Information for Families

What Sorority Life Can Offer Your Student

Woman’s Empowerment: One of Panhellenic’s strengths is our ability to help other women realize their potential and encourage them to become the best versions of themselves. By joining a sorority, we hope that your student will graduate with the confidence and knowledge to achieve any goals they set their mind to! The love within the Panhellenic community promotes a positive environment for women from every chapter to support one another. Our community is proud to offer support, love, and empowerment to all of our members.

Leadership and Networking: Through an empowering and connected community there are many opportunities for personal growth and involvement! Joining a Panhellenic Sorority can provide your student with many opportunities, including leadership positions and networking. Every chapter is self-governed, meaning they are led and organized by their own members. Taking a position can help your student develop personal and professional skills they can utilize throughout their life, and will connect them with sisters and alumni that can help them get their foot in the door along with other opportunities! Connecting with the women in one’s chapter along with alumni and Panhellenic sisters can provide your student with the resources and support they need to be successful in their professional career.

Scholarship and Academics: We are students first, and we hold our members to high academic standards. Each chapter has different academic requirements that its members are expected to uphold, which can include study hours, point systems, or a required GPA. Members are also rewarded and recognized for great academic and professional achievements. Sororities offer a platform for chapter members with similar majors to connect with one another, so there are friendly faces across campus and within classes! 

Service and Philanthropy: Each sorority serves an organization that they are passionate about by giving back to the greater community through philanthropy events. Philanthropy events provide a platform for chapters to raise money and awareness for their foundation's cause. Being in a sorority will provide your student with the opportunity to help their chapter and other chapters support their cause by participating in philanthropy events. Some chapters also require community service hours which provide their members the opportunity to go out and serve our local community! 

Sisterhood: Being on such a large campus can be overwhelming, but joining a sorority can help your student find a sense of belonging and a group of forever friends to support them throughout college and beyond. Our sisters are able to bond through their common values and have found a home away from home through their sisterhood. Whether an out-of-state student or if it’s your student’s first time living away from home, joining a sisterhood can help with the transition to college life. Living in the chapter house is a great way to get connected to sisters through a sense of welcome and comfort. Every chapter has a unique set of values that they live by, in addition to the Panhellenic values that connect the community.  

University Involvement: Joining a sorority can further engage your student’s involvement in organizations outside of the Panhellenic community! Your student will be encouraged to connect with other organizations offered by USF and is recommended to seek outside involvement, certifications, and academic enrichment programs. Our Panhellenic members are involved in Student Government, Living Learning Communities, the Honors College, athletic programs, and several other organizations. We seek to promote university engagement and we are proud that members of our community graduate with high emotional attachment to USF as they’ve furthered their campus connections and involvement. 

Membership Expectations!

Housing: Each chapter has its own sorority house located in USF’s Greek Village. Housing requirements vary from chapter to chapter; some chapters have waitlists where sisters sign up to live in the house while others have open spots available for new members! Move-in dates depend on each chapter and the housing requirements/system that they have in place. Housing requirements from 2019 are available on this link, however, it’s important to remember that these could be subject to change in 2024.

Time Commitment: Upon joining a sorority, new members may be required to attend new member meetings where they will learn important information about their chapter and what it means to be a sister of that chapter. Weekly chapter meetings are also held to discuss ongoing and new business within the chapter and the Panhellenic community. There might be additional events such as philanthropy events, sisterhood events, socials, and formals. Some of these may be optional; your student should expect to spend anywhere between 4-8 hours a week with their chapter!

Financial Commitment: As part of membership in a sorority, chapter members pay dues every semester. These dues may cover a wide range of events and activities, as well as national dues and housing fees. During Recruitment, chapters will distribute Financial Transparency Forms, which will outline a breakdown of fees for their specific chapter, new members, members residing in and out of the house, as well as campus fees. Chapters also offer payment plans! You can find further information in regard to chapter dues in the following section!   

Dues

Sorority membership is an investment that will enrich your student’s college experience, as well as provide life-long friendships, numerous opportunities, and a home away from home. Members of each chapter are expected to pay dues that cover a wide range of initiatives and events such as national dues, housing fees, educational programs, sisterhood, and social events. 

Social and Sisterhood Events: Each individual chapter puts together its own social and sisterhood events that are paid for by chapter dues. These events bring sisters together and provide members of each chapter with the opportunity to honor sisterhood. Each chapter offers a variety of different sisterhood activities, retreats, and events; this could be boat days, escape rooms, goat yoga, painting, roller skating, you name it!

Leadership Conferences: Your student will have the opportunity to take on leadership roles in their chapter and in the Panhellenic Community. Certain positions may give your student the chance to go to national or local conferences located across the state and country. These conferences connect student leaders together to develop and further personal and professional skills that can be utilized throughout their life.     

Programming: Each chapter chooses to provide a number of academic, service, and professional development programs throughout the year for their respective members. These programs can include resume workshops, job/interview help, time management tips, budgeting skills, and new service opportunities on campus and in the community.