This week’s House Of The Week recently made its return to campus after a ten year absence.

Alpha Omicron Pi started at NIU on May 22, 1954, but because of low membership, it folded and left NIU in 1982, said Jill Roberts, president of Alpha Omicron Pi.

Roberts said Alpha Omicron Pi came back to campus in 1990. National representatives came out and interviewed almost 300 women, but only about 100 were chosen to be in the new chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi, she said.

From 1990 to 1991, Alpha Omicron Pi was a colony, Roberts said. “On April 7, 1991 we were given our charter back,” Roberts said.

Roberts said the first president to reopen Alpha Omicron Pi in 1990 was Christina Scalise. The chapter began with 107 members and two years later has 108, Roberts said.

Since the house has been back, it has won several awards. “We won the Rush quota award for 1991-1992,” Roberts said.

“We have won Anchor Splash for the past two years,” Roberts said.

This semester Alpha Omicron Pi took second place in the Delta Upsilon volleyball tournament, Roberts said. The house also took first in Phi Sigma Kappa softball tournament.

The sorority also took third overall in the 1992 Homecoming

Roberts said Alpha Omicron Pi’s biggest fund raiser for the year is the philanthropy for the “Run for the Roses,” which is for the Arthritis Research Fund.

“It is obstacle courses and foot races between the fraternities and sororities,” Roberts said. There will also be a barbecue, she added.

Roberts said “Run For The Roses” will not take place until second semester, but the house has begun to work on it already.

When Roberts was given a bid to join Alpha Omicron Pi she said she was very surprised because she thought sororities had the same type of women. “Our sorority is one of the most diverse on campus. It’s not the stereotypical sorority,” Roberts said.

Tracey Leen, a senior marketing major and a member of Alpha Omicron Pi, said she was also very surprised when given the bid. “I couldn’t believe so many girls could get along,” she said. “I felt welcome right away.”

Jennifer Ugorek, a junior finance major and member of Alpha Omicron Pi, was a colony member before the house became a chapter. Ugorek said she found out about the interviews for

Alpha Omicron Pi the day before the event. When Ugorek was offered a bid she said she was very surprised. “I was surprised because I never wanted to be in a sorority.”

Roberts said she joined Alpha Omicron Pi because she felt most accepted at the house. “No one looks at you for what you look like. They judge from the inside, not the outside.”

Roberts said they have lived in what is now the Pi Kappa Alpha house, the Alpha Phi house, and their original house that was built in 1954.

There are no plans for a new house, Roberts said. “Our house was just remodeled,” said Leen.

As for the future, Roberts said she would like Alpha Omicron Pi to grow stronger nationally. “I would love for us to get more national support.”