Knowledge and Intelligence

One hundred six young women became charter members of Omicron Mu Chapter of Chi Omega at California Polytechnic University–San Luis Obispo (SLO) the weekend of April 18–20, 2008. Installation ceremonies and related activities capped 10 weeks of hard work and lots of fun.

Selection of the charter new member class began on January 27 as Chi Omega’s Recruitment Team arrived at SLO to make our Fraternity’s messages visible to the campus community. Team members attended meetings of campus organizations, posted flyers, and had an information booth set up in a prominent location.

As a result, more than 250 women expressed interested in learning more about Chi Omega and what it could bring to their lives. After a week of informational sessions and personal interviews, collegiate members from Gamma Beta/UCLA performed the Preference Ceremony for 150 potential new members. On February 10, Chi Omega gave out bids and Omicron Mu Chapter was officially colonized.

The women hail from diverse backgrounds, have a variety of interests, and participate in many different activities. However, they share a common belief in Chi Omega’s values and everything the Fraternity stands for. 

Omicron Mu Bid Day was full of fun. Our new members’ excitement was obvious, as was their pride in Chi Omega. They took a fun photo of themselves as they posed like owls.  

New Members Connect and Have Fun

• Lunches, called “Hootie Huddles,” were organized so the new members could get acquainted.
• Small-group events helped build Sisterhood. The women made pottery, hiked, dined, had an ice cream social, and enjoyed coffee breaks.
• Study nights that mixed scholarship and Sisterhood were a favorite activity, as was a Sisterhood breakfast held before finals week.
• A barbecue with a men’s fraternity was held at the beach.
• Money was raised for the Wheelchair Foundation through a charitable event held at a local restaurant. Graffiti and litter were removed as members participated in a citywide clean up. And they baked cookies for SLO’s Special Olympics basketball team.
• Sports were popular, with many women participating in dodgeball and kickball tournaments.
• An Eleusinian dessert for area alumnae and new members was planned by Omicron Mu advisors.

The New Member Retreat

Colony elections were held and Chi Omega cheers, songs, and policies were learned during a weekend retreat. Revelation was a favorite activity, connecting members with their new Chi Omega families. During revelation, each family solved a puzzle to discover who their family members were. Then, each family made heirlooms to pass on to future generations. Items made were picture frames, stools, and aprons. 

Omicron Mu Is Installed

Initiation activities took place on April 18 and 19 with the Installation ceremony and banquet on April 20. Collegiate members from Mu/UC–Berkeley performed the Initiation Ceremony. The model initiate was Samantha Bruck.

More than 400 new Sisters, their families, and guests attended the Installation banquet. Present from Cal Poly-SLO were Director of Student Life and Leadership Ken Barlcay and Panhellenic Advisor Harmony Quismundo-Newman. S.H. Jean Mrasek delivered the keynote address.

To Omicron Mu: Hearty congratulations and best wishes from all your Chi Omega Sisters.

Charter Officers of Rho Mu

G.H. Samantha Bruck
G.T.B. Jannine Enricuso
G.K.A. Dana Olkkonen
G.N.V. Nicole Hake
G.M. Emma Shaffer
Personnel Chair:  Erika Powers
Panhellenic Delegate: Erica Bergvall
Recruitment Chair: Danae Cook

About California Polytechnic State University–San Luis Obispo

Cal Poly–SLO was rated the best public, largely undergraduate university in the West by U.S. News & World Report for 11 consecutive years. Of its 16,110 undergraduates, 96% are from California.

With the addition of Chi Omega, the SLO Greek community consists of eight NPC sororities. The average chapter size is 120 members. Nine percent of students are Greek.

Congratulations to the charter members of Rho Mu Chapter.

A First-Hand Account of Colonization

Chi Omega National Consultant Kristen Burchinal, Zeta/University of Colorado, assisted Omicron Mu during its semester as a colony. She taught her new Sisters about our traditions and history and played an integral role in the development of Omicron Mu. Here are her favorite memories of the process. 

• Most memorable was watching the Cardinal Cabinet groups flourish. “Everyone was eager and excited to become involved,” she recalls.
• Most pleasant was seeing that opportunities to work together and learn about one another and Chi Omega were very important to them.
• Most uplifting was the re-connecting of our alumnae. Kristen notes, “Without an alumnae chapter in the area, many advisors and house corporation members are involved with the Fraternity as alumnae for the first time.” 
• “My hope for Omicron Mu,” says Kristen, “is that each member will stand by her values and demonstrate to the campus and local community what it means to be a Chi Omega.”