Currently: 53°F
To honor multicultural Greek life, both past and present, Millersville University will build a Memorial Walkway on campus. A meandering path behind the Washington House on campus, will include 12 plots that represent the traditional Divine 9 historically Black Greek lettered organizations and other Latinx fraternities & sororities. This project will honor the history and service of these organizations, some of which are presently represented with active chapters at Millersville University (MU), and serve as a gathering place for members and a walkway for the campus community.
The Cultural Greek Council (CGC) at MU spearheaded the planning of this project with support from Student Affairs and Enrollment Management (SAEM), the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (CSIL) and other University offices. Fundraising is currently underway for the project coordinated through University Advancement and the Office of Alumni Engagement.
“The Unity Plot Walkway will provide a place on campus for alums, students and the public to come and recognize these multicultural Greek lettered organizations,” says Brian Hazlett, vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management (SAEM). “With the creation of this project, Millersville will become the first predominantly white institution in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to dedicate plots; joining Cheney University, who was not only the first in the State System, but also one of the first in the nation.”
The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), which is composed of nine international Greek lettered sororities and fraternities, was established in 1930 at Howard University. The earliest plots/memorials were built at Howard in the 1920s, and since then many other colleges and universities have established their own cultural plots to honor these organizations and others. The Cultural Greek Council (CGC) at MU includes not only NPHC organizations, but also National Multicultural Greek Council (NMGC), Inc. and the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO). These organizations were founded for service and social uplift of their communities. Representatives of these fraternal organizations will be represented with 12 plots along the memorial pathway at Millersville University.
“This is an exciting project that will bring together current and past members of these service-social organizations both at Millersville and within the larger Lancaster community,” says Renardo Hall, associate vice president for SAEM. “Washington House is home to the office of MU’s Chief Diversity Officer, who spearheads many multicultural initiatives on campus, so it’s a great fit for the location of the plots/memorial walkway.”
In order to match University-dedicated funds for this project, the CGC is looking to raise $100,000 by the Homecoming festivities on Oct. 26. A dedication will take place during Homecoming, and the plots will be built during the spring 2020 semester.
For more information on this project, and to make a donation, visit www.millersville.edu/unityplots.
