By Arielle Follett
Sisters and potential members of the sorority Omega Phi Sigma met at Hooley’s Pub on Jan. 21 for a night of wings and conversation.
The night was part of a month’s worth of rush events, welcoming new girls to the sorority and giving them a chance to meet current members. Rush period occurs at the beginning of each semester.
At the end of rush, the girls who have made a positive impression on the current sisters are invited to join the sorority.
Girls from all post-secondary institutions in Ottawa are invited to join, but sororities don’t see a lot of girls from the college coming out.
“We’re trying to attract more Algonquin girls,” said Julia Derrick, active sister and community studies student at the college. “Knowing how much sorority life has enhanced my college experience, I’d love to see more girls coming out.”
Omega Phi Sigma tries to recruit girls from Algonquin through social media and word of mouth, but they are beginning to consider tabling at the school in future. Social media is how most girls, such as Brooke Savich, find sororities.
“My residence floor is really quiet, so I took this as an opportunity to meet more girls,” said Savich, a first-year University of Ottawa student who rushed Omega Phi Sigma this winter.
Rushing can be an intimidating process, but rush chair Ghayda Elhag assures girls that there is nothing to worry about.
“Just be open and be yourself,” she said. “As long as you do that, you’ll find people you truly bond with.”
Bonding is extremely important for the sisters, as well as for their philanthropic causes.
Omega Phi Sigma currently supports the World Wildlife Foundation as well as the Best Buddies program.
“Putting a smile on somebody’s face is the best feeling in the whole world,” said president Kate Ronfeld. “It’s important to get out into your community and see where your foundations come from and give back to that.”
What sets Omega Phi Sigma apart from other sororities in Ottawa is its green pillar: Omega Phi Sigma is the only sorority to carry a green cause as one of its main purposes.
“That was what drew me to Omega Phi Sigma,” said Angela Thompson, rushee and second-year biopharmaceutical sciences student at the University of Ottawa. “Protecting the environment is important to me, and I’m glad the sisters share that with me.”
The sisterhood facet of sorority life is the aspect to be cherished. Joining a sorority is a way to become more confident and make life-long friends, both within your sorority and your community.
“Seeing all the girls grow is amazing. They come in very shy and come out confident young women,” said Ronfeld. “It’s truly inspiring. It reminds me why I joined in the first place.”