Sorority Rush Week is over at UMKC and new members of Delta Zeta are excited to become initiated into their new sisterhood.
Moving from Oklahoma, freshman Katie Miles was excited to make new friends in college.
“I thought I was going to make friends so easily, and then it didn’t really happen,” said Miles.
She never thought she’d join a sorority until her cousin, a UMKC student, encouraged her to give Greek life on campus a shot.
She was hesitant to rush based on stereotypes often associated with sororities, but said she was immediately proven wrong upon meeting everyone her first day.
“I honestly just loved getting to meet a bunch of different people,” Miles said, “I loved the fact that Delta Zeta wanted me as much as I wanted them.”
Unlike Miles’ journey to finding Greek life, new member Sophie Holtmeyer, always knew she was interested in joining a sorority. When Holtmeyer arrived on campus, she was eager to meet new people and make new connections.
“I talked to so many people in the span of an hour which at first was super overwhelming, but when I talked to the right people and the conversations were flowing it made me feel okay about it all,” said Holtmeyer about rush week.
One thing she liked specifically about Delta Zeta was their philanthropy with the Starkey Hearing Foundation and the KC Pet Project. She is excited to help raise money for their charities and be a part of future sorority events.
New member Mya Turner became involved in sorority recruitment during the summer. Despite being on the fence about rushing, when she came to UMKC and met the members she was filled with confidence to join.
Throughout the rush process, Turner felt the pressure of making her best impression while trying to stay true to herself.
“It’s a difficult balance,” said Turner. “Seeing it and talking to people is what made the difference for me.”
Later during rush week, she enjoyed getting to know everyone and having in-depth conversations with other members. She met one of her best friends through the rush process and is thankful to be part of a new community.
“Bid day was one of the best days ever for me,” said Turner. “It’s nice to have that community”
