When touring campus as a high school student, UNC senior Corinna Fonseca felt immediately drawn to the people. The enthusiastic students, faculty, and staff that make up Carolina’s community were the deciding factor in her decision to attend the University and after four years, Fonseca has not been disappointed. Through her involvement on campus with the Phi Chapter of Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, community service projects, and the Delta Advocates program, Fonseca strives to give back to the Carolina community that has been her home from the moment she stepped on campus as a first year.
Though she felt welcomed at UNC, Fonseca recalls how important it was for her to find her place within the University. By joining Lambda Pi Chi, she discovered her place at Carolina through the sorority’s three ideals of la Comunidad, la Cultura Latina, and la Hermandad or the Community, the Latino Culture, and the Sisterhood. “I am so involved in it because it was really an outlet for me to be involved in the Greek community and the Latina/o community because through this avenue I was able to host events that brought awareness about different social issues,” Fonseca said. She is especially enthusiastic about the multiple ways the sorority strives to service the local community.
Through programs like Latinas Educating on AIDS Awareness and Prevention and H.A.C.E.R., a project focused on assisting minority and/or low-income women to further their educational and career goals, Fonseca has had ample opportunity to live out her sorority’s ideal of la Comunidad. Her love for this organization prompted her to act as president for her junior year and she continues to volunteer her time with the sisterhood. “I learned a lot about myself and where I come from through Lambda Pi Chi,” said Fonseca. “It’s definitely a smaller niche in the greater Carolina home.”
After finding a strong community within Lambda Pi Chi, Fonseca continued to pursue other service opportunities within the University. Her other leadership positions have included serving as a member on the Greek Alliance Council and acting as a Delta advocate. In her current role as a Delta advocate, she is a resource to anyone on campus who has experienced or wants to learn more about sexual assault or domestic violence. “Reaching out to administration can be really scary, so we are a familiar face they may feel more comfortable asking questions or finding a resource that could help them,” said Fonseca. Through her work in this program over the last year, she strives to act as a better bystander by being informed and ready to help anyone within the Carolina community who may be struggling with this difficult issue.
As a psychology major with minors in neuroscience and Latina/o studies, Fonseca enjoys learning about the human mind while also exploring her Latina/o culture. She hopes to continue her service to minority communities as a therapist or a counselor upon graduation.
By Clara Davison