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Originally Posted by Kansas City
The diversity at UGA thread got me thinking … for those GCers who had the desire and/or opportunity to consider both NPHC and NPC/IFC organizations as a collegiate member, how did you make the decision to join the council (and/or organization chapter) that you eventually chose?
The campus that I attended and now advise at could be described as a small, mid-western, “white bread”, rural farm community. There are only two “D9” chapters on campus (one sorority and one fraternity) each having probably less than eight members at any one time. There are currently no recognized Hispanic or Asian GLOs. On the other hand there are six NPCs and ten IFCs with a fairly active and positive image of “Greek Life”. It would seem to me that a minority or bi-racial student attending my school might have to make a choice between being hugely active as a collegiate member on campus (and maybe an active alumni) -- or -- focusing on other endeavors (sports, major, etc.) as a collegiate then striving to become an active alumni member following graduation. I just don’t see the NPHC chapters being very active collegiate members on my campus by comparison to the NPC/IFC chapters.
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KC, I can only answer the question from the prospect of being a Bi-racial child. Both my brother and I are bi-racial and we both pledged a NPHC fraternity and sorority (he pledged APA and I DST). When we were given the opportunity to go to college, we were and weren't given a choice as to which school to go to. She told us that if we went to a PWI we'd have to pay and if we went to an HBCU she'd pay. That was the choices that were presented to us. She felt that she wanted us to get a different experience in life than what she had at the time (she went to a PWI).
I know for me, because I was raised around my mother and her family, I only knew about one "set" of people, I never knew about my father's side of the family or about his culture (but that is a different story in of itself).
Where we went to school (he at PVAMU and me at TC in Alabama) I chose DST because I was proud of what it represented for me and what it represented in me. I found that my organization fit me, my morals, my ethics, and my beliefs moreso than the other sororities present at the time (which there were only 3 D9 sororities present). Since my campus is, was, and probably will always be small, I got a chance to look at all of the sororities and what they represented for others and to others. What I saw in my organization represented the best for me and still does so to this day. I made great friends with other members of the D9 while at campus and two of my best friends are in other organizations. But for me, I had to look at which of the organizations best represented myself and best represented what I stood for. (Of course it helped that my sister is DST and half of my family is DST)
But to specifically answer your question, I think a lot of it depends upon how the person identifies themself and who they identify themselves with as to how they would look at which sorority/fraternity they would be interested in becoming a member of. Alot of it, and I think this is for most people, depends on who the person is and what they are about as to determine what they want for themselves and for their lives.