Greeks Stay Strong

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Introduction.
Greeks Stay Strong is a teaching model designed to show students in College Greek
Communities how to "party smart" in order to stop alcohol and drug related deaths through
realistic and practical student engagement efforts.
The Greeks Stay Strong model was built with 2 key fundamental principles, a realistic position
and a focus on engagement. The model works because it’s realistic – students do tend to drink
in college, regardless of age, so if they do, we want them to do it in the safest and smartest
way. The model also works because it focuses on engagement. When the initiative is lead by
students, learned using two-way discussion, and practiced with hands-on instruction, the
education component is different from the day to day lecture style students are used to.
The Greeks Stay Strong model was built to be piloted at Michigan State University and adopted,
free of charge, by any institution across the country. With a very successful pilot, the model is
now stripped to its raw elements which initially made it successful and effective – ready for any
college to adopt and implement.

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Overview.
The Greeks Stay Strong model focuses on 3 phases where sequential chronology is
important. The phases are meant to be simple, so any institution can adapt it to its own
needs and culture. Each of the 3 phases is oriented around a different teaching element
which helps make the model work. These teaching elements are Personal, Relatable, and
Usable.
Within each phase description, there is an example of the pilot program’s usage. The model
can be deviated from this pilot program as needed, however, it’s important to adhere to the
outlined guidelines in order to preserve the essence of model’s efficacy.
Resources used in the pilot program can be obtained by contacting the program founders.
The Model:

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Description:
Join Strong is simply about Greek members, together, taking a pledge agreeing to
party smart. By having Greek members take a pledge with their peers, in a way that is
familiar to them, it instills a personal attachment to the initiative. Rather than forcing
members to participate in a cause, Greek members will be creating the cause.
Learning Objectives:
 Promote awareness to Greek members about alcohol and drug related deaths and
the Greeks Stay Strong initiative.
 Engage Greek members in an effort to eliminate avoidable deaths within the
community.
 Increase awareness of Greek unity and strength through a public commitment to
keep one another safe.
Time:
Month X
Guidelines:
 The pledge should be simple and aligned in value with the Greek Stay Strong pledge:
“I pledge to party smart in order to stop alcohol and drug related deaths in the Greek
community." The pledge should instill a firm commitment, state a realistic action,
explain why the action is important, and identify the relevance to whoever is
pledging.
o Breakdown:
 Commitment: “I pledge”
 Action: “to party smart”
 Reason: “in order to stop alcohol and drug related deaths”
 Relevance: “in the Greek community”
 Members should be allowed to “pledge” in a simple way such as “liking” a Facebook
page, attending an event, signing a public petition, wearing an item of apparel, using
a Twitter hashtag, noting their presence at an on-campus display, etc.
 A roster of pledges should be public to Greek members as well as the local
community
 Role models and opinion leaders should kickoff the pledging

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Pilot program at Michigan State University:
The Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils at MSU created a Facebook page in early
September that displayed the pledge and the following phases in the Greeks Stay Strong
program. Chapter presidents were instructed to encourage their members to “like” the page
to take the pledge. The Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils promoted the Facebook
initiative by having Greek opinion leaders endorse the pledge.

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Description:
Learn Strong is all about getting together as a Greek community to learn about smart
partying from a relatable presenter. The purpose of this speaker session should be to get
Greek members to reflect on their individual party endeavors while learning about how to
party in the safest way. During this phase, popular false rumors should be refuted and
trending social norms should be identified. During this session, Greek members should learn
how to evaluate the wellbeing of their lives, friends’ lives, and future situations and become
equipped with skills to take improvable action.
 Teach Greek members why it is important to party smart and the ramifications of
reckless partying.
 Refute harmful false rumors relating to drugs and alcohol while identifying popular
social norms
 Empower Greek members to take make the best choices when their friends are not
partying smart.
Time:
Month X + 1 Month
Guidelines:
 This phase should enforce a mandatory attendance policy of at least 85% of each
chapter
 This session should be lead by a public speaker who:
o Believes in realistic partying
o Is able to incorporate an interactive dynamic for conversation
o Is relatable to the Greek community in:
 Background
 Attitude
 Culture
 School/Greek Affiliations
o Willing to subscribe to the Greeks Stay Strong values
o Excludes a cool, young, and fun persona in order to position him/herself in the
most marketable educator role for the initiative

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 The speaker should be introduced by a public opinion leader
o Examples:
 Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Council Leader
 Public local community leader
 School Administrator
 Greek Life Advisor
 Influential Greek member
 Influential student body member
 During the speaker session “#GreeksStayStrong” should be used to highlight program
unity through Twitter
 At the end of this session the optional third phase should be introduced and the
signup process should be explained.
Michigan State University had Erica Upshaw as the Learn Strong speaker. Erica was
introduced by the East Lansing Mayor who was introduced by the Interfraternity Council Vice
President of Administration and Panhellenic Council Vice President of Programming. These
council leaders also briefly explained an overview of Greeks Stay Strong. Erica Upshaw
speaks to Greek Communities across the country to share her story of how her brother’s life
could have been saved by partying smart and empowering friends. Since Erica Upshaw is a
former Greek from a Big 10 University and exudes a cool and fun attitude, she helped make
this session relatable to each member. Erica didn’t ever tell the students not to “party,” or
force unrealistic ideas, she did, however, teach them how to party – but smart. In the middle
of Erica’s presentation, she displayed “#GreeksStayStrong” on one of her slides. She asked
everyone in the audience to take out their smart phones and tweet anything at all about
Greeks Stay Strong using that hashtag.

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Description:
Stay Strong is the final phase of the Greeks Stay Strong model. This phase is designed
to teach the “how” in putting the lessons learned in the first two phases into applicable use.
This phase should be optional for each chapter’s leadership to sign up for in order to insure
that all of those who are willing will receive the additional training. This knowledge of alcohol
and drug related crisis management will, therefore, be spread throughout the student body.
The Stay Strong Phase is about learning how to act when a potential crisis from alcohol or
drug use arises. The session should provide simple steps that are actually useable by any
Greek member at any time.
 Increase by-stander self-efficacy to identify potential crisis situations and to intervene
before an emergency occurs.
 Increase by-stander self-efficacy to identify crisis situations associated with alcohol
and drug use and to intervene effectively.
 To illustrate normative expectations and acceptance of crisis helping behavior among
the Greek community.
Time:
Month X + 2-4 Months
Guidelines:
 This phase should be optional for individual chapters to complete
o The phase can be designed so individual members can sign up without their
entire chapter signing up
 This phase should consist of multiple sessions hosted by a third party
o Examples include:
 School’s health center
 Existing education program that is aligned in values with the
fundamental Greeks Stay Strong values
 School’s Greek Life department
 School’s Student Life department
 A safe zone should be defined as:
 No judgment
 Confidential
 Any emotions welcome
 No wrong answers

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 The Greek Life department should provide proof of session participation through a
letter to the chapter’s national organization
Michigan State University’s Olin Health Center, with assistance from the
Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils, hired the MSU Theater Group to write, produce,
and direct a video series to guide the third phase sessions. This video series is available by
request to Rebecca Allen at rebecca.allen@ht.msu.edu. Individual chapters signed up for this
session in one hour time blocks through an online sign up system. The session included:
 5-8 item pre-test
 Introduction and overview of the session
 10 minute video scenario of alcohol/drug overdose with facilitated discussion focused
on crisis assessment, emergency intervention, and possible outcomes.
 10 minute video of what occurred before the emergency with facilitated discussion
on early “red flags” and intervention opportunities, potential barriers and effective
strategies for intervening.
 Closing – using results of one or 2 items on the pre-test will provide information on
attitudinal norms among those present related to by-stander intervention.
 5-8 item post test – with 6 item evaluation.

Greeks Stay Strong

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