Before they were A-listers, they were pledging Alpha, Beta, Gamma and more!While a college degree isn't required for a career in Hollywood, politics or fashion, numerous stars
have pursued higher education — and some even went Greek along the way. Whether they participated in
the traditional rush process or were awarded honorary membership, these actresses, singers, models, politicians and designers are among their sorority's notable members.From
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex to
Kamala Harris, here are the women who have paid their dues as sorority sisters.
Kathy Bates
Kathy Bates pledged
Alpha Delta Pi at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in theater in 1969 — the year before she moved to N.Y.C. to pursue acting.
Jean Smart
In 1974,
Jean Smart earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in drama at the University of Washington — where she was also initiated into
Alpha Delta Pi.
Ashley Judd
Actress and social activist
Ashley Judd was a
Kappa Kappa Gamma sister at the University of Kentucky. "My godmother was a Kappa at the University of Kentucky. I wanted to live in the sorority house so badly, I lived in a janitor’s closet," she
said during a 2014 event at the George Washington University. "Being Greek meant a lot of things. I joined lots of different organizations. I had so much fun."She added, "I was in the Kappa house when I learned I could call the state capitol or the governor’s office, I could read the paper every day and learn about racism and violence against women. I learned a lot about life."
Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren joined
Kappa Alpha Theta while at the George Washington University before transferring to the University of Houston, where she earned a bachelor's degree in speech pathology and audiology in 1970.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex
Imagine having the Duchess of Sussex as one of your sorority sisters?! Meghan Markle pledged
Kappa Kappa Gamma at Northwestern — where she earned a bachelor's degree with a double major in theater and international studies — in 2000 and remained a member till 2003. So KKGs can call her their sister!
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
The late Supreme Court Justice was also in a sorority!
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was in
Alpha Epsilon Phi at Cornell University, where she studied government and met her future husband,
Marty Ginsburg. She was also a member of
Phi Beta Kappa and graduated in 1954 as the highest-ranking female student in her class.
Lucy Liu
Charlie's Angels is all about the power of sisterhood, and
Lucy Liu would know something about that: She was a
Chi Omega at the University of Michigan, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in Asian languages and cultures in 1990.
Kamala Harris
The former vice president — who graduated from Howard University with a degree in political science and economics — often speaks about the support and love she's always felt from her sisters from
Alpha Kappa Alpha (the first Black sorority)."To my line sisters, the 38 Jewels of Iridescent Splendor," Harris
spoke during Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated’s 71st Boulé in 2024, "you are such an incredible part of my journey. And I love you, guys."
Connie Britton
Friday Night Lights star
Connie Britton was a Sigma Kappa at Dartmouth University, where she majored in Asian studies.“I feel like my experience being able to go to college and study all the things that I studied — not being a drama major, being a Chinese major — absolutely has contributed to the rest of my life,” Britton
told TIME in 2015. “It’s easy to laugh at that and say, ‘What does that have to do with being an actor?’ For me personally, though, it’s shaped the person that I am, and that’s something that I needed."
Phylicia Rashad
Phylicia Rashad attended Howard University, where she pledged
Alpha Kappa Alpha."What happened when I joined the sorority? One of the things that struck me the day I pledged AKA were the other young women who were all being inducted," she
told Oprah Daily in 2021. "The diversity of interests was inspiring. The world became a little bit bigger, still, and I hadn't considered my world very small. There was something about going through a pledge period with other young women who you really didn't know very well. And you must learn to bond, trust and depend upon one another. Think about what that means."
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner was a
Pi Beta Phi sister at Denison University, graduating in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in theater performance.
Jenna Dewan
Jenna Dewan was a
Pi Beta Phi at the University of Southern California, where she stayed for 18 months until she dropped out
to go on tour as a backup dancer for
Janet Jackson,
per Prestige.
Condoleezza Rice
Alpha Chi Omegas can count themselves in good company: They've got
Condoleezza Rice, the first female African American secretary of state, as one of their sorority sisters. She
joined the sorority while at the University of Denver.
Kourtney Kardashian
Cosmopolitan reported that the eldest Kardashian was an Alpha Phi at the University of Arizona, where she graduated in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in theater and a minor in Spanish.
Hannah Brown
Roll Tide! The former Bachelorette was an
Alpha Chi Omega at the University of Alabama, and graduated in 2017 with a degree in communication and information sciences.
Sheryl Crow
While pursuing a degree in music education in the early '80s,
the Grammy Award-winning singer joined
Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Missouri.
Hoda Kotb
Hoda Kotb — who graduated from Virginia Tech in 1986 with a degree in broadcast journalism — was a
Delta Delta Delta member. During
her last week as a host on the Today show, Kotb
reunited with 70 of her Tri Delta sisters who "came from all over the country, because we love you.""You guys, I can't believe you did this," Kotb said. "I love you guys. I was the pledge trainer for the sorority. It meant the absolute world to me. I can't believe you guys came. I'm shocked. I can't believe it y'all."
Katie Couric
Katie Couric and Kotb have more than just
Today in common: They were both in Greek life! Couric
pledged Tri-Delta while at the University of Virginia — graduating in 1979 with a degree in American studies.
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood is a Sigma Sigma Sigma girl! In the middle of her studies at Northeastern State University, the singer competed on
American Idol (and won!) — returning to college to graduate magna cum laude with a degree in mass communications.
Kristin Chenoweth
We bet
Kristin Chenoweth was "Popular" while she was a member of
Gamma Phi Beta at Oklahoma City University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in musical theater and a master's degree in opera performance.
Bette Midler
Bette Midler attended the University of Hawaii and pledged Delta Phi Epsilon. The then-aspiring actress was studying drama, but left after three semesters to study theater in N.Y.C.
Dionne Warwick
Rock & Roll Hall of FamerDionne Warwick became an
honorary member of Zeta Phi Beta in 1978 and was recognized for her contributions in music.
Jamie Chung
Before she played a Theta Pi sister in
Sorority Row (2009),
Jamie Chungwas a Kappa Kappa Gamma at UC Riverside, where she graduated in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in economics.
Elizabeth Banks
"As a filmmaker, I wanted to tell a story about women working together and expand upon the idea of sisterhood and sorority that was meaningful to me when I was making
Pitch Perfect,” Banks
said of making Charlie's Angels to The Hollywood Reporter in 2019.
Farrah Fawcett
With that hair, she was probably a highly sought-after pledge!
Farrah Fawcett went Delta Delta Delta while at the University of Texas, where she switched her major from microbiology to art. However, she eventually dropped out to pursue acting in Hollywood,
per The New York Times.
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin became an honorary member of
Delta Sigma Theta in 1992. When the Queen of Soul
died at age 76 in 2018, the sorority
honored her with their traditional Omega Omega ceremony on the first visitation night.
Sophia Bush
While studying journalism and theater at the University of Southern California,
Sophia Bush rushed
Kappa Kappa Gamma but left before graduating after booking her breakout role as Brooke Davis on
One Tree Hill.Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys is an
honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. The Grammy Award-winning singer was inducted in 2004.
Mariska Hargitay
Before she was solving crime on
Law & Order: SVU,
Mariska Hargitay was a pledge at UCLA! She's a
Kappa Gamma Gamma.
Molly Sims
Molly Sims — who went to Vanderbilt University — was a Delta Delta Delta. She was there for two years before she dropped out to pursue modeling.
Kimberly Williams-Paisley
The actress
pledged Alpha Phi at Northwestern University — taking a brief break from college to film
Father of the Bride in 1991 and later returning to finish her degree in drama.
Wanda Sykes
Wanda Sykes was a member of
Alpha Kappa Alpha at Hampton University, and still regularly posts about the organization
on her Instagram.
Angela Kinsey
The Office ain't got nothin' on rush week!
Angela Kinsey was a
Chi Omega at Baylor University, where she
took numerous theater classes and got a bachelor's degree in English.
Patricia Heaton
The
Everybody Loves Raymond star was a
Delta Gamma at the Ohio State University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in drama.
