Greek Assembly Hall – A Step Forward

photo of a young woman looking to the left with graphics saying student story spotlight and the woman's nameWhen you think of Fraternity and Sorority Life at The University of Alabama, chances are your mind drifts to some of the bigger names associated with the Interfraternity Council (IFC) or the Alabama Panhellenic Association (APA). These two groups comprise the bulk of the Capstone’s Greek-letter organizations, but there are two more councils active at UA that some people may not know about. The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the United Greek Council (UGC) both have been active at UA for a long time but, unlike IFC and APA organizations, most NPHC and all UGC organizations lack a designated space on campus for meetings and other events. Former UGC President Fatema Dhondia noticed this disparity and took the lead in advocating for a new building to serve both UGC and NPHC groups.

To better serve students within UGC and NPHC, UA began construction of Greek Assembly Hall in 2022. Fatema met with several University staff members to pitch the idea during her first few days as UGC President, and she made sure they knew how serious she was about this idea.

“I was able to sit down with the Vice President of Student Life and I told him, ‘I’m not going to stop asking for a building until we get one,’” she said.

Fatema says that pushing for Greek Assembly Hall was one of her top priorities during her UGC presidency. This will be the first space that UGC and NPHC chapters will have to host chapter meetings, meet with alumni, discuss recruitment ideas and anything else that a chapter might need a space for. For Fatema and her peers, it’s more than just a new building.

“We’ve always kind of been in the background because we are still new compared to IFC and APA. NPHC leaders have also been fighting hard with us to make this happen. So, to have this building on campus that lets everyone know who we are and what we do is incredible to see. I can hardly believe that the building will be finished in just a few months,” she said.

Even though getting a building on campus represents a major milestone for NPHC and UGC organizations at the Capstone, Fatema says their work isn’t over. Both councils are already making plans for their next steps once Greek Assembly Hall is open. Until that day comes, Fatema is extremely proud of the progress they have made together. Greek Assembly Hall is the next step toward continued growth and success for NPHC and UGC at UA.

With the building in progress, UA has some exclusive opportunities for you to support our UGC and NPHC students to help build on their success! The Greek Assembly Hall Endowed Support Fund supports programming and offers scholarships for active members in UGC and NPHC organizations. You can also purchase a paver or donate to support the NPHC Plaza, which will sit outside Greek Assembly Hall. And if you want to give at a leadership level, your name will be displayed on the Donor Wall inside the building. If you have more questions about Greek Assembly Hall or want to support our students in other ways, check out the Greek Assembly Hall FAQ page.