Got Greek?

The Next Generation Initiative’s Got Greek Project builds on the results of the “Got Greek?” Next Generation National Student Research Study — the first nationwide, in-depth, long-term study focused on American university students of Hellenic ancestry.

The “Got Greek?” National Student Research Study

The Got Greek? Study used individual interviews, polls, profiles, surveys and online forums to help the next generation tell its own story — and share their views and opinions about their background, and how it relates to everything from food, music, parents and professions, to family, friends and dating.

Guided by an academic team of scholars and graduate students, the National Student Research Study began with a series of personal in-depth interviews of young Greek Americans conducted on 25 campuses across the U.S. These recorded and transcribed interviews served to inform the National Survey’s categories and questions, and have since become the basis of a growing online archive of primary source material for professors and students in Modern Greek studies programs.

To reach a broad and representative cross-section of young Americans of Hellenic descent, the study’s team brought together an unprecedented coalition which included 50+ Hellenic student associations, 30+ Greek and Cypriot American community organizations, 2,500+ professors on 230 campuses and hundreds of individuals, parish members and high-profile friends of the Initiative, such as George Stephanopoulos and Nia Vardalos, who helped get the word out about the “Got Greek?” survey to thousands of young Greek Americans.

Over the course of 2010, nearly 1,000 Greek and Cypriot American students completed the study’s extensive online survey which included nearly 400 questions. No other study of this generation has reached such a large and statistically significant sample.

The Next Generation National Student Research Study and its outcomes have been made possible by the generous support of the Zapis Charitable Foundation, along with additional support from the Maliotis Charitable Foundation and others.

Turning Academic Results into Action

With significant, continuing support from the Zapis Charitable Foundation and others, the Got Greek Project is now focused on making the results of the Got Greek? Study into an innovative resource for campus groups, students, the academic community, young professionals and community groups seeking to engage the next generation — with an emphasis on developing practical resources to help students connect with their peers, their community and their heritage.

Engaging Students

The first step in this effort is the 2012 Greeks Give Back National Student Competition, inviting Hellenic student groups to develop and submit creative proposals for group projects that will attract Greek American students, raise their profile on campus and in their communities, and increase their levels of connectivity.