In the Divine Nine, membership goes beyond a lifetime

For the Divine Nine, it's till death do us part.

Membership within the Greek world is for life: once a member, always a member.

But membership within the nine historically African American sororities and fraternities, known collectively as the Divine Nine, is for life - and then some.

Larry Moses, program coordinator of fraternity and sorority affairs, kept this in mind when he joined the Nu Sigma graduate chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Moses became a member as a tribute to his father, also a Sigma, who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

The fact that he had already graduated college was a non-issue - the organizations have chapters for all members of the community, regardless of age.

"The Divine Nine chapters' focus is as much or more on alumni involvement as on undergraduate [involvement]," explained Scott Reikofski, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.

He added that the involvement translates into support for the entire community.

College senior and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Erica Evans said the reason for such lifelong commitments stems from the mission of the groups.

"The focus of our sorority and all our fraternities is to further the advancement of the black community and mankind. . Because it's such a big goal, that is a commitment people want to have for the rest of their lives."

With a different focus comes a different organizational structure than that of the Greek organizations involved with the National Panhellenic Council or the North-American Interfraternity Conference.

All undergraduate chapters have to be sponsored by a graduate chapter, and they can provide support for the smaller groups of people, said Moses.

He added that joining as a graduate is as common as joining as an undergraduate.

Case in point: Evans' mother, Marilyn, joined the grad chapter of AKA in Memphis when she was in her thirties, and even reigned as president for a time.

Marilyn Evans' active involvement inspired her daughter to join during the second semester of her sophomore year.

"I'd always seen how amazing the women in her chapter were at home . doing things for the community and how well respected they were," Evans said of her decision.

She now considers all her friends within AKA a part of her family.

Family, both blood-related and self-created, is a recurring theme for many of those involved in the Divine Nine.

"My sister and daughter-in-law are both Deltas as is one of my favorite aunts," Valerie Swain-Cade McCoullum, vice provost for University life and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., wrote in an e-mail. "I just feel a part of a vibrant continuum, an extended family of sisters."

Moses added that all of the Divine Nine are represented in his family.

He is also very proud of his affiliation, as are most. Moses wears a blue "Phi Beta Sigma" bracelet everywhere, and his office is cluttered with fraternity paraphernalia.

Similarly, Multicultural Greek Council president and College senior, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Jocelyn Chandler has "just about everything with DST I can get . soap dishes, umbrellas, bags, sweatshirts .." But she would never get her letters on a floor rug, because she wouldn't want people to step on them.

Another aspect that defines the member organizations of the Divine Nine is their small size. Chandler joined her sorority with only nine other girls, while Evans is one of three current undergraduate members of AKA at Penn.

College senior Kevin Benjamin, is currently the only undergraduate member of Phi Beta Sigma at Penn. His stand-alone membership encourages him to get involved with brothers in the area as well as grad chapters.

"My network has grown so much," he said. "I've met so many people who I would never have met if I hadn't gone Greek."

Conversely, alumni involvement within the other Greek chapters is varied, said Reikofski. Each house has an alumni advisor, but on an individual level "I think they loosely keep in touch with their chapter."

"Not to be derogatory, but I've seen a lot of students' involvement with organizations end once they walk across Franklin Field," Moses said.

However, Reikofski said, alumni involvement doesn't have to be regular, but reconnecting with a chapter significantly enriches the experience of the undergraduates.

Erica Evans' experience has already been enriched. When her mother was initiated, she received a symbolically decorated wooden panel, one that she passed onto her daughter and that Erica Evans hopes to pass on again someday.

"I will be an AKA for life," she said.

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