This week, Missouri Southern students might have seen chalk on the sidewalks and flyers all around campus advertising rush week for both of the University’s sororities, Zeta Tau Alpha and Alpha Sigma Alpha.

Rush week launches drives by the Greek groups on campus as they recruit new members.

“We had a Greek Orientation night with Alpha Sigma Alpha where we go over the basics of what it means to join a sorority,” said Dani White, junior theatre major and president of Zeta Tau Alpha at Southern.

“We also had a luau night, a Think Pink night where we talked about our national philanthropy and all of the work we do with it, and we will be having our preference night ceremony on Friday.”

White said it is a very rewarding experience to be in a sorority.

“You have the alumnae connections, a steady group of sisters, and there is always something to do,” she said.

White said sorority members also learn leadership skills from working in a group and learn character from the people who are in the chapter with them.

Tesha Morgan, senior psychology major and president of Alpha Sigma Alpha, said she was initially intimidated by the idea of rush week.

“I thought it was going to be a bunch of Barbies in a room looking down their noses at me,” she said.

Morgan said joining a sorority comes with lifelong sisters and affords additional opportunities.

Morgan said after she joined ASA, she started doing activities with her sorority.

“We have sisterhood nights where we watch movies, eat dinner, work out and go to church as a group,” Morgan said. “We also work hard at our philanthropies and try to emphasize them as our most important work.”

Alpha Sigma Alpha is involved in several local and national philanthropies, such as the Special Olympics and the S. June Smith Center. On a local level they help with the Lafayette House, Joplin Humane Society, and Children’s Haven.

Zeta Tau Alpha has adopted Newman Road in front of campus, and they help keep it clean.

This semester, they helped students move into the residence halls, and they participated in Race for the Cure and a number of other breast cancer events.

Both Alpha Sigma Alpha and Zeta Tau Alpha offer year-round recruitment.