Mental health is an important part of college students' experiences, and more administrators are paying attention to mental health issues (Cooper, 2000; Kitzrow, 2003). Self-esteem is central to mental health (Kittleson, 1989), and can be attributed to social situations, especially those that deal with rejection (Bednar, Wells, & Peterson, 1989; Caunt, 2003; Eisenberger & Lieberman, 2004; Steffenhagen & Burns, 1987). Sorority recruitment is an event that includes rejection (National Panhellenic Conference, n.d.), and may negatively affect self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to determine how recruitment affects the self-esteem of participants. First, this study sought to determine if self-esteem changes during recruitment for two groups of Potential Members (PMs): those who complete recruitment (persistent PMs) and those who withdraw (withdrawn PMs). Second, this study investigated how self-esteem differed at the start and end of recruitment between these groups. The sample included 336 potential sorority members at a large state institution. Data were collected by administering the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1979) twice: once before recruitment, and again when the PM either withdrew or completed the process. The results of the study indicate a significant change in self-esteem during recruitment. The persistent PMs experienced an increase in self-esteem; the withdrawn PMs experienced a drop in self-esteem. Also, there was a difference between the self-esteem levels of the two groups at the start of recruitment; the withdrawn PMs had a higher self-esteem than the persistent PMs. There was no difference in self-esteem at the end of the recruitment process. / Master of Arts

Every semester across the United States, countless students join Greek letter organizations. While some may recognize the Greek letters, many Americans do not know the racial divide within the Greek life system, and the difference of purpose those organizations hold. This study focuses on eight historically Black fraternities and sororities and more specifically, their chapters at the University of New Orleans, a university that throughout its history has had a predominantly White student body, and often fostered an environment overtly and subtly hostile to African-American students. Using oral histories, university yearbooks, and university newspapers this study demonstrates how Black fraternities and sororities at UNO promoted and supported the academic success of African-American students by emphasizing community service work, communal bonds, and connections to campus activities. These organizations provided emotional and academic support for African-American students and actively resisted the racial divisiveness present on their university campus.

Master of Science / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Doris Wright Carroll / Privilege and its’ impact on the racial and social constructs of fraternity and sorority life is an issue that has plagued the past and continues to determine the future. The examination of literature and the application of both Critical Race Theory and Critical Race Feminist Theory provides the theoretical framework for defining this issue. While White privilege does not answer all questions regarding race and how it determines sorority and fraternity membership, it does seek to address issues surrounding the traditions and customs in fraternity and sorority life. Additionally, in using a Critical Race Feminist perspective it seeks to address issues regarding the formalized sorority recruitment process used by traditionally White sororities and its impact on multicultural students. As a result of the findings within the literature, the traditional practices fraternities and sororities cling to only further draw discriminatory barriers between traditionally White Greek organizations and potential multicultural members. Furthermore, if this issue is not addressed within both higher education and Greek life it could signal further racially dividing issues. With the impact of biracial and multiracial students becoming more prevalent on campuses, student affairs practitioners must work to redefine what race and ethnicity mean in terms of student affiliation and involvement. Future research must study the impact of segregated governing organizations and their impact on creating cohesion between multicultural and traditionally White fraternal organizations.

As skin cancer rates increase, it has become more important for at risk individuals to reduce ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. Limited information is available on characteristics and behaviors of sunless tanning product users in populations with high sun-seeking behaviors. This information is important because use of sunless tanning products could reduce tanning through UVR exposure thereby leading to a reduction in skin cancer. Sorority and fraternity students (n=163) completed a self-administered questionnaire examining sun exposure and tanning attitudes, behaviors and beliefs. Characteristics of sunless tanning product users were compared to non-users using logistic regression accounting for potential clustering effects within sororities and fraternities. Among students surveyed, 34% reported ever using sunless tanning products. Ever users of sunless tanning products were significantly more likely to be female (OR=7.5), have fair skin (OR=1.4), have used tanning beds greater than 50 times (OR=2.5), and reapply sunscreen when outside on a sunny day (OR=1.3). Ever users of sunless tanning products and those with a preference for these products because they are safer than tanning beds or sunbathing were more likely to reapply sunscreen on a sunny day in the summer. However, other sun protection behaviors (i.e. sunscreen use, amount of sunscreen used, and avoidance of midday sun while on spring break) were not more likely to be adopted by these students. Prevention efforts could target these fair-skinned females to increase their use of sunless tanning products in combination with sunscreen use and reapplication along with avoidance of midday sun.

Young women‘s sexual health is declining. Sorority women face an intersectionality of risk for the negative consequences of sexual activity because of college attendance, sex, and age. The influence of peer communication about condom use can provide a buffer to the risk these women face. I investigated this communication through focus groups, using the theory of communication privacy management and grounded theory to understand focus group findings. The results revealed themes regarding characteristics of communicators and context of communication including communication topic and setting. The women use strategies, boundaries and rules to negotiate communication privacy and engage in comfortable communication. Additionally, the women seek to maintain a good reputation for their social group, and follow explicit and implicit rules to do so. The implication of this analysis includes improvements in sorority and college student sexual health programming and continued research on communication in social support organizations like sororities.

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This study documented the leadership messages sent to women in 16 of the National Panhellenic Conference groups' official literature. The purpose of the study was to provide detailed descriptive analysis using excerpts from the official literature to show both traditional and non-traditional (women's ways of leading) theoretical themes as well as to determine the use of followership versus leadership messages to women. The approach to this study was the use of qualitative content analysis whereby messages were collapsed into larger theme categories. Datum from content analysis was represented in excerpts and quotes from the official literature of the 16 groups analyzed for this study. Both analysis and meta-analysis were provided. Meta-analysis indicated that the 16 groups sent a wide variety of descriptive, theoretical, and structural messages. However, the amount of traditional leadership messages outweighed non-traditional, women's ways of leading, messages. Additionally, there was message dissonance between some messages sent regarding non-traditional leadership as embedded in bureaucratic structures. Finally, there was a paucity of followership messages as compared to leadership messages sent.

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