Q&A with Brianna Kovach

Theta Eta Chapter at Rider University

In celebration of Women's History Month 2026, we're talking to several Phi Sigma Sigma sisters to share their stories, advice and how our sisterhood made a lasting impact in their lives. Read more stories, here.

What drew you to Phi Sigma Sigma?

I’m a first-generation college student, so when I went to college, I was very much like, “I want the big college experience,” I guess you could say.

I got to know all the different sororities on campus and felt that Phi Sigma Sigma represented me the best. I loved their philanthropy, and that we were one of the more diverse organizations on campus. Our history of diversity in the chapter meant a lot to me.

I also loved the idea of getting to be in an organization that would support me throughout college. Nobody in my family had been to college, so it was a unique experience. I didn’t have too many people to connect with or confide in. I felt like a sorority would give me that space to find people who I could confide in when I was stressed out with school or if I had questions about graduate school and applying.

It was definitely a big support system for me, which is what I was looking for when I was going through recruitment. And that’s what I found in my sisters. They became a family and support system that I really needed on campus.

Can you say a little more about why you loved the philanthropy?

I’ve always had a passion for working with children. When I joined, we were in partnership with Kids in Need Foundation, but we didn’t have a local philanthropy yet. I saw that as something that was already such a good experience that I could turn into a bigger experience and possibly tie into a professional career. My goal when I was archon was to start working with a local philanthropy so I could do more actual hands-on community service.

Tell us about your time as a collegian. What was your involvement in your chapter?

The office assistant at my dorm, who I met before recruitment, became the chapter archon

and also my Big. She recruited me in spring 2022 and then recommended me for the Emerging Leader program that summer.

A month after the Emerging Leader session in 2022, I got a call from her about the risk management chair role that had just opened up in the chapter.

The following year, 2023, I was the chapter’s Member-at-Large and academic chair. That summer, I interned for Emerging Leader. In 2024, I was elected archon of my chapter — and was President of the Year on Rider campus! During that time, I also served as Panhellenic delegate. I interned for Emerging Leader again in 2024.

Do you have a favorite memory from your time as a collegian?

I would say that Bid Day during my term as archon was my favorite memory. Before I was archon, my chapter was struggling a little bit, so my goal was to get us into a more stable position while also making a greater impact.

The chapter had been struggling numbers-wise. When I came in as archon, we had 19 sisters and when I left, we had around 35. Getting to see all the hard work coming together at Bid Day and seeing our recruitment chair, who was a sophomore, grow and have an “I did it” moment was awesome. It was my first success as archon, even if recruitment was stressful.

What does life look like for you now that you've graduated?

I’m in grad school at Rutgers University, getting a master's degree in social work. As part of my program, I’m interning at a high school as a school social worker. I’m also in a certificate program called the Child and Adolescent Wellbeing Program (CHAP) that’s very children and development focused. 

I went into undergrad as a political science major and wanted to be a lawyer. I wanted to help people, but I didn’t know how. That’s one of the things I’ve always loved about philanthropy and working with kids. I come from a low-income family and always struggled to buy school supplies as a kid, so knowing we were helping other kids in need really meant a lot to me. 

I ended up changing my major to psychology. Then, as archon, I got the chapter working with a local philanthropy I found out about from a connection I made through a social work internship. Now, the Theta Eta Chapter is partnered with three Title I schools in the community. The experience really helped solidify what I wanted to do with my education and career.

Do you stay connected to your chapter sisters and fraternity as a whole?

The sisters in my graduating class are very close. We get together for birthdays and such. I’m also still very close with my Little who was archon right after I was. It’s been great to sort of guide her, helping her with questions she has. I was really involved on campus, so a lot of sisters will text me with questions or ask for advice about school and other things.

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What advice would you give to a brand new member?

Have the confidence to try anything. 

When I got the call the summer before my sophomore year that they wanted me to be on the chapter’s executive board, I wasn’t sure if I was cut out for it. With a first-generation student, there can be imposter syndrome. I was wondering if I could even get through my degree, let alone have leadership positions and really be involved in something. 

And you totally can. There's so much support from Phi Sigma Sigma Headquarters, advisors and sisters.

Looking back, I’m so glad I took those leadership roles. I apply those skills all the time in my internship. I mean, being archon of a sorority isn’t the same as being a school social worker, but there are parallels — planning events, listening to others, things I learned from being MAL. You can really apply so much of it to everything in your daily life. Even just the experience and knowing you made an impact is a great takeaway. 

If you think you can’t do it, I promise you can. Not that it’s not hard, but you have so much support. The difficulty is worth the return you get.