To Mina Radman, being in a sorority meant having a potential home away from home. When she considered rushing, she realized the only obstacle standing in her way was the financial commitment.
“I couldn’t stomach giving $2,000 average for a social aspect as opposed to other things like school or my car,” she said.
One Thursday evening, things changed when the 20-year-old journalism junior saw a friend’s Facebook pictures from the Delta Nu Zeta sorority at Florida State University. Thinking it looked like a lot of fun, Radman searched the organization on the Internet and was immediately hooked.
DNZ is a local sorority founded at FSU in 2003. A local sorority means the organization is not required to pay national dues, and it does not have a house on-campus. Therefore, membership fees are much less expensive than fees associated with other sororities.
One email later, the journey began. Radman connected with the sorority president at FSU and had accrued seven girls plus a faculty advisor interested in the idea.
Radman said a sorority like DNZ is needed at UF because it’s a more relaxed and more affordable version of the sisterhood offered by traditional Panhellenic sororities.
“Our atmosphere at UF is so Greek-focused,” she said. “[Being in a sorority] gives you a bond that you don’t otherwise get to have.”
The presence of DNZ will make it possible for more girls to “go Greek” and essentially gain the same sisterhood experience as any other sorority on campus, she said.
“We want to offer everything a Panhellenic does but in a different way,” Radman said.
Although DNZ will take part in events like Big/Little Week and Father/Daughter Weekend, Radman said there are some differences between DNZ and the other sororities because it’s still growing. For example, the bid class may be a bit smaller because there are only six members of DNZ.
“If you don’t get a bid in the fall, come back in the spring,” Radman said. “Ninety-nine percent of the time it’s not going to be that we don’t like you — we can only handle so many.”
DNZ Rush will be held the nights of Sept. 10-14 in an effort to allow freshmen and returning students to adjust to the campus and the back-to-school mindset. The last two nights of rush are invite-only, and Radman said the process will not be as intense as traditional rush.
Radman said potential sisters are not expected to dress up. The sisters may even be in their sorority shirts with their hair up and no make-up on, she said.
Whether you’re a freshmen or a senior, college and “real-life” can seem scary. Radman said she never expected to become the founding president of the first local sorority at UF.
“Anything is possible — with your career, your major, with what you want to do while you’re in college,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to do what you want.”
Interested in rushing Delta Nu? Find out more about DNZ and the rushing process at http://www.deltanuzetauf.weebly.com.