Spring 2015 ANCHOR

Anchor

The

of

A l p h a S i g m a T au Vol. 88 No. 1 Spring 2015

Introducing Illuminate

FROM THE PRESIDENT

THE ANCHOR is the official magazine of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority, and is published semiannually by the Alpha Sigma Tau National Sorority, 3334 Founders Road; Indianapolis, Indiana 46268

How to Receive THE ANCHOR THE ANCHOR is mailed to Alpha Sigma Tau volunteers, donors, and dues-paying alumnae members. Each issue of THE ANCHOR is digitally available and accessible to everyone online at www.alphasigmatau.org.

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THE ANCHOR Staff Editor: Kate Sweeney, Gamma Theta Associate Editor: Carole Bicking Keily, Alpha Xi Alumnae Editor: Beverly Singel Molnar, Delta Collegiate Editors: Shanee Frazier, Gamma Rho; Leah Hollingsworth, Delta Upsilon; Kelli Purcell O'Brien, Delta Eta Design Editor: Michelle Zewe, Alpha Tau Photo Editor: Melanie Martin, Delta Eta

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Dear Sisters, If asked, each of us could identify an individual that has influenced our life in a positive way. The individual could be someone you know personally or someone you have never met. For me, I have always been fascinated with Eleanor Roosevelt.

When once asked about how to educate women on the key to success, she simply stated, “Example is the best lesson there is”.

As you read this issue of THE ANCHOR, you will have the opportunity to learn about many successful women who have focused their lives on contributing to society. They are fearless, dedicated, hardworking, committed, and courageous.

They come from all walks of life with a defined mission and vision. They have followed through and accomplished their goals. Above all, these women are members of Alpha Sigma Tau. Any focused woman with the desire to succeed has the ability to define her own path. Allow yourself to learn from their examples and achievements.

You may be asking yourself, “What skills do I need to develop to ensure my future success?” The answers to that question are the heart of Illuminate. Hopefully by now, you are aware of the launch of Alpha Sigma Tau’s four-year member development program for collegians, Illuminate, which is a personal and professional growth program. The program answers the question above through eight competencies that, when mastered, are more likely to lead to a successful, fulfilling life. These competencies are: • Genuine • Communicates Effectively • Possesses Expertise • Personal Life Balance • Values and Maintains Relationships • Contributes to Society • Confident • Innovates and Manages Change

The women featured in this issue of THE ANCHOR exhibit the competencies of Illuminate. It is my hope that by the end of the issue, you will feel inspired and empowered by these successful members of Alpha Sigma Tau. We each have the obligation to provide a positive example for our members and for future generations.

Continue to lead by example,

Tiffany K. Street, Delta Mu National President Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority

NOW TRENDING #alphasigmatau

In This Issue 5

Introducing Illuminate

6

Genuine

8

Communicates Effectively

Alpha Sigma Tau - LVC

10 Possesses Expertise

"I chose AST because of the closeness that we have as a family. I was treated like a sister before I was ever even considering joining. These Sisters are my family, my support system, my entertainment, and my sanity. I continually fall in love with these lovely ladies every day as they stand by my side, pick me up when I'm down, and encourage me through all my doings. We have the best times together and adventure is never far behind when we get together." #whyASTwednesday #sorority #goGREEK #goLVC #alphasigmatau #anchoredforlife

12 Personal Life Balance

@ cpriego17

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Values and Maintains Relationships

16 Contributes to Society 18 Confident 20 Innovates and Manages Change 24 National Foundation Update 25 Crowning Achievements 26 Alumnae 29 Collegians 34 Anchoring Thoughts

February 21, 2015

Photo credit: @e_natti

Be the change you wish to see in the world!!

Habitat for Humanity with some Taus! #habitatforhumanity #communityservice #AΣΤ #anchoredforlife

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Introducing Illuminate!

A

“

Illuminate gives you a jumpstart on life skills.

Lessons I learned will always stick with me, even after college.

lpha Sigma Tau is excited to launch Illuminate – a new, innovative member development program for collegians that is like nothing else out there. It gives each participant proven leadership skills through fun, interactive, peer-driven sessions. Furthermore, Illuminate is tailored to where each woman is in her college career-freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior.

The skills Illuminate teaches are grounded in real-life. Thousands of accomplished women leaders from a wide range of careers told us what skills they see as an invaluable part of success. Their insights are the foundation for Illuminate’s eight core competencies that, when learned, can lead to a more accomplished and fulfilling life.

”

The women profiled on the following pages are AΣT alumnae who embody each of the eight identified competencies of Illuminate: Genuine, Communicates Effectively, Possesses Expertise, Personal Life Balance, Values and Maintains Relationships, Contributes to Society, Confident, and Innovates and Manages Change. We hope you enjoy reading their inspirational stories!

With Illuminate, I was “ taught to think about my

Ana Norville, Beta Eta, who pilot tested Illuminate along with her collegiate chapter Meghan Starr, Delta Tau

future. I learned how to put my experiences as a college student and Sorority woman to use in the real world.

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Competency: Genuine Deborah Pendergast, Beta Tau

Director of the Division of Fire Standards and Training & EMS at the New Hampshire Department of Safety

Genuine

By Leah Hollingsworth, Delta Upsilon

“I

am proud of my career, particularly because it is a unique position for a woman,” states Deborah Pendergast, Beta Tau. Pendergast is the Director of the Division of Fire Standards and Training and Emergency Medical Services in New Hampshire’s Department of Safety. She currently oversees 249 municipal fire departments, which include 8,200 firefighters and 5,300 emergency medical technicians and paramedics. She has been in the firefighting business for 23 years, standing out in a field that is almost 97% male.

Pendergast served the East Derry, New Hampshire, Fire Department for 11 years, ultimately rising to the rank of lieutenant. Then, for nine years, she was Deputy Chief in Laconia. Pendergast was appointed by the New Hampshire

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Governor to her present position. Pendergast also sits on the International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services’ Board of Trustees. The Association, also called iWomen, reports that the first female career firefighter was not hired until 1974. Just 40 years later, Pendergast is working with iWomen to ensure that females have a strong place in fire and emergency services.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary states that a person who is genuine “possesses specific positive beliefs and values. These are based on experience and prior learning.” She is authentic, which means that she conforms to her values and beliefs which enhance others' trust, reliance, and belief in her. This definition is three-fold. Genuineness requires learning about values,

adopting them as your own, and acting on them in a positive way.

“My dad always raised me as if I could achieve anything I set my mind to,” says Pendergast.

“He didn't treat me ‘like a girl.’

He expected me to achieve anything my brother could achieve, so I wasn't raised to believe I was the ‘weaker’ sex.” From a young age, Pendergast was taught to believe in equality and to believe in herself. These convictions became essential to her success when she faced adversity. “Being the first female was tough; I was not treated fairly at times and even endured harassment.” As Deputy Chief in Laconia, Pendergast possessed the highest rank of any female firefighter in the state. By holding leadership positions and pursuing diversity in the workplace, she has garnered trust. “I now have many more supporters,” she says. “People know I care about them and their safety.” Pendergast was taught to believe in equality, and she adopted that value and acts upon it.

Equality is just one of many values that Pendergast holds dear and works to uphold every day. Volunteerism was also instilled in her at a young age. “My mom always volunteered for the American Cancer Society and other charities because it was the right thing to do.” In the spirit of volunteerism, Pendergast works with those afflicted by mental illness. Her educational background is in psychology, crisis management, critical incident stress, and PTSD, so this type of service is a good fit. She serves a local mental health center as the Board of Directors’ Vice President. She also volunteers with the Granite State Critical Incident Stress Management Team. “We are a group of individuals who meet with firefighters, EMTs, police, and hospital staff after they have encountered an event or death that has had a profound impact,” she explains. “Unfortunately, suicide rates are high among the emergency services, so we assist folks through some of the life-altering incidents to which they are exposed.”

elderly neighbors.

Pendergast now develops and implements fire training to ensure the safety of everyday heroes. According to the New Hampshire Department of Safety, directors like her are responsible for researching new safety practices, educating staff members, and disseminating information to the public.

“My focus is safety and health, both physical and emotional, for my fire service brothers and sisters,” Pendergast explains.

As a female, volunteer, and professional, she demonstrates her commitment to her principles. By putting her time and effort where her values are, she shows true genuineness.

It is not merely that Pendergast is a successful person who happens to be authentic; her authenticity has led to her success.

She believes that success is realizing what satisfies you and attaining it without compromise. Against the odds, Pendergast set out to build a career in the fire industry, and it is clear that she has built a spectacular one. “My beliefs have helped me be successful,” she says, “Although I have been told from the beginning that I wouldn't make it in the fire service, I didn't back down to others’ ideas.” She doesn’t shelve her principles and is making it easier for others to follow suit. Presently, she is changing the culture of her organization. “I am a champion of diversity,” she continues. “I often mentor young women considering a career in the fire service.”

Her advice to her AΣT Sisters is to speak up and be proud of your accomplishments: “You have to see yourself as successful and know you are doing the right thing to get there.”

“

You have to see yourself as successful and know you are doing the right thing to get there.

Deborah Pendergast

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A concern for safety, a value that is most obviously related to her career, first manifested in her youth when she looked after spring 2015

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Competency: Communicates Effectively Colleen Jones-Cervantes, Beta Xi President of Chevron Lubricants

Communicates Effectively

By Shanee Frazier, Gamma Rho

T

he challenge of communicating effectively is one that many people struggle with, whether it is due to a fear of public speaking or having trouble with spelling and grammar. While these obstacles might seem difficult to overcome, an even more difficult challenge has been tasked to Colleen Jones-Cervantes, Beta Xi: trying to send a clear and concise message across a company that spans several different cultural, language, and value systems.

Jones-Cervantes began her more than 31-year career with Chevron as a project engineer in the company’s Retail Marketing department. She received her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University in 1983.

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Jones-Cervantes now serves as the President of Chevron Lubricants, one of the world’s largest suppliers of premium base oils and finished lubricants. At this point in her professional career, she has jumped what she sees as her biggest hurdle – being a successful female in the very male-dominated energy field.

Instead, she now sees her true test as trying to get a consistent message across various platforms in a way that makes sense to every audience.

“Communication has significantly changed,” says JonesCervantes. “It’s difficult sometimes to know when you have successfully communicated your message.”

Jones-Cervantes says that she used to think that if she was talking, she was communicating and communicating well, but soon she realized that just because she was saying something didn’t guarantee her message was understood. This helped her see that the most important part of effective communication is not what she was saying, but how she was saying it and how it was received. With this thought in mind, the focus changed from the speaker to the audience.

“In a business context, we want to cut to the chase pretty quickly.

You should refrain from providing more information than is necessary to get the decision or the answer that you are after,” Jones-Cervantes explains. “Otherwise, you risk alienating your audience. You have to be clear. People do not want their time wasted.”

am saying. We try to hit it hard from all directions so that something will stick and resonate.”

Disseminating a message is only the first step, though, according to Jones-Cervantes. The next step is to verify that the audience understood what was said.

“Sometimes I find that my message wasn’t communicated or received correctly, so I have to re-work it,” she explains. “This is also important because it helps you determine what type of medium works best for you and which ones aren’t as strong.”

For example, Jones-Cervantes has found that two-way communications are much more comfortable for her, as they allow her to have verbal exchanges with her audiences and figure out their level of understanding. “Find the style that is most comfortable for you, and it will be the most effective,” she says. “Leverage your strengths and use what you have.”

Jones-Cervantes credits Alpha Sigma Tau with giving her a very strong start in communications roles by allowing her leadership roles and activities where she dealt with the university and the community.

“Build your communications skills in a safe, loving, supportive environment,” she says. “Build confidence, find your style, and practice. Technology has drastically changed and you have to keep amending your skill set to be effective. Continuous improvement should be your goal for communications."

“Equally important is communicating what results you hope to gain from your message,” Jones-Cervantes continues. “For example, are you looking for an answer or guidance?”

However, successful communication is much more than making direct eye contact and having a well-modulated voice. JonesCervantes advises that one has to believable, genuine, and know what she is talking about. “The worst thing you can do is go to a business meeting unprepared,” she says. “It’s important to figure out what the culture of the company is, listen, watch, and see what makes other people successful. Then emulate those qualities.”

Jones-Cervantes quickly learned in her public speaking career that although repetition is key for getting messages across, different mediums work for different people. This requires her to be much more innovative in how she delivers her information so that she can ensure that all of her employees remain on the same page.

“

Find the style that is most comfortable for you, and it will be the most effective. Leverage your strengths and use what you have.

Colleen Jones-Cervantes

”

“I have to communicate in many different ways because adults see differently, process differently, and learn differently,” JonesCervantes says. “Sometimes it will be town hall meetings. At other times, I use visuals. I have to get the leadership team singing from the same song sheet and reinforcing what I spring 2015

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Competency: Possesses Expertise Janet Schmieder Hogan, Beta Eta

Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer at the Oshkosh Corporation

Possesses Expertise

By Lauren Welch, Delta Psi

J

anet Schmieder Hogan, Beta Eta, focuses on developing people-assisting them in becoming great leaders and meeting their goals.

As a leader, Hogan believes in the 70/20/10 philosophy.

Seventy percent of how you grow and develop comes from what you do every day, life lessons, and the work you do at your job. Twenty percent comes from conversations and coaching moments. The last 10 percent is from formal learning and education. What this means is that what you learn in school is very important, but how you apply it is even more crucial. To Hogan, expertise comes from application.

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Hogan joined Alpha Sigma Tau in 1986, her junior year, at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, after she was recruited in the lunch line. She respected and appreciated that the new member period was not as long or intense as she anticipated, since she was paying her way through college.

Balancing work, college, and the Sorority was challenging, but life with Alpha Sigma Tau taught her a lot, which she directly contributes to success in her career.

Hogan feels that success in business is all about relationshipbuilding. “You have to have skills, you have to be smart,” Hogan says. “But how you get things done is just as important

as getting them done. Alpha Sigma Tau taught me about relationships, how to influence others, and to get things done."

She has been able to use these skills and believes that they have contributed to career success.

Hogan believes that most of what we learn and do comes from life experiences. Hogan remembers community involvement, fundraisers, and the experience of her Sisters talking her into running for Homecoming Queen as directly related to her career success. While Hogan was not elected, this life lesson, like other experiences, became a part of her 70 percent and helped develop the skills she utilized later in her career.

What is Hogan’s advice for possessing expertise and keeping up with changes? “In any field, networking, building a community of resources, and the importance of reading are key,” Janet shares. For example, a few times a year, she tries to attend outside networking groups such as the HR 50 – a professional group of about 80 chief human resources officers. “It is an opportunity to have networking and development time with people who have similar roles,” she explains. “Together, we learn from each other. They are such brilliant people to learn from! They are doing amazing things from a people – human resource – perspective.” Interactions like this allow Hogan to take away ideas and mold them to see what would work for the Oshkosh Corporation. “These inputs help me figure out what works at Oshkosh and put plans together. I also read various articles from the Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal, to name a few.”

"Government regulations drive changes in companies,” she continues. “It is changing fast.” So she keeps a close circle of peers to share and learn from. "One source might give you everything you need,” she explains. “But I like to get different perspectives. I also utilize friends, colleagues, specialists, and

“

consultants to provide feedback, resources, and insights." The importance of having a community of peers to utilize and seek guidance also sounds like something Hogan might have learned from Alpha Sigma Tau. In the end, how does Hogan possess expertise? She cultivates and utilizes relationships, networks, and life experiences to develop both herself and others.

You have to have skills, you have to be smart. How you get things done is just as important as getting them done.

Janet Schmieder Hogan

spring 2015

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Competency: Personal Life Balance Ann Holmes Ritterspach, Alpha Lambda

Associate Vice President of Relationship Management at Nationwide Insurance

Personal Life Balance

By Ben Nemenoff, Alpha Sigma Tau Director of Marketing and Communications

A

sk Ann Holmes Ritterspach, Alpha Lambda, and she’ll tell you that she feels like a fulfilled person. In addition to being a successful senior corporate executive, she is a happily married mother of one who always finds time for family, fun, and enjoying her life outside of work.

Ritterspach has been with Nationwide Insurance for more than 20 years. She has a broad professional background including experience in Claims Operations, Corporate Strategy, Regional Marketing, and Affinity Marketing. Today, she serves as Associate Vice President within Nationwide’s Affinity Solutions department. She and her team oversee more than 450 affinity partnerships, where Nationwide provides insurance discounts to member groups – including AΣT alumnae.

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In large part, Ritterspach credits her career success with being an AΣT collegiate leader in Alpha Lambda at Radford University, where she earned a degree in Business Administration. “I was the chapter’s Vice President overseeing scholarship and social events,” she recalls. “I made sure everyone kept good grades and then had fun – it was an interesting mix! It was also a strong opportunity for growth.

It gave me confidence to lead and taught me accountability. I learned how to present ideas, handle feedback, think on my feet, and build consensus before I entered a room. The whole experience set up me for long-term career success.”

However, she also credits her success to a strong marriage and family, and a committed focus to life outside the workplace.

“Personal Life Balance is the core of having a healthy lifestyle,” says Ritterspach.

“As you take your career journey, you also have to make time for family and a social life. Those are important too.”

To achieve this, Ritterspach has deliberately created home and work environments that support both career and personal success.

Ritterspach has found that focusing on her personal life has had positive impacts on her work life as well. “Prioritizing my personal life has definitely made me a better leader at work,” she says. “I became a people leader, hiring talented, energetic people that I trust and work with to get the job done right.

But more than hiring an effective team, I have found that I am more focused at work, and more efficient in making decisions and driving the work of my team. I don't waste time; I work hard to get quality work done-at work.”

“Everyone on our team tends to their full lives outside of work,” she continues. “But that hasn’t impeded our success.

We’re doing an awesome job! We exceeded our goals last year.

Having a strong team has enabled life balance for all of us.”

At home, she and her husband (who is also an executive at Nationwide) have created a similarly conducive environment.

“We made a deliberate decision to prioritize our personal life for us and our son,” she says. “While we have both achieved career success, we can also disconnect from business on most nights and weekends. We spend time with family and friends, get outdoors, cook. We exercise, eat well, and stay in shape. We both travel for work, but we create a schedule so that one of us is always home with our son. Our family life is thriving, and that reassures me that our approach is working well.”

flexibility to prioritize work,” she says. “But that’s wrong. Back then, I didn’t recognize the importance of balance. There was a period when I wasn’t putting myself first. I gained weight and had a more negative outlook. It affected both my personal and work relationships. In my gut, I knew this was wrong; I didn’t want to be this way. So I made the conscious decision to make time for me, and since then have always scheduled ‘Ann time’ where I can get outside, focus on health, socialize, or just curl up with a book on the patio.”

To Ritterspach, the commitment to Personal Life Balance takes confidence and follow-through. “The decision was the easy part … committing to that decision is harder” she says.

“A lot of times in the workplace, there is a perception that promoting life balance means you are not working hard or driven to succeed. But that’s a myth. I remember having to leave meetings at 5:00 to pick up my son, and getting stares as I walked out. I used to feel guilty about it, but not anymore - I am focused on life balance and can see the reward. It’s important to form healthy habits early, and have the confidence to stick with them – that’s key. I think truly great leaders have figured that out.”

“

Personal Life Balance is the core of having a healthy lifestyle. As you take your career journey, you also have to make time for family and a social life.

Those are important too.

Ann Holmes Ritterspach

”

So, what’s next for Ritterspach? “I love being at Nationwide,” she explains. “I also enjoy the volunteering my husband and I do for the United Way. I am especially drawn to family issues such as domestic abuse and child homelessness. After I retire, I can see myself at a nonprofit that addresses these issues.” A second career pursuing personal passions sounds like an ideal fit for someone who has mastered balancing her professional and personal lives.

However, this successful Personal Life Balance has not always been the case for Ritterspach. “When you are starting your career, before marriage and kids, you think you have more spring 2015

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Competency: Values and Maintains Relationships Lisa Throckmorton, Alpha Lambda

Chief Operating Officer at SpeakerBox Communications

Values and Maintains Relationships

By Samantha Rill, Delta Delta

T

here is a reason the saying “It’s all about connections” still holds true in the 21st century professional world. While an individual’s determination, work ethic, and desire to succeed in their career are valuable, having and maintaining personal relationships, especially with those in the corporate world, are essential for success. Communication, vital in any relationship, must be maintained for success to follow because corporations operate through relationships. Relationships with co-workers, employers, potential audiences, and other corporations are vitally important to a company’s success.

Lisa Throckmorton, Alpha Lambda and Chief Operating Officer of SpeakerBox Communications, LLC, understands the

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importance of having and maintaining relationships in order to succeed in her career and in her personal life.

“Communicating is important,” Throckmorton says when asked about the key to her success. “As an employer, I like to create an environment of open discussion. It’s important to address an issue as it comes up rather than harbor any negative emotions over time.” Allowing for issues to build up in the workplace decreases productivity, especially in smaller companies, but also in any office. It creates a negativity that impedes current projects to be completed. “When things aren’t discussed and build up, it’s creates conflict,” she continues.

to successfully pitch an idea to a prospective client.” Throckmorton adds that being strategic in your relationships is important, especially for those starting out. “Whether you’re comfortable with a tight circle or a wide circle, creating relationships with specific people can help you down the road,” she says.

“Grow your circle to your comfort level and keep it.” Throckmorton admits that while connecting via social media is not practical in every industry, it can be beneficial because it creates the opportunity for a more personal relationship. “Having a personal anchor helps connect you to these relationships on a deeper, more personal level.”

Photo Credit: ASJ Photography

“But conflict doesn’t always have a negative connotation either.

It’s easy to jump ship when difficulties arise and that’s not dissimilar to Sisterhood, marriage, or any other relationship."

“By having open and fair dialogue, it allows for an employee to express ‘I’d like to be doing XYZ’,” she explains. “It’s important to have a person feel that they’re challenged and contributing to the best interest of the company. Constructive feedback and open dialogue ultimately focus on the greater good of the employee and the employer.”

Throckmorton is deeply involved in the tech industry in the Washington, D.C., area. To her, this also includes the startup community, which she credits to bringing a new breath of life into her work. Her success in this area relies heavily on her building on the strong relationships she has created with both people and companies in the area. “You have to invest time in people and relationships, professionally and personally,” she says. “It’s not instantaneous, but the reward is worth it.” Her involvement in the D.C. tech community has been professionally energizing and satisfying, which she credits to communication and relationships.

“

You have to invest time in people and relationships, professionally and personally.

Lisa Throckmorton

”

When prompted for advice on how to be successful, she says to actively network and be involved in the community.

“Networking and meeting new colleagues present you with more opporunities in your career,” she explains. “People do business with those that they know, like, and respect. If there’s no connection, then you are much less likely, for example, spring 2015

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Competency: Contributes to Society Dr. Amy Perry-DelCorvo, Alpha Pi Chief Executive Officer of NYSCATE

Contributes to Society

By Lauren Irby, Zeta Tau

I

believe in the fulfillment of self and will strive to contribute my share to the progress of mankind. These words, so familiar and dear to the hearts of Alpha Sigma Tau Sisters everywhere, capture the essence of what it means to truly make a positive contribution to society. Dr. Amy Perry-DelCorvo, Alpha Pi, is a prime example of living a successful and philanthropic life fueled by leadership.

As the Chief Executive Officer of NYSCATE, the New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education, Perry-DelCorvo is a leader in her industry as well as in her community. Her accomplishments are impressive – she was awarded the 2001 ISTE Technology Leader of the Year Award and also recognized with the prestigious "Forty Under 40" award from the Rochester Business Alliance.

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Perry-DelCorvo’s career began as a Kindergarten teacher and computer coordinator. “I always planned on being a teacher,” she recalls. Then her life took an unexpected turn with her late husband's sudden passing..

She had to rebuild her life with her young daughter, Kathryn, in tow. She was recruited for a position at Wayne Finger Lakes Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), an education service agency. This drastically changed her life and career path, as she was able to serve on two national boards: the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and Consortium for School Networking (COSN). Today, her work and volunteerism not only directly affect her colleagues in education, but the lives of students positively impacted by those educators as well. Perry-DelCorvo's remarkable triumphs and inspiring

journey reveals her dedication to the fulfillment of self.

In 1989, PerryDelCorvo joined the Alpha Pi Chapter of Alpha Sigma Tau at Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania.

“Joining AΣT was lifechanging for me. My Sisters were, and in many cases still are, my family. Lessons learned during those initial years include teamwork, co-habitation, cooperation, competition, respect, rebounding after failure, coaching, and giving back to society,” she explains. “Actually, most life lessons were developed, if not perfected during those years!” Perry-DelCorvo keeps in touch with many of her Alpha Pi Sisters, especially using social media – “near or far, we still have that common bond.”

Perry-DelCorvo contributes to the progress of her community by volunteering with organizations that place a strong investment in children. Serving as the Board Chair for the Westside YMCA in Rochester, New York, and on the Hilton Heat Soccer Club and Hilton Select Basketball Board of Directors, she understands the value of service to society. She has been a member of the Rochester Rotary Club for 10 years and serves as a co-leader for a local Girl Scout troop. She and her family also participate in “Make a Difference” Day and work with “Dreams for Drake,” an organization that provides support services for young children and teens that have lost siblings or parents. “AΣT taught me how to be part of a larger cause.”

“My family is my foundation,” she says. “Although I take great pride in my professional career and community contributions, everything I do comes back to my family. I am blessed to have a supportive husband and wonderful children, who also give a great deal of their time to philanthropic efforts.”

She is often asked her professional opinion on what makes a great leader. “There are many traits that define a leader,” she says.

“However, believing in others must top the list. I honestly believe there is nothing more powerful than empowering and enabling others to complete a task and find success. Many people think leadership is about control, and actually it is quite the opposite.

Believing in yourself enough to empower those around you to succeed is key. Investing in others' success is a building block necessary for growth.” Perry-DelCorvo’s vision of leadership focuses on helping others find success, a valuable contribution to society’s progress.

Alpha Sigma Tau gave Perry-DelCorvo the opportunity to grow as a person, and some great memories as well. “One weekend, a bunch of Sisters loaded into my yellow van and we drove to Ypsilanti, Michigan, to meet the Sisters at Alpha Chapter, and to see where the Sorority began. To this day, it is one of the finest memories I have.” Additionally, attending National Conventions for Alpha Sigma Tau helped to build her confidence when she had to travel on her own as her career progressed.

Amy has some insightful advice for women that want to become better leaders. “It is important to become part of professional circles, but also recognize that being an active listener is more important than voicing your opinion within the circles,” she suggests. “Constantly strive to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. Grow your community – network, network, network! Whether it is at your local YMCA, higher education institution, or a book club, take the time to meet and truly get to know the people around you. Finally, whatever you do, believe in your causes with all of your heart.”

“

Investing in others’ success is a building block necessary for growth.

Dr. Amy Perry-DelCorvo

”

With her professional accomplishments, leadership through service, dedication to family, and philanthropic sprit, PerryDelCorvo honors the values of Alpha Sigma Tau. Recalling a recent family vacation in Florida, she notes: “That is all I need – making memories with the people I love.”

She remarried in 2001 and refers to her husband, Mark DelCorvo, as her personal anchor. “We blended our family of three children, Tyler, Brandon, and Kathryn, along with two daughters of our own, Marisa and Elena, to complete our family.” In 2012, Brandon passed away from a congenital heart defect but had been defying the odds since birth. “Brandon was a gift to our family and, as it turned out, brought us closer together even after his passing.”

Even in hardship, Perry-DelCorvo chooses to demonstrate a great deal of graciousness. spring 2015

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Competency: Confident Betsy Ross, Alpha Alpha President/Co-founder of Game Day Communications

Confident

By Ashley Hoogstraten, Beta Pi

B

etsy Ross, Alpha Alpha, was one of the first women to break into national sports news, a field then – and largely still – dominated by males. However, because of trailblazers like Ross, that is progressively changing.

As an undergraduate student at Ball State University, Ross student taught at Connersville High School in her hometown of Connersville, Indiana; it so happened to be a TV/radio class.

“They were the first high school to do a live daily broadcast in the state of Indiana,” she explains. That experience led her to realize that she wanted a career in journalism. “I really enjoyed it. I had visions of being an investigative reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times!”

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After graduation, Ross continued her education at the University of Notre Dame, where she learned about television and editing while completing a master’s degree in communications. “Back then, Phyllis George and Jane Chastain were the only women on TV in sports broadcasting,” she recalls. “You hardly ever heard about women. The field was dominated by men.” But that did not stop Ross. She jumped at the opportunity to cover the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games for Cincinnati’s NBC affiliate, WLWT-TV. “We had a lot of kids in the area going to the Games,” she explains. “So I covered the local Olympic news for NBC.” While Ross was in Atlanta a year before the Olympics, authorities uncovered a potential bomb threat which everyone

“That’s where confidence can lead you,” she explains.

“Confidence is trusting your instincts and knowing that you made the right decisions to prepare yourself. Confidence is not being scared of failure, because you know that failing is really an opportunity to learn and do better next time.”

Ross credits a lot of her success to her time as an AΣT collegian, where she had the opportunity to lead in what she describes as a difficult time for sororities and fraternities. “The Kent State shootings had just happened, and there was a lot of upheaval on campuses at the time,” she explains. “Greek organizations were not popular, so it forced us to think about our relevance and be creative about how we communicated.

We had to be confident in ourselves – and we were.”

Ross’ approach continues to carry her as she concurrently runs a business while pursuing her other passions as well.

She moonlights as a play-by-play anchor for women’s college basketball on ESPN, Fox Sports, and other national and regional outlets, and as a sports reporter for Cincinnati’s FOX 19. She is also the in-stadium announcement voice of the Cincinnati Bengals and the University of Cincinnati women’s basketball teams. Ross also teaches a master’s level course in sports and public relations at Xavier University and an undergraduate course in sports journalism at Indiana University.

In 2010, she authored and published a book, Playing Ball with the Boys: The Rise of Women in the World of Men's Sports, which provides a look into the role that women play in sports broadcasting and reporting.

See where some well-earned confidence can get you? assumed was targeting the Games. “It became the story,” recalls Ross. “And NBC didn’t have anyone to cover it live. So I raised my hand and said ‘I can do it.’ In life, that’s what you need to do. Raise your hand, especially as a woman. Tell them you’re here and show them what you can do. That takes confidence.”

Ross’ successful Olympic coverage got her noticed by ESPN, who recruited her as an anchor in 1997 and where she stayed for five years.

However, like many people, Ross re-evaluated her priorities following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. “I had been on air all morning and was until 4 p.m. that day,” she explains. “Once we got over the initial horror from that day, I think we all took a step back and said 'what am I doing with my life?’” It inspired Ross and her business partner Jackie Reau to put a long-incubated plan into action: their own public relations company geared towards sports.

In April 2002, they launched Game Day Communications, a Cincinnati-based firm that specializes in communications, media relations, and sports fan research. "We have been very blessed at Game Day,” she says. “We started during a recession and have had our ups and downs, but I love having my own company."

“

Confidence is trusting your instincts and knowing that you made the right decisions to prepare yourself.

Betsy Ross

spring 2015

”

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19

Competency: Innovates and Manages Change Dr. Stephanie Koprowski McGowan, Gamma Rho Associate Dean for Assessment and Accreditation at Seton Hall University & City Councilwoman

Innovates and Manages Change

By Shanee Frazier, Gamma Rho he field of education is one that is ever-changing, as culture Tappropriate and politics can often play a significant role in what is deemed to be taught in schools.

But the ability to “roll with the punches” and make them work in her favor in both her professional and personal lives is a strength that Dr. Stephanie Koprowski McGowan, Gamma Rho, possesses in spades.

McGowan currently serves as the Associate Dean for Assessment & Accreditation at Seton Hall University, a school with which she has an extensive history. She received her bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in education, and an educational specialist degree in educational administration from Seton Hall before completing her doctorate in education at Fordham University.

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Although her appointment to Associate Dean comes just as the College of Education and Human Services at the university prepares for its first review by the newly established Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), set for fall 2016, McGowan is more than ready to meet the challenge of this change.

“As an Associate Dean, being involved with national accreditation is a large task,” she says. “But I have gone through similar processes with two other universities and I am confident that this one will be successful as well.”

Prior to assuming her position at Seton Hall, McGowan led two other universities through accreditation process. She previously served as the Director of Education Enrollment and Certification for William Paterson University, where she was on two national accreditation leadership teams. As the Director of the master of arts in teaching program at Drew University, she went on to lead

the master's program through their first national accreditation.

Though the school setting where McGowan works may change, her commitment to finding ways to make future educators the best they can be never wavers. “The challenge is finding other people around you to grow – that’s the heart of change in the big picture,” she explains. “Getting really comfortable in what you do well and encouraging others to figure out what they do well is important.”

After spending time as a middle school English teacher, McGowan left the classroom environment to be a principal with the goal of finding creative ways to inspire teachers to do more in the classroom and, in turn, inspire students to learn. She soon realized that the role of principal was a very bureaucratic position, which made it harder to impact those that she sought to serve.

“In order to change a child’s life, we have to talk about the way we prepare teachers,” she says. “That’s what brought me to higher education.”

However, the role where McGowan has had to be the most innovative and flexible is as the mother of twins. She is swift to name their birth as the event that changed the way she saw the world and her role in it.

When the twins were first born, one of her sons was very sick and endured multiple surgeries, resulting in a very scary first year for the new mother. However, McGowan says that her son’s ability to pull through the myriad of health setbacks empowered her. She went from feeling victimized, lonely, and weak to feeling resolute and courageous. It was then that she applied for the doctorate program at Fordham.

“I knew that if I didn’t arm myself with the right credentials, I couldn't be a voice for those like my young son, who was unable to speak for himself,” she says. McGowan successfully defended her dissertation on her twins’ fifth birthday.

McGowan’s son was born with autism and ADHD. However, instead of viewing this as an obstacle, she used it as a chance to invoke even more change in her world – this time taking her convictions out of the classroom and into the community.

McGowan wasn’t content to stop at just advocating for a better curriculum for mainstreamed students; she wanted to ensure that students with special needs were also represented To that end, she served as a board member for the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN). She is currently the Second Vice President for Candle Lighters, a fundraising organization for The ARC of Essex County, and Co-Chair of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council in her community.

“Even something tragic can be the most beautiful catalyst,” McGowan states, describing her decision to take the next step and run for public office. “I decided to run because I wanted to continue the legacy of advocacy and find the courage and strength for the things that mean the most to me.”

On Election Day 2014, McGowan was elected as a Councilwoman in her hometown of Rutherford, New Jersey. Her overarching goal in this new position will be to further incite change in her life outside of work by building communities that are responsive and responsible.

“I have so much to learn from the experiences of other families and parents,” she explains. “It can be a very frustrating process trying to bring about change, but we have two choices: live to fight another day or give up. But when we’re talking about the quality of a child’s life and their future, we can’t afford to be quiet.”

“

Even something tragic can be the most beautiful catalyst.

Stephanie McGowan

”

As Councilwoman, McGowan has a keen interest in advocating for programs that are inclusive so that everyone in the community can feel like they matter and are a part of the fabric.

How will she achieve this? “New conversations, new avenues about how I can try to influence public policy,” McGowan says. “Schools are at the heart of the community, and now I am included in the outside conversations that influence education.”

At the end of the day, McGowan is comfortable in the fact the she is not in possession of all of the answers, and still has a learning curve in her new role. “I understand that I don’t have to know everything and that there is a lot of work left to do,” She concludes. “It is bigger than I am."

spring 2015

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spring 2015

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National Panhellenic Conference

TOGETHER, WE HELP EACH OTHER DO MORE. Nationwide® is proud to partner with Alpha Sigma Tau. You wouldn’t be involved with Alpha Sigma Tau if you weren’t passionate about being part of a group that shares your values, but that’s not the only reason you’re proud of being a member.

Alpha Sigma Tau also believes in the importance of philanthropy and in playing an active role in your community. Nationwide shares these values, too, and that’s why our partnership works.

To learn more about what our partnership can do for you, call 1-317-613-7575 or visit alphasigmatau.org.

Nationwide may make a financial contribution to this organization in return for the opportunity to market products and services to its members or customers. Products Underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies, Columbus, OH 43215. Not all Nationwide affiliated companies are mutual companies, and not all Nationwide members are insured by a mutual company. Subject to underwriting guidelines, review, and approval. Nationwide and the Nationwide N and Eagle design are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. ©2015 Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. AF0-0576AO.1 (01/15)

ALPHA SIGMA TAU NATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.

Thank You from the Alpha Sigma Tau National Foundation!

T

his issue of THE ANCHOR focuses on AΣT Sisters who are leaders in their communities, places of work, and other arenas. This issue also focuses on the launch of Illuminate – the Sorority’s member development program that gives each participating collegian the proven leadership skills she needs to become the woman she hopes to be. Grounded in real life, Illuminate’s competency-based learning is built on insights about life success from thousands of accomplished women leaders in a wide range of professions.

In 2013, the AΣT National Foundation provided educational grants of $192,000 as seed money for this innovative new program. We continue to provide funding for this important program through Annual Fund donations, which we are only able to do because of donors like you. Remember the donations you made at Convention for Yellow Roses or Silent Auctions, or the one you sent for The Founders Day Challenge? Every Annual Fund donation helps provide funding for Illuminate and other educational programs that the Sorority provides to its members.

Raised almost $13,000 for the Annual Fund!

Connect with us!

You can read more about the dynamic and innovative Illuminate program throughout this issue. Please take the time to learn more about this exciting opportunity that your donations have supported, and will continue to support, for our Sisters.

Speaking of which, on behalf of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, I thank all of our Sisters and friends who took the 115th Founders Day Challenge – thank you! You donated almost $13,000 to the Annual Fund!  Donations are accepted through the Foundation's website http://alphasigmatau.org/ foundation/give-now or via mail to the Alpha Sigma Tau National Foundation, Inc., 3334 Founders Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268.  Thank you again for your generous support!

In Sisterhood,

Alpha Sigma Tau National Foundation @ASTFoundation

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Kris Haskin, Beta Pi Foundation President

Crowning Achievements Heide-Marie Bliss Heide-Marie Bliss, Alpha Omicron, was recently awarded a 2014 Warren Christopher Values Award by her law firm, O'Melveny & Myers, LLP, in New York City, where she works as Library Manager. The award, which is the firm’s highest employee honor, is reserved for staff who exemplify excellence, distinctive leadership, and superior citizenship. The award notice described Heide-Marie as “one of the true stars of the firm” who “quite simply rocks our world,” and recognized her “ideal combination of intelligence, diligence, and professionalism.” In addition to her career accomplishments, Heide-Marie also actively participates in many other projects undertaken by the office, including an annual book drive for the Queens Borough Public Library, beautification projects, supporting a shelter for survivors of domestic abuse, virtual food drives for the Food Bank of New York, and support for victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Allison Moenster Allison Moenster, Beta Eta, has been recognized with the DAISY Award at St. Louis University Hospital for the second time in a career that is fewer than four years old. The award was established in 1999 by the Patrick Barnes family to honor extraordinary nurses and the exemplary work they perform for patients and families every day. When she received the award, Moenster worked on the orthopedic and trauma floor at the hospital. The press release announcing the award quoted one of Moenster’s patients, who described her as “one of the most caring individuals I have ever met. She is comforting yet sincere. She is very professional and always seems to have the needs and care of the patient and family members at heart.”

Dr. Theresa Gallo Osorio Dr. Theresa Gallo Osorio, Delta Phi, was awarded the Outstanding Mid-Level Professional Award from the Commission for Student Involvement of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). Presented during their 2015 convention in Tampa, Florida, the award recognized Osorio’s demonstrated commitment to the student affairs profession through her work as Assistant Dean for Student Involvement at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, and through professional organizations. As part of the award, Osorio will be invited to write for one of the Commission's publications during the next year. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Osorio also serves as Assistant Chapter Advisor for Epsilon Theta and Chapter Advisor for Epsilon Epsilon.

Send information about your (or a sister's!) notable accomplishments to anchor@alphasigmatau.org with the subject "Crowning Achievements"! spring 2015

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ALUMNAE Chapter officer email addresses are listed as they are on file with Headquarters. Chapter Editors are generally responsible for providing the following updates.

Baltimore

draycob@verizon.net The Baltimore Alumnae Chapter is meeting on a monthly basis and continuing to increase membership, fundraising, and philanthropy. In October, we held a beer tasting event. Members and spouses/boyfriends brought different types of beer, then tasted and rated them. On November 2, we held a Founders Day celebration at the home of Nazie Spurrier, complete with yellow roses and candles. At the same time, we held a small surprise baby shower for Nazie, who had a beautiful baby boy in January. December was an active month. On December 6, we had a cookie exchange at the home of Erica Richards. Members brought one or two types of cookies to share. Besides the cookies, we had a delicious meal that included a hot cocoa bar. Ruby Marcello, a member currently working in Mexico, sent a gift to each of us - a beautiful yellow and green drinking glass. Our chapter also sent Christmas cards to members and collegiate chapters. Starting off the new year, we met in January for “Souper Saturday,” when we collected items for the local food pantry and set up the rest of the 2015 calendar. Our fundraisers have included Tupperware, magazine subscriptions, and e-certificates. We have also become increasingly involved with the Greater Baltimore Alumnae Panhellenic Association (GBAPA), with Emily Kindred serving as our representative.

Please visit us on Facebook at Alpha Sigma Tau Baltimore Alumnae Chapter or on the web at www.astbaltimore.org. Interested alumnae may also email us at baltimorealumnae@gmail.com.

BOSTON

sailynnd@hotmail.com The Boston Alumnae Chapter gathered at King's "A Classy Bowling Joint" in Dedham, Massachusetts, for a fun Sisters night! Joanna Barrett, Yolanda Bauer, Kelly Vehlies and Sailynn Doyle enjoyed a night of laughs, bowling, and dining. The ladies were able to show off their dynamite bowling skills while catching up on life with each other. Kelly was the superstar of the night with her laid-back approach which won her the high score! Boston Alumnae is planning a spring event after they dig out of the seven feet of snow they received during the month of February. For more information about future events, email Sailynn at sailynnd@hotmail.com.

Buffalo

Catherine.Gervase@nationalgrid.com The Buffalo Alumnae Chapter has been very busy since our September brunch meeting at Susan McNamara’s Canadian summer home. October’s meeting was held at Bob Evans Restaurant. Members brought candy, which we used to make up goody bags for local collegiate chapters. Our Founders Day celebration took place November 1 at Templeton Landing

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edwardsville Restaurant at Erie Basin Marina near Buffalo’s Inner Harbor. The event was attended by alumnae as well as collegians from the Epsilon Mu, Epsilon Rho, and Sigma chapters. The seating plan included a mix of groups at each table, which facilitated a “Getting to Know You” game.

Attendees were asked to bring canned goods and outerwear items for Marilynn Todd’s church pantry. Our November fundraiser at Cheeburger Cheeburger was fun and attended by members, families, and friends. The Save-Around-Buffalo book sale was also a success. December’s calendar is always full for our chapter. In addition to our regular dessert meeting and gift exchange at the Belleview Hotel, we held the traditional punch party in Michele Luppino’s home, where members and guests enjoyed a relaxed evening with potluck appetizers and desserts. Topping off the month’s festivities was the Jingle Bell Jam at Kleinhans Music Hall.

Nineteen members, children, and grandparents enjoyed a special day of entertainment as part of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s kids program. We also collected gloves, mittens, scarves, and hats for a local foster care program and made contributions to Pine Mountain Settlement School and the News Neediest Fund. Area Alpha Sigma Tau alumnae who would like to join the Buffalo Alumnae Chapter are invited to contact our Membership Chair, Rachel Lis, at mrsrachellis@gmail.com.

Detroit METRO jlkositz@mtu.edu

After a long, hot summer, we resumed our monthly schedule in September with a meeting at a Sister’s home in Royal Oak. October brought a fun event in addition to our regular meeting: a visit to a local orchard for some traditional Michigan fall festivities such as cider tasting, eating fresh donuts, and a corn maze. In November, we celebrated Founders Day at a luncheon hosted by the Ypsilanti–Ann Arbor Alumnae Chapter. Several Sisters participated in a fall crafts show sponsored by the Detroit Alumnae Panhellenic Association. We celebrated the holiday season by purchasing presents for a local family, which we wrapped at our annual Christmas party and ornament exchange. We also supported a Sister who performed in a local production of White Christmas. In January we had our annual potluck with an added twist: a chili/soup cook-off! For more information about our chapter, please contact Haylie Tate at htate@gmx.com.

Edwardsville The Edwardsville alumnae have been busy this past year electing officers, organizing events for the coming year, and meeting monthly at various restaurants in and around the metro St. Louis area. Highlights include celebrating our 41st year as an alumnae chapter with a wonderful celebration in February at Cooper’s Hawk in Chesterfield.

March and April meetings brought Sisters together at Texas Roadhouse and The Old Spaghetti Factory. Many Beta Eta alumnae attended the annual alumnae picnic hosted by the Beta Eta Chapter (170 members strong!) at the Crystal Garden in Edwardsville. May was spent planning our altruistic projects (such as serving dinner at the Ronald McDonald House for Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center in St. Louis) and discussing recruitment ideas to encourage the many Beta Eta collegiate members, as well as area alumnae to become “anchored for life.” We also had a great time at Cardinals Nation restaurant outside Busch Stadium. Fall brought the annual Scouting for Food drive, during which we helped organize thousands of pounds of food collected by area Boy Scouts for the Glen Ed Pantry; dinner at Zia’s in October; the annual Founders Day celebration hosted by Beta Eta at the Crystal Garden; and a Christmas party/canned goods drive in December. Through the years, we have collected more than 500 pounds of food for the pantry at this party. A highlight of 2014 was sharing in the nuptials of longtime member Michelle Wirth. For further updates and photos, please visit or join our Facebook page, Beta Eta Alums.

Erie

phenuala@gmail.com After a busy fall season, we look forward to our volunteer work at the Second Harvest Food Bank and our Adopt-a-Highway cleanup projects. Our holiday activities included an evening in November filling stockings for Pine Mountain Settlement School. In December, Sisters paused to relax for a meeting at a local coffee shop. Activities for spring include a meeting at Sheetz to take advantage of their ice cream bar and a game night to see who has a Clue, wins at Life, or is in Trouble! On a personal note, Juliann Zawadzki, Delta Alpha, married Paul Worden on August 31. Catherine Cipriani, Delta Alpha, got engaged to Mike Doyle on September 17 and gave birth to a handsome son, Jack Conner, on November 10.

greater chicago area

ALUMNAE

jabeal@sbcglobal.net

Greater chicago area krishaskin@gmail.com

The women of the Greater Chicago Alumnae Chapter kept busy this fall.

In September, we had our first wine tasting competition and brunch.

Every Sister brought two bottles of white wine. After tasting all of the wines, we chose a winner who went home with all of the second bottles!

In October, we met at Bottle & Bottega to show off our creative abilities.

The painting for the day was the Chicago Loop via the train lines. It was an interesting and fun experience—one that we will try again in the future! In November, we joined the Delta Delta Chapter to celebrate the Sorority's 115th Founders Day. The event took place in a great bookstore close to campus and everyone brought food items to share. It was wonderful to celebrate with our collegiate Sisters and we look forward to doing so again soon. In December, Sisters gathered for an annual favorite - our holiday party and gift exchange. The food was delicious, the conversation was great, and the gift "exchange" was awesome, as usual. Everyone went home with a wonderful present! We are ready for our 2015 events and look forward to sharing more details on the fun we are having in the next issue of THE ANCHOR.

Indianapolis

jsolties@alphasigmatau.org Indy alumnae had a wonderful fall! In October, we celebrated at the Indianapolis Alumnae Panhellenic Centennial, an event planned by our own Sally Belknap, Alpha. We also made and mailed green and gold anchor cookies to our four nearest collegiate chapters—Beta Pi, Epsilon Lambda, Epsilon Kappa, and Epsilon Omicron—to wish them a happy 115th Founders Day. For our Founders Day celebration, more than 20 alumnae and collegians gathered for lunch at Maggiano’s. We can’t wait to celebrate again next year and hope to have even more Sisters attend!

In December, we once again participated in Wreaths Across America, an event that honors veterans by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies across the country. If you’re in the Circle City, let us know - we'd love to see you at an upcoming event!

Northern Virginia sam.pankau12@gmail.com

Indianapolis

The Northern Virginia Alumnae Chapter has kept quite busy. One of the highlights this fall was a beautiful Founders Day philanthropic dinner hosted by Charlotte Floyd. We had a record-breaking turnout with more 30 alumnae in attendance, including National President Tiffany Street. All donations from the dinner benefited the Alpha Sigma Tau National Foundation Annual Fund. In November, members participated in the Northern Virginia Panhellenic Circle of Sisterhood Walk to raise awareness for the organization. We purchased Christmas gifts for two children through the USO Elf Project. Other activities we spring 2015

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ALUMNAE

enter spring, we plan to grow our membership while finding new ways to contribute to Rho and the Southeastern Oklahoma community. We welcome all alumnae to join us as we work to improve our alumnae association and support our Sisters.

St. Louis

mwfoster_ast@hotmail.com

Northern Virginia enjoyed were our lovely Lunch Bunch group, painting pumpkins for Halloween, sharing recipes at our cookie exchange, and our monthly Bunco nights. Finally, we just completed our annual White House Christmas ornament fundraiser, for which we sold 368 ornaments—an increase over the last four years!

Phoenix Valley of the Sun karen.anderson2@cox.net

PVOS alumnae had a wonderful Founders Day event November 9 at North Mountain Park in Phoenix. Eight of our members gathered with 12 ladies from Epsilon Alpha for a joint celebration and ceremony that also recognized their chapter’s 10th anniversary. It was a beautiful day and we had a large ramada at the park all to ourselves. Following the ceremony, we enjoyed a light luncheon and anniversary cake. PVOS presented Epsilon Alpha with a gift toward the purchase of a canopy for their outdoor events. Our next meeting will be in late March when we will enjoy appetizers and socializing with husbands/guests at the home of Cynthia McCrory.

Southeastern Louisiana jmhworth@gmail.com

We are excited to get this new year started. On January 24, a large group of alumnae attended the Fe-Lion Champagne Bingo. This fundraiser supporting Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) athletics is always a fun time for everyone. February 17 is Phi Chapter’s local Founders Day and this year they celebrated 75 years on the SLU campus. Alpha Sigma Tau is the oldest national sorority at SLU. A weekend of Sisterhood was February 27–March 1, starting with an alumnae wine and cheese social on Friday evening at the home of Cameron and Marcia Comeaux Barr.

On that Saturday evening, we joined our collegiate Sisters for a banquet on campus. To raise funds for the National Foundation Scholarship, we held “A Σilent ‘Tau’ction” with items donated by alumnae and a raffle for an afghan. We ended the festivities with a luncheon on that Sunday.

March will find us at the annual SLU Rock-n-Roar selling grilled cheese sandwiches, followed by a chapter meeting in the afternoon. Spring in southeastern Louisiana is a busy time!

Southeastern Oklahoma shelbylnorman@gmail.com

Southeastern Oklahoma alumnae recently celebrated Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s 105th Homecoming. In addition, we worked with the Boys and Girls Club of Durant to collect school supplies for the community. We also joined the Rho Chapter collegians in welcoming and celebrating four newly inducted alumnae. As we

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The autumn started off with an Italian buffet luncheon, which was attended by Sisters from five chapters and three different states. It was a great Sisterhood bonding event. Our newest member, Katelyn Gallegher, Gamma Rho, was initiated in October. Katelyn and Katie Mascari, who was initiated in April, were in the same new member class in Gamma Rho. These two women have added energy and new ideas to our chapter functions. Mary Kay Ellerbrock Turner, Alpha Sigma, hosted both alumnae initiations with wonderful food. Contributions were made to Beta Rho Chapter in honor of our Chapter President, Melanie Foster, and to the Alpha Sigma Tau National Foundation in memory of Marie Nemnich, an active member for 75 years.

Tidewater Area crawford27@cox.net

October was a busy month for the Tidewater alumnae. Our annual yard sale fundraiser was an overwhelming success. All of the Sisters who participated had a great time and we were able to make donations to Habitat for Humanity, Samaritan House, and the Salvation Army.

Later in the month, the tales told by our guest speaker—a docent at Bacon’s Castle, a local historic site—transported Sisters to a different time and place. In November, we gathered at a local restaurant to celebrate Founders Day and our alumnae chapter’s 50th anniversary.

Sisters brought items from their collegiate days, filling the room with fond memories and laughter as everyone shared stories and enjoyed an evening together. Amy Diller shared her creativity by making scarves for us as favors. We honored two founding chapter members, Anna Margaret Rhodes and Diane Forrest, with special scarf creations and a framed collection of pages from old chapter historical papers.

We celebrated Christmas with our annual social at Elaine Eason’s home. More than 30 Sisters and their husbands/boyfriends shared a delicious potluck holiday dinner followed by an exceptionally lively and entertaining gift exchange. The humorous and creative gift ideas were off the chart, once again providing an evening we will long remember.

We have many plans for the new year and we are always looking for new members. If you are in the Tidewater region of Virginia, please visit our website: alphasigmatautidewateralumnae.weebly.com

Tidewater

COLLEGIANS Chapter Vice Presidents of Community Relations are generally responsible for providing the following updates.

Alpha

Eastern Michigan University Our chapter held our annual Grilled Cheese Fundraiser on October 15th and raised over $500. We also volunteered for Greening of Detroit. Four of our members are Alternative Spring Break Site Leaders. Members of our chapter attended Make-A-Wish charity ball whose proceeds went to granting the wish of a child. We attended a Founders Day event on November 1 and had the opportunity to connect with alumnae and collegians from Beta, Delta Tau, Gamma Xi, and Epsilon Kappa chapters. We also attended a Mr. Greek pageant hosted by a fellow sorority on campus.

Beta

Central Michigan University Our chapter hosted the annual Grilled Cheese Fundraiser which raised $1,645 for our philanthropy, Pine Mountain Settlement School. Our chapter was thrilled to have participated in over 1,000 volunteer hours this semester. We strive to have a strong Sisterhood. Over the semester, we had at least one Sisterhood event every other week where we have played games, went to campus events, and participated in bonding activities. Our chapter is involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, and we are excited to have the most participation out of all other sororities for Leadership Safari, an on-campus event.

Delta

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Our chapter participated in a two intriguing workshops this semester. The Executive Committee held a structure workshop to better inform our Sisters of positions and duties within our Pearl Officer structure. Also, a Panhellenic Executive Committee member led an LGBT awareness workshop for us. Our chapter teamed with Zeta Tau Alpha and Kappa Sigma to create a battleshipthemed homecoming float. We won second place and a cash prize. We then participated in two Homecoming cleanups, one directly after the parade and the second the morning after all festivities ended, in order to keep the town looking sharp. We celebrated Founders Day by having a daylong retreat at a lodge near campus. We started with a candle-lighting ceremony. We then took chapter and new member class photos, and had a potluck meal. We also met alumnae who attended the Homecoming parade to support us in the float competition.

Chi

Shepherd University In November, We participated in Operation Christmas Child and made a total of 12 boxes and donated $84.00 to cover expenses needed to send the boxes. In October, participated in a Light the Night walk. In ten days, we raised $554.00 for research into lymphoma and leukemia. Some of our members participated with other Greeks on campus for Greek day of service. Five of our members attended a Leadership Conference held on campus. In the Fall, our chapter initiated twelve new members which has helped us on our quest to grow.

Alpha Gamma

Henderston State University The Alpha Gamma Chapter ended the spring 2014 semester strong when we received the Outstanding Student Organization-Greek Award. In November, we participated in a Habitat for Humanity project where we got to build, paint, work

with kids, and enjoy a meal with the people that would be receiving the houses. In July, we had a summer retreat at the Wild Turkey Lodge in Fort Smith Lake State Park, where we spent two days and nights growing our Sisterhood and having workshops.

Alpha Epsilon

Western Illinois University The sisters of the Alpha Epsilon Chapter could not be more proud of our Advisor for receiving the Advisor of the Year award at our National Convention. This fall, we held our annual Tau Challenge event to raise money for our local philanthropy, the American Cancer Society, and we successfully raised over $1,000! We have also completed a large number of community service hours by volunteering our time with a nearby Habitat for Humanity. Sisters went to a local storage garage to help load vans and trucks with families’ personal belongings that would eventually be transported to a home where the family would live.

Alpha Lambda Radford University

This semester, nine members of Alpha Lambda were welcomed into the Gamma Sigma Alpha National Greek Honor Society, which required a 3.5 semester GPA. Two of our other sisters, Rebecca Gaunt and Elizabeth Simpson were initiated into the International Honorary Art Fraternity Kappa Phi, Radford's first art fraternity.

Two Sisters, Kayla Ackelson and Sierra Bradberry, were members of Radford's first credited "Greek Leaders" course. They participated in activities such as a meet and greet with local police, an etiquette luncheon with a certified instructor, dinner with Radford University's President Penelope Kyle, and much more.

Alpha Xi

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania This semester, our chapter worked with one of our local philanthropies, Habitat for Humanity. We traveled to Addison, New York, and helped build a house for a single mother and her three daughters. We had the pleasure of hosting our first annual Holiday Party. We invited local alumnae and enjoyed crafts, Christmas music, and hot chocolate. It was an amazing time to catch up with our alumnae and bond with each other while getting into the holiday spirit. Our chapter hosted this semester's risk management event, where one of our Sisters was responsible for educating all the sororities on the dangers of alcohol.

Alpha Pi

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Our chapter hosted a spaghetti dinner and a trivia game called "Are You Smarter Than a Fraternity Guy" to raise money for one of our Sisters, Morgan Yoney, who has cystic fibrosis. During the fall semester, we were able to raise $850 for Morgan.

One of the fraternities on campus, Pi Kappa Alpha, saw how much we tried to raise awareness and support Morgan, so they donated an additional $1,000 for her.

Alpha Tau

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania This fall, we hosted our annual softball tournament and put the contributions from every participating organization towards the John Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation. We are excited to announce that the foundation will begin the next phase of their research. Because of this, we have now selected a close-to-home local philanthropy SafeNet. SafeNet assists women and children in need of shelter and resources, including food, toys, and clothes in the Erie, Pennsylvania community. We donated the supplies to SafeNet before winter break.

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COLLEGIANS

Beta Delta

Duquesne University Beta Delta raised just over $11,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation during our Miss Duquesne event. Beta Delta is extremely involved on campus and sent representatives to all Greek Life and Panhellenic events. We were extremely excited to welcome four amazing women into our chapter during fall recruitment.

Beta Epsilon

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania This fall semester we were able to help our military by collecting food supplies to be shipped to the men and women who serve overseas. We were also able to write letters to the soldiers who were receiving these care packages. Finally, we made a trip to "Keystone Soldiers" with another sorority on campus, Phi Sigma Sigma, to assemble care packages and give a helping hand to those who constantly help our soldiers overseas. We participated in a member development event where a Zumba teacher came to our campus and our Sisters were able to exercise together in a fun environment.

Beta Eta

One of our popular events in October, Pink Hair for Hope, raised $1,812 by having hair stylists come on campus and put in pink hair extensions on women... and men! Our Sisters were able to show off some of their culinary skills by hosting a Pancake Breakfast. We raised $765 in one day and donated the proceeds to Habitat for Humanity. Senior Stephanie Little earned a medallion for her leadership efforts in the Student Leadership Development Program.

Beta Theta

St. Mary's University Our chapter held Breast Cancer Awareness Week, in which we sold awareness material. We raised approximately $200 that was donated to the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation. Our chapter also held an end-of-the-semester Sisterhood event. We participated in a series of games that helped to strengthen our trust with one another. Sisters enjoyed this event because it brought all of us closer together. Our chapter participated in our campus local Halloween celebration, Boo Bash, which allows low income families to come to our campus and enjoy food and games. We volunteered for a face painting table.

Beta Iota

Millersville University of Pennsylvania We hosted a Date-A-Tau philanthropy event that raised over $250, and we held a few bake sales throughout the semester. We also went caroling at a local senior citizen center. We were very happy to be reunited with alumnae who came back for Homecoming this fall. The Beta Iota Chapter participated in a Mini-Thon event called "Four Dances" in which we danced for over three hours in honor of one of our alumnae Sisters who passed away due to cancer. This fall, the Beta Iota Chapter initiated four new sisters.

Beta Mu

Salisbury University We started off the semester with a beach clean up day. We spent the day cleaning up Ocean City and the surrounding area. We held our second annual Door Parade to celebrate World Habitat Day which raised money for Habitat for Humanity. We participated in a suicide awareness walk as well as an ALS walk. One of our Sisters, Sarah Cross, put together an ALS basket bingo event which raised $1000. This semester, our Vice President of Member Development planned a very successful body image workshop for our Sisters.

Beta Nu

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Starting off the summer strong, we worked at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for our third summer in a row. This year we raised approximately $6,000 for our chapter. We also participated in numerous other events, including Bocce Bash (Special Olympics event), a Christmas cancer

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Beta Pi

Eastern Illinois University This semester, we placed second at Homecoming and elected Katie Edelmann (senior) and Whitney Bennett (sophomore) as our Queen and Princess candidates, respectively. This fall, we successfully hosted our fall philanthropy event and raised money for our National Philanthropy, Pine Mountain Settlement School. We also gave back to our community by contributing over 900 hours of community service as a chapter. This effort included visiting and cleaning our Adopt a Highway space six times, as well as adopting a second mentally disabled citizen in our community through the Natural Tie organization.

Beta Rho

Arkansas Tech University We had a very successful first Formal Recruitment. We added 31 new members!

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

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walk, and a breast cancer awareness walk. During fall recruitment, we started a new trend at Bloomsburg University with a professionally filmed recruitment video. We had so much fun getting together to film it over the summer; it has become one of our favorite new traditions.

spring 2015

Beta Tau

University of Massachusetts Lowell This semester, we sponsored Walk a Mile in Her Shoes. During this event, the men of UMass Lowell walked a mile in red high heels to raise awareness about and help put an end to sexual violence. We also helped bring Up Til Dawn to the university. Our chapter, along with other organizations on campus, organized this event where teams of six stayed up all night participating in challenges and team-building activities to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. This event raised $17,000 and our two teams raised $1,500. In addition to these events, we also volunteered at Willow Manor Nursing Home, Merrimack House Homeless Shelter, and Millie's Place Women and Children's Shelter.

Beta Upsilon

New Jersey Institute of Technology This semester, we hosted a bake sale with the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity on our campus to raise money for Pine Mountain Settlement School and Push America.

We also hosted a paint balloon event in which we sold darts to throw at paint balloons to raise money for Pine Mountain. Our biggest and most successful event this semester was a Charity Festival we hosted with the Habitat for Humanity club on campus. The money we raised from the Charity Festival was donated to Habitat for Humanity. Our chapter also volunteered for various Habitat builds and wrapped presents. Overall, we raised a little over $1,000 and accumulated more than 350 hours of community service.

Beta Phi

California University of Pennsylvania In November, our Sisters paired up with members of the Acacia Fraternity for their annual Acacia Clause Toy Drive to benefit the Toys for Tots Foundation.

After a long day of fundraising, we were able to raise $1,900 in toys! During the fall 2014 recruitment season, our chapter paired up with the Sisters of Delta Zeta for a joint recruitment party. We had a great turnout, and the potential new members responded really well to our event. Many of the potential new members said that they loved seeing the Greek unity and that sororities were willing to work together when recruiting.

Beta Chi

Ferris State University We held our annual Anchor Slam Volleyball Tournament. We raised $450 for Habitat for Humanity and $250 for Pine Mountain Settlement School. Our chapter took part in the DZ turtle tug, the Lambda Chi Watermelon Bash, and the AZD Cornhole Tournament. The Beta Chi Chapter attended self-defense classes, and we are all better prepared and know what to do in case of an emergency. We co-hosted an on-campus speaker who talked about "Fortune Through Failure." Our chapter held an Alumnae Tea event at a local sandwich shop and had around 50 alumnae attend - one of our best turnouts!

Gamma Upsilon

Our chapter hosted our second annual "Are You Smarter Than a Fraternity Man?" event and raised over $1,500 for our local philanthropy, The Ashley Lauren Foundation. We had so much fun this semester bonding as a Sisterhood.

As a chapter, we went apple picking, had Thanksgiving dinner, and held a Secret Santa present exchange. We were incredibly involved this semester. We attended the "Think-Pink" basketball game for breast cancer awareness and the "Big Event" which helped clean our community. We also assisted the National Alliance on Mental Illness in bringing awareness to our campus.

The chapter successfully completed a floral-themed recruitment and welcomed 21 new Sisters. Their bonds of Sisterhood are strong; the chapter has adopted the phrase “my Sister’s struggle is my struggle.” In light of this, Sisters have raised an impressive $13,000 for the ALS Foundation in honor of a Sister’s father who struggles with the disease.

Monmouth University

Gamma Gamma

University of West Alabama The chapter boasts six sisters on the dean’s list and four on the president’s list. Members are also involved on campus, especially as Resident Assistants, Ambassadors, and members of a number of honor societies. Sisters combined service and Sisterhood as they supported a sister with Type 1 diabetes by participating in the JDRF 5K. Other philanthropic endeavors included October’s Pumpkin Palooza, which raised $125 for breast cancer research, a woman’s health forum whose speakers included chapter alumnae, and some fun during finals week as they caroled with Brothers of the Delta Chi Fraternity. In addition to all of these activities, the chapter was thrilled to welcome seven new members.

Gamma Delta University of Massachusetts - Darthmouth Eleven sisters were honored on the dean’s list. Sisters are involved across campus in such positions as President, Vice-President, and Treasurer of Active Minds, Senior Class Council, Tour Guides, Order of Omega, and both the rugby and track teams. The chapter participated in the Providence Breast Cancer Walk, Out of the Darkness Walk, and World Suicide Day; and they had a Domestic Violence focus group as both a Sisterhood and awareness-building activity. We had 13 new members join our active chapter through fall recruitment!

Gamma Lambda

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania The chapter grew by 23 Sisters with a great new member class this fall, and all sisters had the opportunity to participate in a Founder’s Day activity with local alumnae and collegians of the Gamma Tau and Delta Theta chapters.

Chapter bylaws were updated, renewing excitement for the work of the Sorority, and Sisters participated in their campus Walk to End Alzheimers, a service opportunity very close to the heart of many chapter members.

Gamma Mu

West Virginia University of Technology In addition to new members joining the chapter, Sisters were thrilled to initiate their Academic Advisor, Courtney Barko, as an alumnae affiliate member! A Founder’s Day celebration included an awards ceremony, and Sisters also visited with another chapter and held monthly bonding activities. Members were academically involved, with several Sisters included on the dean's list. Members also volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and a Conquer Chiari Walk organized by an alumna, and they hold positions as Greek Council President and President of the Criminal Justice student organization.

Gamma Tau

Lebanon Valley College In addition to participating in a Founder’s Day celebration with with the Gamma Lambda and Delta Theta chapters, the Gamma Tau Chapter has been very active on campus! Several Sisters were honored on the dean’s list, and all members maintained their academic scholarships. Sisters were involved around campus as Peer Mentors and College Ambassadors, and the chapter participated in several philanthropic activities, including shipping over 500 treat bags to troops all over the world, collecting almost 300 items for Ronald McDonald House in their “Trick-or-Treat for Canned Goods” drive, encouraging breast cancer awareness, and volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.

California State University - Los Angeles

Gamma Psi

Fitchburg State University Gamma Psi welcomed its largest new member class since its chapter founding, and Sisters also enjoyed a Thanksgiving celebration, during which alumnae discussed the early history of the chapter. Through a Phired Up! Greek Life workshop, members learned a number of skills to incorporate into the effective running of the chapter. Sisters held their annual Board-Game-A-Thon to raise money for Pine Mountain Settlement School. We also collaborated with Habitat for Humanity to host a campus event for World Habitat Day and made cards to be given to families when they move into their new homes.

COLLEGIANS

Beta Omega

Gamma Omega LaSalle University

Sisters raised over $500 for ALS and participated in the Philadelphia ALS Walk in memory of a Sister’s father. They raised an additional $500 for childhood cancer patients and donated baskets to be raffled for more funds through LaSalle University’s B+ Halloween Run.

Delta Alpha

Gannon University The Delta Alpha Chapter has been involved in unique philanthropic, social, and recruitment activities this semester. Our chapter hosted a Beach Bash for all of the other sororities and fraternities on campus. Throughout the semester, we have held monthly movie nights. Our Sisters have also also volunteered multiple times at a local food bank with a fellow Greek organization on campus, Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. In celebration of the holidays, a gift exchange party was held.

To spark interest in spring recruitment, we organized a cookie-decorating event.

Delta Beta

Fairmont State University Delta Beta is doing big things! Our current President, Virginia Marnic, competed in the West Virginia Crime Scene Competition and won first place!

As a chapter, we have the highest GPA on campus! We created and hosted 'Bra Pong' during the month of October for breast cancer awareness and raised $80 for the American Cancer Society. Our recruitment theme was racing, "Too fAST to Follow, That's Why We Lead," and we gained eleven new members!

We currently have more members than any other sorority at Fairmont State University.

Delta Delta

University of Illinois at Chicago This semester was excellent for Sisterhood bonding. We held many events over the semester, including an intense game of Capture the Flag. The Sisterhood split into teams and engaged in healthy exercise and healthy competition, although competition never lasts long in a Sisterhood this strong! Member development events were also plentiful. We had a chapter alumna join us in order to present a resume-building workshop. In addition, one of our Advisors gave us a mental health seminar this semester. We have started planning festivities for our 20th Anniversary Formal, which will take place in the spring semester around the date of our chapter's founding. We hope to host an Alumnae Week, which will include bonding events for chapter alumnae and active sisters to build up excitement for the upcoming formal event.

Delta Eta

Belmont University Delta Eta had an amazing time volunteering at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure this October. Our chapter supplied more than 100 cheerleaders, recycling crewmembers, and information booth staffers at this massive Nashville event.

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COLLEGIANS

We enjoyed a wonderfully rustic Sisterhood retreat in Ocoee, Tennessee, this fall. We spent a weekend bundled up around bonfires, creating camp crafts, and showing off our teamwork skills on a low ropes course. The sisters of Delta Eta put on their best costumes at our Couple's Crush Party, where Sisters and their dates dressed up as famous couples throughout history. Most notably, Delta Eta welcomed the Alpha Eta class this semester, initiating 77 new members. Delta Eta is currently participating in Belmont University's Up ’til Dawn event to raise money for the Greek-wide philanthropy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

We are so proud to see several of our members serve on the Executive Council for Up ’til Dawn as they organized the campus-wide event this January.

Delta Theta

Moravian College We earned the highest GPA out of all of the sororities on our campus.

Moreover, we were recognized at the National Convention for earning the second highest GPA in the nation for the 2013-2014 academic year. Highlights of our semester included events and individual accomplishments. One of our Sisters was recently elected United Student Government President, a few of our Sisters were inducted into honor societies, and many members participated in varsity sports. In celebration of Alpha Sigma Tau’s 115-year anniversary, our chapter joined the Gamma Lambda and Gamma Tau chapters for a potluck hosted by the Lehigh Valley Alumnae Chapter. In the spirit of philanthropy, we also held a Fall Ball for Kirkland Village, a senior home in our area. During our fall retreat, we learned about the FISH! Philosophy. The FISH! Philosophy was inspired by the way Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market does business. They focus on having a positive experience within your group and spreading that positivity to others. We are now implementing this philosophy’s practices in our Sisterhood.

Delta nu

Our chapter has been busy! Sisters held a drive for the food bank that is affiliated with Caritas, a local food and clothing ministry. We also hosted an open house for our anniversary with a delicious array of food. We were pleased to have many alumnae visit for Homecoming and help cheer our team to victory. Our Sisters hosted five recruitment events this fall, based on the seasons. Sisters and potential new members enjoyed lawn games and other activities to get to know each other. We are excited to welcome nine fantastic new Sisters to our chapter!

Delta Pi

Oglethorpe University Delta Pi had a very successful semester. We held a Mad About AST themed Bid Day, welcoming 13 new members into our chapter. At our annual fall philanthropy event, Taus and Tacos, we raised a total of $459 to benefit Pine Mountain Settlement School. This year, we also arranged our first annual fundraising event, Oglethorpe’s Next Great Baker. Fellow students entered their best pastry dish into a competition, and the winner won a prize basket. We hope this tradition continues to grow.

Delta Rho

Chowan University We brought in six new members this fall! Several of these women are members of the Honors College at Chowan University. Alora Lincoln, one of our seniors who is part of the Honors College, received the Outstanding Senior Award and the Veritus Lux Mea Award at the annual banquet. Congratulations Alora!

The Sisters of Delta Rho hosted the first annual Greek Penny Wars. We were met with support from all of the Greek organizations on campus and raised approximately $600 in pennies. Our recruitment events this past semester were some of the greatest events we have had in regard to Sister bonding. We had a movie night where the Sisters and new members watched Frozen and sang along with every song. We hope to have a sizeable event this spring, when our chapter will be celebrating our 15-year anniversary!

Delta Sigma

University of the Sciences The Delta Sigma Chapter has had a full schedule of events! In November, we proudly hosted our first annual pasta dinner, which raised more than $350 for Pine Mountain Settlement School. We hosted our annual Alcohol Awareness Carnival, which was educational and had a great turnout. We also held our

The Anchor

Delta Tau

Oakland University Delta Tau had their first annual philanthropic event, which was a Minute to Win It competition! We had more than seven teams compete and raised approximately $1,000 for our respective philanthropies. We also enjoyed our first semi-formal in Rochester Hills, Michigan, this fall. Delta Tau recruited 29 ladies during fall formal recruitment. We then had our first overnight retreat to celebrate with the new members, and it was a tremendous success. Sisters were able to do a high ropes course, a zip line, and enjoy s’mores late in the evening. It has been a great semester of firsts!

Delta Upsilon Saint Leo University

Saint Leo University’s Delta Upsilon Chapter is shining a light towards the start of a new year. These amazing Sisters have worked extremely hard and have set the bar even higher than it was last semester. The chapter not only has the highest organization GPA on campus, but also the highest count of community service hours earned. As a small group of Sisters in Saint Leo, Florida, we are just little lights that are starting to shine brighter as we grow closer as Sisters and as young, driven women.

Delta Zeta

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

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bi-annual Mother Daughter Brunch for active and alumnae Sisters. Around Halloween, we took a trip to a local pumpkin patch where we enjoyed a hayride beneath the starry night sky. We finished the night with apple cider and a campfire for roasting marshmallows.

spring 2015

This fall semester, our chapter received the honor of being named the Most Improved Sorority on campus. Five of our chapter's Sisters are now members of Order of Omega, an all-Greek society that represents the top 3% of Greek life members for academics and leadership. Our sisters hold four positions on the Panhellenic Council. Our chapter recently made cards to support our troops.

These were sent to soldiers who are a part of Alpha Company, a National Guard infantry company of the Army. There are more than 150 soldiers, and every one of them received a card!

Delta Psi

Denver Campus of Johnson & Wales University We were lucky to have an Educational Consultant from National Headquarters attend our Fall Retreat. She was of great help and led us to a fantastic first term!

We are proud that our chapter maintained a 3.48 cumulative GPA for the 2014 fall term. Also, after a successful fall recruitment week, we doubled our chapter size with 24 new members! We held Alex's Lemonade Stand for the second time.

Our goal was to raise $200, but we raised a little more than $400! In February, we held a tea party for our chapter’s 10-year anniversary.

Epsilon Alpha

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Epsilon Alpha conducted their annual Tau Plunge, which raised money for Pine Mountain Settlement School. This event pitted some of the fraternities on campus against each other in an athletic battle at the pool. Local alumnae served as judges. The chapter also participated in service work, recruitment, and Sisterhood activities. We gathered to create small gift bags and cards as Christmas presents for women at the local domestic violence shelter. In November, Sisters traveled to Phoenix to celebrate our local and national Founders Days with our alumnae chapter. This fall, we initiated eight members!

Epsilon Gamma

Armstrong State University The Epsilon Gamma Chapter continues to be the number one Panhellenic sorority on campus for having the highest GPA! We are also proud to announce that we gained 24 new sisters during the fall semester. In the spirit of philanthropy, we planned Trunk-or-Treat, which raised $150. We also arranged “On Wednesdays We Wear Pink,” which was an ongoing commitment to hold a fundraiser on every Wednesday of October. This series raised more than $200 for a local hospital that cares for teens with cancer. This hospital is helping one of our very own Sisters who is struggling with breast cancer.

Rogers State University The Epsilon Delta Chapter gave out six bids on September 14, 2014. This was an exciting day for both the active members and the new members who received bids. The sidewalk was chalked to direct the new members to where their new Sisters were waiting. A goodie bag was then given to each of the new members, and everyone went out for refreshments. A month later, our chapter had a great Big/Little Reveal Day! The six new members received a small slip of printed wrapping paper with writing on it from their future big sisters telling them to find the specific wrapping paper and unwrap them. Meanwhile, each active member was wrapped up and seated on a chair, waiting in a room. The new members then ripped off the wrapping paper and reveal their big sisters! It was a happy and thrilling day for the chapter.

Epsilon Epsilon

North Miami Campus of Johnson & Wales University Our chapter volunteered at the local Lupus Walk in September to show support for one of our Sisters, Eilen, who suffers from Lupus. Eilen was pleasantly surprised and honored to find that some of our Sisters also walked in her name.

Our chapter collaborated with other organizations on campus, including Active Minds and Coexist, to present our bullying prevention event, #Anonymous.

The event was very successful and helped bring much-needed positivity to the school. The Dean of Students and The President of Johnson and Wales University were in attendance at this special event.

Epsilon Zeta

University of Virginia's College at Wise In addition to improving their GPA from previous semesters, the chapter welcomed four new members and hosted alumnae during a special Founders’ Day dinner. Other Sisterhood events have included study nights and Twister paint gatherings. Sisters also participated in fundraising events, Greek games, and multiple campus activities, all of which help them to bond with other Greek organizations and with the entire campus. The chapter’s Lake Street cleanup was successful and fun, and Sisters also helped out at a nursing home and loved cheering up the residents!

Epsilon Iota

New York Institute of Technology The Epsilon Iota Chapter is achieving in philanthropy, academics, and leadership. We have raised more than $600 for Pine Mountain Settlement School! Our Sisters also made up half of the induction class of Sigma Alpha Pi, The National Society of Leadership and Success. We have held de-stressing events for our Sisters and opened one to all students in preparation for finals.

We have also created campus-wide study sessions. In celebration of Founders Day, we organized a bake sale and party with all proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity.

Epsilon Lambda

Indiana University South Bend During the fall semester, our chapter sold pink ribbons and bows on campus for a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. We raised $170! We also adopted a family for the holidays. We made ornaments and sold them to raise money for the family. We were able to give two children a wonderful Christmas. We had many enjoyable and engaging Sisterhood bonding events. We came together to help craft both the ribbons and ornaments that we sold for philanthropy events. Our biggest Sisterhood event was our annual Christmas party, during which we participated in a Secret Sister gift exchange and wrapped the presents for our Adopt-a-Family.

the new members is now on our Executive Board! Our Sisters have been making an effort to keep in contact with potential new members who did not receive bids.

We have held four events throughout the semester and are hoping to see some of these women participate in spring recruitment!

Epsilon Nu

McDaniel College Epsilon Nu has the highest GPA of all of the sororities on McDaniel's campus!

We were also the winners of the Brandt Cup, which is awarded to the Greek organization that surpasses all others in academics, community service, and athletics. Our Sisters are on various sports teams including basketball, tennis, field hockey, lacrosse, and swimming. We have participated in two 5Ks this semester. In October, we joined the brothers of Alpha Sigma Phi to walk a breast cancer awareness 5K in Mount Airy, Maryland. On November 1, we walked in the Terror Trot, a 5K run by the McDaniel College lacrosse teams to support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. We have raised more than $250 for the KICK CANCER Foundation for a young boy with cancer who lives in our Sister Syd's town in California. This money was raised through a fundraiser at sweetFrog Frozen Yogurt. In addition, four of our members raised more than $300 for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, as well.

COLLEGIANS

Epsilon delta

Epsilon Omicron

Souther university of Indiana All chapter Sisters are involved in at least one other campus activity, and their academic and philanthropic output illustrates this involvement! In addition to initiating their fourth new member class of 42 women and adding members to their Advisory Board, the chapter participated in trust-building and self-esteem activities. We also found time to earn $370 for Pine Mountain Settlement School through an event in conjunction with the Vanderburgh Humane Society. We also installed kitchen sinks for Habitat for Humanity!

Epsilon Pi

Rhode Island College The Epsilon Pi Chapter has the highest GPA of all Greek organizations on campus, and their commitment to excellence extends beyond the classroom.

Among many other activities, they initiated seven new Sisters in an initiation ceremony that included an alumnae reunion, participated in Green-Up Clean Up on campus, a Breast Cancer walk, adopted a family at Christmas, made holiday cards for recovering soldiers, and helped welcome a new fraternity to Greek life at Rhode Island College!

Epsilon Sigma

Bridgewater State University The chapter participated in their first formal recruitment, through which they welcomed four wonderful sisters. Two sisters were also selected to attend the Northeastern Greek Leadership Association Conference, and they were excited to learn more about bettering themselves and Greek life. Through a Sisterhood event, members focused on recognizing each other’s positive attributes and becoming a closer group. The chapter raised $800 for their local philanthropy, Heartbeats for Down Syndrome, and also participated in the annual Buddy Walk by working the photo booth, helping with games and crafts, and cheering on participants as they reached the finish line!

Epsilon Mu

SUNY University at Buffalo Epsilon Mu is having a fantastic third year. Our first annual Strike Out Breast Cancer bowling event raised $500 for breast cancer and $500 for our chapter.

We planned many Sisterhood events this past semester, including a trip to Skyzone (a trampoline venue), brunch, speed dating, and pumpkin carving.

We also had an alumnae retreat preceding fall semester in which our Sisters went hiking and camped in upstate New York. We attained 10 incredible new members, all of whom instantly involved themselves with our chapter. One of

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ANCHORING THOUGHTS

by Kate Sweeney, Gamma Theta, THE ANCHOR Editor

A

s you have seen throughout this issue of THE ANCHOR, Illuminate will help enrich the Sisterhood Experience for ΑΣΤ Sisters. Through this advanced leadership development program, women on campuses across the country will work together to perfect skills and build relationships, leading to long-term professional and personal growth.

Illuminate is like no other member development program-it is unique and offered only to collegiate members of Alpha Sigma Tau. This is a big point of pride for the Sorority, which has worked hard to build a program that is interactive and peer-driven. Sisters are encouraged to be actively engaged in what they are learning because the information being provided to them is grounded in research and real-life experiences, much like the experiences of those Sisters profiled in this issue of THE ANCHOR. Collegiate Sisters will be able to use what they learn from Illuminate and apply it in their everyday lives-today, tomorrow, and beyond.

The pilot chapters, which took on the challenge of being the first chapters to participate in Illuminate, all deserve a huge thank you, as do their Class Facilitators! These chapters field-tested Illuminate and provided vital feedback that enhanced the program and helped to ensure that it was relevant for other ΑΣΤ collegians and their chapters. The program would not be what it is today without their support, hard work, and willingness to try something new. The pilot chapters are:

Alpha - Eastern Michigan University

Psi - James Madison University

Epsilon Eta - University of the Incarnate Word

Epsilon Zeta - University of Virginia’s College at Wise

Epsilon Lambda - Indiana University, South Bend

Epsilon Omicron - University of Southern Indiana

Alpha Lambda - Radford University

Alpha Phi - West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Alpha Pi - Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Beta Eta - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Beta Delta - Duquesne University

Beta Pi - Eastern Illinois University

Delta Tau - Oakland University

Delta Upsilon - Saint Leo University

Another huge thank you goes out to the Alpha Sigma Tau National Foundation. Without the Foundation and its very generous grant, none of this would be possible! The Foundation is donor-driven and can only support initiatives like Illuminate because of donations from Sisters and Sorority friends from all over. Donors have helped “pay it forward,” enriching the Sisterhood Experience for current ΑΣΤ collegians and future ΑΣΤ Sisters. Thank you to all who donate and support our Sisters in their lifelong endeavors!

Take another look at the eight core competencies of Illuminate and think about how you define success. How do you use these competencies in your life on a daily basis? Whether you are building confidence to give a presentation at work or learning to effectively communicate with your family at home, Illuminate can help current and future ΑΣΤ Sisters build the skills they need to excel at their jobs, give back to their communities, and establish lasting relationships with family and friends. As pilot chapter member and Class Facilitator Adrianna Duchene explained, “Illuminate is a great forum for you and your Sisters to talk about what it means to be successful in the Sorority, and in life - a unique chance to talk and grow together as people, and as Sisters.”

34

The Anchor

spring 2015

Officer, Volunteer, and Staff Directory National Council

National Foundation Board

National President Tiffany Street, Delta Mu tstreet@alphasigmatau.org National Vice President Erika McManus Bukva, Delta Rho ebukva@alphasigmatau.org National Vice President Emma Bunnell Rice, Phi ebunnell@alphasigmatau.org National Vice President Beth Carney Ebberman, Phi bebberman@alphasigmatau.org National Vice President Jamie Jones Miller, Psi jmiller@alphasigmatau.org National Vice President Kristin Walker, Alpha Lambda kwalker@alphasigmatau.org

foundationinfo@alphasigmatau.org President Kristin Haskin, Beta Pi Vice President Rita Bertolino, Phi Vice President Jamie Jones Miller, Psi

National Panhellenic Conference Delegation NPC Delegate Elizabeth Knaus McOsker, Alpha Lambda bmcosker@alphasigmatau.org NPC 1st Alternate Delegate Carol Zorger Mooney, Alpha Lambda cmooney@alphasigmatau.org NPC 2nd Alternate Delegate Jamie Jones Miller, Psi jmiller@alphasigmatau.org NPC 3rd Alternate Delegate Joanne Rupprecht Walter, Psi jwalter@alphasigmatau.org

Past National Presidents 1984-1986 Gail Shockley Fowler, Alpha Lambda 1986-1992 Patricia Nayle, Phi 1996-2002 Martha Drouyor DeCamp, Alpha 2002-2008 Patricia Klausing Simmons, Delta 2008-2014 Christina Duggan Covington, Alpha Lambda

Standing Committees Governing Documents Committee govdocs@alphasigmatau.org Members Erika McManus Bukva, Delta Rho; Lettie Cottrell, Delta Delta; Allison Miller, Phi; Katherine Onyshko, Delta Phi; Theresa Gallo-Osorio, Delta Phi Nominations Committee nominations@alphasigmatau.org Chair Shauna Heinsler Jackson, Delta Alpha Members Jessa Albert, Delta Upsilon; Alice Ball, Epsilon Gamma; Esther Fontenot Barrios, Phi; Rachel Presskreischer, Delta Phi Alternates Stacey Daniel Fragile, Gamma Mu; Stephanie Little, Beta Eta Board of Trustees Chair Patricia Nayle, Phi pnayle@hal-pc.org Secretary Martha Drouyor DeCamp, Alpha Members Amy Brooks, Alpha Xi; Carol Cooper, Zeta Tau Emily Ashby McIntire, Alpha Lambda; Jean Ryckman McNamara, Sigma; Jamie Jones Miller, Psi

Headquarters Staff Volunteer Personnel Academics Coordinator Amy Sherman St. John, Zeta Tau Chaplain Carole Bicking Keily, Alpha Xi Historian Jennifer Marshall, Alpha Gamma New Member Coordinator Jennifer LaBonte, Delta Omicron

THE ANCHOR anchor@alphasigmatau.org Editor Kate Sweeney, Gamma Theta Associate Editor Carole Bicking Keily, Alpha Xi Alumnae Editor Beverly Singel Molnar, Delta Collegiate Editor Shanee Frazier, Gamma Rho Collegiate Editor Leah Hollingsworth, Delta Upsilon Collegiate Editor Kelli Purcell O’Brien, Delta Eta Design Editor Michelle Zewe, Alpha Tau Photo Editor Melanie Martin, Delta Eta Staff Writers Joanna Barrett, Epsilon Epsilon; Darcy Coulter, Epsilon Xi; Tori Dixon, Epsilon Gamma; Shanee Frazier, Gamma Rho; Leah Hollingsworth, Delta Upsilon; Ashley Hoogstraten, Beta Pi; Lauren Irby, Zeta Tau; Beverly Singel Molnar, Delta; Samantha Rill, Delta Delta; Elizabeth Miller Villegas, Delta Rho; Lauren Crawford Welch, Delta Psi

Executive Director Jim Paponetti jpaponetti@alphasigmatau.org Director of Chapter Services Angie Bong abong@alphasigmatau.org Director of Operations Holly Morris hmorris@alphasigmatau.org Director of Finance Pam Myhre, Gamma Theta pmyhre@alphasigmatau.org Director of Member Education Gretchen Stahl Foran gstahl@alphasigmatau.org Director of Marketing and Communications Ben Nemenoff bnemenoff@alphasigmatau.org Recruitment Specialist Ashley Smith, Psi aksmith@alphasigmatau.org Chapter Services Specialist Kate Wehby, Gamma Xi kwehby@alphasigmatau.org Educational Consultant Bethany Yost, Beta Delta byost@alphasigmatau.org Member Engagement Coordinator Justina Solties, Gamma Theta jsolties@alphasigmatau.org Administrative Assistant Jessi Zabriskie admin@alphasigmatau.org

spring 2015

The Anchor 35

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National Headquarters 3334 Founders Rd Indianapolis, IN 46268

Want to Make a Difference in the Lives of Young Women?

Become an Alpha Sigma Tau Chapter Advisor!

Advisors provide consistent, local support to collegiate chapters and are a vital part of enriching the Sorority experience for collegians.

Interested in being an advisor or know someone who is?

Contact Justina Solties at jsolties@alphasigmatau.org or (317) 613-7572