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Gallagher
Ali Gallagher
Professor Fielding
WRTC 103 Section 41
31 January 2016
Becoming Apart Of A Sisterhood
Becoming a member of the Greek community at James Madison
University has changed me for the better. A sorority is social,
professional, or honorary society for females. Most such organizations
draw their membership primarily from college or university students.
With few exceptions, fraternities and sororities use combinations of
letters of the Greek alphabet as names (Britannica). Alpha Sigma Tau,
also known as AST was founded November 4, 1899, at Michigan State
Normal College in Ypsilanti. It was founded by Helene M. Rice, Mayene
Tracy, Adriance Rice, Eva OKeefe, May Gephart, Mabel Chase, Ruth
Dutcher, and Harriet Marx. Our founding principles are ethical,
cultural, social, and professional development of the members. We
strive to empower women to excel in every way. The Sorority invests in
women by instilling the skills necessary to navigate life, and inspires
members to enrich their own lives and the lives of others (AboutAlpha Sigma Tau). Being a member of Alpha Sigma Tau has shaped me
into who I am today by teaching me how to be independent but also
that I have many sisters that are there for me no matter what.

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Our core values are very important to us and we strive to
embrace them every day. Intellect is the first, which is the pursuit and
cultivation of knowledge, wisdom, and culture. Next is excellence. We
seek to perform at the highest level of excellence, create and take
advantage of opportunities to excel. There is also graciousness, which
means embodying kindness, generosity of spirit, charm, courtesy, and
authenticity in everything that we do. Another important one is
respect. We must respect the highest level of esteem for the worth of
ourselves, sisters, ritual, and community. Finally Connections, we must
build and maintain meaningful and lasting relationships with our sisters
and our community.
To become a member I first had to go through the recruitment
process. Now that I am an initiated member, I will still have to go
through the recruitment but on the opposite side. Instead of being a
potential new member, Im apart of the girls who work together to
decide who will be joining us. Not only do we have to go through
recruitment to get into the sorority, but we must follow the minimum
requirements to stay a member. We take our academics very seriously.
We have mandatory study hours and must keep a 2.6 GPA. A ritual
that all girls have to go through is the initiation process. This is a secret
ritual that is a very special day for the girls being initiated and become
official members of AST. We also practice many philanthropy events
through out the year that raise money for our charities. Not only is it

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our job to host our own philanthropy events but also contribute to the
Greek community and go to other fraternity and sororitys events. Our
main event this past fall semester was bumper ball that raised
thousands for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. This has
showed me how important it is to give back to your community but
also brought out my love for philanthropy work.
Being apart of a sorority unfortunately comes with some
negative consequences such as stereotypes. Many people view sorority
girls as people who can be crazy partiers. I always try to overcome this
judgment from people and I do not let this stereotype define me, or let
this stop me from being an active member of this group. I have learned
that people will always be there to judge others. Whats most
important is that I do not let the judgment impact me, and I over come
it. Another common misconception about being a member of Greek life
is hazing. Hazing can involve forcing someone to do something as
apart of an initiation process. This common misconception that all
sororities must haze is also a far off judgment that we face. We have a
strictly enforced no hazing policy. I am proud to say I can call the AST
house one of my safe places.
AST even shaped me even in the early stages of my
membership. My roommate and many hall mates first semester
freshman year did not accept me because I joined a sorority. Many
people become a family with their hall mates. This was the opposite for

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me. I first noticed this when they took the 2 other girls that had joined
a sorority and myself, out of the hall group message. They had
alienated me, leaving me to feel more isolated then ever at a time of
big change. They viewed me as a stereotype without even getting to
know me first. This experience has shaped me in a huge way. I soon
learned how to be extremely independent. I was forced to do many
things on my own. When every one would get a meal with their hall
mates I was forced to meet new people to go with or become okay with
eating alone.

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When I came to James Madison
University I knew it would be in my best
interest to join a club or organization. I wanted
to become involved. Joining AST has let me do
that. Being apart of this group has given me
opportunities to give back and participate in
philanthropy events for charities. In the process
Ive been lucky to meet many amazing people
I now get to call my sisters. Every member
plays a role in our organization. Even if a girl
does not hold an executive position there is

I am wearing that we call letters.

These shirts are very important to
our sorority. We wear them
throughout the campus to
represent and promote our
organization in a positive way. This
photo was taken the afternoon on
January 31st, 2016 before going to
my weekly chapter meeting for
AST.

always something to keep busy with. We do this through our required

number of community service hours each semester, and also by
participating in a variety of events such as Madithon and Greek sing.
Attending chapter (our weekly meetings) in the correct attire each
Sunday, has taught me responsibility of showing up on time every
week and gives me something to look forward to.
Becoming a member of AST has affected me a lot. I know that I
should never feel alone because I have all 250 sisters that are all there
for each other. Yes AST has affected the way I view many things,
however, it has not changed the way I look at others that are not apart
of this group. Being in a Greek organization is not for everyone. I feel
lucky enough to say this is a great fit for me and another place I feel at

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home. This group is very important to me. It has taught me the true
meaning of what its like to be apart of a sisterhood. AST will continue
to try and make a positive impact not only on its members but also
throughout the community around them.

Works Cited

"fraternity and sorority". Encyclopdia Britannica. Encyclopdia

Britannica Online.
Encyclopdia Britannica Inc., 2016. Web. 31 Jan. 2016

"About - Alpha Sigma Tau." Alpha Sigma Tau RSS. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.
<http://alphasigmatau.org/>.