One of the main
reasons that I decided to get involved in Greek life was to be a leader on
campus and find a group of women to connect with. As soon as I was
offered the chance, I became a council member and have been for two+ years now;
that was something that I was interested in from the beginning and have loved
it since. Sororities offer amazing opportunities to directly impact your Greek
chapter and network with talented women across the country. Are you
wanting a particular company position or looking for experience while in
college? Networking with your sisters (both those you
know personally and reaching out to sisters you don’t know yet) can give you an
upper hand in an employment environment.
Whether you’re
interested in a chapter leadership position or would prefer a behind-the-scenes
job (there are many different types of jobs, and benefits too!), being on council
or having an officer’s position are what keeps sorority chapters going.
Your sorority wouldn’t have an incredible Bid Day without your New Member Ed/Membership
chair, and philanthropy events wouldn’t be nearly as
successful without your Philanthropy/Community Service Chair. While the
titles of each position and chain of command varies by chapter and by Greek
organization, the hard work comes directly from those who volunteer their time
to lead within the sorority. New members can get involved, too!
This list provides a
good example of an executive council. Keep in mind that some chapters
don’t necessarily need all potential positions on council, or some may be
appointed officer jobs underneath specific council positions. The basic
positions are the same, even though the title may vary:
•
Chapter President
•
Vice President of [New] Member Education
•
Vice President of Recruitment
•
Vice President of Philanthropy/Community Service
•
Vice President of Housing
•
Vice President of Finance/Treasurer
•
Vice President of Communications (may be known as Public Relations)
•
Vice President of Sisterhood Event Planning
•
Vice President of Administration
•
Vice President of Membership Development
•
Vice President of Operations
•
Secretary
•
Panhellenic Conference Representative
In order to have a
leadership position on council, you typically need to be nominated by someone
else or yourself. In my sorority, we have a “slate” committee of
individuals from each class with our advisory board who are not running for
office; these women discuss who they think would be best for each job for the
chapter overall. This helps in case one position isn’t generating a lot
of interest, to clarify what each position does, and highlight the talents of
individuals who might be better for a different job.
Following nomination,
sometimes you will be expected to make a short (2-minute) speech as to why you would be best for that
position or why you want it. Don’t use this time to bash any of the other
candidates- it just makes you seem insecure and doesn’t showcase positives
about yourself. Be honest and find out what each position is responsible
for! Council officers have to fill out paperwork, be very organized, and
work with the executive council to unite the chapter and relay information to
other sisters. Being on council can be a stressful job, and it’s not one
that you get paid for; however, I think it’s so incredibly rewarding to
directly influence what is going on in my sorority and be responsible for so
much. I’d highly recommend working closely with your alumni advisor in order to come up with the best ideas and take someone
else’s opinion into consideration. Just remember that you are the
one in your position!
When it comes to
being on executive council or having an officer’s position, lead by example. Whether you’re the chapter
president or are in charge of finances, you’re the face of your sorority!
It’s never a good thing when council members are constantly on bad standing
within the chapter, are failing classes, or are huge embarrassments at social
events, because those are elected members who are representing their
sisters. Your leaders should be very responsible and
organized, willing to compromise and hear other’s ideas and opinions, and be
humble (not putting themselves on high pedestals over other members). An
effective, intelligent council must work together; each officer is responsible
to her council and her chapter to do the best job that she possibly can.
It’s perfectly fine to reach out and rely on others for help, so don’t think
that you have to do everything alone! Council must be like a well-oiled
machine, where everyone must do their positions to the best of their
abilities. There’s nothing worse than a sister who comes to council
meetings unprepared with nothing to say, no updates on any upcoming events, and
poorly thought-out ideas (if any). Leadership positions require a lot of
outside work and planning, so don’t take the job if it’s not something that you
can do well. Have faith in yourself and your abilities when running for
office; having my positions within my chapter have probably been my absolute
favorite part about my overall Greek life experience so far, and I’d highly
recommend pursuing it to anyone who is interested. Some council officers
even go on to be Leadership Consultants for their sorority's national headquarters, traveling and meeting
sisters in chapters around the country!
If you're interested
in learning more, do your research and explore council applications for various
universities online! I love this article from Wayne Unger, former President of
Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity at Arizona State University. There are so many amazing reasons to get involved in Greek life;
chapter leadership is a great one for someone who truly loves her sorority and prepares leaders for future positions. Good luck!
