By Ella Karoline Hendricks

Walking down Maple Street, one merely only needs to glance up and see beautiful works of art hanging along the row of elegant sorority houses. These colorful and intricate banners depict the sororities’ latest philanthropic events, functions and even campus wide involvement. Yet, not many people know the effort students put into these giant banners. 

Brooke Hammond, a student at the University of Arkansas, is one of four banner chairs at Chi Omega Psi, the founding chapter of the nationally recognized women’s fraternity. The banner chairs at Chi Omega are tasked with designing and painting each banner for the front of their house, located at 940 W Maple Street. 

“It has been such a sweet and rewarding experience,” Hammond said. “While it has been challenging, it really pushes me to love our chapter even more.” 

Banner chairs are chosen each calendar year, allowing many girls to serve and help out with the banners. The banner chairs each have one assistant, and girls from all pledge classes can come and help paint the banners. 

“It’s been a great way to meet new friends and get closer to others,” Hammond said. “When you spend so many hours together in the basement painting, we all start talking and getting to know each other.” 

Panhellenic sorority recruitment in the fall is huge at the U of A, with more than 2,000 potential new members registering each year according to @uarkpanhellenic. With 11 sororities for new members to pick from, banners are a great way for the houses to show off their personalities and make an impression. 

Avery Andrade is one of two head banner chairs for Alpha Chi Omega. Andrade has been an artistically inclined person, and it was something that drew her to Alpha Chi during rush. 

“I noticed the banners during rush, and I really liked them,” Andrade said. “I liked how it was something you can help contribute to the sorority and be involved in a very hands-on way.” 

Andrade and other members worked hard over the summer preparing for Work Week and Recruitment – each round needing a new banner. It took Andrade and her team of around four to five people to paint each banner. 

“My favorite banner from rush was definitely “Alpha Chi Bidness” – we used our colors, which are green and red, and had a Christmas-themed work week day,” Andrade said. “I designed it, so it was like my baby.”

There are around two banners that need to be completed each week, for all sorts of events and functions, such as the anti-hazing banner, new member retreat and philanthropy events. The team tries to stay ahead so that they never miss a request. 

Shea Landers is the director of the arts committee for Kappa Kappa Gamma. Landers oversees the rest of the coordinators and committee. At Kappa, the arts committee is taken very seriously, with their needs prioritized. The Kappa house is one of the only houses on campus with a dedicated arts room. 

The arts room is located in the basement and contains art supplies, projectors for tracing designs and is a relaxing communal space to paint and express creativity. Whether girls are working on banners, function posters, frat coolers or their own projects, the space allows them to work with each other, fostering relationships and a stronger sisterhood. 

“I joined Kappa to do banners,” Landers said. “I’ve always been an artist, and I wanted to be involved with art in some way. I started as a coordinator, and I really loved it. As the director, I work more with designing and chalking the banners as well as delegating tasks to the committee so we can get all the banners done on time.” 

Kappa takes pride in their banners, as members feel they represent the house and chapter itself. The banners are always very detailed and painted with care. Any member can be on the arts committee; it is a great way to get involved with the chapter, especially as a freshman. 

“The committee is handpicked,” Landers said. “It was a great way for me to meet girls in different pledge classes, especially juniors and sophomores. I feel like I make new friends every time I go. It is just a way to meet new people and form lasting relationships. They know they can always come to me for help and vice versa.” 

Landers said it is more work than most people would think, but it is rewarding to see the end product hanging above the front porch. Landers’ favorite banner so far was the 2024 philanthropy round banner for recruitment, which depicted yellow, pink, green and blue flowers and the sorority’s symbol: a key, with the statement “Mental Health is Key,” representing their philanthropy of mental health awareness.  

The arts committee has an Instagram account @kappakappabanner, where the social media chair posts the most recent banners and art projects. 

With so many banners constantly being made, how do these girls keep track of when and what they need to make? 

“At Chi-O, we have a system,” Hammond said. “Whoever needs one will submit a request through our exec. and Cardinal Committee. They’ll let us know and we start throwing around ideas and preliminary designs. Then we send the design to get approved by both our chapter and the school’s Panhellenic board. Once that is complete, we can get a sheet, trace it and paint it.” 

The end product is beautiful, yet for the members, it is the process that is worthwhile. 

“It is therapeutic,” Andrade said. “We always play music; it is a nice way to slow down and just be. I think regardless of the sorority, everyone should participate. It’s like coloring in Kindergarten, it is a great way to escape the stress of school.” 

The banners provide an opportunity to engage and bond with others, while fulfilling a creative hobby girls might not otherwise be able to participate in within the busy day-to-day life as a college student. At its core, banners allow for an emotional and creative outlet.