Every March, sorority circle is filled with thousands of college students. Whether those students are participating in the events or cheering on their teams, Greek Week is a significant aspect of Iowa State. 

After canceling Greek Week last year due to COVID-19, this year’s Greek Week is scheduled to take place next week.

According to the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Engagement, Greek Week is a 67-year-old tradition at Iowa State that features a partnership between the greek community and the Special Olympics of Iowa. During this week, there is time for competition but also friendship and community service. 

Although it may not be the same this year, the tradition is still there, and community leaders are working tirelessly to provide students with the best experience possible. 

According to Bryce Friederich, a senior in hospitality management, some of those who aren’t in the sorority or fraternity community think Greek Week is the same as homecoming, although Greek Week is when the sorority and fraternity community donates thousands of dollars to the Special Olympics of Iowa to provide them with the necessities they need.

“[Greek Week] is a time for people to just kind of let loose and have fun, it’s a very competitive atmosphere, but everybody’s just trying to do the same common goal,” said Teagan Gara, a junior in journalism and political science. 

Gara also said Greek Week gives those in the community a way to grow and build friendships with those in their team they are paired up with. It also gives them a chance to do things they may have never done before. 

“It’s a great opportunity to participate in some leadership experience if you want to be on Greek Week Central Crew,” Friederich said.

Greek Week Central Crew is a group of students who put on Greek Week for the entire community. 

According to the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Engagement, this week helps improve the community and foster friendships. 

Friederich said this week is also an opportunity to get involved outside of their chapter as well as make those friendships outside of your own group of people.

“They have an athlete [within each team] that they’re paired up with throughout this whole time,” Gara said. “So, it’s cool to see everybody work hard to raise all this money for the Special Olympics of Iowa.”

The entire week is geared around the Special Olympics of Iowa and raising money.

“The athletes do need funding and help [to] support them in their goals and what they want to achieve,” Friederich said.

The greek community is currently the largest fundraiser for the Special Olympics of Iowa. When students fundraise their money, they can then participate in the Polar Plunge. 

Gara said the famous Polar Plunge is an event where each team raises money to go toward the Special Olympics of Iowa. If they raise $75, they get the chance to jump into a pool of cold water.

The Polar Plunge is a major fundraising aspect for Special Olympics, but other parts of Greek Week include the Greek Week Olympics and the lip sync competition. 

“Fun activities and just all the skits performed are pretty funny and interesting, and we just get to see all the hard work our communities put into that,” Gara said.  

Greek Week is an “all hands on deck” event between the crew that works behind the scenes and the participation between the paired teams and athletes of the Special Olympics of Iowa.

This year’s Greek Week will be from March 21 to 28.