UT Panhellenic community raises money for Circle of Sisterhood Foundation

Last week, members of University of Tennessee, Knoxville Panhellenic sororities raised money for the Circle of Sisterhood. This foundation uses the voices of sorority women to impact the lives of girls around the globe.

The Organization

This organization originated from a book. Co-authors, Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn published the book “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” in 2009. After reading it, Ginny Carroll, the founder of Circle of Sisterhood, became inspired to act and created the organization.

Since its founding in 2010, the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation has worked with girls in 24 countries and built 23 schools. For example, there have been schools built across Nicaragua, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal and Haiti. Additionally, UT has been able to fund two of the school constructions.

Furthermore, Circle of Sisterhood emphasizes education. Working alongside educated women at colleges, the foundation members raise money and support girls who do not have equal opportunities.

To emphasize this, their website reads:

“Today’s sorority women … realizing that they have the wherewithal to make a difference for the less fortunate both domestically and globally … we know the value of achieving an education, and we believe that every girl in the world deserves the opportunity to go to school.”

Circle of Sisterhood Week

UT’s Panhellenic Council held events such as: Pie a President, Yoga on the Lawn and Big Orange Beat. The council raised a total of over $8,000.

“All these proceeds from this week and the event tonight will go towards supplies for these schools: Malaria nets, hygiene supplies, uniforms and textbooks,” said McKenzie Stovall, the Panhellenic Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Service. “I’d like to highlight the amazing work the Panhellenic community has done this week. Through a service day with the Center for Leadership and Service, 89 women served around the Knoxville community for a total of 178 hours of service.”

For the Big Orange Beat event, sororities paired to create and perform dance routines to a compilation of songs. Moreover, many of the songs celebrated girl power and confidence from artists, such as: Cardi B and Ariana Grande. The teams competed to win three awards ranging from: Miss Congeniality, Most Creative Dance and Winner of Circle of Sisterhood Week.

The Winners

The winner of Miss Congeniality was the combined team of Delta Zeta and Chi Omega. The winner of Most Creative Dance were the girls of Alpha Omicron Pi and Sigma Kappa. Delta Delta Delta and Kappa Kappa Gamma took home the Circle of Sisterhood Week award.

The Panhellenic sororities continue to fight for girls’ realities around the world, and they plan to host this event again in the coming years.

Edited by Lauren Claxton and Grace Goodacre

Featured image by Kassidy Zartman