As a sorority leader on this campus, I have problems with W.B. Allen’s “The Whor(ror)es of Rush” in the recent DUiN magazine. There will always be members that join for the wrong reasons: To party, have “status” and be the ones that propel stereotypes against us. However, those women are becoming the minority, especially on Drake’s campus.

Drake’s five chapters pride themselves on their values, leadership opportunities, academic excellence and service. Allen’s allegations make me more than a little annoyed. I have worked for four years to help women realize that those stereotypes are not what our founders intended and to negate claims Allen makes.

As the vice president of recruitment on the Pan-Hellenic Council, I apologize that you felt overwhelmed and annoyed with how the women recruited you. The community wants potential members to feel welcome and to try a completely new way of living life. But I suspect that you did not learn about what makes sororities different. You probably did not learn that we pledge ourselves to sisterhood, loyalty and living a higher moral life. We wear our letters because they mean something to us, we believe in them and they are the promise that we make to our chapter.

I won’t stand by as your ignorance of our lifestyle stereotypes us, but instead charge you to please ask sorority women why they joined. Ask them, and they’ll say it’s more than the “wild parties” or fraternity men; it’s a bond in values we believe in and more.

— Kari Tietjen

Tietjen can be contacted at [email protected]

Photo courtesy of DUIN