There has been a noticeable evolution of historically white sororities on college campuses, and the purpose they serve to young women.

For the pioneering sororities, they were meant as organizations to provide a sense of belonging for women as they were a vast minority on college campuses, whereas today, at most universities, it is the opposite. Women are joining sororities for many different reasons than in the beginning years.

Greek life has made a large impact in women’s lives nationwide and has evolved drastically since sororities were originally founded.

In September 1954, a board at TCU approved to establish Greek societies on campus. The first official recruitment took place in September 1955, where eight sororities and eight fraternities held their first fall recruitment.

Currently, there are 13 established Panhellenic sorority chapters and 13 established fraternity chapters on TCU’s campus.

“Sororities have become a place where women can make a large college campuses and environments feel a little bit smaller by having a sisterhood,” Charlotte Hogg, professor of English and director of composition in the AddRan College of Liberal Arts at TCU and the author of “White Sororities and the Culture Work of Belonging,” said.

In her studies of sorority evolution, Hogg focuses on the sense of belonging found in a sorority and the cultural work involved in forming that sense of belonging that any women seek.

As an increase in the popularity of sororities has increased on social media in recent years, many sororities nationwide have faced harsh backlash for various factors; these critiques primarily surround a lack of diversity and socioeconomic status.

When a popular pop culture outlet, that typically supports feminist ideals, mocked sororities for a lack of diversity and their economic privilege, Hogg said it is “hypocritical to take this feminist approach, then focus on these young women and just mock them without looking at the bigger picture, it’s very nuanced.”

Many women in sororities are also accused of “paying for their friends” when joining a sorority, which Hogg said is a “gross oversimplification.”

I do think that people come in for comfort, and that in most cases is very sincere, and the notion of sisterhood provides many people a sense of belonging, but people from the outside see that and see the wealth and socioeconomic status, Hogg said.

“Although sororities have changed and grown in their role for women, the main objective is still the same in that they provide a sisterhood for women on college campuses,” Devon Swaney, junior sports broadcasting student, said.

There is a lot of media traction on sororities, and a lot of women are initially interested in joining a sorority because of social media, but most people do join to find a group of people they are similar to, Swaney said.

Sororities and Greek Life are changing and evolving constantly, especially at TCU, and every change has upsides and downsides.

Although sororities have evolved in their purpose for young women, not all change is negative. In many ways, the change that has taken place is seen as a positive.