Rho Lambda, a women’s honor society that strives to recognize those in chapter and campus leadership, is returning to UTM this semester after seven years of absence.
The College Panhellenic Council’s Vice President of Scholarship, Hanna Hopper, has worked the past two semesters to reinstate the Rho Lambda chapter at UTM.
“I think it’s important to have group of women that not only make good grades but also show leadership roles throughout Greek life while maintaining those grades,” Hopper said.
In order for a potential member to qualify, she must be a junior or senior in academic standing, have a 3.30 GPA and have held a chapter, or Panhellenic officer position at UTM. She must also be in good financial and academic standing with her organization. Currently, the chapters are nominating 10-15 members for the inaugural initiates later this semester.
UTM Greek Life as a whole continuously boasts a higher grade point average than the all-student GPA. Most recently, in Spring 2019, the all-sorority women GPA was a 3.22, the all-Greek GPA was a 2.98 and the all-student GPA was a 2.83. Chi Omega has held the top spot in average GPA for the past three semesters.
According to the organization’s website, the purpose of Rho Lambda is to honor those women within the sorority community who have exhibited the highest qualities of leadership and service to their Greek community and their sorority. They seek women who have furthered the ideals and principles of the Greek community throughout their years of sorority affiliation.
Founded in 1962 at the University of Miami, Rho Lambda now boasts over 200 chapters to date internationally. The Greek letters, PΛ stand for “Panhellenic Leadership,” and the flame symbolized on the crest represents the historic women leaders who lit a torch in the darkness allowing for all women to be accepted into positions of leadership. In 1988, Rho Lambda opened its membership to all sorority women, regardless of council affiliation.
