Asian-American women are trying to make their voices a little stronger by starting the first Asian-American sorority at the University.

Ai Hua, one of 15 founding members, said the new sorority -- which will be an Alpha Kappa Delta Phi chapter -- is an opportunity to bring cultures together.

Asian-American women grow up in a different lifestyle than everyone else, said Lara Manjares, a founding member. Asian parents think their children are still in the original homeland and that they must hold on to those traditions, she said. But Asian children try to balance their heritage with living the American way, she added.

The national sorority began in 1989 at the University of California at Berkeley, said Manjares (junior-psychology). There are now six chapters -- four on the West Coast, one in Texas and one that was just started at the University of Pennsylvania. The Penn State chapter will be the second on the East Coast.

The 15 founding members are from varying nations, including India, the Philippines, Taiwan, China and Japan.

Although all founding members are Asian, the sorority will be open to anyone interested in promoting Asian-American awareness, Manjares said, adding that one of the sorority's priorities is to spread the Asian-American culture.

Sheila Gatmaitan (sophomore-art), another founding member, said members don't want to be known as an Asian sorority.

Hua (junior-health policy and administration) said they chose people who have different things to contribute.

"It is really sad that the school with the biggest Greek system in the nation doesn't have a sorority for Asian-American women," she said.

And the sorority is still in its planning stages, Manjares said. Members are gathering each founding member's biography and a letter of intent is being written to try to receive colony status. Next semester, members will start the pledging process, she added.

The sorority will be more of a service organization than a social sorority, Manjares said. They will have fund-raisers, sexual-assault awareness programs and programs to spread the Asian woman's voice.

Ajay Nair, president of the Asian American Student Coalition and founder of a new Asian fraternity, is excited about the prospect of an Asian sorority.

"I'm very proud of them," he said. "A lot more can be accomplished with both a fraternity and a sorority."

The Asian fraternity hopes to gain colony status by this weekend, Nair said. "I'm keeping my fingers crossed," he added.

The sorority hopes to work together with the fraternity to have food festivals, speakers and workshops to share Asian culture, Manjares said, adding that they will participate in the Asian-American awareness weekend in March.

"We want to leave our footprint at Penn State," Hua said.