MATT ROBLES/Arizona Daily Wildcat Pre-business junior Simon Georgalli deposits his spare change to anthropology senior and president of the National Pan Hellenic Council Larissa Smith's sorority Sigma Gamma Rho yesterday on the UA Mall.

In an effort to gain a better presence on campus, increase community service, and raise money, the National Pan Hellenic Council is hosting activities throughout the week to get students involved in greek life.

The NPHC is made up of the historically black fraternities and sororities on campus.

Yesterday they held "penny wars" to raise funds for next year's board and tonight's keynote speaker, Steve Birdine, the international president of Iota Phi Theta fraternity,

Birdine is a motivational speaker who will speak about student leadership and how young adults can take action to better the community, said Larissa Smith, president of NPHC.

Each chapter is competing to see how much money they can raise by decorating jugs and trying to attract students who are walking on the UA Mall, said Smith, an anthropology senior.

The fraternities and sororities are also having a yard show tomorrow where each chapter will speak on the north stage of the Student Union Memorial Center to promote their fraternity or sorority.

"A lot of them will be talking about their history, colors, mascots and doing something to let people on campus know who we are," Smith said.

Last week, many black students attended a meeting to come up with ideas about how to increase their presence on campus.

Black students and the NPHC expressed concern about the lack of black presence and awareness at the UA at last Friday's Campus Town Hall meeting.

This week has been a good opportunity to hold activities in a public arena and let students know who they are, and what activities they are holding around campus, said Kristin Robinson, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha and NPHC secretary.

"Many people don't know what we are about so being on the Mall has gotten people interested and is getting people asking about our fraternities and sororities," said Robinson, a speech and hearing sciences senior.

A few members of Smith's sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho, will be performing in a step show and showing students some of the traditions of the black fraternities and sororities, she said.

In a partnership with the Interfraternity Council and Pan Hellenic Council, NPHC will run a kissing booth on the Mall tomorrow. Each fraternity and sorority will have a booth where students can donate money in exchange for a smooch.

The money raised from the kissing booth will be donated to charity, as a partnership between NPHC, IFC and PHC, Smith said.

"It's a good way to get the councils to work together for a good cause," Smith said.

The fraternities and sororities will hold a "Why Be Greek?" forum Thursday, and will speak to potential members about reasons to consider a fraternity or sorority and the strengths and drawbacks of belonging to a chapter, Smith said.

An extension of the forum will be a round robin, where students will get one-on-one experience with the members, Smith said.