If you’re a woman pursuing a degree in STEM, Alpha Sigma Kappa (ASK) offers a community centered on social connection and academic support. As a rapidly growing social sorority for women and gender minorities in technical studies, ASK offers a unique blend of fun, friendship and academic support.
Officially founded in 1989, the sorority currently has 16 active collegiate chapters and more than 700 members nationwide. Alpha Sigma Kappa was created in response to a very real need: a lack of social spaces designed for women in STEM.
According to the United States Census Bureau, women made up only 8% of the overall STEM workforce in 1970. As a small fraction of the workforce, many women felt they lacked a strong support system.
The number of women working in STEM has since increased, reaching 27% as of 2019, however, women in these fields remain underrepresented. ASK began as the Little Sisters of Triangle organization at the University of Minnesota, where women in technical studies sought out a community that reflected their shared academic paths.
When the Little Sisters program dissolved, its members not only chose to stay together, but to solidify their mission. In 1989, this group became known as Alpha Sigma Kappa, with a mission dedicated to connecting women in STEM. From there, interest spread rapidly. Through word of mouth, alumni advocacy and national conventions, ASK began establishing chapters across the country. As programs grew, so did the demand for communities like it, transforming a single-campus student group to a nationwide organization.
As a non-Panhellenic sorority, ASK operates outside the traditional structure of Greek life, meaning it is not located in the University of Tennessee’s Sorority Village. Instead, it serves a specific community and mission within the broader Greek system. Reese Poteralski, the recruitment and ritual candidate educator for ASK’s Sigma Chapter at UT, explains what makes this sorority different from others on campus:
“It’s similar to the Panhellenic sororities, but our main goal is more the fun, social side of it.”
At its core, ASK provides a welcoming environment for those entering male-dominated fields. For many, being the only woman in a classroom or major can feel very isolating, but ASK works to combat that feeling by fostering a space built on belonging and shared understanding.
