Welcome Parents!

New Member

During the new member period, your child will learn a great deal about Sigma Psi - about our history, our programs and, most importantly, our standards and values. New members will attend weekly meetings, personal development programs, and social events. They will have a Big Sister to help guide them during this time, and they will develop friendships that will endure throughout their life. Your child will have their Big as a mentor and role model to help them easily transition and feel comfortable in the chapter. Our new member team's overall goal is to ensure that each and every new member is able to feel like they have a place in the chapter and that they have the inspiration and opportunity to grow as an individual in their time in Sigma Psi. Our chapter understands clearly that this is to be accomplished in an environment free of hazing, for which there is no room in our sisterhood. At the end of the New Member period, your child will be initiated into full Sigma Psi membership through a ceremony that is both beautiful and meaningful and receives our letters.

Sisterhood

Through Sigma Psi, your student will make friends to support and motivate them. Sisters support one another in pursuing the highest in character and virtue and commit to a lifetime of promoting the values of our sisterhood and the interests of our community. When your child becomes a member of Sigma Psi, they are joining a network of sisters spanning over 120 years of history. Our alumnae are pursuing exciting personal and professional goals across the country and around the world, but have a permanent home with Sigma Psi. They will find guidance in the Sigma Psi alumnae who advise and assist the chapter. Sisterhood in Sigma Psi lasts for not just your student's time at Case Western Reserve University, but a lifetime.

Membership Development and Leadership Opportunities

As part of the collegiate chapter experience, Sigma Psi members participate in several educational and leadership programs designed to inspire them to realize their highest potential. All members participate in chapter operations as committee members and are encouraged to run for officer positions. All members set goals for themselves and the chapter to help continue our individual and collective growth throughout their time in the active chapter. Through active chapter involvement, your child will have the opportunity to develop life skills, leadership, and organizational management skills, self-awareness, esteem, and confidence.

Academics

High academic standards are an integral part of Sigma Psi membership. Our members are expected to maintain a 2.75 grade point average. Our Alumni Association and University Academic Advisor work with the chapter to design and provide resources, expectations, and programming that is specific to their needs. This is accomplished through the right mix of scholarship programming and use of campus academic resources. We recognize the achievements of our sisters, whether it’s how hard they’ve been studying, acing a test, or getting their dream job every week at chapter with our scholarship recognition shout out cup.

Each year we host a scholarship/faculty reception to recognize our chapter’s achievements and engage in meaningful discussions on scholarship. Our alumni also come each semester to help us prepare for the University Career Fair and life after graduation. We hope these programs will foster intellectual interactions and help sisters as they navigate their degree and provide resources for post-graduation life.

In addition, the Sigma Psi Alumnae Association provides academic awards that are given annually to Sigma Psi members in good standing that are based on academic performance, chapter and community involvement, and professional development.​

Risk Management

Joining Sigma Psi allows students to enter a sisterhood full of love, support, and care. We hold the physical, mental, and emotional safety of our members above all else. Our chapter ensures that there is zero tolerance for hazing of any kind, and never forces a sister to do anything they do not feel comfortable with. Sigma Psi is a member of The Fraternal Information and Programming Group (FIPG) and adheres to the FIPG risk management policies as well as the University Policies of CWRU. Our risk manager ensures that all Sigma Psi events are safe, and that the members of our chapter have the support they need to thrive at CWRU. Sigma Psi and CWRU Greek Life have created a Culture of Care and work together to ensure that Greek Life plays a positive role in our member's college experience. To learn more about FIPG policy, please visit http://www.fipg.org/

Finances

Sigma Psi’s semesterly dues are "all-inclusive," meaning that any event during the semester which poses a cost to the chapter (ex. philanthropy events, mixers, required t-shirts) is covered by our dues. This system allows members to be actively involved in all of our chapter's functions, without worrying about any additional costs for participating in them. The cost of a member's first semester in Sigma Psi is lower and then remains consistent once they are an active member. Members may reach out to either an advisor or our Vice President of Management so that a payment plan can be created to accommodate their financial needs. Sigma Psi believes that joining a sorority is an enriching experience that all members stand to benefit from, and our hope is to accommodate everyone so that finances don’t have to be a part of a the decision to go Greek.

To help those in need of assistance in paying their chapter dues due to a financial emergency, the Order of Omega (a Greek Leadership Honor Society) sponsors a fundraising competition during Greek Year competitions. These donations go directly to the Emergency Dues Assistance Fund, which allows everyone in the Greek community to help our fellow Greek brothers and sisters remain members of their chapters. The Sigma Psi Alumni Association also helps sisters in need with dues payments.