Greek Spotlight: Alpha Omnicron Pi Women’s Fraternity

Alpha Omicron Pi women’s fraternity was first founded at Barnard College in New York. Since then there have been 190 chapters installed with more than 151,000 initiated members all over the world.

Alpha Omicron Pi was founded at Shippensburg University in 1984.

The SU chapter, also known as the Tau Lambda chapter, has overcome many obstacles and has come a long way in the years it has been installed. In spring 2011, the Tau Lambda chapter was unable to fulfill the requirements and values of Alpha Omicron Pi and was suspended from campus.

With a lot of hard work and dedication from the sisters, alumnae and their advisers, they were able to be quickly reinstated the following semester in fall 2011. Since reinstatement, the sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi have been successfully following out the motto of the fraternity that is “Exceed the Expectation.”

The chapter has 23 sisters and this school year has added 13 new members to the sorority through fall and spring recruitment. They have held two philanthropic events called Spike Out Arthritis and Strike Out Arthritis.

Spike Out Arthritis was held in the fall and was a volleyball tournament in order to raise money for their national philanthropy, arthritis.

Strike Out Arthritis was held just a few weeks ago and it was a wiffle ball tournament. All of the proceeds went to the Arthritis Foundation.

Through these two events, the fraternity raised around $700 this school year to donate to the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation, which is its chapter’s specific foundation. Along with these events, the fraternity has attended Up Til Dawn, Relay for Life and KupKakes for Kris.

Each sister does at least five hours of community service each semester to give back to the community,and is involved in another campus organization.

Along with community service and giving back, the members take time to bond with each other. Last week, they received second place in Greek Week after competing in various sports and activities.

They also do sisterhoods at least once a month, which are anything from having dinner together to going snow tubing. The chapter is one of the smaller sororities on campus, which has allowed members to become very close with one another.