The Ultimate Guide to Leadership Positions in Sororities
Planning on taking up some additional responsibilities in 2025? You're at the right place.
Holding a position of leadership within your sorority is an amazing way to enact change in your chapter as well as open up a gateway of opportunities for yourself. However, knowing which position of leadership is right for you may not always be clear. That's why we’re here to help! We've scoured the internet and grilled our friends in leadership roles to share everything you need to know about leadership in sororities and how to decide which one is the best for you.
First, you need to familiarize yourself with the many leadership positions your sorority has to offer. While all sororities have a president, the rest of the leadership titles vary by chapter. Most chapters will usually have some type of variation of the following positions.
Common Sorority Exec Positions (serve for 1 year):
- Public Relations Vice President
- Membership Vice President
- Financial Vice President
- New Member Educator
- Administration Vice President
- Panhellenic Affairs Vice President
- Education Vice President
Common Sorority Chair Positions (serve for 1 year):
- Apparel Chair
- Risk Management Chair
- Sisterhood Chair
- Standards Chair
- Social Chairwoman
- Philanthropy Chairwoman
The Responsibilities of Sorority Leaders
When choosing which position to apply to, I encourage you to first decide how much responsibility you want to hold. In other words, do you have time for the responsibilities of this position?
Normally, the executive board of a sorority are the leaders who give the most time to their position. Executive board members are usually present during meetings and are oftentimes held responsible for the mistakes those in positions under them may make. Exec positions will push you to improve your leadership skills.
If you still want to be involved, but are unsure of how much time you can dedicate to the role, we suggest taking up a role with a little less responsibility such as Sisterhood Chairwoman, House Manager, or any of the assistant positions that fall under the bigger roles. Aside from that, if you are someone who is creative and wants to apply that skill, I would suggest looking into the Apparel Chairwoman role, Social Media Manager, or Newsletter creator.
If you want to be involved but aren't ready to dedicate months to a leadership position, you can consider being a part of a "committee". In Greek life, committees are often made for events like Bid Day or Parents Weekend. In other words, events that are just a weekend-long or daylong celebration.
Committees hold the responsibility of assisting the head planner in planning these events, usually meeting one time per week in the month leading up to the event. Committee members also help set up decorations, activities, or whatever may be needed on the day of the actual event.
Usually, it just takes reaching out and showing interest or filling out a Google form to be selected for a committee. So, if you’re looking for a low-commitment and short-lived position, signing up to be on a committee is a great role for you. It is also a great way to test the waters and see if you enjoy being in a position of leadership!
Which position is right for you?
Okay! Now with the basics out of the way, let us make your life 1000x easier by helping you pick the perfect role. Before fully committing to any one position, ask yourself these questions:
- Are you eligible for the position?
Usually, sororities like to see past leadership experience within the chapter if you are applying to a leadership position with more responsibilities. I strongly encourage you to reach out to a sister and learn about the eligibility requirements of the positions in your sorority, since it will vary by individual chapter. You can also use this time to ask about the role in general!
- Is this something you're passionate about?
It is important, before committing to a role of leadership, to genuinely reflect on whether or not the work you will be doing is work that excites and engages you. A job is always much better done when carried out by someone with a passion for the subject, or someone who is at least willing to tackle challenges as they come.
Ask someone who has held the position before you questions such as:
- What does a typical week look like?
- How many hours did you spend on this?
- What are the best and worst parts of the job?
- What skills or traits does one need to do a good job?
Then think about their answers and if this job seems fun and exciting to you.
- Will the leadership position provide you with a meaningful experience?
What do you see yourself getting out of this? How will this opportunity help you better approach other positions of leadership in life? Again, take the time to think about whether or not you see yourself making meaningful progress in this position, both for your chapter and for your personal growth.
Holding a leadership position should be an experience that helps you learn things like conflict resolution, event planning, people management, etc. Is this position of leadership able to do that for you?
- How will you build on the work of the past leader?
If you are elected into the position, what is your plan? How will you maintain the quality of work from the previous leader? What do you bring to the table in this position of leadership that others do not?
Ultimately, no matter what leadership role you end up in, you will undoubtedly experience immense personal growth - growth in your support network, increased professional opportunities, and the pride of knowing you helped make your chapter a better place!