AU’s chapter of national film fraternity Delta Kappa Alpha attracted over 40 new potential members in its successful first recruitment session this spring.
Around 25 potential new members came to different events each night of open rush, according to DKA pledge secretary and rush leader Alexa Landis.
DKA gave out 21 bids and added 21 new members, President Sarah Liebman said. The group does not have a cap on the number of bids they can give out, unlike other professional Greek organizations such as Alpha Phi Omega.
“We do not want to limit ourselves on the amount of members accepted,” Landis said. “If someone has demonstrated that they fit our values, we want them regardless of how many other people we have.”
According to Landis, DKA recruiters also look for their potential new members to have a strong character in addition to a passion for film.
“We are not just a fraternity filled with film majors,” Landis said. “We welcome every major into Delta Kappa Alpha. The film industry is very large with any different ways to get involved with it.”
The co-ed fraternity has cemented itself as a visible community for film lovers on campus through the School of Communication, according to members of the organization.
“It’s very exciting to have a new film community on campus,” Anna Sortino, the DKA co-recruitment and philanthropy chair said. “Much of what drew our members together was the sense that such a community was lacking at AU.”
DKA was brought to campus at the beginning of the fall 2014 semester, The Eagle previously reported.
When founding members spoke to the Office of Greek life about establishing a DKA chapter on campus, they found that SOC was actually the better place for them to be housed, according to Liebman.
SOC provides DKA access to film and media arts faculty and administration as well as camera equipment, Sortino said.
Being a new fraternity has also afforded DKA members extra freedom to be creative with the activities they plan, like an Oscar’s viewing party, film festival and film workshops.
Different from a traditional recruitment period, DKA open rush included movie trivia night, a romantic comedy speed dating session and game night.
Although it was a challenge finding a place for a new film community on campus, it was well worth it, according to Landis.
“I would never choose joining an organization over creating a new one because seeing Delta Kappa Alpha grow has been very rewarding,” Landis said.
