Sigma has received recognition from Miami's Panhellenic Association and plans to participate in recruitment in the spring.
While a cry for diversity continues to echo across Miami University's campus, several students have stepped forward in their effort at reformation, through a new sorority that is now recruiting, Sigma Local Jewish Sorority (Sigma).
According to Miami's Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Leadership, the development of this kind of sorority is of a national trend.
"We've had an explosion across the country as far as groups that really affiliate with a religious or cultural base," said April Robles, assistant director of Greek affairs.
Jen Cahill, vice president of Panhellenic public relations, is looking forward to the foundation of more diverse Greek organizations at Miami, including Sigma.
"We're always looking for more diversity in the Greek community," Cahill said.
Sigma is, in part, a creation of girls who were members of Alpha Epsilon Phi (AEPhi), a Jewish sorority. It closed in spring of 2004 due to a lack of membership and lack of recruitment, according to Cahill. Some of the girls, who are now seniors, are just trying to increase membership before applying for recognition by any Panhellenic recognized national Jewish sorority.
"Sigma is just their nickname until their paperwork comes through to be nationally affiliated," Cahill said. "They hope to eventually seek affiliation with a nationally Panhellenic recognized sorority."
According to research performed by Miami's Hillel Foundation, approximately 1,000 of Miami's undergraduate students are Jewish, and 60 percent of those are involved in Hillel.
Sophomore Rosie Landau is the president of Sigma and sees the sorority as more culturally orientated.
"We wanted to create a place other than Hillel for girls to go and be together, and we aren't focused on religion as much as Jewish culture," Landau said.
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Sigma received recognition as a local sorority from Miami's Panhellenic Association last semester and is waiting on national recognition this semester.
"Right now we are recruiting upperclassmen until we get our charter," Landau said. "Hopefully we'll have that by January and we'll be able to recruit freshman this spring with the other sororities."
While they are only allowing membership to Jewish girls right now, they plan to open up membership to students with an interest after they receive their charter.
"The girls involved right now are ones we had met before," Landau said. "We're having trouble recruiting because other than Hillel, we don't know how to find the girls."
Landau said that out of the 1,000 Jewish students, only about 500 are practicing and about 300 of those attend holiday events.
"The sorority is based more on bonding," Landau said. "We all have the same background, grew up the same way, and have similar stories to share."
They can't afford a suite in Central quad next year but they will be getting rooms side-by-side.
"It will be a mini-corridor I guess," Landau said. "We're just really trying to be involved in the Greek community and bring diversity even though we aren't national yet."
Sigma, currently with 12 members, participated in events like Greek Week and Greek Move-In this semester.
"Our biggest goal in founding this sorority is not to say you are Jewish therefore you must be in our sorority, but to offer a place for Jewish women to go if they want," Landau said. "We want to bond, come together in a solid place and make a difference."
The recruitment bug is starting to bite, as Sigma gets closer and closer to receiving its national charter.
"Everyone in the sorority was so dedicated to doing this," Landau said. "They all wanted tasks and positions. Everyone is working really hard to make this happen."
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