Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

New fraternity and sorority organizations look to join campus

Updated 3/31/16

Two pairs of students are looking to create new organizations under Fraternity and Sorority Life. One is a social sorority, and the other is a film fraternity.

According to Director of Student Activities Jason Meier, both groups have begun recruiting members and planning for the future of their organizations. They are not currently recognized under the Office of Student Activities.

Junior journalism majors Maria Santora and Amelia Fabiano are the organizers behind Xi Gamma Nu, a proposed social sorority for campus. Santora tried to join the Emerson chapter of national sorority Alpha Epsilon Phi during the spring and fall semester of this year, but wasn’t accepted, and decided to try to establish her own organization.

“There had to be other amazing girls that get turned away from sororities here,” Santora said. “That didn’t really sit well with me.”

Santora approached Fabiano, her roommate from freshman year, and they decided to create a new local sorority together. “Local” means that there is no national organization—the sorority will be unique.

Although labeled as a social society, the pair hopes the club will have a professional aspect. Santora said they hope to teach members to have confidence in themselves and their work so they can thrive in their future careers. She also hopes to connect with college alumni and build sorority members networks and knowledge from industry experts.

“At Emerson, it’s kind of hard to ignore the fact that networking and making connections is super important,” Santora said.

Santora said she and Fabiano are trying to establish a sisterhood before the school year ends.

The other new organization, Delta Kappa Alpha, is a co-ed fraternity dedicated to creating films.

The co-ed organization is a national fraternity that was founded in 1936 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, according to the group’s website. There are 16 chapters of DKA throughout the country, the closest located at Boston University. Two visual and media arts majors—sophomore Samantha Mustari and junior Jordan Gustafson—said they want to create a chapter here at Emerson.

Mustari said she and Gustafson want to bring DKA to the school so film students can have a consistent community to work together on projects.

“We have plenty of clubs, and they’re great,” Mustari said. “But I think what we’re lacking in that brotherhood/family aspect that other majors have. Film doesn’t really have that opportunity for people to come together so closely.”

Though it was originally founded as a fraternity, DKA considers their group to be more of a “cinematic society” rather than a fraternity, said Mustari.

Mustari said that they have not yet been given permission to start an Emerson chapter of DKA, but they are in contact with the national organization. Their work to start the chapter does not guarantee them leadership roles once the group is established.

Meier will hold a mandatory Fraternity and Sorority Life information session in April, which Gustafson and Mustari will attend. Then interested students’ applications will be sent to the national DKA board, who will choose the founding class, Mustari said. That’s when they will need to get the organization approved by Student Activities.

Meier said both groups show potential, but the students will have to exist for a year before anything can happen.

“We’ll start gathering various staff members together to learn more about their organizations, what they did, and some long term plans,” Meier said. “And then we will be able to determine whether or not they are a good fit for [the college.]”

 

Editor-in-chief Claire Nobles and Managing Editor Hunter Harris, who are in sororities, did not edit this article.

 

A previous version of this article contained an incorrect spelling of Samantha Mustari’s name.

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