UM’s recruitment season is not something you want to miss as a student. While many potential new members (PNMs) focus on which sorority will be their new home or what fraternity brothers they match best with, there is more to Greek Life than the week of recruitment.
The Association of Greek Letter Organizations oversees all Greek Life councils and chapters on campus, collaborating with The Interfraternity Council, Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Panhellenic Association.
But AGLO is not some behind-the-scenes club that organizes recruitment events. In fact, AGLO is pretty hands-off when it comes to facilitating recruitment, serving as a support system for Greek leaders instead of directly setting up events.
While AGLO does not lead the recruitment process, it functions as the highest level of Greek leadership bridging connections between each of the 33 chapters at the University of Miami.
AGLO works day to day with Greek organizations to make Greek Life a rich and positive experience that promotes unity, communication and positive programming — which involves skill-building between members and workshopping ways to improve chapters.
Involving positive programming within Greek Life contributes to shaping informed perspectives, offering prospective new members a clearer understanding of the community beyond common misconceptions and uncertainties.
AGLO advances its mission by promoting Greek Life through mixers such as Meet the Greeks, an event revived after being dormant since the pandemic hit in 2020. This past semester, AGLO joined Greek Life organizations to connect with students interested in getting involved in Greek Life.
AGLO Chair Parker Osth knows the importance of Greek Life. As a senior studying architecture and member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, Osth is excited to integrate Greek Life’s presence with student life at a time of rising recruitment numbers.
“AGLO has been an underutilized resource for Greek Life,” Osth said. “It really has a unique position to make all people in Greek Life feel like they are part of the same thing.”
As chair, Osth works with the presidents of all the councils and chapters through roundtable sessions. Osth and other leaders review how each chapter has grown and discuss how they can continue to succeed.
While leaders represent their respective organization, Greek Life representation starts at AGLO according to Osth. If groups outside of UM want to interact with Greek Life, AGLO serves as the first organization to contact.
The leaders of Greek Life all aim to represent the heart of any sorority and fraternity: philanthropy. AGLO is currently working to revamp Greek Week, an opportunity for organizations to come together and raise money for their charity service and philanthropy.
By showcasing events such as Alpha Epsilon Pi’s Rockathon, Alpha Delta Pi’s Ronald McDonald House Charities and other signature Greek Life philanthropy initiatives, AGLO hopes it will draw a large crowd and on-campus support from students.
“So many aspects of Greek Life are overplayed,” Osth said. “Philanthropy being one of them is good.” We should talk about how impactful [philanthropy] is.
With about 3,800 students participating in Greek life, AGLO plays a crucial role in uniting the Greek community and continuing to expand Greek life on campus.