Sorority life is coming to the University of Saskatchewan this year for the first time ever with the launch of Omega Eta Phi. Two U of S students, Lindsay Rose and Anika Rae, were inspired to create a sorority for U of S students to empower one another and create the social atmosphere that some students want when attending university. 

Omega Eta Phi will be a co-ed club that allows students to experience the social aspect of Greek life, while bettering themselves through helping one another with schooling tutorials, supporting the community, and a local and national charity.

Rae, who is an alumna of Alpha Omicron Pi Women’s Fraternity from the University of Calgary, said she and Rose were inspired to create Omega Eta Phi when they noticed the lack of cohesion at the U of S.   

“We saw there was distinct lack of cohesive community on campus. Many students, especially those who are underage when they start at the U of S, comment that Welcome Week is lacklustre and that more could be done to create a college experience and community after the first week of class,” Rae said.

There is a stigma against Greek life and Omega Eta Phi is looking to change the view that students have. Rae and Rose hope to reach out to the student body and show them that Greek life is more than just partying.

“A lot of people wrongfully believe that it’s like the movies — all about partying, that we haze our pledges and that you have to be rich or conventionally attractive to join. These are simply untrue and we believe that the more we get the word out about what Omega Eta Phi is actually about, the more people will become interested,” Rae said.

To give you an idea of what Omega Eta Phi has planned, Rae and Rose provided the Sheaf with an idea of how they propose to go beyond just being a social club.

“We plan on supporting one local charity and one international charity as our philanthropies, so we will hold events to fundraise for these causes, as well as potentially volunteer our own time to our local community. We also plan on holding optional study hours, to help those who are interested to boost their marks and learn from each other,” Rose said.

Not only will Omega Eta Phi help enrich students’ resumés, but it will provide opportunities for students to feel empowered, confident and personally rewarded.

“It will provide the opportunity to expand [students’] social horizons by meeting people from all sorts of walks of life, being inspired and supported in achieving their academic and personal goals, as well as giving back to campus, and the local and global community,” Rae said.

Currently, Rose and Rae are in the process of ratification with the USSU to make their dream become a reality. There has already been interest from students, and Rae and Rose are ready to get started. 

“In the first week of doing preliminary work on starting a sorority, we already had individuals reaching out to us wanting to join. We are excited to create the Greek community on campus and positively influence the campus community and culture as a whole. We are currently in the process of ratification and we hope by September to be ratified. Regardless, even if [the sorority] is not ratified, in our eyes, it’s already reality,” Rose said.

Rose and Rae will be holding information sessions over the next few months to get students interested.

“We are on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We also have our own website, omegaetaphi.weebly.com and our email address is omegaetaphi@gmail.com. Come to one of our information sessions to find out more and see if Greek life is right for you!” Rose said.

They will also be in The Arts Tunnel on Feb. 16 for students to grab information, win prizes and sign up for their first information session on Feb. 21. Check it out to learn more on how to become a part of the first pledge class of Omega Eta Phi!

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Natasha Hausermann

Graphic: Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor