Omega Phi Alpha: A look inside an ASU service sorority
ASU’s service sorority, Omega Phi Alpha, offers Sun Devils the chance to make a positive impact on the community and find sisterhood all at the same time.
Omega Phi Alpha, or OPhiA as the members of the sorority call it, is a part of the Professional Fraternity Council alongside Alpha Kappa Psi and other organizations. The fraternities and sororities within the Professional Fraternity Council have a professional emphasis and have their own requirements separate from other Greek Life councils. OPhiA focuses on community service, as well as friendship and leadership. ASU’s chapter is one of only 29 in the United States.
Chloe Breger, a junior in biological sciences, is OPhiA’s vice president of standards. In this position, she assists the president, upholds the standards of the sorority’s constitution and relays information to the Chapter Standards Board. She has been a part of OPhiA for three years and joined in her first semester at ASU. She wanted to be a part of OPhiA in particular because of their three cardinal principles.
OPhiA members volunteering at Dress for Success, which provides professional attire and career development for women
“I joined because it aligned with my values and morals as an individual and a member of the larger community. The three cardinal principles of OPhiA are friendship, leadership and service and that was exactly what I wanted to experience during college,” said Breger.
OPhiA has seven different service projects they complete each semester, fulfilling the sorority’s requirement of serving several different communities:
the university community
the community at large
the members of the sorority
the nations of the world
Additionally, the national Omega Phi Alpha organization determines other projects that require chapter service, including addressing mental health and participating in Building Two Thousand Bridges, which fosters civility and understanding across viewpoints.
Each active member is required to complete at least 25 hours of community service each semester, with some members going above and beyond to complete as many as 160 hours. The sorority as a whole at a minimum completes 1,000 service hours each semester.
Some of the past service projects they were a part of were the Best Buddies Friendship Walk, Trees Matter, Girl Scout Badge Day and the ASU Open Door. Each of the service events are completed alongside their sisters, creating a positive impact and making friendships at the same time.
Breger loves the service opportunities, but she credits the other people in OPhiA as the main reason she chose this sorority, which offers a small, close-knit community of Sun Devils. OPhiA has about 40 active members, providing the chance to really get to know the sisters individually.
“Being a part of OPhiA has given me a beautiful family that supports one another unconditionally and helps the community along the way,” said Breger.
OPhiA holds an informal recruitment at the beginning of each semester, with a series of events to let students see if OPhiA is the right sorority for them. They have a few information sessions, then offer activities based around their three principles — friendship, leadership, and service — and end with formal interviews with leaders of the sorority. Interested students can attend the recruitment events from Tuesday, Jan. 22, to Saturday, Jan. 26.
“Being a part of OPhiA has shaped my experience at ASU because I have found a home within ASU. I have found sisters I know will always be a part of my life and a source of happiness within the university,” said Breger.
Follow Omega Phi Alpha on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to stay up to date with their recruitment.