This spring is the first official semester of the Gamma Rho Lambda colony at Iowa State. Gamma Rho Lambda is a sorority for women who identify as members of the lesbian and bisexual communities as well as their allies.

The ISU colony is one of two Gamma Rho Lambda sororities in the midwest. Gamma Rho Lambda started as an interest group last year and was granted colony status for this spring.

“We are working to promote inclusiveness on campus” and improve visibility of the community, said Sarah Miller, senior in biochemistry and president of Gamma Rho Lambda.

Gamma Rho Lambda wants to create a welcoming space for women who are interested in this mission.

“We are for lesbian and bisexual women, but we’re for all women. You don’t necessarily have to identify as a lesbian or a bisexual to join us,” said Anna Preston, senior in sociology and Gamma Rho Lambda member mother.

As mother, Preston educates new members about greek life, Gamma Rho Lambda and makes sure all new members are well-educated about the sorority.

Gamma Rho Lambda is in the first of three trial semesters to gain colonization, as required for chapter status, said Miller. She went on to explain last year there was an interest group in contact with the national sorority, which was going through the process of getting the sorority chapter set up for this year.

Currently Gamma Rho Lambda plans to be a social and service sorority but not a residence sorority, said Miller. They do not have a philanthropy yet, but have been looking into Youth and Shelter Services in Ames.

Gamma Rho Lambda and its 10 new members are in the process of new member education. Once new member training is complete they will be official members of the national sorority, but will be considered neophytes by Iowa State.

“We are all neophytes for the interim and then become active members when [Gamma Rho Lambda gains] chapter status,” Miller said.

Miller said this founding class is working on writing its constitution, creating the new member education curriculum for future classes and determining what Gamma Rho Lambda will be to Iowa State. They are meeting once a week to meet these goals.

“The founding class is definitely a unique experience,” Miller said.

Preston was a member of the initial interest group. She wanted to start Gamma Rho Lambda to gain the bond found in a sorority and the stability and dependability that comes with it.

Preston was originally concerned with the stigmas associated with being a member of the LGBT community in the greek system.

“It’s assumed that when you have a date it will be a man, and that you’ll look like a girl and wear dresses and everything. I wanted something that wasn’t like that,” Preston said.

Brad Freihofer, coordinator of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Student Services, said he is very excited for Gamma Rho Lambda to engage with the greek community. Gamma Rho Lambda joins Delta Lambda Phi, its fraternity counterpart, and Freihofer said Iowa State is one of only a few schools with both programs.

“We work really closely with the [Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Ally Alliance], several of our members are on the cabinet of the alliance and we’re working towards partnering with [Delta Lambda Phi],” Miller said.