Sorority and Fraternity Life (SFL) at the University of Kansas is about more than friendship and tradition. It's also about giving back. 

Across KU’s four SFL governing councils, students are making a meaningful impact through fundraising, volunteering and championing causes close to their hearts. Whether they are planning a campus-wide service day or rallying support for a national organization, these Jayhawks are using their platforms to lead with purpose.

Philanthropy and service play a powerful role in KU’s sorority and fraternity community. Today, we’re spotlighting the Panhellenic Association and one of its chapters, Tri Delta, to learn how their members support important causes and encourage others to get involved. 

What philanthropy looks like at KU

Each of KU’s four councils inside SFL has its own approach to philanthropy, but they are united across campus thanks to several large community outreach events. The councils each have a philanthropy leader like Maria Molinari, the Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Service for KU’s Panhellenic Association.

Maria helps coordinate the complex timeline of service opportunities for 11 chapters in the Panhellenic community. She also works closely with the other three SFL governing councils: Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council and Multicultural Greek Council. 

“We really want to encourage members to get out in the community,” Maria shares. “We want to support the community that supports us in our philanthropy events, and in our recruitment and all the other fun things we do throughout the year.” 

Some chapters support national causes, such as Make-A-Wish, Chi Omega’s longtime philanthropic partner. Others focus on local nonprofits that reflect the lived experiences of their members, sharing their time with organizations that need support. In addition to these chapter-level efforts, the Panhellenic Association supports its own beneficiary. This year it’s the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence.

According to Maria, many local nonprofits say that KU students make up the majority of their volunteer base. “Panhellenic did 25,000 hours in the fall 2024 semester alone,” she explains.

Fun in numbers

Chapters across Sorority and Fraternity Life bring energy and creativity to their fundraising efforts, and a little friendly competition never hurts. From a campus-wide pop tab war led by Alpha Delta Pi to Gamma Phi Beta’s basketball tournament, Moon Bowl, competitive formats boost participation. They also create lasting memories and deeper connections across the KU community. 

“We have definitely noticed an increase in people wanting to be involved in something that's very activity based,” Maria shares. “We have so many students and also local families that want to have an activity or maybe just sharing food for some face-to-face value.”

Kappa Alpha Theta plans events like the CASA Cookout to support their philanthropy organization, which draws community-wide support. Delta Gamma hosts a “Cheesy with DG” mac and cheese event to benefit Service for Sight. There are nacho nights, chicken-and-fries dinners and pancake breakfasts. It’s clear that KU students are always hungry for ways to give back. 

“I think the greatest challenge with philanthropy is showing people that it's not just important, but it also can be fun,” Maria notes. “By involving other parts of the community, it makes it more of a group effort and a group interest. It’s a bonding experience.” 

Fun is a big part of it, but the numbers are serious.

"Panhellenic’s 11 chapters raised $218,000 for our various charities in fall 2024 alone," In total, KU’s SFL councils raised over $250,000 in the fall semester.”
Maria Molinari, Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Service for KU’s Panhellenic Association

Tri Delta raises its own bar

Some chapters are well known for their signature events. For Tri Delta, it’s 20K in a Day, a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

"Our 20K in a Day program was originally an online fundraiser," explains Kylie Miller, the chapter’s outgoing Director of Philanthropy. "We used to do it through Facebook, Instagram and texts to friends and family. Two years ago, we started doing an in-person aspect. That’s when our number jumped from $23,000 to $47,000. This year it went from $47,000 to $80,000."

Next year, the chapter plans to take it even further. "Next year I plan on changing 20K in a Day to 30K in a Day,” adds Brooklin Crews, Tri Delta’s incoming Director of Philanthropy. “I really want to raise the bar and show our members that we're consistently hitting this mark, and that there's always room for improvement."

Tri Delta’s commitment runs deep. “Tri Delta actually has a partnership with St. Jude that started in 1999,” Brooklin notes. “As an organization, we’ve raised over $100 million for St. Jude.” 

Tri Delta hosts many fundraising events for St. Jude throughout the school year, including Delta Diner and Sincerely Yours, a letter writing campaign. They recently added a carnival-style celebration for 20K in a Day, which helps further connect members to the Lawrence community. 

Kylie emphasized that it’s a group collaboration, which adds to the spirit of the event. “Everyone's into it. Everyone actually cares, and they really get involved. You can see that in our events,” she shares. “Everyone's happy to be there and they're having a great time.”

The incredible fundraising efforts don’t happen without teamwork and commitment from every member. “It's not me this past year, and it's not Brooklin this next year,” Kylie points out. “It's everyone contributing to it, and without the other 263 girls, nothing of this nature would happen.”

Brooklin agrees. “We can't raise $80,000 on our own. I want to keep fostering that involvement within our chapter.”

Finding your People and your purpose

Whether it's raising tens of thousands of dollars in a day or helping someone feel seen in their own community, the students in SFL are making an impact. Their work is rooted in empathy, energy and the belief that giving back is a lifelong value worth building in college.

“I think philanthropy just really softens someone's heart. It’s helping you become a part of something that's bigger than just yourself,” Maria says. “It’s such a strong lesson in service to others and service to community.”

Being part of Sorority and Fraternity Life at KU means being part of something bigger. It’s about developing a mindset of service that extends far beyond campus and shapes the way you see the world. Learn more about Sorority and Fraternity Life, and find out how to be part of philanthropy within the Panhellenic Association.