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UNC Sororities: A balanced Lifestyle
by Roy Greene
Many women at UNC find that they
can balance academic work with
membership 1n a sorority, and
participation 1n extracurricular
activities.
Robyn Hadley, Jennifer Ayer and
Jane Gordon are three examples
of young women who have chosen
to do so. They say they are the
better for 1t.
In December. Hadley became the
first black woman to be awarded
the Rhodes Scholarship, and this
fall she will begin study at
Oxford University in England. A
member of Delta Sigma Theta
sorority, Hadley has
participated 1n the UNC Fellows
Program, Women's Forum, and on
several departmental committees.
She said she had always put
academics first but would not
trade her sorority experience
for anything. "I think a big
part of the sorority 1s
sisterhood," said Hadley, a
senior Public Policy Analysis
major from Graham. "I don't
have any sisters in my family,
so the sorority has been an
extension of a real family."
While participating 1n the
Fellows Program, Hadley said she
had come in contact with members
from other chapters of Delta
Sigma Theta. "There's something
very special about being able to
go to any part of the country
and find people who share the
common bond of the sorority,"
she said.
Hadley said she believed the
sorority has helped her gain a
broad perspective on life at
UNC. "Chapel H111 is a large
place, and I don't think my
experience here would have been
complete had I not Joined the
sorority. It has been a very
positive influence."
She said the sorority was geared
toward public service, but the
social aspect of the
organization 1s appealing. She
said she will miss it next year
when she goes abroad.
Jennifer Ayer. a member of Oelta
Delta Delta sorority, worked
approximately 10-20 hours a week
last year as Campus Y co
President . "I've learned a lot
from the Campus Y, Just from
dealing with the pressures of
the Job."
She 1s also involved 1n the
Women's Forum, and has
participated in Sorority Women
Against Minority Prejudice
(SWAMP). "At times, I have
found it very tough to balance
my schedule, but the sorority
has been very understanding,"
said Ayer.
She said she haH. -been able to
balance her commitments and that
the sorority had served an
Important purpose since she
plejdged during her freshman
yea'p. 'My freshman year, I met
a tremendous amount of, people
through the sorority," she said.
"For an out-of-state student who
knew nothing about the Greek
system here, the sorority
provided me with an interesting
insight Into the Southern
lifestyle."
Jane Gordon, a member of Kappa
Alpha Theta sorority, serves as
coordinator of the Student
Academic Advising Committee, a
committee created last year by
student government . She
oversees the work of student
advisers, one for every 50
students, in five dormitories
and 1n the sororities. Soon,
she will begin work with State
Photo by Nancy London
Affairs, a student government
group that investigates state
government's effect on the
University.
Gordon, an Economics and Speech
Communications major from
Morehead City, said 1t was
sometimes hard to balance her
commitments. In order to be
successful in her work, she
states: "I pretty much try to
prioritize my activities, almost,
on a day-to-day basis."
There are times, such as during
sorority rush, when she knows
the time commitment for the week
will be almost 100 percent with
the sorority she said. During
the average week, she said, she
spends about 70 percent of her
outside commitment time with the
sorority, and the other 30
percent with student government.
Gordon said she not only
believed it was possible to be
an active member of a sorority
and take on major outside
commitments, but that she
believed 1t was the only way.