Sorority sisters of all ages gathered at the Alumnae Connections Luncheon to celebrate the 30th anniversary of sororities at Dartmouth in Collis Common Ground Saturday afternoon.
The event was organized by Sigma Delta sorority member Alix Cody '07, with the help of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority members Amanda Young '09, Martha Canning '09 and Abby Reed '08. Although Cody was unaware of the Alumnae Appreciation Week held by the Alumnae Relations Office when she planned the lunch, the event became one of a week-long string of events honoring Dartmouth's alums.
Of the 4,700 alumnae from the seven sororities who were invited to the event, roughly 25 accepted. A total of 100 undergraduates and alumni were present. Kappa Kappa Gamma saw the largest turnout, with 15 former sisters in attendance.
According to Cody, the purpose of the lunch was to strengthen the connection between each sorority's current undergraduate women and their graduates.
"The idea for the event came last spring, when I realized that Sigma Kappa, the national for Sigma Delta, was founded here thirty years ago, on April 17, 1977," Cody said. "So the purpose of the event was to honor the 30 years of sororities at Dartmouth and to lay the groundwork for future connections between alumni and undergrads."
She hopes that the luncheon will start the conversation between undergraduate sisters and their predecessors and act as a springboard for similar programs.
"Every term, the Coed, Sorority and Fraternity Office does a leadership academy for each house, and during the one in the fall a lot of the sororities kept standing up and saying, We don't do anything with our alumni," Cody said.
Susan Wright, the former Kappa advisor, emphasized the importance of female alumnae in the shaping of each of the houses in her speech.
"I don't remember an occasion like this where the women from all the sororities are gathered with our alumni guests of honor," Wright said. "You're the icing in the cake; there would be no cake without you."
Wright went on to say that this year also marks 35 years of coeducation at Dartmouth.
Sororities, and Greek houses in general, according to Wright, create a stronger Dartmouth community.
"Dartmouth women have joined men in building an amazing student experience," Wright said. "You come together across sorority lines to connect with alumni women who came before you. You reach out to make Dartmouth even better, breaching the divides of our small community across gender, race, class, and social space."
Sigma Delt alumna Kate Lyon '05 and Kappa alumna Rebecca Blake Osborne '85 spoke about how their experiences in sororities continue to enhance their lives.
Lyon emphasized the benefits of her experience in Sigma Delta, ranging from the close bonds she developed with her fellow sisters to the self-esteem issues she was able to overcome with their help, both of which are still important.
"The people who I have met in my sorority are some of the best friends that I have," she said. "We are all lucky to have the experience that allows you to go out and say, 'I am comfortable with who I am because I had the opportunity to become comfortable.' Here's to many more years of that."
Osborne, who is the president of the Dartmouth Club of Southwest New Hampshire, also spoke about the life skills that being in a sorority helped her to achieve.
"Sorority life for me taught me four basic principles of team and interpersonal success," she said. "Seek to build trust, demonstrate respect for one another, engage in constructive conflict, and foster collective commitment."
She also noted that she continues to lean on the friends she made in Kappa Kappa Gamma to help her get through difficult times in her life.
"Twenty-four years ago, in the spring of my sophomore year, I pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma, and to this day I feel the personal commitment of these women to my life and personal growth," she said.
After the lunch, each sorority held a reception at its house.
Though this was the first year of the Alumnae Connections Luncheon, Cody indicated that she hopes sororities will continue to hold the lunch once a year.
The lunch was catered by Lou's Bakery, and featured a make-your-own-salad buffet accompanied by cake and cookies.
