The New 21st Century Woman

We are currently in the midst of a big change happening to the average college woman. Previously many women joined sororities for the "popularity" and the parties. Today, sororities are focused a lot on philanthropy. Many women aspire to be like Angelina Jolie or Selena Gomez. These are powerful and smart women that are known for their philanthropic work. Many young women join sororities to be like them. 

There are 672 different sorority chapters in the United States at hundreds of different schools. Within these 672 sororities there are four million Panhellenic women. These women work to raise over seven millions dollars per year for their philanthropies. When sororities first started, they did not make any money for their philanthropies. It was all volunteer work. As time went on, sororities held fundraisers and really started to have an impact on their individual philanthropies by donating money.

Though many people may think sororities are all fun and games, statistics cannot lie. The first congresswoman was in a sorority, as well as the first woman astronaut. In all, being in a sorority is allowing women to have a powerful impact on their philanthropies and in the world after they graduate.

    Getting a college education and being in a sorority is also helping women to give back. These are the women that will be able to provide for a family when they are older, and are first-hand seeing the effects of giving back through philanthropies. Throughout the years many other sororities have been founded. For example, Delta Zeta was formed in 1902. The sisters of Delta Zeta are dedicated to working with the Starkey Hearing Foundation to give out at least 100,000 hearing aids per year to those who cannot afford them. They are also in the midst of donating $5 million to Starkey in the next five years. While many may think that sororities are all fun and games, the ladies of Delta Zeta at the University of Tampa think differently. They work with both local and national sororities to fulfill their philanthropic goals. With over 165 chapters and 274,500 members nation-wide, there must be a reason that these women choose Delta Zeta. 

Being a part of a sorority allows these women to see the difference that they are making in the world. It also allows others, such as celebrities, to be a part of making a difference. For example, The Starkey Hearing Foundation holds their annual “So the World May Hear Gala” in Minnesota. Artists, such as Katy Perry, have volunteered their time to perform because they, too, care about the cause at hand. Showing even a little bit of support for charities can inspire other women to get involved and lend a helping hand to global issues. Over the past century women participating in philanthropy has become such a huge trend thanks to tremendous contributions from celebrities and sororities.