MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION & KNOWING WHAT IT TAKES
NPHC Intake is done at the discretion of each individual chapter. Most NPHC affiliates require a minimum of one semester of completed college work prior to being eligible for membership.
Membership intake is the membership selection process conducted by UAH’s historically black organizations, which are governed by the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). Membership selection for NPHC groups is an individualized process that is different for each organization. Chapters choose the time when they will take new members. This process, known as intake, generally begins with an interest meeting followed by a period of membership education. The membership process culminates with initiation and a new member presentation show in which the organization's new members are revealed to the community.
NPHC chapters embrace a lifetime commitment philosophy and aim to assure the continuance of academic achievement, political awareness, and community service. Additionally, NPHC affiliated fraternities and sororities typically do not accept a student for membership until the student has completed at least 12-24 hours of college credit with a 2.5-2.75 GPA depending on the organization. We strongly encourage those interested in the Membership Intake Process to contact the respective NPHC organizations for more information.
Requirements
Any student wishing to pursue membership into any of our NPHC affiliate chapters must:
Must meet the minimum grade point average required by each NPHC affiliate for membership.
Demonstrate proof of continual acts of community service and campus involvement. For some organizations, proof of service must be continual for a minimum of 3-4 consecutive months.
Attend an Interest Meeting of the interested organization, meet all requirements of the application, and membership intake process.
Find a Community Service Outlet You are Passionate About. Service to the community is a huge value of our NPHC organizations. Therefore, we recommend a candidate (interested student) be able to demonstrate a consistent service record – a history of doing service with the same cause or organization. This shows loyalty, dedication, and commitment – all very important traits of our fraternity men and sorority women.
Do Your Research. Each organization share the principles of brotherhood/sisterhood, service, and scholarships. One of the things that could help attract you to a particular organization is knowing and understanding the history and values each affiliate has. This will also help you see who lines up with your own personal values.
Attend chapter events. This will allow you to get a feel for each organization and allow the chapters to begin to get to know you. How do they act around each other? Is this somewhere you would feel comfortable? Plus, showing support for the events the organization is putting on also allows you to show your interest and might teach you something new.
Get to Know the Members. These men or women will potentially be your brothers or sisters, or another part of the larger community you want to attend. Don’t be afraid to say hello and get to know them. You can do this through attending chapter events, whether that’s the individual weeks in the Spring semester, community service, or just hangouts. Talk to them – ask them why they chose their particular organization.
Attend an Informational. Make sure you take the time to attend an informational. This will give you basic info not only about the organization nationally but also how our particular chapter operates. It will also provide you for general criteria of membership.
Keep your grades up. Academics are very information to all of our NPHC affiliates and not just for those seeking membership. Once you become a member, there are many more obligations which can make life very busy. It will be easier to maintain a good academic record if you have already set up a solid foundation for yourself.
Watch for Advertising. Organizations typically advertise via social media or flyers.
Be Prepared! Because intake is at the discretion of each chapter, always be prepared. Make sure you are looking for dates, maintaining a good academic record, and staying out of trouble. You want to make sure you are ready to apply for membership when your desired organization is ready and able to take new members.