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Posted on October 29, 2007
There are roughly 16,000 students at JMU. Six make up JMU’s Asian-American interest sorority, Alpha Kappa Delta Phi, which raised a record $2,000 in two weeks for the Susan G. Komen foundation, benefiting breast cancer research.
The sorority recently entered the spotlight by selling “I Support My Rack” T-shirts, which brought in approximately $1,600. The group only expected to sell a little over 100 shirts, the student demand for the shirts exceeded supply, and AKDP had to order a second shipment. One hundred percent of the funds are donated to its philanthropy, the Susan G. Komen foundation.
“We came to the conclusion that it’s not the number that’s important but the quality of the work that we put out there,” said senior Jay Ahn, president of the sorority. “We’re doing the same amount of work [as a larger sorority], if not more, with six people and we are very proud of what were doing and very excited as well.”
Sophomore Christie Cerimele agreed that it’s not quantity, but quality that counts.
“It doesn’t matter how many people you are, it’s just the small acts you do,” she said, adding that the girls must have high motivation and goals to do what they did.
Ahn joined the sorority her freshman year and has served as president since the spring of 2007.
“My goal for the entire year was to put our name out there as a sorority that gives back
to the community,” she said. “It’s not about Asians. It’s not about sororities. It’s just about giving back to the community.”
Aside from T-shirt sales, Alpha Kappa Delta Phi does a lot of community service in Harrisonburg and is holding a charity week in November, according to Ahn.
Last week the girls held the “United We Fight Campaign” intending to sell 1,000 ribbons in five days.
They also have an internship at Stone Spring Elementary School, where they act as mentors to the 11 Asian-American children enrolled.
“I wanted them to have someone to look up to,” Ahn said. “Those kids really needed some sort of role model.”
The 43 chapters of Alpha Kappa Delta Phi nationwide make it the largest Asian-American interest sorority in the U.S. Currently the JMU chapter has only had 25 members since its beginning in spring 2003, according to Ahn.
Alpha Kappa Delta Phi wants to help college students realize that they can be affected by breast cancer now or in the future.
“I think were at the age where we don’t worry about our health much,” Ahn said. “A lot of women worry about how they look but at our age we don’t really think about what’s gonna happen in ten years. It’s really important to know what’s coming and to be prepared.”
The six-member group plans to continue their legacy serving JMU, the community, and the breast cancer cause.
“Don’t let the numbers fool you because we do the work that is fit for hundreds of people,” Ahn said. “I think were doing really great work for the campus and we plan on continuing to do great work.”
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