Challenging stigmas and instilling diversity and inclusion in Greek Life are high on the list of priorities for the new president of the Panhellenic Council at Marshall University.

“I wanted to join [the] PHC exec board because I wanted to make a difference not only in my chapter but as Greek Life as a whole,” said Kait McClure, a junior who was elected as PHC president, will oversee the four sororities on campus: Sigma Sigma Sigma, Alpha Xi Delta, Alpha Chi Omega and Delta Zeta. 

McClure said she and the PHC vice presidents help with overall programming, philanthropic events and planning different events like Greek Week, Homecoming Week [and] Hazing Prevention week. 

As a member of Greek Life, McClure said she became involved in the Panhellenic Council in 2017 when she became a sorority recruitment counselor, a position which involves helping females find sororities. 

She became the PHC programming vice president this past fall, and then was elected PHC president.

“[As PHC president] I’ll oversee all of the programming we do, because I have to make sure that people have the helping hand when they need it, but I also have to be that stern person whenever decisions need to be made,” McClure said. 

With the start of the semester, McClure said she is looking most forward to improving communication between sororities and the different groups. 

“I really think we do have strong leaders on this campus, who really do not know each other just because they are in different chapters and different councils,” McClure said. 

McClure also hopes to change stigmas surrounding Greek Life.

“A lot of people within Greek Life aren’t the typical fraternity or sorority person that people believe,” McClure said. “We are people who want to make a change and want to help out the community.”

 In addition, McClure said she would like to see more diversity within the sororities on campus and hopes the fall 2019 recruitment will reflect more diverse women. 

 Noelle Soares, the PHC’s vice president of programming, said she is excited to see what PHC can accomplish with McClure “leading the way.” 

“Kait is a neutral leader. The transition from last year’s exec to this year’s went so smoothly because of her ability to work well with others and make everyone feel welcomed,” Soares said. 

Despite Soare’s encouragement, McClure said she does have to overcome criticism.

“You just really have to have a strong head on your shoulders because it’s going to happen no matter what,” McClure said. “I just have to be there, and be like ‘this is why,’ and I need to stay firm and stand on my two feet.”

After her term, McClure said she hopes to graduate in May 2020 and attend law school. She said she feels like being PHC’s president has provided skills like “being able to speak in a professional aspect,” which she said will help her in the future. 

McClure said the Panhellenic Council is busy planning a food drive, Month of the Scholar and a training conference.  

 Paige Leonard can be contacted at [email protected].