Building Sisterhood, Breaking Barriers
Posted on November 3, 2025
On Bid Day, the front lawn of the Phi Mu house was a blur of pink and white, with sisters and pledges cheering, hugging and screaming with happiness. Then one more voice joined the celebration.
Marion McLaughlin spotted her name high above the crowd, written in bold letters on a sign waved by one of her new sisters. She ran straight into the embrace waiting for her. The moment, captured on video, was shared across social media.
McLaughlin had just made history. As a student in PASSAGE USA (Preparing All Students Socially and Academically for Gainful Employment), a University program that offers students with intellectual disabilities a full college experience and the skills needed for full-time employment, she became the first to pledge a Greek organization.
When she came to campus, she was drawn to the community and wanted to follow in the footsteps of her mom, an alumna of the sorority.
Her decision to participate in recruitment set in motion months of collaboration between the staff of PASSAGE USA, which provides students with intellectual disabilities a full college experience, and the University’s Campus Panhellenic Council. Their shared goal was to ensure that every part of recruitment followed the same process as for any other student, built on inclusion, not differences.
“When Marion told us she wanted to go through recruitment, we reached out to Panhellenic, and they were immediately open to figuring it out together,” said Brittni Wright, assistant director of PASSAGE USA. Danielle Miller, PASSAGE’s employment director, said the response from Panhellenic leaders was enthusiastic from the start.
“They asked all the right questions, not about changing the process, but about making sure Marion had the best possible experience,” she said.
One of those leaders was Riley Melerine, vice president of recruitment for the Panhellenic Council.
“We wanted to make sure everyone involved understood what this meant,” Melerine said. “It was new territory, but everyone was excited to be part of it.”
One advantage: McLaughlin’s peer mentors in the program – Caroline Lopez, Kate Lilley and Millie Andrews – are also her new Phi Mu sisters.
Record Year
“I was really nervous at first,” McLaughlin said, smiling as she sat in the sorority chapter room beside Lopez, who’s also her new “big” in the organization. “But everyone is so nice, and they’ll always say hi or give me a hug when they see me on campus. And Caroline is such a good sister. I can talk to her about anything.”
“She’s just full of sunshine,” Lopez said of her new sister. “She’s quiet at first, but once you get to know her, she’s really bubbly, and I just love that about her.”
McLaughlin and Lopez met through the peer mentoring program and the two quickly bonded. When recruitment season arrived, Lopez was thrilled to see her “little” was making history. As a recreational therapy major, Lopez said spending time with McLaughlin has been rewarding on two levels.
“As someone pursuing recreational therapy in hopes of becoming an occupational therapist, it’s given me firsthand experience in supporting and guiding someone through challenges,” she said. “Helping her grow in confidence and independence has reminded me why I chose this field in the first place.
On a personal level, it’s incredibly fulfilling to know I can make a positive difference in someone’s life, especially through our shared bond as Phi Mu sisters. Watching her progress and feeling that connection makes it all so meaningful.”
The milestone came during South’s strongest Panhellenic recruitment to date. The council saw a 32% increase in recruitment participation, a rise Melerine credits to a growing student body and strategic outreach on both social media and campus.
As McLaughlin settles into Phi Mu life, she is discovering new friendships and confidence with every event. Lopez, Lilley and Andrews encourage her to try new things and be part of all that is happening on campus.
At PASSAGE USA, this trailblazing student is making way for a cultural shift.
“Her doing this opens so many doors,” Wright said of McLaughlin. “If future students want to join Greek life, start clubs or do anything that interests them, we know it can happen.”
