Alpha Gamma Delta (AGD), founded in 1904, will join the nine other sororities on campus for the 2018-19 academic year. AGD will be the first sorority to join Case Western Reserve University Greek Life in four years.

In order for a sorority or fraternity to join CWRU Greek Life, the Greek Life panel must first express interest in bringing in a new chapter. Then, the panel votes to determine which sorority or fraternity will fill the slot. The process can take several months to a year.

AGD experienced a rather large challenge due to the number of sororities that presented bids to the Greek Life panel.

“AGD was ‘stacked,’ which means that other groups had priority over [us], which means that Greek Life can hear their presentations first,” Sydney Patrick, AGD Leadership Consultant said. “We were the third group to come in the last six years, but we decided to come just earlier this year in this stacked agreement.”

Despite the competition, AGD secured a spot as one of the now 10 sororities on campus.

“CWRU not only has a Greek population of about [one-third of the student body], which helps because a large group of students know the [Greek] culture and are welcoming of it, but the campus and students are also very progressive and forward thinking,” Patrick said. “[The university] is not only interested in adding a new chapter, but also adding cultural and social ideas, which helped AGD.”

AGD urges its members to live with purpose, following their official Purpose statement. The 14-line statement encourages “Alpha Gams” to “cultivate acquaintances,” “cherish friendships” and “possess high ideals.”

Although the sorority does not currently have its own house, AGD is working to nurture the chapter off the ground with its five leadership consultants, all former Alpha Gams. The consultants are working towards establishing th chapter by the end of April, and hoping to have their own house by the beginning of the 2019 academic year.

The sorority is also planning a philanthropy event for its cause of choice, which each chapter in the Greek community is expected to do. AGD, however, is allowing its new members to choose the philanthropic cause, paving a tradition for future CWRU Alpha Gams to follow. A new member retreat, which will take place at Camp Christopher in Akron, is also on their agenda.

Despite the fact that AGD must wait until next academic year to be in full swing, its integration on campus will provide perspective as to what it means to have a place in CWRU Greek Life.