2019 Social Club pledging nears its end

Pledging on ACU’s campus is nearing its end of the season. However, a couple social clubs had something special to celebrate this year.

Two ACU female social clubs celebrated anniversaries with special activities at ACU Homecoming last week. Ko Jo Kai marked its 100th anniversary. Meanwhile, Sigma Theta Chi celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Both of these social clubs celebrated by inviting a former social club alumni. Ko Jo Kai invited its oldest living member, 102-year-old Eloise Carruthers, to join members in the parade.

Sigma Theta Chi invited social club alumnae to walk with current students in the parade.

During their time of celebration, social clubs on campus selected students on campus to pledge, giving them specific, and often confusing, tasks to complete.

Ko Jo Kai president Sarah Ross says that while pledging requires a lot of work, it is something that brings a lot of opportunity.

“Pledging is always surprising how quickly it is all over,” Ross said. “Every event and after chapel meeting seems to go so quickly, especially when you pour hours into the planning of each night.”

As the Ko Jo Kai president, Ross finds a lot of joy in what she does and how it makes an impact on her spiritually.

“The most rewarding part is seeing the Lord work through my officer team,” Ross said. “We have been striving to figure out what a biblical community looks like within Ko Jo Kai, and I have loved seeing the Lord show up in so many ways.”

Delta Theta President Kaitlin Pine also said that pledging has gone faster than expected but has loved the process so far.

“This pledge season has flown by,” Pine said. “I have loved being an officer through this season. Getting to see all these pledges do so great across all clubs is so heartwarming.”

She also said that when pledgees start this process, their personalities come to light.

“The most rewarding part is seeing people come out of their shell and become such fun-loving personalities,” Pine said. “When I was a pledge, I was quiet and nervous, but I chose to leave it at the door and jump into pledging and just be myself. It is so fun to see girls who were nervous, become leaders and have so much fun making new friends.”

Gamma Sigma Phi President Travis Mack also sees the value in pledging and encourages incoming freshmen to participate next school year.

“Social Clubs are not for everyone, but if it’s something you want to do, do it,” Mack said. “My freshman year, I was anti-social club and didn’t want anything to do with any club on campus. Obviously I have come a long way since then, but I think it is something we are encouraged to do, because it instantly provides community for those that might not find it somewhere else.”

About Owen Simpson

- Editor-in-Chief and Sports Director
- ESPN Analyst for ESPN football and basketball

I'm a senior journalism major from Georgetown, Texas. I serve in several roles for the ACU JMC department. For years, I've had a passion in sports and news, and I'm pursuing a career in sports broadcasting, along with any opportunity that presents itself in the media department.