Members of MSU’s newest National Sorority Theta Phi Alpha, gather in University Hall Monday night for it’s first Philantrophy event of the year.
Jeremy Wall | The Montclarion
Montclair State’s newest sorority, Theta Phi Alpha, hosted Philanthropy Night in University Hall on Monday, Oct. 16.
During Philanthropy Night, the sisters made cards for sick children. On the cards, members drew flowers, hearts and stars and wrote heartwarming messages inside to the children.
“I like that we’re trying to send a positive message [to those] that might be down on their luck,” explained sophomore business major Stephanie Castigolia.
Some members made more than one card.
Junior English major Kristi Sevino wrote on one of her cards, “Keep fighting. It will get better.”
“I love it,” said Kelly Taylor, senior family and child studies major. “It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Senior Fashion Studies Major Julia Singer makes a card for a sick child.
Jeremy Wall | The Montclarion
By the end of the evening, a total of 40 to 50 cards were made.
The sorority arrived on campus last February after the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) voted them in.
The Office of Greek Life and NPC thought it was beneficial to put a new sorority on Montclair State’s campus. Theta Phi Alpha then came to the university for interviews and was shortly approved.
Despite this, it is still a colony and not a chapter and is heavily in New Jersey. It consists of 41 people with more set to join and it plans to have an e-board within the coming weeks. Although it has no e-board, the organization does have various committees.
Each committee consists of six to 10 people. The sorority has 20 sisters and is hoping to welcome 35 more people by the middle of next month.
“I come to the info session looking for a new place to be,” said sophomore psychology major Ariel Olivo. “I’m really excited to meet new people.”
To attract more members, the organization is doing things such as one-on-one themed nights, recruitment and speed dating.
“Speed dating is fun because you get a feel of each possible new member,” explained junior communication and media arts major Gianna Finazzo.
One of the biggest challenges the sisters have faced so far is recruitment.
“No national sororities recruit in the fall unless needed,” said junior marketing major Emily Bellone. “We are new, and it’s hard to get our name out there.”
