“Its nothing crazy, we’re not making girls run down the streets naked chugging beers!” said Castleton State College junior, Emmalee Stier with a laugh.

Stier, along with Cailyn Jackson and Kaity George, are members of Sigma Alpha Omega, a new sorority at Castleton.  The only catch? They are not actually funded nor recognized by the college, but the three started the sorority last semester hoping to bring Greek life back into the area. 

“We didn’t play sports or anything and we just wanted to be a part of something, so we were like, let’s start a sorority!” George said.

The group wouldn’t specify what they do to pledge one another, however they did make it clear that they were not the stereotypical sorority. 

“We do have certain requirements we have to follow. One is community service, another is library hours, can’t miss class, and we have to uphold a certain GPA,” Stier said. 

So if Sigma Alpha Omega is nothing but beneficial to the Castleton community, why would the school refuse to recognize it?

According to the CSC handbook, sororities have not been funded since Jan. 24, 1976.  

“A group of students who are trying to form a sorority have to understand there is no recognition from us,” said Dennis Proulx, dean of students. “They can’t use our facilities, can’t use our name, they can’t use anything about Castleton in their pledge or recruitment, so it really is a hard dance to play.”

Despite that, the group has already started talking to students on campus who are interested in joining and they have community events planned for the future including selling t-shirts and undertaking raffles. Stier, Jackson, and George are running their own show without help from the college, and they’re okay with that.

 “It doesn’t really bother me because were on our own and can do whatever we want,” George said.

“Yeah it doesn’t really matter either way, we’re still the same group,” Stier said in agreement. 

The three girls say they don’t plan on breaking their bond of sisterhood even if others may disagree with their effort.

“There really is no reason to create a sorority except to be a part of the college,” Proulx said. “There’s no recognition based on our policy, but if they want to act as a social group like, The Lions Club, off campus, as individuals they can do that.”

So what will it be for Sigma Alpha Omega and Castleton State College?  Will Stier, Jackson, and George continue their fight for sisterhood throughout the community without the help from the school or will they succumb to the handbook  and fizzle out.

“We were friends before, but pledging and becoming sisters is completely different.  Everything we went through together changed things for the better,” Jackson said, with Stier and George finishing her sentences in almost perfect unison.  “You learn a lot about yourself being in a sorority.”