Awareness

The MA Gamma chapter of Pi Beta Phi prides itself on its literacy awareness initiatives. Every semester, our chapter organizes the event “Lollipops for Literacy,” where sisters hand out  lollipops with interesting and fun literacy facts around campus. It’s a great way to help promote our cause while bringing joy to the people in our community! An example of one of our literacy facts is that an estimated 30 million Americans over 16 years old cannot perform simple everyday literacy activities.

Community Service

The members of Pi Beta Phi at MIT are also heavily involved in community service. A favorite event is CAR (Champions are Readers). Each week, sisters visit a local elementary school to teach kindergartners how to read. In addition, every year we form a team to volunteer at the Boston Marathon and 5K. We also partner with the Boston Alum club in volunteering events around the area.

Pi Beta Phi nationals also hosts a Fraternity Day of Service, where all chapters strive to involve themselves in philanthropic events. Our sisters enjoy meeting Pi Phis from other chapters and pledge classes.

On Campus

Here are some of the clubs and organizations our sisters are involved with at MIT:

• Asian Dance Team
• Camp Kesem
• Chamber Music Society
• CodeIt
• Dancetroup
• DynaMIT
• Hacking Medicine
• MedLinks
• MIT Consulting Group
• MIT EMS
• MIT Hillel
• MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team
• Muses
• PLEASURE@MIT
• Sailing
• Sloan Business Club
  
• Society of Women Engineers
  
• Undergraduate Association
• UROP (Undergraduate Research)
• Varsity Women's Soccer
• Varsity Swim and Dive
• Varsity Track and Field

Academics

Study Hours: Sisters host weekly study hours in the chapter house. Study Hours provide a quiet and encouraging environment for sisters to work on homework or projects, alone and together. Sisters can get both academic and motivational support at study hours, as well as help with specific assignments from older sisters in their classes and major. Many upper class sisters also hold review sessions before major exams for freshman and intro level classes in their specific field of study.

Course Mentors: With sisters in almost every major at MIT, MA Gamma has an extensive mentorship program which connects underclassmen with upperclassmen in their major, or the majors they are deciding between. ‘Course mentors' are available to meet one-on-one, but also often host study hours specifically designated as time to ask questions related to their major.

Personalized Plans: The Director of Academics meets with sisters who are struggling academically or concerned about their schoolwork to develop personalized plans for academic success, including setting up meetings with Professors and finding tutors.

Academic Recognition
Academic Pearl: At Founders Day celebration, upperclass sisters who have cumulative GPA of 4.8 and above are presented with academic pearl to recognize their high academic achievement before all chapter members and alumni.
Smart Cookies: During every chapter meeting, sisters are encouraged to nominate themselves or another sister with specific achievements from that week to receive a smart cookie. Achievements recognized range from acing a challenging exam to being accepted into one of MIT's honor societies, to getting a summer internship offer, and completing the bridge loop.