Brave, Bold & Belonging

Photo: Kendall Montgomery is overjoyed on Bid Day!

By Director of Public Relations Jason Paul Gomez

Tri Delta's Beta Theta Chapter at Clemson coupled kindness with inclusion in their recruitment, opening new doors to membership.

INCLUSIVITY IN TRI DELTA CHAPTERS TODAY REQUIRES A continual refocus to provide a true sense of belonging to an increasingly diverse membership. For Beta Theta Chapter at Clemson, Tri Delta’s tagline, “Bring You” means acceptance and kindness on a larger level.

“We can have every type of member, no matter what you struggle with or what you bring to the table, we accept you as you are. We love you for who you are and you’re just as valuable,” says collegiate chapter president Porter Johnson, Clemson.

For the past two years, Beta Theta Chapter and other Panhellenic chapters at Clemson have partnered with and welcomed new members into their sisterhood from the ClemsonLIFE program. The mission of Clemson LIFE is to offer a collegiate experience that prepares young women (and men) with intellectual disabilities for adulthood through a combination of academic coursework and career exploration. For these special students, higher education is a vehicle for self-empowerment, access to social outlets and, ultimately, independence.

“We can have every type of member, no matter what you struggle with or what you bring to the table, we accept you as you are. We love you for who you are and you’re just as valuable,” Collegiate Chapter President Porter Johnson, Clemson

This post-secondary, two-year pro gram (with a four-year option) focuses on students' abilities to enjoy competitive employment and independent living. Students live on-campus, taking functional academic classes like budgeting, meal planning and grocery shopping, in addition to a standard university course.

Kayla Davis, a full-time Junior Instructor for ClemsonLIFE, helped see this collaboration come to fruition during her time as an undergraduate member of Sigma Kappa at Clemson. Conversations were happening among Panhellenic chapters, their international

organizations and the fraternity and sorority life office about how to welcome and as assimilate women from the program into collegiate chapters.

“The social piece alone for the Clemson LIFE women is huge. Membership in sororities allows for a larger social network outside of the program, allowing them to have true and genuine friendships,” Kayla said. “Panhellenic chapters have to think outside of the box, but more and more chapters are reaching out to bring in women from ClemsonLIFE.”

Kayla hopes that this program and partnership continues to grow as many of these types of post-secondary programs grow each year. She hopes Clemson can be the model for other institutions and Panhellenic communities.

The women from ClemsonLIFE who participate in Panhellenic recruitment have a similar, albeit shorter, experience in formal recruitment. They attend two rounds, Sisterhood and Preference, then are provided their own Bid Day outside of the standard Bid Day, which may be overwhelming to some. Upwards of 20 ClemsonLife students have joined Panhellenic chapters in the last five years.

Porter recalls the conversations in Beta Theta two years ago when the chapter extended its first bid to a ClemsonLIFE student, Shaylyn Smith. “We had a few members who were very involved with the program. Our president at the time stood up and said that we would be participating and accepting members from ClemsonLIFE. There were chills in the room with excitement. It was so special seeing other chapters accepting members from the program. Yes, it was a special experience for those women to be joining, but more so for Tri Delta. We were thankful to be there for them in that moment.”

In fall 2019, Beta Theta welcomed three women from ClemsonLIFE into the chapter, including a Tri Delta legacy. Amid a torrential downpour on their special Bid Day, the entire chapter arrived to see them accept their bids and join in sisterhood.

These women are able to experience a very similar sorority experience that helps normalize their time as a collegian at Clemson. They attend most chapter meetings and philanthropy events, but don’t participate in social functions or events with alcohol. The sponsor and “family” relationships are pivotal in keeping them involved and connected to the larger sisterhood.

“They make the energy in the room go up,” Porter said. “They make our Tri Delta experience more fulfilling.”

The ClemsonLIFE program has created a new culture within the chapter, as they now slate two officer positions to be liaisons to members who join from the program. Porter hopes this show of brave and bold kindness continues within the chapter and with other chapters following suit. “They make the energy in the room go up,” Porter said. “They make our Tri Delta experience more fulfilling.”