EAST STROUDSBURG -- On the heels of a fraternity being charged with third degree homicide, along with five of its members, for the 2013 hazing death of 19-year-old student from a college in New York, some college students in northeastern Pennsylvania are weighing in if there are still benefits from being a part of Greek life.
As with many universities across the country, Greek life plays a role at East Stroudsburg University. Justin Walker is a member of the Sigma Pi chapter.
“Pledging was easy. It came fast. (I) made a lot of friends,” said Walker, a senior.
But yet another fraternity is in the national spotlight after investigators in Monroe County have charged Pi Delta Psi with third degree homicide for the death of 19-year-old Chun Deng.
Police say Deng, along with dozens of members of the fraternity were at a house near Long Pond in December 2013 where Deng died after a hazing ritual.
Five members are also charged with third degree homicide and more than 30 others face lesser charges for Deng`s death.
This past spring, the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity at Penn State was suspended after pictures of naked, passed out women were posted on the house's Facebook site.
For some, the culture of hazing and binge drinking in fraternities and sororities is the reason they refuse to join.
“I know that hazing goes on, like my friend goes to West Virginia, a kid just died from hazing. I just think it's wrong. I'm not really about Greek life,” said sophomore Lexiy Atherton.
“I'm not really a fan of the whole fraternity idea,” said sophomore Jack Morris. “I have some great friends, none of them are in fraternities. We don't beat each other up. We don't haze each other.”
Others we spoke with say they'd still consider pledging.
“I think Greek life offers a lot to students now. There's a lot of opportunities for younger people to have that experience,” said freshman Karlee Torres.
Walker wants people to know being a fraternity member isn't about partying all the time.
“We learn a lot of things, I never did community service like this, I never even knew what philanthropy was until I joined here,” said Walker. “We're huge in the Special Olympics. We do 11 hours community service there alone.”