In this interview recorded during the 2018 Black Alumni Reunion, Teresa Cheeks, Renee Hill, and Lori Hollins, members of the Brown University class of 1979, discuss their membership in the historically Black Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and how it impacted their lives during and after their time at Brown.
The interviewees begin by explaining their backgrounds and how they decided to attend Brown. Hill talks about growing up in Detroit and expecting to attend University of Michigan until a guidance counselor from another high school introduced her to Brown. Hollins covers her segregated high school in Cleveland, Ohio, and a visit from a Brown student recruiter. Collins speaks to growing up in Schenectady, New York, and the influence General Electric had on her decision to attend Northeastern University before transferring to Brown. They all go on to discuss the concentrations they expected to pursue, the value of the open curriculum, and the educational paths they ended up taking.
The conversation turns to focus on their pledges to Delta Sigma Theta. Cheeks, Hill, and Hollins, all mention the friendship, intellectual challenge, and dedication to community service as some of the best aspects of the sorority. They also emphasize the value and necessity of maintaining historically Black sororities and fraternities at Brown and worldwide. They briefly recall race relations and racial tensions on campus in the late 1970s before concluding the interview.
Pembroke Hall, Brown University