Reporter: Jordan Guidry
Editor: Rei Tedoco
PHOENIX, Ariz. - The National Pan-Hellenic Council, (NPHC), or Divine 9 have been able to create a community for students of color who attend a predominantly white institution. Going to a predominately white institution, students of color need an outlet and a community to feel a part of and express themselves.
The different National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations include Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, Omega Psi Phi fraternity, Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, Zeta Phi Beta sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho sorority, and Iota Phi Theta fraternity.
The National Pan-Hellenic Council provides a community for students of color and allows them to find their own space and culture at this institution.
That sense of belonging to a community was greatly summarized by Internal Vice President, Tobi Aluko, said the effects he's seen the National Pan-Hellenic Council have on students of color.
“The sense of belonging to brotherhood or sisterhood and having a great college experience. It gives them something to do and some type of purpose in college,” Aluko said.
The sense of community that students of color gain from the National Pan-Hellenic Council is having a sense of brotherhood/sisterhood and gaining advice and guidance from alumni about being successful in this world.
The National Pan-Hellenic Council offers brotherhood and sisterhood but there are also some effects with the way students hold themselves on campus. There's more pride brought out of students because of their involvement in the different organizations within the National Pan-Hellenic Council.
President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Jasmine Rawles said her perspective of the effects that the National Pan-Hellenic Council has had on students of color who attend ASU.
“It boosts up your level of confidence because you feel more connected with your people. Yes I have friends in my other orgs but they are not my sister and they are not as close as me and my sorority sisters are,” Rawles said.
Community isn’t the only impact that the National Pan-Hellenic Council has done to students of color at Arizona State but there has also been culture represented through step shows.
Students of any race are welcomed to watch different National Pan-Hellenic organizations perform different step dances to repreen their fraternity and to separate their community from other fraternity and sororities on campus.
The step show is an amazing opportunity for students to see how the National Pan-Hellenic organizations are different from any other organization on campus and how their traditional step routine shows the world the culture that lies within the African American fraternity and sorority life.
The National Pan-Hellenic organizations have created their impact with students of color through embracing the culture through step shows and showing the University how proud they are to be a part of their community. While also impacting students of color by offering them a community and giving students the opportunity to be a part of a brotherhood/sisterhood.
Shifting from the current members of the National Pan-Hellenic organizations and their impact on the students of color who attend a predominately white institution, there are also the alumni that help provide guidance to current members.
The alumni offer advice to young African American men and women in the National Pan-Hellenic organization about what to expect going into the world as a person of color and what to expect in careers.
The impact the National Pan-Hellenic organizations has had on students has been big but the current members have been affected as well and without joining the different organizations, current members would have had a different experience attending a predominantly white institution.
President of the National Pan Hellenic Council, Jasmine Rawles would have had a different experience attending a predominantly white institution if she hadn’t joined one of the organizations.
“Definitely would have transferred. If I hadn’t joined or gotten involved in the community I would’ve just transferred and I wouldn’t carry myself the same way in the sense of confidence and respect I do now,” Rawles said.
The NPHC community is a gateway for students of color who feel as if they’re not recognized at predominately white institutions. The National Pan-Hellenic Council is to see the perspective of different students and alumni of color and listen/read their stories about being a part of their own community at a predominately white institution.
Looking at the events the NPHC holds with the step shows along with the community being built within their own communities, students of color have an outlet to be a part of a community with the students who look like them and strive to achieve greatness in the future.
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