For the first time, a Panhellenic sorority officially co-hosted a social with two non-Panhellenic groups Tuesday evening.
Often Greek organizations team up and host socials and other functions that are exclusively between Panhellenic sororities and fraternities or between non-Panhellenic sororities and fraternities.
Panhellenic sorority Alpha Omicron Pi worked with non-Panhellenic fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha and non-Panhellenic sorority Delta Sigma Theta to come together and meet fellow students at the social function.
For some, the information that this was the first time these groups have gotten together was surprising.
“I just figured there was a rule against it,” said Abby Horne, Alpha Omicron Pi’s social chair. “I checked with Panhellenic and just no one had ever tried.”
This function serves as a historic event for Auburn’s Greek system as many of these sororities and fraternities have all been on campus for many decades.
“For me, that was just kind of a culture shock – knowing there were no rules against it," Horne said. "I just didn’t understand why no one had ever attempted to do something together before."
Alpha Omicron Pi has been on campus since 1946. Alpha Phi Alpha has been on campus since 1982 and Delta Sigma Theta has been a part of Auburn since 1974.
“I am very passionate about breaking down social and racial barriers on campus,” Horne said.
Horne said a number of Alpha Omicron Pi members had approached her about making this event a possibility.
“The culture around diversity is changing, and it’s time for a change on Auburn’s campus," Alpha Phi Alpha Social Chair Edward Ojo said. "Why not just join together and throw a social together instead of having separate parties?”
Members from each organization said they are thrilled to be a part of this occasion, and all of the organizers of this event hope this motivates others to begin throwing more events like this on Auburn’s campus.
“I would love for there to be more of these opportunities in the future,” said Brittany King, chapter president for Delta Sigma Theta.
Horne said the social was a great way to make a more unified Auburn Family.
“This is something that AOII is really excited to pioneer," Horne said. "Hopefully other Panhellenic groups on campus will look at this and see that this is something that we can easily achieve, and it’s not something that’s hard."
The social was hosted at Skybar Café on Jan. 30. The event had a theme of early 2000s throwbacks.
“We already have plans with Alpha Delta Pi and other fraternities to do socials the rest of this year and next year,” Ojo said.
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