After nearly four years off campus, the Alpha Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) fraternity for women is again in full operation at Longwood University.
On Feb. 14, ZTA selected more than 60 young women as new members, fulfilling the Panhellenic total.
ZTA's Alpha Chapter shut down in spring 2009 due to hazing allegations. In spring 2012, ZTA announced the chapter's planned return to campus University of California, Berkeley's Upsilon Chapter also recolonizing this month.
According to Marlene Conrad, ZTA extension director, ZTA representatives "sought members who we felt exhibited integrity of character and honorable personal values"
Conrad said ZTA also reviewed how potential news members' academic performances lined up with university standards and gave "particular consideration" to those involved in campus and community activities.
Among ZTA's new members are freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors.
ZTA was originally founded
at Longwood, then called the State Female Normal School, by nine young women. There are 248 total collegiate chapters,including162 active chapters and nine in Virginia.
Deb Ensor, ZTA executive director, said ZTA hosted two publicity weeks, “Experience the Possibilities” (Jan. 28 to Feb. 1) and “Think Pink. Think Zeta” (Feb. 4-8), to sign up potential new members for recruitment.
During the Feb. 10 to 14 recruitment period, Ensor said, ZTA national officers held 30-minute, one-on-one interviews with potential members. ZTA also hosted twoopenhouseswith information about ZTA’s values,programsand philanthropy.
Ensor said the Feb. 14 invitation-only preference event "shared more about the meaningful lifetime sisterhood ZTA offers."
These young women received their bids that night, finishing off the week with a Feb. 15 bid day celebration.
As for the international office's role in the Alpha Chapter's future, Ensor
said, traveling leadership consultants will stay on campus for the first year of re-colonization with assistance from chapter advisors, national officers and even international office staff.
“Zeta Tau Alpha will offer sisterhood, social, service, scholarship, leadership and other opportunities to its members at Longwood,” added Ensor.
According to Ensor, ZTA will have a chapter room in Stubbs Hall this semester and move to South Cunningham Residence Hall next year while Stubbs undergoes renovation. ZTA will return to Stubbs in fall 2014.
The ZTA colony members will not initially have “big sisters” or “little sisters,” but Ensor said there will be a “great program in place to help members build strong friendships, connections and mentoring relationships.”
Prior to the re-colonization process, Longwood University Athletics began working with ZTA in fall 2012 to bring Pink Out basketball games to Longwood in representation of ZTA’s breast cancer education and awareness philanthropy.
ZTA distributed Think Pink breast cancer awareness ribbons to students as well.
Ensor said ZTA hopes to continue the Pink Out tradition as well as several other philanthropy opportunities on campus.
ZTA members will be able to volunteer with the National Football League’s “A Crucial Catch” program, collect pink Yoplait yogurt lids for “Save Lids to Save Lives” and recognize breast cancer survivors at Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure, among other opportunities.
“Alpha Chapter members will develop creative fundraisers for breast cancer awareness and education, as well as create their own traditions of service, hosting landmark events in the campus community,” added Ensor.
Ultimately, Conrad said, the ZTA international office hopes to see the Alpha chapter evolve into a “strong and successful group of women, focused on values, exploration and personal development, who are leaders in the Longwood community — women who live up to the ZTA motto, ‘Seek the Noblest.’”
New members gather for sisterly bonding and philanthropy
