Sydney Gregory
smg002@marietta.edu
The annual Greek Week coming to campus in mid-March and the Greek community is stressing why Greek Week isn’t just for students affiliated with a Greek organization. The Greek community aims to bring more men and women to their organizations and members hope that the upcoming Greek Week is the re-launch of that initiative. Throughout this new series called Greek Life at a Glance, The Marcolian be profiling each of the sororities and fraternities to help the general campus community understand what Greek life is and what it means at Marietta College.
Starting with sororities, first on the list in alphabetical order is Alpha Xi Delta.
Alpha Xi Delta was founded in 1893 at Lombard College in Galesburg, IL. This was before the time of the common phrase of sorority, and consequently they are technically a women’s fraternity. Their colors are double blue and gold, and their flower is the pink rose.
Alpha Xi Delta’s symbols include their crest and the Quill, giving way to their motto “The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword.” They are also unique in that they have a mascot named BetXI Bear.
The current president of the Beta Xi chapter at Marietta College is Belle Huffman. Huffman says that she chose Alpha Xi Delta because it felt like home.
“I walked into the house and felt like this is where I was supposed to be,” Huffman says. “I had already known about Alpha Xi because my mom was a member when she attended college here. I knew that this was another way to share a special connection with her, through the ideals and bonds of Alpha Xi Delta.”
However, there is a distinct difference between being a general member of a sorority and the president. Huffman says that her motivation for becoming president stemmed from her desire to share the true meaning of Alpha Xi Delta.
“I remember looking at the presidents before me and being able to see how valuable this organization was to them. How it taught them to realize their potential,” Huffman says. “I love knowing that this opportunity is a way for me to give back to something that has helped me through my life.”
Junior, Courtney Streeter, Alpha Xi Delta’s current philanthropy chair, gave me a brief overview of their philanthropy.
“Our philanthropy is Autism Speaks and it’s an organization that helps raise money for families that have children with Autism,” Streeter said.
“Autism costs a family about $60,000 a year on average, so Autism Speaks helps pay for those bills. There’s also a partnership with Walk Now for Autism Speaks where the walks are sponsored by Alpha Xi Delta. Since the beginning of the partnership we have raised over $5,000,000 for Autism Speaks.”
When asked why philanthropy is important to Alpha Xi Delta Streeter responded by stating “It’s important because it’s a cause that we can all come together for. It impacts 1 in 68 kids and you never know where you might encounter someone with Autism, so it’s important to understand what it is.”
From the perspective of a senior, Emily Gummere shared why she chose to call Alpha Xi Delta home. “I like being a part of Alpha Xi Delta because of the sisterhood. I didn’t have sisters growing up, and that [sisterhood] was something I always wanted because I have a little brother. That’s what I got when I joined my freshman year.”
The Beta Xi chapter of Alpha Xi Delta is active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram if you would like additional information.
