Deja Williams | Staff Writer 
As a part of this year’s Homecoming festivities, N.C. State’s National Pan-Hellenic Council hosted a stroll off event that featured stepping from members of Divine Nine Chapters at N.C. State and the surrounding community. Though it is typically the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of a Divine Nine Chapter, black Greek organizations do far more than stroll and step.
On Monday, the Mu Omicron Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. hosted its annual Gift Wrapping Party, with the gifts collected during the event going to the Garner Road Community Center. As one of the Greek organizations that makes up NPHC, this program was just one of the many that Afrikan American Greek organizations host as a part of their commitment to brotherhood and sisterhood, scholarship, leadership, and service.
With N.C. State serving as home to seven active chapters of the nine sororities and fraternities that make up NPHC, Greek life has deep roots in its Afrikan American community.
The Eta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was the first NPHC organization to charter on N.C. State’s campus on April 7th, 1971. Daniel Stradford a senior majoring in computer engineering is a member of the Eta Omicron chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha. Stradford is a strong believer in the importance of Greek organizations on campus. “I think Greek Life is the heart beat of the African American community on campus. A lot of what is expected of minority students is directly related to the Greek community, and therefore we are held to a higher standard,” said Stradford.
At N.C. State, 55 percent of Greek organization members have a grade point average higher than the average student body GPA. Ebony Baldwin, a senior majoring in biochemistry, is a member of the Kappa Omicron Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She feels her decision to pledge AKA was one of the best she could have made.
“Personally since being involved in AKA I have grown as individual,” said Baldwin. I learned how to be a better sister, worker, and leader. I’ve learned that things go beyond myself.”
While Greek life on campus is extremely important she still feels that there is room for growth. “Overall I think Greek life has a positive image on campus, however, there is always room for improvements. People who are involved in Greek life are leaders both on campus and in the classroom,” said Baldwin.
“Work still needs to be done a s far as cohesion and organization is concerned,” added Stradford, “but overall, Greeks have shown flashes and more importantly, have shown improvement towards reaching that full potential I definitely feel more of a sense of unity between organizations than in the past. It has become a goal for NPHC organizations to move away from stereotypical norms and work towards creating a unified bond.”
