5 THINGS About Phi Sig’s ZETA TAU Chapter

Our metropolitan home in Chicago is a mecca of great women,
great works and, well… just greatness!

March 15, 2011

WHAT DO CHICAGO’S FAMOUS WATER TOWER and Phi Sigma Sigma have in common? They’re both based in downtown Chi-town, at world-renowned Loyola University Chicago!

Our Zeta Tau Chapter, situated in the heart of America’s third largest city on the “magnificent mile,” boasts more than 80 women – sisters defined, not surprisingly, by their urban savvy, diversity and self-sufficiency. We spoke with Archon Brooke Benjamin, Chapter Key Advisor Donna Berletich, and Recruitment and Finance Advisor Julie West (all ZT sisters, by the way) to get the lowdown:

1. How would you describe Phi Sigs at Loyola Chicago?

BROOKE: We really focus on academics, leadership opportunities and diversity. Most of our women are in business or pre-med, so they’re serious about success while having fun, too. I think this is one of the reasons we do so well here: Phi Sig offers the support and experiences high-achieving women want and expect when they come to Loyola.

DONNA: Also, Zeta Tau sisters have always been self-sufficient. It’s part of our culture. The women rely on, and thrive with, help from HQ and advisors, of course. But they are also very good at working out their own solutions to any problems they might encounter.

JULIE: It’s worth mentioning, too, that this is a Jesuit school with strong ties to philanthropy and service. So it’s no surprise Phi Sig draws so many great women, since our values are so closely aligned to the students and campus.

2. What’s it like to be Greek on a city campus, and where do we fit into the Greek scene?

BROOKE: You can’t really compare the Greek experience at Loyola to more traditional campuses. There’s no Greek housing, for example. Still, all the fraternities and sororities meet for social events, support each other’s philanthropies, etc. And Zeta Tau meets just like any other Phi Sig chapter. Being on two campuses several miles apart (Water Tower and Lake Shore) and having this city all around us makes our group even closer. We’re like one big family. I also think we’re one of the best sororities on campus!

JULIE: In recent years, we’ve seen Loyola invest a lot into their Greek system, such as RFM (release figure methodology) and a new online system for bid matching.

DONNA: I think it’s allowed Greeks to trust the process even more, resulting in even better recruitments.

BROOKE: I agree. I was Panhellenic Delegate before I was Archon, and it’s refreshing and exciting to see all the changes. We just had two Greek extensions, with more on the way. The fuel for our fire has been Adrienne Jaroch (Loyola’s Coordinator of Greek Affairs & Special Events). She’s very knowledgeable and supportive of all groups on campus, including Phi Sig. She’s made a big difference.

3. Name one thing that distinguishes Phi Sig from other Loyola sororities.

BROOKE: Hands down, it’s the pride we have in our diversity. We have women from all backgrounds, ethnicities and religions. Recently, the chapter decided to hold a progressive dinner (each course in a different apartment) where sisters share special meals representing their ethnicity and we all enjoy ourselves while learning something new about that culture. The greatest thing about this idea was E-Board didn’t make the decision! Interested sisters raised their hands, suggested it and made it happen. It’s the perfect example of how well our chapter operates.

I’d also like to mention: Many of our women are officers of other campus organizations, especially the Women in Business group. Of six board members, five are Phi Sigs. We see that as a competitive advantage, because they’re always telling us about career-development opportunities or sharing helpful information that definitely gives our sisters a leg up.

JULIE: I’d add that these are women who are willing to work extra hard to be successful. Only four years ago, they were half the size they are now.

DONNA: They put in the time and the effort to recruit the best women, to grow and learn – and we’ve seen that it’s really paid off. (Zeta Tau won back-to-back Phi Sig Membership Recruitment Awards in 2009 and 2010.)

4. What’s your signature event?

BROOKE: In the past, we’ve done the traditional Phi Sig Rock-a-Thon benefiting Foundation, but it hasn’t gotten the response we were hoping for. This year, for the first time, we’re putting a new spin on Rock-a-Thon by stepping away from the rocking chairs and, instead, inviting local musicians to a big battle of the bands at the end of March! It’s going to be great, and it’s required a lot of planning and PR. We’re hoping it does really well and becomes our signature event. If it’s a hit, we’ll keep refining it and making it better. (Editor’s note: We’ve asked Brooke to update us, and we’ll post the results here.)

5. Anything else worth sharing:
    a fun fact about Zeta Tau?

BROOKE: If you want an example of what it’s like being a big chapter in the middle of a city, here’s something fun we do together: Every year, J.Crew downtown invites to come to a mini runway show after hours – just our chapter! (We learned about this from our sisters in the Women in Business group.) J.Crew closes the store, shows us the newest styles and then gives us personal shoppers. It’s so much fun – and it’s one of the reasons why we always look so classy and fabulous!