As Greek life picks up at the start of the fall semester, the new director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Shannon Sumerlin wants to turn plans into action.

The university hired Sumerlin in May to supervise the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council, the two governing bodies that oversee fraternities and sororities on campus.

Mike Russel, executive director for Student Affairs Administration, wrote in an e-mail that Sumerlin met all and exceeded most of the qualifications for the position.

Sumerlin said that getting hired at TCU was a good fit for her.

“I loved working with the students here, the staff here, and just the entire atmosphere of TCU,” Sumerlin said. “Continuing my journey in working with fraternities and sororities at a place like TCU was something that fit my style.”

Senior strategic communications major and Panhellenic Executive Board member Megan Smock said that Sumerlin helped make everything happen with her support during events like sorority recruitment, philanthropic events and Panhellenic elections.

“Shannon has been a huge help and asset during recruitment,” Smock said. “Without her, things would not run so smoothly.”

Megan Voss, an Southern Methodist University alumna, wrote in an e-mail, “I had the pleasure of working with Shannon as the vice president of recruitment for both my sorority and the Panhellenic Association at SMU and found her to be an excellent mentor and was inspired by her passion for Greek life and ultimately higher education administration.”

Sumerlin said she was excited to make advances that had been on the back burner.

“My biggest goal is to have the fraternity and sorority community come together and put themselves out there as the amazing students that they are,” Sumerlin said. “They’re doing phenomenal things and I want to help increase the visibility of some of the things that they are doing.”

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Don Mills said that a Greek village was in the university’s future plans and that Sumerlin would be involved with the planning in order to determine what would be best for students.

A cost estimate for the housing has not yet been determined.