Alpha Xi Delta returns to OSU campus

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

From left to right: Monta Johnson, Oklahoma City Alpha Xi Delta Alumnae Association President; Natasha Betanoff, Membership Vice President of the Iota Delta Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta; Stephanie Ward, President of the Iota Delta Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta; and, Lindsay Armstrong, Alumna of Alpha Xi Delta.

Alpha Xi Delta sorority has returned to Oklahoma State University's campus after its departure in 1981. The official announcement of the re-establishment of the chapter was made at the Opening Banquet of Alpha Xi Delta’s 50^th National Convention last week.

"There were tears of excitement all around the opening banquet room following the announcement of our return to OSU," said Deanna Detchemendy, past Alpha Xi Delta national president and current National Panhellenic Conference delegate of Alpha Xi Delta. "We cannot wait to be back in Stillwater!"

Alpha Xi Delta will officially begin recruiting new members in August 2014 as a part of the formal membership recruitment process.

"I am excited to welcome Alpha Xi Delta sorority back to OSU," said Debby Strickland, Gamma Phi Beta alumna representative to the extension committee. "I know that the experience will be a memorable one for the young women who choose to become founding members as the chapter re-establishes on our campus."

"Alpha Xi Delta is a truly perfect fit for the Panhellenic community here at Oklahoma State,” said Panhellenic President and Extension Committee Chairwoman, Ashton Mese. "The more I learn about A Xi D, the more thrilled I am for their sisterhood to come back home," Mese said.

The students within the sorority community have overwhelmingly expressed a desire to lower average chapter size, according to Liz Osborne, coordinator of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs and Panhellenic adviser. They chose to pursue extension in hopes of giving interested women another option during the formal membership recruitment process.

The invitation to join the OSU Panhellenic Association comes as a result of the National Panhellenic Conference extension process.

"For the last six months, a group of women consisting of a collegiate and alumna representative from each of the 12 sororities currently at OSU met to discuss what we we're looking for in an organization,” explained Jackie Mitchell, Alpha Delta Pi collegiate representative. “As a previous Panhellenic Executive Council member, as well as a collegiate representative for the Extension Committee, I am looking forward to welcoming this organization to the Panhellenic community and OSU.”

The OSU Panhellenic Association has experienced consistent growth in recent years. Currently, the greek community includes over 2,000 women as members of 12 international sororities, which represents a 50 percent increase in total membership since 2008.

For more information on Alpha Xi Delta’s return, please contact the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs at 405-744-5490 or by email at gogreek@okstate.edu.

CUTLINE: From left to right: Monta Johnson, Oklahoma City Alpha Xi Delta Alumnae Association President; Natasha Betanoff, Membership Vice President of the Iota Delta Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta; Stephanie Ward, President of the Iota Delta Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta; and, Lindsay Armstrong, Alumna of Alpha Xi Delta.