Alumni celebrate 150 years of Greek life at UW-Madison

Alumni are coming back to the University of Wisconsin–Madison this month for a weekend of fraternity and sorority events honoring the Greek community’s 150th anniversary on campus.

Greek Life, in partnership with the Wisconsin Alumni Association, is hosting the reunion events on the weekend of Oct. 19-21. The Greek Life reunion weekend kicks off with a National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) All-Alumni Reception on Friday, Oct. 19.

Greek alumni will also enjoy the Wisconsin vs. Northern Illinois football game at Camp Randall Stadium and tailgate at the Field House on Saturday, Oct. 20. Many fraternity chapter houses around campus will host post-game barbecues.

A highlight of the National Pan-Hellenic Council’s Reunion Weekend will be a Step Show and After-Party at the Memorial Union on Saturday, Oct. 20. NPHC is an organization composed of historically African-American fraternities and sororities.

Stepping is a military and drill team-like style dance form, which takes some of its structure from West African gumboot dance, according to Itoro Udoeyop, NPHC president and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. at UW–Madison. Stepping in its current form dates back to the 1940s, when the routines were performed by members of historically African-American fraternities and sororities.

"Over the past 20 years, stepping has become more popular among both Greeks and non-Greeks," Udoeyop said. "All UW alumni and community members are invited to attend this year’s high-energy show and see what stepping is all about."

Tickets for the NPHC Step Show may be purchased in advance online for $15. Doors open for the show at 6 p.m. on Oct. 20. This event is open to the public.

The Greek Life Reunion Weekend concludes on Sunday, Oct. 21, with an NPHC brunch and a Panhellenic All-Sorority Brunch at the Pyle Center from 10 a.m. to noon. Various fraternities and sororities will also host open house receptions during a Parade of Homes tour near campus during the day. The tour is open to the public and free of charge.

Participating sororities include: Alpha Chi Omega, 152 Langdon St.; Alpha Epsilon Phi, 220 Lakelawn St.; Alpha Phi, 28 Langdon St.; Chi Omega, 115 Langdon St.; Delta Delta Delta, 120 Langdon St.; Delta Gamma, 103 Langdon St.; Gamma Phi Beta, 270 Langdon St.; Kappa Alpha Theta, 108 Langdon St.; Kappa Kappa Gamma, 601 N. Henry St.; and Pi Beta Phi, 130 Langdon St.

Participating fraternities include: Alpha Gamma Rho, 233 Lakelawn Pl.; and Sigma Phi, 106 N. Prospect Ave.

Alumni and community members can stop at the Red Gym, 716 Langdon St., from 1-4 p.m. on Oct. 21 to find information about the locations on the Parade of Homes tour.

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