Local History

During the Fall of 1999, NSU had two national sororities - Phi Sigma Sigma and Delta Phi Epsilon. A
close group of freshmen women wanted to join a sorority on campus, but at the time they felt that
neither chapter really "connected" with them. That is when they got together and thought they could be
a new sorority. They all felt they were down to earth girls, with many different cultures and personalities.
So, a group of about 20 girls started meeting weekly and petitioned on campus to become a local
sorority, Zeta Pi. The local sorority could be a part of Panhellenic and have say in the happenings of
Greek life on campus. They selected an executive board, began making their own rituals (one was to
read a poem at the beginning of each meeting and they also had a girl named "Zeta Pi of the week" ),
and had monthly dinners together at Piatta's Italian Restaurant along with sleepovers and other get
togethers. They came up with a chapter mascot which was a kangaroo and a chapter flower -the African
violet. Their colors were silver and purple and their motto was "If I try to be like her, who will be like
me?" which reflected their strong belief of individuality. They created a sisterhood oath and their own
constitution.... but that was the only the beginning of Zeta Pi.
Right away they were active on campus. Although many people thought the small local sorority would
not succeed, the sisters pushed harder to create a positive name for this group of women on campus.
They started the "Throw Zeta's Pi" event to fundraise money for Angleman's Syndrome (Because a
sister's younger sibling suffered from this disease and they wanted to contribute in this way). It became
an annual event and after their first pie throwing contest they were featured in NSU's Knight
Newspaper. They started having car washes to raise money, and signed up to volunteer at the Annual
Love Jen Festival (which we continue to participate in ever since). They had weekly chapter meetings
and had several sisters on the Panhellenic executive board. They had their own socials and participated
in the annual Hollywood Squares contest! Zeta Pi was definitely making waves on campus!
At this time the Phi Sigma Sigma chapter seemed to be in danger of losing their charter because only
several girls were still active. At the same time the Zeta Pi's began to look for a National sorority to pick
them up, however with only 2 sororities on campus and one dwindling, no one wanted to take the
chance of chartering a new National sorority on our small campus and risking it failing. But they did not
lose hope! The sisters all stuck together!
Eventually the old Phi Sigma Sigma chapter closed. After the winter break, the Zeta Pi's were
approached about the possibility of "re-chartering/re-organizing" the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority and some
sisters felt this might be their chance to become a National sorority - but without the ties from any of the
past sisters and to start anew. So they did! In January of 2000 we held a reorganization meeting and
later that year we became the new Phi Sigma Sigma chapter...and each year Phi Sig continues to get
bigger, better, and stronger. Beginning with their initial Zeta Pi executive board they earned Greek
President of the Year (Dolly Thompson) and picked up more awards each year (New Member of the
Year, Best Recruitment, President, ect.), even earning several National awards through Phi Sigma
Sigma. They began and continued to have the highest GPA of all of the Greek organizations on campus
and prided themselves on being down to earth and a group of girls that was welcoming. The founders of
the chapter hoped that legacy continues to live on through the active sisters who make up the current
Phi Sigma Sigma, Theta Xi chapter on NSU's campus today.