Bad apples are about to spoil a great bunch

Some time ago, I sat in my office interviewing a college student for an Internship at Enterprise. This particular gentleman came to the interview well-researched, prepared, well-dressed, and clearly driven to earn a spot in our summer program. His Career Center adviser at a school that shall remain nameless had sung his praises to me earlier in the day. "He's a great student, he asks terrific questions," the adviser started telling me. "He is a double major, and still makes time to be the Vice President of his fraternity."

The student was as advertised, save for when the time came to discuss his leadership background. I asked him questions designed to lead him into some stories of outstanding leadership experiences, and was met with lukewarm examples from a class project with some less motivated classmates and doing stock at a well-known supermarket. "What about your fraternity?" I asked him.

He looked away briefly, then re-focused. "Yeah, that's been a big thing for me for a while. I'm currently the Vice President of (XXX) and prior to that I was the Philanthropy Chair. We have more than 70 brothers on campus."

I scanned his resume once more to find the fraternity not listed under his extra-curricular activities, though it was alluded to under "Member of championship intramural flag football team." I was perplexed, and just had to ask him, "Why isn't your fraternity listed? How come you didn't tell me about that when I asked about leadership when it's clearly your best example?"

I wasn't prepared for what I heard next - the student had intentionally deleted his fraternity involvement from his resume and was avoiding the topic in the interview because he was concerned that the stereotypes of fraternities would negatively impact his quest for a terrific internship in a professional environment. He explained that he wanted me to know that he was a "strong professional," a "people person," and a "dedicated performer." He did not want me to think that he was, as he put it, "a party crazed binge drinker," even though everything he told me about his fraternity suggested to me that they were anything but the "Animal House" stereotypes. His fraternity boasted a high average GPA, student leadership all around campus, a huge network of alumni (one of who worked for us at the time and had referred him,) and student athletes throughout its ranks. Still, the fear of the association to the stereotype scared this candidate off of what was possibly his best experience to date. (Spoiler alert - he did get hired, and his adviser was 100% right about him.)

In my 10+ years in Talent Acquisition for Enterprise, I've met and interviewed literally hundreds of candidates with backgrounds in Greek Life - fraternities, sororities, and social fellowships, locals and nationals, social, philanthropic, and honors, brand new and absolutely venerable. Students with backgrounds in Greek Life often come to the interview table prepared with skills that, if I could bottle and sell, would make me a billionaire: time management, communication, teamwork, leadership, compassion, philanthropic interest, public speaking, fundraising, etc. The soft skills translate so well to our world.

Despite never having been a member of a Greek-lettered organization in college, I had my fair share of experience with them, both positive and negative. I worked charity events along side some of the best and brightest Alphas and Gammas and Thetas this side of Athens, but in a Student Government role I also found myself in the role of the hated disciplinarian when some stepped over the lines. They never spoiled the bunch for me, though I did notice (even in the late 90's and early '00's) the apprehension of college administrations in endorsing Greek Life.

Which brings us to present day, and the tragic story of Timothy Piazza.

A young pledge at Penn State, Timothy was forced by his hopeful new "brothers" to drink unsafe amounts of alcohol. When he displayed the after-effects of the alcohol and the subsequent fall down a flight of stairs, they reportedly slapped him and doused him with water rather than calling for medical attention. Timothy Piazza, a bright 19 year old boy with a dream of going to college, graduating, starting a career and maybe a family, died as a result. The members of the fraternity who were present that evening have been charged with serious crimes, up to and including involuntary manslaughter.

Every September, chills run up and down my spine as viral Facebook and Twitter posts remind me of the ugly underside of that part of college life, of fraternities hanging sickening banners from their houses thanking fathers and mothers for dropping off their daughters. Hazing charges force colleges to kick certain fraternities and sororities off campus, expel members from their schools, and even refuse to acknowledge any Greek lettered organizations on campus whatsoever.

What happens next at Penn State, however, could truly end up being a watershed moment for Greek Life to come. Many people, including the family and friends of Timothy Piazza, are claiming that his death was, at least in part, the result of a lack of institutional control on the part of the University. One could assume (though I do not claim to know for a fact) that a wrongful death lawsuit against the college is imminent. With such liability out there, I also foresee more colleges and universities throwing the hands up in surrender and outright pulling the plug on Greek Life all together.

Gone would be the leadership opportunities, the organized philanthropy, the camaraderie, the energy on campus during "Greek Week" or Homecoming, the access to alumni, etc. And while I'm sure that other activities would replace Greek Life for students truly seeking that leadership experience, that resume builder, that connection to other students - it's hard to argue with a school that it's not worth the risk.

The toothpaste may already be out of the tube on this one, but I, for one, am hopeful that students across the country who participate in Greek Life get the message - all of them, not even just 99.99% of them - that there is a real danger in hazing, in underage drinking, in sexual predatorism. It has no place in a University or society as a whole - and it ruins a positive experience for those who get into it for the right reasons.

It would be a shame to see those bad apples spoil the whole bunch.

Chris W. Fitzpatrick

Talent Acquisition Manager

Follow me on Twitter at @chriswfitz