A couple of weekends ago, the Panhellenic Community welcomed international leaders from each on-campus chapter to speak about risk management. Some issues that were discussed included: substance abuse, mental health, bystander behavior, eating disorders, and hazing.

The facilitators of this weekend came from the program ‘Something of Value.’ They included National Panhellenic Conference representatives, and an attorney with chapter affiliation. Over the coarse of the weekend, the Panhellenic women witnessed and evaluated a mock trial, worked in discussion groups, and devised a plan that was based on each chapter’s values in order to better their community.

Panhellenic Executive Council’s VP of Public Relations, Alexandra Douglas, said, “’Something of Value’ was a rare opportunity for every chapter to come together and speak candidly about the issues that each and every one of us face, both as Panhellenic women and chapters as a whole. I look forward to utilizing the ideas discussed, and in turn, cultivating a closer knit Panhellenic community.”

The outcome of this weekend was an action plan that each chapter has agreed to support and see-through. United in this plan, the Panhellenic women of SMU are willing to change behaviors in order to positively impact the campus. The many women who attended this program created a comfortable environment that allowed everyone to share their issues and concerns. Overall, this initiative provided a foundation for improving the campus culture here on SMU’s campus.