SU hosts dedication for new National Pan-Hellenic Council garden plot

Moments after the ribbon cutting at the NPHC garden plot.

Salisbury University hosted a dedication for the newly installed permanent National Pan-Hellenic Council garden plot at the Scarborough Student Leadership Center on Oct. 10, 2025.

The event, held during the school’s homecoming week, featured presentations and remarks from university leadership, including SU President Carolyn Lepre, current students and alumni and concluded with a ribbon cutting.

The ceremony was made possible by SGA President Jahnaiya Sutherland, who was on the chair of the committee that coordinated the event. She reached out to university leadership, local NPHC organizations on the Eastern Shore and the Black Alumni Association of SU (BAASU) to ensure the ceremony would be grand.

SGA President Jahnaiya Sutherland speaking during the ceremony.

“This event is truly a physical representation of legacy here at SU that’s actually shining light on the mere existence of our organization on campus and our lasting history,” Sutherland said.

Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life Jamal Earls gave the opening remarks to start the event. He immediately recognized the effort that everyone in attendance gave to make this ceremony possible.

Jamal Earls giving the opening remarks.

“This took hard work and dedication," Earls said. "[There’s been] a lot of dedication that alumni have put into this and now they can see the hard work that they did.”

SU Alumni Dominic Carter was the first of three alumni to speak. Carter was a member of Omega Psi Phi and spoke on how this event meant progress for the black fraternities and sororities at SU.

SU Alumni Dominic Carter speaks on the progress this dedication achieves.

“It’s just good to see. It’s just a great day,” Carter said. “It means our faces are solidified here at Salisbury University.”

Vice President of Inclusion, Access, and Belonging Zebadiah Hall also gave his own remarks during the ceremony. Hall, also the Interim Vice President of Student Affairs, said he reflected on what this garden means for both current students and alumni, and made sure to speak to them during his speech because “it was about them.”

Zebadiah Hall embracing Sutherland as he steps up to the podium.

“In 100 years of Salisbury, the Pan-Hellenic group is a part of that, and so NPHC and all our fraternities and sororities are represented,” he said. “Now having this garden, makes sure all our students feel like they belong and matter at SU.”

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By DAVID BOHENICK

Managing Editor