Female panelists discuss what it means to be Greek

The panel is at noon Tuesday as part of Women's History Month.

By Gabrielle Lipton

Published March 19, 2010

The question of what it means for women to be Greek will be discussed at the Women In Greek Letter Organizations event March 23.

The event is part of Women's History Month and will take place at noon in the Center for Social Justice lounge.

Greek Life Coordinator Julie Drury will ask a panel of women questions about the role Greek organizations have played in their lives, as well as briefly covering the history and founding of women's fraternities and sororities.

Drury said sororities offer leadership, support and lifelong commitment — important qualities the panelists will attest to.

Cindy Mustard, executive director of Voluntary Action Center, is a recognized figure in Columbia for her services to the community and will be on the panel Tuesday. With relatives who have been involved in Greek Life at MU since the 1890s, Mustard, a Kappa Kappa Gamma, has strong connections to the Greek Life community and plans to discuss the leadership and support opportunities Greek Life organizations offer. These include everything from scholarships to alumni networks to national conventions.

"It's the help you get and the support you get for education, your own personal life," Mustard said. "Once you're a member, there's national support and local support if you need it."

Other panelists include former Panhellenic Association President Diamond Scott, Director of Academic Retention Services Linda Garth and MU alumna Rebecca Jones. Drury intends to have diversity among panelists to show how involvement in sororities spans demographics and shapes lives.

"Usually when you say 'Greek women,' a certain image pops up in your mind," said Suzy Day, Student Services adviser at the MU Women's Center. "We wanted to bring (the panelists) in to talk about the history and the purpose and the good things they are doing on this campus."

The Women's Center is a member of the Women's History Month Committee, and Day said through showing the diversity that exists in Greek Life organizations they hope to dispel any stereotypes that exist.

"I think that what you see on TV and in movies doesn't represent the leadership opportunities that are given in sororities," Drury said.

These opportunities include leadership positions within houses, around campus and in communities both during and after college.

The support networks that emerge post-college graduation are big benefits of Greek Life organizations, and connecting with older Greek Life alumni can help in finding a jobs and places to live.

"It's that lifetime network and support," Drury said. "They're national and international organizations, so no matter where you go you can connect with someone who has the same background."

The event seeks to inform and educate to help paint a more accurate picture about why sororities came to be and what their real goals are.

"They were very focused on academics, women's rights and, again, that bond of being there for each other when everyone else was against them," Drury said. "I think that's something that sororities provide — that support of helping an individual do what they want to do and being able to do it successfully."

The event is one of many put on for Women's History Month, and, to get more involved, students can visit the Women's Center's Web site and submit questions and comments regarding the month's events.