From the NPC Chairman: Advancing the Sorority Experience Together Since 1902

May 24, 2021, marks the 119th anniversary of the National Panhellenic Conference’s founding. Since 1902, NPC has provided the perfect forum for women to discuss common interests and possibilities. It has been a safe environment where women could express their views and exercise their vote even before the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

NPC has been in the business of women nurturing women for a long time. We recognize that relationships are critical and it’s important to cultivate those relationships in order for there to be trust. Within NPC, these strong bonds of friendship are built on years of working with each other, respecting each other and trusting each other. We know we can lean on each other in times of crisis or even during times when we need to gain a better understanding of a different perspective. This mutual trust allows us to achieve our desired outcomes together and this trust encourages us to work collaboratively as we work to advance the sorority experience. It’s my hope that all of our college and alumnae Panhellenics also have special friendships and value their Panhellenic friendships as much as their sorority membership.

We are part of an organization of women dedicated to sharing the benefits of sorority membership with other women. NPC provides opportunities for lifelong friendships and support for both collegiate and alumna members. We are one of the largest, most visible and most active values-based organizations on college and university campuses. Although our colors, jewels and letters differ from one another, the 26 member organizations of NPC all share a common code of friendship, academic advancement, philanthropic service and pursuit of excellence.

As I look back on the past year and the journey we have all taken, there are so many takeaways and opportunities that give me hope for the future of the fraternal movement. But the most important is that the value sororities provide is more relevant now than ever and the benefits of sorority are more important now than they have ever been. It has been a challenging year with challenging issues, but we have leaned on our sorority experience and each other for strength, advice, encouragement and comfort. 

So, as we celebrate NPC’s founding, let’s also celebrate the close friendships we have with our Panhellenic sisters. What better way than to make a donation to the NPC Foundation in honor of a Panhellenic sister you admire and respect.

We are the benefactors of all that has been given to us by previous leaders, and our shared commitment as a unified coalition of women has resulted in positive outcomes that impact all of us. It’s up to all of us to ensure the Panhellenic sisterhood and ideals in which we believe can endure change and remain a constant in this ever-changing world. 

Happy Founders’ Day to you all!

Panhellenically,

Carole J. Jones
NPC chairman

From the NPC Chairman: A time for celebrating Panhellenic sisterhood

Dear friends,

WHAT IN THE WORLD? Galentine’s Day…when I first heard about this event on a morning news show, I thought, “Good grief, another holiday for the retail world.” But, the more I thought about it, what a great way to celebrate Panhellenic sisterhood.

According to The New York Times, Galentine’s Day, celebrated on Feb. 13, is for celebrating sisterhood with your women friends, whether single or not. The celebration was created by Leslie Knope, the "Parks and Recreation" fictional main character played by Amy Poehler. She invented the holiday as a tribute to her close girlfriends and hosted a waffle brunch.

via GIPHY

I’m going to digress for a moment. My spring 2020 calendar was chock full…until March happened. The last in-person meetings I attended for NPC were the Annual Membership meeting and Board of Directors meeting in Dallas March 7 and 8. After returning home, my husband and I were looking forward to our annual ski trip to Park City, Utah. On the morning of March 15, while getting ready to leave for the airport, all the ski slopes closed resulting in the trip being canceled. While I was relieved that I didn’t have to board an airplane during a time of uncertainty, it was just the beginning of all my travel coming to a halt. My spring calendar had included speaking at the Nashville Alumnae Panhellenic scholarship luncheon, Northern Virginia Panhellenic luncheon and the Houston Panhellenic scholarship luncheon. The time spent with Panhellenic sisters was stripped away.

All of this to say, NPC collegians and alumnae across North America are experiencing the same thing – in-person meetings and celebrations have moved to Zoom and travel is limited. Many of us are tied to our computers as we work or take classes and attend meetings virtually, and Galentine’s Day gives us the perfect opportunity to take a break to connect with our ​​​​​​Panhellenic friends and celebrate sisterhood. 

If we weren’t in the midst of a pandemic, ideas abound for gatherings with sister friends including pink-themed parties, dinner or brunch at a fancy restaurant or a group mani-pedi. But this year, with most of us staying at home, take the celebration virtual:

•    Order your favorite meal and enjoy a chat while you eat.

•    Play trivia together online.

•    Watch/stream a movie together.

•    Take a virtual class – exercise, cooking or baking.

•    Organize a secret cupid gift exchange.

There’s no wrong way to celebrate our Panhellenic sisterhood, and taking advantage of Galentine’s Day is the perfect time to acknowledge the lifelong bond of sorority membership and the experiences we share.​

Panhellenically,

Carole J. Jones
NPC chairman

From the NPC Chairman: Pausing to give thanks

Dear friends,

Between the COVID-19 pandemic, discussions about racial injustice, natural disasters and struggling economy, it’s easy to get stressed out and have feelings of anxiety. And, as Thanksgiving approaches in the United States, the worry of how to celebrate this year or the disappointment that you may be spending the holiday away from family and friends due to travel restrictions or safety concerns, just adds to the stress we are already feeling about the year 2020.

However, as we pause to give thanks for our many blessings, we are also given the opportunity to take a deeper look and recognize all the things that we may take for granted in our day-to-day lives – the family we love, the friends we cherish and the blessings we have received.

During this season of Thanksgiving, I hope you will join me in reflecting on the things I am most grateful for as we continue to advance the sorority experience:

• All of us, collegians and alumnae, being open to change and adapting as we faced a pandemic (something none of us has ever experienced before).
• The flexibility and commitment our RFM specialists, College Panhellenic area advisors, other volunteers and staff showed as they took on the frontline role of working with campuses as recruitment contingencies were planned and implemented.
• The successes our College Panhellenics found as virtual or hybrid recruitments were safely implemented.
• Outstanding programming our College Panhellenic officers and chapter leaders successfully hosted virtually.
• Successful marketing campaigns on both the national and local levels promoting the value of the sorority experience regardless of how that experience is delivered.
• The fraternity/sorority advisors who have supported our members throughout probably the toughest academic term they have ever experienced.
• Our NPC partners who work to provide a meaningful and rewarding sorority experience for our members.
• The undying support we give each other as we continue to have difficult and meaningful conversations as we work together in creating a welcoming, inclusive Panhellenic community that our current and future members deserve.
• Learning to be more flexible, to focus on the positive, to slow down and to be a better listener.
• Our friends and families who support our fraternal efforts.

My thanks to each of you for your commitment to ensuring the values and ideals of sorority are preserved. I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving filled with abundance and love. May the good things in life be yours not only at Thanksgiving but throughout the coming year.

Panhellenically,

Carole J. Jones
NPC Chairman

From the NPC Chairman: We hear you and we are listening.

Dear friends,

We hear you and we are listening. Topics of diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) and access have been an integral part of NPC’s strategic conversations, but the importance of these topics on college campuses and among our members have supported our need to shift from conversation to action. This work is not easy, and steering a ship with 26 member organization in it, each with different perspectives, sometimes may seem slow and awkward, but it is a challenge we are undertaking with sensitivity, humility and diligence.
 
As you may be aware, the NPC Board of Directors has appointed an NPC Access and Equity Advisory Committee, which will provide us with recommendations and guidance on increasing access to the sorority experience and equity across policies and procedures. This will include consideration of norms and practices that create barriers facing potential members based on racial identity, ethnicity, LGBTQ identity, religious beliefs, ability and socioeconomic status, among others. The committee’s work will complement efforts led at the NPC member organizational level regarding membership policies, programming and practices.

Committee members represent a range of identities – based on race, ethnicity, religion, age and ability – and also represent varied Greek-letter organizations. Their insights and perspectives will be critical as we make ours a community in which all women can engage as their full selves. View the committee announcement.
 
As this group begins its work, the Board of Directors and committee members will host a series of listening sessions in August with various NPC constituencies including College Panhellenic leaders, fraternity/sorority advisors, collegiate members and alumnae regarding access and equity. This is the first step in our journey to drive real change that reinforces the foundational values and strength of the Panhellenic experience.

In addition to the work of the committee, NPC has engaged the Cross-Cultural Fraternal Advising Institute Collaborative team to facilitate a virtual education session for collegiate sorority members titled “Cultivating a More Inclusive Recruitment Experience and Addressing Implicit Bias.” More than 470 participants are now better positioned to act with integrity across all aspects of membership growth, development and experiences. Soon, we will share the recording and a resource guide with all College Panhellenics so those who could not attend live will have the opportunity to benefit.

NPC leadership will also continue to engage with experts in the field of diversity, equity, inclusion and access to increase their knowledge of DEI factors and set a common language and framework for NPC’s DEI initiatives.

Moreover, NPC will continue to engage its other advisory groups – the Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Advisory Committee and the Student Advisory Committee – to provide their input and feedback related to NPC’s actions regarding diversity, equity, inclusion and access.

To report on the progress of NPC’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, including the work of the Access and Equity Advisory Committee, a new page has been added to our website.

As we continue our work in creating greater equity within and access to the sorority experience, difficult and meaningful conversations are taking place and new resources are being developed for our College Panhellenics. It is important work that will assist us in confronting racism and considering the structural and systemic reasons that too many women do not view our organizations as places where they feel welcomed, understood or heard.

During a conversation the Board of Directors had with Syreeta Greene, MSW, Ed.D., director of the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Multicultural Affairs, Midwestern State University, she stated, “The road to diversity, equity and inclusion is a journey not a destination.” NPC is committed to that journey.

Panhellenically,

Carole J. Jones

NPC Chairman

Perspectives: What Sorority Means to Me

Sororities have always been a place for women to gather, build friendships, support academic pursuits, develop leaders and provide a sense of belonging. As the needs of women have changed, sorority has adapted to fit those needs. Today, while class instruction and the sorority experience may look and feel different on many campuses due to COVID-19, sorority is adapting to provide these benefits and the opportunity for real, personal connections through a virtual experience. Through it all, sisterhood and the benefits of the sorority experience remain.

Here are some of those benefits as voiced by collegiate members:

"My sorority helped me turn my college campus into a place that I can call home. These women started as strangers and are now some of my closest friends in the world. And, I know I can look to them to help in every aspect of my life – from academics to life advice." 
-Patricia, Tulane University (in a Her Campus/TheSororityLife.com Instagram story video)

"One of the things that I have loved most about being in my chapter has been the support system. More specifically, my sorority family has been my best support system ... These women are always here for me when I’m feeling down, need advice or just want someone to talk to and have made me feel at home, while being so far from home."
-Bridget, University of Tennessee-Knoxville (full story)

"I was worried about losing that connection with my sisters when we left campus (in spring 2020 due to the pandemic). But, I’ve found a new appreciation for our sisterhood. Sisterhood is in the little things. The texts, the FaceTime calls and the memories we create together make me that much more grateful to have my sisters in my life!"
-Bri, NPC intern for TheSororityLife.com (full story)

From the NPC Chairman: Sororities Are an Essential Part of the College Experience

Dear friends,

As we all adapt to rapid change and prepare for the challenges that are ahead of us due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) is diligently preparing for the fall 2020 academic term and a Panhellenic recruitment that will most likely take place in a much different way, but one in which we will welcome new members into our chapters and Panhellenic community. 

Members of the NPC Recruitment Contingencies Task Force, representing campus-based professionals, member organization staff, volunteers from NPC’s Panhellenic Recruitment and Panhellenic Release Figure (RFM) Committees and other experts from across our industry, have developed alternative recruitment models, which have been shared with College Panhellenics to assist their communities to continue to engage potential new members and share the message that sororities are an essential part of the college experience.

Just as institutions of higher education are scenario planning what the fall semester will look like, it’s our hope that College Panhellenics are scenario planning as well. If their plan of choice changes at the last minute, then they have a back-up plan ready to go. Making choices tied to one decision doesn’t preclude future choices changing as more information comes available in the coming weeks.

Additionally, with social distancing most likely remaining in place this summer and fall, College Panhellenic leaders will need to work with their host institutions on safety protocols that will vary from state to state. Depending upon what those protocols are, the number of people being able to participate in each recruitment round and in the designated recruitment space will most likely be impacted. All of us, collegiate and alumnae members alike, must acknowledge that physical distancing will require us to not only conduct meetings in a new way, but recruit new members differently – quite possibly virtually.

As we prepare our College Panhellenic leaders, chapter members, parents/caregivers and alumnae for new and innovative ways to attract new members, we should all remember the support we give one another as Panhellenic sisters enables us to meet the challenges we face in today’s world. And, it is that support that we wish to extend to other young women as they join our organizations.

This summer, as we prepare to bring new members into our organizations, it will be important to showcase the value of the sorority experience in a proactive way. I call on each of you to reach out to incoming and continuing students to share your sorority experience so the young women planning to, or thinking about, participating in recruitment will have heard about the benefits of being a sorority member before they step on campus or begin the fall term virtually.

Volunteerism, philanthropy, leadership development and friendship are a part of each of our sorority stories. It’s up to each of us to tell those stories and it’s more important than ever to promote the sorority experience!

Panhellenically,

Carole J. Jones
NPC chairman

A Message From the NPC Chairman: The road map to ensuring sorority communities stay vibrant and healthy

As the National Panhellenic Conference and its 26 member organizations continue to advocate for and preserve the sorority experience, a new strategic plan has been adopted by the NPC Board of Directors. The plan encompasses three priorities which broadly define the key approaches NPC volunteers and staff will use over the next few years to accomplish our mission and drive toward our vision of Advancing the Sorority Experience Together.

The three priorities are: champion the sorority experience, foster strategic growth of Panhellenic communities and leverage the collective strength of our member organizations. These priorities are the outcomes NPC aspires to achieve, and the strategies under each priority are the approaches we will take to achieve our goals.

View the 2019-22 NPC strategic plan.

The 2019-22 strategic plan is a reminder that if NPC is to thrive, we need to continue to look ahead and be visionary. This means we must embrace the fact the world around us is ever-changing. New technologies, social media, changing societal norms, competitive job markets and an altered educational system have undeniably changed the life of today’s collegian. With these topics in mind, take note of some of the key words in our strategic plan – protect, advocacy, diversity, growth, collaboration, develop and support.

Bottom line, it’s our goal to remain relevant to future generations of young women. Thus, NPC’s 2019-22 strategic plan is the road map we will take toward ensuring our sorority communities stay vibrant and healthy now and into the future.

Interfraternally,

Carole J. Jones
NPC Chairman 2017-19

Message From the Chairman: New Organizational Structure Announced for NPC

In October, during the National Panhellenic Conference annual meeting, the board of directors approved revised governing documents that allow for the development of a new organizational and governance structure designed to make NPC more nimble and responsive to the most pressing challenges facing students, campus partners and the greater Panhellenic community.

The new governance structure will include:

• A Council of Delegates, consisting of one representative from each of NPC’s 26 member organizations and having primary responsibility for Conference membership and Panhellenic policies.  
• A new seven-member Board of Directors consisting of five members elected to service by the Council of Delegates and two directors appointed by their member organization (on a rotational basis). The Board of Directors will lead NPC and have authority and responsibility for overseeing the affairs of NPC. They will establish corporate policy, set the strategic direction, oversee and secure resources and monitor organizational performance. The Council of Delegates will also elect the NPC chairman.

The first Board of Directors to be established under the new bylaws will be appointed and elected by the Council of Delegates in May 2019 and will assume office on July 1. The new NPC chairman will be elected by the Council from the seven members who comprise the Board of Directors. 

This historic change in governance will equip NPC to be a stronger, more strategic ally to our campus-based colleagues on topics such as hazing, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, diversity and inclusion, among others. The Panhellenic community is increasingly looking to us as a resource and a convener and this new organizational structure reflects our desire to further expand our capacity to serve such a role. 

The new structure is also intended to ensure that greater resources and staff-level engagement can be brought to bear on priorities ranging from recruitment and membership growth, enhanced data collection and communications efforts advocating for the sorority experience. The NPC professional staff will continue to accomplish their work alongside the organization’s volunteers.

You can read the news release here.

Best wishes to you all for a wonderful holiday season filled with fun and laughter and a happy, healthy new year.

Interfraternally,

Carole J. Jones
NPC chairman 2017-19

About 'Stand Up to Harvard'

standuptoharvard.org
#standuptoharvard

On Dec. 3, a group of sororities, fraternities and students filed a pair of lawsuits challenging Harvard’s sanctions policy that punishes students who join off-campus, single-sex* social organizations. These efforts are supported by the National Panhellenic Conference as well as the North American Interfraternity Conference and the organizations in the Cambridge Coalition.  

With the sanctions, Harvard is interfering with students’ rights protected by the First Amendment, the Fourteenth Amendment and Title IX—a dangerous precedent by one of America’s bellwether higher education institutions. 

Moreover, the lawsuits describe how Harvard used a campaign of threats and intimidation to scare students into abandoning their fundamental rights to free association and to live free of sex discrimination. 

You can visit standuptoharvard.org to read more about the lawsuits, the specific reasons behind them and sign the petition to lend your support. You also may be interested in these articles and video: 

• The Boston Globe: Sororities, fraternities sue Harvard over social club crackdown
• Video: Alpha Phi's International President Renee Zainer explains why standing up to Harvard important
• Tulsa World Editorial: Harvard's banning of sororities and fraternities doesn't fix problems of discrimination, sexual assault

If you have questions about Stand Up to Harvard, NPC's support of this effort or other related questions about women's involvement in the lawsuits, please email NPC. 

Please also follow NPC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay informed about Stand Up to Harvard and other important programs and initiatives.

* The term “single-sex” is used throughout the Stand Up to Harvard website and related documents in reference to our organizations that are women’s only. Although each member organization defines "woman" differently, we use "single-sex" in these materials because Title IX uses the term "sex" and these lawsuits use Title IX as a basis for the legal claims.

From the NPC Chairman: Ensuring vibrant, healthy fraternity and sorority communities

When I wrote my first chairman’s message last November, little did I know how prophetic it might prove to be. Now, as I reflect on this past year, the members of the National Panhellenic Conference most certainly have been “facing challenges and embracing opportunities… together.”

During 2017, we identified many challenges, including a plateau in sorority community expansion and a decline in the number of college-aged students, which make up the vast majority of our potential pool for new members. We were also aware of the impacts to the sorority experience from new generational trends for our current members as well as incoming college students.

All of these things were putting pressure on NPC and our member organizations to examine how we work internally and how we work together. Yet, even more challenges lay ahead including student tragedies that would call us to be even more vigilant in fighting against hazing, alcohol abuse and dangerous social cultures on college campuses.

There also was an increase in policy decisions that would restrict the right of students to freely associate and threaten the opportunity for collegians to become sorority members.

NPC faced these challenges head-on and embraced the opportunities laid before us, and we did so with NPC leadership, staff and our 26 member organizations working toward the same objective: To advance the sorority experience together.

Our work began with five strategic priorities:

• Preservation of the sorority experience
• Growth and sustainability
• Conference structure
• Public relations and marketing strategy to promote the sorority experience
• Implementation of the NPC communication plan

With those priorities in mind, we executed the kinds of operational activities that make a difference for our member organizations, College Panhellenics and Alumnae Panhellenics. It’s that combination of strategic planning and operational work that demonstrates our commitment to tackling important issues that impact the Panhellenic community so the sorority experience may thrive now and for generations to come.

NPC’s voice has been heard as we continue efforts to advocate for and preserve the sorority experience. We have taken our message on campus visits, to state legislators and to the steps of Capitol Hill. Working hand in hand with each other and with our fraternity partners we are making a difference on our campuses, in our communities and on the state and national levels.

NPC continues to advocate for the positions we have taken against infringement on the rights of our organizations through conversations with university and college administrators with the purpose of providing education that we want to be partners with our host institutions, but when oversight overreaches, we are proactive in protecting our future.

Continued collaboration with our member organizations, industry partners and higher education administrators will ensure that our sorority and fraternity communities stay vibrant and healthy now and into the future.

Interfraternally,

Carole J. Jones

2017-19 NPC chairman

For more about the work of NPC, please read our latest annual report.

Feature stories in this year's report include NPC's advocacy work, the work of NPC think tanks to address the challenges of today's world, partnerships, College Panhellenic Academy, College Panhellenic projects, Alumnae Panhellenic projects and communications.

Providing resources, finding solutions to improve campus safety

National Campus Safety Awareness Month has been part of the back-to-school public conversation every September since 2008 when it was first approved by Congress. It’s the perfect opportunity for everyone in the fraternity/sorority community to continue the important discussions surrounding sexual violence, student care strategies, hazing, alcohol abuse and dangerous social cultures on college campuses today.

The National Panhellenic Conference has been vocal on the topic of student safety on campuses for many years and is committed to partnering with our student life colleagues to create cultures where students advocate for one another and find sustainable ways to shift the dangerous culture at a faster pace than it was created.

We have been and continue to be committed to providing resources and finding solutions to improve campus safety. Of particular note:

• The NPC Student Safety and Sexual Assault Awareness Special Committee developed the NPC Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Toolkit for our College Panhellenics to use for education purposes and share with other women on campus. The committee also developed the “Real Talk Time: College Panhellenic Sexual Violence Assessment Initiative” program that will be piloted on four campuses this fall.
• The NPC Board of Directors approved a position statement against sexual assault in February 2015.
• NPC continues to participate in social media awareness campaigns like National Campus Safety Awareness Month that are aimed at creating environments of compassion and respect on campus.
• In 2016, NPC joined Texas Woman’s University’s “Cultivating Safe College Campuses: A College Sexual Assault Policy and Prevention Consortium.” This group seeks to establish consistent, effective prevention and response measures to campus sexual assault.
• In November 2017, NPC issued a “Call for Critical Change” in sorority/fraternity life by bringing together leading campus administrators, subject matter experts and sorority leadership to work toward creating opportunities to address critical issues within our Panhellenic communities.
• NPC continues its partnership with “It’s On Us,” an organization that works to educate, engage and empower students and communities across the United States to do something, big or small, to end sexual assault. It has been inspiring to see the creative ways our members, both collegiate and alumnae, have come together to lead the way toward finding value in addressing problematic behaviors.
• In August 2018, the NPC Board of Directors approved a revised Government Relations Platform with one of its focuses on the advancement of student and campus safety.
• Each of the 26 NPC member organizations have their own student safety and advocacy programs and efforts that are supported by NPC through social media and other public relations outlets.

In relation to all of this, Sept. 24-28 is National Hazing Prevention Week, which brings to the forefront that campus safety includes being educated about hazing prevention. NHPW is an opportunity for college campuses, schools, communities, organizations and individuals to raise awareness about the problems of hazing and promote hazing prevention.

Importantly, NPC continues to advocate for state and federal legislation that appropriately defines hazing as a crime and mandates accountability as well as promotes transparency of reporting hazing incidents on college campuses. As we work to advocate and preserve the sorority experience, we are working to prevent the types of campus tragedies we have seen in recent years by educating and supporting our members and giving them confidence to report inappropriate behavior. 

As I have said before: The sorority community can, and must, do its part to create safer campus cultures where students advocate for one another. That is why NPC will continue in its student safety and wellness advocacy work as well as lead efforts to change by bringing together campus professionals and other like-minded organizations and individuals to work toward creating the kind of campus culture we aspire to build everywhere.

Interfraternally,

Carole J. Jones

NPC chairman 2017-19

From the NPC Chairman: Cultivating character on a daily basis

“We as Fraternity Women, stand for service through the development of character inspired by the close contact and deep friendship of individual fraternity and Panhellenic life.” 

 From The Panhellenic Creed

Character is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual. As sorority women and members of the National Panhellenic Conference, we all strive to cultivate positive character traits, and as our collegiate members prepare to return to college campuses across North America, I encourage each of us, as sorority women, to cultivate our character on a daily basis.

As I think about potential new members and what characteristics they look for in the sorority women they meet, the following characteristics come to mind: kindness, humility, honesty, social intelligence and self-control. What characteristics would you add to my list?

On September 26, there is an opportunity to join millions of people around the globe to further cultivate your character by participating in Character Day, a global initiative where school districts, universities, organizations and families of all sizes screen films on the science of character development offered from different perspectives. Resources for planning a Character Day event include short films, discussion materials and a global live cast question and answer session.

View Character Day resources.

Character Day is an advocacy program of Let It Ripple, a California-based film studio that produces mini-documentaries often focuses on social justice issues. NPC was introduced to Let It Ripple through our relationship with Vision 2020. Since 2011, NPC has been a national ally of Vision 2020 and has supported the work of their staff to make equality a national priority through shared leadership among women and men with an initial focus on business and government, where decisions are made, policies set and resources allocated.

Now in its fifth year, Character Day has grown from having 1,500 events in its first year to more than 133,000 events in 125 countries and all 50 states in 2017. I encourage you to learn more by watching this short clip: https://vimeo.com/159254643

To sign up your Panhellenic or organization for Character Day, please click here.

Interfraternally,

Carole Jones

NPC chairman 2017-19

Sample Character Day Resources: 

A poster of The Periodic Table of Character Strengths is included in the free, hands-on discussion kit. Also included in the kit: A deck of 44 conversation cards with discussion guides, questions for all ages and quotes related to the poster.

Promoting the benefits of the sorority experience

When each of us chose to become a member of a fraternal organization, we found lifelong friends, support to excel in studies and opportunities for leadership development and community service. What many of us probably did not expect was the bond rooted in Greek traditions that we not only share with members of our specific fraternity or sorority, but also with members of other fraternal organizations.

There are more than 4 million sorority women and more than 4.5 million fraternity men – that’s a lot of people who share a common bond of sisterhood and brotherhood. Think about those numbers and the networking opportunities! If you are a college student embarking in a summer job or internship, or even beginning your first full-time job after graduation, you are joining a work environment where you no doubt will have the opportunity to network with fellow fraternity and sorority alumni. By talking about your fraternal experiences, you most likely will be opening doors to endless possibilities in career and volunteer opportunities.

I speak from experience. When I interviewed for my first job, the person interviewing me asked about my sorority experience listed on my resume. She shared she was a member of Kappa Delta, and we “clicked” immediately. She hired me on the spot. I’m convinced it’s because we bonded over sorority life.

Whether you joined a fraternal organization two months ago, five years ago or 50 years ago, hopefully, your experience, like mine, was amazing. So, don’t be afraid to tell your story even when it is sometimes hard to be a fraternity or sorority member. Our organizations have become tarnished by heavy alcohol consumption and binge drinking, hazing and lack of responsibilities. The activities of fraternity and sorority members that have led to deaths, mental and physical injury, poor academic achievement and health problems are a contradiction to our rituals and founding principles.

Therefore, we have to have conviction to fight the negative and promote the positive. We are the best public relations we have. When asked why you belong to or are still involved in a sorority, tell them why. Talk about the friendships you’ve made, the experiences and lessons that have helped shape who you are, the skills you’ve developed and the memories you’ve created.

For sorority alumnae, it’s our responsibility and privilege to give collegiate members and young alumnae the assistance they need in building relationships as they seek job opportunities. We should also be telling our sorority stories and sharing our experiences so young women participating in recruitment today will have heard the good news about our organizations or know someone who is a member long before they enter college.

The bond of fraternity and sorority membership is strong. We know it inside our hearts and inside our communities. To ensure others can continue to share in this bond, we must also be strong in telling others about our positive experiences and the benefits of membership we all enjoy.

Interfraternally,

Carole J. Jones

NPC chairman 2017-19