Empowering Greek Life: The First Amendment Institute's Impact on College Students and Sororities

The First Amendment Institute convened in Chicago the weekend of Feb. 21-23 and brought together distinguished speakers from legal, higher education, public relations, and faith communities who educated students about the following topics:

• What the First Amendment is and how it applies on college campuses;
• The limits of the First Amendment at public and private institutions;
• The First Amendment situations most commonly facing today’s fraternity and sorority students;
• How to build campus allies to work with your organization’s headquarters and address First Amendment issues on campus;
• Planning responses to actual recent campus situations; and
• Understanding the fight over campus antisemitism and how to support our Jewish brothers and sisters in that fight.

Several Thetas joined 58 students from 38 colleges at the First Amendment Institute and shared why they attended and what they learned.

Sonya Schwer, Alpha Mu/Missouri, says she wanted to attend the First Amendment Institute because she wanted to see if Greek life really did have a strong place within politics. “I met so many strong young men and women who were also passionate about protecting what they love and knowing that we all walked away with so many helpful tools makes me have hope that big things will happen in the future.” The First Amendment Institute inspired her to educate her chapter and the Mizzou Greek life community on what is happening on other campuses and steps they can take to protect themselves.

Christie Peng, Theta Nu/Georgia Tech, wanted to learn about her First Amendment rights and how she could leverage free speech to improve her college campus. Following the Institute, she plans to join Georgia Tech’s student government association and advocate for students’ voices. “I highly recommend attending the [First Amendment Institute] for any Thetas who want to get more involved with their chapter's leadership or campus organizations.”

Maya Orvis, Alpha Pi/North Dakota, wanted to attend the First Amendment Institute because she did not know her First Amendment rights as both a college and sorority woman. “This is concerning and made me consider how many women (and men) on my campus may not know what their rights are. In light of some recent infringements on sororities from various universities, I thought it is super important to have the correct tools and information to stand up for and protect an organization as important to me as Kappa Alpha Theta.” As student body vice president at the University of North Dakota, Maya said, “I hope to educate the other fraternities and sororities on what their protections are and the resources that are available if these are infringed upon. I also hope to strengthen the Panhellenic connections on my campus so we can have a stronger, more united voice.”

Summer Pease, Theta Theta/NC State, attended the First Amendment Institute to better understand the First Amendment's relation to colleges and students in Greek life.” I wanted to learn about what protects Theta and where people could infringe upon it. I love Kappa Alpha Theta through and through and would hate to see something happen to my chapter only because we were not fully educated on our rights.” She plans to speak up at upcoming chapter meetings and future Panhellenic and campus meetings to share what she’s learned.