Pink and green colors splashed, dotted and flowed across the conference room at the Ramada Plaza in Fargo on Friday night. Women of all ages were gathered around, sharing the glorious bond of sisterhood, discussing their lives from when they were students at MSUM and most importantly, swimming in a sea of everlasting Greek bonds. Delta Zeta’s 50th Anniversary kicked off like a rocket and seemed to have no ending to the displays of lifelong friendships.

“I’m really excited for the breakfast tomorrow morning, to have all the alumni come see the house and march in the parade with us,” said Lacy Johnson, current active member of Delta Zeta. She was not the only one who was enthusiastic about the parade. Kayla Hagan, a recent graduate from MSUM was also excited to show her DZ pride.

There were over 150 past and present Delta Zetas at the meet and greet on Friday night and almost all of those women were chanting down the streets of MSUM on Saturday morning, despite the rain.

“(This weekend) is all about connecting sisters across 50 years,” said the National Philanthropy chair woman, Barbara Brotherton. Many Delta Zeta sisters from the past 50 years were reconnecting with each other at the meet and greet and the breakfast held at the Delta Zeta house the next morning. Not only were there current students connecting with recent graduates, but also with some of the women founders of the Theta Nu chapter of Delta Zeta on MSUM’s campus, back in 1963.

“We had been on campus for 53 years as a local group,” explained one of the Theta Nu chapter charter members from 1963, Sharon Simmons. “We started writing letters to some of the national groups that we knew about and there were several that wrote us back and wanted to come in for interviews.”

One of those national sororities that wrote them back was Delta Zeta. “When Delta Zeta people came, we kinda just knew right off they were interested in scholarship and they were interested in friendship, of course, and they were also very high in philanthropies … We pledged in May of 1963,” Simmons added.

Those Delta Zeta values can still be found in the Theta Nu chapter at MSUM in 2013. Every year the current women of Delta Zeta host a variety of philanthropic events on MSUM’s campus. One event is the Pancake Feed benefitting Delta Zeta’s National Philanthropy, the Painted Turtle Camp. The camp, for children who have serious medical conditions, allows them the opportunity to come together to just be kids.

Not even the rain could dampen the spirits of the 150 women of varying ages and locations who came together early Saturday morning. They were squished together, elbow to elbow, at the Ramada Plaza enjoying breakfast burritos and reconnecting with their Delta Zeta sisters. On Saturday evening there was a formal dinner, where the Delta Zetas would come together to celebrate their 50 years on MSUM’s campus.

Those interested in joining Delta Zeta or want to learn more about the sorority can contact Erica Derheim at derheimer@mnstate.edu.
BY SHELLEY SIBLEY
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