By Liz Komagum
From Sept. 10 through Sept. 21, Lambda Delta Sigma (LDS), the only sorority at Concordia Collge, held its annual Rush week. Over these 2 weeks, 4 events were held for young women who wanted to join the sorority.
The theme of this year’s Rush Week was “Around the Map,” where each event night’s theme was a different location. LDS held a Vegas Game Night, an Alaskan Movie night, a Texas Karaoke Night, and a New York City Philanthropy Night.
Behind these events and this year’s Rush Week were co-recruitment captains, Caroline Stumbo, who also acts as co-social chair, and Mykell Richardson, who is also the communications coordinator.
Stumbo and Richardson started planning for Rush Week in April as soon as they were handed their positions last semester. Richardson mentioned immediately being on the go with budgeting as soon as they received their binders.
They put in hours of work painting banners and putting together decorations, often times working late into the night.
Stumbo said, “I remember being on the other side of it last year when I was a pledge and I was like ‘this is so cute. This is fun,’ and I’m on the other side of it it’s like ‘oh my gosh.’”
“It can be stressful, but I feel like once it all happens it’s like, ‘okay, that was worth it,’” Richardson said.
During the last event, Stumbo and Richardson sent out a google form that allowed potentials to pick who they felt most comfortable to have as a big. Bigs are already established members of the sorority who take a new member under their wing.
Saturday was the day LDS voted on who they wanted as a part of the sorority. They carefully considered what qualities the rushes showed and if they fit with the LDS philanthropy mission. After the voting process, there was a big-little reveal where the mentorship pairs were established.
This year, there was an addition of 12 new members to 16 active members. They received a bid shaped like a scannable plane ticket under their doors on Sept. 21. That Sunday, the new members met their bigs for the first time and Jennifer Barker came in to talk about hazing policies going into pledge week.
Lily Mock, a sophomore active, said with last year’s sorority being majority seniors, LDS had the opportunity to gain back the numbers they lost last semester.
LDS is planning to introduce a Spring Rush. Richardson mentioned many people are still figuring out what they can fit into their schedule and transfers miss the opportunity to join in the fall and have to wait for the next year.
“I’m excited for the opportunity. I know someone who transferred my freshman year and wasn’t able to join so it would be good for future transfers,” Mock said.
