Editor's note: In honor of Black History Month, the UC Merced newsroom is highlighting some of the organizations, services and people who serve or represent the Black community on campus.
Three months ago, UC Merced welcomed its first historically African-American international sorority. On Saturday afternoon, the Phi Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., will open the doors of the California Room for an inaugural Black History Month Celebration.
Activities will include singing, a DJ, the Bobcat Band, spoken word poetry, food and games, along with words of inspiration from Dr. Rashanda Booker, Fresno State’s first university diversity officer.
The big, everyone-is-invited event scheduled for 3-5 p.m. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. An RSVP is appreciated.
“I hope it will be a great time of community and fun,” Phi Alpha President Victoria Lennon said. “It’s also an opportunity for Phi Alpha to introduce ourselves.”
At the dawn of the 20th century, more than 100 years after the Greek system began to manifest on U.S. college campuses – with predominantly white membership – Black students started forming their own chapters to push back against racism and discrimination in higher education. They united as the National Pan-Hellenic Council, also called the “Divine 9,” with a purpose to promote scholarship, service and the power of community.
UC Merced’s chapter of Delta Sigma Theta is the university’s first Divine 9 sorority or fraternity. The UC Merced chartering also makes the sorority the only one of the Divine 9 to have a chapter on every UC campus.
