Low Interest among Sorority Women Results in End of Athena House
By Laurel Bennett, Staff Writer
Formerly the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) chapter house, currently Athena House (Photo Eric Lippe/The Gettysburgian)
Last week, Director of Student Activities and Greek Life Jonathan Allen announced that the Athena House program would not continue for the upcoming academic year.
The Office of Student Activities and Greek Life (OSAGL) had opened the house in partnership with the Panhellenic Council. Athena House was created to address the initial wishes of sorority women as there was an interest in having a space accessible to sorority members for hosting social events. Athena House provided residential and social living to women in all six Panhellenic sororities.
Athena House is the location of the former Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house and was renovated to accommodate sorority members. Athena House opened in the fall of 2021 to allow sorority women to live together and organize events to promote a sense of community. This semester, the six sororities have been holding recruitment events in the house as well as other social events.
Despite the current utilization of Athena House, Allen noted that a very low number of women signed up to live in the facility.
“It is unfortunate that we have to end the program, but the interest level was too low to sustain it,” Allen said. “We remain committed to supporting the women living in the facility now and will continue to provide programming and advising resources to them through the end of the semester.”
Although Athena House will be closing at the culmination of this semester, Allen hopes that OSAGL will work to maintain the successful components of the program.
“I do believe there was value in the program so I have asked to meet with the Panhellenic Council to discuss what aspects of it they think would be valuable to try and preserve in a different form moving forward,” Allen said.
A potential new direction for the program is currently being discussed. Phi Gamma Delta plans to re-occupy the house by fall 2024.
