Photo provided by Isabella Moles
By Lauryn Longacre, Staff Writer
Sigma Gamma Rho Inc. celebrated their 97th anniversary on Nov. 12 as part of their founder’s month, also known as “Rhovember” which is meant to honor the seven founders of the organization and its history.
“We were founded on a predominantly white institution… and that foundation just helped break some racial tensions that were going on at the time, so we just keep that tradition alive every time we celebrate,” said Sigma Gamma Rho’s co-vice president Mikayla Hill.
Hill said that Sigma Gamma Rho has a long and strong history that the sorors, or sorority sisters, continue to uphold during the celebration of Rhovember. Sigma Gamma Rho Inc. was founded at Butler University in Indiana in November of 1922.
Junior soror Malia Simon, who crossed in spring of 2019, said that Rhovember is the opportunity for Sigma women to take full pride in Sigma Gamma Rho and make their presence on campus known despite the small size of the sorority.
“We celebrate [Rhovember] on a smaller scale because of how many members are in our organization, but that also makes it very intimate,” Simon said.
Senior Amy Green said that the first 12 days of November are also known as the 12 days of Sigma or the 12 days of Rhovember.
Each day the Sigma women, also known as Poodles, hold an event in celebration of the sorority’s founders. Some events in the past week included Pie a Poodle, Find a Poodle and Step with a Poodle.
According to Green and Simon, one of the biggest feelings for the sorors when Rhovember rolls around is of achievement.
“We know that we’re in an organization that is bigger than ourselves,” Simon said.
Even through all of the heart-felt history of the sorority, there are still aspects of Rhovember that lighten the mood.
One of Hill’s favorite parts of Rhovember is the cake celebration. Hill said that the sorority gets a nice cake with the sorority crest drawn on the icing.
Members of Sigma Gamma Rho then invite the fraternity chapter Phi Beta Sigma along with close friends to enjoy the ceremony with. The sorors all hold the knife and cut the cake together. “We just eat, share and enjoy it. It’s just a fun time.”
For Green, her favorite part of Rhovember is taking pride in the organization.
She detailed going through her Sigma Gamma Rho memorabilia and finding pictures and videos of her probate. Green said that it was a privilege to wear the letters and colors of Sigma Gamma Rho.
“It’s an incredible time to just celebrate being a Sigma woman, and it’s something that we can’t really explain,” Simon said.
Hill also mentioned that with every day, she feels the sorority getting closer with one another: “I feel like Rhovember is just a time when we get to show the campus how much we really love each other, and they get a sneak peek on the inside of what we really do.”
