Ruby Amores is a current member of the Alpha Omicron Pi chapter at WVU. She went into recruitment knowing very little about Greek life, but after witnessing her sister’s experience in Kappa Kappa Gamma at WVU, she decided to give it a shot. Now, Ruby is in her Junior year as an Art History and Museum Professions major with a minor in Spanish. Not only does she belong to the Art History club as treasurer and social media manager, but she’s also a presidential student ambassador and the student ambassador for the College of Creative Arts and Media.Â
Ruby is a very active member of AOII, serving as the director of philanthropy. Her responsibilities include promoting and raising money for the organization’s fundraisers, planning, budgeting, reaching out to vendors and evaluating the success of past events in order to curate events that suit the current capabilities of the chapter.Â
“Sororities are for everybody.”
– Ruby Amores
Ruby found the best match for her in AOII, but every sorority is unique and different in its own ways. Each house has its own philanthropy that they raise awareness and funds for. Every year AOII organizes the Jacqueminot Rose Ball, a philanthropic fundraiser that raises money for arthritis awareness. The ball was hosted earlier this year and included live music from students of the College of Creative Arts and Media, catering by Apple Annies, a raffle basket and superlative awards given out to the most ambitious and driven members, inside and outside of the sorority.Â
Ruby lives in the sorority house with about 30 other members and loves every minute of it. She mentioned that not everybody is fit to live there. The energy in the house is frenzied and chaotic most of the time, and this can be a challenge for the more introverted members. But what’s evident is that there is a place for everyone in the affiliation, regardless of personality, style or interests.Â
“There’s no harm in trying, even if you don’t enjoy the recruitment process or living in the house.”
– Ruby Amores
The recruitment process is something every potential new member must go through before they are invited into the sorority. “Recruitment is fun. Girls are eager to meet you; they really want to know who you are. It’s like a giant speed dating personality match; it makes you feel seen.” Ruby thoroughly enjoyed this process even though it comes with its stressors. She said that during her recruitment, her cheeks were sore from smiling the whole time.
Each sorority has its own symbol, mascot, gemstone and philanthropic focus. AOII’s symbol is the Infinity rose, their mascot is a panda and their gemstone is, ironically, a ruby. AOII hosts fundraising events for arthritis awareness, and one of their nationally recognized events is a sports game fundraiser. Last year the event was called “Spike out Arthritis,” featuring pickleball, but the organization will sometimes switch the sport to volleyball or baseball, depending on the chapter and their interests.
Joining a sorority can be a great benefit to someone who struggled to adjust to college during their freshman year or just for anyone looking to become more involved in their college community. There are plenty of stereotypes and stigmas surrounding sorority life, especially as portrayed by Hollywood, but no one can understand the true value of this level of sisterhood without experiencing it for themselves.