After a full weekend of open houses, information sessions, ceremonies, and bid days, the newest sorority on campus welcomed its founding 65 members. Starting Friday, Sept 21, Pi Beta Phi began the rushing process for Case Western Reserve University’s Ohio Lambda chapter.

For the time being, the chapter only inducted upperclassmen, but will rush freshmen and other members with the rest of the sororities in the spring.

“The recruitment and pledging experience was simple and very fun. It was my first time rushing and I definitely had a positive experience,” said Alexandra Pelton, a recent pledge of Pi Beta Phi. “It was informal rush and I loved talking and getting to know other Pi Beta Phis from the area.”

In an attempt to complete 1,000,000 minutes of service each year, all fraternities and sororities on campus are required to do service around campus and in the Cleveland community. Many chapters pick specific locations to primarily serve.

With core values that include integrity, lifelong commitment, philanthropic service to others, and sincere friendship, the Ohio Lambda chapter hopes to give back to and get involved in the CWRU community. It aims to work with the University Hospital programs and local school systems.

Pi Beta Phi’s main service focus is literacy. It currently sponsors a national program titled “Read. Lead. Achieve.” in which members teach children how to read. The sorority also holds a corporate partnership with First Book, an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to “give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first books,” according to the Pi Beta Phi website.

Each year, on March 2, in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday, Pi Phi members encourage the principles of the Read. Lead. Achieve. platform through their Fraternity Day of Service.

“I decided to join Pi Beta Phi because I fell in love with what Pi Phi members stand for,” said Pelton. “Pi Beta Phi’s philanthropic service stole my heart.”

Tori Pinciotti, the Resident Leadership Development Consultant (RLDC) for Pi Beta Phi, led the interested members through the recruitment process. An RLDC is hired solely to work with the new colony and chapter. Pinciotti will live on campus for one full year and then be replaced by a second-year consultant.

In order to pledge the chapter, the women interested had to register for colonizing recruitment and then attend the recruitment events.

Emailing Pinciotti and meeting with her was the beginning of the recruitment process. The main weekend events started on Friday with a casual-dress Open-House Philanthropy Round, an information session discussing Pi Beta Phi’s charity. Saturday was a formal-dress Preference Round, a ceremony in which the selected inductees were surprised with bids. Lastly, Sunday was bid day, on which all pledges were formally inducted.

“Bid day was absolutely lovely and I had so much fun being pledged with my new sisters,” said Pelton.

Now that the pledging process is over, Pi Beta Phi will begin electing officers, planning events, and cooperating with other organizations on campus.

“Pi Beta Phi will bring a positive impact to the CWRU community with our values and philanthropy. The community has welcomed Pi Phi with open arms,” said Pelton. “I am excited for our future as we become initiated and grow in the spring semester.”