Delta Gamma has had the exciting opportunity to establish many new chapters in recent years. We have been fortunate to welcome sisters at universities that have never hosted a Delta Gamma chapter before, as well as re-establish our Alpha Omega chapter at the University of Arkansas. This year we are establishing four new chapters at Portland State, Brown, UNC Wilmington and California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo.
Three of our Eta Psi-Iowa State members, who received their charter last year, share their experiences as a charter member of a new Delta Gamma chapter.
Carlee Cutler, Eta Psi-Iowa State, pictured second from the left, with some of her Eta Psi sisters and CDC Shea Hermann.
“I remember walking past Parks Library in early September last year and seeing a table with two big Greek letters on it. I knew exactly what the Greek letters stood for, Delta Gamma. My grandma had been calling me for months with the news that Delta Gamma was coming to Iowa State. My grandmother is a Delta Gamma from Lawrence College 1945, and was ecstatic when she learned I could have the opportunity to become her sister. I walked up to the table and introduced myself to the CDCs, Sarah Gilbert, Eta Sigma-Charleston and Shea Hermann, Epsilon Phi-Loyola.
I remember getting interviewed by the Delta Gamma Fraternity President, Staci Skoog, and then getting to meet Delta Gammas from the University of Minnesota for our preference ceremony. I was so excited getting an email later that night saying that I received a bid to become a charter member at Eta Psi-Iowa State! Our Bid Day was a crazy whirlwind of activities and many other chapters on campus came out to support us on our Bid Day; that was so special! Our chapter dove right into the Greek life on our campus, with homecoming, officer elections and planning our first formal. I decided to take the position of director: recruitment records, this was such a fun and exciting position, as my ‘twin’ is vp: membership, it has made us so much closer planning our first recruitment together. I now since last fall have been the director: recruitment records, participated (and got first place) in Greek Week activities, coached Anchor Splash® teams, gone to formal, moved into our new house, assisted in polish and recruitment week, got a little (Yay!) and most recently joined Honor Board as their senior member.
Being a charter member for Delta Gamma on my campus has been such a new and exciting experience for me, I am so grateful to have met so many new best friends I otherwise would have never encountered, and getting to start every new tradition that will be carried on by my chapter for decades to come. So, thank you DG, for my sisters, my home and my anchor.”
Carlee Cutler, Eta Psi-Iowa State
“I did not have the traditional sorority experience as most women have had during their undergraduate years -- I joined a brand-new Delta Gamma chapter during the fall of my junior year. Looking back over the past year, I'm so happy with my decision to become a DG. After joining last fall, I immediately became interested in holding an officer position due to my previous involvement in other leadership roles on campus. I applied to become the vp: member education and was slated approximately one week later. Through this position and my other involvement with the chapter, I've been able to grow into the woman I am today.
Joining a new chapter presented me new challenges I had not seen before but also presented me with great opportunities I would not have had if I had joined an already established chapter. During Eta Psi's first year on campus, I've been able to work with other officer members to shape our chapter into who we are today. I had the opportunity to plan Bid Day and Big/Little reveal with no help from previous officers since we did not have any at the time! I'm so excited to come back in ten years to see just how much we've grown as a chapter.”
Maranda (Randi) Hahn, Eta Psi-Iowa State
“Becoming a member of Delta Gamma was never something I planned to do. One day I was on campus and saw women talking about a new Greek chapter coming to Iowa State, so I thought I'd talk to them about their chapter for fun. From the moment I started talking to the women I now know as our first CDCs, I felt like I had finally found my home away from home. While I was skeptical to join at first because I wouldn't know anyone joining with me, I knew that we were all interested in Delta Gamma for similar reasons. Finally, we all felt like we had a place we could call home, one that also cared about “Doing Good,” and one where we could find unconditional friendship.
Since joining, I've been challenged to grow both as a leader and as a person. My sisters help me live the values described in Article II, and I help them learn and grow in return. As a new chapter we've had a large learning curve, but I'm thrilled to see how amazingly our CMT handles situations we've never had to deal with before. Everything from our first Anchor Splash® to our first recruitment have incredibly successful. The new members we selected during recruitment really understand what our sisterhood is all about and want to leave their mark on our chapter. I'm proud to call one of them my little.
With the help of our advisers and CDCs, life as a member in a new chapter has been everything I expected and more!”
Aimee Rodin, Eta Psi-Iowa State
If you or someone you know attend one of the universities we are establishing a new chapter this year, please share these stories with them. You can find more information about our upcoming and recent establishments here.