ZTA returns to campus

This weekend, new members of Zeta Tau Alpha were initiated, and the Alpha Beta chapter of the sorority was recolonized at Penn.

“The weekend’s events represented a culmination of all the things the new members have been working toward for the past several months,” College junior and Zeta Tau Alpha President Cristina Virgilio said. “We’re honored to be part of the rebuilding,” she added.

“The chapter as a whole is really excited to get out in the Greek community as a new addition,” College sophomore and ZTA member Lindsay Mann said.

The process, which began last spring with a Panhellenic exploratory committee, successfully brought the sorority back to campus after it deactivated in 1954.

After analyzing sorority recruitment, retention and community statistics, the exploratory committee “determined the feasibility of adding a group to the Panhellenic community,” associate director of Office of Student Affairs/Fraternity and Sorority Life Stacy Kraus wrote in an email.

“The philanthropy aspect of their sorority is a focal point of their organization,” College senior and former Chairwoman of the Panhellenic Extension Committee Melissa Rutman said.

ZTA’s Think Pink! Campaign for breast cancer awareness and relationship with Susan G. Komen for the Cure helped to show the organization was more than another social group, she added.

“We looked forward to working with nationals in the future, and we thought that was a good sign going forward,” Rutman said.

ZTA held its first open house in the fall semester, along with the seven existing sororities.

In the spring, ZTA recruited members from all four undergraduate classes after formal sorority recruitment.

“I know that during the 2011-12 academic year Zeta Tau Alpha will continue to recruit quality women, including a fall new member class, and [participate] in the spring formal recruitment process,” Kraus wrote.

One-hundred-forty-one girls joined the sorority this spring, representing all grade levels and four undergraduate schools.

“Next year, we really want to strengthen our bonds, establish ourselves on campus and establish our house,” Virgilio said.

For now, these new members of ZTA are looking forward to building a very strong fall calendar and instilling traditions for future classes to follow, Virgilio said.

Two other sororities may be set to expand the Panhellenic community in the coming years.

“Alpha Delta Pi will be joining our community when we are ready to add another sorority to the community,” Kraus wrote.

She added that Phi Sigma Sigma will be eligible to recolonize in 2014.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.