The Sun participated in a conference call with Dilshad Vadsaria (right), who plays senator’s daughter and all-around troublemaker Rebecca Logan on the ABC Family original series Greek. The show’s third season premiered on Monday, and Assistant Daze Editor Cara Sprunk joined other student journalists last week to ask a few questions of the actress ...

How does it feel being a part of the cast of Greek? How has it changed your life?

The sorority system at Cornell is kept extremely hush-hush during first semester, as freshman girls are not allowed to enter a sorority house, hang out with sisters or know anything about specific chapters before rush. My friends and I figured that watching Greek, ABC Family’s collegiate dramedy about fraternities and sororities at a fictional college would provide insight into this world.

I thought my legacy as a Sun columnist would be about something big. I thought it would be about God.

In October, I wrote a column called “A is for Atheist” in which I took a giant step out of the religious closet, professing aloud my rejection of theism and distinguishing myself as a capital-A Atheist.

I lay awake, eyes bloodshot, the night before publication. How would the campus react to my contention, phrased so starkly, that I do not believe in God? I played out scenes of apocalyptic fallout in my mind.

Dawn broke. And emails started to float into my mailbox.

The University Greek community came together this past weekend to participate in the Days of Demeter, a weekend-long charitable event that assists organizations across campus and in Ithaca. The fourth annual event of its kind, the Days of Demeter has grown exponentially in size over the past several years to become the largest coordinated Greek service event of the year, with an estimated 400 students participating.

“This event is just focused on giving back and the unquestionable need in Ithaca,” said Jason Shapiro ’10, vice president for university and community relations of the interfraternity council. “The showing of the event was a testament to the fact that everyone was more than willing to help out.”

“Records were made to be broken” is the new motto for Cornell’s Greeks, who broke the Guinness World Record for the most people to carry a baton 100 meters in a continuous relay. The Greek Relay from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday marked the conclusion of Cornell’s annual Greek Week, which is meant to bring together all of the Greek chapters for days of fun, games and camaraderie.

[video:node=31703] Among the requirements for world record status is that the event must have a certain number of witnesses sign off on the completion of the world record. Lauren Wein ’09 of Pi Beta Phi Sorority is one of these witnesses; she had to be present for the entire relay.

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Let's Do Greek: Greek Week 2008

After a mass meeting of Cornell students on Oct. 17, 1901, the University decided to eliminate fraternity hazing for good. An article in The New York Times reported, “rushees attended by personal injuries have been frequent, and students have been taken by force to gatherings where they were made the sport of the throng. [Cornell] President Schurman regards the latter practice as interfering with the rights of the students, and says that the practice must be stopped.”

Rob Ochshorn / Sun Contributor

Any Cornellian who watches the show Greek has probably noticed a few similarities to life on the hill that seem like more than just coincidences. From an alma mater that begins with “Far above … ”, to mention of a historic clock tower, it turns out these references are very much intentional thanks to Jessica O’Toole ’94. O’Toole is a writer and co-producer of ABC Family’s Greek. The Sun spoke with the former Daily Sun writer about her time at Cornell, the ties between Greek and the Big Red and what viewers can look forward to in the upcoming season.

The third season of Greek premieres next Monday, Aug. 31 at 9 p.m. on ABC Family.