Sororities – what are they? If you’re like me, Greek Life is a completely foreign subject to you, something that lies in the outskirts of your imagination and in a few entertaining movies (The House Bunny, anyone?). Thankfully, Her Campus McGill and McGill Panhellenic have teamed up to bring you monthly articles about Greek Life to satiate your (and my!) curious appetite. Here’s your first taste of what sorority life is like, brought to you by the friendy and charming chapter presidents of the McGill sororities:
Chapter President: Juliana Prah, U3 English Literature and History Major
Tell me more about your chapter:
Founded in 1897 at Barnard College in New York, the sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi maintain the same values and traditions on which we were originally founded, truly living up to the ideal of our Mission Statement: Women Enriched through Lifelong Friendship. At McGill University, the sisters of the Kappa Phi chapter are deeply dedicated to Alpha Omicron Pi’s charity: arthritis. To that end, we have two major events. There is AOII Goes Blue, in which we organize a fundraising day of fitness, and Warmth of Pies, an all-you-can-eat pie marathon. More than that, however, the sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi go above and beyond in that they enthusiastically undertake clothing drives and charity bake sales to give back to the community, donating all proceeds to the Old Brewery Mission here in Montreal.
What does sorority life mean to you?
To me, being a part of a sorority is so much more than just being a member of a club. Being in a sorority is, truly, belonging to a community. It is being surrounded by beautiful, talented, and outstanding women who share your values and with whom you have an instant connection and immediate bond. It is having a shoulder to cry on, friends in whom you can trust, and sisters who will laugh and cry with you no matter what the circumstances. More than simply provide a place of belonging, however, being in a sorority also provides the opportunity for women to grow as leaders not only within the fraternity, but also on campus. Many of our sisters take on leadership roles both within the chapter and on campus, roles which later translate into skills that they will utilize after university in their careers. Further, being in a sorority provides the opportunity to truly branch out on campus, expanding your horizons not only within your own sorority, but also within the growing Greek Life on campus. Sorority life means that you do not fade into the anonymity of your campus surroundings. In Alpha Omicron Pi, I have found my home.
Chapter President: Emily Ockert, U2 Bioresource Engineering
Tell me more about your chapter:
Gamma Phi Beta celebrated its 139th anniversary in 2013, and the McGill chapter has been active since 1931. Our organization’s Core Values are: Love, Labour, Learning and Loyalty. Our mission is to inspire the highest type of womanhood. Through support of charities like Girls on the Run and Girl Guides of Canada, Gamma Phi Beta fulfills our philanthropic focus of Building Strong Girls. The McGill chapter of Gamma Phi Beta also supports the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
What does sorority life mean to you?
To me, being in a sorority means life-long friendship (and sisterhood), dedication to philanthropy, and tons of amazing leadership opportunities. I have fifty sisters that I know I can always turn to. Gamma Phi Beta works to build strong girls – doing so not only through philanthropy, but every day as we support and encourage each other. The opportunities that I have had as leader in my chapter have helped to build the confidence that I now have in my day-to-day life. My experiences in McGill Greek Life will be the best of my college career.
Chapter President: Catherine Simard-Morissette, U2 Physiology
Tell me more about your chapter:
Kappa Kappa Gamma strives to excel in bonds of friendship, life-long learning, boundless philanthropy and impactful leadership. Our chapter at McGill aims toward personal and interpersonal development in every project and challenge we choose to undertake. Our philanthropy program, Kappa Cares, encompasses our organization’s involvement with RECLAIM For Literacy, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, and other local charities. Our chapter has many emerging leaders, involved both within our chapter and on campus. And what do we do for fun with our sisters? Sometimes it is the simple things. We also can’t forget to mention our movie nights, routine coffee runs and late night conversations.
What does sorority life mean to you?
It is a home away from home, a space and time to experience life’s ups and downs and a sisterhood that exceeds all expectations of friendship. At first you become a part of your sorority, but quickly it becomes a part of you.
Chapter President: Jennifer Tsai, U2 Information Systems and Marketing
Tell me more about your chapter:
Kappa Alpha Theta, known as “Theta”, was founded in 1870 in Indiana. As the first Greek-letter Fraternity known among women, Kappa Alpha Theta prides itself as a leading women’s group. Thetas are women who love to challenge themselves academically, strive to be leaders, commit themselves to helping others and aim for personal excellence. Furthermore, we value loyalty to true sisterhood. Kappa Alpha Theta’s official philanthropy is Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a network that involves recruiting, training and supporting volunteers to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courtroom or other settings. This past fall, Theta organized its first annual “Theta Touchdown”, a flag football tournament for CASA. Within Montreal, we have previously volunteered at the Tyndale Community Center, helping children in elementary school achieve greater academic success. On campus, we are great supporters of the annual Make-a-Wish Run. Finally, for the fourth year in a row, Kappa Alpha Theta has attained the highest GPA average among all four sororities, something that we are very proud of.
What does sorority life mean to you?
To many, sorority life is confusing, not only because the concepts behind it are confusing to those who aren’t in one, but also because it is not easy for members to be able to fully explain the benefits that come out of joining a sorority. Being a Theta has not only pushed me to always aim for excellence, it has also given me a twenty-four hour support system that encourages me to go out and explore the world. When I am with Thetas, I grow and want to become better. Being in a sorority has helped me learn how to maintain a well-rounded lifestyle. The network of intelligent and inspiring ladies have made such an impact on my life within just three years. No matter how tough university or life can get sometimes, Thetas have always been by my side. We truly adore each other’s company, and will always end up together no matter what. I didn’t know that sorority life would be for me, but joining one has changed my viewpoint. Thinking back now, I can’t imagine never being in one, or knowing the girls I know. They have influenced me for the better, and continue to surprise me every day. What sorority life has taught me is that although it may be over in a mere three or four years, the friends that we meet are for a lifetime, and that is invaluable.
Images obtained from: http://www.mcgillsororities.com