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ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) community recently welcomed its first multicultural and Latin Greek organization, (LTA), creating a new sense of belonging for Latina students. 

Founded in 1975, LTA was the first Latina sorority in the United States, created to support and represent Latina students. The organization is also the largest Latina sorority, with over 175 chapters nationwide.

Echoing the organization’s founding purpose, Alejandra Jimenez ’26 saw both a need and an opportunity to better represent women like her in fraternity and sorority life at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. She took the initiative to step up and lead the chartering of an LTA chapter and build something new.

“I wanted to create a space for not only Latina women but women of diverse backgrounds to come together and experience sisterhood,” said the psychology major. “As a sorority, we strive for excellence in our academics, promoting community activism for social justice and building a strong, inclusive sisterhood. I hope LTA becomes the space where women feel seen, valued and empowered.” 

ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s close-knit campus community and accessible support from the Office of Student Engagement allowed Jimenez to establish the chapter in less than a year. Morgan Goeckel, student engagement coordinator and advisor to FSL, sees the expansion of the Greek organizations at OU as a great pathway for belonging, leadership and service. 

“Each FSL organization provides unique opportunities that enrich the student experience and help students find their ‘home away from home’ on campus,” says Goeckel. “It is exciting to see students eager and empowered in making their mark on campus and chartering an organization that further expands the OU community and student opportunities.”

Along with the formal paperwork and approval, Jimenez and the other founding sisters had to spend a lot of time building relationships and community with the local Georgia chapters. Those connections brought the organization’s values–Unity, Love, and Respect–to life.

Jimenez highly encourages students to be open to learning about Greek organizations and their values. 

“Take the time to talk to those in Greek organizations, learn about their experiences, and what it means to be a part of a sisterhood/brotherhood. I realized I wanted to be part of Lambda Theta Alpha after forming a connection with the sisters, and witnessing the sisterhood really drew me in,” Jimenez said.

With the addition of LTA, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s fraternity and sorority community continues to reflect the diversity, values and voices of all students. Petrels are empowered to turn their visions into a reality, especially for initiatives like LTA that contribute to the growth of inclusivity and connection at OU.