Kansas Beta Courtney Scheer grew up in a family of three girls and is very close to her sisters. The girls are close in age and Courtney always had one of them near her in school, from elementary to middle to high school. The girls also grew up dancing together at the same dance studio.

Courtney became especially close to her older sister when she followed in her footsteps and attended Kansas State University. She decided to participate in primary recruitment because her old sister was a member of Pi Phi, and loved being a sorority woman. Like many women, Courtney arrived on campus unsure if going Greek was for her. She made the last-minute decision to sign up because she figured it was a great way to meet people. “I thought to myself, ‘What have I got to lose?’” Courtney said.

On the first day of recruitment, Courtney remembers arriving at the Kansas Beta Chapter house and immediately feeling relaxed and happy, like she’d walked through the front door of her own home. “I don’t know how to explain it,” she said. “But I felt like I didn’t have to put on a show for the women to like me. I could just be who I was.”

As recruitment rounds progressed, Courtney fell more in love with Pi Phi. On the final night of recruitment, the Kansas Beta Chapter holds a flower ceremony where each Potential New Member (PNM) receives a different flower, such as a lily, wine carnation or hydrangea. Though the flowers are different, together they make a beautiful bouquet. The ceremony represents how each Pi Phi woman is unique and that our sisterhood is the bond that links us together.

During the ceremony, Courtney started crying. Her older sister, who was at her side, also started crying. “My sister asked me, ‘What are you crying for?’” Courtney said. “And all I could say was that I wanted to be a Pi Phi. When I asked her why she was crying, she responded, ‘Me too.’” The sisters were overjoyed on Bid Day when Courtney arrived at the Pi Phi house.

Today, Courtney’s older sister, a recent Kansas State graduate, is working as a teacher in their hometown. Courtney enjoys catching up with her sister during summer and winter breaks. The women also spend time with their youngest sister, who is still in high school. The sisters sing Pi Phi songs and talk about chapter happenings and events. “Our Pi Phi sisterhood is very special to us and something we will cherish forever,” Courtney said.