Organizations founded AFTER 1930, Why did you pledge?

[SoEnchanting]

I thought that I would join a particular kind of sorority when I came to college (I may have mentioned before that I was a little "sister" in high school), but was very dismayed at what I found when I actually got there. It was a lot of the stereotypical stuff you think of when you think of greek life, and as a pre-med, who wanted to pass my classes, who already had friends, and already knew how to party - I just didn't think there was anything greek life could offer me.

That was until a good friend of mine told me about Lambda Tau Omega - a brand new sorority at FSU that was trying to get established. I had heard of them before, but didn't know much about it, but whatever... went to an interest meeting anyway with my friend. I immediately was blown away at how professional, genuine, and DIVERSE these womyn were. They weren't your stereotypical sorority girls, just some really cool people who were trying to make moves. I could feel the bond they had, and as a bi-racial womyn I appreciated their focus on multiculturalism. I fell in love....

And some time later, I became a sister. My friend who introduced me to the sorority is my Ace, and through graduation and grad school I've seen our sorority blossom at FSU. It's been hard sometimes - being post 1930 and all (lol) - because this multicultural concept is still new in the South. But I don't regret it for a second. I love my sisterhood and everything it stands for. Seaquin!!!!!

[OneTimeSBX]

I just crossed last week into Sigma Beta Xi Sorority. we are technically pretty new, having only been around for about 4 years. i had options to join better known/larger/older sororities, in fact my family includes about 5 Zeta Phi Beta's, but i knew that wasnt an option for me.

i had pretty much given up until completely by accident, i ran across SBX. it was everything i wanted, and even more than i expected. my chapter only consists of 9 women, but we are slowly and steadily adding to our regimen nationwide.

the intimacy of a smaller, newer sorority is amazing. Right after i crossed, i recieved emails and calls from sorors all across the country who had heard my line of three crossed. ask someone in a larger BGLO if a soror halfway across the country has that type of closeness with her sisters!

i look foward to learning from these new sisters, and teaching them as well...

[SxyLambdaLady6]

Originally Posted by OneTimeSBX

I just crossed last week into Sigma Beta Xi Sorority. we are technically pretty new, having only been around for about 4 years. i had options to join better known/larger/older sororities, in fact my family includes about 5 Zeta Phi Beta's, but i knew that wasnt an option for me.

.

aww you just crossed last week? Congrats and Welcome to the Wonderful Greek Family!

[SoEnchanting]

Originally Posted by OneTimeSBX

the intimacy of a smaller, newer sorority is amazing. Right after i crossed, i recieved emails and calls from sorors all across the country who had heard my line of three crossed. ask someone in a larger BGLO if a soror halfway across the country has that type of closeness with her sisters!

That is a beautiful thing, and I know exactly what you are talking about. Congrats!

[LTA4]

When I first heard about LTA it was through a friend of mine who had just become a sister. I wasn't really interested in going greek because in my experience I didn't like the attitudes and what I felt was exclusion that was associated with being Greek. My friend gave me an invitation to an informational and I went, mainly because I didn't want to be rude. At that first informational the attendees were ladies I had known since starting college, from varied races and backgrounds, and all were so sweet and friendly. Little did I know that most of them would become my line sisters.

I knew LTA was the first and most prestigious Latina sorority in the country, but until I became an interest I wasn't aware of their diversity. I am African American, and in talking to sisters, visiting websites and meeting other interests I realized that there were sisters of all backgrounds and that diversity was an important part of what makes LTA so strong, and that was a major aspect that was exciting to me. Also, the LTAs were leaders on campus, in the Latino community but also in the greater campus community. They were role models, and I looked up to them. I was drawn to Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. for lots of reasons, but the biggest was their genuine sisterhood. As soon as I became involved with the interest group, I felt such a strong connection with the sisters on my campus, and I could really feel that as a reflection of the sisterhood and love that they shared among themselves. I knew I wanted to be a part of that. Joining a sorority was something I never expected myself to do, but when I made the decision to pledge, it didn't even feel like I was making a decision: I couldn't have pictured myself doing anything else; it just felt so perfect for me.

[poeticace]

This is probably gonna be repetitive of some of the above replies, but here's my story:

I was originally never really interested in Greek life. The Greek life I knew about was things I had seen in MTV's "Sorority Life", which I looked at and knew I didn't want any part of it. I go to school at Rutgers, and despite it supposedly being "diverse", it's not. Yes, there's many religions and ethnic groups represented, but when you look closely: the white people stick with the white people, the Hispanic with the Hispanic... etc. I come from a diverse town that was TRULY diverse - all I had to do was look around at my best friends to see - and I was REALLY missing that multicultural way of life. In addition, I myself, am a whole bunch of nationalities/ethnicities - English, Norwegian, Czech, Spanish, black, and Cherokee, so it was important to me to join an inclusive group rather than an exclusive group. I wasn't black enough to feel comfortable joining a historically black org, nor was I white enough (more in actions/mindset than physicality) to feel comfortable joining a historically white org, and same goes for the Latina orgs.

So I began researching the multicultural organizations on campus. I came across the sororities, and saw how much work they put into the community - Rutgers and New Brunswick, both, and how nearly every single sorority had student leaders in their organizations. I began to realize that maybe this side of Greek life was a different one.

Skipping forward to Lambda Psi Delta - I saw a TRULY diverse, welcoming group of women in them. I always say it, but it really is true, meeting them for the first time and going to their meetings was like coming home for me. I literally mean they reminded me of my hometown, but more importantly, I felt as if I could be myself with these women all while growing with them.

I think that about sums it up - but I also want to say that the small size and alumni involvement was also very important to me. When I was still an interest, I was able to meet a founder, and she took the time to get to know US as people - not just another number. Although when I was an interest there were no alumni from my chapter, through meeting the founder, I was able to see that LpsiD is a LIFE time commitment. Now that we do actually have alumni from our chapter - they're ALWAYS coming back to support our events, and they always show they care - emails, calls, im, even a message on myspace/fb.

And to wrap it up... I love my org... waaaaaaaaa-ooooooooooo-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[TheEpitome1920]

Originally Posted by OneTimeSBX

ask someone in a larger BGLO if a soror halfway across the country has that type of closeness with her sisters!

Actually I do send out emails/call new members around the country.

random thought: the internet has done WONDERS for the greek community (regardless of your focus/size). My sorority has a messageboard that has connected Sorors from Japan, Mexico, Europe and across the U.S.

[gamma_girl52]

Here's my story:

When I first started college I had no knowledge of Greek Life. Nobody in my family is Greek so fraternities and sororities were totally new to me. I thought about joining a sorority; and even went so far as to formally express my interest. However things didn't work out for me.

I was working in Student Activities at the time when I received a phone call from someone who was about to be a transfer student. She asked if we had Gamma Sigma Sigma on campus and we didn't at the time. I asked what it was about and she shared with me that it was a service sorority. I was really impressed with the examples of service that her chapter had been doing on her campus; so much so, that we arranged a meeting for the next day! She and I met and clicked almost immediately. I did some research on my own and found that GSS was a perfect fit for me. I have always enjoyed giving my time and service to others and I knew of others that were just like me. We decided to take a chance and have some interest meetings--close to 30 ladies showed up in two days!! It felt good to know that there were others out there who wanted to affiliate themselves with an organization so focused on Service and Friendship.

Making a long story short, the girl on the telephone ended up being my Dean I and 11 other ladies crossed into GSS in May of 1998. I have never stopped being active since that day!! I continue to show support to the chapter in which I founded, and I am currently serving on our National Board of Directors--I love my job! It really doesn't seem like close to 10 years ago I took a leap of faith and started Gamma Sig on my campus. I just went to my undergrad chapters' Spring '07 probate show--I remembered when we didn't even probate on campus and the support they got from other greeks, was a really great thing! Just to see GSS grow so much here in Atlanta alone--from having two collegiate chapters, a collegiate colony, AND an alum chapter is wonderful. What's even more wonderful is that I have had a hand in ALL of it.

Most of you probably haven't been in your respective organizations for a long time (and I haven't either, LOL) but always remember that you have a responsibility to your organization! There are always gonna be people AFTER you that will look to you for guidance. Be active, be active...and again, BE ACTIVE!!

[OneTimeSBX]

Originally Posted by TheEpitome1920

Actually I do send out emails/call new members around the country.

i think that is stellar considering what a large org. Zeta Phi Beta is...

i have friends who just felt that they wanted more closeness, and i dont necessarily think it is the choice of sorority, but sometimes just the chapter they are involved with. i know it means a lot when a new sister gets recognition from another!