After almost a year and a half of planning, Kappa Delta, the ninth and newest sorority on campus, has officially joined the Greek community at Boston University.
The sorority, which was founded in 1897 in Virginia, has 137 active collegiate chapters around the country, according to its website.
Kappa Delta has been working closely with BU and the Greek life community since January of 2009 in order to start a chapter on campus.
After submitting an application to the National Panhellenic Conference, Kappa Delta was given the chance to colonize at BU, said Kirstin Barry, one of Kappa Delta’s 2010-11 chapter development consultants.
Colonization is the Greek term for the official process of establishing a new chapter of a particular fraternity or sorority on a college or university campus.
Kim Ryan, Kappa Delta’s national vice president of membership, said she was looking for a school with an active community and a high community service drive, which she found at BU.
“We wanted girls that present the whole package,” Ryan said. “Kappa Delta is excited about colonizing here at Boston University.”
She said she hopes the BU chapter will contribute to both the school and the community.
Barry said the girls on the Kappa Delta colonization team launched a campaign to spread the word around campus, passing out flyers and setting up tables in the George Sherman Union.
Other sororities on campus helped Kappa Delta promote it around school, Ryan said.
The sorority attracted more than 130 girls for their various information sessions and coffee dates with sorority representatives, she said.
Barry said the sorority hopes to bring its values of “higher education, artistic creation, and diversity” to the sisters of the Eta Phi chapter at BU.
“Our goal is for Kappa Delta to be a strong chapter at Boston University and contribute to the community in great ways,” she said.
In 2008, Kappa Delta colonized at Northeastern University, making it its first Massachusetts affiliate, Ryan said.
Two of the sisters from Northeastern spoke to interested students at the Metcalf Hall information session.
They shared their experiences within the sorority and how it has shaped their lives in college.
“Joining Kappa Delta was the best decision I’ve made since getting into school,” said one of the Northeastern Kappa Delta sisters.
College of General Studies sophomore Fiona Luong said she was excited to be a part of BU’s chapter.
“I was attracted to Kappa Delta because I thought it would be cool to be a founding member of a sorority and obviously, for the sisterhood,” she said
About 85 BU women have already joined the Eta Phi chapter of Kappa Delta, Ryan said.
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