When I initially went to college, I only intended to get my bachelor’s in psychology, and hoped to find a fulfilling career once I was done with college. After joining my sorority and being exposed to not only my sorority’s philanthropy but the philanthropies of the other sororities on my campus, I realized I had a true passion for helping and advocating for others. A lot of the philanthropy work other sororities do has a personal connection to my life, and I loved supporting their events and helping to spread awareness to other students on campus. However, it was my chapter’s philanthropy that inspired me to go to graduate school to get my master’s in social work.

One of my sorority’s philanthropies is Prevent Child Abuse America. After becoming a sorority member, I found myself to be personally touched by the goal of the organization to prevent child abuse and neglect before it takes place by promoting and providing programs and resources to help parents and families thrive. Getting to visit my chapter’s local beneficiary, Safespot, and hearing about the hard work that the people there do – conducting interviews, participating in court proceedings, and providing a comforting place for children in need – was the spark I needed to look into a different career path for my future. This is how I found social work.

This fall I will begin my second year in my master’s program, and I am constantly reassured that this is the career for me. I hope to work with children and then take my expertise and work in child welfare policy. If it weren’t for my sorority, I don’t think I would have considered going to graduate school so soon, and I definitely would not have looked into social work. When joining a sorority, I didn’t expect to find my life’s calling, but I’m so grateful I did! The sorority experience can offer you so much more than lifelong friendships. It exposes you to different people, organizations and values that may help you unlock passions you never knew you had.