![Nursing freshmen Lindsey Gerngross and Christine Becer meet Phi Sig chapter adviser Jill Grubmeyer last semester. [Amanda Aycock/The Daily Pennsylvanian]](http://thedp.com/files/imagecache/article_250wide/paper882/stills/4029e85b7a37f-43-1.jpg "Matt Jones")
Roses and a roomful of ladies in red greeted potential new members at "The Heart of Phi Sigma Sigma."
Phi Sigma Sigma is currently seeking founding sisters for the new Nu chapter at Penn.
"It's important to me that this organization isn't one that already has stereotypes attached to it," College sophomore and Phi Sig founding sister Maria Leonetti said. "It's going to be something completely new, and it's going to be what we make of it."
In the fall of 2004, 17 of the new sisters will be able to move into the house at 4032 Walnut St., which is currently occupied by Sigma Kappa sorority.
Sigma Kappa could not be reached for comment on their future living arrangements.
Phi Sig went dormant in fall 2002 due to low membership numbers. At that point, the sisters chose to either disaffiliate or retain alumnae status.
"The [Phi Sig] National Board had been in conversations with the chapter for a while [regarding the] maintaining of expectations," Nu Chapter Coordinator Gina Kaufman said. "The National had provided plans in getting to an acceptable level [of membership] on a campus like Penn ... we just couldn't come to an agreement as to how the chapter was to move forward."
In January 2003, "I put together a group of volunteers who have helped us get to where we are tonight," Kaufman said.
Volunteers include Phi Sig collegiate members from Temple, Drexel and Widener universities, in addition to alumnae from the Philadelphia area.
Twelve women from Penn were also selected to be part of the group of founding sisters.
"We worked with [the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs] to target women who had shown an interest in sororities," Kaufman said. "We also talked to faculty and staff for recommendations."
Another information session will be conducted tonight at the Carriage House for interested women. Interviews are already being conducted.
"There are more freshman women [indicating interest] than anything else," said Kaufman, who added that many sophomores and juniors also showed up at events earlier on in the week.
There will be an invitation-only event tomorrow. Bids will be issued on Friday, and the new sisters will be pinned on Sunday.
"We're seeing a lot of interest from all different types of women," OFSA Associate Director for Programming Lea Shafer said. Phi Sig "has a rich history at Penn, and we would like to continue that."
The Greek community seems excited by the recolonization process.
"It is wonderful that they are recolonizing at Penn. The Panhellenic Council fully supports them," Panhel President Erica Shmerler said. "It's an amazing opportunity for anyone who still wants to be involved in the Greek system."
Potential future sisters at the Phi Sig event agreed.
"I'm looking for a different type of sorority experience," College freshman Giselle Furlonge said. "This is the beginning of a new chapter ... to be part of something with so much potential ... has a lot of appeal."
The inclusiveness, leadership through service and lifelong learning values of Phi Sig are also attractive.
"There's a lot of different girls from different ethnic backgrounds," College sophomore Adriana Trenev said. The sorority "definitely encourages diversity and strong leadership."
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