New to UK, Delta Phi Mu hopes to draw members from many cultures
April 8, 2008
A group of UK women has formed a new sorority on campus to strive for diversity.
The five women founded the UK Royal chapter of Delta Phi Mu in February to unite UK’s Hispanic community and address diversity and women’s issues. The Latina-based multicultural sorority is defined by multiculturalism and seeks to remain diverse.
The sorority was founded in 1991 at Purdue University as a Latina sorority, but within a few years it expanded culturally and embraced diversity as one of its defining qualities.
“I think all of us are hoping that since it is multicultural, and not black or white, which seems to be the tradition, we can bridge the gap between them,†said Jourdan Coyle, a founding member and history junior. “It will bring people together that may not know what another person’s culture is like.â€
As a service-based sorority, the group is involved with three programs that raise awareness about heart disease and stroke risk in women: The Heart Truth, Go Red for Women and The Red Dress Program.
On campus, Delta Phi Mu has partnered with the Violence Intervention and Prevention Center. Founding member Jacqueline Segura teaches yoga at the VIP Center on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. The class is open to anyone, and it features a kind of yoga that teaches people to love their bodies again, Coyle said.
Delta Phi Mu is not yet an official UK organization, but members are working hard to change that. Delta Phi Mu will be an associate member of the Panhellenic Association, which allows them the same privileges without having to recruit like other Greek organizations, said Dean of Students Susan West.
“I’m excited to have a multicultural group on campus … There are several other large universities that have a multicultural sorority based on their campus,†West said.
Delta Phi Mu will be holding informational meetings in the coming months for students who are interested in getting involved, and it will begin recruiting once approved by UK. For more information about Delta Phi Mu, visit its Web site (www.ukdeltaphimu.
org).
