Local History
Life Outside of DXP...
Johns Hopkins University is a campus filled with students and faculty with a great diversity of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Students maintain a sense of acceptance but tend to form segregated friendships. The founders recognized a need for an opportunity for women to unite and celebrate their diversity. Vicki Nelson, one of the founding sisters first contacted Delta Xi Phi in June 2002. Armed with information and encouragement, they found ten ladies expressing an interest in Delta Xi Phi. Nelson and Monica Soderlund drafted a letter of intent submitted in November 2002 by these ladies hoping to become the Lambda colony of Delta Xi Phi.
Under the guidance of National Expansion Coordinator, Guillermina Sanchez-Alfaro, the next few months consisted of meetings, planning, and seemingly endless study hours. In March 22, 2003 after resolving the first of many scheduling conflicts run into by the always-busy Alpha Line, National Tribunal Cynthia Abundabar Ting and National Membership Coordinator Erin James came to Baltimore to meet and interview the prospective members. That evening at 6:20 pm, four girls became the first members inducted as Associate Members of the colony establishing the Lambda Colony of Delta Xi Phi in Baltimore, Maryland.
Many long nights and tests of character lay ahead. A nine-week process filled with community service, multicultural events, fundraisers, and countless hours of bonding followed in the course to establishing a chapter. After many obstacles, much planning to overcome those obstacles, and again re-planning to repair the last plan when a new challenge occurred, the colony in their distraction had created life long bonds of friendship. The founders participated with Habitat for Humanity in renovating a house in Baltimore City. They planned and carried out a successful bake sale in 6 hours from conception to completion.
On June 7, 2003 National Secretary and Lambda's New Member Educator, Diane Abundabar visited the three ladies remaining of the original ten in Maryland. Diane Abundabar was joined by National Tribunal Casi Grabill and Pierette Neh Ntsang (Iota Associate Chapter) and initiated the Alpha Line - "Bixia" - Vicki R. Nelson, Chinyere Ogbonna, and Monica E. Soderlund founding the Lambda Associate Chapter of Delta Xi Phi Multicultural Sorority, Incorporated at 10:10pm June 7, 2003.
The following year brought yet another challenge, gaining recognition as a student group from Johns Hopkins University. Over the next two semesters the chapter held various open social events to raise interest in Delta Xi Phi and maintained a strong interest in philanthropy performing a total of over 200 hours community service. The chapter raised over $500 to support the American Cancer Society through the Relay for Life. The sisters gather twice a semester at a multicultural potluck uniting their interest in food with an opportunity to share their backgrounds or favorite cultural traditions with each other and friends.
With the addition of two Beta Line women, Delta Xi Phi successfully petitioned and gained recognition as a sorority from Johns Hopkins University in May 2004. In the fall of 2004, the chapter undertook their first formal rush week filled with rock climbing, Sex and the City, ice cream, and coloring pictures for a children’s hospital.
The following Spring saw the first Delta Xi Phi formal at a Baltimore restaurant, where the sisters ate and danced late into the night.
At the start of Fall semester in 2005, events such as rock climbing and getting together for food became established as Lamba rush traditions.
The Lamba chapter had their highest attendance at rush in Spring 2006, with new events such as working with Cooking For Love as well as old traditions. Eight women were inducted in February, and as they worked together to form lasting bonds of sisterhood, they endured the cold of cleaning stadiums after lacrosse games and helped raise money with the chapter for the American Cancer Society. They endured the pain of losing line members but throughout the process they grew and learned about each other and themselves.
From June 21-24, 2007, the Lambda Chapter hosted the 9th Annual Delta Xi Phi National Convention on the Johns Hopkins campus. The theme was Hairspray. It was a very exciting time for the Lambda sisters to introduce themselves to the other chapters across the nation. Sisters enjoyed an afternoon outing to Inner Harbor with convention culminating with the awards banquet Saturday evening. At Convention, the Lambda Chapter was named first runner-up for the “Chapter of the Year” award and received official recognition as a chapter. Lambda sisters also received a number of service and academic achievement awards, with the chapter as a whole receiving the “Highest GPA Award” nationally. After an exciting but busy weekend before parting ways, sisters said goodbye to one another and looked forward to the 2008 National Convention to be held in Chicago, Illinois.