Greek Week, a series of activities that emphasize unity among the Greek community and aim to educate the Penn campus about Greek life, started yesterday.
"The idea of the week is really to bring together the whole Penn campus, not just the Greek community," said College senior Sean Levy, InterFraternity Council executive vice president.
The first event of the day was a barbecue on College Green. As with all events of the week, the meal was open to the entire Penn community. Students on their way to class, as well as members of the Greek community sporting their house letters, stopped by.
The main meal -- hot dogs, hamburgers and veggie burgers -- was provided by the IFC. Panhellenic Council members contributed desserts, and Bicultural InterGreek Council members were responsible for side dishes.
Sigma Kappa sister and College sophomore Katie Kreider said she is enjoying Greek Week thus far and is particularly fond of the free food.
"It is a great way to meet all the other people on campus who are in Greek Week and not stay so isolated in your own sorority," Kreider said.
In addition to the barbecue, students manned tables on Locust Walk, which displayed information, photos, trophies, stuffed animals and various paraphernalia representing their houses.
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Associate Director of Programming Lea Shafer Engle and Program Coordinator Larry Moses judged the tables in order to select one male group and female group that best represented their fraternity or sorority.
Kappa Alpha Theta and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. won the contest.
"They just really displayed a lot of pride ... and really showed the different sides of their chapters," Engle said.
Events later this week will include a much-anticipated dodgeball game, faculty tea, block party, study hours, a potluck and philanthropy events including a run benefiting the Rena Rowan Breast Center at Abramson Cancer Center.
