Greek Life Application Essay

Growing up, the idea of becoming an attorney was always appealing to me. I was inspired by my father and grandfather, two fulfilled and passionate attorneys. As I aged, I grew attracted to the complexities of the legal system and the idea of using my voice to advocate for others. However, as I began my undergraduate education, I grappled with uncertainties about following in their footsteps. I decided to continue taking government courses, but vowed to explore other areas of study. I entered my sophomore year feeling lost. Learning virtually due to the pandemic, I feared both the unknown regarding the state of the world and a career in law. It was not until the spring semester, when I was nominated to be the Vice President of Recruitment for

As the new face of the governing body for all sorority chapters at Lafayette, it was my responsibility to take action. After compiling critiques from the greater Lafayette community and observations of my own, I realized that Greek Life as a whole was a deeply flawed system in need of reform. Perhaps the most obvious flaw with Greek Life is that it was built on the foundations of exclusivity with limited focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Greek organizations have historically maintained strict membership criteria catering to white, straight, cisgender, and affluent students, thus creating divisions on campuses and alienating individuals who do not fit said criteria. While Greek Life can create a sense of camaraderie and belonging for members, it is imperative to ensure that these organizations abandon their roots in exclusivity and continue to evolve as inclusive spaces. As VP of Recruitment, I made it my goal to rectify the pervasive exclusivity plaguing sororities and fraternities on

I decided to look into the founding documents to try to amend existing structures that prevented students of different backgrounds from feeling comfortable in these environments. Although the Panhellenic Bylaws and Rules were meant to hold Greek chapters accountable, I found that they were outdated and required extensive revision. First, I implemented a zero tolerance policy regarding discrimination and prejudice during the recruitment period. Next, I changed the gendered language used throughout these documents; by updating the verbiage, we sought to create an environment built on acceptance, where people of all genders could feel safe and welcome. These changes served as the first of many steps toward creating an inclusive space for active and prospective sorority members at Lafayette. My role on the Panhellenic Council taught me not only about the power of bylaws and constitutions, but also about the importance of advocating for my community. It demonstrated that there are pragmatic ways to create change in meaningful ways through law and process, and served as a reminder that long-standing institutions are often imperfect and can benefit from