While UNC Charlotte is well known for its diversity, the University is a predominantly white institution (PWI). 49.7% of the student body is white, while only 16.5% are Black or African American. Despite these statistics, the University still has a large community involved in the NPHC through high attendance at events such as the annual Yard Show.
UNC Charlotte also honored the Divine Nine of the NPHC by placing plaques dedicated to each chapter in the Star Quad, a spot on campus that holds a significant amount of its history. The Star Quad was given its name from the Divine Nine because it has been their chosen spot for the Yard Show, one of the largest Greek Life events to date at Charlotte.
If able to bring an undergraduate chapter of Iota Phi Theta, UNC Charlotte will not only be one of the few institutions in the UNC system schools but also the nation with all nine chapters within the Divine Nine.
These chapters include Alpha Kappa Alpha, Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Sigma Gamma Rho and Zeta Phi Beta; Charlotte hosts all but Iota Phi Theta.
Iota Phi Theta was founded in 1963 at Morgan State University and has over 300 chapters nationwide and 75,000 initiated members. The fraternity prides itself on following its purpose: “The development and perpetuation of Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, Fidelity and Brotherhood among Men.”
The journey to complete the Divine Nine has been anything but short. 2025 marks 55 years since Greek Life was welcomed to UNC Charlotte’s campus.
As Greek Life’s presence has been steadily expanding on Charlotte’s campus, the idea of Iota Phi Theta at UNC Charlotte is not new.
In 2012, a small group of students tried bringing Iota Phi Theta to Life. While they were able to initiate three members, the group was never officially established, and after those students graduated, the group lost steam once again.
Thirteen years later, what has long since been a dormant dream has now come back to Life, as Michelle Guobadia, the director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (OFSL), explained that she has seen a peak in momentum from not only current students but alums for bringing Iota Phi Theta to campus.
“We are really mindful and conscious in our office to advertise fraternity and sorority life in a way that anyone on campus can see themselves in it. We really don’t advertise in any stereotypical way,” said Guobadia. “I want anyone on campus to see themselves in Greek Life, especially people who never thought they would be Greek because they thought it was only done one way. And I think for someone whose experience was like that, it’s really important for me to show that as a director.”
Since joining Iota Phi Theta at a graduate level, alumni have returned to the Charlotte campus and attended NPHC events such as the Yard Show or strolling competitions repping Iota Phi Theta. Alongside other students, they have hosted tailgates during game day in the 49th Acre with the rest of Greek Life in the 2024 season.
There are only seven undergraduate chapters of Iota Phi Theta throughout North Carolina and two alumni chapters. The only UNC System school with a chapter is East Carolina University. One of the alumni chapters, founded in 1981, is in Charlotte.
To finally charter and establish Iota Phi Theta at UNC Charlotte, the group must be able to draft a document that officially states the fraternity’s affiliation with the school and meet certain requirements.
“We’ve been trying for several years to charter on campus. I think this year, we’ve just had more of that momentum of consistently seeing this group at the Yard Show, at the stroll competition and at other events the NPHC has done,” said Guobadia.
