In the fall of 2015, a sorority named Alpha Xi Delta will have another place to call home as the Texas Tech University Greek community welcomed the new chapter this morning through social media.
Panhellenic Advisor Harriette Baker said the council had been watching the university’s enrollment numbers for a while and within the past two years, the panel began exploring ideas for extension.
“It has been determined, as the chapters start to grow,” Baker said, “that we wanted to provide additional opportunities for sorority chapters.”
In April, the panel voted to open for extension, and she said the process was lengthy because the panel members looked at various national chapters and what each could bring to the community both on and off campus.
The applications, she said, were looked at by a committee of students and alumni. Once every application was reviewed, she said, the committee selected three groups to give presentations from October 21 to 23, and Alpha Xi Delta was ultimately selected.
“There are a great number of women at Texas Tech that have expressed interest in being in our sorority chapters,” she said, “but either the timeline does not work for them or the process may be really overwhelming, or they are just not making a connection with the groups we already have. So we’re really looking to find a home for students who are looking for something a little bit different.”
In a press release displayed today on the Alpha Xi Delta website, it shows the sorority accepted Texas Tech’s invitation and will make its way on campus next fall.
The website shows the sorority’s philanthropic work toward autism awareness and their vision as inspiring women by helping them realize their potential.
Lauren Felts, a spokesperson for the national office, said the sorority has worked with Autism Speaks, an autism advocacy group, since 2009, and the organization’s chapters often raise money for this cause.
She said the opportunity will be a great step for the sorority as it looks forward to a new home in Lubbock.
“We’re really looking forward to partnering with the university and the Texas Tech community,” she said, “and inspiring young women to realize their potential.”
Panhellenic President Ashley Peterson said the idea of extension has been around longer than she has been on the council.
“Around the end of March, the exploratory committee purposed to our delegates to open for extension,” she said, “so to open for finally inviting the next chapter to come to our campus, and with a unanimous vote, they all said yes — which is was not surprising but really exciting.”
She said in the past the idea of extension had been rejected and this is the first time in about 15 years in which a new chapter has been added on campus.
“With Alpha Xi Delta,” she said, “their philanthropy is Autism Speaks, so autism research and awareness, and we knew that with the Burkhart Center really up and coming, we knew that they could do a lot for that philanthropy.”
She said she feels the new chapter will do a lot of good as it will increase the numbers with the women who join the new chapter, and she expects the positivity to overshadow the negativity that has been in the public eye.
“We’re really excited to invite these new leaders,” she said, “and new sorority women to the community.”
Tech Panhellenic posted this video by Jacob Fisher on their announcement post:
Panhellenic Reveal from Caleb Fisher on Vimeo.
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