Last month about 250 members of Theta Nu Xi, a national multi-cultural sorority, attended a conference in Chapel Hill, N.C., to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the sorority’s founding.
Though the conference was well attended, membership in the U’s chapter of Theta Nu Xi has declined in recent years.
Brought to the U in 2001, the Iota chapter of the sorority has traditionally had fewer members than other sororities on campus.
“We choose to keep our chapters fairly small, so we can get to know our members on a deeper level,” said Amanda Tomchak, co-founder of the Iota chapter.
Tomchak, who recently completed a term serving on the sorority’s national board, graduated from the U in 2004. When Tomchak was an undergraduate, the Iota chapter consisted of 12 members, she said. Now, the undergraduate chapter has two members, though both of them have “gone inactive this semester to focus on their academics,” Tomchak said.
Theta Nu Xi is not the only Greek organization on campus with shrinking numbers. This Fall Semester marked membership lows for Alpha Chi Omega, Pi Beta Phi and Alpha Tau Omega.
After attending Rush Week at the U in 1999, Rainey Boateng, a former student and the Iota chapter’s founding sister, felt there wasn’t a sorority that was a good fit for her at the U. Shortly after, Boateng learned about Theta Nu Xi and made plans to bring it to the U.
In 1996, Melissa Jo Murchison-Blake founded the national chapter because she did not want to choose between a traditionally African-American or Caucasian sorority.
In the past several years, the organization has been involved with a number of service projects and has sponsored events promoting diversity and tolerance.
“A multi-cultural sorority offers women an organization that consistently and deliberately celebrates diversity and multiculturalism in our student body,” said Lori McDonald, assistant dean of students and adviser to Greek Row.
Although membership numbers are low, McDonald said she believes the sorority has the potential to flourish on campus.
Theta Nu Xi is currently recruiting new sisters. For more information, visit the Iota chapter’s website, www.uthetawomen.com, or contact Amanda Tomchak at [email protected].