Although Greek Life at Hamilton College has been limited over time, its philanthropic presence on campus remains active. With unique community needs facing the surrounding areas of Hamilton, including Utica, Rome and Clinton, opportunity for community engagement is plentiful. Although not all Greek Life organizations on campus belong to a national organization, proceeds from charity events and fundraisers are often donated at the national level.
Ariel Adams, Director of Student Activities, and Nadiyah Roberts-Green, Assistant Director of Student Activities for Leadership are excellent resources for Greek Life organizations and their philanthropic goals. Both Adams and Roberts-Green oversee student life, including both clubs as well as fraternities and sororities. Those focused on Hamilton’s Student Activities are adept with skills that forward community building, student learning and development. With specific regard to Greek Life, Adams and Roberts-Green encourage and support events throughout the semester which aim to highlight different organizations’ missions and values. Working with the inherently exclusive practice of Greek Life, Adams and Roberts-Green are keenly aware of monitoring organizations to offer diverse and inclusive programming where students feel a sense of belonging.
Throughout the semester, sororities and fraternities organize charity events at the local and national level. In the upcoming weeks, Hamilton will see Greek Life philanthropy in action in a number of ways.
From 1–3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, Alpha Theta Chi (ATX) and Phi Beta Chi (PBX) will co-host a flag football tournament, donating all proceeds to Planned Parenthood. The event will showcase a number of teams ($3 per person to enter), made up by members all over Hamilton’s community. In a fun-spirited environment, the two sororities will collaborate to raise money for an increasingly important cause.
Made possible by the support and funding from the aforementioned Student Activities Board, the event will include flag-football equipment, hot chocolate, snacks and a surprise award for the tournament champion.
From 12–4 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2024, PBX will host a community-wide thrift store, with the recipient of donations to be determined. The thrift store has been a recurring philanthropy event, each year collecting donations from students, professors and those belonging to the extended Hamilton Community. Last year, PBX’s thrift store event raised over $1,800 with proceeds donated to Planned Parenthood. Beyond the monetary benefits, all leftover clothes were donated to local women’s shelters and other organizations in need. PBX urges students to bring donations home from Thanksgiving Break to offer for the thrift store and contribute to the success of the event.
There are a myriad of philanthropic events that Greek Life has run, and will continue to run, all of which are able to make a tangible impact on local communities and national organizations. Beyond fundraising, fraternities and sororities at Hamilton are concerned with creating lasting relationships between the college and organizations in the extended community. By fostering repeated collaboration with groups such as the Hope House, Midtown Utica Community Center, On Point for College and more, Hamilton’s Greek Life philanthropy committees aim to find organizations to which proceeds will be beneficial. Beyond supporting external groups, one of the main goals of Greek Life philanthropy is to develop student relations within the Hamilton community along the way. In simple terms, the motto “do good while having a good time” prevails.
Be on the lookout for future events and fundraisers throughout the end of the semester. Donate your time and money when possible — Hamilton’s surrounding community is rich with culture, positive initiatives and help from willing Hamilton students is always appreciated.