Undergraduate members of the Eta Tau chapter Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (joint chapter with Drake University) participate in the National Pan-Hellenic Council "unity stroll" following the official ribbon cutting. Photos by Paul Gates.
More than 350 braved a cool, wet afternoon April 3 to help officially open the National Pan-Hellenic Council Plaza on the northwest lawn of the Memorial Union. The plaza's nine columns honor the nine historically Black fraternities and sororities of the council, eight of which have chapters at Iowa State.
Following the ribbon cutting on the plaza, undergraduate members participated in a unity stroll -- steps and moves unique to each chapter and rooted in the Greek organization's history to show unity, strength and togetherness.
The student affairs division provided seed money to construct the plaza, with the goal of covering most of the estimated $400,000 cost with private gifts. University alumni, friends, employees and current students already have supported the project, and fundraising efforts are ongoing, including a FundISU site, which will remain live for several weeks this spring.
Landscaping also will be completed this spring around the plaza site.
Cutting the ribbon on the plaza April 3 were (l-r) senior Nadine Veasley, National Pan-Hellenic Council vice president and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; Toyia Younger, senior vice president for student affairs and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; President Wendy Wintersteen; Sharron Evans, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; ISU alumnus Jonathan Hall, NPHC past president and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; and Billy Boulden, associate dean of students and director of sorority and fraternity engagement.
Undergraduate members of the Kappa Gamma chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity participate in a National Pan-Hellenic Council "unity stroll" following the official ribbon cutting.
The Memorial Union Great Hall was a full house for the indoor portion of an April 3 opening of the National Pan-Hellenic Council Plaza.
Related story:
Central campus plaza opens this weekend, March 31, 2022
