A Sigma Kappa road sign on University Blvd. promoting the new sorority. (Photo by Casey Marley).Anna Sims - Copy Editorcopyed@insideuab.com
UAB has seen a tremendous increase in Greek life on campus; in 2015 alone, the university has chartered a new fraternity and a new sorority. This new sorority on campus is Sigma Kappa, whose purpose is to “provide women lifelong opportunities and support for social, intellectual and spiritual development by bringing women together to positively impact our communities,” according to their website.
At schools like the University of Alabama, Greek life has a long tradition. However, in UAB’s relatively young age - only becoming an independent institution in 1969 - Greek life has only recently began to see growth and allow students the unique opportunity of founding new Greek organizations and creating a legacy for them.
Sigma Kappa, however, already has a long-standing legacy behind it coming to UAB. The organization was founded in 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Today, the organization boasts 156,000 members worldwide, with 116 collegiate chapters in 36 states, according to their website. Director of Extension for Sigma Kappa Melinda Mettler said that, when it was known that UAB Panhellenic council was open for extension, the sorority began to research the institution to decide if it was a good fit for their organization.
“Through our research and our exploratory visit to campus, we have learned that UAB has remarkable story to tell,” said Mettler. This observation, said Mettler, prompted their further pursuit of becoming the new chapter on campus, and eventually the organization was selected to give an on-campus presentation to members of the UAB Greek community. UAB is one of the sorority’s five new “colony” branches this fall, according to Mettler.
Each Panhellenic sorority at UAB supports a specific philanthropic organization, and Sigma Kappa works with the Alzheimer’s Association. According to their website, “Since 1989, the Sigma Kappa Foundation has granted more than $2 million in research and psychosocial grants to investigators and practitioners who are on the front lines in the fight against this debilitating disease.”
Colonization of the sorority at UAB took place Sept. 16-20, with bid day on Sunday, Sept. 20. The process included a philanthropy night, sisterhood night and an invitational preference event. The sorority also met individually with potential new members. The philanthropy night consisted of Sigma Kappa representatives explaining the importance of the Alzheimer’s Association and their role in supporting it. Sisterhood night was a more lighthearted event where the representatives shared their pride and love for the organization. The preference event on the final night of recruitment explained to potential new members the impact that Sigma Kappa could have on their lives and why they should choose to become part of the organization.
Sophomore student and Sigma Kappa rushee Sami Foster said, “I decided to rush Sigma Kappa because I love the idea of being part of a new organization on campus. Now that we started the UAB colony chapter, I’m more excited than ever to make new friends, grow as a person and develop Sigma Kappa!” Foster accepted her bid on Sept. 20 and is a member of the founding pledge class.
For her part, Mittler also feels positively about the future of Sigma Kappa on campus; “We are so excited to join this outstanding Fraternity/Sorority community!” she said.
