This summer, Belmont student leaders from the University’s NPHC* fraternity and sorority community traveled to Tennessee Tech University for the Culturally Black Fraternal Organization (CBFO) Consortium. The event was a day-long program designed to promote leadership development and education in areas related to the success of CBFOs.
Speakers in attendance at the consortium included L.E.A.D. Firm CEO Jarrod D. Benjamin, whose work earned him the United States President’s Lifetime Award, and The Harbor Institute President Rasheed Ali Cromwell, Esq.
The students had the opportunity to sit down with these educators in a small group setting to learn and discuss strategies to engage their members, lead with excellence and continue growing their organizations. Additionally, advisors of these organizations were coached in leading their students toward success.
Micah Wilson, current President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., shared about her experience. “I feel like it’s common to think being a leader comes naturally because there is no conversation around how uncomfortable it is to adjust, but the consortium opened that dialogue and I’ll take that lesson with me even after college,” she said.
*The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is composed of nine (9) historically black Greek letter fraternities and sororities (colloquially known as the Divine Nine or D9). The organization was founded in 1930 when African Americans were being denied essential rights and privileges that were afforded to others, and racial isolation was prominent. NPHC was created to provide community and a haven for these groups and to foster social change through community programs. Today, the purpose of NPHC remains the same: To promote community awareness and action through educational, economic and cultural service activities.
Currently, Belmont is home to chapters of three of the nine NPHC organizations (Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.) and is hoping to welcome more in the coming years.
