Two years ago, the Illinois College campus hired a young, vibrant, black female as a new advisor for the Center of Academic Excellence. At the time, Joyce Mann was a few years out of graduate school and looking for a new beginning. She had received her graduate degree from DePaul University in Chicago. She is now the Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion here at Illinois College and she is helping to bring more awareness to the campus regarding minority students. Joyce says, “I attended a very prestigious college that was predominantly white and yearned for making connections with other minority students.” It was under these pressures that Joyce decided to get involved and attend events thrown by the Black Student Union and sororities and fraternities that were a part of the Divine Nine. There are Nine Black Greek Organizations that make up the this group, they also makeup the National Pan-Hellenic Council. The history of black education is deeply embedded in Black Greek organizations. There are four female sororities and five male fraternities who hold members on both a national and international scale.

Many well-known civil rights leaders are a part of a black Greek organization. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. attended Morehouse College, which is located in Atlanta and was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. This fraternity was the first black intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity. It was founded on Dec. 4, 1906, at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. According to their website, their objectives are “to stimulate the ambition of its members; to prepare them for the greatest usefulness in the cause of humanity, freedom, and dignity of the individual; to encourage the highest and noblest form of manhood; and to aid downtrodden humanity in its efforts to achieve higher social, economic, and intellectual status." Initially, the fraternity served as a study and support of African-American males that faced racial prejudice both with social and academic settings at Cornell University. The seven founders of the organization, referred to as the “Jewels,” deeply instilled a “firm foundation for Alpha Phi Alpha's principles of scholarship, fellowship, good character, and the uplifting of humanity.” True to its form as the “first of firsts,” Alpha Phi Alpha has been interracial since 1945.

There is much controversy about forming groups such as these because some feel that it excludes students of other ethnicities and it is not forming a unity. We can see with the example of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., that by incorporating black Greek organizations, it will strengthen the unity of black people and encourage the furthering of their success as both students and citizens through the upholding of academic excellence and community service. They are also showing organizations can be unified and open to all ethnic backgrounds, which is also promoting unification. Others feel like it will help develop better traits for minority students because the retention rate is extremely high. If black Greek organizations were formed at Illinois College, it would help instill better study habits, pride, and service projects to better help the black community and the community of Jacksonville, Ill.

There are doubtful thoughts from many students regarding the importance of black Greek organizations at liberal arts colleges. Other students support the idea of bringing them on campus, more specifically the minority students who transferred from Illinois. These are students who attended Illinois College and decided to move to another liberal arts college or university, and have comments about the organizations available on campus.

Joyce explains, “I didn’t have any friends or immediate family that were a part of a black Greek organization, but all of my friends at school were a part of an organization. I remember having teachers and other faculty that were a part of organizations, and I looked up to them. I decided to attend all the rush events and parties because I felt accepted and comfortable being myself. There were so many people that I knew that were aiming for high academics so that they could be chosen by their favorite Greek letter organization and later pledge as an undergrad. That gave us something to thrive for and keep us on our toes so that we [could] graduate in four years.” Her sorority was founded on Nov. 12, 1922 in the state of Indiana by seven black school teachers. Sigma Gamma Rho, Inc. was founded at Butler University and was one of the only black Greek sororities that was not founded at a Historically Black College, (HBCU). “It was around the height of the KKK in the state of Indiana and this makes us very connected to the Midwest issues politically.”

While attending rush events and other sorts of fundraisers, she began to learn about the importance of black Greek organizations and the foundation these organizations were built upon nearly a hundred years ago. Due to the Divine Nine Organizations being founded by very intelligent individuals, academics and service are ingrained in everything that they do. These young black students are learning how to facilitate events, dress professionally, etc. She straightens her glasses and states, “in black Greek organizations undergraduate chapters are overseen by the alumni chapters. They coach and mentor them to help them develop a better character. Gives them a visual of other strong black women who are doctors and lawyers and how to incorporate what you learn in college to the real world. There’s a national requirement to even join an organization, you have to have at least a 2.5 GPA and we do expect our members to have a higher GPA. They have regular study tables and other requirements to make you a better student overall.”

The youngest sorority of the Divine Nine is Sigma Gamma Rho. According to the official website, the founders aimed to: “enhance the quality of life within the community. Public service, leadership development and education of youth are the hallmark of the organization's programs and activities. Sigma Gamma Rho addresses concerns that impact society educationally, civically, and economically.” Joyce adjusts her afro puff as she gives more detail about connecting with Greeks from other organizations in the Chicago area. “My chapter base in Chicago attended a lot of events of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority. We call them the blue and white family. There’s so much diversity within these orgs. We all support one another.” Many members are a part of social media groups and virtually connect and form bonds all across the nation. There are Twitter and Facebook pages dedicated completely to SGRho. With a simple hashtag one can find other soros that are interested in any area or study. Essentially one can build a relationship with a person that they never have met. “Soro Only” groups help people identify with others who have specific interests like them i.e, the #AllNatuaralHair page Joyce most recently joined. “It’s a way of for us to connect on different levels and interests. Networking is a huge deal.”

“There’s no way I would’ve graduated from DePaul in four years if I didn’t have aspirations for pledging. I don’t know who I would be if it wasn’t for the black Greeks.” She gives the Divine Nine Organizations the complete credit for who she is today. Although she felt out of place as a minority in both race and gender at college she found solitude in being a part of a National Black Greek Organization. Because community service is ingrained in the foundation of the orgs, it produces other women such as Joyce all across the nation. She is a mirror image of others that want to become a great student, but yearn for feeling accepted in their schools. It is good to know that other women like Joyce can accomplish great work and have great influence on other individuals. The conversations that members, such as Joyce, have force people out of their “bubble” and think of the next person. She adds, “I wouldn't be a Diversity Director without SGRho.”