“I Joined a Sorority, so That Helped a Lot . . .”: The Centrality of Black Greek Organizational Membership for Black Students and Alumni at a Rural PWI

Abstract

After realizing drops in Black student enrollment at a rural, public, liberal arts institution, we utilized a mixed methods approach, including secondary data analysis and Black alumni interviews, to understand the impact of these changes. We discovered, consistent with previous research, that for many alumni, their membership in a National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organization was central to their satisfaction with their college experience and that their connections to the campus post-graduation were often also facilitated by this membership. In addition, alumni were very aware of the change in campus racial composition over time and noted the impact it had on the health and well-being of their college chapters.