A new chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority will be forming at Stetson in the fall, making it the university’s only National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) member on campus. NPHC is the umbrella organization for the nine historically African American sororities and fraternities, which are also commonly known as the “Divine Nine.”

For the past year, Stetson has partnered with the national offices of each of the NPHC sororities to help make this possible. As an important part of that process, an interest group of students was formed and advised by the office of Fraternity & Sorority Involvement. The interest group, which refers to itself as “SWANS” (Sister With A Noble Stance, pictured left), is comprised of several bright, service-minded and engaged women who worked to create this experience while also giving back to the local community.

The student presidents of SWANS (Nicole Davis), the Inter-Fraternity Council (Jeremy Goldberg), and the Panhellenic Council (Cayman Calabro) all served as key student representatives on the university’s expansion committee, which made the final selection of Sigma Gamma Rho.

“Fraternity & Sorority Involvement is thankful for Stetson’s commitment to inclusion and the full support we have received in this effort from all levels during this process,” said Nate Burke, assistant director of Fraternity & Sorority Involvement. “We are pleased to provide this unique and much-needed opportunity for our students, and to reconnect this layer of Greek culture and history back to the Stetson community.”

The new chapter will begin hosting information sessions after the conclusion of the formal sorority recruitment weekend in September. For more information on Sigma Gamma Rho, visit the national website. For more information about the Stetson chapter, check for updates on the Fraternity & Sorority Involvement website.