A service sorority

ESAintl · #1 12-16-2002, 05:09 PM

HI -- I am new on this website. I belong to an organization called Epsilon Sigma Alpha. Although we plege and rush we are not a traditional pan hellenic sorority. Most of our chapters are traditional (non-collegiate members). Our organization is dedicated to service and leadership. We have raised more than $60 million dollars for St. Jude Children's Hospital (www.stjude.org) And that number is growing (nationally we have raised over 2 million in the last 6 months. It is a great organization, and I would love to see it on more college campuses (so far we are only on 23). I am a recent alumna and I really think the future of our organization is on campuses. Since we are not pan hellenic, we are considered more of a club-- a club that has life long sisterhood, and a club you can belong to no mater who you are currently affiliated with. I think ESA is great and doing great things-- I would love any feedback on how we could expand to more college campuses.

Website -- www.esaintl.com

e-mail annieg@esaintl.com

- Annie

erica812 · #2 12-16-2002, 06:55 PM

I am a Beta Sigma Phi, and I have learned that our organizations are very similar. I hope that you will find Greek Chat as fun and informative as I have. Feel free to hop on over to the Beta Sigma Phi forum and say "hello" to some of my sisters and sisters-to-be.

Again, welcome and enjoy your time here.

Erica

CarolinaDG · #3 12-16-2002, 07:45 PM

I'm actually an inactive sister of ESA. I just wanted the whole panhellenic deal... mixers, homecoming, sorority council, etc... I think that's the main reason that women decide to go through formal recruitment. I do still think, however, that ESA has some wonderful purposes internationally, and I hope that it continues to thrive.

ESAintl · #4 12-16-2002, 07:56 PM

HI -- I am cuious, do you guys think that ESA would be something girls would want to do in addition to their sorority? I completely understand about wanting the traditional pan hellenic activites. (some collegiate ESA chapters have these but some dont). What if ESA was a service club that sisters started and used as a means to fulfill their philanthropic requirements?

Thanks for the input!

erica812 · #5 12-16-2002, 11:33 PM

Annie--
You may be on to something! As an undergrad, I was active in Alpha Phi Omega, and many of our members were also in social sororities and fraternities. We deliberately focused some of our recruitment efforts on social Greeks because we knew them to be some of the most active students on campus. You may find that ESA is able to meet a need for many Greeks on your campus that isn't quite met by their social organization. While social GLOs are active in volunteerism and/or fundraising, a member with a strong desire for community involvement may find that ESA offers the additional volunteer hours she craves. For others, ESA may be the only sisterhood a woman needs. Be open to potential sisters with all kinds of desires and needs.

Erica

aopirose · #6 12-17-2002, 10:48 AM

Welcome to GC, Annie!

CarolinaDG · #7 12-19-2002, 12:17 AM

Yes, definitely. I was planning on coming back this semester, actually, and they just never let me know when/where meetings were. I think that part of the problem I had with it was that I put it first in my life for so long. I held an office before I was even initiated! But now I know more where my priorities need to lie, and I would love for it to be a second organization that I'm involved in, I just couldn't make it the first, anymore.