Kenon Brinkley, a member of the Multicultural fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, said the Greeks of the Multicultural Greek Council have much more to offer society than traditional greek stereotypes would indicate.

Although partying is still part of the MGC lifestyle, Brinkley said he believes multicultural Greek life members have goals that separate them from Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils.

Race is also critical to the identity of Multicultural fraternities and sororities.

“Race is important. Race is relevant. Not all ethnic groups have the representation or the kinds of idols that their counterparts have,” Brinkley said. “[We] make it a priority to reach out to those marginalized and underrepresented groups right at home in their communities.”

Angel Tran, a member of the sorority Sigma Psi Zeta, said this does not mean MGCs are exclusive.

“Anyone from any ethnicity can join, but what truly sets MGC apart is that we integrate our culture into our values and presence on campus,” Tran said.

She said recruitment isn’t about finding people who meet certain criteria so much as it is about finding people who can benefit the organization.”

“Sigma Psi Zeta isn’t about fitting into an already constructed mold, rather each member helps create that mold by being their truest self,” Tran said.

The recruitment process for MGC is also different from those of Panhellenic Greek communities. For MGC, there is no recruitment week. Instead, members seek out the students they want to recruit.

Brinkley said when recruiting for Alpha, he makes it a point to observe recruits in their natural environment. That way, he can find out who they are as a person before taking them in.

The selective nature of their recruitment means that Multicultural Greek chapters are usually much smaller in size than those of other councils.

Some may disregard these chapters as being illegitimate based on their size, but Brinkley insisted that size is not what makes a fraternity.

“A fraternity has values, a mission, and a pursuant and consistent upholding of those values and missions,” Brinkley said.

Brinkley said collaboration is key in pursuing such missions.

As for community outreach, Brinkley said many MGC projects involve uplifting marginalized minorities. These events and projects include town halls, fundraisers, diversity training, and more.

“We conduct the most inclusive events on campus for the sake of community building and strengthening those involved,” Brinkley said.

Joseph Shepard, graduate student and former student-body president, said what makes MGC stand out most of all is the lifelong commitment each member makes.

“Members who graduate from college are expected to join the graduate chapter and continue to uplift the community and support the undergraduate Greeks on campus,” Shepard said.

Tran said this commitment and MGCs’ small size means that Multicultural Greeks develop lasting bonds with their brothers and sisters, as well as with their organization as a whole.

“To me, going Greek isn’t just four years of undergrad and then I’m done,” Tran said. “I’m never going to be done. It is an eternal sisterhood that has made me a better person and it’s always going to be a part of me.”