What is Panhellenic?
1.
The National Panhellenic Conference exists to promote the values of and to serve as an advocate for its member groups in collaboration with those members, campuses and communities.
The National Panhellenic Conference provides support and guidance for its 26 member inter-national sororities/women’s fraternities and serves as the national voice on contemporary issues of sorority life. Founded in 1902, NPC is one of the oldest and largest women’s membership organizations representing more than 3.9 million women at 655 college/university campuses and 4,500 local alumnae chapters in the U.S. and Canada. Each year, NPC-affiliated collegians and alumnae donate more than $5 million to worthy causes, provide $2.8 million in scholarships to women and volunteer 500,000 hours in their communities.
Also thought to be the all-incompassing "governing body" of many international sororities, Panhellenic (as it is more commonly known) sets the standards as to how members should conduct themselves and their organizations. As a rule many sororities or female fraternities are not considered legitmate or substantial if they are not members of Panhellenic. Women take pride in being members of Panhellenic as they should. On some campuses, local sororities may take part in rush, but are not technically Panhellenic sororities. These local sororities are typically smaller and not as strong as they do not have the national backing of a larger organization.
National Panhellenic Conference is not to be confused with "Pan-hellenic" a governing body for typically African-American sororities. "Pan-hellenic" is a completely separate organization, that although similar in name, is not affliated with NPC.
Although Panhellenic is technically a national organization, every college and university with a Greek system will typically (though not always) have a Panhellenic council on campus. Members of Panhellenic sororities are elected from individual houses to serve on this governing body. Ex: President,VP of recruitment etc.
Some Panhellenic sororities include, but are not limited to: Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Phi, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Omicron Pi,Gamma Phi Beta, Delta Gamma, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Zeta, Zeta Tau Alpha, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta,Kappa Delta, Pi Beta Phi, Phi Mu, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Sigma Kappa, and Chi Omega.
Petunia: Are you going to rush that local sorority, Sigma Beta Gamma ?
Daphne: No, I don't think so, they aren't Panhellenic,who knows how they treat their pledges, I really don't want to be hazed!
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