By: Bridget Fitzgerald
Are you thinking about joining a sorority at UMSL? Are you hesitant because you don’t know much about sororities? Being involved will help you meet new people and to experience all that UMSL has to offer. A great way to view events and to stay connected is to view UMSL’s Student Involvement page.
Photo from UMSL Delta Zeta
Delta Zeta is one of the chapters here at UMSL. The Delta Zeta Sorority was founded in 1902 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Six eager women wanted to build a community based upon “the noble principles of friendship, scholarship, and service,” (Delta Zeta, 2024). There are 162 chapters in the United States and Canada, with over 285,000 initiated members, including myself.
Our creed is “To the world, I promise temperance and insight and courage, to crusade for justice, to seek the truth and defend it always; To those whom my life may touch in slight measure, may I give graciously of what is mine; To my friends, understanding and appreciation; to those closer ones, love that is ever steadfast; to my mind, growth; to myself, faith that I may walk truly In the light of the Flame.” This creed promotes our ideals and our values and helps us stay inspired when we recite it before each chapter meeting.
Photo from UMSL Delta Zeta
Our values include friendship, community, generosity, curiosity, empowerment and belonging. My personal favorite value is empowerment. We are a group of women who support one another and encourage growth. We are with each other in the good times, and also the times when we need someone to fall back on.
When you are a part of a sorority, you instantly gain friendships that will fill your life with positivity and love. You will experience events that will make you love the chapter even more, and if you were hesitant to join in the beginning, that feeling quickly disappears. I asked a few of my sisters in Delta Zeta questions about themselves and the sorority.
Q: Tell us about a DZ event that made you love the chapter even more.
A: Lauren Mueller, the Delta Zeta president responded, “One of the events that I was able to not only attend but had the honor of hosting, was Delta Zeta’s Fall Bid Day for the Fall ‘22 Pledge Class. Watching all of my hard work and dedication pay off was an incredibly empowering feeling and helped solidify my love and appreciation for both my new and older sisters!”
Q: What would you tell someone who is hesitant about joining a sorority at UMSL?
A: “I was hesitant at first, but after getting to know more of the members and the philanthropy I fell in love with Delta Zeta. They provided me with so many experiences to grow in leadership and step out of my shell which has made college so much more fun!” said Karlie Noland.
Q: What was your favorite part of being DZ’s president during the Fall ‘23 Semester?
A: Avery Temple, a former Delta Zeta president answered, “My favorite part of being the Chapter President during the Fall ‘23 Semester was seeing my chapter size double for the second year in a row and seeing all of our beautiful new members learn what it means to be a Delta Zeta!”
Q: As a new member this year, what made you choose DZ and why?
A: “I wanted to join DZ to be a part of a community, a sisterhood, and to have experience serving the community while having fun with my newly founded sisters” said Latrice Wilson.
When asked to sum up Delta Zeta in one word, our sisters said: “amiable, sisterhood, home, unique, and inspiring.”
Photo from UMSL Delta Zeta
For more information about the Panhellenic community at UMSL, visit the UMSL Panhellenic Linktree.