~ 0:: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ z u ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 u u ;; "' ~ Cl -~ ·~ ~ ~ ] Cl t-ol c:: ~ ::J-, ~ Cl ::z:: ;:,,, CQ In October, for the first time in Harding history, four small clubs merged to form two larger clubs. Women's social club OEGE, established in 1947, initiated the merging process by approaching Assistant Dean of Students Kara Abston about its shrinking membership. With only 12 active members, the club no longer felt viable. Two weeks prior to club week, Abston organized a meeting to bring OEGE's request to the presidents and vice presidents of the smaller women's clubs. Senior Olivia McDaniel, president of women's social club Omega Lambda Chi, expressed similar concerns at the meeting. Her club had only 10 active members, and they needed to make a change. After the meeting, women's social club Zeta Pi Zeta, established in 2009, voted to absorb OEGE's members into their club. Women's social club Chi Kappa Rho followed suit, welcoming the members of Omega Lambda Chi. Senior Erin Hasler, president of Chi Kappa Rho, said despite her initial fears, the process was fairly painless. "Club week went really well," Hasler said. "I was nervous at first that it would be awkward. Things went well though, they are just integrating really nicely, and our girls have been really good at including them in everything." The four clubs worked out the details of the process in a larger meeting, where, according to McDaniel, they realized how well each pair of clubs complemented one another. "We have already meshed really well since we are both two service clubs and had a lot of membership overlap anyway," McDaniel said. "It is hard to be learning a whole new club's traditions when we had such short notice, but they have been really helpful, and it has been really fun." According to Zeta Pi Zeta president senior Carly Quibodeaux, the club week process was a little rushed, but it was well worth it in the end. "Club week had to be really focused on bonding and becoming unified, not just with the new induction class but also with the absorbed," Quibodeaux said. "I do think it's a positive change for Zeta Pi Zeta. We have always been a pretty diverse club, but this has just increased that, which I think is great. It has also provided Zeta Pi Zeta with an opportunity to grow and for all of us to form even more friendships." Zeta Pi Zeta continues its tradition of weari11q red hats th1·ouyhout club week. OEGE members wore their club colors for the last time be.fore merging and joining the red lrnt tradition. I Photo courtesy of Kristina Kiser
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