Aug. 19, 2010
Contact:
Leah Seupersad, 404-413-1354
University Relations
ATLANTA-Ashley Wampler and Christopher Sumter were among the first in line to receive keys to move into Georgia State University's first-ever Greek Housing development.
The GSU students were able to show off their new townhomes Wednesday as the university community gathered for the official ribbon cutting and tours of the special interest housing, located at the corner of Edgewood and Piedmont Avenues.
"We pride ourselves on being part of the community and we thought having our fraternity live on campus would be the best way to be in contact with everybody because it's right in the middle of everything," said Sumter, a Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity member majoring in sociology.
Nine of GSU's 24 Greek organizations live in the new development, which consists of nine three-story townhomes of varying capacity, housing a total of 139 students. Each townhome is identified by its organization's National Greek member letters and includes a student activity center and a laundry facility. There are also bricks inside the development acknowledging each Greek organization on campus.
"This is really an important milestone in the development of Georgia State University and I expect two weeks from today this place will be abuzz with activity, as we add another milestone: the introduction of football," said GSU President Mark P. Becker.
Since 9 a.m. on Aug. 12, students have been hauling baskets of clothing and electronics to their rooms, which feature beds, a desk and chair, dresser, closet, and cable and Internet connections. Daphne Jeon, a sophomore and Delta Zeta sister, made sure to pack her Delta Zeta blanket, while Wampler of Alpha Xi Delta brought a zebra print comforter with pink accessories.
"It has been pretty fun since we moved in," said Michelle Sacchinelli, a senior marketing major in Alpha Xi Delta. "It seems like a long sleep over and not that we live here."
By the grand opening this week, the townhomes had transformed into homes with fresh paint, Greek family portraits hanging on the walls and huge colorful hand-painted sorority letters posted outside the townhome doors. Many of the organizations have met with alumni or their National Housing Corporations that have started shipping everything from curtains to furniture.
Although not all of the members will live in the units, they will all have access to the organization's common area on the first floor, which includes a kitchen, a large dining table, couches and a television. For instance, Alpha Omicron Pi held a chapter meeting at their townhome this week and shared lots of laughs during a game of Red Rover in the Greek Housing Courtyard.
As the students wait for class to begin, they have been planning for what many believe will be a banner year for recruitment, community service and philanthropy due to the addition of Greek housing and the launch of football.
"Our fraternity has been on campus for 50 years and never had a Greek house, so this is a huge stepping stone to growing even bigger," said Sigma Nu member Henry "Parker" Reyes, who returned to live on campus after living in a house with a few of his fraternity brothers. "I thought it would be cool to be among the first people to move in, and living on campus has a lot of benefits, including being able to walk to class and having everything around you."
The sororities that will live in Greek Housing this year are Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Zeta, Phi Mu and Zeta Tau Alpha. The fraternities moving in are Kappa Sigma, Phi Beta Sigma, Pi Kappa Phi and Sigma Nu.
"Housing for our Greek community will allow chapters from different Greek Councils to come together and to really form unity, and in that unity form collaborations that will reach all of Atlanta in terms of community service and educational programming," said Lucille Whitten, GSU Greek advisor. "It will increase our standards as a Greek community so we can recruit the best students at Georgia State into our Greek community."