About Us
Our Story
In the summer of 2020, a group of 100 women decided to break away from a national organization. In its place, they created a local sorority here at Tufts, giving us the opportunity to cultivate a more inclusive experience - to start from scratch with a structure that best serves the organization's members and the Tufts community at large.
As a local sorority, the Ivy is the first organization of its kind on this campus. The Ivy is uniquely ours: established and run by Tufts students with the flexibility to evolve based on the needs of our community. We welcome all woman-identifying and non-binary students to apply and join, and we will seek those who support our values in our member application process.
Our Values
Friendship & mentorship
Community impact
Safety & support
diversity & inclusion
The Ivy is committed to fostering a welcoming, accessible community to gender minorities of all backgrounds and identities. We are actively taking action to confront racism and bigotry on Tufts' campus and in Greek life as a whole.
Diversity and inclusion in the Ivy means: financial accommodation for all prospective members, representative new member classes, a zero-tolerance policy for any incidents of discrimination, and required attendance at D&I programming events.
The Ivy is committed to serving the local community at Tufts and in Medford/Somerville. We partner with local organizations both on and off campus to best support their work.
Community impact in the Ivy means: attending community service events throughout the semester, collaborating with or fundraising for groups that align with the values of the Ivy, and organizing joint programming with non-Greek organizations at Tufts to broaden our community reach.
The Ivy is committed to creating a genuine, fun environment for members to form connections outside of academics, interest groups, and class years. We encourage members to expand their circles and provide a network of support for endeavors outside of the Ivy.
Friendship and mentorship in the Ivy means: study groups, big/little hangouts, and bonding events that encompass a wide variety of interests, from parties to off-campus trips to movie nights!
The Ivy is committed to promoting a safe social culture at Tufts. We aim to shift the social paradigm away from traditionally male-dominated spaces and continue important conversations about the shortcomings of existing support systems on campus.
Safety and support in the Ivy means: required annual Green Dot certification, discussions of sexual and mental health, safety, and substance abuse in new member education, and well-established safeguards for all events hosted or attended by the Ivy.
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What is the difference between local and Panhellenic sororities?Local sororities, like the Ivy, have no association with any national or international organizations. All members and leadership are Tufts students. Panhellenic sororities are affiliated with national or international Greek organizations. This provides a national network of affiliated members and events, but also puts in place other specific guidelines from the parent organization. The decision to "go local" or "go national" is completely up to each PNM, and there are advantages and disadvantages of each to be considered!
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Does the Ivy offer scholarships?Scholarships are widely available to anyone who expresses need, no questions asked. Need for financial assistance is not a consideration during the member application process -- financial status should not and never will be a barrier to Ivy membership.
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Where do dues go?Because the Ivy is a local organization, our dues are lower than national or international sororities. All member dues directly fund chapter events, fun programming, member scholarships, and philanthropy.
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What are the requirements to join?All potential new members (PNMs) must be of sophomore standing or above. GPA requirements: School of Arts and Sciences - 3.0+ School of Engineering - 2.7+ PNMs will undergo the member application process (MAP) about a month into the semester, with bids offered about a week after MAP ends. Learn more about MAP here. .