Member Workshops
At Angelo State University, part of the Texas Tech University System, fraternities and sororities are required to:
- Actively ensure that policies, practices and procedures of the organization uphold the rights and dignity of its members and new members.
- Abide by all state, local and federal laws when planning social events.
- Sponsor programs such as résumé building, money management, healthy behaviors, etc., once a semester (may be fulfilled through the IFC or PHC).
- Submit an activity report using the Activity Report Form.
The Cheraw-Bennettsville Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority held a Money Management workshop at the Marian Wright Edelman Public Library for two groups of local girls they mentor from Delta Academy and Delta GEMS.
Michael McManus, 4-H Youth Development Coordinator, Clemson Cooperative Extension Service for Chesterfield and Marlboro Counties was the guest lecturer. The program focused on the basic financial concepts of earning, spending and saving.
The presentation covered:
- The difference between needs and wants
- How the difference factors into the way people spend money
Workshop participants also completed a money smart quiz to test their financial skills.
The workshop is part of the local chapters promotion of the Delta Sigma Theta Chapters national initiative to emphasize the development of leadership skills while focusing on math, science, technology, health, etiquette, non-traditional careers and public exposure. The sorority holds monthly meeting in addition to special workshops and outings for members and mentoring groups.
Having learned hard work and teamwork as a young man, George H. Grace, Grand Basileus (or chief executive) of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, understands well what a brotherhood of African Americans can accomplish. "To succeed you need a team," Grace told Contemporary Black Biography (CBB), "with everyone committed to the same objectives."
As Grand Basileus, Grace has focused on changing the economic plight of minorities in America through better education, greater involvement in the political process, and early training in economics and money management. "We blame others for our own shortcomings," Grace explained to CBB. "We can change a lot of things ourselves; no one is going to do it for us."
With Grace's vision the fraternity adopted as its theme: Economic Empowerment, Leading to Social and Political Change. "I believe the way to economic empowerment is to look at how you spend your dollar, where you spend it, and what you are spending it for; we can make a difference if we use our buying power in a different way."
Teaching underprivileged kids about home ownership and credit is a key component of this initiative. Each year the fraternity holds a Youth Economic Summit in Washington, D.C., offering seminars on topics like first-time home purchasing and managing credit. "We need to talk about these things before it's too late, to make sure African-American youth never get credit problems," Grace says. "Home ownership is a key to success. Our members take this message to the community. We go into high schools, and it has paid off. The kids learn about buying habits and investing; then they take it home to the parents. Not everything is found in a book. It's about being exposed to people like our fraternity members." Through these seminars young African Americans are able to hear brothers like Earl Graves, Sr., president and CEO of Black Enterprise, share his expertise in creating wealth and controlling one's own destiny.
Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community.
Financial Fortitude: Smart Women Finish Rich was designed to help sorority members and local communities attain personal wealth and financial security. Financial Fortitude was established as a result of increasing unemployment, Social Security debts, and the widening gap between wealth and poverty. Financial Fortitude helps participants to set and define goals, to develop a financial plan to achieve goals, and to put their plan into action. Workshops are focused on topics such as debt management and reduction, retirement, financing for college, investing, insurance, estate and home ownership, savings, and entrepreneurship.
Sister creates an outlet for Veterans in college at the University of Texas – Arlington. In order to aid the high volume of veterans, Chi Upsilon Sigma sister Roxanna Latifi, Student Development Specialist, created a series of workshops that solely caters to the needs of Veterans. This sequence of programs covers a wide variety of topics to assist veterans as they make their transition from the battlefield to the classroom.
Workshops include:
- Time Management for Student Veterans
- Understanding Your Learning Style
- Improving Your Reading and Note (Oct. 19, 2011)
- Managing Test Anxiety (Nov. 2, 2011)
- Money Management (Nov. 16, 2011)
- Building Healthy Lifestyles (Nov. 30, 2011)
All of the workshops are free and involve no advanced registration.
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