No Friend Like a Sister

hevron
C
OMEGA PHI ALPHA NATIONAL SERVICE SORORITY • WWW.OMEGAPHIALPHA.ORG
vol. 41
04
Photo: Emily Smith
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No Friend
Like a Sister
by Katie Stillwell (Rho)
“T
he only reward of virtue is virtue; the only way to have a friend is
to be one.” Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote often about the reciprocal nature of friendship. Friendship, leadership and service are the
three cardinal principles upon which Omega Phi Alpha National Service Sorority
was founded, so it is easy to see that O-Phi-A sisters and Emerson had something in common. Friendship is not without hardship, sacrifice and honesty. ...
2
FROM THE PRESIDENT
President’s
Chevron CORNER...
by Andie Bowman (Epsilon), National President
The Chevron is a quarterly newsletter
produced for Omega Phi Alpha,
National Service Sorority alumnae and active sisters.
M
National Executive Board Members
President Andie Bowman
VP Business Operations Stephanie Hallman
VP Programs Katarina Gomez
VP Administration Megan Sheppard
VP Communications Sarah VanDyke
VP Alumnae Relations Ginger McGarity
VP Leadership Development Heather Pritchard
VP Expansions Patti Ramey
VP Advancement Pamela McEwen
VP Membership Mandi Humphrey
VP Finance Leann Williams
Past President Pamela McEwen
Chevron Editors
Chevron Editor Mary Harrison
Copy Editor Ann DeMatteo
Layout Editor Shelley Lai
Distribution
The Chevron is mailed out four times a year to
all alumnae and active OPA chapters.
Distribution dates are as follows:
October 1, January 1, April 1, and July 1.
Submissions
Articles for the Chevron are written by active
sisters and alumnae. If you would like to
submit a feature story about an alumnae or a
special project
happening at your chapter, please email it to:
[email protected]
Pictures may also be submitted in jpg format.
National Office Mailing Address
Omega Phi Alpha
National Office
PO Box 955
East Lyme, CT 06333
Official National Website
www.omegaphialpha.org
Complete Sorority Contact List
To request a complete contact list of all sorority
officers, appointments, and chapter addresses,
please contact the National VP Administration:
Myrinda Sheppard
[email protected]
y first year in office has flown by. I am impressed
by OPA’s accomplishments this year, especially
with Vision 2015, and am grateful to those who
have served in a leadership role during 2010-11. This is a job
that cannot be done alone and I thank everyone who has
helped me stay on track and focused on our goals.
I hope that many sisters took advantage of my first President’s Project and
learned something new about money management and financial education. In
my speech at last year’s Convention, I asked each sister to do one of the following throughout the year: create and stick to a budget; start saving for retirement;
create a plan to get out of debt if applicable; or if you have done all of these, then
share your knowledge and help others to do the same. I completed all of those
objectives and hope that many of you did too.
I am looking forward to the 2011-12 year. I think our momentum will continue
and much more will be accomplished. I cannot wait for Convention and meeting
the new members of the NEB who will be elected in July. If all goes according to
plan, we should be welcoming our 26th active chapter at Boston University this
Fall.
Best of luck to our latest group of graduates; I wish you all the best of luck in
your job hunts. Remember to always update your contact info when it changes
by completing an online update form. Don’t forget you can also connect with
OPA professionals in our Linked In group. This is a great way to reach out to other
OPAs for networking. I encourage all the new alumnae to get involved with OPA.
Many opportunities for involvement will be announced from now until August/
September so keep an eye on the OPA Classifieds page of the website and Ophia’s
facebook page. Additionally, don’t forget you are now able to wear an alumnae
pin. Email [email protected] for instructions on how to order one.
Finally, I ask our sisters to think about the beyond-inspiring Alpha Gamma alum
Taylor Hancock, the recipient of last year’s Alumnae Service Award. She has been
back in the hospital since January last I heard. She is fighting cancer with all her
might (which is A LOT). You can send letters and cards to Taylor by mailing them to:
Taylor Hancock
c/o Sirius XM Radio
501 Broadway Suite #600
Nashville, TN 37203
Love in OPhiA,
Andie Bowman
National President
NATIONAL NEWS
...No Friend Like
a Sister
As sisters, we understand what
it takes to develop and maintain a
healthy friendship. As females, we
understand that friendships often
have obstacles that can be both
discouraging and disheartening.
It is through the conquering of
these obstacles that the strongest
friendships continue to thrive.
Jill Wolfe once wrote:
May my friendships always be,
The most important thing to me;
With special friends I feel I’m
blessed,
So let me give my very best.
I want to do much more than share
The hopes and plans of friends
who care;
I’ll try all that a friend can do
To make their secret dreams come
true.
Let me use my heart to see,
To realize what friends can be,
And make no judgments from afar,
But love my friends the way they
are.
This is the kind of friendship that
sisters of Omega Phi Alpha have the
opportunity to develop over their
time in the sisterhood.
By serving others, the sisters of
Omega Phi Alpha have the unique
opportunity to nurture friendships.
In serving others, OPA sisters learn
how important it is to put the needs
of others before themselves. Selfless
service to others is very vital to the
foundation of a healthy friendship.
The skills employed to maintain
friendships throughout active years
in Omega Phi Alpha teach our sisters
what it takes to truly be successful in
life.
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COVENTION
2011
DETAILS
by Stephanie Hallman, VP Business Operations
C
onvention is almost here. In just a few weeks, Charlotte, N.C. will be graced with
the presence of many OPA sisters and alumnae from all over. Convention will take
place from July 20 to 23 at the Holiday Inn Charlotte-Center City.
Convention activities will begin in the evening of July 20 with a welcome party at
the Holiday Inn Rooftop Lounge. Attendees are encouraged to wear their most royal
outfits. We will have ice breakers, delicious treats and fantastic views of Charlotte at
night. The week will consist of workshops, sisterhood activities, business meetings, Rose
Shops sales and other events. Convention will end on Saturday evening with a banquet
celebrating this year’s accomplishments.
We invite sisters to come early to Charlotte or stay later and enjoy all that the Queen
City has to offer. The Convention site is conveniently located near the NASCAR Hall of
Fame, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, The Mint Museum, Discovery Place Science
Museum, and ImagineOn Children’s Museum. There are many restaurants, bowling and
other activities in the neighboring EpiCentre Outdoor Mall, and all sisters can enjoy easy
access to a free city-wide trolley as well as the Lynx Light Rail. Located directly outside
of Charlotte is Carowinds Theme Park, The Thrill Capitol of the Southeast, open until 10
each night.
Things to Bring:
• Business casual clothes for meetings
• Clothes for an outdoor service project
• Dressy clothes for banquet
• Your chapter scrapbook for the scrapbook competition
• An updated Fall semester calendar with any important school dates already listed for
District activity planning
• Copy of your local constitution
• Items your chapter would like to sell at Rose Shop
• A digital camera with a way to burn the photos to a CD such as a computer
We look forward to seeing everyone this month. If you have any questions, please
email us at [email protected].
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NATIONAL NEWS
FOLLOWING THE
YELLOW ROSE
By Mary Harrison (Phi Alum), Chevron Editor
T
he Boston University Colony of
Omega Phi Alpha is on its way to
becoming a chapter. The ladies
finished up their requirements in May,
passed the National Test, and are now
waiting until the fall for induction. But,
their road to becoming sisters began in
Fall 2009.
Colony President Rebecca Rutenberg’s
grandfather, Michael “Opa” Rutenberg,
would visit his granddaughter and treat
her and her friends on her floor to fancy
meals and regularly left video messages
on Facebook to brighten their days. The
group jokingly referred to themselves
as “the Opa sorority,” going so far
as dreaming up a sorority house only
furnished with a grand piano-one of Opa’s
passions. It was not meant to be serious,
just an inside joke between friends.
However, on a fateful night in late
January 2010, after an evening of
studying for midterms, Rebecca, Suzanne
Shiavone, Gabie Kur, Kimberley Brunner,
Arielle Reiter, Amanda Austin, Cassandra
Chernin, and Jessica Maroney, decided
to Google the term, “Opa sorority.” The
first link that appeared was the link to
the Omega Phi Alpha National Service
Sorority website.
Since the girls were all lovers of service,
curiosity set in. They quickly located
the email for then-Vice President of
Expansions Anita Thibodeaux. Rebecca
sent a quick email expressing her interest
in bringing OPA to Boston University. The
girls quickly moved on to another topic
and soon forgot all about the email.
When an email from Thibodeaux came
a few days later, Rebecca was unsure
of what to do next. After a phone call
with Thibodeaux, they began laying the
path for OPA to stake its claim at Boston
University.
In July 2010, the girls met the new
VP of Expansions, Patti Ramey. In the
fall semester, they participated in several
official and non-official service projects.
They also received official recognition
from the Boston University Student
Activities Office in only a matter of
months; a process which can take several
semesters. They also met every two weeks
at the George Sherman Student Union.
However, as the fall semester came to a
close, several members were unable to
make the necessary commitments and
dropped out of the colony.
After winter break, Rebecca spoke
with National President Andie Bowman in
Boston Colony Sisters enjoy retreat. Photos By: Cassandra Chernin
NATIONAL NEWS
order to regroup and plan their upcoming
retreat. At Andie’s suggestion, the colony
welcomed six new members in order
to ensure that their Petition for Charter
would be accepted.
On Feb. 10-13, 2011, the girls gathered
at the George Sherman Student Union
for retreat where they united as a whole
following a candle-lit pinning ceremony
and bonding activities. They were also
able to paint the Greek Rock on campus
in light blue with yellow ΩI` letters.
After retreat, the ladies continued
their bonding by participating in many
sisterhood events. The entire colony went
out to support colonist Amanda Austin
as she participated in Pi Kappa Alpha’s
Dream Girl event. Over 500 members of
Greek Life were there as Omega Phi Alpha
was introduced as a new organization.
Amanda did not win, however, she did
receive a standing ovation and of course
the adoration of the colony.
In the weeks following their big coming
out, several fraternities and sororities
across campus made an effort to include
the OPA ladies in their events. They
participated in Zeta Tau Beta’s Park CleanUp and Sigma Alpha Mu’s Homeless
Food Drive. They also attended several
philanthropic events such as Alpha Phi’s
Ivy Man and Alpha Epsilon Phi’s A Phine
Affair. A team of six finished in the top 10
of The Amazing Race held by the Student
Activities Office. As a result of the
increased campus presence, the colony
began to receive recognition on campus.
Membership
Director
Cassandra
Chernin divided the ladies into families.
The families competed in several silly
challenges, went out to lunch, participated
in service activities, explored Boston, and
made silly gifts for each other all in an
effort to foster friendship, leadership, and
cooperation.
As the Spring 2011 semester came to
a close, the Boston University Colony had
completed over 400 hours of community
service, raised over $500, gained campus
recognition, and has a slew of ladies
express interest in rushing Omega Phi
Alpha in the Fall. As a culminating activity,
they participated in Relay for Life on
behalf of VP of Expansions Patti Ramey.
They raised over $300 for the American
Cancer Society before the event and
held a board cam fundraiser during the
event. After winning 3rd place in an ice
cream eating contest, the girls reflected
on their trials and tribulations of the past
year. Member Casey Rabin remarked,
“It’s pretty good to be an OPhiA,” and the
others all agreed.
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6
NATIONAL NEWS
BU’s Road to Sisterhood.
Community-at-Large: Saturday’s/Sunday’s
the sisters reported that it was a good way to
Service to the Sisters: Sister-to-Sister
Bread
get to know each other. They also felt that
Each sister was given 7-10 minutes after
A program that serves free hot meals to people
the creativity of the project allowed them to
meeting to teach the rest of the group
in need in Boston every Saturday and Sunday.
relieve some stress during Fall finals and Spring
something interesting about her or something
The ladies helped set up, serve, and clean up.
midterms.
she enjoys doing. Through the project, sisters
They would LOVE to do this again.
learned about different cultures and customs
Community-at-Large: Cupid Splash
and also learned more about each other’s
Permanent Project: Ribbon Project
Cupid Splash is an annual event held by Save
backgrounds.
Attempts to support low-income women who
the Harbor/Save the Bay.
OPA participants
They would like to make this a requirement
have just been diagnosed with breast cancer
raised funds to support Save the Harbor/
for all pledge and chapter meetings in the future
by providing them with homemade breast
Save the Bay and its Better Beaches program
as it is a great way to strengthen sisterhood
cancer ribbons and letters of encouragement
by dressing up as Cupids and dashing and
bonds and learn more about different cultures.
from strangers. The girls made and decorated
splashing in the freezing April water to show
approximately 60 ribbons and letters.
their commitment to a clean Boston Harbor.
Rush Fall 2011:
They would like to do it again as many of the
They would like to do it again because it was
Theme: Wizard of Oz under the premise that
girls felt a personal connection to the project by
a fun and unusual way to raise money for clean
prospective members will “Follow the yellow
knowing someone in their families who have
beaches. They also liked the opportunity to
rose” to find out that there is “No place like
been diagnosed with cancer.
connect with nature.
home-Omega Phi Alpha.”
Nations of the World: Relay for Life
Nations of the World: Letters to the Troops
Activities: 2 Information Sessions
The ladies helped raise money for the American
Each member was provided with American Flag
2 mini-service event days in which prospective
Cancer Society while walking on behalf of VP
letterhead and wrote several messages of hope
members will participate in one. There they
of Expansions Patti Ramey.
and gratitude to the troops. They wrote and
will complete projects after they are split into
decorated over 60 full paged letters.
three themed groups:
Throughout the
night, someone from the OPA team was always
on the track, they sponsored a board game
They hope to do the project again but
fundraiser for the American Cancer Society,
change it so that it has a larger impact on the
Tin Man: Small projects for the American
lighting a luminary in Patti Ramey’s honor, and
lives of the soldiers to whom the letters are
Heart Association
showcasing her as part of a slideshow shown
sent.
Scarecrow: A literacy themed project for the
to all event attendees.
They would like to participate again because
University Community and Community-
Boston Public School System.
it was an excellent bonding opportunity and
at-Large: Fluffernutter Drive
they were able to honor Patti Ramey while
They teamed up with Sigma Alpha Mu to sell
Cowardly Lion: Empowering T-shirts for the
giving back to the community.
fluffernutter sandwiches on campus.
Boston Area Rape Center.
They
met with each other several times to sort out
Service to the Sisters: Secret Folder Making
logistics and worked with the Sigma Alpha Mu
The final event is a Formal Emerald City
Each sister was assigned a sister she wasn’t
Philanthropy Chair to get donations of bread,
“Mocktail” Party. There they will provide food
already close with. Each sister had to find out
peanut butter, matzoh, sandwich bags, and
and further mingle with prospective members
the interests and favorite things of the other
marshmallow fluff from local grocery stores.
sister and create a folder around it that would
They then sold the sandwiches on campus for
Bid
hold her colonization manual. A sheet of small
$3 raising a total of $189 to give to a local
contacted and informed to be at a specific
compliments was also to be included in the
homeless shelter.
place and a specific time. They will be given
folder. The sisters revealed their folders during
They would like to do it again because
a meeting and were to then meet up for a meal
they liked working with another group, it was
with each other during the week.
good publicity, and they got a lot of positive
They would like to do it again as many of
feedback from students and faculty.
Day:
Prospective
Members
will
be
blue and yellow big cards in the shape of a
Ruby Slipper.
NATIONAL NEWS
7
WAY TO GO
PHI
Phi Chapter following Fall 2010 Activation. Photo Provided By: Trista Guzman
On April 4, Arizona State University contacted National
President Andie Bowman to notify her of an honor Phi Chapter
received at the annual ASU Greek Awards held on Feb. 15, 2011.
In 2009, Arizona State implemented an initiative called
the “Greek Devil Way.” The goal is, “to create a campus and
community-centered fraternity and sorority system that utilizes the
Sun Devil Way: Achievement, Engagement, and Responsibility.”
Each month, chapters submit progress reports focusing on how
chapter activities relate to the core university initiatives as well
as Greek values of scholarship, leadership, community service,
recruitment and retention. Specific “GDW” categories are:
Greek Devil Way: Achievement Category
(Academics, Leadership and Training, Recruitment & Retention)
Greek Devil Way: Engagement Category
(Chapter Education, Community Service, Diversity, Campus
Involvement)
Greek Devil Way: Responsibility Category (Judicial, Risk
Management, Chapter Operations)
Each chapter begins the calendar year with zero points.
Chapters then earn points for submissions/completion of tasks/
meeting minimum expectations. Only those chapters that
achieve at least 80 percent of the possible points in the calendar
year are eligible for recognition at Greek Awards. Many awards
now given at Greek Awards are based on “GDW” submissions.
At the end of each calendar year, chapters are given a rating.
Pillars of Excellence scoring system are as follows:
90-100 percent of total points= Gold Standing
80- 89 percent of total points= Maroon Standing
70- 79 percent of total points= Good Standing
60-69 percent of total points= Chapter Needs Attention
0-59 percent of total points= Chapter of Concern
*Chapter receiving 100 percent of possible points will be
designated as a “Dean’s List Chapter.”
Phi Chapter was recognized as an ASU Maroon Level Chapter.
Congratulations must be extended to Taylor Goett of Phi
Chapter who was given the Outstanding Academic Excellence
award at the ASU Greek Awards.
More information on Taylor and Phi Chapter can be found in
their Chapter Update.
8
NATIONAL NEWS
ADVENTURING
INTO OPA’S PAST
by Andi Bowman, National President
I
n the days leading up to Convention
2010, two national officers left Chattanooga, TN early one morning to
go to Bowling Green, Ohio. They had a
specific destination in mind…the OPA archives at Bowling Green State University.
They also had a very important person
they were determined to meet: Sue Fehlner Hess, Omega Phi Alpha’s first national
president.
With a small Ophia doll in tow, they
passed miles and miles of corn and
soybean fields to finally arrive in Bowling
Green. They met up with Alpha Chapter’s
president, Andrea Maas, and visited the
national storage unit. Sadly, no more
national items were being stored there so
their excitement had to be delayed until
the archives opened the next morning.
Early the next morning Mandi
Humphrey, vice president of membership
and Andie Bowman, president-elect at
the time, set out to go to the Archives.
This was a little easier said than done, as
all of BGSU was under construction.
The staff at the BGSU Archives was
incredible. In a few moments, tons of
boxes filled with OPA’s history emerged.
Mandi and Andie were thrilled with the
information available from the documents
and that Maas came to help photograph
important documents. They stayed at the
Archives until closing at 5 p.m. However,
they couldn’t be disappointed because
they were about to accomplish their
second goal for the trip…meeting Sue
Fehlner Hess.
Hours later Mandi and Andie patiently
sat in the lobby of their hotel waiting for
Sue to arrive to take them for dinner.
Right on time she pulled up and took
them to a local Mexican restaurant. She
was polite and eager to hear about OPA
today and to answer questions about the
OPA of yesterday.
As Sue recalled the first joining of the
three founding chapters she said, “One
of the things I remember most was
wondering what the two other chapters
would be like. We thought they were
going to be Martians.”
Sue was relieved the other sisters
weren’t Martians and that the first
meeting went very well. When Sue was
asked how OPA’s colors and insignia were
chosen she replied, “When the chapters
Mandi, Ophia, & Andie are on their way!
Ophia doing some searching of her own.
came together, we decided to use stuff
everyone had; we just blended our things
together.”
She tried to recall the significance of
choosing Raggedy Ann as our mascot
and remembered two possible reasons.
“I had gotten a mini dachshund and gave
her a little Raggedy Ann doll toy, so that
may have been the reason. Or while up
in Toledo at a store I saw a big Raggedy
Ann doll and thought wouldn’t that be
fun for the girls to have. We thought she
was neat and fun to haul around.” She
continued discussing Ophia by describing
how fun she was to take on trips. “While
driving up [to another chapter] we had a
big Ophia (about 5 feet tall) and we had
her in the back seat. People would drive
by and just look oddly at you thinking she
was an extra person in the car.”
Bowman had seen a Chevron article
about OPA’s 25th anniversary and knew
Sue had attended. When asked about
attending Sue replied, “I was amazed
at the 25th Convention. Sitting in and
listening to meetings while doing rules
and regulations. It was neat to see how
far they’d come in 25 years.” She further
commented about OPA today saying, “the
service can go so much further because of
technology.”
Other memories recalled by Hess:
“I can remember we used to babysit
for college professors in town. There was
one person in charge of keeping up with
all of it. The sisters would give the money
they earned to OPA.”
“There was such a distinction between
service and social sororities back then.
We were the SERVICE sorority. “
Her favorite memory, “Everyone coming
NATIONAL NEWS
HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT SUE
FEHLNER HESS:
Andie, Sue Fehlner Hess, Ophia,
& Mandi at Dinner.
Andie found something!
together for the first Convention.”
Why the national song was chosen,
“we liked the song and we could put
words to it.”
“Bridgeport, CT was known for bagels,
so when we visited the local girls made
sure we had bagels. They were coming
from everywhere. A wry bagel gave me
the worst case of hiccups in my life. I
was hanging over the railing trying to get
them to stop.”
After dinner, Sue drove Mandi and
Andie around Bowling Green, showing off
its highlights, especially OPA significant
locations like where the first Convention
was held and the house OPA’s used to live
in. She also shared a lot of stories from
her life. Hours later Sue dropped Mandi
and Andie off at their hotel with plans
made to visit the Archives with them the
next day.
The next morning, Sue arrived to take
Mandi and Andie back to the Archives.
The three of them enjoyed going through
the pages of OPA’s history. Sue recalled
more stories and cried as she reviewed
copies of the newspaper clippings about
Susan Terzian’s accident and funeral. She
said that was her worst thing in OPA she
had to endure. “There was no precedent.
What do you do?” She remembered
flying to the funeral and how scary the
flight was. They were in a tiny plane and
hit bad turbulence. However, moments of
remembrance were transitioned into ones
of joys as old scrapbooks were found.
Overall, the trip was a major success.
Mandi and Andie met both goals and
brought back thousands of photos of OPA
documents in addition to scanned copies
of all the Chevrons found at the Archives.
Sisters can now enjoy a walk through
OPA’s history by going through these
old Chevrons on the national website by
visiting the Chevron quick link and then
clicking on, “Past Issues.” Most of the
photos from the Archives are still being
processed; however, when they become
available announcements will be made.
She does cake decorating as a hobby
and said she will make us a cake for
the 50th anniversary if we have it
Bowling Green, OH.
Worked as a teacher until 2000.
She taught primary grades for eight
years and then third grade again for
12, followed by fourth grade until
she retired. Teaching first grade was
her favorite.
She loves to fly and her oldest
daughter works for Delta Airlines so
she has a “Mom Pass.”
When she turned 29, she couldn’t
buy her first house without her father
cosigning because property had to be
transferred male to male.”
She has three dogs: Brutus, a
dachshund; Sidney, a black Australian
Shepherd and an English Mastiff,
Silver Bells.
She has two grandchildren and all
of them will have her late husband’s
middle name as their middle name.
The first time she went to Bowling
Green was when she showed up for
college orientation.
She was the first in her family to go
to college and get a master’s degree.
She knows how to open an elevator
that is closed because her parents got
stuck in one that bounced up and got
stuck sideways on a cruise ship. The
key to opening it is to use a ballpoint
pin to stick in the tiny hole so that it
opens.
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10
ASK OPHIA
Ask
OPHIA
Hi Ladies,
Since summer is upon us I noticed a few of you asking for summer reading suggestions. As a result, I decided to make it easy on
everyone and compile a list of the books you all suggested other sisters read as we relax poolside, beachside, on a plane ride, or in the
A.C. A simple Facebook status update did the trick; 24 hours and 28 comments later and here is the list your sisters offered:
RECOMMENDED SERIES:
The Hunger Games series by
Suzanne Collins
Sookie Stackhouse novels by
Charlaine Harris
Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer
Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich
Ghostwalkers series by Christine Feehan
The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen
Gossip Girl series by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Wicked series by Gregory Macguire
RECOMMENDED NOVELS:
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
Contact by Carl Sagan
A Discovery of Witches by
Deborah Harkness
Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Middlesex by Jeffery Eugenides
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Shack by William P. Young
Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen
RECOMMENDED AUTHORS:
Stephanie Bond
Sarah Dessen
Emily Giffin
Stephan King
Joyce Carol Oates
Jodi Picoult
Well ladies, I hope this gives you some excellent ideas! The Hunger Games series seemed to be quite the popular suggestion. So,
take this list and get to your local library! I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. Happy reading ladies! See you all soon in Charlotte at
Convention 2011.
OPA Love,
Ophia
ROSE SHOP
Though school may be out the Rose Shop is going strong. Check
out our newest items, an embroidered spa cosmetic bag and OPA
chap-sticks. Don’t forget we always have the staples such as key fobs,
lavalieres, and flips flops. The Rose Shop will be adding new items in
the next month so be on the lookout, buy early and buy often!! To order just go to http://www.omegaphialpha.org/ and click Rose Shop under the quick links drop down menu. If you have any suggestions for items you would like to see in the Rose Shop please email [email protected]. SERVICE
WILLING HANDS,
HELPFUL HANDS
Alpha Kappa Sisters Help Tornado Victims
Photos Provided By Alexandra Inglish
O
n June 10th, 2011, five sisters and one potential pledge from
the Alpha Kappa Chapter at the University of Kansas loaded
onto a bus and headed to Joplin, Missouri to help the victims
of the May 22, 2011 EF5 Multiple Vortex Tornado that struck the
city. In an email to the Chevron Writers, Alumna Alexandra Inglish
described what they saw, “To say the least...it was shocking. The
devastation literally stretches for as far as you can see in any direction. We worked with about 10 other volunteers on one house and even
with that many people...we just got that one house done.”
The ladies of Alpha Kappa uploaded a video of their experience to
Ophia’s Facebook page. It can also be viewed on youtube.com by
searching “OPA Jayhawk Sisters in Joplin.”
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ALUMNAE
VP Aumnae
RELATIONS
by Ginger McGarity (Delta/Nu), VP Alumnae Relations
What’s In A Name?
T
hose of us who remember our Shakespeare from high school remember that the heroine posed that
question in the tragedy Romeo and Juliet. And her rationale was spot-on: “That which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet.” The point is that the label we attach to something is far less
important than the object itself.
The exception, in my opinion, is when the label causes undesirable divisiveness. Words have power, which is why
we must select them carefully. And it’s time to rethink some of the terms that we’ve used in OPhiA for many years.
I am specifically thinking of the word “active.” In general use, it refers to someone who rigorously participates.
Of course in our context, we use it to refer to someone who is rigorously participating in one of our recognized
chapters that are based in a university community. In OPhiA terms, active status is just one phase in the overall
stream of membership statuses.
But now that I am the designated advocate of our vast alumnae community I see this word a little differently,
especially when it’s used in the phrase “active pin.” I’m talking about the piece of insignia that we earn by
completing our pledge or colony period, the one we receive when we begin our period of active status. Because
it’s a demarcation between the pledge status and active status, we got into the habit of calling it an “active pin.”
It’s a tiny piece of insignia physically, but its symbolism is huge. It represents our ongoing commitment to our
organization, and the organization’s ongoing commitment to each individual member.
Here’s where the label comes into play. By referring to this, our most important piece of individual insignia,
as an “active pin” we are inadvertently sending the message that it’s for members in active status only. This is
exacerbated by the introduction of the new alumnae pin a few years ago. If you are an alumna sister who has been
out of your chapter for a few years and you go to our jewelry vendor’s website (www.awardconcepts.net/greek/),
what do you see? You see an active order page (which includes the “active pin” among other items) and you see
an alumna order page (which only includes the alumna pin). The false conclusion is that only actives should be
purchasing and wearing the pin that signifies their lifelong membership in Omega Phi Alpha. THAT IS NOT TRUE.
I can’t tell you how much this bothers me. I wear my beautiful pearl and sapphire pin with pride to sorority
events, and I want my fellow alumna sisters to feel comfortable doing the same. But as long as we continue to label
this precious piece of jewelry an “active pin,” we are continuing to send the FALSE message that alumnae sisters
are excluded from wearing it.
Am I being overly sensitive about the term “active pin”? Perhaps. But I am the voice of our vast alumnae
network, most of whom haven’t been a part of the national OPhiA dialogue in a while. And in that capacity, I urge
all of my sisters to adopt the term “membership badge” when you refer to that small kite-shaped piece of jewelry
with our letters on it. We need to understand that this little hunk of metal (and pearls / crystals if you own one of
the new jewelry-grade versions) is a symbol of our lifetime membership, NOT a symbol of the few years we spend
in college as members of an active chapter.
I welcome your thoughts about this topic on our national forum: www.omegaphialpha.org/forum.
Through our bonds,
Ginger
ALUMNAE SPOTLIGHT
13
SOUTHERN PEACH
RELOCATES
TO CHINA
by Samantha McFarlane (Alpha Kappa)
F
or Savannah Clark, an Alpha Zeta
Chapter alum, returning to the
United States isn’t on her itinerary
anytime soon. She’s serving a one-year
contract in Nanjing, China, roughly 13
hours southeast of Beijing, where she’s
been since September 2010. She is certain she will stay until 2012. “I will most
likely continue to live abroad for many
years, possibly even indefinitely,” she
said.
Nanjing has an urban population of
5 million, making it the second-largest
commercial province in East China,
which could be difficult to navigate
considering Clark knows little Chinese.
“Small, everyday tasks like going to the
dentist or the hair salon become terribly
stressful ordeals. I try to make the best of
it though, and just approach those things
as exciting new adventures,” she said.
Savannah teaches at Jiangsu College for
International Exchange where students
who have recently completed high school
receive the skills and language training
before going to a university in America,
Australia, the United Kingdom or Canada;
however, Clark teaches in a department
that works with a wide variety of
students, from young children to adults in
corporate training.
For corporate training she ventures out
of Jiangsu College to large companies
around Nanjing teaching employees
business English. She’s worked with
companies such as Mazda and Sony
Ericsson.
“The Corporate Training is my favorite
part -- several of my students are
brilliant engineers and designers, and it’s
really cool that they can actually learn
something from little old me. The most
rewarding part about teaching is most
definitely the look on my students’ faces
the moment they understand something
I’m teaching,” Savannah said.
After seeing Big Bird Goes to China on
television when she was just four years
old, Clark dreamed of traveling to China
and seeing the country. Even though she’s
in China working she still makes time to
run around and be a tourist. She visited
the Great Wall at Christmastime. It wasn’t
until four years ago that Clark actually
began thinking about a life in China. She
learned that with a bachelor’s degree and
two years of teaching experience, a native
English speaker could teach English in
China for decent money.
In an email to the Chevron staff, Erica
Ashley Fey, an Alpha Zeta alum said, “She
kept applying to different universities over
in China and was having a difficult time
figuring out how to get a working visa.
Finally in September she had an interview
via Skype with a school that eventually
hired her. Within a week she had her
whole life packed up into two suitcases
and a large duffle bag and was headed
to China.”
Even though China had always been in
her dreams she believes she never could
have achieved it without Omega Phi
Alpha. Entering OPA at a rough point in
her life with her confidence badly shaken,
her Alpha Zeta sisters helped her to not
be afraid of herself by accepting and
loving her for who she was. Clark said,
“There is no way I could have mustered
the courage to come to live in a foreign
country by myself or the nerve to speak
in front of a room full of genius engineers
without the self-confidence OPhiA has
given me. Also, the principles of leadership
and cooperation that I acquired through
Omega Phi Alpha help me each and every
day in my professional life, and the love of
service that I learned from OPhiA is what
drives me to work hard every day and
teach to the best of my ability,” Savannah
stated.
While living oversees has its challenges,
Savannah wouldn’t have it any other way,
“I absolutely love my life here, and this is
the second-best decision I’ve made in my
adult life--the first was joining Omega Phi
Alpha,” she said. Although she’s on the
other side of the globe from her Alpha
Zeta sisters, she certainly shows all OPA
sisters that when you wear your letters in
the front, you know your sisters have your
back.
14
ALUMNAE
Sister
UPDATES
Jillian Alexander (Sigma) graduated from the University of
Tennessee at Chattanooga in May 2010 with a bachelor’s in
legal assistant studies and a minor in women’s studies. She can
be reached at JillianRMAlexander13 (at) gmail (dot) com.
Fara Laubenheimer Engle Chambliss (Epsilon) is a ground
safety/environmental manager for DynCorp International. She
resides in Melbourne, FL and can be reached at englef (at) msn
(dot) com.
Nekeia Archangel (Alpha Epsilon) completed her bachelor’s in
political science/history this year. She resides in New Iberia, LA
and can be reached at narchangel88 (at) gmail (dot) com.
Blair Shelby Felder (Rho) and her spouse have a child named
Caden Daniel. She can be reached at ebfeldner (at) yahoo
(dot) com.
Eileen Gambon Beiter (Nu) and her husband have six children
and reside in Charlottesville, VA. She can be reached at eb (at)
beiterweb (at) com. Bianca Garramone (Alpha Theta) attends graduate school
at Drexel University. She can be reached at bmgarramone (at)
gmail (dot) com.
Betty Savage Bernardo (Epsilon) is a corporate financial auditor for Hamrick’s, Inc. She lives in Spartanburg, SC and can be
reached at Mt83Juliet79 (at) yahoo (dot) com.
Megan Good (Alpha Iota) is the director of archives and library
at Independence Seaport Museum. She can be reached at
megaroo42 (at) gmail (dot) com.
Mary Kay Stamboulis Bishop (Delta) is a physician’s assistant. She can be reached at marykay (dot) bishop (at) hotmail
(dot) com.
Ann Wendling Hange (Alpha) retired from being an elementary
school teacher in 2005 after 30 years of service. She resides in
Defiance, OH. She can be reached at osubucs (at) bright (dot) net.
Chelsea Campbell (Rho) completed a master’s degree from the
University of Colorado in environmental science in 2009. She
teaches science at Hinkley High School. She can be reached at
chelsea0583 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Mary Jo Kite Hines (Alpha) is a teacher for Upper Valley Career Center. She resides in Urbana, OH and can be reached at
hinesmj (at) who (dot) rr (dot) com. Maria Cobos (Delta) is a registered dietitian in the San Antonio
area. She has a master’s degree in scientific nutrition. She can
be reached at mariacobos (at) aggienetwork (dot) com.
Jessica Cole (Phi) has moved to the Atlanta area with her fiancé.
She has a new position with the American Cancer Society. She
can be reached at jessica (dot) k (dot) cole (at) gmail (dot) com.
Debbie Brannen D’Ambrosio (Delta) is the vice president
of risk management for The Burnett Companies. She and her
spouse, Jerry, reside in Richmond, TX. She can be reached at
debjer (at) sbcglobal (dot) net.
Renee DePietro (Beta) is back in school to become a nurse. She
can be reached at redfoxy97 (at) yahoo (dot) com.
Tiesha Dixon (Upsilon) is a leasing agent for Cypress Shadows.
She has a child named Kenard. She resides in Lafayette, LA and
can be reached at shavae2006 (at) yahoo (dot) com.
Debbie Kendig (Alpha) is employed by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She has an 8-year-old son named Matthew.
Debbie can be reached at DLKendig (at) gmail (dot) com.
Randelle Branson Luster (Omicron) and husband Joshua
reside in Wetumpka, AL with their two children, Abigail and
Lucas. Randelle can be reached at raluster (at) gmail (dot) com.
Zane Lawson Maraschiello (Nu) and her spouse, Vince, have
three children. She can be reached at zmaraschiello (at) me (dot)
com.
Joy Ericson McKenna (Epsilon) is an educator for Memphis
City Schools. She is married with two children. She can be
reached at sewingteach53 (at)aol (dot) com.
Colleen Melhorn (Epsilon) has a master’s degree in environmental science. She is a scientist for Camber Corporation. Colleen can be reached at cmelhorn (at) camber (dot) com.
ALUMNAE
Robin Mills (Beta) is a professional advocate for Prudential. She
married Karl Ziarko on June 12. They live in Andover, NJ. She is
an active volunteer with several local organizations, including
the Morris County Caregiver Coalition and the Alzheimer’s Association. She can be reached at robinlmills (at) yahoo (dot) com.
Jessica Moore (Rho) resides in Louisville, KY. She can be
reached at jlmoor12 (at) louisville (dot) edu.
Suniko Morales (Phi) works for Bank of America and resides in
Phoenix, AZ. She can be reached at suniko (dot) morales (at) asu
(dot) edu.
Lindsay Ball Murphy (Sigma) is married to Bo Murphy. She can
be reached at ball586 (at) aol (dot) com.
Georgette Waters Nicholas (Beta) is a CPA for Genworth
Financial. She resides in Cary, NC and can be reached at
gcnicholas (at) aol (dot) com.
Meghan Oldham (Alpha Delta) resides in Lawrenceville,
GA and has a daughter, Isabelle Rae. She can be reached at
meghanron (at) yahoo (dot) com.
Corinna Orange (Alpha Beta) is a graduate student. She resides
in Oxford, MS and can be reached at corinna (dot) orange (at)
eagles (dot) usm (dot) edu.
Rae Stover Patel (Nu) and spouse Suneer have two children,
Ellora and Hans. She can be reached at rae (dot) s (dot) patel
(at) gmail (dot) com.
Pamela Polk Pfile (Delta) resides in Katy, TX. She can be
reached at jrpmom (at) aol (dot) com.
Jessyca Riggleman (Gamma) and one-year-old daughter Madelyn reside in Tecumseh, MI. Jessyca can be reached at jrigglem
(at) gmail (dot) com.
Kristen Brenner Sanders (Epsilon) resides in Knoxville, TN. She
can be reached at kristen (at) rideatstar (dot) org.
Leslie Steyer (Alpha Gamma) resides in Edmond, OK. She can
be reached at lesliesteyer (at) gmail (dot) com.
Carol Lucko Stock (Delta) is a retired teacher of 35 years. She
resides in Rosebud, TX with her spouse Glenn. She has two
children, Heath and Toby. Carol can be reached at cstock (at)
windstream (dot) net.
Donna Wilder Thackston (Epsilon) works for Alexander County Partnership for Children and earned her master’s in curriculum and instruction from Tennessee Tech University. She resides
in Lenoir, NC with her spouse Jeffrey and their three sons, Tim,
Ben and Samuel. She can be reached at greengablesdjwt (at)
yahoo (dot) com.
Brittany Brown Thornton (Alpha Kappa) and her spouse
reside in Tampa, FL with their two children. Brittany can be
reached at bbrown0727 (at) yahoo (dot) com.
Amanda Griffin Weaver (Mu) and spouse, Yok, have a child
named Myles. Amanda can be reached at amandaweaver07 (at)
gmail (dot) com. Barb Schmid Whitney (Kappa) and her husband Bob have
been married for 18 and a half years. They reside in Medina,
OH. Barb can reached at bwhitney (at) zoominternet (dot) net.
Rebecca Podoba (Alpha) has retired from Cleveland Schools.
She can be reached at rpodoba (at) oh (dot) rr (dot) com.
Eaujee Armand Wilson (Upsilon) is a sales manager for GAP,
Inc. She will be moving to Québec, Canada within a few years
because of work. She can be reached at eaujeearmand (at)
yahoo (dot) fr.
Sherry Carothers Poynter (Epsilon) and husband John are
parents to four children. She and her family reside in Madison,
TN. Sherry works for the state of Tennessee and can be reached
at srpoynts (at) comcast (dot) net.
Anne Ries Woelke (Psi) can be reached at annalilly (at) gmail
(dot) com.
Megan Webster Prior (Alpha) and spouse Garet currently
reside in Richmond, VA. Megan is a teacher. Megan can be
reached at mcooperweb (at) gmail (dot) com.
15
16
ALUMNAE SPOTLIGHT
alumnae spotlight
RAISSA
CHANDLER
by Brenda Bare, Delta Alum
B
y Summer is a time when a lot of people want to focus
on relaxing, taking time off and generally not worry
about too much. For those who have dedicated their
lives to service this is not an option, but those people wouldn’t
dream of tuning out anyway. Raissa Chandler, Nu alum, has
taken time out of her busy day to share a little bit about her
life of service.
As a Nu member, Raissa’s favorite service project was based on
Arbor Day. She counted and cataloged over 80 trees on campus
for the Tree Atlanta organization. To give a little perspective on
her involvement, many other girls counted trees.
After becoming an alum, Raissa has never lost the spirit to
serve. She recommends always “lead into the thing you love” and
this has helped her as she focused on new projects and focuses
on overcoming many of the challenges that come with working in
the nonprofit sector. “Money, resources, friends will go away, but
if you have a fundamental passion for your nonprofit, then you’ll
be able to lift your chin up high when the going gets real tough.”
Raissa’s children have both been diagnosed with autism, which
led her to seek out support groups, which she found exceedingly
difficult to find. Rather than just accept this and struggle alone,
Raissa has committed herself to the project of “advocating and
creating collaborative groups to help my families and others like
mine have a better quality of life and to not feel isolated.”
Every day is focused on the little things in Raissa’s life. She
finds fulfillment in each and every new person that she reaches
and shows that they are not alone as they deal with loved ones
affected by autism. “It may seem as little as having a new parent
at a support group meeting” but the opportunity to give these
individuals a community and a chance for growth is the most
fulfilling aspect to Raissa.
If you would like to learn more about what Raissa Chandler
does, she is in the process of launching a new nonprofit and
needs your help and support. For more information check
out - www.southsidesupport.com - an online community
for families dealing with disability to connect via forum
discussions, events (calendar), and craigslist-style marketplace.
Email: [email protected].
SAVE A TREE! MAKE SURE OPHIA HAS
YOUR CURRENT EMAIL ADDRESS!
If you held alumnae status in Feb 2011 and you didn’t receive an email from the VP of Alumnae Relations,
we may not have your correct email address on file! To ensure you are kept up to date with all exciting
alumnae news, you need to do the following two things:
1. Update your contact information (including email) on www.omegaphialpha.org.
Look in the “quick links” pulldown section and select “Update my address”.
2. Add [email protected] to your email program’s “safe list” so our updates don’t get sent to a
spam folder.
CHAPTER REPORTS
17
chapter
REPORTS
EPSILON CHAPTER
Tennessee Technological
University
Our chapter had an amazing spring
semester packed with many fun-filled
events. First, we would like to welcome
our Gamma Beta pledge class. We are so
proud of all your hard work and dedication
to the future of OPA. Our sisterhood chair
planned an amazing sisterhood retreat
where many of the girls took the leap of
faith together off a bridge into a river. If
this isn’t quality sisterly bonding, then what
is? Epsilon is most proud of our service
projects from this semester. Our theme
was Harry Potter quidditch at Relay for
Life where we supported a cure for cancer
and honored the survivors. We hosted the
Invisible Children Tour at our campus for
a cultural screening documentary about
the war in Uganda. This IC organization
strives to end the fighting in Uganda and
stop the abduction of children for use of
child soldiers. Our sisters and many other
college students in attendance were moved
by the documentary which followed the
lives of various children in Uganda. One of
our own sisters went on a mission trip to
Uganda over Christmas break and will be
moving to Africa after graduation. We send
her and all our new graduates love and
best wishes as they continue their lives as
OPA alumnae.
weekend, where the weekend patrons are
charged for their meals to fund the running
of the food bank during the week. In terms
of amazing sisterhood events, Bigs and
Littles have the funniest stories to tell from
their Karaoke Night, and many of us have
fond memories of our Stone Mountain Hiking Trip. We finished the Spring semester
with a great Rose Night activation ceremony. We now have 10 new active sisters
and 17 new alums. We also had our officer
transition ceremony and selected appointed
positions of website chair, historian and
ADO. The new Exec Board is excited to plan
and get started with the new Fall semester.
RHO CHAPTER
Western Kentucky University
children’s cancer research to get their heads
shaved. Overall, we had 43 shavees and
raised $4,486. We almost quadrupled the
amount we raised compared to last year.
There were two females who participated
in shaving their heads for cancer. They
were able to raise around $1,000 each
and donate their hair to Locks of Love.
St. Baldrick’s is truly an inspiring event to
participate in. Rho hopes to beat our goal
next year.
Rho sisters at Relay For Life
Rho sisters at Relay for Life
NU CHAPTER
Georgia Institute of
Technology
Nu Chapter made so many great memories
this Spring. One of our service projects was
working with Global Soap, an organization
that takes mildly used soaps donated by
hotels that would otherwise go to the trash
and cleans them and melts them down
to form new soap bars to send to African
countries. Another one was waitressing at Café 458, a food bank during the
week and an upscale restaurant during the
Rho sisters at Activation
Rho sister donates to Locks of Love
Rho Chapter had an extraordinary amount
of accomplishments this semester. One of
our biggest events was St. Baldrick’s, held
in March at Western Kentucky University’s
baseball field. Participants raised money for
We have also made a huge impact on
Relay for Life. We hosted a 3 vs 3 basketball tournament, 5K race and a paddle sale
to raise money for the American Cancer
Society. At the actual Relay for Life, we had
the most members stay for the entire time
and OPA raised the most money from onsite fundraisers. Overall, we raised around
$1,700 for Relay and we had girls at the
event from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m.
As the semester is coming to an end, we
are in the process of officer transitions and
saying goodbye to our seniors. The new
executive board has officially taken over
18
CHAPTER REPORTS
chapter
REPORTS
and we are looking forward to seeing what
next year has in store.
PHI CHAPTER
Arizona State University
OMICRON CHAPTER
Auburn University
The Omicron sisters of Auburn University
have had a very busy and fun-filled semester. We had a great time getting to know
all the pledges, now new actives, while
serving our community.
We will be welcoming four new faces to
the executive board in the fall. These are
fantastic girls who love O Phi A and who
have many great ideas for the future. With
the help of the two returning exec members, it should be a great year.
We completed our year by doing several
hands-on service projects. We joined the
rest of Auburn University to work on Big
Event. Dispersed among three locations,
some repaired houses and others worked
in a food bank. We will be working again
with these people in the fall. For the money
management project, we printed labels
with several different facts about how to
manage money wisely and pasted them
to water bottles. The sisters then passed
out hundreds of bottles to students on our
concourse. We also participated in Relay
for Life again. Our team raised $4,000 for
the American Cancer Society. It was a very
fitting cause for our chapter because days
before the event one of our sisters lost her
father to the disease.
Omicron Chapter hosted district formal
this year. We were so grateful to have other
girls from different chapters come. There
was great food, music, and dancing. We all
had a great night.
We have so many great ideas for the fall
and the exec board is already planning to
make them possible. We are a small group
at Auburn, but our goal for next year is to
affect as many people as we can all across
the world.
War Eagle!
Phi sisters pose at their Golf Tournament
Taylor Goett of Phi Chapter received the
2010 Outstanding Academic Excellence
Award from ASU Greek Life in February. Taylor has devoted her time at ASU
to many pursuits: serving as Fall 2010
Academics Chair to Phi Chapter; mentoring
freshman and undergraduates through ASU
“Success Coaching” Program, completing
her honors thesis, and pursuing an intense
academic curriculum of biology and society,
nutrition and chemistry. Taylor has made a
lasting impact on Phi, specifically through
her commitment and enthusiasm to academic endeavors. Serving as our academics
chair, Taylor carried out Phi’s first semester
with the Academic Review Plan, a comprehensive, proactive approach to helping
sisters maintain GPA requirements, develop
study skills and increase accountability. On Oct.17, 2010, Phi held its first annual
golf tournament. Still dark outside, Phi
Chapter grumbled, shuffled, and sleptwalked to McCormick Ranch Golf Club in
Scottsdale, AZ. With over 40 golfers and 55
luncheon attendees, we had a very successful fundraiser. Liz Ritter, the Fall 2010 fundraising chair, helped Phi raise over $3,400.
Our Fall 2010 donations chair, Amy Lindsey,
helped supply resort stays, restaurant gift
cards, and baskets for our raffle/give-away.
In addition, we had great support from Phi
alums, who attended the luncheon. This
has been Phi Chapter’s most dollar-wise
successful fundraiser that we have had
thus far. We wish our Fall 2011 Fundraising
Chair Chelsea Janicek the best of luck in
planning and executing the second annual
golf tournament.
Katie Dickey, a new active and sophomore at ASU, is a member of the United
States Power Soccer Association. Phi had
the opportunity to volunteer at Katie’s
Powerblast Wheelchair Soccer Tournament and watch her in action, help cheer
on her teammates, score keep and serve
meals. It was amazing to see Katie playing
wheelchair soccer. In addition, Katie is one
of eight who have been selected to be on
the U.S. Nationals Team, which will travel
to France for the World Cup in November.
We will keep Omega Phi Alpha updated to
cheer the U.S. to victory. Feel free to check out this website that
has an article published about Katie: http://
arcadiadaily.com/news/sports/othersports/477-power-soccer-gives-chance-todisabled .
CHI CHAPTER
University of South Carolina
Chi Chapter’s last month of service was
all about helping children. Sisters provided free childcare to residents at a local
shelter and volunteered at a fundraiser that
benefited Camp Kemo. Chi members also
threw several parties for sick children at the
Palmetto Children’s Hospital. Chi is pleasd to welcome in its 2011-12
executive board. Congratulations go out
to Brooke Carroll, president; Kizer Crum,
vice president; Molly Steele, treasurer; Erica
Hellmich and Kelley Freeman, service VP’s;
Daniela Ramirez, secretary, and to Reshma
Patel, Taylor Bates, and Payal Patel, membership directors.
CHAPTER REPORTS
PSI CHAPTER
Texas A&M at Corpus Christi
Hey all!
PSI Chapter has been really busy this
semester with the many projects that we
have done. In March we had Loved Ones
Weekend, where we invited our families to
come and learn about what we do in OPA
and participate in a service project with
them. We did a beach clean up and they
saw first hand the hard work that we put in
to helping our community. April was definitely our busiest month. We started with
our annual love in the box where we sleep
outside in boxes to raise awareness for
mental health in the homeless community.
The Good Samaritan shelter we were raising toiletries for brought out some people
who have been homeless before and they
shared some of their experiences with
us. Then we participated in Relay for Life
where we raised over $1,000 for cancer.
During relay for life one person from our
team has to be on the track at all times.
This is a 12-hour event and was awesome
to see all the ladies be there without complaining. We finished off the semester by
writing letters to the soldiers and activating
two new wonderful actives.
Love in O-Phi-A,
All the ladies of PSI Chapter!
ALPHA GAMMA CHAPTER
Oklahoma State University
The girls from Alpha Gamma Chapter at
the beautiful Oklahoma State University
would like to tell all of our chapters across
the nation a little bit about how we ended
our year. The end of March and all of April
were very busy months. At the end of
March, we hosted a volleyball tournament
for our President’s project, to raise money
for our chapter in the future. It was great
to see our school come out and support
OphiA.
“Island” was the theme of our formal.
Admission was $5 of school supplies or a
$5 donation for Ocean Academy in Caye
Caulker. It was a great feeling to give
to a school and know that we made a
difference. We had an amazing BIG/little
reveal that was a puzzle theme. In April,
we headed a fashion show for a battered
women’s shelter, where our girls got to
show our stuff for a good cause. We went
to the Oklahoma City Zoo and see the
animals and have a scavenger hunt. It was
a blast! The year ended with activation,
where we got to see some of our best
pledges become a part of our chapter; that
day was special to all of us. Overall, this has
been one of our best years.
them the best on their journey with OPA.
We have been involved in all sorts of fun
projects this year. These include Relay for
Life, “Dance Like No One’s Watching” (a
gala/prom for young people with disabilities), multiple canned food drives, a
blood drive, TOMS shoes, projects at local
schools, cards for the children’s hospital
and for the troops, Break the Silence 5K
Run for Suicide Prevention, fundraising for
and donating to the National Scholarship
Fund, and more. We hope to continue to
make an impact while growing as a chapter
in the years to come. ALPHA ZETA CHAPTER
Kennesaw State University
Alpha Zeta Chapter had an amazing spring
semester. We participated in many handson service projects and this semester’s projects reflected this very well. We did service
projects such as the Marietta MS Walk, the
City of Refuge project which involved feeding homeless and less fortunate individuals,
and the Side-by-Side project which involved
our sisters going to a facility that accommodates people who have a brain injury.
At that facility, we played games and made
dinner for our new friends. These projects
were particularly special to us since many
of our sisters have family members with MS
and one of our sisters has a family member
who has sustained a brain injury. Overall,
it’s been a great year to be a part of the
Alpha Zeta and we look forward to many
more amazing semesters to come.
ALPHA LAMDA CHAPTER
NC State University
Hello from the Alpha Lambda Chapter at
NC State University in Raleigh, NC! We
have had a great first official year as a
chapter! We inducted our first pledge class
of nine girls in the fall. Our second pledge
class of four was activated in the spring.
All of the girls are wonderful and we wish
19
Alpha Lambda sisters on an outing
Alpha Lambda sisters showing their silly sides
OMEGA PHI ALPHA
NATIONAL SERVICE SORORITY
National Office
PO Box 955
East Lyme, CT 06333
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
WANTED:
by Mackenzie Garretson, Alumnae Societies Coordinator
Are you a queen of service?
Would you love to interact with alumnae and collegians from across the country?
Has it been ten years since you were crowned?
Since 2005, Omega Phi Alpha has honored all sisters who have dedicated their lives to the principles of
friendship, leadership and service through the induction into alumnae societies. The ritual of induction, only
performed at Convention, enrolls sisters who have reached the following milestones since their activation date:
10 years : Topaz Society
25 years: Sapphire Society
40 years: Diamond Society
Additionally, society members have the privilege of adding a corresponding jewel to their alumnae pin. We
invite all eligible sisters to join us in celebrating the lifetime commitment to Omega Phi Alpha.
Won’t you join us in Charlotte?
To reserve your place at the ceremony, email Mackenzie Garretson at [email protected]