Our Panhellenic community is lucky and immensely grateful to be the home to seven incredible chapters, each complementing the next with their distinct philanthropies, enriching academics, and heartening values. Our chapters are comprised of motivated, strong women who are committed to making a lasting impact within USD’s community of devoted students. The Panhellenic Community contributes to the uplifting campus culture at USD as we are home to a driven, diverse group of passionate women. Our community’s passions have led us to pursue our goals, reaching new heights as leaders, scholars, athletes, entrepreneurs, everything in between, and so much more. As an all-embracing community of women who consistently strive for excellence in each and every aspect of our lives, we continue to aspire and attain new achievements far beyond our undergraduate academic careers at USD.

 

As a first-generation college student, I experienced many firsts within my freshman year of college at USD. Along with being the first in my family to attend college, I was the first in my family to join a national network of collegiate women through sorority life. Leaping into my life in San Diego and overall college experience, I was unsure of whether or not sorority would be the right fit for me. The more I learned about sororities, particularly the Panhellenic Community at USD, the more I realized this community had space for me to flourish and would be a space that further enlightened me, encouraging me to work towards achieving my goals. Transitioning from high school to college, I found myself searching for a safe space which enabled me to grow as not only a student but as a young empowered woman. I was searching for more than surface-level friendships; I was searching for meaningful connections and a team who shared a community-first mindset and whose values aligned and deepened my own. I craved a memorable experience that I’d be able to look back on years from now and physically see the community’s growth, as well as my own personal growth. 

 

Today, I can wholeheartedly and proudly say that joining this community altered my entire college experience for the better, bringing me far more experiences, opportunities, and friendships than I had ever imagined. If you told my freshman year self that I would be where I am today, odds are I wouldn’t have believed it. Thanks to the Panhellenic and entire FSL Community at USD, I’ve undergone true exponential growth, within the genuine connections I’ve made, the leadership opportunities I’ve capitalized upon, and the courses I’ve excelled in. 

 

The Panhellenic Community at USD is more. I say more and only more because of the way I see it, it’s open-ended. Our community of women continually exceed all expectations, constantly motivated by the future and the next generation of our community. We have cultivated a culture that never settles and always demands more, from not only ourselves, but from each other, and from this world. We are always up for a challenge and are motivated by the obstacles we’ve overcome, allowing nothing and no one to get in the way of our success because Panhellenic women invariably go forth and set after their goals. Our stories continue and as Panhellenic women, we are constantly reminding ourselves that the narrative of what it means to not only be a sorority woman but a woman in today’s society is always evolving. 

 

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Our Panhellenic priorities for 2020 include supporting each other by upholding our community-first mindset, forming intentional bonds, fostering a positive panhellenic sisterhood, celebrating one another and our diverse backgrounds, holding ourselves accountable and consistently furthering our inclusivity, and empowering women by uplifting and standing for each other. We continue to make forward strides towards cultivating a culture with a positive Panhellenic spirit and a community-first mindset at the forefront of our mission.

 

There aren’t enough words to express how greatly I appreciate all that the Panhellenic Community has given me, and I say with confidence that I will persistently work to give back to our community. I hope this letter finds you all well and that you have a better grasp of what it means to be a Panhellenic woman in our community here at USD. 

 

If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at usdpanhellenicpresident@gmail.com or to stop by my office hours on the third floor of the Student Life Pavilion on Mondays 1:45-2:15 PM and Tuesdays 5:30-6:45 PM. I look forward to connecting with you all!

 

With a whole lot of Panhellenic Love,

Danielle Agnello