At Boston University in 1888, a woman named Sarah Ida Shaw wrote, “The purpose of Delta Delta Delta shall be to establish a perpetual bond of friendship among its members, to develop a stronger and more womanly character, to broaden the moral and intellectual life, and to assist its members in every way possible.”
At Creighton University in 2010, an auditorium filled with women listened to the same statement as the Tri Delta field consultants Allison Lackey and Autumn Dickhaus introduced the newest chapter of Delta Delta Delta, or Tri Delta, to be founded more than 120 years later.
“I want to get more involved and meet people outside of nursing,” said Nursing sophomore Cally Meyer. “I am definitely still interested after listening to what they had to say at the information session.”
Last spring, Creighton sought expansion from the National Pan-Hellenic Council for a new sorority to accommodate for the recent growth in the student body and create a more intimate setting for incoming and current members, according to Assistant Director of Student Activities Eric Immel.
“Not only are the sizes of the current sororities uncomfortably large, but we wanted to invigorate the community with new letters and new programs,” said Immel.
Creighton began the year-long process of obtaining a new sorority by sending in a request for bid proposals. Three finalists, Tri Delta, Kappa Alpha Theta and Alpha Xi Delta, made extensive visits to the Creighton campus.
A committee of twenty Creighton students, faculty and staff, including both Greek and non-Greek representatives, decided on Tri Delta as the best fit for the Creighton community.
“Tri Delta is a values-driven sorority that fits in well with the Ignation mission,” said Immel. “There are also similarities that made them a good fit for Creighton, including programs associated with body image called ‘Reflections’ and the philanthropic partnership St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.”
At an information session Jan. 21, Tri Delta field consultants further explained the history, philanthropy and recruitment process that would be involved in the founding of the new chapter.
They emphasized how the history of the sorority demonstrates its purpose even today. A slide show depicted pictures from the 1800s to the 2000s, giving a clearer picture about the values as well as the philanthropy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN.
“Timeless values, meaningful friendships and innovative opportunities for growth,” said Lackey. “Those would be the three points I would emphasize about Delta Delta Delta.”
Tri Delta is prepared to take on 150 members, which is comparable in size to the other chapters on campus. The new sorority would also offer 26 leadership positions after installation as well as different committees and a Big Sib-Little Sib program.
“I didn’t want to join any original stereotype,” said Arts & Sciences freshman Mary Kate Huftless, “and I also really liked the philanthropy.”
The cost would also be comparable to the sororities on campus, which would include a new member fee. Time commitments would also be similar to the current sororities.
The informal recruitment process for Tri Delta will take place over the next couple of weeks. From Jan. 19-22, women interested in the sorority will sign up for consultations with the two field consultants. From Jan. 25-28, the membership consultations will occur to determine if the women fit in with the sorority’s values.
Jan. 29 is Tri Delta’s Bid Day, directly followed by formal pledging on Feb. 1 and the first chapter meeting on Feb. 3. In late March and early April, the final steps will be taken to complete the integration of Tri Delta into the Creighton community.