Alpha Sigma Tau: Fostering Sisterhood on Campus

Members of Alpha Sigma Tau preparing for the Giant-Sized Angry Birds Event.

Photo By Rebecca Hinkle

Concord University’s sororities hold numerous exciting events for female students that allow them to be make new friends and to become a part of a sisterhood. One event held on September 22 called Giant Sized Angry Birds let female students come and learn more about the sorority.

    The event was a recruitment event for Alpha Sigma Tau (AST) and was held in the Valley behind the Student Center. It was a hands-on, life-sized version of the popular game Angry Birds. It allowed girls who participated to be active and to learn about the sisterhood.

 Amanda Pemberton, the Vice President of Growth, says the event was a great opportunity for female students. The event allowed female students to learn what makes Alpha Sigma Tau stand out from other Concord University sororities.

    Sorority life offers many girls a social network that they can communicate with and that will expand their social circle; the friendships that female students make in a sorority can allow them to have lifelong connections. Girls who do decide to join a sorority will get to meet others from a diverse background and to learn more about their sisters. Not only will members meet new people, but they can also gain skills that can help them after college. Leadership skills that they gain from a sorority enable them to stand out to potential employers. 

    Besides the social network that sororities provide, there is the academic standards they set for girls. Female students who wish to be in a sorority must meet the group’s academic standards to remain in the sisterhood. The sorority also offers female students a chance to have a family away from a home. “It’s just the connections. We have five major values which are graciousness, respect, intellect, connections, and excellence. All of my sisters show those values and we are forming connections and those connections are what makes it fun,” says Pemberton. 

    Cameron McNeely, a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau, says she joined as a freshman in 2014 and that the sorority always tries to make their events fun and unique for everyone. Girls who join the sorority can enjoy the excitement and the unity it provides for the sisters. “We always try our best to make our events exciting and different from normal events you may see around campus. Originality is something that we always take pride in,” says McNeely. 

    Alpha Sigma Tau was established in 1899, and the chapter was created in 1930. Next April will be their 87th birthday. Currently, the sorority has 12 members. The sorority is a large family that welcomes all girls who are interested and want to be a part of a fun group. “I joined AST because I fell in love with this group of ladies. Many people think that Greek life is just a school activity, but this group is my home. The connections you make with your sisters, not only in the organization that you find to be your home, but across all of Concord’s Greek life as a whole, last way past the years you spend on this campus,” says McNeely.

    On October 4th, Alpha Sigma Tau is having a movie night and another opportunity to socialize. “We will be doing more around campus. We will be going to SAC events as a sisterhood, and going to some Concord games,” says Pemberton. The sisterhood is also planning a murder mystery spaghetti dinner that will be announced at a later date. 

For more information regarding Alpha Sigma Tau, check out their website concord.alphasigmatau.org or contact Amanda Pemberton by phone (304)-731-8627 or by email pembertona08@mycu.concord.edu.