Most popular, respected sororities and fraternities

Famous Greek organizations and their celebrity alumni

Should I join a Greek organization on-campus? This is a question many college students ask themselves. Today, nine million students from over 800 college campuses across the country have answered yes to this question and are members of Greek sororities and fraternities according to national Greek statistics. Belonging to Greek organizations is a fun and rewarding experience for students as they make their way through college. Even after college, people identify with their Greek affiliations, and Greek organizations, in turn, are proud of their outstanding alumni. Many well-known, successful individuals come from Greek backgrounds; in fact, all but two U.S. presidents since 1825 have had Greek affiliations. Here is just a small sampling of some famous Greek alumni and their respective sororities and fraternities.

ALPHA CHI OMEGA

The women of Alpha Chi Omega, one of the largest Greek women’s organizations in the United States, are real, strong women facing real issues in the real world. They are committed to creating a positive reality for themselves and others. The fraternity (not all women’s organizations are sororities) has more than 130 collegiate chapters nationwide and more than 200 alumnae chapters as well. The members of Alpha Chi Omega work to put an end to domestic violence by organizing awareness events, helping staff domestic violence hotlines and volunteering at local women’s shelters. Alpha Chi Omega counts Condoleezza Rice, Trista Rehn Sutter and Aubrey O’Day among its famous alumnae.

DELTA TAU DELTA

Courage, truth, faith and power define the value system of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, a fraternity that has spread to over 200 college campuses since its founding in 1858. More than 150,000 men have become members, and today Delta Tau Delta is comprised of over 7,000 active undergraduate students. The fraternity chapters make a difference in their surrounding communities by supporting service programs such as Adopt-A-School and by raising money for the Bleed Purple Foundation. Before they were famous, actors Matthew McConaughey, Will Ferrell, James Mardsen and David Schwimmer joined Greek life as Delta Tau Delta brothers.

KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA

Kappa Kappa Gamma, another one of the oldest and largest Greek organizations in the United States, promotes a broad college experience for its members by emphasizing the importance of scholarship, cultural growth and philanthropy. It has 137 chapters, 307 alumnae associations, and has initiated 236,000 members since its founding in 1870. According to Kappa Kappa Gamma sisters, being a part of the group is like having a second family. The members work alongside the charity Reading is Fundamental, Inc. to help young people find joy in reading. Famous Kappa Kappa Gamma alumnae include actresses Sophia Bush and Ashley Judd, reality star Lo Bosworth, fashion designer Kate Spade and television show host Nancy O’Dell.

SIGMA ALPHA EPSILON

Personal growth, development and leadership skills are important to members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the largest social fraternity in the United States. Striving to be “true gentlemen,” more than 300,000 young men have been initiated since its founding in 1885, and today about 11,800 undergraduates are active members in its 241 chapters and 18 colonies. The fraternity has a zero-tolerance policy for hazing and risk-management violations, which has resulted in the suspension of a few of its chapters. As part of their philanthropic efforts, Sigma Alpha Epsilon brothers work with the Children’s Miracle Network to help save and improve children’s lives. Actor David Spade, singer Nick Lachey and Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner are among the notable alumni of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

OTHER NOTABLE ALUMNI

Many other famous individuals participated in Greek life at their respective colleges and universities. Famous alumnae of Alpha Kappa Alpha include singer Alicia Keys, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, actress and comedienne Wanda Sykes and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Movie actors Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner joined the Delta Chi fraternity, and television funny ladies Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and Patricia Heaton became members of Delta Gamma while they were in college. As far as athletes go, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal are famous Omega Psi Phi alumni, and former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw participated in the Tau Kappa Epsilon chapter at Louisiana Tech University.

GREEK FOR LIFE

Greek life does not necessarily end after graduation. Active Alumni chapters throughout the country host a variety of programs and events that support the on-campus Greek communities. Celebrities even stay active and involved in Greek life after they leave school. Condoleezza Rice took time to pose for pictures with her Alpha Chi sisters when she spoke at college campuses. Matthew McConaughey represented his fraternity by wearing a Delta Tau Delta shirt at a red carpet event. Sophia Bush visited the USC Kappa Kappa Gamma house a few years after she graduated. The strong bonds of the Greek community make the members brothers and sisters for life and proud of their Greek affiliations.

Famous alumni	Greek affiliation	University attended	Claim to fame
Condoleezza Rice	Alpha Chi Omega	University of Denver	Former  Secretary of State
Trista Rehn Sutter	Alpha Chi Omega	Indiana University	Former Bachelorette
Aubrey O’Day	Alpha Chi Omega	University of California, Irvine	Singer and part of the musical group Danity Kane
Matthew McConaughey	Delta Tau Delta	University of Texas, Austin	Actor known for roles in movies such as “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”
Will Ferrell	Delta Tau Delta	University of Southern California	Actor and comedian known for roles in movies such as “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy”
James Mardsen	Delta Tau Delta	Oklahoma State University	Actor known for roles in movies such as “27 Dresses”
David Schwimmer	Delta Tau Delta	Northwestern University	Actor known for his role on the NBC  sitcom “Friends”
Sophia Bush	Kappa Kappa Gamma	University of Southern California	Actress known for her role on the CW drama “One Tree Hill”
Ashley Judd	Kappa Kappa Gamma	University of Kentucky	Actress known for roles in movies such as “Where the Heart Is”
Lo Bosworth	Kappa Kappa Gamma	University of California, Los Angeles	Reality TV star known from “The Hills”
Kate Spade	Kappa Kappa Gamma	Arizona State University	Fashion designer
Nancy O’Dell	Kappa Kappa Gamma	Clemson University	Co-anchor of “Access Hollywood”
David Spade	Sigma Alpha Epsilon	Arizona State University	Actor known for his role on the CBS sitcom “Rules of Engagement”
Nick Lachey	Sigma Alpha Epsilon	Miami University	Singer and part of the musical group 98 Degrees
William Faulkner	Sigma Alpha Epsilon	University of Mississippi	Author known for works  such as “The Sound and the Fury”