Article by: Nakeria Woods, Managing Editor, Photos by Chandler Pittman
From Aug. 31 through Sept. 4, the University of South Alabama’s National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) hosted its semesterly NPHC Week. This week focuses on introducing interested students to the NPHC organizations, members, and expectations. Throughout the week, various events were held, inviting students into the NPHC experience at South.
The National Pan-Hellenic Council was established in 1930 at the historically Black Howard University to represent the various Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs) formed in the early 20th century, affectionately referred to as the Divine Nine. As white GLOs did not associate with BGLOs, NPHC was important in forming a community between several organizations that had similar missions and purposes. The first NPHC organization to be chartered at South was the Epsilon Upsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. on June 10, 1970. All nine NPHC organizations were officially on South’s campus with the charting of the Iota Kappa chapter of Iota Phi Theta. This chartering made South the only predominantly white institution (PWI) in Alabama to have this achievement.
NPHC Week kicked off on Monday with a professional mixer in the Student Center Terrace, inviting both Greek and non-Greek students to participate. This event was hosted to foster interactions and networking between professionals and students, a significant aspect of the Divine Nine. All attendees were encouraged to dress in business casual to help foster a professional environment.
The next day, NPHC hosted a game night in the Stokes Hall classroom. This event showed the more casual side of NPHC, with students participating in games like UNO and hangman, as well as karaoke. Though the Divine Nine prioritize business and professionalism, there is still much room for fun.
Arguably the most important event occurred on Wednesday, with the NPHC informational. The event was hosted in the Student Center Ballroom and was intended to formally introduce students to all things NPHC. Interested students were expected to dress in neutral-colored business professional attire and had the opportunity to talk to NPHC students. Each NPHC organization introduced itself to students, detailing their history, requirements, and activities. Afterwards, students were able to personally talk to members of different organizations to ask about their experience.
Finally, the highly anticipated stroll-off occurred on Friday. The non-competitive event was introduced by NPHC President Devin Mosley and Vice President Cameron Lewis. This event brought quite a sizable crowd, even as the event was moved due to inclement weather. Each Divine Nine organization performed its signature strolls, steps, and moves, bringing their personalized flair and energy.
Strolling is a highly coveted cultural practice within NPHC organizations that expresses each organization’s personal identity. In recent years, the cultural practice has gained widespread recognition among the general population. Despite this, strolling is not the only aspect of the Divine Nine, as shown by the other events hosted during NPHC Week. If you are interested in joining an NPHC organization, strolling will not be a priority; instead, there will be a focus on community service, brotherhood and sisterhood, and campus engagement.
Do not fret if you missed this NPHC Week, as this extended event is hosted every semester for interested students. To keep up with South’s NPHC and its organizations, follow @nphc_southal, @thetadelta_alphas, @epsilonupsilon1970, @etanunupes, @ZetaKappaques, @usa_iotas, @SouthSigmas, @DeltaLambda_zetas, and @PiOmegaPoodles on Instagram.
