Alpha Chi Omega is the newest sorority to join UNC Charlotte’s Panhellenic Council. With the founding class recruited, the sorority is looking forward to a great first year on campus.

​The founding process for Alpha Chi Omega began in 2010 when UNC Charlotte Fraternity and Sorority Life opened up for extension. The extension stacked the next three sororities that would come to campus. First, Kappa Delta colonized, then Alpha Chi Omega, and in the coming years Kappa Alpha Theta will be joining the Greek community.

​Alpha Chi Omega Resident Consultants Alexa Gates and Lindsey Lausten were assigned to UNC Charlotte by Alpha Chi Omega’s national headquarters to make sure that the founding went smoothly.

​“We were sent to Charlotte to colonize the chapter and help them with their first year off the ground,” said Gates.

​Seeing as Alpha Chi Omega would be recruiting their first class this year, they did not participate in formal recruitment. Instead, Gates and Lausten had the opportunity to observe formal recruitment to see how it works at UNC Charlotte.

​They then recruited informally to pick the founding women.

“We sat down with people or went out for coffee and then conducted interviews so that it was more interpersonal,” said Gates.

​Throughout recruitment, Gates and Lausten interviewed over 200 women who were interested in joining the sorority. At the concluding event of their recruitment, bid day, Alpha Chi Omega handed bids out to 150 women.

​Gates and Lausten shared that they are thrilled with how the recruitment process went and cannot wait for these women to experience something that made their college experiences so special.

​Lausten shared a memory that made her time in the sorority special, “For me the constant support from all of our sisters is a favorite memory of mine, I cannot wait for the new sisters to experience that.”

​But not all of the women in Alpha Chi Omega are new to Greek life. Marie VandeVrede is a transfer student from the University of South Carolina where she was also a sister of Alpha Chi Omega. She is now serving as the Founding Chapter President for the UNC Charlotte chapter.

​VandeVrede is excited for the unique opportunity to be a part of the founding class, “We now get the opportunity to set the standard for this chapter for years to come.”

​VandeVrede shared that bid day was her favorite part of recruitment, “On September 14th we woke up early in a state of anticipation knowing we would soon meet our new sisters. The feeling of that morning reminded me of waking up at the crack of dawn as a childe, excited for Christmas presents.”
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​Alpha Chi Omega’s national philanthropy is Domestic Violence Awareness. The UNC Charlotte chapter is teaming up with the Clyde and Ethel Dickinson Shelter in Charlotte to provide support and help for those in need in the Charlotte community.

​VandeVrede says the sorority is wasting no time getting involved on campus this year.

​“Coming up we have a philanthropy fundraiser, various social mixers, a sisterhood retreat and are very excited to be partnering with Kappa Sigma for Homecoming,” shared VandeVrede.

​For more information on the sorority, visit their Facebook page, Alpha Chi Omega at University of North Carolina at Charlotte.