Fifty years of sisterhood is more than one might expect to find from a sorority at NIU.

This year marks exactly that for the ladies of Alpha Omicron Pi. Members of the sorority are celebrating the anniversary, having been a part of NIU since May 1954.

One original chapter member, Lois Merwin, said she believes the success and continuity of the organization largely is because of the sisterhood between the girls generation after generation.

“It’s always been a support system,” Merwin said.

Merwin recalls being closer in general with other sororities because there was less of a separation between different Greek organizations.

“It’s different than it is now in some respects,” Merwin said. “We all lived together in dorms. We didn’t have houses back then.”

Merwin mentioned two of her chapter’s AOPi advisers who became quite well-known – Ethel Holmes and Ethel Watson.

“You have the Holmes Student Center, and you have Watson Hall now,” Merwin said.

Members today share the anniversary.

“We’re having a really big celebration,” AOPi member Sara Katz said.

The official anniversary celebration will be held at noon on March 27 at Carls Fargo Restaurant, 355 W. State St., Sycamore.

Alumni from all over the state and country are expected to attend, as well as other collegiate chapters, Katz said.