Talking back to his mother and disrespecting teachers were outlets in which Jason, a middle school student, could release his confusion and frustration. Although he had been in and out of school and had an attitude problem, his sole wish was to attend the University if or when he graduated from high school. Realizing that her son needed more help than she could offer, Jason's mother wrote a letter to Michael Dunkley, fourth-year College student and co-chairman of the Black Fraternal Council.
Dunkley took it upon himself and his fraternity Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. to help make a difference in Jason's attitude and outlook for the future. The fraternity adopted the young teen and took him around Grounds on a one-on-one basis to show him daily college life.
"As a result, he saw his goal and found his own personal motivation to do well," Dunkley said.
Jason currently is being home-schooled and is applying for re-enrollment in public school.
As its involvement in Jason's life demonstrates, Iota Phi Theta and the other eight fraternities and sororities in the BFC are dedicated to serving the community.
"Service is deeply ingrained within each organization," Dunkley said. "The BFC has weekly projects along with philanthropies since service is in our founding oaths and constitution."
The BFC's focus on service and philanthropy, in fact, was the basis for its split from the Inter-Fraternity and Inter-Sorority Councils.
Founded in 1992, the BFC gives the black fraternities and sororities a stronger voice on Grounds.
"Black fraternities have traditionally fewer members than IFC and ISC fraternities and sororities so we were not being heard among the 33 predominantly white fraternities," Dunkley said.
Black fraternities and sororities also felt many of the issues that were relevant to the IFC and ISC did not directly affect them.
"It comes down to our basic founding principal," Dunkley said. "We are founded on ideals of service, and that prevents us from partaking in a lot of issues like drinking."
Just as the BFC serves as an umbrella organization for groups committed to service, the Multicultural Greek Council has similar pursuits.
Originally named the Fraternity Sorority Council, the MGC was formed in 1999 by Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. It was joined by alpha Kappa Delta Phi Sorority, Inc. and La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc. in 2000. Today, the MGC includes three fraternities and four sororities and is the fastest expanding Greek governing council on Grounds.
The MGC never split from the IFC or ISC but formed separately to unite organizations with cultural and community service aspects.
"We are minority organizations which means that we are not necessarily restricted to minorities but we do raise culture awareness at U.Va and take pride in our ethnicity and diversity," said Emmanuel Smadja, fourth-year Engineering student and MGC president. "We are also service based as opposed to being socially based."
Each chapter chooses to work to benefit a philanthropy, such as aKDPhi's promotion of breast cancer awareness.For the past two years, aKDPhi has won the award for best service from a sorority from the Virginia Service Coalition. Most recently, the sorority hosted an a cappella concert to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
"We try to have weekly service events along with philanthropies and one day events, and it is not rare to have members spending 10 hours a week on service," Smadja said.
One of Smadja's favorite fraternal service activities is Lambda Suns (Students United in Nearing Success), where three fraternity members go to Albemarle High School and offer moral and academic support to students. The program aims to give students encouragement in seeking higher education.
Smadja recalled a 10th grade Chinese student who was frustrated and introverted because he wasn't fluent in English. Through spending time together, members of La Unidad Latina were able to motivate the reserved boy.
"It was great to see him progress and become more open to talking and laughing with other people," Smadja said. "He also became more enthusiastic about going to college."
In the years since their formation, both the BFC and MGC have flourished through self-governance. The BFC succeeded in establishing itself as a political body on Grounds by serving as the governing body for nine Greek chapters.
Consuelo Kendall, fourth-year College student and vice president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., said the BFC has created a bond among organizations to promote unity among both black Greeks and the whole Greek community.
Likewise, members claim the MGC's attempts to find an identity and establish unity within the organization have been met with great success.
"It's nice to have enough in common so we can work together but be different enough so it is diverse and interesting," said Melody Han, third-year College student and MGC treasurer.
That diversity has come with an increase in numbers. As vice president of external affairs for aKDPhi, Han said it is important to feel you are a part of something larger than your own sorority, because one of aKDPhi's purposes looks to serve the entire University community.
In the future, members of the BFC and MGC, such as Smadja, want to see improved communication, cooperation and event coordination between the four Greek councils.
One event is Comfort Zone, when fraternities and sororities from each council join forces in a service event followed by a party or bar night.In addition, the MGC sponsors a S'mores Roast aimed at increasing interaction between the councils.
"We enjoyed chocolate and s'mores and it allowed us to meet the leaders of other councils in a more casual context," Smadja said.
On Nov. 19, the four Greek Councils will host the State of the Greek System.
"All the leaders from each council will put on a presentation to talk about where the Greek system has been, where it is now and where it's going," Dunkley said.
The presentation's purpose stands to educate Greeks as well as the community at large.
"It is educational for Greeks because it allows them to learn about the other councils and for the community because it gives them a clear idea of the Greek system as a whole," Smadja said.
With the presentation and other events that increase communication between the councils, the BFC and MGC hope to create a more unified direction and bring more prestige to the Greek system.
"When we think about where we want to go, we want to establish a presence on Grounds that is indispensable to the University community in service, programming and student governance," Han said.
Though separated in name, members and goals, the four Greek councils prove that room exists for collaboration among them.
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