By Ava Burchell, Staff Writer
Gamma Sigma Sigma, also known colloquially as Gamma Sig, established a colony at Gettysburg College this semester. Gamma Sig is a service-based Greek organization whose sisterhood is open to students who highly value service, friendship and equality.
Gamma Sig president and founding member Sophie Lange ’26 commented on how the group came to campus.
“When I was approached by OSAGL about bringing a sorority that was very service-oriented to campus back in September, I was really looking to be a part of something bigger than myself and to help build a community of students who were also passionate about volunteer work and philanthropy,” Lange said. “OSAGL recommended bringing a service sorority to campus, and as I researched more about the options for National Service Sororities, I found that Gamma Sig seemed to be the best fit.”
Sisters of Gamma Sig can also be involved in traditional Greek organizations, as it is not involved with the National Panhellenic Conference or any other governing body except for their National Board of Directors. Sisters in Gamma Sig participate in service events that benefit the campus, local community and country, as well as sisterhood events to strengthen their bonds with one another.
Sophie Lange ’26 (left) is Gamma Sig president and founding member. (Photo Provided)
“We believe that service and philanthropy have allowed us to get to know each other and bond as sisters of Gamma Sig, and we take our friendship beyond service since we still hold sisterhood and social events as an organization,” said Lange.
“It is an awesome way to get involved on campus and be a part of a tight-knit sisterhood,” said Gamma Sig recording and corresponding secretary Natalie Frisch ’27.
The founding members of Gamma Sig chose to join the sisterhood for a variety of reasons.
“Without Gamma Sig, I don’t think I would have had the same experience here at Gettysburg, and through everything, I know my Gamma Sigs have my back always,” said Lange.
“I am a member of Alpha Phi Omega, which is a co-ed service-based Greek organization on campus. I love being a part of APO, so when I heard that there was a chapter of Gamma Sig being founded on campus, I decided to join because it is yet another opportunity for me to engage in acts of service,” said Frisch.
Some students have questioned the necessity of Gamma Sig, especially since Gettysburg already has a service-oriented fraternity on campus, APO. However, there is a notable difference between the two: APO is a brotherhood while Gamma Sig is a sisterhood. APO is open to students of all gender identities while Gamma Sig is focused on female and nonbinary students.
“Both APO and Gamma Sig do service events, but the kind of service events typically overlap, which means that by being involved in both organizations, I can maximize the amount of service I do on campus,” said Frisch, a member of both organizations.
Additionally, Lange emphasized that Gamma Sig was created to fill a gap in social and service organizations on campus.
“There are a lot of social Greek organizations and service-focused groups on campus, but there weren’t really any that had a main focus on service while also incorporating aspects of social organizations,” Lange said. “As Gettysburg’s first and only service sorority, we have been able to broaden the different options for people who want to be involved in Greek life, service groups or both.”
Sisters of Gamma Sig have reported a positive experience with the organization so far.
“Every single time we have an event, I always find myself staying way later than I had planned because I’m having so much fun with everyone,” said Lange.
Gamma Sig collaborates with many different partners to do service. They have four national service partners: Alex’s Lemonade Stand, the American Cancer Society, the March of Dimes and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. They also choose two topics to focus on every biennium: currently, these are heart health awareness and teen and young adult mental health awareness. Additionally, they collaborate with other local or national organizations for even more service projects.
For more information about the national Gamma Sig organization, students can visit their website: gammasigmasigma.org. Additionally, students may follow Gettysburg’s Gamma Sig colony on Instagram at @gburgcolony.gss.
Members of Gamma Sigma Sigma’s colony at Gettysburg College. (Photo Provided)
