Mark Chinn - Jackson, MS
Attorney at Chinn & Associates, PC
Divorce Lawyers in Jackson, MS
4316 Old Canton Rd Suite 200-A Jackson, MS 39211
- 1 Super Lawyers®
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48
Years
Experience
Jackson Divorce Lawyer
Updated: 02/16/2026
Areas of Practice
- Divorce
- Family Law
Litigation: 100%
Attorney Information
Overview
Mark, native of Jackson, Mississippi, is married to Cathy, and they have four beautiful daughters, Courtney, Casey, Carly, and Conley. Mark is a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Jackson, where he sings in the choir and acts in Church plays.
Mark Chinn is one of only 15 Family Lawyers selected out of all the lawyers in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi to be a Mid-South Super Lawyer. The selection process is rigorous and includes a blue ribbon panel review process, independent research on candidates, and surveys of over 23,000 lawyers in the United States.
Mark Chinn operates a law firm in Jackson, Mississippi dedicated solely to Family Law and is author of How to Build and Manage a Family Law Practice, published by the American Bar Association in 2006, and The Constructive Divorce, published by the ABA in 2007. He is also a contributing author in How to Capture and Keep Clients, published by the American Bar Association General Practice Solo Section in 2005 and 101 Practical Solutions for the Family Lawyer, published by the ABA Family Law Section. All ABA books may be ordered at www.ababooks.org. Mark has authored numerous articles on family law and law practice management for National and Local publications. Mark is a frequent speaker for the ABA Family Law Section and the Mississippi Bar and has also made recent presentations as follows:
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"Creating the Law Practice of Your Dreams." Presented to the 2006 Annual meeting of the Iowa Bar in Des Moines, Iowa
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"Dumping the Billable Hour" presented to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Florida Chapter in 2006.
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"Marketing for Those Who Hate It" presented to the Fall Meeting of the Family Law Section of the ABA in Santa Fe, N.M. in Fall, 2006.
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"World Class Service" presented to the Florida Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Meeting, Grand Hyatt, Tampa, Florida, May 4, 2007.
Mark was the recipient in 1996 of the Award of Merit for distinguished service to the Bar and the public and was enrolled as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation in 1997. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Martindale-Hubbell's Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers in the field of Family Law. He is one of the one hundred attorneys that were selected from Mississippi for membership into the Outstanding Lawyers of America. He has an AV rating and is certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
Mark has been featured in the National Lawyer's Weekly Magazine for delivering world class service. He is author of a chapter entitled, "Marketing is Not a Dirty Word," in How to Capture and Keep Clients, published by the American Bar Association General Practice Solo Section in 2005 and author of the soon to be published How to Build and Manage a Family Law Practice to be published in 2006 as a joint venture of the Family Law and Law Practice Management Sections of the American Bar Association. He has been a frequent speaker for the American Bar Association Family Law Section and the Mississippi Bar on issues of family law practice management and delivering world class service.
Mark has been Chairman of the Family Law Section of the Mississippi Bar twice and is a member of the governing council of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association. His other work with the Mississippi Bar has included: Chairman in 1995-96 of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee, and past service on the Ethics, Client Relations, Women in the Profession, and Fee Dispute Resolution Committees.
Mark was Chairman of the Lamar Order of the University of Mississippi School of Law Alumni Association in 2002. He was President of the Hinds County Bar Association for 1998-99 and is a Master of the Bench in the Charles Clark American Inn of Court.
He was elected Vice Chair of the Supreme Court=s Gender Fairness Task Force and was appointed by the Governor of Mississippi to the Children=s Justice Task Force.
Community activities include: Chairman of the Jackson Urban League Board of Directors (1995-2000); Chairman of the Tenth Jubilee! Jam in May 1996, which featured the Olympic Torch; Jubilee! Jam Foundation Board, Arts Alliance Board, Opera Board and Leadership Jackson.
Mark has participated as a seminar speaker for The Peoples Law School, The Mississippi Bar, the ABA Family Law Section and others. He lectures at the Ole Miss Law School and has been an adjunct professor of law at the Mississippi College School of Law where he taught a course he designed in Law Practice Management.
Black belt in Karate and kick boxing and a veteran of the 20 years of Rugby, Mark is also a private pilot and enjoys golf and weightlifting and just begun piano lessons.
Mark received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University in 1975 and his Law Degree from the University of Mississippi in 1978. He is admitted to practice in all courts in Mississippi, the Fifth and Seventh Circuits and the United States Supreme Court.
Commitment to Excellence - A key element of the commitment to excellence of Chinn & Associates is the efforts of its lawyers and staff to maintain their education. The Mississippi Bar requires lawyers to achieve 12 hours of continuing legal education each year. To the right are the numbers of hours of continuing education credit earned by Mark A. Chinn for each year since July 1, 1997. These hours were earned through attending and presenting at Mississippi and National meetings and seminars and through attendance and presenting during telephone or webinar seminars.
Community Investment - Chinn & Associates has grown from a sole proprietorship with one part time employee in 1988 to a thriving firm with 4 lawyers and 8 support staff. In July of 1999, Mark Chinn completed construction of a new 12,000 square foot building to serve as headquarters for his law firm. It is located on Old Canton Road just north of Meadowbrook Road in Northeast Jackson. Chinn has designed the building to serve the needs of clients in distress. Quality of Life-Mark Chinn completed years as Chairman of the Urban League of Greater Jackson. Among its many achievements are the establishment of a discount store in Jackson Mall, which is staffed by welfare recipients to train for the workforce. Chinn served on the Jubilee! Jam planning committee for 10 years, culminating with his chairmanship of the festival for the historic Olympic Torch, Tenth Anniversary. He served for many years on the Boards of the Arts Alliance, Opera, and Mississippi Children's Home Society and Family Services Association. Mark is active member of Christ United Methodist Church where he sings in the choir.
Labor and Management Relations - Chinn & Associates strives to provide state of the art work environment and tools and benefits. Employees are afforded incentive pay and bonuses, flexible work hours, pension and profit sharing, AFLAC, and other benefits.
Leadership - Chinn & Associates employs a unique system for delivering caring and high caliber legal advice and assistance to people in divorce. Chinn employs a unique staff consisting of five attorneys. One of the legal assistants include an accountant to handle the financial aspects of divorce. The entire firm is structured and trained to deliver unparalleled service.
Recognition - Mark Chinn has been selected for inclusion in the exclusive publication, Best Lawyers in America in the field of family law. Mark served as President of the prestigious Lamar Order of the University of Mississippi Law School Alumni Association. Mark was the recipient in 1996 of the Award of Merit for distinguished service to the Bar and the public and was enrolled as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation in 1997 for outstanding legal ability and devotion to the public and profession. He is one of four lawyers from Jackson, Ms. to be selected for Martindale-Hubbell's 1999 Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers in the field of Family Law. He has an "AV" rating and is certified as a Civil Trial Expert by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. His work with the Bar has included: Chairman in 1995-96 of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee; Chairman, Family Law Section, (95-96 and 2000-01), and past service on the Ethics, Client Relations, Women in the Profession, and Fee Dispute Resolution Committees. He was President of the Hinds County Bar Association for 1998-99. He is active in the ABA and has been elected to the governing council of the ABA Family Law Section.
Mark's proudest accomplishment is his marriage to Cathy of 30+ years and their four daughters Courtney, Casey, Carley, and Conley.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Recipient, Award of Merit for Distinguished Service to the Bar and the Public, 1996
- Fellow, Mississippi Bar Foundation, 1997
- Martindale-Hubbell's Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers in the field of Family Law
- Top 50 Lawyers in Mississippi by the Mississippi Business Journal
- Best Family Law Firm in Mississippi by Corporate INTL Magazine
- Mid-South Super Lawyers, 2006 to present
- The Best Lawyers in America, 2001 to present
- Selected from Mississippi for membership into the Outstanding Lawyers of America
- Outstanding Lawyers of America, 2003 to present
- Business Integrity Award Finalist, 2004, Mississippi Business Journal
- Lawyer Citizenship Award presented by the Mississippi Bar, for outstanding service to his community and the Legal Profession, 2014
- Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project Pro Bono Volunteer Award, honoring dedication and Pro Bono service 2011
Other Sources of Feedback About Mark Chinn
Included on the 2025 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2024 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2023 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2014 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2012 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2011 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2010 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2009 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2008 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2007 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
- 2006 Mid-South Super Lawyers list
Education
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Legal Education
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University of Mississippi School of Law,
Mississippi, 1978
Juris Doctor
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University of Mississippi School of Law,
Mississippi, 1978
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Non Legal Education
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Iowa State University,
Ames,
Iowa, 1975
B.A., Bachelor of Arts
Major: Political Science
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Iowa State University,
Ames,
Iowa, 1975
Current Employment Position(s)
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Founding Attorney
References
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Hon. Armin J. Moeller, Jackson, Mississippi
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Hon. Fred Krutz, Jackson, Mississippi
Classes and Seminars
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"Creating the Law Practice of Your Dreams", 2006 Annual Meeting of the Iowa Bar in Des Moines, Iowa
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"Dumping the Billable Hour", American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Florida Chapter, 2006
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"Marketing for Those Who Hate It", Fall Meeting of the Family Law Section of the ABA in Santa Fe, N.M., 2006
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"World Class Service", Florida Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Meeting, Grand Hyatt, Tampa, Florida, May 4, 2007
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Speaker, The Peoples Law School
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Speaker, The Mississippi Bar
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Speaker, ABA Family Law Section
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Lecturer, Ole Miss Law School
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Adjunct Professor, Designed in Law Practice Management, Mississippi College School of Law
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Faculty, ABA Family Law Section Trial Advocacy Institute, 2008
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Master of the Bench in the Charles Clark American Inn of Court
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Vice Chair of the Supreme Court’s Gender Fairness Task Force
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Mississippi to the Children’s Justice Task Force
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Chairperson of the Mississippi Bar Committee on Collaborative Law for 2021 to 2023
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Avoiding Malpractice, Presented to the American Bar Association Family Law Section, American Bar Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, August 6, 2019
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Basic Marketing and Branding for the Small Firm, Presented the the Capital Area Bar Association, May 31, 2019, Jackson, Ms.
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On Becoming a Pillar of Society, presented to the Mississippi Bar Association Conference, May 11, 2019
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Client Relations, presented to the American Bar Association Family Law Section meeting, October 6, 2018, Tucson, Arizona
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Work Smart Not Hard, presented to the University of Mississippi Law School family Law seminar, July 20, 2018, Oxford, Ms.
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Mediation for Family Lawyers, presented to Mississippi College school of Law, Mediation Certification Conference, June 28, 2018 Jackson, Miss
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How To Hang Your Shingle, presented to the Mississippi Bar Association, April 6, 2018, Jackson, Miss
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Marketing For Consumer Based Law Practices, presented to the Legal Marketing Association Annual Conference, March, 2017, Las Vegas, Nevada
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On Becoming a Pillar of Society, presented to the Mississippi Bar Association Leadership conference, May 7, 2017, Jackson, Ms.
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Basics of Divorce and Division of Property, presented to the Mississippi Society of CPAs, November 20, 2015, Ridgeland, Mississippi
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Top 10 Recent Decisions, presented to the Mississippi Supreme Court's continuing legal education for appellate court attorneys, August 14, 2015, Jackson, Miss
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Mediation in Divorce Cases, presented to the Mediation Section of the Mississippi bar, October 11, 2013, Oxford, Miss
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“Divorce Case Intake and Pre-Litigation Tactics” at the “Divorce Litigation from Start to Finish” Seminar in Jackson, MS, given by the National Business Institute, March 7, 2013
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“Dumping the Billable Hour” delivered to the Indiana State Bar Association, October 25, 2012
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“Social Media for Lawyers,” “The Constructive Divorce,” and “How to Create the Law Practice of your Dreams” presented to the South Carolina Association for Justice at its annual convention in Hilton Head, South Carolina, August 1-5, 2012
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“Divorce 101,” delivered to the MS Volunteer Lawyers Project, May 27, 2010
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“Getting Paid For What You Do,” delivered to ABA Teleseminar, Nov. 18, 2009
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“Family Law Update,” delivered to members of Mississippi Bar, Aug. 12, 2009
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“The Law Office of Your Dreams,” delivered to the Indiana State Bar Solo and Small Firm Conference, June 4, 2009
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“Finding Legal Solutions to Family Law Problems: Dealing With and Training Clients and Other Lawyers to Create A Positive Framework for Dissolutions,” delivered to the Indiana State Bar Solo and Small Firm Conference, June 5, 2009
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“Billing Pitfalls and Pratfalls.” delivered to ABA Teleseminar, Dec. 3, 2008
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“It Doesn’t Have to be a War of the Roses,” delivered to ABA teleseminar, Jun 18, 2008
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“Creating the Law Practice of Your Dreams,” delivered to the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar, Nov. 2007
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“The Constructive Divorce,” delivered for Legalspan CLE provider, Oct. 30, 2007
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“Building a Successful Family Law Practice,” delivered to the ABA Family Law Section Conference, Nov. 11, 2007
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“World Class Service” presented to the Florida Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Meeting, Grand Hyatt, Tampa, Florida, May 4, 2007
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“Creating the Law Practice of Your Dreams” presented to the 2006 Annual meeting of the Iowa Bar in Des Moines, Iowa
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“Dumping the Billable Hour” presented to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Florida Chapter in 2006
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“Marketing for Those Who Hate It” presented to the Fall Meeting of the Family Law Section of the ABA in Santa Fe, N.M. in fall, 2006.
- “Complex Issues in Divorce for the Mississippi Practitioner,” presented by NBI, Mar. 2005
Pro Bono Activities
- Chairman of the Jackson Urban League Board of Directors (1995-2000)
- Chairman of the Tenth Jubilee! Jam in May, 1996
- Mississippi Bar Foundation
- University of Mississippi Law School Alumni Board
- Lamar Order, University of Mississippi Law Alumni Association, Chair, 2006
- Jubilee! Jam Foundation Board
- Arts Alliance Board
- United Way Board of Directors
- Opera Board
- Leadership Jackson
- Kidney Foundation Board
Representative Clients
Dixie Glass Company, Incorporated
Mississippi Banker's Association
Mississippi Board of Optometry
Trustmark National Bank
Published Works
Articles
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How to Build and Manage a Family Law Practice, American Bar Association, 2006
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The Constructive Divorce, American Bar Association, 2007
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How to Capture and Keep Clients, (Co-Author), American Bar Association General Practice Solo Section, 2005
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101 Practical Solutions for the Family Lawyer, American Bar Association, Family Law Section
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Forms, Checklists and Procedures for the Family Lawyer, to be published summer 2010 by the American Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Dumping the Billable Hour, One Lawyer’s Experience, published by Mark A. Chinn, 2008, at www.chinnandassociates.com
- GP Solo, ABA GP Solo Division, Feb. 2010, “Constructive Divorce with Value Based Pricing”
- Family Advocate, ABA Family Law Section, Vol. 32, no. 2, Fall, 2009, “Law Office Staff Manual”
- The Mississippi Lawyer, Vol LV, July-Sept, 2009, “Family Law: The Constructive Divorce”
- American Journal of Family Law, Summer, 2008, “The Exit Interview”
- American Journal of Family Law, Winter, 2007, “Marketing for People Who Hate It”
- Family Advocate, ABA Family Law Section, Vol. 24, no. 3, “Prenuptial Agreements”
- The Family Law Review, Family Law Section of Georgia, “Dumping the Billable Hour”
- American Journal of Family Law, Spring, 2000, “We Are All Uncivil in Our Own Way”
- American Journal of Family Law, Spring, 1999, “Practice Management: Ten Tips for Better Client Relations”
- American Journal of Family Law, Fall, 1999, “Practice Management: Ten Tips to Enjoy Life as an ‘A’ Personality Lawyer”
- Fair Share, The Matrimonial Monthly, Sept., 1998, “Books About Divorce”
- Fair Share, The Matrimonial Monthly, Aug, 1998, “The Ins and Outs of the Exit Interview”
- The Practical Lawyer, April, 1998, “Conducting the Exit Interview”
- The Mississippi Lawyer, Vol XXXII, Nov.-Dec., 1995, “We Are The Bar”
- The Mississippi Lawyer, Vol XXXXI, Nov.-Dec, 1994, “Ethical Effective Client Relations”
- The Bencher, The Newsletter of the American Inns of Court, Oct. 93, “Dial 9 to Get Out”
Bar Admissions
- Mississippi
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Mississippi
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Mississippi
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Southern District of Mississippi
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Northern District of Mississippi
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Specialties and Certifications
- Civil Trial Advocacy, National Board of Trial Advocacy
Other Affiliations
- Mississippi Bar, Family Law Section, Chair (Twice) (Chairman)
- American Bar Association, Member of the Governing Counsel for two terms; Parliamentarian, 2008 (Member)
- Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee, 1995 - 1996 (Chairman)
- Lamar Order of the University of Mississippi School of Law Alumni Association, 2002 (Chairman)
- Hinds County Bar Association, President, 1998-1999, 1998 - 1999 (President)
- Charles Clark American Inn of Court (Master of the Bench)
- Supreme Court's Gender Fairness Task Force (Vice Chair)
Fraternities and Sororities
- Phi Alpha Delta
- Phi Sigma Alpha
- Phi Eta Sigma
- Pi Sigma Alpha
Photo
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