W&L Panhellenic Council Earns National Recognition Washington and Lee’s Panhellenic Council earned recognition at a national conference amid a year of growth for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

By Kelsey Goodwin
September 15, 2026

“It is so exciting to see W&L recognized for the hard work we put into continually improving our recruitment process and the overall fraternity and sorority experience.”

~ Gaby White ’27

Washington and Lee University’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) recently celebrated a transformative year and national recognition from the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), a significant milestone in the office’s ongoing commitment to supporting fraternity and sorority life on campus.

The National Panhellenic Conference, the umbrella organization for 26 national and international sororities, annually recognizes college Panhellenic associations, of which there are more than 670 nationwide, for their accomplishments in Panhellenic operations and their work supporting the sorority experience. This year, W&L’s Panhellenic Council was honored with two of NPC’s national awards: the Innovation in Recruitment Award and the Innovation in Operations Award.

“It is so exciting to see W&L recognized for the hard work we put into continually improving our recruitment process and the overall fraternity and sorority experience,” says Gaby White ’27, an economics and computer science double major from Rockwell, Texas, who serves as W&L’s Panhellenic Council president. “As a Panhellenic Council, we are always striving to do our best, both internally and externally, for our recruitment counselors, potential new members and active members.”

W&L was one of 31 college Panhellenic organizations recognized nationally with the Innovation in Recruitment Award, given for innovation across the recruitment process, including training recruitment counselors, removing barriers to joining and marketing and transparency. W&L’s Panhellenic organizations saw record participation in formal recruitment this year, with more potential new members participating than ever before, while maintaining a no-cost registration experience and enhancing the process with intentional hospitality and engaging elements driven by student leadership.

W&L’s Panhellenic Council was also one of 18 such councils honored with the Innovation in Operations Award, recognizing excellence in operational efforts such as meeting and transition procedures, governing document review and budget management. Grace Miller, assistant director of fraternity and sorority life, says W&L’s council prioritized strengthening its organizational infrastructure this year by comprehensively reviewing and updating its governing documents — making policies more accessible, communication clearer and processes more consistent and equitable — while also strengthening leadership transitions and implementing more intentional administrative practices.

“The hard work of the executive board led to our Panhellenic receiving two awards: Innovation in Recruitment and Innovation in Operations,” Miller says. “These national honors reflect the exceptional leadership, vision and dedication of the executive council. Through a deep commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive Panhellenic community, they guided the organization to national recognition.”

Miller notes that because W&L’s Panhellenic conducts officer transitions in January, the 2025-26 award reflects the combined work of the current and previous executive boards and adds that serving in these roles requires disaffiliating from one’s own chapter and holding a community-wide standard while supporting both active members and potential new members.

“I have especially seen this through Gaby White’s term so far as Panhellenic president, where she has thought strategically about ways to care for the Panhellenic and broader FSL community,” Miller said. “She is a strong advocate for her peers and the sorority experience, and it is no surprise we were recognized with her at the helm.”

Miller has also worked over the past year to better align the Panhellenic’s standard procedures with NPC expectations and best practices, a shift she believes helped set the stage for this year’s recognition.

“Again, all the credit goes to the fabulous work of the current and previous boards,” Miller said. “I am incredibly fortunate to know such inspiring women leading on campus.”

Over the past year, the office has taken several steps to standardize its operations and expand support for students, including Miller’s hiring. In addition, the office also launched the ASPIRE Program, a new community standards initiative that supports, evaluates and celebrates chapters’ work across four core FSL values: academic excellence, civic engagement, holistic development and meaningful lifelong learning.

“The success we’ve had is a product of the partnership between our office and the national organizations, students and alumni we work with,” says Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Dean of Sophomores Kyle McCoil, who oversees fraternity and sorority life and serves as adviser to the Interfraternity Council (IFC). “We want fraternity and sorority life to help our students find community and have opportunities to learn and grow. It means a lot to me knowing that so many people are committed to getting that right.”

FSL has continued its support of the IFC and National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) chapters and released a new fraternity and sorority life parent and family guidebook for families of current and prospective members. The fraternity and sorority community also expanded in winter 2026 with the addition of the Cultural Greek Council (CGC) and two new organizations: Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc. The CGC represents culturally based Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities rooted in cultural awareness, identity and advancement. Students interested in joining or learning more are encouraged to research the chapters, attend events hosted by individual organizations and connect with Miller, who also serves as CGC adviser.

“I’m most excited to see how our students shape the future of FSL this year,” Miller says. “We have an incredible community, and I’m looking forward to creating more opportunities for students to build connections, grow as leaders, and make their FSL experience truly their own.”

White says she is excited to welcome new students to campus and introduce them to fraternity and sorority life in the coming weeks.

“I feel like we have worked really hard to continually improve the process for everyone involved, so I am excited to build on the improvements we made last year and have our best recruitment cycle yet,” she says. “More than anything, I am excited to see new students find their place within our community.”