The University of Mississippi may welcome its first Latina-based sorority, Lambda Theta Alpha. Jazmyne Mendez, the Tennessee Area One orientation coordinator of the sorority, led an orientation for interested students in the union on Monday, Jan. 27.
Founded in 1975 at Kean University, N.J., LTA is the first and largest Latina-based sorority in the United States. If established at UM, this chapter would be the first of its kind in Mississippi, joining a national network of more than 150 undergraduate chapters.
“During the expansion process, interested members will talk about how there’s a need on campus for the organization and the support it provides for this demographic of people,” Mendez said. “It’s a great way to provide social, charitable and educational programs and promote diversity on campus.”
Mendez also discussed the sorority’s philanthropic efforts, including its work with St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and with relief for communities affected by hurricanes.
Mendez explained that the comprehensive six-phase expansion process began with an official expression of interest. The next step is to gather at least eight students — six of whom must not be graduating from the university within the year — to form an official interest group and present a detailed student portfolio. Then, if approved, the group progresses through additional phases to establish the chapter.
“The students reached out first,” Assistant Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at UM Sedric Scott said. “We had some students who didn’t see a home in our Panhellenic Council, and so they reached out to various Latino student organizations, and LTA contacted them back.”
Scott has been closely involved in the expansion of the new chapter.
“LTA was fervent about understanding our policies and what we have in place at our university, and I thought they would be the best fit for our campus as a new organization, being one of the largest sororities, as well as having a support mechanism, especially with a chapter right up the street in Memphis,” Scott said.
With Hispanic undergraduate enrollment exceeding 1,175 students — more than 5% of the student body for the 2023-2024 academic year, according to the UM Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness and Planning — students felt a need for a space for their community.
“If you look at those numbers, there is a need for a Hispanic organization on campus,” Scott said. “Every year our Latino population steadily rises. It just shows the growth of our university.”
According to the 2023-2024 UM Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness and Planning,
the Hispanic/Latino population at the university has gradually increased from 219 to 1,175 since 2009.
Mendez shared how the sorority helped her embrace her roots while achieving her academic goals.
“When I was a senior, I went to the University of Memphis on a campus tour, and they had a presentation on Greek life. And I was really drawn into LTA because I have a Hispanic background and because I wanted to grow closer to a different culture that I wasn’t able to grow up with,” Mendez said.
For UM students interested in bringing LTA to campus, momentum is key.
“The students usually come to our organization or come to their university leadership and they let them know about a group of people, which is usually Latina women, although anybody can help in this process,” Mendez said.
Gaining interest is crucial during the new chapter expansion process. Any students interested in helping start the Ole Miss chapter of LTA can contact Jazmyne Mendez at aoc_tna1@lambdalady.org.
