Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Alpha Phi to be newest sorority at Southeast

Thursday, April 28, 2016 ~ Updated 7:22 PM

The Southeast Missouri State University Greek Life Extension Committee met one last time Monday night in order to cast their final votes on which sorority will come to campus next fall.

The decision was between Delta Zeta, Alpha Omicron Pi and Alpha Phi. After a week of presentations and meetings with each potential sorority’s representatives, the extension committee unanimously voted for Alpha Phi to be the seventh National Panhellenic Council sorority to be welcomed to the Southeast community.

Alpha Phi is the first addition to the NPC sororities since 1994, when Gamma Phi Beta was added. They are expected to have a strong identity on campus and push current Greek Life standards to the next level.

“They really showcased a good balance between wanting to become a seamless addition to SEMO’s Greek community and bringing their own unique qualities to the table,” Danielle Peache, Vice President of Finance for Delta Delta Delta, said.

Danielle attended the all-campus presentations by each sorority and was largely impressed with how genuine Alpha Phi was in showing the community who they are and what they do.

Founded Oct. 10, 1872, at Syracuse University, Alpha Phi is committed to providing programming for collegiate members and empowering members. Members of Alpha Phi are encouraged to explore new horizons, take risks and make a difference in their community.

In 2015, Alpha Phi invested $1,291,607 in leadership, heart health, scholarship programs, crisis aid and community service. The organization’s national philanthropy, Women’s Heart Health, saw almost $200,000 in donations due to the sorority’s fundraising efforts.

Alpha Phi has no nationally set GPA requirement, instead letting the individual collegiate chapters set the standard based on the university. For colonization of a new chapter, the minimum GPA requirement will match that of the Panhellenic GPA, which at Southeast is 2.65. During their first recruitment, Alpha Phi’s members will look for women with a GPA above 2.65 to extend bids to, then afterward will set their own GPA standard based on what the chapter sees fit. Alpha Phi will extend bids to women with GPAs below 2.65 as they see fit.

The average GPA of all Alpha Phi chapters across the nation is a 3.23, higher than both other sororities considered for the position on campus.

Internationally, Alpha Phi has 233,907 collegiate members in 164 different chapters. Nearest to Southeast, they reside at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, University of Missouri, University of Central Missouri and Washington University.

The new chapter plans to start getting involved with Southeast’s campus right away. During the rest of spring and this summer, the representatives plan to start promoting their organization around campus by creating a website and social media and preparing their team and events for the next fall. Come August, they will continue campaigning around campus, as well as move a consultant to campus full time, where she will remain for the next two years overlooking the progress of the new chapter.

During formal recruitment in September, women will have seven sororities to choose from, rather than six. Alpha Phi will participate in the first round of formal recruitment with an informational meeting and a meet and greet with collegians from nearby Alpha Phi chapters, then will drop out and allow recruitment to go on as usual. After formal recruitment, Alpha Phi will host two recruitment events open to any women, followed by two “invite-only” events. After their recruitment process, they will have a bid day, welcoming their founding class into the sisterhood.

Along with recruitment, the chapter hopes to participate in homecoming, Greek Week and all other traditions on campus.

Hannah Lenger, a sophomore at Southeast, did not get into a sorority while going through recruitment in 2014, but is excited to see what Alpha Phi has to offer her.

“Recruitment will be less hectic and there are going to be girls who get to find their homes in another sorority,” Lenger said. “There are years when so many girls don’t get in a sorority.”

The main decision of bringing a new sorority to campus was the rising number of women going through recruitment. With a record-breaking estimated 600 women going through recruitment this fall, the timing for a new sorority could not have been more ideal.

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