Viansa Bastidas

Staff Writer

On Friday, April 12, ESU held its annual Greek Awards Ceremony for all the sororities and fraternities on campus. This year, Tri Sigma won the Grand Chapter Award for having the highest accreditation of the other chapters.

The smallest chapter on campus, Tri Sigma is a philanthropy-driven sorority that participates in charitable acts that aid mothers and pre-mature babies in hospitals.

As a chapter, Tri Sigma received accolades for this year’s philanthropic work, which members have participated and completed during the school year this fall and spring semesters.

Tri Sigma has received awards for the Highest GPA, Outstanding Philanthropic Initiative for its annual Mr. Greek pageant, Sorority of the Year and their biggest award, the Grand Chapter Award, for having the highest number of accreditations.

Tri Sigma president Kiaya Andrukids, 20, stated that she makes it the chapter’s mission to raise as much awareness and money as possible for March for Dimes, the chapter’s main philanthropic work.

Some other philanthropic work Tri Sigma does is Kicks for Kids, Pops for Preemies and Routing for Robby Page; this specific event is a deeper connection for the sorority.

Andrukids had spoken about each fundraising event and said Routing for Robby is an event Tri Sigma holds each year where they bring awareness to the effects of polio in children. A past member of the sorority had experienced such a thing when her child died from polio. With this experience felt in the chapter, the future presidents make it a point to always raise awareness for illnesses such as that.

Evelyn Belkey, 23, Senior, has been a member since her freshman year and is sad to be leaving Tri Sigma. She has created fond memories of the chapter. Especially this semester when she received her sorority little a few weeks ago. Andrukids also spoke about being a little and finding out her big in their chapter as well.

“My favorite memory was finding out by Big was Abby. I felt like I could talk to her for hours.” Andrukids said.

In sororities, new members who are recruited into their chosen chapter will be secretly paired with an existing member of the sorority. These new members are now referenced as “littles” and the members chosen to receive a little are then known by their littles as “bigs”.

At the beginning of the year, Andrukids had gotten together with her chapter and sat down to revamp their diversity community to raise and show awareness for diversity on campus. To start, the chapter held a night where each member made a PowerPoint about their own culture to respect and learn about one another.

“The girls are the best. I love literally everybody. I feel like I have really great connections and can see how the girls will leave an impact on ESU.” said Andrukids.

With these exceptional awards, Tri Sigma will have earned campus recognition for its successful philanthropic work and dedicated chapter members.