My travels as NPC chairman take me to different campuses, conferences and celebrations. Recently, I attended the 100th anniversary celebration for the Jacksonville Alumnae Panhellenic Association. This special event attracted more than 120 women who came together to share stories and celebrate friendship beyond badges. This is the beauty of sisterhood when we reach beyond the confines of our own member organizations and embrace the fact that we all share common values and ideals as women that inspire us to lead lives of high purpose. We can accomplish so much more when we pool our resources, our talent and our time as a unified coalition of sorority women.
In 1915, the Jacksonville Alumnae Panhellenic was the first organization in Florida to raise funds for scholarships that would benefit women. To put things into perspective, the Alumnae Panhellenic was fully functioning as a women’s-only organization before the 19th amendment was passed. These ambitious women sold tickets to literary plays and hosted rummage sales to raise money to give other women educational opportunities. Sorority alumnae in Jacksonville were driven to make a difference in the lives of others.
The efforts of the Jacksonville Alumnae Panhellenic continue today. At the anniversary event, a $3,500 scholarship was presented to a deserving young woman at a nearby university. The recipient thanked those in attendance, acknowledging how inspired she was to be in a room with such an impressive group of sorority women who supported her academic pursuits. This young woman’s life was enriched because of the shared commitment demonstrated by sorority women in the Jacksonville Alumnae Panhellenic.
Indeed our own lives are enriched by other women who serve as mentors or offer support in times of need. For the love of sisterhood, reach out to another sorority woman and tell her how she has enriched your life.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all of my Panhellenic friends!
When we recognize common values that we share as sorority women, we stand strong. NPC encourages our women to promote the true worth and ability of all women in every setting.
In his book, “Eight Habits of the Heart” Clifton Taulbert outlines timeless values that build strong communities. These habits are a nurturing attitude, dependability, responsibility, friendship, brotherhood (sisterhood), high expectations, courage and hope. Of the eight habits of the heart, the one habit that Mr. Taulbert cites as critical to a good community is brotherhood (sisterhood).
“Brotherhood (sisterhood) is the habit that reaches beyond comfortable relationships to extend a welcome to those who may be different from yourself.”
Our ritual and rich heritage as women’s-only organizations embody these habits and practices on a daily basis. History tells us that our founders and early leaders united against the critics and rallied to advance the academic opportunities for women. Without email or Twitter these courageous women knew how to build communities. All of our NPC member organizations were established out of similar needs and for similar purposes. These similarities unite us today as our efforts continue to protect and preserve the rights we are afforded as women’s-only organizations.
We are beneficiaries of timeless values that our founders etched out in the form of ritual. These ideals and expectations are bestowed in love and trust by those who have gone before us and passed down through the generations.
While our challenges today may appear different from our predecessors’, we are called to lead with integrity and uphold our high standards. We do this in part by adhering to the Unanimous Agreements and policies as endorsed and ratified by all 26 member organizations.
Women nurturing women is at the heart of what we do. Recognizing friendship beyond badges allows us to stand strong and defend what others fought so hard to create.
In a sign of solidarity, with hearts united, join sorority women around the globe who will be wearing their badges on March 2 for International Badge Day.
