The Interested Ladies of Lambda Theta Alpha Incorporated has been granted a charter on Villanova’s campus and is now recognized as an official sorority.

The seven founding sisters on Villanova’s campus include Ashley Rivera, Erin Powell, Erica Figueroa, Ashley Pellot, Nicole Burchette, Kamaria O’Reagan and Amanda Lopez.

The efforts to begin a sorority on campus began almost four years ago.

“It started in the fall of 2006,” Figueroa said. “There are certain requirements to fulfill each semester that give you a glimpse of what it is like to be in a sorority. We had to do two community service events and an educational event per semester. We also did social events to get our names out there.”

The Interested Ladies of Lambda Theta Alpha Incorporated was considered a student organization before it could be affiliated with the other Greek organizations, according to Burchette.

An interest group must last four years before it can be considered an official sorority, completing all semester requirements.

“We needed to get an interest group of 12 women to petition for a chapter on campus,” Burchette said. “Then we had to transition into Greek Life through our events and raise awareness of who we are.”

Lambda Theta Alpha is a member of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations and was founded in 1975 upon its three fundamental pillars: unity, love and respect.

The official colors of Lambda Theta Alpha are burgundy and gray.

On Dec. 4, the seven founding sisters had a coming out ceremony in front of Bartley Hall.

The ceremony began as the sisters emerged chanting “intensity” and progressed with various strolls and chapter salutes, which is a way of paying respect to the other Greek organizations.

The seven sisters then paid tribute to their Pledge Mistress Marian Enriquez and Assistant Pledge Mistress Elisa Allicock, who have helped guide the Interested Ladies to sisterhood.

Unlike other sororities on campus, Lambda Theta Alpha will not have a formal recruitment process. Rather, it will be ongoing as they continue to raise awareness of their presence on campus.

“Women can be in the interest group to see if they like it,” Burchette said. “It’s non-binding, and they can stay in the interest group for as long as they want. But in order to be a sister, you have to have been in the interest group for at least one semester, fulfilling all the event requirements.”

Certain privileges come with official sisterhood, though, that the interest group cannot experience, according to O’Reagan.

Only the sisters can wear their pins, letters and colors, and there are national events that only the sisters can attend.

Beginning next semester, Lambda Theta Alpha has a busy calendar as the sisters will be working hard to increase their presence on campus.

According to O’Reagan, they will be giving out hot chocolate at the Oreo in January, as well as having dinners at Donahue Dining Hall, various fundraising events and information sessions to learn about the sorority.

The Lambda Theta Alpha sisters will be at the Activities Forum this spring.

“We are Latina by tradition, not by definition,” Burchette said. “You don’t need to be Latina to join.”