When most women join an NPC sorority, they often think the experience only lasts as long as they are in college. They know the experience gives them great friends and allows them to make the most out of college. But, the more you put into the experience, the more you get out of it, and not just for your collegiate years, but as an alumna as well. This has been something Joslyn McGriff has experienced personally since she has been supporting and advocating for the sorority experience since she joined Chi Omega in college. This wasn’t always the path she thought she would follow. In fact, joining a sorority wasn’t something Joslyn even planned on doing in college.
“I had no idea
what sorority was or what it meant,” Joslyn said.
When most of the women in her residence hall were going through sorority recruitment, Joslyn decided to give it a try. Partway through the process, she dropped out not feeling like she belonged in a sorority. That was until a week later when Joslyn got a call from Chi Omega. They were participating in continuous open bidding (COB) and asked her to join them for dinner. It was the comfortable and informal conversations that made her feel at home and like she belonged. Not long later, Joslyn accepted a bid from Chi Omega.
“I like to say I
went over for dinner and then I never really left,” Joslyn said.
The Transformational Sorority Experience
From the moment she accepted her bid, Joslyn dived headfirst into sorority membership, soaking up every experience she could. “I definitely majored in sorority as I like to tell people,” Joslyn said.
From holding multiple leadership positions in her chapter, serving as Panhellenic president and winning an award for being sorority woman of the year, Joslyn truly tried every experience she could as an undergraduate sorority woman. She knew the more involved she was, the more she would get out of the experience. Through all of her experiences, Joslyn gained amazing friendships, leadership and professional skills, networking opportunities and so much more.
“I am a better person, daughter, friend and co-worker because of Chi Omega.”
Joslyn McGriff
Supporting the Experience Beyond Graduation
Joslyn’s
collegiate experience showed her the profound impact sorority membership can
have on women and she wanted to continue the experience beyond college. She
began volunteering for Chi Omega, serving in multiple roles throughout the
years as a chapter advisor, recruitment advisor and serving on the risk
management board.
More recently, Joslyn served Chi Omega as the chair of the Special Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The goal of this group? To provide recommendations to ensure an ever-evolving, more inclusive Chi Omega. While it was no small task, Joslyn took on the challenge, wanting to make her organization stronger and more inclusive for current and future members.
“I love this
organization and it is not without its faults,” Joslyn said. “How can I elevate
and develop this organization in the coming years? It has given me so much, so
how can I give back?”
As chair of this
group, Joslyn led them through a deep dive into Chi Omega’s structure,
practices, policies, procedures and member feedback. Together, the group
submitted recommendations to Chi Omega’s Supreme Governing Council to take the
next steps.
While Joslyn has found numerous ways to impact the sorority community through volunteering, she has also made a career out of it. Now, Joslyn works at the Association of Fraternity and Sorority Advisors (AFA) as the assistant executive director. AFA provides resources, professional development and a strong community for fraternity/sorority advisors who work with fraternal members on college/university campuses. In her role, Joslyn oversees staff and volunteers and is able to know what students are experiencing on campus and create resources for them.
In both her career and volunteer roles, Joslyn has spent much of her life improving the fraternal experience and empowering future generations of sorority women. Joslyn knows, when done right, the experience can be transformational for women, teaching them life lessons and giving them skills they will use for a lifetime.
“I believe in the Panhellenic spirit,” Joslyn said. “Maybe Chi Omega isn’t for you, but one of the organizations is your home.”
To the women considering joining a sorority, Joslyn encourages them to keep an open mind and know that the experience goes far beyond their undergraduate experience. Joining a sorority can open doors for you, not just from within your chapter but from the connections you make within the entire fraternal community.
