From the NPC Chair: NPC's strategic framework guides our vital work

Dear friends,

I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe another year has passed and that 2022 has just a few weeks left! As we approach the end of the year and the holiday season, may we all treasure the time with family and friends. This will most likely include lots of food and other festivities! The new year will be upon us soon; for me, it is always a time of reflection.

This past year has been busy, as I am sure it has been for many of you. Finding time to reflect on the past year and assess the good times and perhaps not-so-great times will help us as we look toward 2023 to set goals and determine how we want to proceed in areas such as our careers and family matters, as well as volunteering. As this message goes out to the broader NPC family, we are all engaged in promoting the sorority experience through our work or volunteerism. Take some time to look back on this past year to see if there are areas that need continued work and development and if so, make a strategic effort to plan in 2023 to address those issues.

As NPC chair, I know our work is never done. The NPC Board of Directors continues to evaluate and assess our progress for our strategic framework in the areas of growing our Panhellenic communities and championing the sorority experience. In the new year, NPC will continue its work and report to our stakeholders the progress made during these past six months and our plans for the remainder of the fiscal year. 

The board knows the importance of this work and how we are impacting the sorority experience through promotion and marketing to attract and recruit more women so they may join our member organizations. We also know the important work our NPC volunteers and staff are doing to better analyze our recruitment data, deliver marketing and recruitment education for College and Alumnae Panhellenics, help College Panhellenics use the best recruitment style for their communities, and reduce barriers to joining for more women.

Across all our efforts, we are committed to spending our resources most efficiently and effectively in our growth and advocacy efforts. That is our continued goal as we look to 2023.

As I reflect on the past year and look to 2023, I strive to live up to the many expectations others have of me in this role. I aim to work with the rest of the NPC Board of Directors and staff as a team to ensure the success of our vital work. 

Interfraternally,

Cheri M. De Jong
2021-23 NPC Chair

From the NPC Chair: Giving thanks for those who make a difference in the lives of others

Dear friends,

November—the month of Thanksgiving in the United States. As I ponder the meaning of Thanksgiving and giving thanks to others, I immediately think of the mentors I had during my collegiate years that I gained through my sorority experience. I am sure many of us can identify those in our life who have truly made a difference in who we are, what we value, and how we live our lives today. I challenge you right now to think of those who have made a difference in your life and simply thank them! 

My sorority experience has impacted my life tremendously. I would not be the woman, mother, grandmother or businesswoman I am today if not for that experience. I grew as a leader and gained the confidence to follow my dreams. I also acquired my many sorority sisters, and now Panhellenic sisters, that are indeed the best friends one could have. That is what the sorority experience is about for many of us. 

As chair of NPC, I see many women making a difference in the lives of sorority women. First and foremost, I want to thank our NPC staff who go above and beyond to foster NPC's mission of being the premier advocacy and support organization for the advancement of the sorority experience. They help to guide, educate and train our College and Alumnae Panhellenics, work with our many NPC volunteers, and champion and defend the sorority experience on behalf of our member organizations.

There are also so many NPC volunteers to thank! These individuals volunteer their time and talents to NPC to work with our collegiate and alumnae members. As you look around at the people with whom you interact with consistently, thank the volunteers around you—they are helping our collegiate members make wiser decisions, grow in their leadership, and even provide mentorship to others in their chapters. There are also those that work with our Alumnae Panhellenics that help our alumnae members continue their sorority experience beyond college.

In just a few weeks, many of us will celebrate the feast of Thanksgiving with our families and friends. Let us all reflect on this past year and consider those who have impacted our lives. I hope you will all join me in celebrating—not just during this time of Thanksgiving but also all throughout the year—the many women who work tirelessly to advance the sorority experience.

I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and quality time with your families and friends.

Interfraternally,

Cheri M. De Jong
2021-23 NPC chair

From the NPC Chair: Member Organizations Gather for Fall NPC Annual Conference

Dear friends,

NPC Chair Cheri De Jong
welcomes attendees.

Fall is definitely in the air with our enjoyment of autumn leaves and all their colors and the cooler temperatures. While our collegiate members have been engaged with more normal college activities this fall, the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) also returned to our regular fall schedule when the leadership of our member organizations and NPC gathered together in Indianapolis for our Annual Conference just a few weeks ago. 

I want to give you all a quick recap of the Annual Conference so you can know more about the work of NPC, driven by our strategic framework, and the discussions NPC and member organization leaders are having together about overcoming challenges and improving our experience. 

Our kick-off speaker, Chris Smith, is helping the NPC Board of Directors address our strategic priority of gathering and analyzing data—an area we are investing in to aid in decision-making. Chris is a proud member of Alpha Tau Omega and a long-time staff leader of that organization. In 2019, Chris started his own data consulting company, Smith Insights, and he has built a history of leveraging membership data into metrics for organizational success. NPC has now partnered with Chris on a year-long project to review and analyze data that we currently have in order to provide recommendations regarding growth strategies and policies, what data we still need and how to get it, and how to develop a storage and reporting system that will prove helpful for years into the future. 

Chris reviewed some fascinating recruitment-related data and he presented the results of his analysis that point to the campuses having the most success and the greatest challenges. This information will be very helpful in making future decisions for NPC and our member organizations.

Our keynote speaker on Friday was Jeff Selingo who is frequently called on to present on trends and the future of higher education. Jeff has written about higher education for more than two decades and is a New York Times bestselling author of three books. His newsletter on all things higher education, titled Next, is also widely read, including within our community. (For more about Jeff Selingo, including access to his higher ed resources, newsletter and podcast, please visit his website.)

​​​​As both an observer of higher ed and an insider with an academic appointment at one of the largest universities in the country, Jeff occupies a unique position to explain the intersection of work, life and learning. He shared with us his observations on the future of higher education and work, enrollment trends, and what today’s and tomorrow’s students expect from their college experience. He also shared a great deal of information about our college communities and provided us with much food for thought as our organizations strive to deliver a meaningful and relevant experience to all our members. 

Our Higher Education Trends Panel, sponsored by the NPC Foundation’s Alpha Gamma Delta Higher Education Trends Panel Fund, consisted of the following panelists: 

• Dr. Kathy Adams Reister, associate vice president for student affairs & executive associate dean of students at Indiana University-Bloomington;
• Dr. Laura Blake Jones, dean of students at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor;
• JC Lopez, dean of student success at DePauw University; and
• Dr. Alexander Miller, vice president for student life at Denison University.​​​​​​

​​​​Panelists discussed everything from the challenges they see Panhellenic women encountering, recruitment issues and the relevancy of the sorority experience to how to best partner with campus personnel and faculty to how their institutions are approaching student health and wellness. Their insight helps us know more about what our campus communities are seeing and how our member organizations can work together with administrators to deliver the best possible sorority and college experience to our members.​​​​

We also heard from Heather Matthews who is well-known to our Panhellenic community. For more than 15 years, Heather has been working with both sororities and fraternities to build and implement impactful communication strategies. She has served her member organization, Zeta Tau Alpha. Heather has also served as chief communications officer for both the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) and Sigma Phi Epsilon, and she recently began her own consultancy. Heather joined us to review the digital marketing campaign she helped direct for NPC during fall 2022. That campaign is also a strategic initiative for NPC and a large financial investment in growing our Panhellenic communities and championing the sorority experience. 

Heather oversaw the campaign to provide direct marketing support, in the form of one-on-one marketing coaching and marketing grants, to more than 230 College Panhellenics this fall. During her presentation, she shared the strategy and tactics within the campaign, outcomes, lessons learned and recommendations to date, and she will present a final report to NPC in mid-November when the fall campaign is officially complete.

Annual Conference attendees listen to a keynote speaker.

Our final session was our Conference Conversation. Our board and staff have been listening closely during the past several months as many member organization leaders have shared with us the challenges our organizations are facing. The Conference Conversation offered a chance for these leaders to also talk directly to each other in a large setting group to share information with and gather insight about what might be next steps for our organizations. Together, they discussed the difficulties they are facing with sorority housing, barriers to membership growth, and how organizations partner together during situations of college/university overreach.

Overall, the Annual Conference provided a terrific setting to get to know many new faces within the leadership of our organizations as well as to have strategic discussions regarding the most pressing issues that face us as a Panhellenic community and how we can continue to advance the sorority experience together. 

Interfraternally,

Cheri M. De Jong
2021-23 NPC Chair

5 Quick Fixes for Your Recruitment Marketing

This summer, the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) has been working with more than 200 College Panhellenic Associations to boost their recruitment marketing efforts. As we’ve worked with them, we’ve identified some things that are holding back their recruitment marketing efforts–and that could be holding back yours, too. Here’s part of what we’ve learned and five quick fixes for your recruitment marketing for every Panhellenic:

1. Put your Recruitment registration link and deadline EVERYWHERE.

If potential members wanted to join a Panhellenic sorority on your campus, could they find information on how to do that? If you google “sorority recruitment at [name of your campus]?” what comes up? Your recruitment registration link and the deadline to register should be everywhere online and on campus (where permissible). 

Check and update:

• Your college/university’s Fraternity & Sorority Life (FSL) website. Coordinate with your fraternity/sorority advisor if your Panhellenic officers do not have access.
• Your Panhellenic’s social media accounts. If you’ve already posted once about the links and deadlines, keep posting. You need to share this information repeatedly to ensure it stays at the top of your feed.
• Your Panhellenic webpage. If your Panhellenic maintains a separate website from the FSL site, make sure your recruitment registration link and deadline are listed here, too.
• Chapter websites and social media. The sorority chapters on your campus also play a role in promoting the sorority experience. They should be able to post about when Panhellenic recruitment will be held, what the registration deadline is, and how to register. Encourage chapter members to share individually, too!

2. Share recruitment event dates.

If potential members can find your recruitment registration link, can they identify when recruitment registration ends? When recruitment orientation is? When each round, preference and Bid Day will be held? Provide as much information as possible so potential members can plan ahead and mark their calendars so they don’t miss out on any part of the recruitment process!

3. Be clear about PNM expectations.

Do you offer multiple orientation sessions and do potential new members (PNMs) need only attend one? Do they need to register for recruitment before they attend orientation or after? Is orientation required? If you host a partially structured recruitment, have you explained to PNMs what events they are expected to attend prior to when invitational rounds begin? Be sure to spell out PNM expectations on your website and social media so they don’t miss a critical part of the process and, therefore, miss out on joining a sorority.

4. Explain how to meet sororities/members prior to recruitment.

How are you providing ways for potential members to meet the sororities or sorority members prior to recruitment? It might be that some members participate in summer programs with new students, that Fraternity & Sorority Life members are allowed to present during orientation or that sororities/sorority members play an important role in new student move-in. Your campus might also have an all-student organization fair once classes start or there might be special events to meet all fraternities & sororities on your campus. Whatever opportunities your campus or Panhellenic offers, promoting those opportunities can go a long way to making connections with new and transfer students and helping them become interested in sorority recruitment and membership.

5. Be open to questions. 

Even if you’ve fixed items 1-4 above and you’ve provided a ton of other information about the benefits of joining a sorority, potential members may still have questions about recruitment or joining a sorority. Be sure to share how PNMs can contact your Panhellenic to ask questions. And, be sure someone is monitoring those accounts so questions can be answered quickly.

If you’ve gotten through this list and you know your Panhellenic is doing all of these things, give yourself a huge pat on the back! If not, there’s no time like the present to get started making these changes, whether your recruitment is this month or not for several months.

We’ll be sharing more of what we’ve learned during this project in the coming months. In the meantime, if you have a question for how to improve your recruitment marketing or you want to share an idea that works great for your campus that you think others can benefit from, please feel free to reach out to me by email.

Panhellenically,

Loretta Good
Chief Marketing Officer
National Panhellenic Conference

From the NPC Chair: A time to grow sorority membership

Dear friends,

Summer is still in full swing with heat waves across the country, but fall is in the air as colleges and universities are starting back-to-school activities, and we will soon have college football every Saturday! Hooray! This also means that fall sorority recruitment has begun across many of our campuses. It is the time of year that many of our chapters welcome new members and bring them into their sorority families, whether that is through the primary recruitment process or continuous open bidding (COB).

This time of year may bring back fond memories for those of us who joined a sorority during primary recruitment or who participated as sorority members and had conversations with many potential new members. However each of us remembers our recruitment experience, we all realize that recruitment is the lifeblood of our organizations and that we all have the opportunity to encourage relatives, young women in our hometown and community, and others we know about the benefits of sorority life. 

As I wrote about last month in the chair's message, championing the sorority experience is a priority in our strategic framework. NPC's responsibility is to promote the life-changing impact that sorority life can have on our young women today. Research I have previously mentioned shows that our members have strong positive emotions, robust relationships, life meaning, and accomplishment due to their sorority membership. The role of sorority is to foster a community where our members thrive and feel empowered to lead and champion their causes by equipping them with skills and confidence. Now is the time for us to identify and encourage young women to sign up for recruitment and join a sorority so they can become tomorrow's trailblazing women.

Everyone has their story about how their sorority membership has provided sisterhood, a home away from home, leadership opportunities, confidence, and the ability to provide care and support to others. I invite you to think about your life and how your sorority membership has changed you for the better, equipped you with exceptional skills, and provided remarkable lifelong sisters and other Panhellenic friends. I, for one, have been forever impacted by my sorority membership. I value my sorority sisters, and I treasure my many Panhellenic relationships. I hope you share similar sentiments.

This fall, let us remember how sorority has shaped our lives and strive to engage as many women as possible in the recruitment process so they may enjoy the benefits of sorority membership and our Panhellenic communities can grow and prosper now and for generations to come.​​​​​​

Interfraternally,

Cheri M. De Jong
2021-23 NPC Chair

From the NPC Chair: A New Strategic Framework for NPC

Dear friends,

The NPC Board of Directors met in June in Louisville to conduct business, including a robust discussion of a new strategic framework to guide NPC’s work during the next two years. 

In setting our future direction, the board approached strategic planning in a slightly different way. We began by reviewing our strategic priorities as identified last fall:

    Growth in Panhellenic communities

    Champion the sorority experience

We then discussed the Conference's current strategic goals and our renewed focus on growth in recruitment. We also noted that our previous strategic plan was very complex, with many layers, and more challenging to measure.   

As the outcome of our discussion, we determined we should streamline our approach and incorporate the prior two strategic priorities into a new strategic framework that the board and staff will build upon and monitor on an ongoing basis. Moving forward, we are focusing on the priorities that matter the most to our constituents. The board plans to communicate our objectives, initiatives, and measurable outcomes from our workforce on these initiatives to our wider Panhellenic community on an ongoing basis. We plan to do that by using a simplified reporting format for all to clearly see progress.

Following is a high-level look at our new strategic framework and the two priorities in it.

PRIORITY 1: GROW PANHELLENIC COMMUNITIES

Through dedicated coaching and resource sharing, NPC personnel will assist College Panhellenic Associations in increasing recruitment participation and, as a result, collegiate membership.

Stimulating the growth of our collegiate Panhellenic communities is of utmost importance, and we will do that by leveraging a number of recruitment-focused strategies. Specifically, this includes the digital marketing campaign already underway with our College Panhellenics to increase promotion of the sorority experience and stimulate recruitment registration numbers so NPC organizations see increases in membership. A top priority also includes reducing the barriers for potential new members to participate in recruitment and join a sorority as these barriers hinder our membership growth capabilities. NPC staff and volunteers will continue to look at innovative opportunities for our College Panhellenics to reduce restrictions and barriers for potential new members and recruit more women to our organizations.

Data collection and analysis is another critical area that NPC is investing in so the entire Conference can have important information available to everyone as we look to make crucial decisions regarding how to best support growth within our Panhellenic communities.

PRIORITY 2: CHAMPION THE SORORITY EXPERIENCE

Through marketing and community engagement, NPC will improve the public perception of the sorority experience.

Continued advocacy for our sorority experience is critical for our broader publics—potential new members, parents/caregivers, guidance counselors and coaches, college/university personnel and administrators, among others—to support and engage with us. National and campus-based advocacy initiatives within our new strategic framework will provide further positive messages and images to promote the modern sorority experience, improve public perception and, ultimately foster new member interest in recruitment and sorority membership. 

The board recognizes that we need to stay agile and flexible with whatever may happen within our community in the future. Continuous review and oversight, along with the possibility of shifting and changing objectives and initiatives, is critical to the success of this strategic framework. 

Interfraternally,

Cheri M. De Jong
2021-23 NPC Chair

Together as Sorority

This content first appeared in the Summer 2022 edition of "The Lyre," the official magazine of Alpha Chi Omega, and is reprinted with permission.

When you join a sorority, you enter a community. You have chapter sisters to laugh and cry with, an alumnae network to help you pursue your dreams and even a national sorority that connects you to sisters coast to coast and beyond! But have you ever thought about the even larger sisterhood you're a part of?

When you accepted your bid to your chapter, you also joined the Panhellenic community. As the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) vision states, we are all "advancing the sorority experience together." We come together as nearly 5 million sorority women across the world.

Jen Daurora (Delta chapter of Alpha Chi Omega at Allegheny College) serves on the NPC Board of Directors and points out that no matter which of the 26 NPC member organizations we are members of, we all have shared experiences including leadership opportunities, education and the ability to support our communities through philanthropy and service. And most importantly, she adds, "I think the underpinning of women supporting women rings true throughout the NPC experience."

We strive to uplift our sisters in all their endeavors, and our empowerment can extend to the Panhellenic community. It's why our collegiate chapters have Panhellenic delegates to connect the Alpha Chi Omega chapter to the larger campus, and why many cities have Alumnae Panhellenics to bring together women from all organizations for networking and making a difference.

In a time when some are questioning the value of the sorority experience, we can work together as sorority women to share the benefits we've received and that others can obtain if they are open to the experience.

"From my perspective, togetherness for NPC really means the way we leverage our collective strength to advocate for and promote the sorority experience as a whole," Jen explains. "Because while it is important that each member organization strives to be its best and each chapter strives to reach its full potential, it's important that as a community we're helping one another reach our goals as well."

How can we do that? Jen suggests that collegians let potential new members (and others!) know what makes them proud to be in a sorority, whether it's learning to manage an officer budget or having a sister notice your potential that you didn't even see in yourself. For our alumnae members, Jen recommends they share openly with their networks that they're sorority women. She also explains it's important to articulate broad benefits; the collegiate experience you had might look very different for today's student, but the opportunities and lessons are far-reaching.

Of course, while we all share a sorority experience, we also each have a story. And your story—with all of its nuances and lessons and moments that make it distinctly yours—is a powerful piece of advocating for the experience.

"Be proud of what you've gained from this experience," Jen says, "and tell your own story."

From the NPC Chairman: New Research Highlights Benefits of Sorority

Dear friends,

Summer is here! Congratulations on making it through another school year. I hope that you have had a successful year and are now enjoying your summer vacation. Reflecting on this past year, I thought about how much the sorority experience matters, including my lifelong membership journey that began more than 30 years ago. That experience has changed my life in so many ways, and my sorority and NPC service have brought me in contact with women I treasure and filled my life with joy. I also contemplate how my experiences made me into the businesswoman, mother and grandmother I am today.

Many of you have similar stories of how your sorority experience has significantly impacted your life. Whether your experience was 30 or 40 years ago or as recently as last year, the effect has been powerful and one that I want to explore alongside some recent research findings.

NPC and member organization leaders and volunteers recently attended a Zoom presentation by Dr. J. Patrick Biddix regarding his latest Panhellenic sorority research on belonging and well-being. I noted a few key takeaways from the research that I believe support how impactful the sorority experience is for young women today.

• Sorority women generally feel a stronger sense of belonging and satisfaction at school v. non-sorority women.
• A vast majority, 75-80% of sorority women, agree that their organizations support and respect individuals and unique differences among their members and welcome and appreciate culturally different views of their members.
• A vast majority, 75-80% of sorority women, agree they feel comfortable having open discussions about race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, religion and mental health and well-being.
• Our members show strong positive emotion, engagement, robust relationships, life meaning and accomplishment due to their sorority membership.

We all know that increased well-being leads to positive emotions and satisfaction with life, and that can increase member retention and overall student success. Positive general comments reflect that women value their experience and feel support and respect from their sisters. They also value their leadership skills and ability to grow and develop into influential leaders.

While the sorority experience is highly valued, there is room for improvement. Specifically, some women indicate struggles with diversity, equity and inclusion. This is an area that continues to evolve where we as NPC and our member organizations must continue education and awareness to promote a culture shift in our members, including collegiate members, alumnae and advisors. For our experience to remain valuable and relevant for years to come, all of us must work together to create a more welcoming and inclusive Panhellenic community.

Overall this research provides important insights as we strive to extend our message about the power of sorority and the positive impacts of membership. So, as you relax on these long summer days, reflect on your experience as a sorority woman and what you value the most. Is it the lifelong leadership skills you acquired or the invaluable friendships you still have from those good old college days? Whatever it may be, hold on to those thoughts and share them with others to promote an unforgettable and valuable experience so that others may flourish as a result of the sorority experience.

Interfraternally,

Cheri M. De Jong
2021-23 NPC chairman

From the NPC Chairman: Reflecting on the end of the academic year

Dear friends,

As the school year winds down and many of our students prepare for graduation, it is a time to reflect on the past year and look forward to what is next. As a matter of fact, I plan to attend my niece's graduation at Colorado State University—she just happens to be a sorority woman too! 

As we look back on this past year, we began with a great deal of promise that the pandemic was waning and things were getting back to normal, yet the pandemic did continue, perhaps to a different degree depending on where you lived. For many, it was finally time to be gathering together in person and cultivating more friendships within their chapters and sorority communities. The year has been one that has many of us seeing challenging times in our community growth, housing concerns and issues, and the mental health of our students. Yet, I see a resilient base of sorority women who have stepped up in their philanthropic and service efforts to help others and demonstrated excellent care in taking care of each other. 

Personally, as I reflect, I am proud and humbled to be a member of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Board of Directors and serve as its chair. I see the thousands of sorority women graduating this month from around the country looking forward to their post-college life, and I know that through their sorority experience, they are ready to head out into the world and make a difference.

The NPC board is also looking forward to making a difference. Our College Panhellenic communities need focused marketing efforts to help them experience growth in recruitment and thrive. A major action the board has taken is to approve a concentrated marketing plan throughout this summer aimed at helping many of our campuses that recently have seen noticeable declines in sorority membership to grow.

Our sorority experience is incredibly valuable for so many women that all of us must promote and advance our Panhellenic communities so more women want to join our organizations. We want potential new members to know that the sorority experience can help them establish leadership skills, build their confidence, create lifelong friendships, and establish the importance of service to others.

As each of you reflects on the end of the school year, remember how much the Panhellenic experience has meant to you and determine ways that you can promote and advocate to others the power of sorority.

Interfraternally,

Cheri M. De Jong
2021-23 NPC Chairman

From the NPC Chairman: The State of the Conference | April 2022

Dear friends,

The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) recently held its Annual Conference, March 31 – April 1, in Louisville, Kentucky. This was the first large in-person gathering of Conference and member organization leaders, volunteers and staff since October 2019, prior to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this Annual Conference, NPC CEO Dani Weatherford, J.D., and I shared a State of the Conference report on behalf of the NPC Board of Directors. That report recapped the work of the NPC board and workforce (volunteers and staff) and offered insight into our current efforts and future focus. I'm pleased to share with you edited excerpts of the report below.

Interfraternally,

Cheri M. De Jong
2021-23 NPC Chairman

The State of the Conference | April 2022

Speaker: Cheri M. De Jong, NPC chairman 

It is a privilege and honor today to be a part of providing the state of the National Panhellenic Conference. NPC has had many achievements over the past year, yet there continue to be a variety of challenges that all of us are facing together. 

Today I will discuss the work of the board this past year, various initiatives that the board has directed and how that is defining our focus in the coming years.

These incredible women that make up the NPC Board of Directors bring forth broad professional expertise, countless leadership experiences within the fraternal community, assorted professional skills, different perspectives and knowledge within NPC, and unique thoughts and ideas on improving and enriching NPC and how we advocate for the sorority experience. 

As this board began their work of the Conference nine months ago, we determined that with a change of leadership, a still-new governance structure and the many challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic brought, it would be essential to engage in a listening tour of our constituents. This listening tour had each of our board members reach out to member organization leadership teams that consisted of delegates, inter/national presidents and executive directors to discuss their strategic interests and priorities, challenges and feedback on NPC activities. These meetings with member organizations provided clear and direct feedback for the board on the Conference's priorities.

The loud messages were compiled, and the board reviewed the information, keying in on areas that member organizations believed NPC could make a difference and how those issues align with our strategic focus areas. It was determined NPC should remain committed to two main areas:

• Cultivate Strategic Growth of Panhellenic Communities.
• Champion the Sorority Experience.

The key focus for this board is the growth and promotion of the sorority experience through marketing and public relations efforts. Growth is of utmost importance for our member organizations. Additionally, marketing about the sorority experience is also a top priority to create awareness of sorority life that can benefit all of our recruitment efforts.

Our organizations also have many challenges and opportunities:

Housing. If there is one thing that so many member organization leaders have voiced during the past several years, it is housing and the inability to fill some of your houses due to lower membership numbers. As a former national president, I understand and sympathize with each and every one of you. These financial burdens weigh heavy on your organizations and potentially drain resources that could be deployed elsewhere. …

Declining college enrollment in some regions of the country is significantly impacting many of our collegiate chapters. The changing demographic is perhaps the bigger issue of students enrolling in college. …

 Alongside this is declining interest in our organizations and questions about our relevancy to young women in today’s collegiate experience. The world is changing, and so are our potential new members. Our organizations are making changes too, whether it be to legacy or recommendation policies, acceptance of transgender members and creating more diverse and inclusive membership opportunities. Our communities are transforming, and this is a moment of adjustment for all of us. … 

Each of these challenges is being felt by all our member organizations, and we realize that these challenges create opportunities for NPC to help grow our Panhellenic communities, promote and advocate for our sorority experience and continue to be a convener for our member organizations to work together on campus-specific needs or engaging in issues that we all face. …

So where do we go from here?

The board has embarked on several initiatives as a result of the priorities previously discussed and is driving our future focus. (Those initiatives include:)

• Opportunities to partner with researchers to support our marketing messages with strong relevancy data. …
• The Growth and Marketing Pilot currently underway … to target campuses to increase recruitment of potential new members … 
• A full audit of the NPC Manual of Information to streamline the information and strengthen accountability to Unanimous Agreements, policies and best practices. … 
• Diversity, equity, inclusion and access with the board’s focus shifted to including and incorporating access and equity in our conversations, resources and communications for our College and Alumnae Panhellenics to use. … 

The NPC Board of Directors wants to see all of us working together toward the same goals: focused marketing and other initiatives to grow our Panhellenic communities and consideration of ideas to break down the barriers to membership in our organizations.

If we want to survive and be relevant in five, 10 or 20 years, we need to do this collaboratively. I hope you all feel that we are partners in this critical work. We want to dive into the issues and create the best possible solutions to ultimately provide an inclusive, values-oriented, affordable and relevant membership experience to as many collegiate women as possible. And together, we can make this happen. …

Speaker: Dani Weatherford, NPC CEO

 This was a year when we were able to return our focus to the Strategic Plan after pausing almost all of that work from spring 2020 to spring 2021 to respond to the COVID pandemic and anti-sorority activism. As a reminder, the plan prioritizes three major areas:

Priority number one is to Cultivate Strategic Growth of Panhellenic Communities. I think of this bucket of work as direct and tactical support of our College and Alumnae Panhellenic communities. Providing them with the tools and resources needed to function appropriately and focus their efforts on bringing more women of various backgrounds into the community. (Work in this priority includes but it not limited to:)

• Our flagship opportunity to train College Panhellenic officers is the College Panhellenic Academy. … 
• New recruitment resources and education for College and Alumnae Panhellenics.  … 
• Providing resources related to creating a more inclusive recruitment process. … 
• A new partnership with Phired Up to provide a three-part marketing training series to current and incoming Panhellenic marketing and recruitment officers. …
• Nearly a full year of work dedicated to recruitment reform. …
• Our Growth and Marketing Pilot to provide targeted coaching to Panhellenic communities in the most need. … 
• Several other projects and work groups supporting our College Panhellenic communities. …

Priority number two is Champion the Sorority Experience. I think of this priority as our advocacy work mostly done at the national level—promoting our brand and protecting the experience—but we also do this at the local level. (Work in this priority includes but it not limited to:)

• The work of the NPC staff in managing campus concerns. …
• The promotion of the sorority brand through awareness campaigns, including direct advertising, national marketing partnerships and pipeline program partnerships. …
• Advancing our legislative agenda through policy advocacy work, engaging on such topics as freedom of association, anti-hazing initiatives and tax parity. …
• Research partnerships, including our renewed collaboration with Gallup and a partnership with Dr. Patrick Biddix. These efforts are focused on the impact of sorority membership. … 

Priority number three is Leverage the Collective Strength of our Member Organizations, along with our industry partners, to continue advancing the sorority experience. (Work in this priority includes but it not limited to:)

• NPC volunteer recruitment, development and accountability, including for the volunteers supporting 583 College Panhellenics and 171 Alumnae Panhellenics. …
• Growing the NPC Partner Program. …
• Convening (virtual) NPC Family Gatherings to share data and information with internal stakeholders. …

Thank you for what you do to advance the sorority experience and to create a community that is kind and welcoming to all women who want to be a part of this extraordinary sisterhood.

From the NPC Chairman: Continuing to Create a More Accessible and Equitable Panhellenic Sorority Experience

Dear friends,

Diversity, equity, inclusion and access are all words that we have heard a great deal more of collectively or in some combination over the last several years from our member organizations. As a result of the tumultuous times during 2020, many of us have had an opportunity to reflect on our thoughts and actions as we consider the access and equity of those around us and how we incorporate diversity and inclusion in our organizations to better serve our chapters, campuses and communities.  

In fall 2020, the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) hosted an Access & Equity Listening Tour with various constituencies throughout the fraternal community. The NPC Board of Directors also initiated an Access & Equity Advisory Committee where one of the charges was to identify barriers to membership on our campuses. Through participation in these sessions and with recommendations from our advisory committee, one of the overarching themes was need to revise and redesign the processes, practices and policies of Panhellenic recruitment. It became evident that our recruitment processes and their costs created barriers to membership. Therefore, all of us must acknowledge the necessity and urgency of creating an accessible and equitable Panhellenic experience.

NPC has further taken the initiative to form five recruitment reform project workgroups. These recruitment reform projects were initiated early last year and have just recently completed their work. Eliminating and reducing barriers and opening the access to all women on our college campuses has been a focus of these reform projects. Removing these barriers that impede progress as a conference is a priority if we are to remain relevant and in alignment with our highest and best values. You can read a summary of the work of the recruitment reform project workgroups here.

Reforming recruitment practices may be difficult for many to do, but it is truly imperative. The traditions, customs and practices that many of us have participated in for many years no longer provide a platform that serves our changing membership, values and relevance to collegiate women. The fully structured formal recruitment process, costs of recruitment and sorority membership, alternative approaches to recruitment and promoting the sorority experience are all areas the reform projects have reviewed and made recommendations. The board appreciates the work of these project teams to study the issues and help us begin to take real action toward recruitment reform, and as their recommendations are implemented, we will share updates with all of you.

However, there is more we all can do right now. We must not stop here but continue to educate, listen and act to provide access and equity in our entire NPC community. Our collegiate members seek to hold NPC and inter/national leadership responsible for changing current policies and practices in response to the demographic and attitudinal shift in the collegiate environment, and we are doing so both at NPC and in our member organizations. 

Specifically, over the last several years, NPC has prioritized the development of resources and educational sessions to develop a culture of care within our Panhellenics, and we’ve seen the addition of specific Panhellenic officers on many campuses focused on creating more inclusive communities. At the same time, many of our member organizations have taken this call to action to make changes within their own organization and integrate many initiatives that promote inclusiveness within our collegiate chapters on college campuses. Changing or eliminating legacy policies and recommendation letters, the establishment of chapter belonging/inclusion officers and transgender inclusion are just a few areas that our member organizations have examined and made significant internal changes. 

Ultimately, the goal of all our member organizations is to provide an inclusive, values-oriented, affordable and relevant membership experience. Together we can make this happen. As I reflect on what I’ve learned about those four words—diversity, equity, access and inclusion—during the past several years, it demands that we collectively promote and provide action to break down the barriers and provide access and equity, thus providing a richer, more diverse experience for our entire NPC community. 

Interfraternally,

Cheri M. De Jong
2021-23 NPC Chairman

NPC Volunteers Make a Lasting Impact on Panhellenic Communities

Dear friends,

February is a time for Valentine's Day, chocolates and flowers, and for the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), it is a time for us to say thank you to our many volunteers. NPC enjoys a rich history of outstanding, dedicated volunteers who support NPC’s operations and all Panhellenic women. 

A Special Message to All Our NPC Volunteers:

Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our Panhellenic women and for the future of the sorority experience. Your dedication of time, energy, skills and knowledge will continue to positively impact our mission and achieve our strategic goals. Your caring heart, compassion, support and expertise have been transformational over your many years of service, but more poignantly these past several years during the pandemic.

Whether individuals are serving on standing or special committees or other specialized work groups, our various committee members' service is extremely appreciated. 

A shout out to our vast volunteer network!

Our Standing Committees include:

•    Alumnae Panhellenics Committee

•    College Panhellenics Committee, which includes area advisors 

•    Panhellenic Extension Committee

•    Panhellenic Judicial Appeals Committee

•    New College Panhellenics Committee

•    Panhellenic Recruitment Committee 

•    Panhellenic Release Figure Methodology (RFM) Committee, which includes RFM specialists

Our current Special Committees consist of:

•    Bylaws Review Committee

•    Community College Work Group

•    Content Creators

•    Fraternity/Sorority Advisory Committee

•    Government Relations Advisory Committee

•    Growth/Marketing Pilot Project

•    Marketing Advisory Committee

•    Reorganization Support Teams

•    Research Review Committee

•    Risk Management Pilot Project Work Group

•    Student Advisory Committee

Special pandemic-related Task Forces & other Special Committees who have concluded their work over the past few years:

•    Access & Equity Advisory Committee

•    Audit Committee

•    College Panhellenic Classification Project Work Group

•    Disruption to Panhellenic Operations Task Force

•    Education and Transparency Task Force

•    Measurable Outcomes Committee

•    Nominating Committee

•    PR & Marketing Review Group

•    Recruitment Contingencies Task Force

•    Recruitment Reform Task Force (Fully Structured Recruitment)

•    Recruitment Response Teams (RRTs)

Furthermore, we have our Advisory Committee, composed of the past chairmen of NPC. 

Lastly, I want to recognize the NPC Foundation Board of Trustees who lead that organization in its mission to visibly and collaboratively support NPC priorities and initiatives.

Looking Forward to New Volunteer Opportunities: 

As we thank our volunteers for their past and current service, we are also looking forward as we have recently announced the application process and timeline for Standing Committee members to serve for the next term of 2022-2024. You can learn more about each committee, the benefits of volunteering for NPC and how to apply by reading this blog post. We appreciate those considering continuing their NPC service and welcome new individuals ready to serve NPC.

As I close this special "thank you" to our volunteers, I want to say this: Your leadership, guidance, and direction have made others better as a result of the time and talents you have so generously given to NPC. Your extraordinary commitment to service is making a lasting and exceptional impact for the future of the Panhellenic community!

Interfraternally,

Cheri M. De Jong
2021-23 NPC Chairman

NPC Recruiting for Standing Committee Volunteers for the 2022-24 Term

Every two years, the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) asks individuals to apply to serve on NPC Standing Committees. The work of the individuals who serve on these committees is vitally important to helping accomplish the work of the Conference and ensuring NPC and its member organizations are advancing the sorority experience together.

NPC is currently accepting applications from individuals who wish to serve as an NPC Standing Committee volunteer during the 2022-24 term. 

If you think you may be interested in serving, we encourage you to read about the NPC Standing Committees prior to applying. You may also watch the recording of the NPC Standing Committee Volunteer Interest Session (~45 minutes), where you can hear from current committee chairmen about the important work they do on behalf of NPC. 

As an NPC volunteer, you'll be able to: 

• Give back to NPC and the broader Panhellenic community.
• Network with a variety of individuals from NPC leadership and staff to campus-based professionals to collegiate women.
• Uphold and influence NPC processes and procedures. 
• Improve your skills in an area of interest to you.
• Have fun!

If you determine serving on one of these committees may be a fit for you, please complete the NPC Standing Committee Volunteer Interest Form and Application by Feb. 20, 2022. 

Applicants will be notified of whether they have been selected in late April.

If you have questions, please contact the NPC office by email or phone (317-872-3185).

From the NPC Chairman: 4 Considerations for Approaching Goals for the Year

Dear friends,

I can hardly believe that it is 2022! Another new year and a perfect time to reflect on past activities and determine new initiatives for the future. During reflection, one might evaluate what they wanted to get done but did not, or things still on their bucket list to carry over for the following year. A new year signifies a start over or a reset. As we settle into 2022, here are the things that I consider when approaching new initiatives or goals for the year. You can consider it advice or just some words of wisdom from someone who has a few years of experience!

• What do I do well? Perhaps rather than thinking about what you don't do well and try to improve, think about what you do well and build on that. Then, expand your impact on others around you in the areas you excel. Finally, make a conscious effort to use your skills and talents to help others and improve your communities.
• Many new year's goals are about getting rid of things such as certain foods or other vices. But, for me, it is about what to add to my life that makes me feel better. For example, walking at least five days a week just makes me feel better, so rather than cutting out certain things, how about adding something that positively impacts the quality of your life?
• If you are making an assortment of new year's resolutions, make one of them about reaching out to former classmates, sorority sisters, family members or others in your community. These past years with the pandemic have left many lonely, and reaching out and making connections may just impact someone else's life as much as it does yours.
• For the past several years, we have had the pandemic affect us emotionally in so many ways, and unfortunately, with the new variant among us, we still find ourselves dealing with many of the same issues. Just when we thought we were out of the woods, we find ourselves facing continued cancellation of events and persistent remote school or work. When will the emotional roller coaster end? No one knows, but taking care of our mental health is critical. Making sure we take care of ourselves and recognize when help is needed is so important. The last few years have brought a lot of disappointments and frustrations, but a positive attitude and addressing one's mental health is a step in the right direction in managing the challenges we face in life.

As we leave 2021 in the past and make way for another new year, I wish you all a happy new year, and may it be filled with adventure and good fortune.

Interfraternally,

Cheri M. De Jong
2021-23 NPC Chairman