FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

ABOUT HERMANDAD DE SIGMA IOTA ALPHA, INC. (SIA): SIA was founded in New York on September 29, 1990 by thirteen Latina women with the purpose of creating an organization that would help their communities, unite women, promote the Latino culture and uphold a set of distinct goals. Our dedication to scholarship, service and professional development within the Latino community has grown beyond New York, with chapters in several states including New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Arkansas, Kansas and California. We are also a 501(c)7 tax exempt organization and we work in conjunction with the Solidaridad, Inspiración, Amistad Community Foundation, Inc. a 501(c)3 Community Foundation committed to scholarship, service and professional development within Latino communities nationally.For more information visit: www.hermandad-sia.org

Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc. (SIA) has seen a continued increase in interest across the nation and 2013 is off to a great start! SIA welcomes it’s newest colony for the Spring 2013 semester at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. Historically, the College of William and Mary plays a prominent role in the establishment of Greek letter organizations with roots dating back to 1776 and is better known as the “Birthplace of the American College Fraternity.” Fraternities and sororities have continued to evolve and flourish from the precedent set by Phi Beta Kappa at this University and it is with much excitement SIA joins this longstanding fraternity and sorority community. Nine women made history on April 7, 2013 by establishing the first Latina sorority at the College of William and Mary. The women first contacted SIA as an organized interest group under the name of Chicas Latinas Unidas while researching Latina sororities. “SIA encompassed the values and ideals that we wanted for ourselves as well as for our campus and we felt they were the most unique because they truly embraced the diversity of our

group,” Nicole Chanduvi, lead interest and new member of SIA, said. “As a new colony, our initial plans are to educate our campus and raise awareness of the Latino cultures, especially since Latinos make up such a small amount of our school’s population. We seek to expand on the diversity initiative at our school with this first step, and hope to encourage other Latino organizations to come to our campus as well as other minority organizations to provide everyone a place they feel welcome.” The Gamma Alpha Graduate/Alumni Chapter was a support system for the interested women and led them through their goal of establishing SIA on their campus.

First Latina Sorority at the historic College of William and MarySan Antonio, TX - April 16, 2013

!Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc.

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