Ryan ChartrandThe largest sorority in the country with 173 chapters and 300,000 members has started a new chapter at Cal Poly this quarter. Chi Omega will recruit freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors to be a part of its founding class in February.
“Panhellenic and Chi Omega nationals have been working together for quite some time to bring Chi Omega to Cal Poly,” said Lauren Healey, vice president of philanthropy for Cal Poly’s Panhellenic Executive Council. “All the sororities voted last year to bring Chi Omega to Cal Poly this year, and we’re so excited to finally see them get here.”
A team of 12 Chi Omega women from all over the country will be at Cal Poly to host information sessions next week. Meetings will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 4 in the Performing Arts Center Pavilion and at 7 p.m. Feb. 5th in the Science building, room E27. Students interested in joining a sorority are encouraged to attend one of the hour-long meetings and learn all about the sorority, its recruiting process and what it means to be a founding member.
“Being a founding member of our organization is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Laura Lee Jones, director of extension for Chi Omega. “The founding class of Chi Omega will be able to start something new and create a lasting legacy at Cal Poly. They will help shape the identity of the sorority; they get to determine the causes that the sorority will support and activities to be involved with.”
After the meetings, women will have the opportunity to sign up for the recruiting process, which will include one-on-one “getting to know you” sessions with the Chi Omega women, and an invitation-only event on Saturday. Selected women will be invited to join Chi Omega Sunday, and the sorority will officially begin at Cal Poly.
Chi Omega is looking to recruit women who exemplify the organization’s purposes.
“We are looking for women who are involved, dedicated and willing to start something new,” said Kristen Burchinal, national consultant for Chi Omega.
“Chi Omega was founded on six purposes including scholarship, sisterhood, community service, high standards of personnel, campus activities, and career and personal development. We as Chi Omegas live these purposes everyday and strive to achieve our personal best through the support of our sisters.”
Founded in 1895, the organization’s support of Make-A-Wish Foundation helped raise more than $3 million over the last five years. Chi Omega officials said the sorority hopes to bring its support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation to Cal Poly.
Chi Omega does not yet have a sorority house because it is a new chapter, Jones said. “We hope to have one in San Luis Obispo in the near future; we have alumni working on that right now.”