The UW Panhellenic Council elected their first-ever Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) on Nov. 29. This representative seeks to overhaul the practices focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion to create more equitable chapters.
Gabi DeVoogd, a sophomore majoring in Political Science, was elected to the brand-new position last week and was officially appointed at a formal ceremony on Dec. 8.
“I am really excited to start,” DeVoogd said. “Even if I weren’t elected to this position, I would be happy for whoever else was chosen. It really has been so needed for so long.”
The Panhellenic Council is the governing body of UW’s sororities and is composed of ten elected officers and one delegate from each of the university’s six sororities. The council seeks to oversee recruitment, host campus-wide events, and support all facets of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
DeVoogd discussed how this position is a novelty for the university, but there has been traces of this type of program and leadership throughout the sorority chapters for some time.
“This is a new position at UW. There are other diversity chairs and initiatives in other chapters, but I know I am the first one at the University of Wyoming,” DeVoogd said. “I’m both really nervous and excited at the same time.”
DeVoogd currently serves as an officer in several student organizations and is deeply involved in Tri Delta. When asked what sparked her interest in Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL), DeVoogd points to her father’s influence.
“My dad was in a fraternity at Michigan State University, he was in Sigma Nu, and always spoke highly of Greek life for it’s philanthropic aspects,” DeVoogd said. “He also liked that there was always someone to hold you accountable for your academics.”
DeVoogd was drawn specifically to Tri Delta because of that same sense of community care and ethical action.
“I fell in love with Tri Delta because of it’s philanthropy,” DeVoogd said.
DeVoogd says her ethnic background and personal connection to diversity led her to apply for the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
“I was born in Mexico and I was put up for adoption when I was 10 months old. It wasn’t until I was 16 months old that my parents adopted me and my younger sister,” DeVoogd said. “My parents are white and I grew up in a predominantly white culture.”
DeVoogd distinctly remembers feeling more excluded rather than included in her youth and even wishes she had a DEI representative in her life at the time.
“There are still times where I feel I am the only person of color in my class. I am the only person of color in my chapter, which is kind of disappointing,” DeVoogd said. “I am still confused as to why that is.”
As the VP of a new position, DeVoogd expects to spend a fair amount of time clarifying her duties with past officers and creating new legislation.
“I’ll definitely start by creating legislation, but I want to start involving FSL as soon as possible. I definitely want to introduce some sort of DEI training,” DeVoogd said.
DeVoogd has not clarified legislation or training at this time, but she hinted towards combining the efforts of other DEI officers through the chapters to create a collaborative program.
Currently, there have been no statements from the Panhellenic Council on this election and the information pages for the group remain unchanged or silent on the subject.
Ultimately, DeVoogd believes this addition to the UW Panhellenic Council will prove beneficial to both campus diversity and morale.
“Diversity isn’t exclusive to race. Diversity encompasses LBGTQIA+, those of differing abilities, political alignments, and so many other factors. I believe this new position can help in creating an environment where everyone can express and celebrate the things that make us such a diverse community,” DeVoogd said.
DeVoogd plans to put equity at the forefront of the Panhellenic Council’s mind and usher in a new era of diversity, equity, and inclusion for the Uw sororities.
