Ceres Women's Fraternity

On March 19, 1994, Ceres Women's Fraternity came into existence at North Dakota State University. Ceres Women's Fraternity is an international fraternity for women with an agriculture interest. Ceres is committed to providing opportunities in growth in leadership, academics and fellowship. This fraternity was named Ceres after the Roman Goddess of Agriculture to indicate pride in and the importance of our agricultural heritage.

I was a member of the NDSU chapter of Ceres for many years during my time in college. I was also one of the founding members. I chose to become of part of Ceres because of the values and ideals that this organization was founded on. I have so many wonderful memories of Ceres events and activities. There were Founder's Days, Homecomings, community service projects, attending Conclave in AZ, living in the Ceres House for my last senior year and so many others. I even got engaged at a Ceres meeting in the Prairie Rose room of the Memorial Union. ("There comes a time in every woman's life.....")

More than that, it was about the people who belonged to Ceres, the women I met from all over North Dakota, Minnesota or wherever they came from to NDSU (even Canada...love you Wenda!). It was about the friendships we developed and connections we made during our times as part of this wonderful organization. We shared many happy times, sad times and times where we laughed so hard we almost peed our pants. All of the women in Ceres, both yesterday and today, are my sisters. Life-long friends who are so special to me.

The reason I write about Ceres today, is because it is a sad time for our chapter. After 15 years as a chapter, the NDSU chapter is disbanding. This weekend will be the final Founder's Day celebration. It is a tough time for college organizations, including fraternities and sororities. The college experience for young people today is different that it was years ago. The sense of belonging to a group (like Ceres) doesn't have the same meaning for young people today. There are struggles to recruit new members and chapters are forced to make tough decisions. Ceres at NDSU had to make this decision due to the fact that numbers have dwindled. I admire the determination of the chapter to hang on as long as it has. It's been a tough fight.

Honestly, it's a decision that brings me to tears. I know that the friendships will survive and we'll all live on, in the virtual world like Facebook and the world-wide-web; face-to-face meetings, Christmas cards, weddings, babies and funerals. It's not going to be the same and I'll miss it terribly.

So for one last time ladies, join me in saying.....
"The object of our Fraternity is to build the whole person, to effect bonds of sisterhood, and to unify Ceres as a comprehensive entity. Ceres is committed to building qualities of leadership, to building meaningful fellowship, and to building a desire for scholastic achievement. Our commitment to Ceres is predicated on the values and ideals descriptive of a rural environment and offers lifelong sisterhood to women with an appreciation of agriculture. Membership in Ceres may at times require the sacrifice of time, pleasures, and comforts."