Sorority gets smart

Mary Thomas

Alpha Delta Pi recognized 30 members for their success during the 2011-2012 academic year through an awards banquet held on Aug. 30 in Magnolia Ballroom.

Seven members received certificates, nine received a pearl or ribbon, and 14 were given special recognition for receiving a 4.0 GPA in either the Fall or Spring semesters.

Jeannine Torres, junior nursing major, addressed the attendees of the banquet.

“Supporting the scholastic needs of our members is one of the top priorities of Alpha Delta Pi,” Torres said, the sorority’s scholarship chair.

The banquet gave certificates to members who held a 3.14 GPA or higher at the close of the Fall 2011 or Spring 2012 academic semesters. Among those members, those who made at least a 3.5 GPA received a pearl, although the gift is only issued for first-time recipients.

“If you receive a 3.5 or higher on a second-term basis, you receive a ribbon on your certificate,” Torres said.

Alissa Torchia, coordinator of new student programs at Georgia College, spoke at the banquet and gave tips on how to be academically successful in college.

“I’m hoping to shine light on why academics are an important part of college life,” Torchia said.

Framed certificates were given to the members with the highest sophomore, junior and senior GPAs,as well as for the highest GPA for a diamond ‘big’/’little’ pair, most improved GPA or highest diamond sister GPA.

“The Diamond Sister GPA is the highest diamond ‘big’ and diamond ‘little’ GPA,” Torres said. “Each year, our new members receive an older diamond sister, and they are their mentors throughout their alpha stage until they are initiated.”

The banquet was held for all members of ADPi in the hopes of motivating members who did not receive awards, especially freshmen.

“Even though our new members couldn’t receive awards because they weren’t here last year, Torres said. “It (the banquet)was a great incentive to motivate them to receive good grades this semester.”

Faculty members were also invited in order to promote ADPi on campus and to showtheir appreciation it has for the GC family.

ADPi hopes to break through stereotypes often given to sororities, which many members also wish to break.

“Sororities get a bad reputation for not focusing on academics, but more of social life,” said Taylor Rae Fields, freshman undeclared major. “But we’re actually focusing on the importance of academics.”

Torres’ goal for the banquet is also to show the GC community that ADPi believes in scholastic success.

“I think it’s a good idea. I don’t think it’s something that gets recognized in college, especially in sorority life,” Leah Keelan, senior theater major, said.

Posted by Constantina Kokenes on Sep 6 2012. Filed under Lead stories, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.