W&L Hosts Statewide National Pan-Hellenic Council Step Show Competition The Oct. 29 event celebrates the history and culture of NPHC organizations.
The Class of 1994 Office of Inclusion and Engagement at Washington and Lee University will host the NPHC Step Show Competition on Oct. 29 from 6-8 p.m. in the Doremus Gym in Duchossois Athletic and Recreation Center. The event is open to the public and doors open at 5:30 p.m.
The step show competition highlights the historical culture of W&L’s National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organizations and strengthens connections not only among NPHC members, but also between NPHC groups and the larger campus community.
NPHC organizations are historically, but not exclusively, Black organizations, and are service-oriented and committed to building sisterhood and brotherhood among their members. They create space and opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds, bringing important visibility to under-represented communities on college campuses.
There are currently four NPHC organizations chartered at W&L: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., which shares a charter with James Madison University; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., which shares a charter with Roanoke College; and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA), Alpha Phi Alpha (Alphas), and Phi Beta Sigma (Sigmas) are currently active on W&L’s campus.
This year’s program will feature NPHC organizations from W&L and across Virginia, highlighting the connection between chapters. Danny Jakubowski-Lewis ’26 is a member of Phi Beta Sigma and currently serves as the Beta Beta Nu chapter’s councilman, historian and liaison. As one of three W&L student representatives assisting in the direct operations of the step show, Jakubowski contacted numerous NPHC chapters across the state to encourage interest and participation in the event.
“It’s truly a commitment, but it is completely worth it when we have an opportunity to celebrate our history within a space like W&L with a little friendly competition,” he said.
Five organizations will be participating in this year’s competition: W&L’s Tau Zeta chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Virginia Commonwealth University’s Epsilon Zeta chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho, James Madison University’s Iota Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, and Virginia Tech’s Mu Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta. Jalen Todd ’25, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, and Sam Bennett ’26, a member of Phi Beta Sigma, will be emceeing the event, and judges include Craig VanClief, director of public safety; Chantal Smith, assistant professor of economics; Freda Coleman-Jackson, associate director of career strategy at W&L’s Law School; and John Young, chief of staff at Virginia Military Institute.
Tickets will be available to purchase in Elrod Commons from Oct. 18 through Oct. 27, at the door on Oct. 29, and online here. The cost is $5 for students with their university identification and $10 for the general public. W&L students can email Heidi Bustos (hbustos@wlu.edu), assistant director of Inclusion and Engagement, for discounted ticket information.
All proceeds will go to W&L’s NPHC organizations to support programming and future events.
You must be logged in to post a comment.