Valhalla Club

The Valhalla Club is a senior social club at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC established in 1977. Of the five social clubs at the University, it is the only one founded as a co-ed organization, although today it is male only.
History
In the fall of 1977, 12 graduate students at East Carolina University established a graduate student social club called the "East Carolina University Graduate Students' Social Organization (ECUGSO)." The primary purpose of the organization was to provide a social outlet for graduate students since fraternities and sororities were exclusively for undergraduate students and most professional fraternities were purely academic not engaging in social functions.
ECUGSO quickly grew to more than 100 members in a few years, but eventually lost most of its female members due to policies which they felt were unfair. By 1984, the membership of the ECUGSO had dwindled to a mere five members. Seeking to revitalize the organization, several of the remaining members conceived the idea of opening membership to undergraduates and structuring the organization after one of the pre-existing social clubs on campus.
The name "Valhalla Club" was selected in 1985 after the Norse mythological place known as "Valhalla." A constitution, by-laws, and ritual were written by David Grice, a graduate student in history. The membership was restricted to male seniors and graduate students and remained as such until 1995 when graduate students were no longer allowed to become members of the organization.
In 1998, the organization purchased a house nicknamed "The Gray House" for social functions and meetings.
Notable Members
*Larry M. Bell - '83

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu