Information for Parents/Guardians

Going off to college can be a challenging and stressful time. While at The University of Southern Mississippi, students will encounter many opportunities to become involved outside of the classroom experience. Parents and guardians must be educated about the enriching experience students will find by being involved in a fraternity or sorority at Southern Miss. 

 Why Join a Fraternity or Sorority? 

Membership in a fraternity or sorority is a life-changing experience for the men and women who choose to join. Chapter members develop a unique bond of brotherhood and sisterhood while sharing their values and goals. These friendships last beyond the collegiate years and are nurtured by alumni activities and networking programs that provide opportunities for continued camaraderie, service, and personal development. 

 The fraternity and sorority community offers a home away from home and encourages individual development within a smaller group of friends in the broader university environment. 

• Fraternities and sororities support students that promote a standard set of values, including citizenship, scholastics, leadership, and fellowship.
• When a student’s college experience is finished, his or her fraternity or sorority affiliation continues for a lifetime. This lifelong bond encourages continued involvement in the organization at the campus level and across the nation.
• Fraternities and sororities are values-based organizations and are committed to worthwhile endeavors. Members are expected to maintain the high standards set by their national organization, the university, and their chapter.

 Fraternity or sorority life can provide students with an invaluable experience during his or her time at Southern Miss. Fraternity and Sorority Life is a Southern Miss tradition that dates back to 1935 when the first national fraternity was founded on campus. Today, approximately 1,500 undergraduates are members of three councils, with 26 chapters that are inclusive of 12 sororities and 14 fraternities.   

 What is the role of the parent? 

Take time to find out more about our Southern Miss Fraternity & Sorority Life community and the chapters.  Visit the chapter(s) websites of the inter/national organizations https://www.usm.edu/fraternity-sorority-life/our-chapters.php to review the organizations initiatives.  Review new member manuals and printed materials provided to students as they go through the recruitment process.  Recruitment material is not secret.  Ask to contact the chapters’ alumni advisor to learn about his or her involvement with the chapter. Ask about activities and events that involve parents and participate in them. When you visit Southern Miss, ask to meet with chapter members and, if possible, their parents. 

 *Plainly put, ask questions, be supportive, and be engaged.