experience. I have had the fortune to grow and develop my connections at Lehigh through many avenues. Two avenues that have been particularly impactful are my involvement in Chi Phi as well as The Gryphon Society.
Gryphons are everywhere. They are club presidents, TRAC fellows, athletes, and more than you may imagine, members of Greek organizations! Gryphons mentor and lead students while advocating for their best interests and helping facilitate community building.
Being both a member of a Greek organization and a gryphon has opened me up to people and perspectives on campus to which I may have otherwise never been exposed. The Office of Residence Life staff is incredibly diverse in terms of backgrounds, interests, and outlooks on our campus community. Nearly two weeks of training on everything from crisis response to bLUeprint foundations, with much time for small group discussion, has allowed me to connect with individuals whose slants on student life varied from my own. They’re great friends, co-workers, and friendly faces.
The gryphon role has instilled in me both skills and viewpoints that are transferable to Chi Phi and the Greek community as a whole. Aspects of inclusive leadership and identity development, in particular, are embedded deep into a gryphon’s role. These values are pivotal to greek life as well as campus unity, to improve chapter function as well as the integration of fraternities and sororities into the broader Lehigh community.
Identity at Lehigh is too often defined by Greek affiliation or lack thereof. My transition from life in Greek housing to the CHOICE community may seem drastic, but it has shown me that the many pockets of our community are more similar than they are different. From what I have seen, Lehigh students want nothing more than to make the most of their time here and see personal and communal success. It is my hope that as Greek-affiliated students, we can leverage our diverse “Lehigh experience” around campus to improve campus climate, the wellbeing of our chapters, and expand our definition of “communal success” to include the entire Lehigh community.
I would strongly recommend anyone interested in the gryphon position consider applying. The application is live on LINC through 11/18/18!