Danielle Sprague, Holly Kerker, Elizabeth Noles and Samantha Fina of Alpha Sigma Theta, a sorority focused on the deaf community pose with Sprague’s dog, Hazel. Hazel responds to ASL and can do four tricks when prompted with just the sign. Photo by Ken Scarboro / Daily Sundial Senior Photographer

As a campus, California State University, Northridge is one of the most active in promoting the advancement of disabled persons in the nation. Most notably, the school organizes the annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference and houses the groundbreaking National Center on Deafness. However, that commitment doesn’t only reside on the faculty and staff level but with the students as well.

Alpha Sigma Theta is one of the close to 60 Greek-letter organizations that call CSUN home — but with a unique constituency. Along with Lambda Sigma Pi on the men’s side, they are a group that caters to deaf students. There are 132 deaf students that currently attend CSUN, so these groups allow them a chance to acclimate to campus life as easily as their non deaf classmates.

There is a great diversity among the students of Alpha Sigma Theta. Although CSUN’s Department of Deaf Studies is one of the best in the nation, the six non hearing members and 15 hearing members of Alpha Sigma Theta study a variety of subjects and come from all types of backgrounds. What binds them together, other than the obvious, are the group’s symbols that can be found on their shirts, sweaters and hoodies. The alpha symbol stands for leadership; sigma stands for socialization; and theta stands for challenge.

Read more: CSUN sorority caters to deaf community [Daily Sundial]

Alpha Sigma Theta, Deaf, Greek