'Frat' founded to promote health, inclusion

With its tongue-twisting Greek name, Epsilon Upsilon Omicron (EYO) might sound like the latest fraternity or sorority to arrive on campus. It's actually a new student organization with an emphasis on personal fitness and community service that's positioning itself as an alternative to the Greek system.

In this season of Bicker club pickups and hosing, EYO has at least one selling point to offer skeptical students: with no application or rush process, EYO is open to all.

EYO hosted their first official event, a Super Bowl party, in the founders' dorm room yesterday. 50 students attended.

The idea for EYO originated with five sophomore roommates — Kevin Smith, Alex Smorczewski, Grant Strother, David Rosenthal and Jonathan Lew — who wished they could join a fraternity-like organization, but without the selectivity and alcohol consumption.

"[EYO] is not in competition with fraternities," EYO president Smith said. "We thought that while frats are really good for some people, and some people thrive in that environment, we felt there should be an alternative to the traditional Greek system."

Smith has been working with Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students Thomas Dunne to win University recognition and funding for the group, though the process has been delayed because the USG subcommittee that approves student organizations has not yet been appointed.

Dunne could not be reached for comment.

EYO's name, evocative of traditional fraternities and sororities, represents an ironic take on the Greek system, Smith explained. "We always thought that it was funny how seriously Greek organizations took their names when, at the end of the day, they're just three Greek letters. So we came up with Epsilon Upsilon Omicron because those three letters especially together sounded funny."

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In keeping with its bid for official recognition, EYO events will be nonalcoholic. In a statement of its founding principles, the group's officers wrote, "With alcohol available to everyone on the Street, we feel that more student organizations should have a purpose apart from binge drinking and the subsequent activities that often ensue. Instead of fostering a culture that encourages drinking to excess, we have chosen to promote a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle."

Member Molly Kantor '08 said she was drawn to the group's inclusiveness. "You don't have to be a certain cookie-cutter girl that sorority girls get stereotyped to be," she said. "You can be whoever you are and yet have another group to belong to."

"Coming to Princeton, you're in a completely new environment where there are a lot of different social hierarchies," Kantor continued. "It is nice to have a group that is also really aware and promoting things that are important to me like keeping yourself healthy and including everyone and just having fun in a way that is fun for everyone and doesn't make some people feel . . . they don't belong."

EYO charges an annual membership fee of $20 to cover the price of a T-shirt and study breaks. The group has already attracted interest from roughly 40 students through word-of-mouth promotion, Smith said, but continues to accept members.

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In addition to offering regular study breaks, EYO aims to mobilize its members in small groups for community service. The group also plans to organize lifting sessions and pickup basketball games in Dillon Dym.

Robert Glasgow '07, a member of the group, said he was in poor physical shape throughout high school and weighed more than 270 pounds. After losing 70 pounds last summer through diet and exercise, Glasgow said he found it difficult to work out and stay motivated once he returned to campus.

He expects that EYO's focus on fitness will make things easier.

It's "a group of friends to make sure that you go to the gym, go and lift weights and stay in shape," Glasgow said.

"Princeton is all about bettering ourselves," Glasgow said. "So EYO is this organization that we can go to to better ourselves physically as well — not only for just the [varsity] athletes . . . but for our everyday, average students."