While a pinning ceremony traditionally represents becoming an active member of a sorority or fraternity, for the University’s chapter of Sigma Kappa, the ceremony takes on a new meaning.

On Saturday, 25 members of Sigma Kappa sorority will ring in Moms Weekend with a pinning ceremony that will include any moms who are visiting for Moms Weekend. Following the ceremony, six new members will be initiated into the sorority.

“Members purchased their moms a Sigma Kappa pin and will give it to them as a way of saying thank you for helping each individual member to get where they are today,” said Carrington Watkins, vice president of alumnae relations of Sigma Kappa sorority and junior in Engineering.

Another motivation behind the ceremony is to allow for the moms to become more familiar with Greek life.

“It is important to us to help our moms become more involved with Sigma Kappa,” said Lauren Williams, ritual chairman and junior in ACES. “We wanted to do something special for Moms Weekend.”

Watkins will give an opening speech at the ceremony, and each girl who is participating will follow with her own speech explaining why her mom is important, or anything else she wants to say to her mom, Williams said.

“I think (the moms) will really enjoy it,” Williams said. “A lot of moms are very involved in Sigma Kappa Moms Weekend events, but this is a way to experience something else and bond with their daughters.”

Following Saturday’s pinning ceremony, Sigma Kappa will initiate six new members into the sorority on Sunday. Although none of the new initiates have family members who were in Sigma Kappa, all family members of a Sigma Kappa member are invited to the ceremony, Williams said.

“We scheduled initiation so that if any members’ moms or sisters were in Sigma Kappa, they can stay for the ceremony,” Williams said. “We have never personally invited them before.”

She also said that the chapter is making an effort to invite more alumnae to the initiation ceremony.

Among the girls getting initiated is Jazz Landa, sophomore in AHS, who received a bid from Sigma Kappa on Feb. 14 after going through informal recruitment this spring.

“I’m looking forward to fully being in the house and making it official,” Landa said. “From there on, you’re able to interact more with the girls.”

Abby can be reached at [email protected].