The CORE of What Lies Within
Writer: Celina P. / Editor: Ariana W. & Sophia P. / Photographer: Abby W.
Leadership is different for everyone. When coming to Florida State, many women want to find their home away from home in Panhellenic. The reasons vary on why Panhellenic, but a common explanation is to find ways to better leadership skills and to be more involved in the university. Many new members may not know exactly what type of leadership is for them. While the women in their respective chapters give immense support and love, sometimes the greater Panhellenic community can provide extra guidance.
So how can these women find their way in leadership while still being so new in the community? CORE! CORE is a five-week new member program that is unique to Panhellenic. It not only educates on leadership skills but also challenges participants to meet their full potential and make friends with other Panhellenic women in the process. The CORE program is always open to fall and spring new members at the start of every semester. Challenging oneself is key to “discovering what lies within.” And if “discovering what lies within” is the main drive of joining the Panhellenic community, CORE might be for you! Throughout the program there are weekly activities that help bond the women together and discover different styles of leadership theories. These activities include completing personality type quizzes, learning the history of the Panhellenic community at Florida State, and even doing problem solving exercises.
The experience of CORE is unique to every woman’s individual journey. While there’s a common consensus on how the program has shifted participants’ perspectives, how the program helped them learn more about themselves is a deeply personal. An example can be the simple question “what made you want to participate in CORE?” Ravina, a recent participant of the program and a sister of Alpha Chi Omega, said the reasoning behind participating was her desire to have leadership positions within her chapter and after hearing of CORE at her chapter meeting it only inspired her more.
Like Ravina, other women hear about the program through their chapters or from members of their “fam” within their sorority. Elizabeth O., a sister of Delta Zeta, first heard of CORE through her recruitment counselor who’ll soon become her G-Big. She explains that her G-Big encouraged her participation in CORE and soon registered. Elizabeth O. participated in CORE with the encouragement of her sorority and a personal want to see the community's values, as well as her leadership skills, further develop.
So what happens after registering and being accepted into the CORE program? As mentioned previously, the program is taught over the span of five consecutive weeks. In these weeks, participants learn lessons on sisterhood and leadership. Rachel W. of Kappa Kappa Gamma offered a testament to developing as a woman in the adult world. Rachel answered, “The biggest lesson I've learned is to not take things personally. A lot of times we think that someone is being unkind directly to hurt us but in reality, it has nothing to do with you. This has come into play when you’re meeting upwards of ninety women in a week and putting pressure on yourself to find those close relationships.” The lesson Rachel learned is an important one that leads to emotional maturity, a common theme of Panhellenic leadership programs.
Members of the program make many personal realizations like Rachel’s throughout the CORE class. During the allotted class periods, sisters will be asked to participate in some ice breakers to continuously meet one another. These ice breakers are typically followed by activities related to leadership with a debrief on how they can be implemented to better the Panhellenic community.
The theme of continual growth is another of the Panhellenic community - one that helps debunk myths our new members may perceive upon beginning their journey as Panhellenic women. When asked if she’d found any myths to be proven false, Elizabeth stated, “One myth about Panhellenic that CORE debunked was that to be a part of the community, you have to be sociable, outgoing, and already have leadership experience. CORE taught me that leaders are made and not born, and showed me just how many different personalities there are in our community.” Every woman is so extraordinarily different than the next and by understanding this, we can become better leaders.
Though CORE has shaped many of the leaders in our community, what each individual learns during their time in the program will be applied differently. No woman views leadership the same, which CORE recognizes, but the program ultimately hopes to teach that women are leaders no matter what. As Rachel perfectly stated in response to “What is Panhellenic to you, and has the opinion changed due to CORE?” she answered “Panhellenic means finding yourself in a place that wants to help you grow and thrive. CORE didn't necessarily change that view for me, but it validated it even more. I believe that in Panhellenic, every woman should be encouraged to find herself and then take what she finds and use it to help others. The opportunities I've had through Panhellenic have shown me that this isn't just for 4 years but this is going to benefit my professional career too. They genuinely care about their members and what they can do better.” Personal betterment through leadership and sisterhood is what CORE, and the Panhellenic community, is all about.