If you want women to get along, just add chocolate to the mix.
Yesterday, the Women's Center opened its doors to Panhellenic and Multicultural Greek women all over campus with an inaugural open house.
"The purpose of [the open house] is to get the sorority houses involved and aware of the services that the Women's Center offers," said Engineering junior and Executive Vice President of the Panhellenic Council Elizabeth Rosenblatt. "We are all women at Penn and face the same issues."
The event was dubbed the "Chocolate Extravaganza" and featured treats like chocolate-chip cookies, Hershey's Kisses, fruit, and a three-tiered chocolate fondue fountain for everyone who attended.
Laura Ferro, a College sophomore and Vice President of Phi Sigma Sigma, explained that the idea for the event came from the fact that the Women's Center always has great chocolate - and "every woman loves chocolate."
The event lasted from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Each half hour was allotted to a different group of Panhellenic and MGC sororities. All afternoon, women sat around eating chocolate and talking about women's issues to a backdrop of comfortable couches and classical music.
"We're trying to have an event that says we have a lot in common," said PWC assistant director Felicity Paxton. "We both support women's life at Penn and we both believe that there are certain benefits to sisterhood."
Ferro explained that traditionally people at Penn don't connect the Women's Center with sorority life.
"I find this puzzling because I think that the collaboration between the Women's Center and the sororities should be a natural one," Ferro added.
Paxton believes that stereotypes about both groups circulate on campus. "The most important thing to do in the face of stereotypes is to examine them, and the easiest way to do that is to gather," she said. "We want to make this a place where all women feel welcome."
Paxton gave out colorful goody bags for the girls to fill with chocolate, nail files and free condoms. She urged them to come back to try out the center's "nap room" and another room filled solely with pillows.
"We are really looking forward to seeing the relationships that are going to grow from this event," said College junior and President of the Panhellenic Council Drew Tye.
"I think that all students know this is a place where you can go when something goes wrong," said Paxton. "We want this to be a place where you can come when things are going right."
She added that the Women's Center hopes to organize a similar open-house event during New Student Orientation for freshman women.
Even though it is situated in the very heart of Penn's campus, many women have never come inside, Ferro said. She added that if this event can succeed in "getting women in the door that first time . then I really think that the Women's Center will do all the rest."
