Professional fraternities offer benefits

As rush begins, the University campus becomes plastered with fliers and banners summoning first-year students to join Greek life.

However, a few fraternities are in a league of their own - the professional and pre-professional fraternities.

Their names include the same Greek letters as traditional fraternities, but members focus on surviving the rigorous training required to become a doctor, dentist or lawyer.

Three such fraternities are Nu Sigma Nu, a medical fraternity; Delta Sigma Delta, a dental fraternity; and Phi Alpha Delta, a pre-law fraternity.

David Hanauer, president of Nu Sigma Nu, explained that members do not rush or undergo a selection process.

"Life here is very similar to life in a co-op," said Hanauer. "If there is an opening in the house, we let you in."

Although most people who live at the Nu Sigma Nu house on 1912 Geddes Ave. are medical students, a few residents are also graduate and undergraduate students, Hanauer said.

Living in this fraternity offers many benefits to veteran medical students, as well as newcomers to the Medical School.

"I've known a lot of med students who have lived alone throughout school and have spent most of their time in classes or by themselves," said Hanauer. "Living in Nu Sigma Nu gives medical students an inexpensive place to live, a place to come together for social events, and it gives new students the opportunity to talk to upperclassmen and gain insight on what to expect in the future."

Greg Hyde, the social chair of Delta Sigma Delta, said professional fraternities help make the transition to professional schools smoother for many first-year School of Dentistry students.

"The time commitment is not as large as that of a standard fraternity, and we are co-ed, but dues are still required," Hyde said.

Both Hanauer and Hyde said the opportunity to socialize with students who are experiencing the same rigors of professional school attracts many students to the fraternities.

"There are a lot of social activities throughout the year," Hyde said. "We have monthly meetings, tailgate parties and four or five other parties throughout the year, open to members and dental students."

Phi Alpha Delta, the only pre-professional fraternity, invites to its fold undergraduates interested in the law.

"They do a lot of stuff to get you prepared to decide if law school is right for you," said James DeVaney, a LSA first-year student interested in the organization.

DeVaney, who said he attended some of the group's meetings, said the fraternity doesn't have a house, making it similar to a club. The prospective law students have access to information that some undergraduates might not have.

"They bring in guest speakers from many different law schools throughout the year," DeVaney said.

09-19-97