By: April George '23

ALLIANCE, OH - Every sister of Delta Sigma Tau (DST), from its founders to its active sisters, have a few qualities in common. They all have a natural fighting spirit, a love for giving back to the Alliance community through their philanthropy, Carnation Restoration, which supports the Alliance Food Pantry, the Alliance YWCA, the Alliance YMCA, the Stark County Humane Society, and they see each other as family rather than friends.

I joined DST my sophomore year at Mount Union. I went in unsure if a sorority was the right fit for me, but when I talked to the sisters, I immediately met women that I admired and that accepted me. They taught me to stand up for what I believe in and how to be a leader. They also taught me that I, as an active sister of DST, am carrying the legacy of those that came before me. 

DST was formed on the Mount Union campus in 1990 after the sisters of the former Mount Union Chapter of Delta Delta Delta wanted to stick together.

“Those who were active couldn't join a different national, and those of us who were new members didn't want to,” Carrianne (Fran) Tuckley, one of the founding sisters of Delta Sigma Tau, explained. “So, after a year we formed Delta Sigma Tau.”

However, DST was not accepted into the Greek community on campus right away. They were not considered a sorority, but rather a campus club. After the women of DST had fought to be considered a sorority, they still faced challenges. DST had to host its recruitment events after all the other chapters on campus, it didn’t have a house on campus, it wasn’t considered to be a part of Panhellenic for several years, and when it finally was accepted into Panhellenic, the sisters of DST were not allowed to hold a seat on the Panhellenic Counsel.

DST is celebrating its 33^rd anniversary in February 2023 and has come farther than the founders could have ever hoped. DST has two women, Mia Marciano ‘25 and Bella Baker ’26, representing the chapter on the Panhellenic counsel, continues to support Carnation Restoration, and has generations of sisters that embody the same fighting spirit on which chapter was founded.

Abbey Spiz ‘20 served as the president of DST from November 2019 to December 2020 and guided the chapter through the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown.

“It was hard to make sisterhood continue with the amount of required restrictions in place,” Spiz said. “As a president you are elected to serve the best interest and uphold high standards of your sorority. I learned you have to be fluid, stern, and understanding.”

Kamryn Bondoni ‘25, the current president of DST explains the importance of the chapter’s history to herself and other sisters.

“I see myself carrying on the rich history and traditions that our founders started over 33 years ago,” Bondoni says. “I take pride in being the chapter president of DST, a position that less than 30 women have held in history. I can do so much with the position, including leaving a lasting impact on our legacy for years to come.”

DST had given its sisters so much more than friendship, which is what I was looking for when I first joined. It has taught us the qualities that are necessary to be a good leader and that sometimes you have to fight for what you believe in. I love Delta Sigma Tau because I know, that for the rest of my life, she will walk with me and remind me what it means to be a Delta.