Arkansas Greek Life was named “Community of the Year” at the Southeastern Greek Leadership Association Annual Conference, which recognizes fraternity and sorority communities, councils and individuals for their outstanding accomplishments over the past year.

These awards recognize excellence in leadership, philanthropy, community service and academic achievement among Greek communities. In addition to "Community of the Year," Arkansas Greek Life was recognized as recipient of a multitude of awards at the conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

While the awards banquet brought about much to be proud of, the most significant honor of the night came when Arkansas Greek Life was named “Community of the Year.” The community submitted over 100 pages of documentation, as it related to civic and philanthropic engagement, strategic branding, educational programming, campus relations, leadership development and academic enhancement to be considered for the award.

Individually, each of the four Greek governing councils had to be recognized for efforts within their own respective councils to be eligible. In sharing what the honor means to her students and staff, Parice S. Bowser, the assistant vice chancellor for Greek Life and associate dean of students, said, “I am deeply honored and grateful for this recognition. Being named the Best Greek Life Community in the country is a prestigious achievement, and it reflects the collective efforts of all 9,500 Greek students, including council and chapter leaders, staff and alumni. We accomplished this together!”

Council Awards and Recognition

The AR United Greek Council was awarded the Multicultural Greek Council of the Year. This award is bestowed upon the top performing multicultural Greek council.

Alexa Gaucin, former president of the United Greek Council, said that “winning the Multicultural Council of the Year award fills me with immense pride. It is a true testament to the remarkable progress we've made over the past year. It took an incredible amount of collaboration, trust and dedication from everyone involved. This recognition is well deserved, as it reflects the hard work and commitment of our entire team.

“I want to emphasize that this success would not have been possible without the support and partnership of the other councils and the Greek Life office," she said. "Their collaboration was crucial to our accomplishments.”

This council also received honors for Council Impact, Community Cultivation and Operational Excellence.

The Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity Council each received recognition for Council Impact and Community Cultivation, while the National Pan-Hellenic Council was awarded honors within Council Impact.

Member of the Year

Last, Katherine Ford, former Panhellenic president, was named the Allison Keller Panhellenic Member of the Year. This award represents a Panhellenic member who demonstrates exceptional dedication to the values of sisterhood, leadership, service and academic achievement within the Greek community. This individual consistently embodies the spirit of Panhellenic unity, serving as a role model for their peers and striving to make a positive impact both within their chapter and across the broader Greek life community.

Her peer and former vice president, Ellen Brynne Johnson, said, “There is truly no one more deserving of this award than Katherine. Her dedication to our Greek community shines through all her actions. She was a true advocate for all Panhellenic chapters. She is the most intentional woman I have ever met and models servant leadership to the highest level, consistently leading by example and always striving to uplift those around her. She celebrated everyone's success, encouraged everyone's aspirations and uplifted everyone's spirits. Katherine embodies everything a Panhellenic woman strives to be.” 

Throughout the year, the Greek Life staff helps to develop and implement educational and social programming for chapters and its members. Educational initiatives include, but are not limited to, scholarship, career readiness skills, inclusion and belonging, risk management, health & wellness, time management, student retention & success, and leadership development. 

"Behind the scenes, many may not realize that our staff dedicates over 60 hours a week to delivering high-quality programming and support for our Greek community. Our team continually sacrifices to ensure the UA Greek experience is not only unique and vibrant but also successful in every way. At the core of our work is our commitment to our students, with the goal of preparing them for success in their future careers," Bowser said. "This is the essence of student success, and it's what makes UA Greek Life a nationally recognized community!"