Going greek at MSU creates memories and experiences that members carry throughout the rest of their lives, according to three MSU greek alumni.
The three of them agreed that their experiences in greek life at MSU have taught them things that have benefited them in their personal and professional lives.
Lois Kurta from the class of 1958 was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, Tri Delta, at MSU in 1955. She graduated with a degree in elementary education and taught first grade for 21 years at Beverly Elementary in Birmingham, Michigan.
Kurta said her sorority held high standards for its members when she was there, which has influenced her role as a school teacher.
“It had a great impact on me to always be a better person and to always work toward a goal,” Kurta said. “It probably helped me become a better teacher because I had high expectations in me and for the children.”
Setting high standards and supplying college men and women with leadership roles is an aspect of greek life which has helped Clint Rosenburg from the class of 1998 with owning his steel company is Madison Heights, Michigan.
Rosenburg was president of his fraternity Beta Theta Pi.
“If you can motivate 50 to 60 guys to clean a house and sing songs to girls without even paying them,” Rosenburg said, “then once you get in the real world and you’re in a management position and you’re trying to get your employees motivated to do things. ... If you can do it without paying people then it’s just real easy to do it when you can pay them.”
Haley Dunnigan from the class of 2013 was a member of Alpha Omega Pi for five years.
Today, she works as a client relations coordinator for a management consulting company based in Lansing.
She said greek life prepared her better than her classes did.
“It’s taught me to deal with conflict, learn how to manage my time and priorities, how to network and the importance of service and giving back to the community,” Dunnigan said. “And that all ties back in to working in a professional workplace. I think a lot of other people who are in greek life would say the same thing.”
Dunnigan said she still communicates with the friends she made in her sorority, and she also is the current adviser for the Beta Gamma chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi.
Rosenburg said he still meets up with his old fraternity brothers today.
From the annual golf outings, the weddings of different brothers and their kids’ birthday parties, he still has a place in all of the lives of the friends he’s made.
“You kind of become a life member once you join. And when you graduate, you become an alumna of that sorority and that’s a great thing,” Kurta said.
