Originally ran in the UTimes on 4/12/07

There is anticipation, excitement, and elatedness on nights like this.

Family, friends, alumnae, fraternities and supporters gather in a specially picked spot to watch this view of endowment. As the spectators wait, in the distance the first thing they hear is the calls and chants.

Then, out of the distance, they see the proud Iota Rho Chapter members, as well as their new initiates, which, by the way, are called The 16 DSTinct Sudden ImPacts, to the awaited location where they will go through the ritual of presenting themselves to the student body.

Last Wednesday, April 4 at 10 p.m., the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. had one of those eventful nights. This sorority had what it known as a "probate." A probate is a designated time when new members of a sorority or fraternity, who have been fully initiated into the organization, reveal who they are to the campus through song, dance and steps. The young ladies marched and hooked together down the walkway in front of Atkins Library towards the center of the courtyard in between Kennedy Building and the Belk Tower. As they marched and arrived to their appointed mark, the Deltas were shouting urging inspirations to their future sisters. The new members wore black shirts with their numbers in the Delta symbol both stitched in red on their backs. They wore black pants with red suspenders, black shoes to match and a mask that was half cream and half glittering red [to match the sorority's colors]. The identities of those who are joining an organization during intake are kept secret.

The Deltas would yell to the audience "Move back," demanding the audience to make room. Before the new members unhooked, they said the Greek Alphabet with wonderful speed and without flaw.

They unhooked from each other's shoulders, got into their places and stood compliantly until their next action.

During the probate the young ladies would demonstrate dances and steps, replacing words to songs like "Buy You a Drink" by T-Pain and Robin Thicke's "Lost Without You," that celebrated and acknowledged the Iota Rho Chapter members. As they were going through their proceedings, the audience would yell "Go 'head number 9!" "I see ya number 10!" and the Deltas would keep their new members in line and tell the charged witnesses surrounding them again to "Back up!" so they could do what they had to do.

The assembly in front of the Belk Tower grew eager as they knew the new members were about to reveal themselves.

Each member stood in front and asserted unique testimonials about themselves.

Then the new member, now officially a Delta, would lift up her mask and reveal her identity while her supporters screamed her name.

Now, unmasked, they hooked back together to go through a few steps where the Deltas lined up and sang The Deltas' Sweetheart Song, exhibiting that these young women are indeed part of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.