Greek Chic
For many alums the mention of Dartmouth fraternities and sororities brings to mind images of partying, drinking and, yes, pong. But for Liz Klinger ’10 another word comes to mind: art. “It’s surprising to me how each house has a different look to it, based on what students paint on walls, doors and ceilings, and how the houses evolve as students move in and add to it,” says the recent grad, now an IT strategy analyst for Credit Suisse in New York City. “At Psi Upsilon there’s so much excellent art but it’s been around so long that nobody can remember who created it,” Klinger adds. (Note to students: You shouldn’t try this in your dorm room.) As an undergrad Klinger captured the images on these pages for a student-run art exhibit last winter. The show featured pong tables, beer-can creations, paintings, photography and even a tie-dyed toilet. As a review in The Dartmouth pointed out, many pong players fail to realize they’re playing the game surrounded by—and actually on—pieces of art. Klinger, who transferred from Wellesley for her senior year, was not a member of a Greek house, but she wishes she had been. “Taking these shots made me appreciate the culture and art of Greek life,” she says, “and how artistic Dartmouth’s campus is.” Setting her sights on the Greek social scene also meant encountering the fetor of fraternities. “I came out of some of those basements with a distinctive beer stench, yes,” Klinger says.
—Sean Plottner
