UTK sophomores Zoe Messer, 20, and Faith Irwin, 21, and senior Elise McDaniel, 24, became the first three FUTURE students to accept bids to sororities last weekend, a moment that, UTK FUTURE program director Emma C. Burgin said, was a long time in the making.
Zoe Messer, 20, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and a member of their FUTURE programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, was thrilled to join her new sisters at Alpha Delta Pi on Bid Day., created in 2011, is one of over 300 similar programs in the U.S. designed to empower students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to transition from high school to adult life and prepare them for gainful employment.
Before recruitment began, each participating sorority assembled a group of members who volunteered to support FUTURE students during and after rush. The FUTURE program also designated members from their team to support the sororities and sent a training video on creating inclusive spaces. Messer, who joined Alpha Delta Pi, told TODAY Parents she was told to wear shirts and shorts or dresses for recruitment, and decided to wear dresses for two of the days and"shorts and a cute shirt" for another.
Why do Woke kids want to be in a sorority ? Particularly as a legacy member...