Penn's newest sorority officially established

Penn’s newest sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, has officially moved in.

After interviewing approximately 200 women, ADPi formally handed out 150 bids to new members on Friday. This marked a key moment in the sorority’s colonization on campus. “ADPi really exists here now,” Katie Schaller, ADPi’s leadership consultant, said.

ADPi has plans to lease the house at 4032 Walnut Street for new members to occupy in the fall. The house is currently occupied by Zeta Tau Alpha, the second most recent addition to Penn’s Panhel community, which will be moving across the street. Between 16 and 18 women will live in the house, which will be “a great place to congregate,” Schaller said.

Bid day marked the end of ADPi’s recruitment process, which was independent of formal sorority recruitment. The sorority’s information sessions had received full-house attendance, Schaller said.

New members were sourced from all classes and bids were handed out to approximately 20 seniors and 30 juniors, as well as 100 sophomores and freshmen. Schaller explained that although the new senior members will only be a part of the sorority on campus for this semester, membership is “a life-long thing.”

Schaller explained that a key characteristic ADPi was looking for in its new member class was leadership skills, as the sorority must now work to establish itself on campus.

Related: Penn sorority life expands with Alpha Delta Pi

On Friday, the accepted students collected their bids from the Claudia Cohen Hall Terrace Room before heading to the sorority’s bid day celebration that evening. The women who did not receive a bid were contacted privately by phone.

Engineering freshman Nabila Faour described receiving her bid as “the best feeling ever,” and was excited to begin “a new adventure” with ADPi.

Engineering sophomore Kyra Berger also described herself as very excited to receive a bid, adding that she was particularly looking forward to the “hands-on” opportunity of establishing a new sorority.

New members divided themselves into 13 committees at their first meeting on Sunday. Each committee will organize a different aspect of ADPi life, such as sisterhood, Schaller said. “The goal is to have them create their own experience,” she explained.

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The leadership of each committee will rotate, she said, meaning that each sister will have a voice in the process. After looking over the minutes of Sunday’s meeting, Schaller added that she was “really impressed” with the fact that all new members are “really passionate about getting to know each other.”

In the coming weeks, ADPi will be looking to build a relationship with the rest of Penn’s Greek community. It will also host its first philanthropy event on Feb. 22, cooking breakfast for the families of children associated with the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

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