Sororities: Local vs National

In attempt to educate those who are interested, and those who are interested in rushing in the near future, I think it’s important to know the difference between local and national greek life. The main difference between these organizations is that locals are one of a kind, that is there are no other chapters in other areas, while nationals have chapters in colleges and universities all across the country. Both have benefits and drawbacks. Those who are a part of a national sorority like the fact that they can relate to thousands across the US who share a similar greek background as them. Those who are in local sororities take pride in the fact that if they meet another member of their sorority, they know that that particular person went to their exact college and therefore has an even closer bond to them. This relates to the strong connection local alumni bring. They are extremely supportive because they have a personal connection with the school and chapter they belonged to. This also has something to do with the small school atmosphere that local sororities and fraternities are usually located in. A benefit of being a national is the increased amount of alumni support that they have. This could lead to better networking opportunities due to more alumni all over the nation. Another main difference between locals and nationals is their dues. Locals can stay smaller and do not always have a quota to meet, thus their dues can be much less. National organizations have to pay national dues as well as their personal dues, so this can add a substantial amount of money onto the amount due. Along with money differences, nationals and locals receive punishments in different ways. A local sorority or fraternity may have to deal with the school’s administrative body while a national will have to be investigated by their headquarters. A national representative will have to come in and that coater could potentially be removed from that campus. These are the main differences between the two types of greek organizations, as almost all sororities and fraternities have different ways of going about things. Each chapter and local chapter has different traditions and rules that are followed no matter if they are local or national. It depends on your preference, and during rush, it is best to go with your gut feeling when choosing your home.

Famous Greek Men

Who doesn't want to be aware of the famous (and great looking) men involved in greek life? These men are famous for a reason, and each of them found their start in a greek organization!

1. Paul Rudd, Actor
• Paul was a part of Sigma Nu at the University of Kansas prior to hitting the movie scenes.
2. Steven Spielberg, director
• Steven was a part of Theta Chi at California State University Long Beach before he was ever sitting in his director’s chair.
3. Zach Braff, Actor
• Zach was a part of Phi Kappa Psi at Northwestern University before he became a Hollywood star.
4. Harrison Ford, Actor
• Harrison was also a member of Sigma Nu. He went to Ripon College before ever hitting the movies as Indiana Jones.
5. Bill Cosby, Actor
• Does This man even need a bio? Bill was a part of Omega Psi Phi at Temple University before he ever was a Hugstable.
6. Joel McHale, Comedian
• This funny guy was making jokes at University of Washington while he was in Theta Chi long before he started hosting The Soup on E!
7. Bob Barker, TV Show Host
• Bob was a member of Sigma Nu at Drury University before he started calling people down on the Price is Right!
8. Matthew McConaughey, Actor
• This dreamy man was starring shirtless at the University of Texas at Austin in the fraternity Delta Tau Delta before he ever landed a Hollywood role.
9. Eli Manning, Athlete
• Eli went to the University of Mississippi where he was a part of the fraternity Sigma Nu long before he made it pro.
10. Woody Harrelson, Actor
• Woody is well known for his roles in the Hunger Games, 7 Pounds, and countless other fan favorite films. He was a part of Sigma Chi at Hanover College.
11. Michael Jordan, Athlete
• The famous #23 was a member of Omega Psi Phi at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he continued his love of basketball. 
12. Ashton Kutcher, Actor
• Ashton is one of the most crush-worthy men on this list, as he’s played countless roles on the movie screen. He was a member of Delta Chi at the University of Iowa.
13. Tim McGraw, Singer
• This country star was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha before meeting his wife, Faith Hill and hitting in big with his catchy country music. 

Bet you didn't know these men were ever a part of greek life! It’s more common than you think!

Big-Little Crafts

         There is no greater bond than the one between a big and her little. Those not involved in greek life will never understand, but for those of you who are new to the big and little life, this post will be a lifesaver when it comes to big little reveal week! Every sorority does it differently, but when push comes to shove, someone is crafting heavily during this hell-week. If you don't have other work to do and you love crafting, then this week is probably going to be a blast for you! If not, here are some quick and easy ideas to fill up your big or little’s baskets, bags, etc! 

Letters! Letters are always a good idea. Remember when you first became a part of your sorority, and all you wanted was those precious letters you could finally call your own everywhere around you! Whether they are wooden, fabric, plastic, painted, puffy, or furry, letters are a cute and easy craft to create! Wooden letters are a personal favorite of mine, and I find myself making new letters for people just because! I live to paint mine, but you can always cover them in glitter, rhinestones, buttons, sequins, puffy paint, etc! The possibilities are endless, just take a look on Pinterest if you don’t believe me! Other letters, such as fabric ones can be made (take a look at my earlier post). These can be more time consuming, but your big or little will get a lot of use out of whatever you create! Another fun idea is to make small pillows in the shape of your letters. It is essential that you know how to sew if you are planning on doing this, but the results will be rewarding!

Picture frames! What better to give your favorite sister than you favorite picture of the two of you! Some one my most cherished items from Kianu are the pictures I have taken with my big and little. You can find cheap and ornate picture frames anywhere, dollar stores, walmart, or your local craft store. From there, you can paint or decorate the frame in any way you want! This is similar to the letters, just design it in a pattern your little loves!

These two ideas will never let you down during Big-Little Week. You can never have too many pictures or letters!

LETTERS!

This post is one of the most helpful and timesaving instructions to creating your very own letters! This is a fool-proof method to customizing shirts, tshirts, sweatshirts, accessories, bags, and various items to get them exactly how you want them! If you already know how to do this, disregard me, but it is essential for every greek man or woman to know how to fashion their own letters! It is a fun way to get together with your sister (or brothers) and have an excuse to craft! Not to mention buying letters can get very pricey, especially when purchasing sweatshirts or buying stuff for your little upon reveal! 

1. First, you need stencils for your letters. I make mine by placing a letter shirt I already have face down on transfer paper and then cutting them out, first cutting around the backing, tracing that stencil onto cardboard, and then cutting out the smaller letter.
2. Lay the stencils you just cut out on a piece of fabric. Make sure to use a piece of fabric that is big enough to fit all of the letters! It should not be much, a fourth of a yard is plenty.
3. Cut out a piece of fabric adhesive that is the same size as your fabric.
4. Iron the bumpy side of the adhesive onto the fabric and make sure it has fully dissolved and stuck onto the fabric! Follow the directions on the package!
5. Place the bonded fabric on a flat surface and trace your stencils onto the back of the adhesive.
6. Cut the letters out!
7. Peel the backing off of the adhesive fabric and iron it onto the bottom of the bottom layer fabric, thus creating a layered look!
8. Peel the backing off of the bottom fabric to expose the adhesive.
9. Now all you have to do is sew the letters onto your shirt, bag, accessory, etc! This will allow your item to have the letters stuck on permanently. If you want to customize further, you can use fabric paint, puffy paint to outline the letters. This also adds an extra layer of strength to the letters, ensuring they will never fall off. There are endless possibilities to the color combinations! If you are handy with a sewing machine, as I am, you can always sew the letters on. This gives a more professionally made look, but its up to you!

Good luck, and may the crafting gods be ever in your favor!

Sorority Benefits Part 2!

After writing the first blog on benefits of being in a sorority, I got to thinking of many more reasons joining greek life can make life better and easier! First, not everyone you meet in your sorority is going to be your best friend. This will teach you many valuable life lessons when presented with hard-to-deal-with people in everyday life. The ideas and thought processes of these people will change the way you think about your daily life. Second, if nothing else, being in a sorority allows you to live in the house! No longer do you have to deal with the gross and bothersome dorm rooms and the creepy neighbors down the hall! This gives you all the benefits of living on campus without actually living on campus. Third, SCHOLARSHIPS. Its amazing how many people do not know that their sorority offers scholarships! Being in a sorority opens up other eligibilities for various scholarships and financial aid. Your dues for your sorority could also be covered by such funds. Fourth, taking part in the ever-lasting tradition your sorority has to offer! The older the campus the better! My sorority has been on campus for over 85 years, and its so amazing to hear from and meet the women who first started this great club! If your club has not been around for as long as mines, it is always great to start that new tradition as well! One of my best friends just became a founding member of a new sorority at her school, and I know she get just as much out of her sorority as I do mine! Fifth, you can change the stereotype! The way fraternity and sorority members are portrayed in society is unfortunate, especially given the amazing things these students do each and every day. Your role as a fraternity or sorority member gives you a great opportunity to prove these stereotypes wrong. The friendships you make, community you build, volunteer work you do, and programs you put on can be part of a great college experience that embodies all that going Greek has to offer.

Famous Sorority Girls!

If you think being in a sorority is only a college thing, take a look at the many talented and famous women who have a history in greek organizations!

1. Lucy Liu, Actress
• Lucy transferred to the University of Michigan and joined Chi Omega.
2. Alicia Keys, Singer
• Alicia is a famous singer that is known for singing many popular songs on the radio these days. She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, an African American sorority prior to dropping out of Columbia University.
3. Katie Couric, News Anchor
• Katie is a famous woman who is known for her news casting and talk show hosting history. Her always bubbly personality is most likely due to her sorority backing. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta at the University of Virginia.
4. Condoleeza Rice, Former Secretary of State
• Condoleeza Rice was a member of Alpha Chi Omega before continuing on to cultivate her career in the US government. 
5. Kate Spade, Designer
• Kate is a well loved and beautifully talented designer of purses, shoes, accessories, etc. She was a part of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Arizona State university.
6. Jennifer Garner, Actress
• This Hollywood star was a part of the Pi Beta Pi sorority at Denison University before making her way in front of the camera.
7. Tory Burch, Designer
• Tory, another well-loved designer of all things girly, has a history in greek life! She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Pennsylvania.
8. Elizabeth Banks, Actress
• Elizabeth went to the University of Pennsylvania and was a member of Tri-Delt like her sister, Katie Couric!
9. Sheryl Crow, Singer
• Sheryl is well-loved by many of her country and pop loving fans. Prior to her fame, she was a part of Kappa Alpha Theta and Sigma Alpha Iota, a music fraternity at the University of Missouri.
10. Sophia Bush, Actress
• Sophia, well-known for a number of movies, tv shows, and countless magazine articles, was a part of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the Univeristy of Southern California.
11. Jenna Dewan, Actress
• Jenna, along with being married to Channing Tatum, is well known for her acting in various movies, including Step Up where she met her hubby. She was a part of Pi Beta Phi at USC.
12. Betsey Johnson, Designer
• The always wild Betsey got her quirky and talented mindset from her Alpha Xi Delta and Phi Beta Kappa backing at Syracuse University.

Pros to Being in a Sorority

         It comes to no surprise that many people have negative connotations about greek life on college campuses and its members. There are countless stereotypes found in movies, books, and magazines that create this negative image. However; many greek organizations have a lot of benefits to offer its members. Otherwise, why would greek life exist on any college campus, let alone, why would some sororities still exist after 100 years or more?!

There are many benefits to being in such an organization, here are the top five just to name a few. First, the strong bond formed between the members of such a club is immeasurable. These people are not just friends, such as the ones you may have had in high school or outside of your sorority, but more like family. You share many experiences with these people that will allow you to make friendships that will last a lifetime. Second, COMMUNITY SERVICE. I do not know a single club, at least on my campus, that does not get involved with the community. This is a great way to give back to the areas around your school as well as it looks great on applications and resumes! Third, you can get advice on anything from the members of your club! This is great and comes in handy when scheduling for classes. You can never be too careful in deciding between professors, and this could make or break you semester or even college experience! Fourth, many, if not most, Greek organizations offer networking opportunities to their members long after their college years. You can tap into alumni networks and make professional connections that might not have been available otherwise. Fifth, this is a great way to obtain leadership opportunities! Being in greek life is a lot of work, and there are many different positions available in every club. This is an experience that is essential to making it out in the real world after graduation.

Small School Life

Greek life at Muskingum University is definitely what you make of it. That being said, I believe most of the great things that occur on MU campus somehow involve greek life. Yes, Muskingum greek life is pretty small. There are six sororities on campus: Chi Alpha Nu, Theta Phi Alpha, F.A.D, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Lambda Chi Omega, and Delta Gamma Theta. Each chapter is fairly small, with a cap around 50, although many of them have much fewer members. Although greek life at Muskingum is small, it is still a strong part of campus and something a lot of people really enjoy being a part of. I am so glad I joined Chi Alpha Nu my freshmen year. I could not wait to join a sorority. All of my friends at other state schools had already gone through recruitment and were happily placed in the sorority of their choice. Muskingum, not surprisingly, does things very different than other schools, greek life being one of them. Therefore, our risk was not until the spring semester. I could not wait to finally return to school after christmas break. When I went through recruitment, I realized that basically everyone involved in greek life at Muskingum was completely normal, not your typical sorority girl or weirdo. The greek life system at Muskingum was pretty unique though. Kianu especially stood out to me as it was a local sorority. My friends at state schools did not have any local sororities at their campuses, but this stood out to me. I liked the idea that I could be a part of a club that was founded and solely existed at Muskingum University. Despite Kianu being so original, it has many involved alumna located all around the world. Anyways.. Many who are not involved in MU greek life may not realize it, but Greek life actually puts on a lot of Muskingum’s most popular events. The members of these clubs, sororities and frats are usually hold the leadership positions in non-greek clubs, such as relay for life, which puts on a lot of events on campus. These clubs also put on many fundraisers that are beneficial to the community and provide social life for non-greeks on campus. 

Kianu Involvement

Kianus are very active on Muskingum's campus. Here are some activities that Kianus have been involved with in the past and present.

• Order of Omega (Greek Honorary)

• Psi Chi (Psychology Honorary)

• Omicron Delta Kappa (Junior/Senior Honorary)

• Varsity Tennis

• Varsity Softball

• Varsity Cheerleading

• Varsity Track & Field

• Varsity Cross Country

• Dance Team

• Spirit Band

• Marching Band

• Choral Society

• Business Club

• First Circle (campus publication)

• Homecoming Committee

• Community Standards Board

• Leadership Development Program

• AGORA (Student Leadership Group)

• Circle K

• Campus Crusade for Christ

• Peer Educators

• Relay For Life Committee

• Phi Sigma Iota (Foreign Language Honorary)

• Spanish Club

• Admissions Office (Tour Guides & Student Assistants)

• Locker Room Staff

• WMCO The Orbit (campus radio station)

• Greek Council

• Kappa Delta Pi (education honorary)

• WOW (tutoring program provided for elementary students)

The Chi Alpha Nu club at Muskingum is comprised of many wonderfully talented, intelligent, and hands-on women. As you can see, the girls in this club are not shy in getting involved on campus and in the community! That is what makes being a Kianu such a rewarding experience. Being a part of such a diverse and involved club is essential to having a successful college career at Muskingum University. No matter what, there is bound to be a fellow Kianu in the club you are interested in! It is also extremely helpful to find out information you did not know before about Muskingum University. The women of Chi Alpha Nu can talk to other Kianus and get involved in many of the various clubs, organizations, and honoraries that they are involved in by having that inside involvement. It is extremely important to the club, its members, and it alumni that its members stay involved. Although New Concord is pretty much a self-help town, they are always in need of people to help out and keep things running smoothly! 

Chi Alpha Nu collegiate members are known for being very active and involved on Muskingum’s campus. What many may not realize is that Kianu also has a very active alumnae group. After graduation, it can be difficult to leave behind friends from college. Becoming an involved Kianu alumna can help ease this transition. Even years after graduation, many alumnae enjoy connecting with old friends, meeting other alumnae, and supporting the collegiate members.

1927-Now

The Chi Alpha Nu Club began in the year 1927 on Muskingum College campus. It was chartered as a local sorority when Miss Cora Orr, Dean of Women at that time, felt that there was a need for another social club. Dorothy Aiken, Nancy Johnson, Isabel Knipe, Margaret McCandless, Mary Mehaffey, Glenna Speers and Shirley Wray were the seven founding members of Chi Alpha Nu, which eventually got its nickname, Kianu. After the club had become established, Mrs. De Jong became the first adviser and Dorothy Aiken was elected the first president of the club. The club purchased their first house, 156 Montgomery boulevard and were ecstatic to finally have a place of their own on campus. Margaret (Peg) McCandless Richert's father designed the first Kianu crest to  properly designate the house. At this time on campus, the members ate at the college fort on Thompson street. Eventually the girls had their own dining room. They also hired their own cook, Mrs. Cosby.

From then on, the women began determining club rituals, ceremonies, and key features of Kianu that can still be viewed today. Along with ceremonial rituals, the members made club songs that they would sing. Some of these songs have lasted these past 87 years, and are still sung in rituals. 

The flower of Chi Alpha Nu is the Talisman rose, due to its yellow and purple glow. The colors and symbols of the club are purple and yellow, and a heart and arrow, respectively. "It is chance that makes us sisters, but choice that makes us friends." The Kianu Club is made up of of young women who firmly believe that the club embodies the sentiment of this quotation. Our symbol is a purple heart bursting with enthusiasm, which has been struck with an arrow to carry this enthusiasm. This is the meaning of Kianu to the hearts of others.

The club’s true birthday is April 29, 1927, and its members and alumni are looking forward to celebrating their 87th birthday this year.

Since that day in April of 1927, the club has only strengthened its foundation of love, sisterhood, nobility, and knowledge. The designated Kianu house has moved down the street to 163 Montgomery boulevard. This house was built in 1925, and was relatively new upon the arrival of the Kianus. Eventually, the Kianus bought the property in 1947. Since then, the house has been remodeled and updated numerous times to keep it a place those members can call “home.”