Molly Christianson, Contributing Writer
After being a hermit my first semester at VCU, I knew I wanted to join greek life. I thought it would be a great way to make friends, socialize and become more familiar with Richmond.
When looking into it online I tried to find out more information, and realized that there wasn’t much out there. The process is very mysterious.
I got a couple of questions in at the SOVO fair back in the fall, but they were pretty surface-level. Answers to more important questions about recruitment, culture and logistics were harder to find.
When spring recruitment did come this year — taking place during only one weekend, which is a much shorter time frame when compared to other colleges — no schedules or information were really given out until the day before recruitment started.
Not being able to compare VCU’s recruitment timeline to other colleges left me with many questions. What will the schedule look like? What are the dress codes for each day? What is expected of us? Is it more like an interview or a hangout? What are the organization’s respective aesthetics and general vibes? Is it better to stand out or fit in?
My difficulty in finding those answers left me puzzled. Why was finding information about VCU greek life culture so difficult?
Greek life is much less prominent at VCU than it is at most other Virginia universities. Many first-year students may be unaware of a big reason why that is.
VCU student Adam Oakes died in a severe hazing incident in the Delta Chi fraternity five years ago. Adam was told to drink copious amounts of alcohol in order to “pledge,” or join the fraternity. Despite having clear signs of alcohol poisoning and obviously needing help, he received none. Adam died in the Delta Chi house on Feb. 27, 2021.
Adam’s death deeply affected VCU greek life, and that effect is still being felt nearly five years later. It’s important that we acknowledge his impact, not only to honor his life, but to make sure that the mistakes and problems within greek life culture that led to his death are not repeated.
I had no idea who Adam was until I became interested in recruitment — I don’t think I should have learned about him due to hazing prevention training. Adam’s name should be spoken by fraternity and sorority members every single day.
Oakes’ family successfully fought for adjusted Virginia hazing laws, and refined VCU rules in regards to hazing. Their fight is the reason we get in-depth training and information on hazing when joining student organizations.
What happened to Adam is something that we, as a community, need to address and discuss outside of the bounds of mandatory training — especially as hazing allegations continue to surface every once in a while.
From things as small as dress codes and vibes to things as critical as hazing prevention — transparency and honesty are desperately needed to maintain VCU greek life.
Transparency and availability would help make the process a lot less daunting and more comfortable for students looking to get involved. Being up front about the past and expectations for the future will not only help with recruitment, but also ensure the maintenance of a positive and honest culture. It shouldn’t be a mystery.
As VCU’s 2026 formal recruitment season has come to an end, we are approaching the five-year anniversary of Adam’s death. The best way we can honor his impact is to stay true to ourselves, help each other out and ensure a safe and informed greek life at VCU.