Campus Greeks Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bid

Women and men can join a particular sorority or fraternity only if s/he has received a bid from that organization at the end of a period now commonly known as "Recruitment" (formerly "Rush"). Men and women can typically only receive a bid from a fraternity or sorority in which s/he has already expressed an interest by attending a Rush/Recruitment party or event.

Answer: 1776

Phi Beta Kappa (now known officially as The Phi Beta Kappa Society) was founded on December 5, 1776 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was the first college society to bear a Greek-letter name, and also introduced the essential characteristics of the Greek societies that followed it: an oath of secrecy, a badge, mottoes in Greek and Latin, a code of laws, an elaborate form of initiation, a seal, and a special handshake.

The organization was created as a secret society so that its founders would have the freedom to discuss any topic they chose.(Source: Phi Beta Kappa Web site, www.pbk.org.) Phi Beta Kappa still exists today as an academic honor society.

Answer: Filmmaker and actor Spike Lee

There are "Greeks" in almost all walks of American life, including aeronautics, all levels of government, Fortune 500 companies and small businesses, K-12 and higher education, athletics, entertainment, public service... the list goes on! Willie Nelson is a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity; Sandra Day O'Connor is a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority; and Hoda Kotb is a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority.

Answer: 1851

Alpha Delta Pi, originally named The Adelphean Society, was the first secret society for college women. It was founded on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia. (Source: Alpha Delta Pi Web site)

Answer: A lifetime

Once initiated or crossed, women and men maintain their memberships for a lifetime unless the member chooses to relinquish her/his membership. In extremely rare instances a fraternity or sorority might repeal a person's membership.

Answer: The nine historically African-American Greek-letter organizations

The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is a collaborative organization of nine (9) historically African-American international Greek-letter fraternities and sororities that are often unofficially referred to as the "Divine Nine." They are: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.; Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Answer: National Panhellenic Conference (NPC)

The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) serves 26 national and international sororities/women's fraternities, of which the oldest sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, is a member. The National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) serves 21 Latino/a fraternities and sororities; the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) serves 73 national and international men's fraternities; and the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) supports the 9 historically African-American international Greek-letter fraternities and sororities.

Answer: Rho

The Greek alphabet includes 24 letters from which Fraternities and Sororities make up their names by using typically two or three letters in combination. New members are typically expected to learn the Greek alphabet before initiation or crossing.

Answer: The child, grandchild, or sibling of a fraternity or sorority member

A person who is a legacy is typically given preference when invitations to join a particular fraternity or sorority are distributed, however there is no official guarantee that a legacy will be invited to join. Two recently famous sorority legacies are twins Jenna and Barbara Pierce Bush, the daughters of Former First Lady Laura Bush. Laura Bush was in Kappa Alpha Theta at Southern Methodist University; Jenna joined Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Texas and Barbara joined Kappa Alpha Theta at Yale University.

Answer: Badge

Sorority and fraternity badges/pins are worn by initiated members according to the organization's protocol, such as requiring a specific type of attire if wearing the badge and/or where on the body the badge may be worn. Some common elements of a badge, in addition to the Greek letters of the organization's name, might be a Greek or Roman column; diamond(s), pearl(s) or other precious stone; and/or a Roman lamp or torch.