From Sep. 23 to 27, Alpha Kappa Alpha, a growing sorority of just six sisters, took on a week of community building events in their “Skee-Week.” Each event represents one of the key initiatives of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Those six key initiatives, both on a national and local level, are outlined by Chapter President Taylor McCloud, a junior business administration major, as follows: “Empower our families, build our economic wealth, advocate for social justice, uplift our local community, and strengthen our sisterhood.”
“Skee-Week” comes from the sorority’s signature sound “Skeewee.” This semester’s theme was Disney. Adrianna Clements, a junior public relations major, described why this was the sorority’s decision.
“We chose a Disney theme because these classic movies are a beloved part of many of our childhoods, and they offer relatable themes and messages,” Clements said.
The kickoff event of the week was “Brave Boundaries.” Inspired by Disney’s “Brave,” Alpha Kappa Alpha discussed how to identify and avoid red flags in relationships. According to Clements, this event aligned with the sorority’s goal to “empower our families by promoting healthy communication and understanding.”
For the next event, called “Sisterhood & Snow,” the members of Alpha Kappa Alpha watched Disney’s “Frozen” to emphasize strengthening their sisterhood and creating lasting connections.
The third event, “Finding AKAs,” was inspired by “Finding Nemo.” It focused on community engagement, involving a campus-wide search for all members of the chapter, and a prize awarded to the winner.
The fourth event of the week supported women-owned businesses in the South Orange community. “Tiana's Crowned Entrepreneurs,” inspired by “The Princess and the Frog” was a tabling hosted on the Green.
Alpha Kappa Alpha’s last event of the week was “The Incredible Care Packages,” inspired by Disney’s “Incredibles.” For this event, the sisters created back-to-school care packages for students at a local elementary school.
“This initiative directly uplifts our community by ensuring that children have the necessary supplies to succeed,” Clements said.
Skee-Week is another form of outreach for Alpha Kappa Alpha. McCloud said, “Through these activities, we hope to inspire more students to engage with our organization and perhaps consider joining us in our efforts to create positive change.”
The goal of Skee-Week is to “forge a stronger bond with the Seton Hall community while highlighting the core values and initiatives of Alpha Kappa Alpha,” said Chapter Vice President Roseberly Pierre, a senior accounting major.
Alpha Kappa Alpha’s events are open to all students, especially those inspired by the sorority's initiatives. According to McCloud, the sorority aims to help people better their lives.
“Whether it's by putting a smile on someone’s face, spreading awareness through collaborative efforts, like we did this past week with the organization Know More, or by creating superhero themed back to school kits for a local school, we strive to better the lives of others, and love what we do,” McCloud said.
Chapter member Kezia Seals, a junior criminal justice major, said she looks forward to developing future events with sororities within and beyond the National Pan-Hellenic Council on campus. In addition, Seals said the sorority aims “to build sisterhood amongst all women” and organizations in the Panhellenic Council.
“We also plan on having another Skee-Week in the spring semester and cannot wait for everyone to come out again to support us and paint Seton Hall pink and green,” Seals said.
Pierre said that Alpha Kappa Alpha aims to make a “lasting impression” at Seton Hall because it is “more than just a sorority.
“We're a sisterhood dedicated to personal growth, community service, and making a meaningful impact,” Pierre said. “We look forward to sharing our passions and values with the Seton Hall community throughout this school year.”
Rhyleigh Russell is the assistant editor for The Setonian’s Campus Life section. She can be reached at rhyleigh.russell@student.shu.edu.
