Nearly 50 percent of Hanover’s students are affiliated with one of our fraternity and sorority chapters. Membership in a sorority or fraternity is a great way to accelerate your college experience. The values espoused by fraternities and sororities exist in close harmony with the principles of Hanover College. Chapters enhance the Hanover College community through providing unique opportunities to their members to grow in academic and leadership ability, to develop individual accountability, and to clarify and enhance personal values.
The College Tour
Zach Stringer ’22 came to Hanover as a two-sport athlete. He decided to give Greek life a try and found so much more than a campus activity. He unexpectedly found an expanded family in Phi Delta Theta.
VALUES-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
Each chapter in Fraternity/Sorority Life is founded on core values that set the standard for their membership. They focus on excellence in and out of the classroom, in academics, service, and personal development. In every chapter, you will find members holding each other accountable to these values and seeking out deeper understanding and application in their individual and chapter lives.
ACADEMICS
Excelling in class and finishing your degree is the primary outcome for Hanover students. Fraternity/Sorority Life will help you do that. Our chapters know the importance of scholarship, consistently showing it by achieving grades above the campus averages and entering internships and research projects at higher rates. Chapters provide incentives and assistance to make sure their academics are on top. For members who are struggling, chapters will craft individualized plans, assign study partners, and continually check in to make sure they make the grade. With brothers or sisters who share classes and majors, you’re sure to find help and encouragement just when you need it.
LEADERSHIP
Developing and preparing student leaders for life after college is one of the many goals of Hanover chapters. Membership in fraternities and sororities opens a wide variety of leadership opportunities. Members develop their leadership skills in a variety of ways, from serving in chapter and council leadership positions to participating in classroom style leadership institutes hosted by Hanover, their chapter, or their inter/national organization. Each term, chapter and council officers gather for retreats to further their leadership abilities. In fall term, Fraternity/Sorority Life hosts Emerging Leaders, a seminar series for newly initiated members. If you want to grow as a leader, you will, supported and encouraged by your brothers and sisters and Fraternity/Sorority Life.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
One of the most gratifying things our members participate in is service to the community. Our members give back year-round through a variety of service projects and fundraising efforts. Joining one of our chapters is sure to teach or heighten the joy that comes from serving others. Activities include mentoring younger students in the surrounding community, participating in Relay for Life and Dance Marathon, working with Habitat for Humanity to fundraise and build houses for local families, and collecting non-perishable food items for local food pantries. In addition to this hands-on work, each organization also supports a national philanthropy through fundraising efforts.
FRIENDSHIP
“There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” – Thomas Aquinas. Fraternity and sorority members know and take these words to heart. Through living and working together, you will become close with your brothers or sisters, gaining lifelong friends who will challenge and support you in college and beyond. Through your chapter and the community, you will be exposed to and develop friendships with a diverse group of students with different backgrounds and experiences.
ENHANCEMENTS
Hanover has recently announced enhancements to its Greek Life program designed to ensure its long-term strength and sustainability. The new model will:
- Invest in new housing for senior Greek students and preserve the current positives of Greek life by offering additional housing options and provide housing with physical accommodations not presently available in any Greek houses.
- Improve the quality, consistency and variety of dining for affiliated students while retaining in-house dining options as determined by each organization.
- Expand dining options for all Hanover students by increasing the number of students on the main dining plan.
- Increase support for Greek life students by ensuring Hanover employees are more engaged in supporting Greek life.
Hanover will implement a phased transition to the new dining model to be completed by July 1, 2023. The new plan calls for:
- Improving dining service by having Hanover’s partner, Parkhurst Dining, assume food service for the six college-owned Greek houses through a combination of catered dinners, meal swipes and Panther Bucks.
- Creating two Hanover staff positions to support College-owned Greek houses.
- Designing new, apartment-style housing options for senior students.
- Studying the current facility design with the goal to eliminate or reduce the use of the “rack room” for sleeping thereby reducing the capacity of each house.
- Creating a “menu” of Greek dining options through Parkhurst that best meet the needs of the chapters.
- Clarifying staff and student leadership roles.
