Ripple Effects: The Transformation of SFASU Women's Social clubs to National Sororities

<p>Shortly after Stephen F. Austin Teachers College (SFA) opened in 1923, students began organizing social clubs. By the late 1920s, women formed the Amities and Pine Burrs to develop friendships and a sense of belonging. The Fideles and Sigma Gammas arrived on campus in the late 1940s as more women began attending SFA. Dr. Ralph W. Steen’s appointment as president brought significant changes to SFA and inadvertently to the social groups.</p> <p>Responsible for adding more classrooms and dormitories, expanding course work and faculty, the new president also influenced the campus population by attempting to bring in students from metropolitan areas. In an effort to entice a broader student body, Steen supported Ernestine Henry, dean of women, as she helped guide each group’s transformation into national sororities. The result of Steen’s desire to expand SFA brought subtle changes, but ones that had a lasting impact on the campus environment.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts - History

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

History

Year dc:date.available

2019

Author dc:creator

• Clark, Lea Brannon

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Dana Cooper
• Dr. Scott Sosebee
• Dr. Paul J. P. Sandul

• Stephen F. Austin State University
• women's social clubs
• Panhellenic sororities
• Social History
• Women's History

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/278

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1257