Jersey Thursdays

JERSEY THURSDAYS

Blue, Green, White, Red and grey jerseys seem to take over the Adelphi campus on Thursdays. For those not affiliated with the Greek community these jersey days may seem perplexing.

Jersey Thursdays as it’s referred to by many at Adelphi are very meaningful to the Greek community at Adelphi. Upon initiation into their organization each member receives a jersey which is adorned with their organization’s Greek letters, a number and a name.

For each organization, the numbers and the names represent different things. For Delta Gamma (dark blue and pink jerseys), the numbers represent a different family tree. Family trees are used as a way to express how each member is connected to one another through big sister/little sister mentoring program. This program allows for older members to mentor younger members and develop a deeper bond with one another. Delta Gamma family trees follow different numbered patterns. One family tree follows a plus 2 number pattern for jersey numbers.

Jersey names are also different with each organization. For Sigma Delta Tau (dark blue and yellow jerseys), jersey names are characteristics of a member’s personality. Current Sigma Delta Tau president, Paige Sommers’, jersey name is ShortFuse. She was given this name because of her short temper.
For Kappa Sigma (red jerseys), their jersey names also represent the characteristics of the member’s personality. J.C Ortiz of Kappa Sigma’s jersey name is Business because he is very focused on work and is a Business major.

The Greek community wears their jerseys on Thursday for many different reasons. One reason is to represent their organization but the most important reason is to promote and show the Adelphi community Greek unity.

The Greek community is a very close knit community however many people may not realize. With stereotypes and gossip many people in the Adelphi community believe that Greeks do not get along. You may see a group of people during the week sitting in the U.C. having lunch together or hanging out together just assume they are only friends or are all apart of the same organization if they are not wearing letters. Jersey Thursdays allow for people to see Greeks interact with each other.

Stephanie Coiro, a current senior at Adelphi University, remembers the first time experiencing a jersey Thursday.

“I remember walking around campus seeing all these jerseys with Greek letters and wild names and I had no idea what was going on. But I realized that all these different colored jerseys seemed to be getting along and hanging out together. I think that’s when I realized that the stereotypes about Greek constantly fighting weren’t true here at Adelphi” says Stephanie.

Jersey Thursdays at Adelphi may seem silly and pointless but to the Greek community they represent something more than a set of letters or a name, they represent Greek Unity.