From navigating a new environment to building academic schedules and social networks, Brenda Esquivel Rivera knows the challenges facing future Wolverines.
She also knows this critical life transition can be more daunting for first-generation students like herself.
“I often felt that my parents struggled to understand the complexities of college life,” said Esquivel Rivera. “This led to misunderstandings, leaving me feeling unsure about how to navigate my new phase.”
Esquivel Rivera worried that what her family could not provide—knowledge gained through lived experience on a college campus—would leave her at a significant disadvantage compared to her peers. Who could she turn to for housing questions? Or advice on what courses could take her closer toward her career goals?
Now, Esquivel Rivera’s found family, her Delta Tau Lambda Sorority, Inc. (DTL) sisters, help fill that knowledge gap.
I often felt that my parents struggled to understand the complexities of college life. This led to misunderstandings, leaving me feeling unsure about how to navigate my new phase.
Esquivel Rivera is one of thousands of U-M students who find community and support through U-M’s Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL), a unit within the Division of Student Life. That number grows significantly when factoring in the 100-plus-year history of U-M fraternities and sororities on Ann Arbor’s campus.
Today, about one in six U-M undergraduate students are a member of U-M’s FSL community.
Two key pillars of FSL, community and service, are often interwoven into chapter members’ philanthropic efforts. The resulting impact is often both visible and tangible. From selling churros in the Diag to hosting “pie a DTL” day, Esquivel Rivera’s sorority raises funds that support the Lydia Cruz and Sandra Maria Ramos scholarships, which are awarded at Salute to Latinas and Right to Success events.
But for Esquivel Rivera and countless others, the FSL community’s focus on giving back goes beyond local and national organizations, shaping volunteers’ own personal growth and development.
I had college advisors in high school telling me to apply to the University of Michigan, but I never thought I would get in, so I didn’t see the point
As DTL’s president, Esquivel Rivera helps coordinate the sorority’s service events. DTL empowers women, specifically Latinas and women of color, through community service, professionalism and personal growth. Joining was an easy decision.
Among her favorite service projects: the Right to Success program, which brings high school students from underrepresented groups to Ann Arbor for a full-day event.
With tours, a resource fair and meetings with financial aid and admissions officers, the event provides insights into U-M and college life. The goal: empower students to consider their future career paths, including college.
For Esquivel Rivera, it’s personal. Many participants come from her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. She sees her own high school experience mirrored in theirs, and understands the significance of someone else recognizing your place in a space before you see it yourself.
“I had college advisors in high school telling me to apply to the University of Michigan, but I never thought I would get in, so I didn’t see the point,” said Esquivel Rivera.
Persuaded by the support around her, Esquivel Rivera applied to U-M. She now jokes about completing the application from a taco truck during her work shift.
Her acceptance came with a scholarship.
Working alongside her counterpart at Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity Inc., the program co-sponsor, Esquivel Rivera grappled with how to relaunch Right to Success post-pandemic while expanding its geographic reach.
“We are really trying to bring more students to U-M from underrepresented minority areas, but we need help to continue to grow these programs,” said Esquivel Rivera.
As Esquivel Rivera advocates for students like herself, she continues to share the message she received years ago: it’s possible to belong in spaces where you once felt out of place.
A DTL alumni helped her find her calling, introducing her to the University of Michigan’s School of Information. Uncertain about her career path, Esquivel Rivera knew she wanted a technology and information-oriented field with the potential to serve her community.
She worried her passions could not co-exist.
“Through meeting with [the alumnae] Amrita, I realized that the path I sought was attainable. All I needed was the connections to guide me in the right direction,” said Esquivel Rivera.
Now a third-year student at the School of Information, Esquivel Rivera is focused on user experience design. She has two aspirations for her future career: to pursue further education through a Master’s program and to launch a business that collaborates with non-profit organizations, making their digital presence more accessible.
Backed by people who believe in her, Esquivel Rivera moves through her college years with a newfound conviction: not only does she belong at U-M, she also can achieve goals she once considered out of her grasp.
“Being a member of DTL means that I always have someone to turn to for help,” said Esquivel Rivera, “and being surrounded by empowered women has instilled in me a drive to aim for excellence, knowing that with determination, anything is achievable.”
About FSL
Established in 1845, less than a decade after the University of Michigan’s move to Ann Arbor, the first two fraternities set the foundation for Greek life. The first sorority followed in 1879, with culturally-based fraternal organizations emerging in the early 1900s.
Today, the Fraternity and Sorority Life community boasts over 5,500 students across four councils—the Interfraternity Council, the Multicultural Greek Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, and the Panhellenic Association.
These groups celebrate individuality while sharing common values and principles, enriching the university’s diverse student experience.