When Erika Gonzalez arrived at Northeastern as a first-generation, low-income student, she knew she had challenges ahead — balancing academics, finances and the pressures of college life. However, there was one expense that Erika did not anticipate: sorority dues, a financial hurdle that many students like her face when trying to join Greek life.
Sororities use dues to fund various expenses, such as activities for members and the cost of conducting community service fundraisers. Membership often costs hundreds of dollars per semester, an amount that some students are simply unable to pay. For Gonzalez, this meant taking on a campus job in order to afford her dues.
“I don’t have the money to spend $300 to $600 in dues. I had to get a job to even join, to even consider rushing. I don’t want people to have to suffer to join an organization that they want to join,” said Gonzalez, a fourth-year business administration major and member of Alpha Chi Omega.
To combat this issue, Gonzalez spearheaded an initiative for Northeastern Panhellenic to establish a series of scholarships that specifically aid first-generation and low-income members in paying their dues, which were implemented in the fall of 2024.
“I didn’t want other PNMs [potential new members] and sisters to go through this like I did, so I recreated the scholarships that Panhellenic had for girls who were first-generation, for girls who are low-income, who want to have the same resources that others do,” Gonzalez said.
Northeastern Panhellenic currently offers three scholarships to members. Half-dues scholarships are afforded to members who, according to the Northeastern Panhellenic website, “exemplify the values of the Panhellenic Council.” A first-generation scholarship is provided to members who are the first in their family to pursue higher education, and a low-income scholarship is awarded to students whose family incomes qualify them for student aid.
“Even though we go to a private institution that is very expensive, you don’t know the person next to you,” said Mckenzie Luna, a fourth-year nursing major and member of Sigma Sigma Sigma who helped Gonzalez organize the scholarships. “You don’t know their financial situation. They might be here on a full scholarship, they might be taking [out] loans, they might be able to pay for the school in full.”
For the members of the Panhellenic Council, these scholarships are just the first step in combating the homogenization of Greek life.
“Historically, the Panhellenic Council has been geared more toward predominantly white women, and we recognize that as the past and we wanted to change that,” Luna said. “We want to be a more inclusive community, and we recognize that one of those barriers to joining our community is the financial aspect.”
Media often depicts stereotypical sorority members as wealthy white women, and a 2010 study conducted by researchers at Princeton University revealed that 77% of sorority members are white. For much of history, Greek life has been exclusionary, and predominantly white national sororities across the country did not welcome members with diverse backgrounds. However, the Panhellenic scholarships aim to combat that history and make low-income and first-generation students feel both welcomed and supported.
“At the end of the day, we’re just a group of women supporting women,” Luna said. “So, why should your ethnicity or income play a factor in that as it did in the past?”
#BamaRushTok and other Greek-life social media trends have exacerbated the stereotypes of the rich white sorority members. “Outfit of the day” and “get ready with me” videos made by sorority members often depict brand names and lavish lifestyles. Grace Krumplitsch, a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma who served on the Panhellenic Council when the scholarships were created, said many sorority members’ lives don’t reflect this stereotype but that they are not often depicted in the media.
“On social media, you don’t see the sorority girl who works multiple jobs to pay her dues and pay her rent. You don’t see the sorority girl who is bending over backwards leading a million clubs and volunteer organizations,” said Krumplitsch, a fourth-year history, culture, and law major.
The image of sororities presented on social media emphasize the luxurious jewelry, massive sorority mansions and designer bags. This stereotype may deter potential members at Northeastern who come from lower income backgrounds, something that Northeastern Panhellenic hopes to combat with these scholarships.
“We want new members with different perspectives and different skill sets and experiences,” Krumpslitch said. “That is what makes our community so rich and thriving.”
As time passes and awareness grows, Panhellenic institutions nationwide are taking initiative to actively diversify their member pools. For example, the University of Michigan implemented a diversity, equity and inclusion task force in 2021 to conduct research on diversity in Greek life and attempt to address financial barriers to joining.
“I hope that we continue our fundraising efforts for our community, but also that we continue fundraising efforts to offer accessible paths to membership,” Krumplitsch said. “And I think scholarships are just the very tip of the iceberg.”
As the Panhellenic Council moves forward, there is a desire among former members to increase the opportunities provided to members from all walks of life and hopefully continue making Northeastern Greek life a diverse and supportive space.
“This was the stepping stone, where it kind of just starts, but it doesn’t end,” Gonzalez said. “There’s more scholarships that could be created, there’s more ways we could get donations.”
