Tri Sigma Foundation

As the spring semester comes to a close, Tri Sigma seniors across the country are preparing to graduate and move into alumnae life. Chapters have different ways of saying goodbye to these seniors. Read on to learn more about the senior traditions chapters cherish.

Eta Tau: The chapter hosts a Senior Send-On where seniors typically get gifts from their little sister or other members of their “family.” Seniors share their final “Three Pearls of Wisdom” with active members of the chapter, and the chapter shows a slideshow that captures the seniors’ time in the chapter, beginning with photos from their time as new members. Last year, Eta Tau decorated foldable chairs for all of the seniors, personalized by sisters closest to each senior.

Eta Tau Seniors display chairs they received that had been decorated for them by other active sisters during Senior Send-On in 2016

Gamma Pi: Gamma Pi uses the last meeting of the semester before graduation to host a Senior Send-On celebration. The chapter uses a Senior Programming Chair to coordinate the event. She creates a slideshow that features each graduating senior, highlighting different memories from their years in Tri Sigma. Depending on the chair and how they wish to do it, some videos will include quotes from chapter members detailing how the seniors have influenced their time in Tri Sigma, or describing a memory the two sisters share together. Sometimes instead of using quotes from members in the video, the Senior Programming Chair will make bags with the seniors’ names on them, and allow chapter members to write down memories and place those letters inside the seniors’ bags.

Following this last chapter meeting, the chapter typically hosts Circle Degree for the graduating seniors. The chapter said this is a great last memory for Gamma Pi’s seniors, and a tradition the chapter truly treasures.

Theta Beta: Theta Beta Chapter recognizes their seniors in a few different ways. The members all write letters to the seniors describing their contributions to the chapter, what they hope for them in the future, and express how much the seniors will be missed. In a ceremony, members pass around a candle and each sister says a few words about all the graduating seniors. The seniors then say a few words to the chapter and how they feel about leaving. The members gift their seniors with a alumnae letter shirt and a few other small gifts.

Alpha Theta: Alpha Theta sends their seniors off by writing each of them letters, and this year they plan to gift each senior a necklace with a single pearl to wear after graduation so they still have a piece of Tri Sigma with them.

Zeta Kappa: For Zeta Kappa’s seniors, the chapter hosts a Senior Send-On event usually at the very end of the semester. They cater the event, and little sisters present their graduating big sisters with gift baskets and play videos created for the seniors. After the videos and picture slideshow of the seniors, the seniors each select a sister to live out their Zeta Kappa legacy. The girl chosen is called a “Send On,” and the seniors read a speech about why they chose this member and how they represent Tri Sigma and its values. At the end of the speech, the seniors announce who their “Send On” is.

Delta Omicron: In addition to many of the seniors choosing to go through Circle Degree, Delta Omicron has a few different traditions for seniors hosted during the last few weeks of school. The chapter awards senior superlatives at the spring formal, which include anything from ‘Most Likely to Win a Nobel Peace Prize’ to ‘Dynamic Duo’. Additionally, the ‘little sisters’ for the graduating sisters will paint a wooden sail boat in their honor, which are then gifted to the seniors before they leave. The sailboats are a chance for the littles to express some of the seniors’ favorite things and best qualities; for example, I painted a version of the Starry Night painting on my big’s sailboat because her name was Estelle and she was interested in museum curating. These are just a few of the things we do for our seniors send-off traditions!