IMPROVED WELL-BEING AMONG U.S. COLLEGE GRADUATES WHO JOINED FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES

Results for the Gallup-Purdue Index are based on online surveys conducted Feb. 4-March 7, 2014, with a random sample of 29,560 respondents with a bachelor’s degree or higher, aged 18 and older, with internet access, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. This included 5,137 fraternity and sorority members. The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) and National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) partnered with Gallup for this first-of-its-kind study.

When it comes to being engaged at work and experiencing high well-being after graduation, a Gallup-Purdue University Index study of U.S. college graduates found that graduates who are members of fraternities or sororities are more likely to thrive in all five elements of well-being during their post-graduate years than those graduates who did not join. The study revealed that respondents identifying themselves as members of fraternities and sororities—16 percent of respondents indicated that they were a member of a national fraternity or sorority while attending college—scored better in overall well-being, workplace engagement, collegiate support, experiential learning and alumni attachment.

OVERALL WELL-BEING

Graduates who participated in fraternities or sororities are slightly more likely to be thriving in all five critical elements of well-being—purpose, social, financial, physical and community—than are graduates who did not participate in fraternities or sororities.

WORKPLACE ENGAGEMENT

National results show 43% of college graduates who were members of a fraternity or sorority are engaged in the workplace, compared to 38% of college graduates who were not members.

SUPPORT

The support graduates recall receiving from their institution as students is also important well into their post-graduate careers. 16% of graduates who participated in fraternities or sororities and who say they had a professor who cared about them as a person—one who made them excited about learning, and had a mentor who encouraged them to pursue their dreams are emotionally attached, compared with 13% of graduates who did not participate in fraternities or sororities.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Similarly, graduates with fraternity or sorority affiliation and membership in college were more likely to have taken advantage of experiential learning opportunities while in college (11%) than graduates who were not members (5%).

ALUMNI ATTACHMENT

Alumni who participated in fraternities or sororities exhibit higher emotional attachment to their school. 22% of those who were in sororities or fraternities are attached, compared with 17% who were not members.

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