In a letter to the national president of the Church's sorority, an LDS college student tells her story.
She writes about moving away from home to attend school. She was lonely and had little association with the Church. Then she began participating in Lambda Delta Sigma, where she made friends and was given leadership opportunities.
Now she is serving a full-time mission. It was the sorority, she writes, and the many friends she met there that made all the difference.
For more than 30 years, LDS fraternities and sororities have provided a strong social foundation for thousands of Latter-day Saint college students.
This year, Church leaders hope to expand this influence with the formation of the Institute Men's Association and the Institute Women's Association. The organizations will build on all the good that is a part of Sigma Gamma Chi, the Church's fraternity, and Lambda Delta Sigma, the Church sorority.
The new associations can also organize on college campuses that may not have a Greek fraternity or sorority system — including junior, community and technical colleges and an increasing number of universities — and at institutes not associated with a university.
Potentially, said Stanley A. Peterson, Church Educational System administrator, every institute in the United States and Canada could organize chapters of Institute Men and Institute Women.
"So much good has come from the fraternity and sorority," he said. "We think it is time to expand the good things about the fraternity and sorority, and open the door for more young people to participate without that title of fraternity or sorority. We think with Institute Men and Institute Women we can really have the best of both worlds."
Brother Peterson noted that young people need a small group support system. As they associate together wonderful things happen, including activation and retention of new members, as well as a high percentage of mission service and temple marriage, he added.
While some of the 70 men's chapters and 180 women's chapters may choose to keep the Greek name they have associated with for years, all new chapters will form under the new name. In all chapters, traditional practices of rush weeks, initiation ceremonies and other such activities will be discontinued.
However, young adults in every chapter, will still form life-long friendships, participate in social activities, offer countless hours of service, learn about the gospel and develop valuable leadership skills, said Dan Jones, national president of Sigma Gamma Chi.
"This organization has the potential to bless lives in the way that only small group organizations can," said Brother Jones.
He said there are many college-age Latter-day Saints who want to have a sorority or fraternity experience. However, he added, other young adults who have either completed their college work or chosen another route instead of college still need the small group association.
"This organization will include everyone," he said, explaining that to join young people need only to be enrolled in one institute class. "I can see the potential for good in reaching out to so many more young single adults who can benefit from these things."
Jeannene Barham, Lambda Delta Sigma national president, said that the new organization will benefit the Church's young single adults.
"We feel this will open the doors to so many young adults and enrich their lives," she said.
To those who have participated in the Church's fraternity and sorority system and are worried about the changes, Brother Jones and Sister Barham both emphasize: "We are not taking anything away from the current system. We are strengthening it. We are expanding it."
Even the basic structure of the organizations will remain much the same.
The national presidency of Lambda Delta Sigma and Sigma Gamma Chi will become the advisory board for the Institute Women's Association and the Institute Men's Association. Area and chapter advisers of both organizations will continue to work with area directors and institute directors, Brother Peterson explained.
Training for the new program began Feb. 25 and will continue through the summer.
For Brother Peterson, the training marks the beginning of an exciting time. "This is another move in meeting the needs of all young adults throughout the world," he said.
