STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Follow your interests. In order to do that, you have to keep your passions alive. You have to feed your flame and work very hard to protect it from the harsh judgment of naysayers, critics, discouragers, underminers and most of all, your own self-doubt.

-- Patricia Harrison, “A Seat at the Table”

Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting -- and a sorority woman -- stresses keys to success in her timeless book that serves as a guide for female leaders. Harrison’s successful career can be attributed to her ability to establish a network of women. She notes that women have a great deal to contribute in business, government and communities. She says, “With planning and thinking, focus and commitment, women can take their place at the table of their choice.”

But success takes a willingness to overcome fear. There is no substitute for women helping women. Sororities serve as mentoring groups, and our mentors encourage young alumnae to keep their passions alive and help develop personal networks.

More than 60,000 sorority women in NPC member organizations will graduate this spring. A lifetime of sisterhood awaits these graduates as they begin a new chapter in their lives. The sorority membership experience will indeed serve them well.

An independent survey released by Gallup Education found that college graduates who are fraternity and sorority members fare better than all other college graduates in a variety of long-term outcomes. The index study of more than 30,000 college graduates released in 2014 was designed to measure the relationship between the college experience and the five essential elements of well-being. Overall, the sorority experience translates into graduates who are more likely to be engaged in the workplace; more loyal to their alma mater; and more prepared for life after college.

There is more justification to the sorority experience, however. Research indicates a set of core competencies that graduates need as part of the 21st century skill set to be socially adept. Guided team projects and clubs/organizations help build these skills through the following opportunities:

• Interact effectively with others. The sorority setting teaches this skill and goes one step further by providing an intergenerational component to the interaction by virtue of alumnae advisors.
• Respond open-mindedly to various perspectives. A sorority chapter promotes the type of environment where ideas are shared and issues are debated as a learning laboratory. People learn from other people when the lens of another perspective is considered.
• Leverage differences and strengths of others in order to foster innovation. Sororities encourage committee work whereby members learn the benefit of teamwork and collaboration that ultimately results in positive outcomes.

There are more indicators that sorority membership adds value to the college experience. As part of NPC’s commitment to preserve the single-sex exemption in Title IX, it commissioned a task force last year to study the benefits of single-sex status. A white paper on this subject will be disseminated soon. Research compiled by this NPC task force reinforces the notion that women flourish in women’s-only educational settings where they feel empowered, inspired and supported.

Amid co-educational academic settings, sororities provide a safe place where women find there is connection with peers and a great sense of belonging. This instills confidence and allows for good growth. Overall, there are many benefits to women banding together.

The beauty of the sorority experience is that it does not end when the graduate receives her diploma. There are nearly 4,000 alumnae associations distributed among the 26 NPC member organizations. Young alumnae can find instant connections through new friends in sorority alumnae organizations and reap the benefits that come from female mentors.

Best wishes to all of our sorority women graduates. Seek to have a voice that makes a difference, and enjoy the sorority journey as part of your lifetime commitment.

Resources:

• Fraternities and Sororities: Understanding Life Outcomes, Gallup Research Study
• “Generation on a Tightrope: A Portrait of Today’s College Student,” Arthur Levine and Diane R. Dean
• “21st Century Skills,” Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel
• “A Seat at the Table,” Patricia Harrison