InterVarsity, a worldwide Christian organization on college campuses, held its largest annual g reek conference last weekend in Indianapolis.
For the past 19 years, students from across the country have attended the annual weekend conference for greek students to talk about their faith. This year, 65 schools and 735 students attended the convention in Indianapolis.
Greek Conference began in 1994 and has been hosted by Greek InterVaristy, an organization staffed by alumni of the national greek system. In years past, DePauw has taken around 20 students, but this year attendance doubled as 52 DePauw greeks traveled to the conference.
DePauw's InterVarsity campus minister Mark Abdon '08 attended the Greek Conference as a student and now as a staff member.
"We keep seeing students transformed year in and year out," Abdon said. "It helps students in their faith and I know students that will go all four years and have a different experience each time."
The conference was held at the Marriott East Hotel. Speakers, interactive seminars and a massive dance party filled the weekend.
"It is a high energy environment," Abdon said. "It is a high-quality experience for anyone who chooses to go."
There are four tracks student participants can sign up to join during the conference: encounter, connect, influence, or thrive and lead. In each of these tracks students meet to learn how they can take these topics and apply them to their lives on DePauw's or any other university's campuses.
Lauren Perkins, the social events chair for InterVarsity and a junior member of Delta Gamma, was on the influence track at the conference. This track looked at issues of justice, stewardship, outreach and influence to help college students be leaders. The focus in the influence track was on people's intentions.
Perkins said she learned that she needs to be more active in both her faith and leadership around campus.
"I need to make the decision everyday to be intentional and not passive about how I live my life," Perkins said.
This was Lauren's third year going to Greek Conference, but for many other DePauw students it was their first time.
Senior Clayton Miller, member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, drove up early Saturday morning to attend the conference after his lacrosse game was cancelled.In years past, Miller said he has always been busy or has not wanted to attend the conference, but after taking a Hebrew Bible class last semester, he became more curious about his own religion.
"[The Hebrew class] made me question my faith and made me realize what I don't know," Miller said.
Miller said the conference helped him learn to trust God.
"I'm finally done fighting," he said. "It's a sense of relief."
Senior Elyssa DiRaffaele of Alpha Chi Omega sorority also attended the conference for the first time this past weekend.
"It's taken me a little while to realize I wanted to get that relationship back with God," DiRaffaele said. "I thought this weekend would be a good way to reconnect and I was really encouraged by my sisters going."
Miller says the conference is a place to escape the "DePauw bubble," to get out there and see what other people are doing.
"It opens people's eyes to something they haven't heard of or it furthers what they already know," Miller said. "It allows you to see through a different lens you didn't know existed."