A Greek honor society has recently rechartered on campus, giving academically talented students in fraternities and sororities a chance to win scholarships and provide leadership for the Greek community.
Order of Omega is a national society that was active at UR until about 1996. The society just rechartered two weeks ago, inducting 21 members.
“It’s another way to recognize the Greeks on campus for all that they do,” said Class of 2001 graduate Emily Bones, now the graduate assistant for Greek Affairs and a student at the Margaret Warner School for Education and Human Development.
At the beginning of the semester, Greek Affairs asked each campus fraternity and sorority to nominate three members for the society. Bones, the group’s adviser, said she heard back from almost every one.
To receive a nomination, the student must be a junior or senior active in their chapter for at least two semesters, have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 and be an exemplary member of the Greek community.
All the nominees then received applications, and Greek Affairs selected from the pool. According to the national chapter, Order of Omega can admit only a maximum of 3 percent of its school’s Greek population.
“We want to see them play a large part in the leadership aspect of Greek life,” Bones said.
Because the semester is almost over, members will be focusing in the next few weeks on where they want to see the society go in the future. Nine of the 21 members are juniors and will be here next year to implement its goals. At the beginning of next semester, the society will induct more members.
“I’d like to see us do more community service so Greeks can get a better reputation about caring about the campus community,” said junior Jeannine McSweeny, a member of Phi Sigma Sigma.
Order of Omega became inactive around 1996 because Greek Life was going through some major changes, Bones said.
“The director of Greek Affairs had to choose which aspects to which to direct their attention, and unfortunately, Order of Omega fell through the cracks,” she said. “Now we’ll be able to devote a lot more time to the group.”
Le can be reached at cle@campustimes.org.
