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• 1 media/800px-ZetaGamma_1983a.jpg 2017-04-03T08:18:24-07:00 A New Social Life 44 Women's Social Life While at Centre College image_header 2017-05-15T20:30:24-07:00

  Many of the same social events that took place at KCW continued after the merge. Large-scale celebrations such as the May Day Festival, a Valentine's celebration, and Carnival took place annually (Carnival continuing to the current-day, even, just with changes in how it was celebrated) while some traditions, like tea parties and formal dances, faded out in the later decades. Social interactions between men and women became easier with the addition of the women living on the central campus, so that they would no longer have to travel across town in order to see each other. This also meant that it was more difficult to strictly regulate interactions between men and women, as they had been historically, so this -- combined with shifts in public culture/thought around a woman's role in society -- meant that social regulation rules became more lax with time.
  
  Something new that women got to be a part of after the physical merge was Greek life. Sorority Greek Life was founded at Centre in 1979 when the college administration invited three national sororities to establish themselves on campus after expressed interest by the women of Centre College. These sororities were Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Kappa Alpha Theta. Two meetings were held in the fall, in which 30% of Centre women turned out to support the idea of sorority colonization on campus. Although this discussion was receiving support, those who favored sororities were "decidedly in the minority." This push-back was discussed in a Cento article, explaining that "Sororities - like spinach, liberal arts colleges, and the Presbyterian church - are not for everyone." Yet students and faculty still believed that they would serve as "... a vehicle whereby Centre women can come together to build friendships that will last a life time," and would "... develop members who excel at school in areas scholastic, social, and extracurricular."

  During the following spring of 1980, the first women's rush was held from March 7 to 9. One-hundred and forty-nine women participated, and ninety-nine of them pledged to Centre's three new sororities: an equal thirty-three to each chapter. These numbers turned out to be higher than originally anticipated, conveying Centre women’s desire and support for a Greek community after having been kept from the experience for so long. Fraternities had always been given more attention, having been founded nearly a century prior, and sororities have had to balance this ever since.

  A fourth sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, was added in 2000. Most recently, in 2016, Kappa Delta colonized to Centre’s campus, adding another option for women. Today there are six fraternities and five sororities; around 50% of students participate in Greek Life. On top of that, more options exist today for non-Greek social options than there had been in the past. There are a variety of clubs and organizations that students -- both men and women -- can choose from, ranging from subjects to do with language, religion, politics, academic interests, volunteering/social causes, and more, showing an increased interest in having less segregated activities and a wider range of options.