Greek communities from all over the country gathered to discuss how to live out chapter values.

The Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values holds an annual conference that covers issues from councils and chapters around the country. Those chapters include the Interfraternity Council, Collegiate Panhellenic Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council and Multicultural Greek Council.

“The association is the umbrella over the conference we went to,” said Katy Cran, assistant director of Greek Affairs.

The conference, held Feb. 7-10, provided professional opportunities and intermingling for members of fraternities and sororities through speakers and various sessions.

Katy Cran said there were about 190 sessions made up of larger groups, and breakout groups as well.

Keynote speeches consisted of a session on how to be socially excellent and positive leaders in the greek community and a session on why individuals are members of his or her specific chapter and how they can motivate one another and do better things. 

Megan Jensen, a member of the Collegiate Panhellenic Council, said the second session’s focus was on living up to your organization’s potential.

“ISU was one of the largest delegations,” said Teresa Sherwood, the Collegiate Panhellenic Council’s graduate advisor. “We were in the top four for the amount of people that went, and 36 people from ISU went. We were really proud to bring as many students as we did.”

The conference represented over 300 colleges and universities, which made the grand total attendance approximately 28,000 people.

Sherwood explained the conference helps undergraduate students see what it means to be a lifelong member, and what makes Iowa State’s organization so unique.

Iowa State’s Collegiate Panhellenic Council won the Sutherland Award.

The award is given out annually to the chapter that shows high marks in community and practices the chapter holds. Qualifications must be submitted and the award is given to the school that scores the highest in all eight components.

The eight components include academic achievement, council management, leadership and educational development, membership recruitment, philanthropy and community service, public relations, risk reduction and management, self-governance and judicial affairs.

“We had two of our councils recognized this year,” Jensen said.

Iowa State’s Multicultural Greek Council won the Multicultural Greek Council award for the area of council management.

The conference had some social activities along with the more serious matters of discussion.

The different delegations participated in stroll competitions.

“Strolling started originally with Black and Multicultural Greek organizations and it is basically choreographed movements, usually in a single-file line,” said Nathan Olmeda, the National Panhellenic Council graduate advisor, “each stroll is particular to an organization.”

The four councils at Iowa State participated in the competition and called themselves ISUnity.

Hundreds of colleges and universities attended the conference, but according to Noah Kilonzo, president of the National Panhellenic Council, they were able to connect with other students across the country.

“One of the lessons that I think I learned and was relatively important was the concept of brotherhood and sisterhood,” Oliveda said.”Throughout this conference it is an opportunity to foster brotherhood and sisterhood with your community and to say ‘I can be a brother to you.’”

The conference gave the councils at Iowa State a newfound relationship, Jensen said.

“The conference kick-started a lot of bonds, collaboration and integration with the four councils we have at ISU,” Jensen said.