USU prepares to receive Sigma Alpha agricultural sorority chapter

Sigma Alpha is a professional sorority formed in 1976 at Ohio State University. With over 80 chapters, the sorority strives to bring women with agricultural interests together with networking opportunities, social events and leadership involvement. 

Sigma Alpha needs a minimum of 15 women committed to joining before a chapter can be brought to USU in the fall of 2023. Students who want to join Sigma Alpha must be enrolled in at least 12 credits and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75. 

Makenna Osborne is an adviser for the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. 

“We need 15 women to commit before we can found the initial graduating class of Sigma Alpha,” Osborne said. “We need leadership established before we can go back to the national organization.” 

In total, Osborne said the sorority dues will be between $200-$300 per year. 

“The first year that you’re going to be in the sorority will be the most expensive, but then afterward, you’ll be paying less,” Osborne said. “It’s .008% of what you’re putting into your tuition.” 

Osborne said paying the dues is worth the opportunities and experiences that come from being in a professional sorority. 

“$200 is a drop in the bucket and the opportunities that Sigma Alpha is going to offer you like Lisa was saying:, the network, the leadership, the opportunities to go to those national conferences and then also the scholarships that you can qualify for,” Osborne said. “This is really going to pay for all of that.” 

Dharla Soteros is a junior at USU,  majoring in animal dairy veterinary sciences. Soteros was a member of Sigma Alpha when she attended Oregon State University in 2018. 

“There were easy opportunities to get yourself out there,” Soteros said. “And opportunities still are endless. People always reach out even now, years later, to be like hey, our jobs are hiring for these types of positions.” 

Women who join Sigma Alpha in the 2023 school year will be Utah State’s founding members for generations to come. 

“I loved being a member at Oregon State,” Soteros said. “I think being able to be a founder for something new here — I think that would be just an awesome opportunity.” 

“I want to find my little niche of people that are interested in the same things as I am that can help me further along my own development in the career,” Soteros said. 

Soteros was surprised Utah State University, an agricultural college, did not yet have a Sigma Alpha chapter implemented. 

“I think it’ll be super helpful for the community in anything Ag-based,” Soteros said. “We can give back, but it also helps us in our futures.” 

Soteros said her favorite part about being a member of Sigma Alpha was being around like-minded women. 

“We work harder for what we want,” Soteros said. “You see more representation nowadays than you have before.” 

Ian Nemelka, the sorority and fraternity life adviser at USU, said joining a fraternity or sorority is a great opportunity for anyone. 

“There is more emphasis on the sisterhood, the networking and the development,” Nemelka said. “This sorority specifically will fall under the Panhellenic Council.” 

The Panhellenic Council includes all sororities on campus. According to Nemelka, USU has around 400 members within FSL throughout various chapters. 

“Here at Utah State, our community’s a bit smaller, a bit more tight knit and a bit more adaptable that way,” Nemelka said. “We really made the initial push to bring this to campus because we are originally an agricultural school.” 

Because USU is a land grant institution, Nemelka said having an agricultural sorority makes sense and its potential expansion is something to get excited about. 

“This also offers an alternative to those women who don’t necessarily want to go through what we call Panhellenic recruitment,” Nemelka said. “Because Sigma Alpha is not a national Panhellenic organization, they don’t have to abide by the same rules. It leaves it a little bit more open, a little bit more adaptable.” 

Nemelka said that FSL officers are in favor of Sigma Alpha joining the council and have been taking time to prepare for it. 

Lisa Hunsaker, an academic adviser within the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, said that joining Sigma Alpha is a great opportunity for service and professional development. 

“Sigma Alpha actually stands for sisters in agriculture,” Hunsaker said. “You will be the ones to start the tradition and really mold what Sigma Alpha is here at Utah State.” 

According to Hunsaker, Sigma Alpha was first started by five women at Ohio State University because they wanted a more professional and career-focused alternative to Greek life. 

“The objective of Sigma Alpha shall be to promote its members in all facets of agriculture to strengthen the bonds of friendship among them. It is the purpose of the members to strive for achievement in scholarship, leadership and service, and to further the development of excellence in women pursuing careers in agriculture,” Hunsaker said. 

The four pillars of the sorority are scholarship, leadership, fellowship, and service. 

“I hope you stretch yourselves outside of the classroom because although you’re here for the academics in the classroom, the whole experience as a college student and getting involved and leading and serving is what’s going to help you to stand out when you apply to jobs in the future,” Hunsaker said. 

Hunsaker said joining Sigma Alpha is a good experience to put on resumes to help with future employment. 

“There’s lots of volunteer opportunities,” Hunsaker said. “I can’t say enough of the importance of volunteering and tracking those hours — no matter what you want to go into.” 

Hunsaker said joining a sorority helps connect women to the community. 

“It’s a strong support system of women who have a passion for agriculture,” Hunsaker said. “You do not have to be in an Ag-based major, but it’s for women who have a passion and want to see agricultural careers grow and develop.”