Toros find identity, community, and purpose in sororities and fraternities.
By Jeremy Dent-Smith, Staff Reporter
When Keith Liburd transferred La Harbor to CSUDH, he was looking for a deeper sense of belonging. He found it through Alpha Phi Alpha, a historically Black fraternity dedicated to service, scholarship, and brotherhood. Liburd is one of nearly 200 students currently involved in Greek Life at CSUDH.
“It greatly deepened my network on campus,” said Liburd, a junior computer technology student. “[The fraternity] helped me get the [Associated Students, Inc.] Fellowship scholarship this semester, and I have a better relationship with the community at Dominguez.”
Greek Life was first established at Dominguez Hills in May of 1984 with the chartering of the Xi Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and since then, there has been steady interest and growth. Now, with 23 active organizations on campus—including all “Divine Nine” historically Black fraternities and sororities—Toros are not only finding a sense of community but leadership opportunities and friendships.
“At CSUDH, fraternities and sororities are an integral part of student life, offering diverse opportunities for leadership, service, and community building,” said Troy Bartels, a coordinator in the Leadership and Student Engagement office. “The LEAD Office hosts a variety of fraternities and sororities, each contributing uniquely to campus life.”
Mateen Richey also joined Alpha Phi Alpha in 2023, the year the fraternity was officially chartered at CSUDH as the Phi Sigma chapter. He said pledging helped him to grow in ways he hadn’t expected.
“I was able to step out of my comfort zone and experience things I never have experienced up to that point,” said Richey, a junior public relations and advertising student. “The Brothers of [Iota Zeta Lambda], a chapter in Compton, brought me in and gave me the experience and perspective that I was missing a lot.”
Sororities are also a strong presence on campus, offering sisterhood and support for women navigating the challenges of college life. Similar to Mateen’s experience, Toro alumna Cristal Rubio said that joining her sorority gave her a sense of purpose and an opportunity to develop a more personalized connection to campus.
“When I first entered college, I have always had the desire to help my community and be around people who have the same mindset as me,” Rubio told The Bulletin. “When joining, I didn’t know how much my life would change. While it can sometimes be work heavy, the reward is always so much better.”
Fraternities and sororities at CSUDH span cultural, academic, and service-based missions, offering a range of opportunities for involvement. Although CSUDH is primarily a commuter campus and many Toros are first-generation college students, Bartels said Greek Life continues to be a vital part of student engagement.
“We are not like the bigger residential schools where there are multi-generations in Greek Life,” Bartels said. “However, our organizations work hard to educate our students on the benefits of Greek Life, especially the friendship that membership brings.”