Message From the Chairman: The Message of Sorority

One only has to watch a morning talk show, view the national news, read a magazine or scan a newspaper to see that sororities and fraternities are under the microscope and often the subject of interest for the general public. At the core of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) mission and vision, we advocate for the sorority experience. NPC takes seriously the challenges posed by the press and public opinion. With a professional staff and legion of volunteers, advancing a positive message centered on the benefits of sorority membership defines our initiatives and work. Gathering data to support and validate the sorority experience is ongoing. Plus, it’s a priority to engage public relations experts to help us build relationships with the media and most effectively frame, craft and articulate NPC messaging.

As NPC chairman, I log long hours in airports and on airplanes. We all know “the dance” when sitting in your seat: engage in small talk, start browsing on an electronic device or close your eyes hoping to nod off. Years ago, I challenged myself to alter my routine and tell the story of “sorority” to seatmates willing to listen. In truth, some conversations are easier than others, because people can be interested and receptive. Others come with preconceived ideas and negative stereotypes often formulated by bad press about the sorority experience.

My story is just one in a tapestry of narratives unique to each sorority woman. For more than 150 years, sorority women have been sharing their stories and advocating for the sorority experience. In a fast-paced society that expects explanation and validation as to why sororities add value to a campus and to a woman’s life, sharing our experiences does make a difference. The importance of communicating stories directly impacts the broader discussion, especially when we face negativity fueled by public opinion. Inspire yourself to share your sorority story by taking three minutes to watch the video below. 

Speaking up and sharing the sorority story, coupled with NPC’s commitment to advocate and advance sororities through factual and grounded messaging, drives the narrative necessary when we address adversity or enjoy prosperity. To all sorority women, thank you for sharing your stories. And to our publics, thank you for listening. 

Interfraternally,

Donna C. King
Chairman 2015-17

Our Commitment in the Fight Against Hazing

By Donna C. King, chairman 2015-17

For those that have closely followed the news out of Penn State University this spring, the details of the tragic death of Timothy Piazza have been both shocking and heartbreaking. Words cannot adequately express the extent of the tragedy; put simply, a community that exists to support and nurture young people fell devastatingly short of its goals and ideals.

While the events that led to Tim’s death may have taken place in a fraternity, the changes needed to keep them from happening again require that all of us take action. This has been, and continues to be, our message with the leadership at Penn State University and on campuses throughout the U.S. and Canada.

With the unanimous support of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Board of Directors — as affirmed at our recent meeting — we stand ready to work closely with Penn State as the campus implements changes in its community. And as that process unfolds, it is essential that we ensure the community-wide engagement required to make sure the reforms are successful. Only when we work together can we transcend this tragedy to create a stronger, safer and more supportive campus community.

As one of the world’s largest organizations advocating for women, NPC has long been a part of the fight against hazing. We stand committed to addressing this pervasive problem arm in arm with our campus partners and other collegiate organizations.

In 2014, NPC stated its strong position against hazing and voiced its support for anti-hazing initiatives that engage and empower students to enact positive change and meaningful reform within our community. Hazing undermines the values and ideals of sorority and fraternity life, and serves as a detriment to our ultimate goal of building strong, independent and engaged leaders on college and university campuses.

Today it is more crucial than ever that we reiterate this position, affirming our commitment to thoughtful, substantive partnerships with institutions of higher education where any of our 26 member organizations are recognized. NPC’s utmost priority is the safety of our students, and through transparency, collaboration and advocacy, we hope and believe, we can create campus cultures that reflect our shared goals and ideals – and, most important, keep students safe.

The men who support sorority

Not often would the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) chairman write about men, considering she leads a women’s organization. It’s possible that this organization is long overdue in recognizing and acknowledging the vast network of men who have served and currently serve as allies, advocates and supporters of the sorority membership experience. In fact, in the late 1800s it was a male professor of Latin, and not a woman, who felt the word “fraternity” was inappropriate for a group of ladies and coined the term “sorority,” the more commonly used terminology today for women’s fraternal organizations.  A lesser-known fact is the working relationship and allied partnerships that exist between men’s fraternities and women’s sororities outside of college social and philanthropic events. Partnerships are forged to develop educational programming and initiatives, opportunities are provided for learning through leadership institutes and most important, collaboration on current issues impacting our members is the priority. NPC and the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), representing 69 men’s organizations, lead by example in the collaborative partnership and friendship they share. To our many partners representing the men’s organizations, we are most appreciative and say thank you.  One might think advancing and advocating for sororities is exclusive to female executives and staff at the headquarters of the 26 inter/national NPC organizations. That is not the case. Men serve NPC organizations in a variety of staff roles including executive leadership, technology, risk management, financial management, programming, media and public relations. The perspective these men bring to the business of sorority is valued, respected and central to the ongoing work of the women’s organizations. To these valued professionals, we offer a resounding thank you for your service and commitment to advocacy for the sorority experience. And to our most ardent supporters, during the month of June in recognition of Father’s Day, we salute the multitude of grandfathers, dads, husbands, brothers, uncles and sons who unselfishly support their granddaughters, daughters, wives, mothers, sisters and nieces in pursuit of the sorority membership experience. In my own family, dad always supported and encouraged my mom’s tireless volunteer service and burst with pride when sharing with others the leadership opportunities afforded his daughters through their sorority. Like my dad did for the women in his family, the Coachella Valley Alumnae Panhellenic has a legion of men supporting its members: the “Panhellenic Honey Doers,” more fondly referred to as Ph.Ds.  Thank you, in a special and unique way, to the men out there who advance sorority with us!  Interfraternally,

Donna C. King
Chairman 2015-17

Message From the Chairman: The legacy of sorority

The month of May provides an opportunity to pay tribute to mothers and the legacies they leave, as well as the legacy of others. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines legacy as, “something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor.” Women’s sororities capture the definition of the word legacy, encompassing both the spirit of the dictionary definition and the timeless tradition of paying forward the heritage of sorority membership from one generation to the next. For sororities, a legacy may include mother to daughter, grandmother to granddaughter, aunt to niece, sister to sister and so forth. I am just that, a legacy! My mother, sister and I share the same membership legacy through our national sorority. This familial practice of sharing history, founding principles and values has greatly affected and contributed to the continued growth of inter/national sororities. Is a sorority legacy restricted to membership in her ancestral sorority? The answer is no. Is membership in an inter/national women's sorority composed only of legacies? Again, the answer is no. Many families share the gift of sorority membership through Panhellenic ties. See the story of one such family’s experience, featured on Page 28 of “Themis” of Zeta Tau Alpha. Why share the story of legacy and legacies? While in Washington, D.C., recently with more than 200 sorority and fraternity alumni and collegians, each of us was asked to articulate the value and benefits of our membership while lobbying on behalf of the fraternal community. Defending the right to exist as single-gender (women and men's) organizations, the right to associate, to provide safe spaces and housing for our youngest members — all this is possible only because of the legacy of lifelong membership, passed down in some cases from generation to generation. A lifetime membership is grounded in the rich and intentional founding principles and values of each sorority and fraternity.   Leaving a legacy, being a legacy and sharing a legacy is a rich testament to the sorority experience. Join me in honoring the decades of legacy of others to sorority, and those today who advocate tirelessly on behalf of the sorority experience. And happy Mother’s Day to all sorority women who are mothers and to the moms who support their daughters in their sorority membership. Interfraternally,   Donna C. King Chairman 2015-17

College Panhellenic Spotlight: College of William & Mary

Tips for completing NPC awards application

By Julia Boge, William & Mary College Panhellenic president

Starting the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) awards process can seem daunting at first, but it doesn’t have to be! Use these easy tips to make it easier.

Photo Courtesy of Greek Yearbook

1. Start early. Don’t leave the questions until the last minute or until your classes are over. It is much more efficient to do this while your executive board is still together to confer and bounce ideas off each other.
2. Break up the awards packet into sections based on executive board positions. For example, your vice president of programming can prepare information for the programming section, the president can fill out the communication with NPC area advisor section, and the recruitment officer can write up the details for the recruitment section. Having other officers provide what they know best takes the responsibility to do everything off the president, and it makes sense to have each position write about their contributions.
3. Write everything down. While that Sunday afternoon program about landing an internship might not seem like a big deal at the time, it is! Your council is doing great things and deserves to be recognized. So, even if it seems like a small program or even if attendance is low, write it down anyway.
4. Pay attention to the due dates and set your own. Don’t fill out every question in the awards packet only to realize that you’ve missed the deadline! Pay attention to that June 1 date and make sure you have everything finished beforehand. It is also helpful to set an earlier date for your executive board to fill out each section. If the president or another member of the board is reviewing it, she’ll need at least a week for that process.
5. Have fun! You’re doing great things as a College Panhellenic council. This is your time to sit down and pat yourselves on the back. It should be an exciting time to reflect on the year your council has had and hopefully be rewarded for it.

Message From the Chairman: Volunteering - The Heart of Sorority Membership

At age 90, my role model and mentor continues to provide volunteer service to her community, church and sorority. A dedicated and selfless volunteer for well over 70 years with humble beginnings in eastern Montana, she can still be found distributing lunches to small children, butter and cheese to seniors, and coffee on Sunday morning to parishioners. She is … my mom.

Scientific studies have shown that individuals who volunteer enjoy both physiological and physical health benefits including greater satisfaction, improved sense of belonging, lower blood pressure and decreased mortality. More than 62 million Americans — one quarter of the adult population — contribute approximately 8 billion hours yearly to causes close to their hearts. In honor and celebration of the many people who generously give of their time and resources, April is designated National Volunteer Month and April 23-29 National Volunteer Week, specifically.

National Volunteer Week has a history in Canada dating back to World War II, when women were celebrated for their part in supporting the war effort on the home front. In 1974, then U.S. President Richard Nixon signed a Presidential Proclamation establishing National Volunteer Week. Annually, the sitting president issues a special proclamation in honor of volunteers.

The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), and its 26 women’s organizations salute the contributions of countless women volunteers — those individuals who mobilize men and women to take action and those who give countless hours to make a difference in their communities and the world. Consider:

• Ruth Colvin, Kappa Delta Sorority, founder of the Literacy Volunteers of America, now part of ProLiteracy.
• Nancy Brinker, Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority, founder of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
• Ginny Carroll, Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity, founder of the Circle of Sisterhood.

Volunteer service is at the heart of the sorority membership experience. In 2015-16 collectively, the 26 inter/national NPC sororities reported nearly 3 million hours of member volunteer service in support of nonprofit organizations. To operate their organizations, a volunteer base of approximately 46,000 women work daily in partnership with professional staffs to support the sororities and their members. The opportunities are countless for women, and the contributions made are immeasurable in terms of economic impact and resources.

Thank you to all who volunteer from 90 to 19 and younger. Consider the possibilities within your community to seek out ways to engage, step up, share your skills and experience the satisfaction of volunteering to make a difference.

Interfraternally,

Donna C. King
Chairman 2015-17

I Wear a Badge: Susan Shannon Engeleiter, Delta Gamma

The theme for Women’s History Month in 2017 is “Honoring Trailblazing Women in Business and Labor.” Throughout March, we’ll be sharing the stories of sorority women who made history in these areas. The efforts of these sorority women advance the cause of all women, and we are grateful for their efforts.

From Data Recognition Corporation (credit)

Meet Susan Shannon Engeleiter: CEO of Data Recognition Corporation (DRC), first woman to hold the position of administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, and a proud sorority woman.

Engeleiter was initiated into the Omega chapter of Delta Gamma at the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 1970 where she studied English and communications. She later earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

After completing her law degree, Engeleiter entered politics and became the youngest woman, at age 22, to ever have been elected to serve in a state legislature in the United States. She was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 1980, where she served as the assistant minority leader from 1982-84, and as minority leader from 1984-89. Engeleiter ran for a U.S. Senate seat in 1988, but was defeated by a narrow margin.

In 1989, President George H.W. Bush nominated her as the administrator of the Small Business Administration. She was the first woman in history to hold this title, and served in the position until 1991. During her term as administrator, Engeleiter was also appointed chairwoman of the National Women’s Business Council. From 1991-96 she served on the President’s Export Council.

She worked for Honeywell International Inc. as the vice president of government affairs leading the Honeywell Home and Business Control business and working on legislative and regulatory initiatives to support the organization’s goals. Engeleiter joined DRC as the president and chief operating officer in 1998, and was promoted to her current role as CEO and president of the company in 2006. As the leader of DRC she manages 12 locations, 650 full-time employees and 5,000 seasonal employees who provide education, survey and document services to clients throughout the U.S.

References:

• Data Recognition Corporation (n.d.) Susan Shannon Engeleiter. Retrieved from http://www.datarecognitioncorp.com/Pages/Leadership%20Bios/Susan-Engeleiter.aspx
• Data Recognition Corporation (2006, December 11). DRC names Susan Engeleiter chief executive officer and president. [Press release]. Retrieved from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/drc-names-susan-engeleiter-chief-executive-officer-and-president-56108012.html
• Executive profile: Susan Shannon Engeleiter. (n.d.) Bloomberg. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=12736233&privcapId=4299160&previousCapId=4299160&previousTitle=Data%20Recognition%20
  Corporation
• Susan Engeleiter. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 1, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Engeleiter