Latina sorority involvement and the college experience: Social and academic impact

Darilis Garcia-McMillian, University of Texas at El Paso

Abstract

Membership in a Latina-based sorority communicates messages to sisters as well as the university community. These messages usually reflected the goals and principles of the organization which is often what attracts women to join. Once they are part of the sorority their affiliation impacts their college experience. This study looks at the effect Greek membership has on participants’ social and academic lives. Through narrative analysis the women’s responses were examined to understand their perceptions of how joining Delta Tau Lambda Sorority impacted their college experience. The human and rhetorical agency of members was examined through their survey responses. Their experiences reflected that the sorority created an agential space that allowed them to embrace their culture, while providing service to their communities, yet being supported in their educational quests. Limitations are addressed and ideas for further study are provided.

Subject Area

Womens studies|Hispanic American studies|Higher education

Recommended Citation

Garcia-McMillian, Darilis, "Latina sorority involvement and the college experience: Social and academic impact" (2009). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI1473861.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI1473861

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