Two members of National Pan-Hellenic Council sororities at Mississippi State University will serve as members of National Panhellenic Council’s Gamma Chi program during 2012 fall rush.
Palara Grant and Jefflyn Wallace, both members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., an NPHC sorority, were chosen to work with NPC sorority members as Gamma Chis, a group of women that assists with recruitment for the NPC sororities. This is the first time NPHC members have been a part of the Gamma Chis at MSU.
Casey Arbuckle, NPC president, said women chosen for Gamma Chi should be able to be a mentor for students participating in NPC recruitment.
“We are looking for women who can help these girls have a good time and enjoy the week but also help these girls if they are experiencing different pressures or emotions,” she said. “We also look for girls who have a sense of Greek unity, who are excited for the Greek community as a whole.”
Heidie Lindsey, associate director of Colvard Student Union and head of the Office of Greek Life, said Grant and Wallace went through the same process as other applicants for Gamma Chi and no rules or policy changes were made for the NPHC women.
“Any woman who is a member of a sorority can try out for Gamma Chi. We were very excited to see interest from NPHC this year,” she said. “They went through the same selection process as every other sorority woman, and they excelled and were selected.”
Arbuckle said after completing training with other Gamma Chi members, Grant and Wallace will each lead a group of potential new members through the process of NPC rush during the fall recruitment week.
Grant said she thinks she and Wallace will bring the same traits and values as the other women to Gamma Chi.
“We are caring, dependable, outgoing and personable,” she said. “Both councils share a common bond: our love for being Greek and the realization of the value and importance of new members.”
She said she hopes this experience will help NPHC members and NPC members to respect each other and interact more as a Greek community.
“The more we identify the similarities and understand the differences, the more we will learn to appreciate and respect what each council does for MSU and the Starkville community,” Grant said.
Arbuckle said she, along with Interfraternity Council President Taylor Reed and NPHC President Tabora Cook, have been working toward a goal of Greek unity at MSU.
“We are extremely excited this year to have interest from NPHC women,” she said. “Tabora, Taylor and I have had this interest as presidents to bridge the gap between all three councils.”
Grant said she hopes her involvement in Gamma Chi will act as a stepping stone for more integration between the Greek councils.
“We hope to serve as a liaison between the councils, and perhaps more collaboration will come from this experience,” she said.
Arbuckle said she is hopeful the involvement of NPHC women in Gamma Chi will help the two councils learn more about each other and work together in the future.
“We think this is an awesome step forward to bridging the gap by bringing NPHC and NPC women together and working together for one goal and purpose,” she said.
Lindsey said while there are other ways the councils have worked together, they have generally been on a smaller scale, such as buying tickets for one another’s events.
“The fact that the collaboration can happen when it comes to recruitment, it just feels like we’ve taken it to a new level,” she said.
The University of Southern Mississippi has also had NPHC members participate in Gamma Chi in the past, and Arbuckle said she is excited MSU will also have this experience.
“I think it’s huge for MSU, and I am very proud to be of this group who is making history here and to be one of the first few schools to do something like this,” she said.