alumnae news
Sister in the Spotlight Alpha Gam finds love, wins money on national TV
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lpha Gam “Deal or No Deal” fans might have not realized they were cheering on their Alpha Gamma Delta sister to a $306,000 win last fall. Faithful viewers of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” who were touched when a man proposed to his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day in 2006 most likely didn’t know they were expressing excitement for their Alpha Gamma Delta sister. And most would be surprised to find out that both appearances featured the same lucky Alpha Gam.
Deal or No Deal Alecia contemplates tough decisions on “Deal or No Deal.” NBC Photo: Trae Patton © NBC Universal, Inc.
Alecia Whitaker, Epsilon–University of Kentucky, has experienced incredible memories at the young age of 28. Her exciting journey of fame began when then-boyfriend Jerrod Pace proposed to her in front of a live studio audience on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” Perhaps because of Alecia’s outgoing personality, Alecia and Ellen quickly formed an affinity for one another, which led Ellen to cover most of the costs of Alecia’s wedding. Since then, Alecia and Jerrod have been guests on the show about 10 times, with one of their appearances featuring a short clip of their charming wedding ceremony. Alecia’s remarkable opportunities continued when she won $306,000 on “Deal or No Deal,” a popular television game show on NBC hosted by Howie Mandel. Her comfortable demeanor on-camera generated a wealth of crowd support. Winning this large sum of money was an amazing experience; however, Alecia’s favorite part was having the people she loved experience the fun with her. Although appearing on these shows was exciting, her most meaningful triumph is her work with “Becoming Woman,” a duo show with friend Ellen Hagan that addresses universal themes through their own coming-of-age stories. Geared toward high school and college women, the two actresses talk about their first boyfriends, first experiences with death, rape and the women in their families. Alecia hopes that students identify with her story and that it makes a positive impact on their self esteem and wellbeing.
n The Ellseshow e Degener Jerrod and Alecia converse with Ellen DeGeneres moments after Jerrod’s surprise proposal. Photo Credit: Chris Polk/Warner Bros.
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Generous grants enabled “Becoming Woman” to touch the lives of many young people. In 2004, Alecia and Ellen performed “Becoming Woman” in New York at the International Fringe Festival. The pair is looking forward to increasing their fan base and performing across the United States. Alecia has been blessed to have support from family, friends and her dear Alpha Gam sisters. “Everyone close to me is genuinely excited for me when good things happen,” Alecia said. A successful model and aspiring actress, Alecia is eager to move forward with her acting career. Look for Alecia in a Visa print advertisement in February, and keep an eye out for this Alpha Gam—you never know where she’ll appear next.