Multicultural sorority Theta Nu Xi celebrates 15 years, welcomes 3 members

At 8:22 p.m. tonight, three new members of Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority Inc. will spread their wings and become butterflies.

The emergence, as the sorority members refer to new member induction, will fall on the same day as the organization’s 15th anniversary.

When Theta Nu Xi was incorporated in 1997, it was the University’s first multicultural sorority.

UNC is the sorority’s founding chapter with four current members — soon to be seven. There are now 32 undergraduate chapters nationwide and 16 graduate.

“We have worked really hard the past 15 years to establish a name for ourselves,” said member Arlena Ratliff. “Our founding members worked to overcome much adversity. We are still spreading our wings.”

Member Meshell Sturgis said the organization continues to thrive at UNC due to a strong emphasis on multiculturalism.

The group’s smaller size also enables everyone in the group to get to know each other on a personal level, she said.

“Before I joined Theta Nu Xi, the only strong woman I had in my life was my mother. Now I have my sisters,” Ratliff said.

The sorority members refer to themselves as butterflies because the insects are emblematic of the organization’s commitment to multiculturalism, Sturgis said.

“They are known for being colorful,” she said. “It reflects our sisterhood. In spite of our different cultures, we all go through the process of becoming women and spreading our wings.”

Member Funmi Solar said she decided to join the sorority because she believes people must be open to change and other cultures in order to grow.

“There is no better way to understand diversity than to have sisters who are diverse from you and to live that tenet,” she said.

To celebrate their founding, sorority members are honoring multiculturalism with a series of events in the Pit.

On Tuesday, the group awarded UNC student Linet Menachery the $200 Theta Woman Scholarship for promoting diversity on campus. The rest of the week’s festivities include paper butterfly decorating in the Pit on Thursday and a Bridging Gaps Stroll competition on Friday.

Beyond the festivities in the Pit, founders’ week provides an opportunity for alumnae to see the work of the next generation of Theta Nu Xi, Sturgis said.

The alumnae’s continued investment is a testament to the sisterhood the sorority fosters, she said.

“I plan on being involved for the rest of my life,” Sturgis said.

“Family doesn’t expire when you graduate.

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