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Phi Sigma Sigma to colonize IU Kokomo chapter
June 25, 2003 | |||||
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KOKOMO, Ind.—Phi Sigma Sigma sorority has accepted IU Kokomo’s invitation to colonize a chapter on campus this fall. Phi Sigma Sigma has 110 student chapters nationwide, including Theta Theta at IU South Bend and Epsilon Chi at IU Southeast in New Albany. Members of the IU Kokomo selection committee cited the sorority’s commitment to membership diversity and experience in establishing chapters at non-residential campuses as deciding factors. In making their bid to IU Kokomo, Phi Sigma Sigma’s representatives proved that “they’d done their homework,” said Meghan Smith, a psychology and business major from Kokomo. “They knew about IU Kokomo. They wanted to be here.” Smith and sociology major Echo Shappell, also of Kokomo, lobbied last fall to introduce Greek life to the Kokomo campus. The new chapter should offer “an excellent chance for students to get to know each other on common values of sisterhood, community service, and scholarship,” said Shappell. “And it’s going to be a lot of fun.” Sarah Hawkins, director of Student Development and Campus Life, said a team from Phi Sigma Sigma headquarters will spend two weeks on campus, promoting the organization and interviewing and selecting colony members. Near the end of the visit, the sorority will distribute bids to selected students, and form the IU Kokomo colony. The full colonization process, leading up to chapter installation, typically takes 10–14 weeks. “Becoming a member of a sorority will provide many of our students with a sense of affiliation and connection to other students and to the campus,” Hawkins said. A sorority adds an attractive dimension to existing student life programs, she said, particularly to the growing number of traditional-age students coming to IU Kokomo. “But Greek life isn’t just for traditional-age students, “ she added. “One of the reasons we selected Phi Sigma Sigma is their mission of inclusiveness. They are committed to engaging women of all ages, ethnicities and religions.”
Phi Sigma Sigma was one of three National Panhellenic Conference sororities that presented credentials to IU Kokomo in late April. Selection committee members included Hawkins, Shappell, and Smith, as well as Richard Ardrey, Catherine Barnes, Steve Cox, Cathy Hightower, Richard Hofmann, Chancellor Ruth Person, Pamala Richard, Michael Sandy, and Sue Sciame-Giesecke, Jack Tharp and Matthew Troutman. “We worked very hard to select an organization that would represent the best choice for our particular campus,” said Person.
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