By Hayley Eselevsky, Student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Although most sororities operate as individual chapters, one weekend each year a unique event unites them together in one place. This weekend is called convention.

All sororities have them, but it is each individual chapter’s choice to attend. For the most part, how this works is simple. Each sorority has a national organization and board that oversees all of the chapters specific to that sorority. The national organization holds an annual convention, bringing all of its chapters together in one place. Only a few members of each chapter attend, and they relay the information they learned at the convention to the rest of the chapter.

Katie McCraren, a member of Sigma Delta Tau at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, attended this year’s Sigma Delta Tau national convention in Atlanta. Here is what she had to say about it!

Q: How did you decide to attend the SDT convention?

A: "When our executive board was asked to attend the SDT National Convention, I immediately was interested! I looked into my schedule, asked the appropriate people and got the OK to go. I had always wanted to see what Sigma Delta Tau was like beyond my chapter house and I knew this experience would lend me that opportunity."

Q: Tell me about what you did at the convention.

A: "The convention lasted three nights and four days. Each day was scheduled with helpful workshops, exciting speakers, team building activities and traditional ceremonies. With each event, I was able to bond with sisters from across the country and to strengthen my knowledge about my organization. Being at the convention, I was given the opportunity to meet many influential women, who I am proud to call my sisters. I was finally able to put "a face to a name" of sisters who are in communication with my chapter throughout the year."

Q: Tell me about your involvement with sorority life.

A: "Before attending the convention, I was already, what some may call, 'obsesSDT!' I am the treasurer for my chapter, and I absolutely loved my chapter, my sisters and everything else that sorority life had to offer. Being at a school with such a vast student body and a large Greek community, Sigma Delta Tau has been my home away from home. After my time in Georgia, my love for Sigma Delta Tau grew stronger. The people I met, the connections I formed and the workshops I participated in enriched what Sigma Delta Tau meant to me. Leaving the convention, I was so proud to be a 'Sig Delt.'"

Q: What knowledge will you bring back form the convention to your sorority?

A: "Attending this convention allows me to bring back newfound knowledge and spirit to my Sigma Delta Tau chapter. I will be bringing back new ways to bring my chapter together through learned sisterhood evens, ideas for new member programs, chants for recruitment and ways to get every sister involved. By attending the SDT convention, I gained leadership skills, meaningful connections and worthwhile ideas to bring back to the chapter. Not to mention, cute apparel ideas and new friends to stay in contact with!"

If you are interested more in sorority conventions, contact your chapter advisor or national office for more information.

[Pictured above: (Left to right) Karen Klass, Katie McCraren and Lindsay Chick, members of Sigma Delta Tau’s Kappa Chapter at this year’s convention in Atlanta.]