Sigma Kappa — a new sorority at MU — officially began the recruitment process for its charter chapter this week.

“The opportunity to colonize at Mizzou is extremely exciting to our national organization,” Collegiate Extension Specialist Melinda Mettler said in an email. “It is an honor to join such a prestigious community.”

The Sigma Kappa national headquarters planned the expansion to MU with events and volunteers for the next three weeks.

Volunteers have been tabling in the MU Student Center, hosting information nights and giving away free Sigma Kappa items.

The new sorority caught the interest of many students at MU, with approximately 175 girls in attendance at the information night on Aug. 22.

Future members must meet two requirements to be eligible for membership. First, they must have a minimum 2.3 GPA from their high school or college. Second, they must set up a personal visit to meet a volunteer from the recruitment team.

If a woman meets these requirements, she can attend Sigma Kappa recruitment events. The two currently scheduled events include Sisterhood Night at 7 p..m. Sept. 10 in Memorial Union and Philanthropy Night at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 at The Upper Crust Bakery and Cafe.

Recruitment events following these two are available only by invitation.

Bid and pledge day is scheduled for Sept. 16.

Two residential leadership consultants, Meghan McFerrin and Suzannah Grubb, will be stationed in Columbia to lead the charter chapter’s first year at MU.

Sigma Kappa’s recruitment might not be complete, but the sorority already has events planned.

The sorority is staging a banner competition, with fraternities competing to make the best welcome banner for the sorority. The winning fraternity gets to have the first social event with the new chapter.

The sorority also has a house on Curtis Avenue, according to Panhellenic Association spokeswoman Alyssa Goodman.

The house is currently being renovated and will open in the fall of 2013.

Although Sigma Kappa will be a new sorority to current students, it is not new to MU. The sorority had a chapter until it was closed in 2004 due to declining membership, as reported in a 2004 Maneater article.

Sigma Kappa remained in touch with MU Greek Life during the years it was absent from MU.

“In fall of 2010, (the Panhellenic Association) began considering the extension process, thus inviting a new sorority to campus,” Mettler said.

This sorority ended up being Sigma Kappa. The Panhellenic Association officially invited the sorority to establish a chapter in the fall of 2012.

“We are very excited to see our community grow with the addition of Sigma Kappa,” Goodman said. “Adding another chapter will give women the opportunity to go through another recruitment process and a unique opportunity to be a part of Sigma Kappa’s first semester on campus.”

With its new start at MU, Sigma Kappa is another option for women to choose when rushing.

“As enrollment continues to rise at the University of Missouri, the number of women interested in joining a sorority continues to rise as well,” Mettler said. “Sigma Kappa is excited to offer a new option for women interested in ‘going Greek’ and becoming part of the vibrant and viable Mizzou community.”

The new chapter at MU is another milestone for the sorority’s long history. After starting in 1874 in Waterville, Maine, Sigma Kappa now has over 110 collegiate chapters and colonies across the country, according to their website.

“The purpose of Sigma Kappa is to provide women lifelong opportunities and support for social, intellectual and spiritual development by bringing women together to positively impact our communities,” Mettler said.

The national headquarters is not aiming to recruit a specific number of students.

“We really just want to recruit women that we feel uphold the value of Sigma Kappa and would make a strong colony at Mizzou,” Mettler said.