PROFILE: UC Senior Says Greek Life Leads To Leadership

Drew McKenzie is a member of Beta Theta Pi, the first fraternity to be established at the University of Cincinnati. The senior marketing major and Senior Class President from Troy, Ohio is one of the thousand or so fraternity and sorority members who are celebrating

Greek Week on campus April 17-23.

Greek Week is an annual spring tradition at the University of Cincinnati and on college campuses across the nation. UC’s 19 fraternities and 11 sororities face off in friendly competition and stand united on supporting a key philanthropy during Greek Week, the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“Last year, we were expecting to raise $5,000 for Make-a-Wish and we raised $11,000,” Drew says. “The chapters got together to make it happen by outlining different ways that the chapters could earn points based on fund-raising goals. Some chapters passed the hat and some contacted their alumni. By the end of the week, we had all accomplished something together.”

This year, the goal for Greek Week is to raise $11,000 to send two Cincinnati children to Disney World. Both of the children, sponsored by Make-A-Wish, are battling leukemia.

Drew says he was a latecomer to the Greek community, becoming a member his sophomore year. “What I found appealing about my fraternity is that Beta Theta Pi offers many leadership opportunities and experiences on campus, plus, we have great interaction with our Beta alumni. Furthermore, UC’s Greeks historically and currently hold well over 50-percent of all leadership roles on campus, in student organizations and committees.”

In addition to serving as Senior Class President, Drew has held roles with the Council on Student Affairs, Governmental Affairs Committee for Student Government, Student Alumni Council, Homecoming Planning Committee, Crosstown Helpout Planning Committee, and is a member of the Cincinnatus Honorary Service Society. He is also a student assistant for the Office of Governmental Relations and University Communications.

Drew is a former president of UC Republicans, and his interest in politics led to a successful internship with Ohio Congressman Rob Portman, and then with U.S. President George W. Bush, as an Advanced Representative Volunteer for the re-election campaign. “I loved it. It was great,” he says. “I lived in a town house right on the Metro and commuted every day into the capital.” His duties included assistance in coordinating a campaign rally in Beckley, W. Va., and coordinating a coming home rally for military troops arriving at Ft. Lewis.

UC’s Greek Week will end with the traditional Greek Games at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 23, on Sigma Sigma Commons. Drew will finish his degree this summer. At that time, he will become part of another tradition with Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, a supportive alumnus of the Beta Nu chapter. It’s an organization that has celebrated a tradition of scholarship, leadership and commitment to community at UC since the fraternity was established here in 1840.