GreekChat.com Forums - Quintessential Alpha Chapter, Spring 2005

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Howard Greeks Present Their New Members
By Christina M. Wright

Classes seemed the furthest on students' priority list Friday, as a crowded Yard was the scene for the probates of four Greek organizations' newest members.

"It was a mad scene out there," said Deirdre Waters, a freshman biology major. "There were people covering every inch of the Yard, people in trees and in windows; it was just live."

One of the biggest spectacles was when the "137 P.R.I.V.Y." strutted onto the Yard dressed in salmon colored dresses, accentuated with white pearl necklaces and earrings, and sunglasses, forming "AKA" on the main circle.

The Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. had not had any new inductees since Spring 2001, a direct result of the deaths in California that were reportedly connected with the sorority's intake process. Prior to the probate, Alissa Braz was the only recognized AKA member on Howard's campus.

"It was hard, but I pledged my life to the organization," Braz, president of the AKA Alpha Chapter, said. "I am proud, and I am happy to have been the member to make sure the chapter remained."

One segment of the two-hour ceremony included the introduction of new and old members, and the year they pledged. One older woman approached the inside of the circle, and the crowd was told Lorraine Drew had pledged in 1957. Her granddaughter was part of the Spring 2005 line, and said AKA ran in her blood.

"AKA has been a part of my life since I was little, since my mother, grandmother, stepmother and two aunts are all part of Alpha chapter," Amber Drew, a junior psychology major, said. "It has been instilled in me, and when I got a chance, I went for it."

There were rumors of the new members being "paper-made," meaning that the members did not go through the usual intake process. Instead they only needed to reach the organization's requirements, submit the required forms and pay dues to become a member. Members said that is not true.

"A lot of people are speculating because things went so quickly," Drew said.

The large number of the line has students wondering if it was simply to build the chapter's numbers.

"There was only one left, and they expect us to believe they weren't trying to just be more recognized," Brittany Williams, sophomore Spanish major, said. "I don't know about that."

Members dispute the "cattle-call" theory. Felicia Crabtree said there were approximately 400 members to attend Rush and, out of those 400, at least 300 met the minimum qualifications.

"It's not like they just took whoever," Crabtree, a junior broadcast journalism major, said. "They definitely picked the crim of the crim. If you look at our line, you will see that they are active and into the campus."

There was almost a clash between the AKA's and the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. probates. The Zeta's had reserved the Yard with student activities from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., but the AKA's were told to come out at approximately 3:00 p.m.

"The lady from student activities came out and asked what was going on, we told her and they held back until we finished," Rhasheema Sweeting, a journalism major and Zeta Phi Beta member, said.

The R.A.G.Z. to R.I.C.H.E.S. Zeta line was considerably smaller than the AKA line, with 11 new inductees.

"We are a smaller organization and we have different requirements," Sweeting said.

The selection process for the Zeta's is different from that of the AKA's. While the AKA and Delta Sigma Theta's have an official Rush for all who are interested, one must receive an official invitation before submitting an application. Sweeting suggested that interested students meet Zeta members.

"We have our annual March of Dimes coming up, and some other events," she said. "They should go to our events. That's a good way to meet the current members of the chapter, so that you are in good position for next year's selection."

Zeta also has the highest grade point average requirement. Howard policy is that Greek organization participants have a 2.0. The national Zeta office requires a 2.5, but the Howard chapter requires a 2.7.

"Because scholarship is one our principals, and we wanted to make that noticeable among the other requirements," Sweeting said.

The Zeta's and the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. are the only sorority and fraternity that are constitutionally bound. The Sigmas held their probate in the earlier part of the afternoon Friday, with a line of seven called the "Seven Deadly Sins." Sporting blue shirts, blue army pants and white faces, they recited information of the chapter and fraternity that they had learned throughout their intake process and did a mini-stepshow for spectators.

"It was basically a showcase of us, and showcase ourselves to the student body," Derrick Dennis, chapter president and senior mathematics major, said.

Dennis said the Seven Deadly Sins were reflective of the Sigma fraternity nationwide.

"A lot of the Sigmas nationwide are different," he said. "It is a lot of different people coming together to do one common goal."
Dennis said the line is "a good line."

"It has lot of people who will do the work for eternity," he said.

"And that's what it's about. It's everybody coming together and doing the work of the organization."

The Divine Nine were not the only fraternities and sororities represented on the Yard Friday. Gamma Sigma Sigma also presented their new inductees.
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