Ti’Ana Marshall

“I thought it came easy and was just something you’re granted when you join. This is something you work for.”

Coming to college is both scary and exciting. The adrenaline rush from knowing you are stepping out on your own brings blood rushing to your ears out of excitement and can cause the heart to feel as if it jumped into your stomach.

In the midst of all that excitement, however, many feel homesick. Gone are the days where mom and dad are across the hall. They have been replaced by a snoring roommate and textbooks with words that are way too complicated to be real.

To every problem there is a solution, as said by someone great, and the popular solution for many incoming freshman feeling the blues is (drumroll please) Greek life.

Whether it is because of homesickness, early recruitment processes, enhancing a resume, or continuing a legacy, many turn to Greek life once stepping onto campus.

Greek life is without a doubt important to college campuses, and taken seriously by all who join, but it does not come without stereotypes, judgement, and serious liability problems.

Texas A&M University-Texarkana, lovingly known as TAMUT, is home to four Greek life organizations, one of which, Zeta Phi Beta, is a part of the Divine Nine.

There are a total of nine historically black Greek letter organizations (bglos) hence their name as a collective unit and are tied together through a family system. The Divine Nine include: Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Iota Phi Theta.

Of the Divine Nine, only one chose to start up a chapter here on the A&M campus in Texarkana, Zeta Phi Betta, forming the Gamma Kappa chapter.

Annette Forte, a past president of the chapter, is heavily involved in the recruitment process of the organization. Each year the campus has a vendor day where several local organizations and businesses are welcome to set up booths to catch the attention of the students.

Forte is always at the table stopping girls left and right to inform them about the Greek organization she is more than proud to bare the letters of.

“It is more than letters,” Forte says “I believe in the principles that define a lady of Zeta Phi Beta”.

Founded in the Roaring Twenties, a time where racism was more than alive and well, the Great Depression was running amuck, and times all around were tough, this sisterhood was created.

Five coeds dared to break the mold of the stereotypical black woman of that time, and chose instead to stand on four principles that the organization centers on today: Scholarship, Service, Sisterly Love, and Finer womanhood. From then on the five, known now as their Five Pearls, spread their wings and embraced select women who embodied those beliefs.

When choosing a Greek life organization to possibly become a member of Forte states that “these women are the definition of what it means to be a Zeta woman, it is imperative that each member truly believes in all that is the makings of a finer woman”.

What defines a finer woman? She is strong, intelligent, confident in her abilities, and above all knows in her heart that God is the reason she has been granted such talents.

Such great pillars of success are what each organization of the Divine Nine believe in. Of course it is a wonder why the Zeta Phi Beta’s decided to create a chapter on TAMUT’s campus instead of others. When asked, Forte stated “We wanted to be trail blazers, the first of the Divine Nine to step foot and make our mark here, maybe others will come in the future, but they will never be able to say they were here first”.

Ironically, making your mark is a statement that several organizations on campus repeat all the time to encourage students to stand out among their peers.

Angel Greer, a member of Zeta Phi Beta out of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana reflected on her own decision about joining this specific Greek organization and stated

“Growing up as an only child sisterhood was fairly new to me, but something I looked forward to. As a legacy, I grew up watching my mom with her sisters and I wanted it. I thought it was something easy and was just something you’re granted when you join. Needless to say I was wrong. This is something you work for. You have to learn your sister and learn to love her as well. Most refer to joining organizations such as Zeta as ‘buying friends’ which is incorrect. I see my sorority as more than an organization but a sisterhood. Though filled with women from different walks of life we learn how to blend. I won’t say it’s been a walk in the candy store. I have learned how to battle with my sisters and yet pick up the pieces after. Even if we aren’t seeing eye to eye at the moment, I know I can call on my sisters for any and everything at anytime. This is a real sisterhood.”

Greek life definitely has its advantages and are an impressive mark on any resume. According to an article run on Elite Daily, an impressive 85% of Fortune 500 companies are run by members of Greek organizations. Greek’s are also more likely to finish college, and are generous givers to their communities as a result of the community service hours required as an undergrad member.

Although statistics for educational success are high for Greek members, it does not come without its downfalls. Hazing, as well as substance and alcohol abuse are concerns that no organization have really been able to shake off as a stereotype.

Forte commented on hazing stating “Hazing has multiple definitions, sure there are sacred practices that each potential pledge must go through for membership; however taunting, publicly embarrassing/humiliating our members is not a process we believe in. That is not Finer womanhood”.

In 2014 two pledges filed lawsuits against Alpha Kappa Alpha after being denied membership. The two claimed to be publicly humiliated having to run errands for their potential big sisters, and cut off communication with their friends during rush. Members of the sorority rolled their eyes at the situation claiming that their feelings were just hurt because of their denied membership; however, the rush process was suspended for that season, the two are allowed to pledge for graduate chapters of the organization, and the chapter is under investigation.

BGLOs have a long way to go in order to fight the slow extinction that several believe is bound to happen. As stated by Gregory S. Parks, in his article The End of BGLO’s “Honestly at the rate that BGLOs are going, I can only foresee two having any longevity.”

Regardless of being faced with this opinion, Forte does not see the death of Zeta Phi Beta coming anytime soon. “It sounds quite cliché, but I did not choose Zeta Phi Beta, they chose me. I am more than proud to be a woman of the organization. Being a part of such an outstanding group of women brings a joy to my heart that is unmatched by anything other than my love for Christ Himself.”

Joining a Greek organization is a huge choice and should be thought out, but it is more than worth it. The bonds that are created are for a lifetime, and that is absolutely priceless.

For more information about Greek life on campus students can visit the student life office on campus and also visit the Gamma Kappa chapter website to learn more about Zeta Phi Beta.

Lisa Myers is an advocate for women everywhere.

Garrett Griffin

Some of the greatest advocates hide in anonymity; some make their presence known to many. Women have endured many hardships at the hands of a world centered on men. Despite such obstacles some women break through and attain an important status. To get one firsthand perspective on the current status of women, I interviewed Ms. Lisa Myers. She is currently the Instructor of Adult Education and the BAAS Coordinator at TAMU-T.

Myers thinks women’s current position in the corporate world she went on to say that

“I still think, especially in the South[ern United States,] that we have some barriers that we need to breakdown. But not so much overt barriers, that is … saying some outward statement that somehow women are inferior to men…but much more indirect such as many employers make the assumption that female workers are working to supplement someone else’s income.”

In her childhood, growing up in the South, Myers and her family experienced different sources and types of discrimination and can connect the past with the present to see the constant weakening of traditional barriers to female entrance into the workforce. Myers discredits this mindset by simply saying,” that is no longer true,” and that” the percentage of women who are the breadwinners of their families, or single, working mothers [are] the fastest growing demographic in our society.” She believes that “we have come a very long way in getting same pay for same work.” She brings up the issue that jobs of hard labor expect higher wages than those that do not despite the fact that such “easy” jobs still require a larger set of skills. Since many of these “office” jobs are filled by women a lower wage has come to be expected than wages received for laborious jobs that are outside the office.

Myers describes women as bringing “a different set of attributes… because of our culture and how we shape and mold individuals.” She elaborates on this by saying that women are better at multitasking, not because of intelligence, but because of our conditioning of genders.

Myers has served on two school boards and the school board of a private school where she helped it become accredited with the state of Texas. This particular school board was over seventy percent male and a current board on which she resides she is the only female member. Myers says this is troubling since “females are the ones who generally serve in that context,” that belong the teachers and staff.

Myers explains that it may be better to consider the positive attributes of women as “‘expectations'” rather than characteristics. In that case she spoke for all women explaining that they often “overcompensate” when put into a position of leadership.

Current society has several women who idolize the progress the female gender has made. Myers believes that Oprah Winfrey, although not ideologically aligned with Myers, has the largest following of people due to her large media presence and large fortune. “People tend to trust her and she has been a successful businesswoman,” which has given Ms. Winfrey a large amount of pull in the feminist sphere of influence.

Myers said that as a leader herself she often fails at one overarching thing: ” producing a peaceful atmosphere.” She said that she always strives for “a win-win situation” but realizes this is not always possible. She does not always give in as easy as she thinks she should in such a situation but she was not sure that this should be considered a negative limitation.

Previous advocates work to give women more chances at leadership have aided in producing the ability for Myers to hold the positions that she has. Myers believes that the most influential historical advocates was “Susan B. Anthony,” who championed women’s rights during the suffrage movement and Eleanor Roosevelt because she was always respected and had a heat of her own which she used in her position of influence as the first lady under her husband Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In addition to these two, she also included Harriet Tubman, who “overcame two barriers, being female and African-American.” In more modern times, in the news world “the one who broke the glass ceiling was Barbara Walters,” according the Myers.

In the next fifty years, Myers sees women “ahead of men [in the workplace] …[because] slowly but surely in the past fifty years females have been overtaking males in the area of education.” She gave the example that “the top ten [schools] are dominated by women” more and more often nowadays and more female students are getting full ride scholarships. In addition to this the median point of male-to-female student ratio was tipped in favor of the women. She went on to say that this “cannot continue without a switching of dominant roles.” There is no middle equilibrium point; either men or women will dominant such statistics, that is certain.

Myers says her “mother and her grandmother” were “strong” and not afraid to show their intelligence.” She said that” it never occurred to me to play dumb…ever.” This results in non-authenticity as women do not showcase their unique talents and strength because they fear it will hurt their chances in ascending the ladder of a corporation. Myers obviously has never done such a thing, she has remained authentic and remains a leader.

Support in the household and a similarity between ideologies within said residence can support and help nurture sound notions in the minds of the involved. When asked about how her husband ‘s actions might have affected her own and whether he supports her I got this response. Myers responded “Yes he does,” and having been married almost thirty years she said that they have discussed issues such as, the supplemental vs. dominant status of salaries and wages of men versus women numerous times. She said that “he made a significant change in the payroll situation at their church” around five years ago in 2009. Now “people [are] paid for their skill sets whether or not they are married…whether or not they have children, you are paying for a job, not based on their life circumstances or their gender.”

Family can often come in the way of career and life planning. Myers says that “[she] put off her education while raising my daughter.” Despite her intense love for education and learning she does not consider this to have been a bad decision and she said that if she had it to do over again she would have done the same thing. She was nor “resentful” of putting her “advancement on hold.”

Myers says that she “fully supports a woman’s own choice in how she maps out her life, and if she chooses to put family on hold to go to school and settle her feet within her profession well absolutely. More power to her!”

She says that “I don’t think any of us has any business making that kind of decision for someone.” She believes that if it takes certain sacrifices to make your situation better and it only affects you directly, go ahead and make those sacrifices.

Myers says that these kinds of questions “are [really] a desk-top topic for me anyway, and I think about it pretty regularly.” I see this as a good thing because we need to keep remembering the issue at hand so we do not slouch and become indifferent and accept the problems of current society. A true she-leader is always concerned with women’s and men’s status in the world and cares to look for solutions to the problems faced by genders. She speaks to me as a true she-leader because of her perpetual concern with women’s status and access to leadership opportunities and her drive to expose others to such thoughts so that perhaps some imputation can occur.