By Victoria Mescall
Co-News Editor
As Sacred Heart University continues to grow and expand, so do the extracurricular opportunities for undergraduate students.
This Fall 2017 semester, the SHU Panhellenic community and the SHU Interfraternity Council will each be adding another organization. Sacred Heart University welcomes Kappa Alpha Theta women’s fraternity and Beta Theta Pi fraternity to our Greek community.
“Expansion is the process of adding a new sorority onto campus,” said Panhellenic Expansion Delegate Hannah Leeping. “Each sorority chapter currently on campus had a vote to expand last year. As the past Panhellenic Delegate for Theta Phi Alpha, I thought expansion was necessary due to the large chapter sizes and the high amount of young women that go through recruitment.”
For those interested in joining, Kappa Alpha Theta we will be at a table by 63’s Dining Hall as well as Seton Hall and Merton Hall throughout October as they begin their PR Campaign. They will also be hosting information sessions during these three weeks, on October 2, 11, 17, and 19.
These information sessions will allow interested women to learn more about Theta and ask questions about their recruitment process.
They will also be hosting a series of interest events on campus, on Oct. 3, 4, and 16. These interest events are an opportunity to ask one-on-one questions regarding Kappa Alpha Theta and involve yoga, s’mores and hot chocolate, and service for our national philanthropy, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
On Oct. 20, Theta will host a recruitment kick-off event. All women interested in membership in Theta are encouraged to attend this event, as it will be an opportunity to meet Theta alumnae and members of the Eta Xi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta at Quinnipiac University, who will be visiting Sacred Heart.
On the following day, Oct. 21, anyone interested in joining Kappa Alpha Theta may participate in a 15-minute individual meeting with Theta representatives. Women interested in signing up for 15-minute individual meetings can begin to do so on Oct. 2. Finally, membership invitations will be distributed on the morning of Oct. 22, and a Bid Day celebration will follow for the charter class.
“One of the most unique aspects of being a Charter Class member for Kappa Alpha Theta is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for women to establish traditions, create a unique sisterhood, sign the charter, and write your own chapter legacy. Each woman has the opportunity to contribute to developing the sisterhood and serve as a leader,” said Kappa Alpha Theta Educational Leadership Consultants Abbie Stasior and Cambria Lagana.
Beta Theta Pi Fraternity is also recruiting for it’s charter class this fall. Beta has 140 chapters nationally and is home to over 10,000 collegiate members. The values of a Beta member include trust, intellectual growth, responsible conduct, and integrity. Their mission is to develop men of principle for a principled life.
According to their national website, “Beta Theta Pi is known for its entrepreneurial spirit, including recognition as the ‘Pioneering Fraternity’.” Beta now joins a campus full of Pioneers.
“With the five fraternities on campus growing more rapidly than ever before we felt it was fitting to bring a new one in for the 2017 and 2018 school year. And proudly we announced last April that Beta Theta Pi would be joining SHU IFC in Fall of 2017,” said Michael Fritz, senior and Interfraternity Council President.
“Recruitment is going well so far but if there are any questions about how to rush and be a founding father of Beta, contact me at fritzm@mail.sacredheart.edu for further questions. There is no better time than right now to make your college experience great.”
Additionally, if you are interested in joining, Beta Theta Pi is hosting a cornhole event for potential members on the 63’s Patio on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 at 12 pm.
