Chevron fall2015

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VOLUME 48 | 001

The Chevron is a quarterly newsletter produced for Omega Phi Alpha National Service Sorority

President’s

CORNER

by Heather Pritchard (Nu), National President

alumnae and active chapters.

National Executive Board Members President | Heather Pritchard VP Business Operations | Kasey Stevens VP Programs | Brittany Thornton VP Communications | Thea Moritz VP Finance | Leann Williams VP Expansions | Jessica Toms VP Chapter Support | Rachel Whitten VP Alumnae Relations | Ginger McGarity VP Administration | Trista Guzman VP Membership | Megan Johnston Past President | Andie Bowman Hixson Chevron Editors Editor | Thea Moritz Layout Editor | Shelley Lai Copy Editor | Donna Pintek Writers | Alissa Best, Renée DePietro, Catherine Ferrell, Mackenzie Garretson Graves, Adrianne Grubic, Natalie Pita Distribution Dates and Deadlines October 1 | due August 15 January 1 | due November 15 April 1 | due February 15 July 1 | due May 15 Submissions If you would like to submit a feature story about an alumna or a service project happening at your chapter, please email it to: chevron@omegaphialpha.org Please send photos in 300dpi JPG format.

Hi All! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer, and that this Chevron finds you well.

A record 113 sisters attended OPA’s National Convention in Chattanooga this July. We say it every year, but if you missed Convention, you REALLY missed out! With a short batch of legislation, we were able to inject some more sisterhood activities (trivia night anyone?) and idea sharing into the schedule. Be sure to join us next year in Phoenix, Ariz., for our 49th annual Convention.

By the time this issue is published, OPA’s brand new national website will be up and running, along with new branding and logos.

Thea Moritz, our VP of communications, has made this project a priority and the results are nothing short of stunning. A big thanks also goes out to Willow Marketing, of Indianapolis, Ind., the vendor we worked with to launch the website and logo.

One question I’ve seen about our new logo and identity relates to the use of a bee.

Where did this come from, and how does it pertain to OPA? For those of you who missed it, we unveiled the bee as an OPA symbol at Convention 2014 in Indianapolis. I hesitate to use the word “new” symbol, because it was something that’s been with us from the beginning.

From last fall’s Chevron: “As a part of the 2012 President’s Project, Archiving OPA, a copy of an original national crest was discovered that featured a beehive on it. A little digging also unearthed an old motto: ‘The raised hand of friendship, the beehive of industry.’” The bee, more so than most other creatures, exists to serve the hive, just like our sisters thrive on serving our communities.

With that, I encourage all of you to go out, do good things, and make OPhiA proud.

OPA love, Heather Pritchard

National Office Mailing Address Omega Phi Alpha National Office PO Box 955 East Lyme, CT 06333 Official National Website omegaphialpha.org Contact List To request a list of all sorority officers, appointments and chapters, please email VPadmin@omegaphialpha.org Update Your Contact Information members.omegaphialpha.org

/OmegaPhiAlphaNationalServiceSorority @OmegaPhiAlpha @ophia67 Join our group on LinkedIn: Omega Phi Alpha National Service Sorority @Omega_Phi_Alpha

SERVICE OPA sisters doing what they love at the Chattanooga Room in the Inn women’s shelter. Top inset: Delegates at the Creative Discovery Museum

OPA SERVICE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD The first item on the agenda for Convention 2015 in Chattanooga, Tenn., was service. Due to a huge level of interest, two service projects were planned in advance by the Convention team and carried out by the delegates on Thursday morning.

A large group traveled by shuttle to the Chattanooga Room in the Inn (CRITI), a women’s shelter located a few miles from the hotel. The center teaches homeless women and children how to become self-sufficient by offering a temporary home while providing programs and services necessary to meet their goals.

After being greeted by Sharon Collins, volunteer coordinator for the center, 30 sisters divided up into several smaller groups and prepared the evening’s meal, trimmed hedges, weeded the playground, sanitized toys, wiped down the children’s book collection, painted a room and helped move a resident and her baby’s belongings from one room to another. They also put together small spa care packages for the women to serve as a way of encouraging them to keep working hard on their goals and to reward themselves for making positive choices.

In addition to the hands-on service, OPA donated many items to the center such as

toilet paper, paper towels, Baggies, socks, baby wipes, sponges, crayons and coloring books. Thank you to DaVonna Cole (Alpha Epsilon) who sent in her donation.

Sharon was very grateful for our help and remarked that the things we do as volunteers “can change the world.”

The second service project was held simultaneously at the Creative Discovery Museum located in downtown Chattanooga, about a block from the hotel. In addition

to permanent and temporary exhibits, the museum offers an extensive array of educational programs.

The sisters finished blankets for Project Linus, an organization that provides ill children with love and security by giving them these blankets. The delegates also made fabric strips for the museum’s “Make It and Take It” workshop, which offers sewing lessons.

by Thea Moritz (Beta), VP Communications

Delegates at the Chattanooga Room in the Inn shelter with Sharon Collins, volunteer coordinator, at right.

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NATIONAL NEWS

CONVENTION DELEGATES CONVENE IN CHATTANOOGA

Active and alumnae sisters began arriving at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Chattanooga, Tenn., on Wednesday, July 16.

While some visited the nationally renowned aquarium, others floated along the Tennessee River on a city sightseeing “duck” tour.

By Thursday morning, a record number of members were in town to participate in not one but two service projects (see page 3).

More than 110 sisters, including 45 alumnae, attended all or part of Convention.

The afternoon’s agenda began with a breakout session called “Primers for Firsttimers,” followed by the first business meeting, called to order by National President Heather Pritchard. After the meeting, the delegates divided into groups to make “brag boards” to promote their districts. Proposed legislation was discussed in a breakout session, followed by a festive alumnae dinner at Big River Brewery. The night ended with a brag board “jam,” where sisters mingled and played with a selfie stick in the photo booth.

Friday’s business included a summary of the state of the sorority (see page 9), a workshop entitled “Code Blue with Nurse Tammie,” led by local RN, Tammie Crowder (see page 5), an initial budget discussion, election overview and candidates forum.

The three NEB positions up for election were president-elect, vice president of business operations and vice president of membership, with all three incumbents throwing their hats into the ring unopposed. A post-dinner trivia session got people dancing to the Time Warp.

Saturday’s business was dominated by a debate that led to tabling the proposed budget which Heather presented earlier on behalf of the vice president of finance.

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After the leadership module and communications sessions, the delegation broke for lunch by district. The alumnae met at Sticky Fingers barbecue for a tasty “Queen Bee” luncheon and alumnae group photo.

Saturday afternoon continued with leadership module part two and an alumnae opportunity workshop. Because of the heat, the delegation group photo was taken inside the hotel near the grand staircase.

Several proposals were passed, including the constitutional and bylaws revisions and amendments proposed by the National Structure Task Force to move the NEB toward long-term strategic roles. The delegates also debated a proposal to waive national dues and fees for recipients of the Girl Scouts Gold Award. While the delegation was in favor of a collaboration with this like-minded organization, the proposal did not pass.

Another series of amendments regarding changes to the alcohol policy, which was heavily discussed, also did not pass.

Other announcements included a realignment of the sorority’s districts (see page 9), and sadly the NEB approved a request from the remaining members of Alpha Eta at USC-Aiken to dissolve the chapter by declaring it inactive. All sisters who were active in the previous school term immediately transitioned to alumna status.

One more session of business concluded with elections, where the three NEB candidates were reelected: Heather Pritchard, president-elect; Kasey Stevens, vice president of operations; and Megan Johnston, vice president of membership.

Alumnae and guests gathered for the alumnae societies induction to celebrate

milestone years of membership in a special ceremony (see page 10).

Other activities during the week included a daily Instagram challenge, chapter introductions, photo station and scavenger hunt. The hospitality suite was available to hang out in.

Following Saturday’s dinner, everyone attended the awards reception held in the ballroom, serving up dessert that included bananas foster and chocolate mousse. This is when OPA acknowledges the exemplary work conducted by the chapters and individual sisters during the year (see page 7).

The Southern Belle Riverboat, docked on the Tennessee River, welcomed all attendees at the Sunday morning bon voyage brunch.

Vice President of Alumnae Relations Ginger McGarity presented the remaining alumnae awards and announced that Connecticut will be the location for the spring Digging for Diamonds (D4D) alumnae society event.

Kasey then took the podium and revealed that the location of Convention 2016 will be in Phoenix, Ariz. Her announcement was met with rousing approval from the room while being broadcasted live on Periscope.

Concluding the morning was Heather’s important rationale for the 2015–16 President’s Project: Mental Health Matters (see page 6). She then declared Convention 2015 officially adjourned. After singing the national song and passing the rose, the sisters were re-energized for another year of friendship, leadership and service.

To share feedback about Convention, please email us at convention@omegaphialpha.org.

Farewell, Chattanooga!

By Thea Moritz (Beta), VP Communications

NATIONAL NEWS

CODE BLUE WITH NURSE TAMMIE

Convention 2015 Guest Speaker Nurse Tammie Crowder passionately reviews the basics for adult CPR. “Time is muscle, so call 911,” she said.

On Friday afternoon, the delegation listened to a presentation by Tammie Crowder, a Chattanooga-area nurse specializing in emergency care.

Tammie had helped develop an emergency preparedness plan for the city. The local hospital was able to effectively use the plan during the recent shooting event, which occurred just two days prior to the workshop.

Facts on Heart Attacks Nurse Tammie explained the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when there is a problem with blood flowing to the heart.

The heart muscle is then damaged and can cause the cells in the heart muscle to die. This damage can lead to heart arrhythmias and/or death. The primary symptom is chest discomfort: a pressure sensation or feeling of indigestion, sometimes described as “feels like an elephant sitting on my chest.” The chest pain might be in the middle of the chest, in the arms, jaw, back and/or neck. Other symptoms include sweats, shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and a sense of doom.

Special situations occur when diabetics, older people and/or women experience unusual symptoms that are not typical or obvious. These individuals may have no chest pain at all, and may present with atypical

complaints such as being lightheaded, experiencing weakness or passing out.

Nurse Tammie emphasized the important use of an automated external defibrillator (AED)—a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses and treats arrhythmia, allowing the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm. With simple commands, AEDs are designed to be easy for anyone to operate. Use of the AED is taught in many first-aid classes. The only way you could hurt someone with it is “if you dropped it on their head,” said Nurse Tammie.

Facts on Strokes A stroke occurs when there is a problem with blood flowing to the brain. It can occur from a blockage (80 percent) or a bleed (20 percent) in the brain. Risk factors include gender, age, previous history of heart disease or stroke, high blood pressure, smoking, atrial fibrillation, high cholesterol, diabetes and excessive alcohol. Symptoms include confusion, facial droop, headache, unresponsiveness/coma, slurred speech and weakness or paralysis in any of the extremities.

Remembering with Roses While OPA Convention 2015 attendees were serving the Chattanooga community with two service projects on Thursday morning, an incident occurred 10 miles away that stunned the city and nation. A gunman shot at two military centers, killing four marines and injuring three others before he was killed by police.

“We were all shocked and concerned for the servicemen and their families,” alumnae delegate Connie Skomra (Kappa) said upon hearing the news.

On Saturday afternoon, most of the OPA delegates wrote prayers and messages of support on notes that were attached to their yellow Convention roses.

Former Marine Corps service member and current OPA Vice President of Programs Brittany Thornton expressed her personal appreciation for all the support being shown by the sisters with their yellow roses and messages, saying, “This situation is something that hits close to home for me, so seeing our sisters show their support really touches my heart.” She was thankful that so many sisters would give up their Convention roses and take time to write so many personal messages. “It really means a lot to me.”

On Sunday, after the Convention’s closing ceremonies, sisters Alyssa Low, Mary Mawdsley, Morgan Mills and Renée DePietro, along with Connie (bottom right photo), took the roses and the messages to the site where the shooting occurred and placed them beside existing symbols of grief, sadness and loss at the makeshift memorial.

When she proposed the idea to send the roses earlier in the week, Connie said, “We all have something very dear and important in common with those who were killed yesterday.

That is, we all serve our country with love, honor and in friendship. It is the least we can do to show our support and respect to those who are not only like us; but also serve to protect us and those freedoms.”

It was clear from the roses and the messages they carried— many naming universities, colleges and home states—that the victims and their families were thought of and prayed for by many; and will never be forgotten…especially by the sisters of OPA at Convention 2015.

By Connie Skomra (Kappa alumna)

If you suspect someone is having a heart attack or a stroke, don’t hesitate. Call 911 immediately.

FALL 2015

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NATIONAL NEWS

MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS PRESIDENT’S PROJECT 2015–16

One of the perks of being national president is the privilege of choosing the yearly President’s Project. For those of you who know me, you know that I love a good theme. In thinking about this year’s project, it occurred to me that I had picked my projects in the order of mind, body and soul (not intentional, I swear!). My first project, Empowering Women in STEM, focused on bettering our minds. This past year’s project, Physical Fitness and Healthy Living, focused on bettering our bodies. This year, I chose a project that focuses on the soul. My President’s Project for the 2015–16 school year is “Mental Health Matters.”

Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. > Serious mental illnesses include generalized anxiety, major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia and addiction disorders such as substance abuse. > T he National Institute of Mental Health reports that one in four adults—approximately 57.7 million Americans—experiences a mental health disorder in any given year.

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> Mental illness usually strike individuals in the prime of their lives, often during adolescence and young adulthood. All ages are susceptible, but the young and the old are especially vulnerable. > Even though one in four adults will experience a mental health disorder in any year, only 38 percent of adults with diagnosable mental health problems and less than 20 percent of children and adolescents receive needed treatment. > Without treatment, the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide and wasted lives. The economic cost of untreated mental illness is more than $100 billion each year in the United States.

The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible. However, we as a society treat mental health disorders differently than other illnesses. We attach a stigma with a person who has a mental health disorder.

Mental illnesses are serious medical illnesses. They cannot be overcome through willpower and are not related to a person’s character or intelligence. They are overcome the same way that a person with cancer attempts to overcome the disease— with treatment and support from their community.

So why is this so important to me? As a young adult, I struggled with depression and anxiety since college. I take medicine to treat my disorders, and I meet regularly with a mental health professional, but there are still days when I struggle to get through my daily activities. A lot of the reason for that is the stigma. I find it difficult to talk to some of my best friends and my boyfriend about what’s going on. And for something like mental disorders, the concept of having a community around you to overcome the issue is arguably more important than any other type of disease. I want us as a sisterhood to remove the stigma around mental health disorders.

One specific reason that I chose this as my President’s Project was to really get our chapters tuned in to mental health issues.

Mental health is so important that I want our collegiate chapters to devote one-third of their required service projects to it. Our permanent project is already Mental Health, but to be honest, when I was a collegiate member, I remember those projects being some of the least engaging. It was the project we did because we had to do it. I’m hoping that by doubling the number of projects a chapter does toward mental health causes this year, we as a sorority take a closer look at what mental health is, and how we can play a role with helping those who suffer from mental illnesses.

By Heather Pritchard (Nu), National President

NATIONAL NEWS

CONVENTION AWARDS 2014–15

National Service Award This prestigious award went to Delta Chapter for excellence across OPA’s six areas of service.

Service to the University Community Rho Chapter completed a week-long series of events tied together with the theme “A Greener You at WKU.” The first, a recycling booth, encouraged students to bring the recyclables from their dorm rooms to OPA, who then took them to a recycling center.

Other events included a campus cleanup, light gardening work and a hike around campus. The service week took place during the week of Earth day, and aimed to make students care about their world. The group collected a large number of recyclables and had a high level of participation for all events.

Service to the Community-at-Large Rho Chapter held its fourth annual “Beauty and the Greek” pageant to benefit Hope Heart Institute. Couples were judged in categories such as letter wear, famous couples from the 90s, and onstage question. A chapter alumna and her fiancé judged the competition, along with the owner of the chapter’s favorite monogram/ letter shirt shop. The chapter also held a raffle and raised $2,500 for Hope Heart Institute, while also raising awareness about heart health issues.

Service to the Members of the Sorority Rho Chapter’s “Pay It Forward” project was designed to give each sister the happiness of both giving and receiving a gift. Each member was assigned a different member of the chapter and was expected to give a small token of appreciation to that sister. Gifts ranged from a batch of cookies and a gift card to personalized stationery and homemade crafts.

As part of “Pay it Forward,” sisters were put in small groups and encouraged to go on an outing that would bring them closer together.

Service to the Nations of the World Omicron Chapter spent a week selling elephant-themed T-shirts and promoting benefit nights at local restaurants to raise money for the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Fostering Program, which fosters elephants that have been abandoned or orphaned as a result of poaching. The chapter adopted their own foster elephant, Kobi, from Kenya.

Although it costs only $50 to adopt an elephant, the sisters raised $1,300 for Kobi.

Permanent Project—Mental Health Rho Chapter’s mental health community service project benefitted the victims of childhood cancer. The chapter’s sixth annual St. Baldrick’s head shaving event showed children with cancer that being bald can be cool. People gathered in the baseball field to watch participants shave their heads. Sister Gabbi Hagan shaved her head for the third time, and other sisters donated inches of their hair to be made into wigs. The chapter raised a total of $4,807.

President’s Project—Physical Fitness and Healthy Living Delta Chapter knows that a healthy and fit lifestyle cannot be achieved in a single day, so they spread out their project over the entire semester. Sisters had to complete at least five hours of participation in activities including working out, running a 5K or attending a farmer’s market. The “Delta Does Fitness” project allowed members of all activity levels to participate and to establish habits they could continue.

National Membership Award Alpha Omicron New Chapter Builder Award Alpha Pi, Alpha Omicron National Travel Award Phi National Website Award Nu National Scrapbook Award Alpha, Alpha Alpha, Alpha Beta, Alpha Delta, Alpha Epsilon, Alpha Eta, Alpha Gamma, Alpha Iota, Alpha Kappa, Alpha Lambda, Alpha Theta, Alpha Zeta, Alpha Mu, Alpha Nu, Alpha Omicron, Alpha Pi, Alpha Xi, Chi, Delta, Epsilon, Gamma, Mu, Nu, Omega, Omicron, Phi, Psi, Rho, Sigma, Tau, Upsilon Chapter Excellence Program Gold: Alpha Alpha, Delta, Nu Silver: Alpha, Alpha Mu, Alpha Zeta, Gamma, Rho Bronze: Alpha Lambda, Sigma

Delta Chapter accepts the National Service Award at Convention 2015 in Chattanooga.

Top 10 Individual Service Awards Gabbi Hagan, Rho—249 hours Julia Tomek, Alpha Theta—157 Emily Mashek, Alpha Theta—156 Nicole Backer, Alpha Theta—151 Haley Yaw, Chi—149.5 Melissa Belack, Alpha Theta—146 Shelby Webb, Alpha Kappa—145.5 Christina Gerdeman, Alpha—143 Rebecca Warnock, Alpha Theta—142 Hope Nilson, Alpha Theta—142 Outstanding Chapter President Alpha Alpha, Alpha, Alpha Delta, Alpha Zeta, Delta, Nu Outstanding Chapter Vice President Delta, Alpha Delta Outstanding Chapter Service Director Alpha Mu, Delta, Gamma, Nu, Rho, Sigma Outstanding Chapter Secretary Alpha Alpha, Chi, Delta, Nu Outstanding Chapter Treasurer Alpha Alpha, Alpha Zeta, Nu, Sigma Outstanding Chapter Membership Director Alpha Alpha, Alpha Delta, Alpha Epsilon, Alpha Lambda, Chi, Alpha Zeta, Delta, Gamma, Nu, Rho, Sigma Outstanding Chapter Alumnae Liaison Sigma, Nu, Alpha Zeta, Alpha Lambda, Alpha Alpha Alumnae Travel Award, Individual Pamela Mudd Conlan Alumnae Travel Award, Chapter Delta

FALL 2015

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NATIONAL NEWS

OPA RECONNECTS TO THE WORLD WITH NEW BRANDING AND RESPONSIVE WEBSITE

The Vision 2015 goal to “increase awareness of Omega Phi Alpha National Service Sorority and its purpose” included a branding redesign and new national website. We are happy to report that this has been accomplished.

After some stops and starts, the OPA redesign team hired Willow Marketing of Indianapolis, Ind., a firm specializing in fraternity and sorority marketing. With the help of a group of members who analyzed and reviewed proposed concepts, the new brand identity was unveiled at Convention 2015.

While a visual brand is important, it is the overall perception of the organization that makes our brand. To consistently reinforce our image, members must embody the core values in their daily lives, so their interactions with others tell the Omega Phi Alpha story. While one or another value may be weighed more heavily at times, each of the three cardinal principles are core to the personality of OPA: >F riendship > Leadership > S ervice At OPA, we are united through our devotion to serving others, and in so doing, forge the bonds of friendship and sisterhood. Through local chapters and a national organization, women develop leadership skills that will propel them into lives of bettering themselves, their community and the world.

Visual Identity and Primary Logo The personality of OPA is marked by our visual identity. More than just a logo or letters, it is the collective way we express our brand visually. It’s an experience that makes sense and resonates with members and the community. The visual identity is a guide, a standard for representing the sorority. It helps establish recognition for our brand and

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ensure consistency in use.

And because it was modeled after the heritage of OPA, it should be something that is easily recognized.

The logo has been designed with an updated look to a symbol from OPA history. The bee has historical significance rooted in the founding of the sorority when it was used as a hive on the original crest. The bee exists to serve the hive, like our members thrive on doing service to others. The new bee logo signifies the service-oriented mindset of our members along with this principle of OPA.

Logo Integrity While it is important to the integrity of the brand for the logo (see above) to be consistent wherever it is used, chapters may want to personalize the logo with the use of their name. In place of the tagline, the chapter name may be placed. It is important not to alter the colors or styling of the font and maintain the appropriate dimensions and proportions of the original logo. The logo can be reversed out of a darker background, as well as used in acceptable brand color combinations.

So as not to compromise the integrity of the brand or logo mark, please email comm@omegaphialpha.org for proper usage.

Brand Story and Traits OPA sisters tell our story and spread our principles every day, wherever we go and in all that we do and say. Through emails, conversations, presentations and in the words and deeds of our members nationwide, people will know our values and us.

Every point of communication helps to shape the perspective of the brand story. We communicate in different ways with different populations for different purposes, but there are consistent themes behind our messages. > Friendly—Our relationship with our members and the public is important. We should talk directly to them, greeting them

when we can. They should always feel comfortable with us and the work we do.

(Caring, familiar, approachable, engaged, trustworthy, welcoming) > Real—We are real people, and we communicate the way real people talk.

Mirror the tone of the audience and craft your message to match. We don’t need to make jokes, but we can have a sense of humor on occasion. We’re modest, selfeffacing and never phony. (Casual, humble, genuine, fun, down-to-Earth) > Helpful—We serve our membership to help them make connections, stay involved and support Omega Phi Alpha. We want to make it easy for them to work with us, and we want their experience to be a positive one.

We will go the extra mile when needed, to be of service. (Attentive, relaxed, gracious, supportive, understanding, uplifting) > Easy to Understand—There’s no need to say in a paragraph what you can say in a sentence. Use colloquial language, avoid technical jargon or terminology that others may not easily recognize. Avoid complicated explanations. (Concise, straightforward, clear, simple, uncomplicated, nontechnical) > P rofessional—We should present ourselves as knowledgeable and experienced.

Our language should aim to elevate our members and community, supporting their development as members of Omega Phi Alpha. (Competent, confident, informed) New Website Launch Taking all the above into account, the redesigned OPA website was the first opportunity to apply the OPA brand. Working with edited copy from the existing site and simplifying the presentation into a state-ofthe-art, responsive design, the new site went live in August 2015. We hope this progressive display of our mission will bring more awareness to the nation and the world of who we are and how everyone benefits. Take a look at it today: omegaphialpha.org.

By Thea Moritz (Beta), VP Communications & Willow Marketing

NATIONAL NEWS

Sign up for Leadership Modules

FRIENDS OF OPHIA DONOR RECOGNITION

Sept. 21–Oct. 25 Sisterhood and Leadership Modules run Oct. 19–28 Enrollment opens for Education and Traditions Modules Nov. 2–Dec. 13 Education and Traditions Modules run (no classes Nov. 23–29, Thanksgiving)

Sisters who wish to support OPA through a financial gift can become a Friend of Ophia. This is a way for actives and alumnae to further support the sorority’s mission and vision, beyond their day-to-day contributions to their chapter, school and community.

Sisters who make an annual gift of $5 dollars become a Friend of Ophia.

For info email: leadership@omegaphialpha.org To enroll: http://ophialeadershipacademy.coursesites.com

For a current list of national appointments, please visit omegaphialpha.org

STATE OF THE SORORITY Completion of Vision 2015 ACTIVE CHAPTERS 30 collegiate chapters Newest chapter: Omega, Rutgers University 1 chapter became defunct: Alpha Eta, USC-Aiken

ACTIVE CHAPTER—MEMBERSHIP 1,200 collegiate members

ACTIVE CHAPTER—SERVICE 1,104 service projects 55,615.35 service hours Worth $403,211.29 (based on minimum wage) Groups OPA volunteered with: American Cancer Society Books for Africa Girl Scouts Habitat for Humanity Local shelters and soup kitchens Local 5K walks/runs Project Linus SPCA Threads of Hope Wounded Warrior Project

ACTIVE CHAPTERS—DISTRICT SUMMITS 9 of 10 districts held a summit

ALUMNAE

6 alumnae chapters, 4 of these are provisional 6,652 alumnae in our database 18 sisters were inducted into alumnae societies at Nashville D4D 7 were inducted at Convention 2015

PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES First full year of OPA’s Leadership Development Program: 6 modules were created Presented online and at summits 32 sisters participated in the Leadership Module

PLANNING FOR FUTURE National website and branding launch Vision 2020 Strategic Task Force National Structure Task Force Selective Rush improvement

We are pleased to recognize the following sisters who made a donation of $20 or more so far in 2015: Lynn Dudash (Nu) Jessica Humphries (Phi) Susie Larson (Mu) Suzy McTaggart (Gamma) Any sister who missed a year of giving will be able to “catch up” at any time. This will allow sisters who need to take a break from giving while they establish careers or families to do so—and later, when they are in a position to catch up, they can submit a payment for the catch-up amount, making sure that it is identified as a catch-up payment and the years that it covers.

Sisters are encouraged to be a Friend of Ophia every year. Donors who make a yearly $5 donation will be recognized for their years of participation at National Convention and in the Chevron.

Please make your contribution payable to Omega Phi Alpha, indicate in the memo line “Friends of Ophia” and mail to Omega Phi Alpha National Office, PO Box 955, East Lyme, CT 06333 or visit the GIVE section online at omegaphialpha.org.

New Districts Realignment D1—Liberty District Alpha Theta (Penn State) Alpha Iota (Notre Dame of Maryland) Alpha Pi (WVU) D2—Bluegrass District Epsilon (Tennessee Tech) Mu (Middle Tennessee State) Rho (Western Kentucky) Sigma (University Tennessee Chattanooga) D3—Azalea District Nu (Georgia Tech) Omicron (Auburn) Alpha Zeta (Kennesaw State)

D6—Cactus Pine District Phi (Arizona State) Alpha Alpha (Northern Arizona) D7—Founding District Alpha (Bowling Green State) Gamma (Eastern Michigan) D8—Carolina District Chi (South Carolina) Alpha Lambda (North Carolina State) D9—Heartland District Alpha Gamma (Oklahoma State) Alpha Kappa (Kansas)

D4—Cajun Country District Upsilon (Louisiana at Lafayette) Alpha Beta (Ole Miss) Alpha Epsilon (Southeastern Louisiana)

D10—Peaches and Beaches District Alpha Delta (Georgia Southern) Alpha Xi (University of Central Florida) Alpha Omicron (University of Florida)

D5—Lonestar District Delta (Texas A&M) Tau (University of Texas at Austin) Psi (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) Alpha Nu (Texas State)

D11—Colonial District Omega (Rutgers) Alpha Mu (Boston University)

FALL 2015

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ALUMNAE

ALUMNAE SOCIETY INDUCTION Convention 2015

Favorite OPA memory: That’s hard! We had one really good sisterhood retreat in spring 2005 in Piedmont Park in midtown Atlanta.

It was the first really nice day of weather that spring, and we just spent the whole day outside having good sisterly fun, doing workshops and retreat stuff, and taking lots of pictures. It was a great day!

Carrie Burnett Mitchell (Epsilon) Summary of life: Carrie is a Mom and teaching assistant at Sequatchie Valley Head Start (Tenn.).

Inductees, seated, Connie Skomra, Radha Manthe, Amanda Smith, Karen Musgrove (empty chair), Carrie Burnett Mitchell, Helen Lee Pfeiffer, Renée DePietro. Bigs, standing, Ginger McGarity, Lynn Dudash, Heather Pritchard, Carrie Johnson, Juanita Haggard Wade, Thea Moritz

Omega Phi Alpha proudly inducted seven sisters into alumnae societies on Sat., July 18 in Chattanooga. The event was a wonderful reminder that service is indeed a lifelong gift.

Sisters are inducted to celebrate milestone anniversaries of their activation into OPA. The Topaz Society signifies at least 10 years of membership; Sapphire—25 years, and the crowning achievement of Diamond celebrates 40 years of membership in OPA. These societies were created by Susan Terzian award winners Sheila Bush Driller (Epsilon) and Ann DeMatteo (Beta) to honor sisters who continue to live the cardinal principles of friendship, leadership and service.

The inductees were escorted by their ceremonial big sisters. Each alum then shared a story, often filling the room with laughter.

In a somber moment, we inducted one sister post mortem. Karen Wallace Musgrove (Mu) was inducted by Susie Pack Larson (Mu) with the help of Karen’s mother, Suzanne Wallace, who also attended. No dry eyes were to be found during this part of the program.

TOPAZ SOCIETY (10 years) Helen Lee Pfeiffer (Xi, 1992) Summary of life: Helen worked in banking after graduation and then moved to Atlanta in 1998. She changed fields in 2007 and went to work for a civil engineering firm as a surveyor. Her hobby is competing as a sponsored shooter in active shooting sports. Competing since she was eight, Helen holds titles and awards in many states. While traveling in the southeast, she enjoys working with ladies and juniors about gun safety. Her greatest love is senior and small dog rescuing.

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Favorite OPA memory: Many of my sisters and I went to high school together, so we had a good bond, and many of us still live near each other. I enjoy doing blood drives—and I couldn’t stand the sight of blood unfortunately. I couldn’t give blood because I was such a shrimp in size. Luckily they always gave me the same job: checking people in at the desk.

Radha Manthe (Nu, 2001) Summary of life: After college, Radha went to the University of Virginia School of Law, and then started working at a law firm in Atlanta, where she still works. She married, bought a house, acquired three cats, and still faithfully supports Georgia Tech football. She has been in and out of involvement with OPA since she graduated, but has always been committed to giving back, whether through hands-on service, pro bono legal work or donations.

Favorite OPA memory: One day we were volunteering to plant trees with Trees Atlanta.

There was our group and a group from Emory.

In one area, volunteers had to clean up trash before they could plant trees. The guy in charge asked for each group leader to come forward in order to decide which group had to pick up trash. Since I had organized the project, I stepped up. The man said that we were going to decide by playing the “not it” game.

I immediately blurted out “not it!” while the representative from Emory looked at me like I was crazy. We did not have to pick up trash that morning and got right to planting trees.

Amanda Smith (Nu, 2004) Summary of life: Amanda teaches high school mathematics in Forsyth County, Georgia.

SAPPHIRE SOCIETY (25 years) Connie Skorma (Kappa, 1987) Summary of Life: Connie graduated with a degree in music from Marietta College and started a career in tech. She married her best friend and now has two wonderful boys who she currently home-schools.

Favorite OPA memory: National Convention 1988 in Bridgeport, Conn. (although this year’s Convention is a close second!)

Renée DePietro (Beta, 1988) Summary of life: After many unsatisfying years of corporate work, Renée became an LPN. Realizing she loved this new career, she re-entered college and became an RN. She hopes to soon earn her BSN online.

Currently Renée does home care for pediatric respiratory patients, mostly infants and toddlers. It is very rewarding work.

Favorite OPA moment: One of the funniest moments involved former OPA President Ann DeMatteo on a Beta pledge night (long time ago), but now OPA service moments are always a joy for me. At Convention 2015, we volunteered our hands at a local homeless shelter. It felt much better doing yard work for them than it does in my yard! Service to others is where it’s at.

Karen Wallace Musgrove (Mu, 1984) Post mortem info from Susie Pack Larson Summary of Life: Karen was CEO, CFO, COO of the Musgrove family for 25 years. She was a member of the Praise team at her church and a substitute teacher at her children’s schools.

Favorite OPA memory: We were different people, but with one heart: to serve others.

Our best service was to each other as maid and matron in each other’s weddings.

By Renée DePietro (Beta alumna)

KNOCK-OUT SUCCESS Stephanie Wharen isn’t your average sorority member.

During her experience at Pennsylvania State University, Stephanie became involved with both the Alpha Theta Chapter of Omega Phi Alpha and power lifting.

As a freshman pre-med student, Stephanie decided official recruitment wasn’t for her, but a couple of women she met convinced her to rush OPA her sophomore year. She loved being social chair of OPA and being part of a small pledge class of only 11 girls.

“I just really liked that it was a small-knit group of girls. A lot of girls I know in other sororities, their pledge class is 100 people.

How do you even know them by name?” she said. “We were all really tight, and everyone knew each other in our whole sorority, which is really nice.”

She began competing in power lifting as a way to stay fit during and after college.

Stephanie eventually got to a point where she was able to squat 300 pounds.

“I just kept doing really well and lifting a ridiculous amount of weight,” she said.

Despite her success with power lifting, Stephanie threw out her back as a result of her workouts. She had spinal surgery the July before she went to law school at the University of South Carolina.

Three months later, as soon as she was cleared for lifting again, she began working with a personal trainer. She started doing boxing drills in workouts and started lessons with Dominic Neal, her current boxing coach.

“I’ve been training with him on only boxing ever since,” Stephanie said.

Although Stephanie is the Olympic champion in Georgia, she hasn’t had much competition in the South. So she was

naturally excited to face her real competition at the Ringside World Championship Boxing Tournament in Independence, Missouri, at the beginning of August.

The competition featured more than 1,500 fighters and more than 1,000 matches. Stephanie was in the second-to-last group to fight, so her nervousness increased as she watched others fight all day long.

“I had to sit there watching all of the other fights all day. It was nerve-wracking,” she said. “But once I got in the ring, I just forgot about the nerves.”

Stephanie drew the national champion in the first round of competition, but she was still extremely satisfied with her performance. In fact, some of the judges disagreed over who won the match. She has been boxing for two years now, and knows boxing is the perfect sport for her.

Stephanie tried a lot of different workouts, including crossfit and lifting, and playing sports such as soccer, before deciding boxing was for her. “I’m a really competitive person.

This is something I can compete in, and it’s a sport I can do on my own schedule,” she said.

“It’s the only one where I’ve absolutely loved the workout and kept wanting to improve.”

When she’s training for a tournament, she works out at least five hours a day, for a total of about 28 hours a week. Even when she’s not training for a specific event, Stephanie is still in the gym for 15 to 18 hours each week.

She works her training into her already busy schedule.

“It’s really challenging,” Stephanie explained. “You have to do so many other things in a boxing workout.”

Stephanie’s OPA sisters have also played an integral role in helping her pursue her passion. Many of her sisters have donated money to help her be able to compete, and they are constantly reaching out to her to see how her training is going.

“All my pledge class and everyone, they talk to me

ALUMNAE

Stephanie and her S Wharen (Alpha teammateouth Carolina bo Theta) xin Jaylon Pri dgeon g

and ask me about it. My sisters are involved in it and keep track of what I’m doing,” she said.

“A lot of them helped donate to be able to send my team to Worlds.”

Stephanie has appreciated all of the support her sisters have given her, but many of them felt like it only made sense considering the support Stephanie has given to them over the years.

Emily says she can’t remember back to before Stephanie was a part of her life. “My life would be a little less inspiring and a lot more boring without having Steph as my Little and close friend.”

Her sisters also aren’t surprised to see her be so successful at boxing.

“Steph doesn’t do anything just for the sake of doing something. She does it to succeed and get the most out of it,” Emily said. “If anyone can multitask major commitments like law school and training, it’s Steph. It’s been really cool to see her training and all of her effort she’s put into everything she’s done both in boxing and at USC.” In the short-term, Stephanie is training for a competition in the fall, but she’s been talking with her coach about whether she wants to stay amateur or become a professional boxer.

Either way, she knows she still wants to keep boxing. Right now, Stephanie is hoping her love of boxing will fit into her career goal of becoming a public defender.

“It’s something I want to stay with and keep competing in as long as I can,” she said.

By Natalie Pita (Chi), Chevron writer

FALL 2015

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ALUMNAE

OMEGA TAU HONORS JAMIE HOPMANN HUNLOCK Jamie Ann Hopmann Hunlock (Delta), born Feb. 10, 1965, in Houston, Texas, passed away on Sunday, April 5, 2015, surrounded by her loving family. The news of her passing just missed the spring Chevron.

Last June, Houston area alumnae held an OPA scholarship fundraiser in memory of Jamie, a former NEB member. The Bunko party event, cohosted by fellow Delta alums Mary Morrison and Pamela Mudd Conlan, generated $800, which was donated to the Omega Phi Alpha Scholarship Trust. Jamie cofounded the Texas alumnae chapter in Houston (later renamed Omega Tau Chapter) and started the long tradition of socializing with sisters over chatty games of Bunko.

Jamie graduated from Texas A&M University in 1987 with a bachelor of business administration degree and also earned her

master’s in international business administration at the University of St. Thomas. She worked as a CPA in the Houston area and enjoyed her cats, friends, traveling and A&M football.

She married Patrick Hunlock on Dec. 29, 2012, though her career came to an end after being diagnosed with ALS. Jamie served as OPA’s national membership director and national treasurer in the late 1980s. Those who knew Jamie well remember her for her ready smile, her luscious hair, her keen intellect (as in “president-of-Mensa” intellect), her steadfast loyalty, and her fierce determination to right the “wrongs” in the world around her.

Fellow Aggie sister Corinna Garcia Rodriguez wrote, “Jamie led the most

Alumnae Chapter Reports Miki Marie, Ginger McGarity, Christina Jutting and Emily Buszka (Omega Iota)

Omega Delta alumnae bid farewell to Pamela McEwen

OMEGA DELTA Nashville, TN Nashville-area alumnae had a wonderful time on Saturday, Aug. 22, at Germantown Cafe. In addition to discussing Convention news and planning for the upcoming year, the group held a special service for long-time member Pamela McEwen, who is retiring to Florida later this year. Through the years, Pamela has enriched the chapter through her vast knowledge and caring heart. Andie Hixson, former national president, also attended.

The sisters collected two shopping carts of pet food, which Rachel Thomason delivered to the Nashville Humane Society.

For future service, the members will be writing letters of encouragement to immigrants in the Nashville area who are seeking to gain legal citizenship due to criminal activity they reported to authorities or criminal acts against them. Also, the alumnae sisters will continue to collect greeting cards for the SMART organization.

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OMEGA IOTA Phoenix, AZ The Phoenix Provisional Alumnae Chapter successfully completed its provisional period last spring and is now known as Omega Iota Chapter. The group met in August and made dogs toys from old T-shirts and donated them to the Arizona Animal Welfare League. Several events are planned for the fall including Yoga Rocks the Park, a girls’ night out dinner and movie on Nov. 21, and an Adopt-A-Family wrapping party on Dec. 13.

Visit the Omega Phi Alpha Arizona alumnae group on Facebook to get involved.

Omega Tau hosted a Bunko event.

OMEGA TAU Houston, TX In addition to the scholarship fundraiser held in memory of Jamie Hopmann Hunlock (see story above), plans are in the works for

guests Omega Tau alumnae and larship in raised $800 for OPA’s scho Hunlock. honor of Jamie Hopmann

beautiful of lives, because she worked quietly, diligently, and with much love and compassion.”

Visit OPA’s Facebook page for a video tribute to Jamie.

an Omega Tau Chapter service project to participate in the Walk for Mental Health Awareness Houston event on Oct. 10. This activity will double service efforts for the permanent project and the President’s Project: Mental Health Matters. Actives and Alumnae are encouraged to participate and to donate. OPA team registration link: http://ow.ly/QDA1v. Look for the green “join team” button. For information about Omega Tau, email Omega_Tau@omegaphialpha.org.

DETROIT PROVISIONAL ALUMNAE CHAPTER Detroit, MI The Detroit Provisional Alumnae Chapter is excited to announce new board members Paulina Zawisza (finance chair) and Kierstyn Matthews (PR/social media). The new leadership board held its kickoff meeting on Aug. 16 and has formed great goals and plans to be unveiled during the year.

On Sept. 11, the group met for dinner at the Blue Tractor in Ann Arbor followed by Gamma alum Kelly Story Wade’s production of the Addam’s Family at the Mendelssohn Theater. On Oct. 25, the group welcomes newcomers for Coffee and Donuts during EMU Family Weekend (email for more information). They are also planning a muchanticipated Mother/Daughter Tea Party on March 20, 2016, which will host multiple generations of OPA mothers and daughters!

Keep in touch with us on Facebook or via email at opadetroitalum@gmail.com and subscribe to our email newsletter.

CHAPTER REPORTS

Chapter Reports

ALPHA Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, OH Founded in 1967 • 41 Actives Rush theme: Sail Away with OPhiA President’s Project: This spring we will hold our third annual Out of the Darkness Walk around campus. We do the walk in conjunction with American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, to develop ways to increase awareness of suicide prevention.

Fall service: Bingo at the local nursing home, game and craft nights at Wood Lane (a place for individuals with developmental disabilities), cleaning up the stretch of our adopted highway, and Relay for Life.

Fact: Broke ground this summer for our house on campus! It will be finished Fall 2016!

Permanent Project: Substance abuse Fact: Our chapter has grown quite a bit over the last couple years, and we are considering becoming selective!

DELTA Texas A&M University—College Station, TX Founded 1970 • 75 Actives Rush: September 16–20 Rush theme: You had me at Halo President’s Project: Partnering with Texas A&M HelpLine, a student counseling service Fall service: 12th Can Food Drive; Adopt-AStreet; Walk for Water; The Pulsera Project, and many more!

Fact: Texas A&M University was previously an all-male college. After women were officially allowed to attend Texas A&M in 1963, Omega Phi Alpha was the first female organization at the university.

Gamma cleans up a local park.

Rush theme: Omega Phi Alpha Garden Party President’s Project: “How are you?” project.

The goal is to remove the formality of the question and the response by getting people to talk about how they are actually feeling and showing those with mental illnesses that there is always someone who cares.

Fall service: Professional Communication Workshop; Professor/Faculty Appreciation; School Supply Drive (items will be donated to local Title 9 or underprivileged schools); volunteering at senior centers and debate tournaments; Disney Pageant (proceeds go to charity); school supply drive and letters of encouragement for an underprivileged school in India; MardiBra—donating items such as bras, tampons and pads to local homeless shelters.

Fact: Our chapter nickname is the MUstaches. We are often seen wearing or carrying some form of mustache accessory, item or print.

Fairy Myst with Girl Scouts

GAMMA Eastern Michigan University—Ypsilanti, MI Founded 1967 • 28 Actives Rush theme: Welcome to the Sweet Life (Sugar Rush) President’s Project: National Suicide Awareness Day/Week Campaign; Chalking around campus with facts about suicide/ depression, passing out homemade friendship bracelets around campus, lobby tables Fall service: Activities include the Giving Garden—helping to create and tend a community garden on campus; Snack-n-Study for students on campus (in collaboration with Holman Success Center); Binky Patrol/Hats for stillborn infants— knitting/crocheting, making tie blankets); Street Clean-up; Track-or-Treat—organizing safe trick-or-tricking in university fieldhouse for local children; Buster Bash—pitbull rescue; Breast Cancer Walk; Relay for Life; Heart Attack Box; Teach-a-Sister; Trick-orTreat for Unicef ; Candy for Soldiers; Shoebox Ministry

Epsilon sister Vivi Khoo raised more than $500 for Relay for Life by shaving her head to support the movement to cure cancer!

EPSILON Tennessee Tech University—Cookeville, TN Founded 1973 • 55 Actives Rush theme: Carnival/Circus Fall service: Ghouls at Grassmere; Susan G. Komen Race; helping with Genesis House Fact: We plan on bringing back an Epsilon tradition of the 24-hour Dance-A-Thon! We would like to have the proceeds go to support mental health!

MU Middle Tennessee State University— Murfreesboro, TN Founded January 29, 1983 • 16 Actives Rush: September 14–18

NU Georgia Institute of Technology—Atlanta, GA Founded 1988 Rush theme: Sights and Service Fall service: Our goal for this fall is to push our girls to get at least 20 hours each.

Fact: Nu Chapter has won the Gold Award for 12 years in a row, and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

OMICRON Auburn University—Auburn, AL RHO Western Kentucky University— Bowling Green, KY Founded 1993 • 85 Actives Rush theme: Friendship, Leadership, Service Bid Day theme: Sliding into Home with Omega Phi Alpha President’s Project: participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in September.

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CHAPTER REPORTS

Fall service: Our chapter will be helping freshmen move into their dorms during orientation week. Several of our sisters will be serving as site leaders for Big Red’s Blitz, a campus- and community-wide service day.

Fact: Our local mascot is the ladybug!

Sigma sisters at Convention 2015 SIGMA University of Tennessee at Chattanooga— Chattanooga, TN Founded December 5, 1993 42 Actives / 22 Potential Pledges Rush theme: Slide Home to Omega Phi Alpha (baseball) Fall Service: Faculty and Staff Appreciation for our university community; Susan G. Komen 5K for nations of the world; partnering with the university to provide programming to students for our President’s Project.

Fact: Several of our sisters attended leadership development camps over the summer.

TAU The University of Texas at Austin—Austin, TX Founded 1994 • 19 Actives / 5 Pledges Rush theme: Fairytale–Happily Ever After President’s Project: Longhorn Run Fall service: Soup Kitchen, Boys & Girls Club; Cleaning up parks Fact: Inspired by Saturday Night Live, UT Tau chapter brings you OPA Night Live! We reached out to talented members across the university community to perform a show to help us raise funds for Autism Speaks.

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UPSILON University of Louisiana at Lafayette— Lafayette, LA

CHI University of South Carolina—Columbia, SC Founded 1998 • 57 Actives/ 17 Pledges Rush theme: Nautical/Beach President’s Project: Volunteering with organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. We would like to focus the President’s Project on raising awareness and reducing stigma for mental health issues while our other national project for mental health will focus on hands-on service opportunities.

Fall service: For our nations of the world project, we hope to work with our local zoo by cleaning and landscaping. Every time we volunteer at the zoo, we will make a donation to the World Wildlife Fund—an organization many of our sisters are passionate about for their love of the environment and conservation. Our community-at-large project has several events planned with the Ronald McDonald House as many of our sisters enjoy working with children.

Fact: Our chapter completed more than 2,000 service hours last semester.

OMEGA Rutgers University—New Brunswick, NJ Rechartered 2015 • 53 Actives Rush theme: Football, Drafting the nations finest ladies since 1967 President’s Project: Hanging motivational posters around campus Fall service: Buddy Ball—soccer with special needs children; Big Chill 5K—collect toys for children; bingo at a senior home; yoga hike as service to sisters; Monster Mash—safe alternative for kids to trick or treat Fact: Rutgers turns 250 this year, making it the eighth oldest school in the country!

Sayer-Jane Vermeer, right, accepts the Outstanding Chapter Treasurer Award on behalf of Amy Frauen.

ALPHA ALPHA Northern Arizona University—Flagstaff, AZ Founded 2000 • 58 Actives / 25 Pledges Rush theme: travel President’s Project: Mental Health Matters Fall service: We will be focusing a lot more on mental health this year including depression and anxiety, because those are two illnesses that tend to affect a lot of college students.

Fact: Our school colors share the same colors as our sorority, dark blue and gold (minus the light blue) ALPHA BETA University of Mississippi—Oxford, MS

PSI Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi— Corpus Christi, TX Founded in 1998 • 10 Actives Rush theme: Lone Star State President’s Project: healthy food swap

ALPHA GAMMA Oklahoma State University—Stillwater, OK Founded 2004 Rush theme: Ophia in Wonderland President’s Project: Creating a team for Charity Miles, an app that donates money to the Alzheimer’s Association for every mile you run, bike or walk.

CHAPTER REPORTS Night Walk—raise funds for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; Bert’s Big Thank You— write thank-you letters to service men and women; Pay It Fur-ward—donate supplies to the Cherokee County Animal Shelter Fact: OPA-Alpha Zeta had the largest participation and raised the most funds out of all KSU organizations at Relay for Life this year.

Fall service: This fall, we will continue working with the Oklahoma Blood Institute for our community project. Our nations project will consist of selling bracelets to benefit Threads of Hope, and for our members’ project, we are planning to write “Dear Future Sister” letters to incoming PNMs. We will be promoting Breast Cancer Awareness during the month of October on campus to satisfy our university project, and will be playing Bingo with local nursing home residents as our permanent project.

Fact: We are participating in America’s Greatest Homecoming again this fall, and we will be working the gentlemen of Theta Chi. Jayci Carroll with Heather Pritchard, national president

ALPHA THETA The Pennsylvania State University— University Park, PA

Alpha Iota introductions at Convention 2015.

ALPHA IOTA Notre Dame of Maryland University— Baltimore, MD

Alpha Kappa at KU Relay for Life!

ALPHA DELTA Georgia Southern University—Statesboro, GA ALPHA EPSILON Southeastern Louisiana University— Hammond, LA Alpha Zeta collected books for Africa.

ALPHA ZETA Kennesaw State University—Kennesaw, GA Founded 2006 • 32 Actives Rush theme: NFL President’s Project: Out of Darkness Walk Fall service: Linus blankets—make blankets for critically ill children; Light the

President’s Project: Involved with Boston Public Healthcare and Boston Healthcare for the homeless, providing services for those with homelessness and mental illness. We send 5 –10 sisters once or twice a month.

Fall service: We are involved with Saturday Sunday Bread Soup Kitchen, Red Cross Food Pantry, Community Servings and Room to Grow. Planning fun events for service to the sisters, such as making family trees to trace back lineages and bond as a family. Another goal is to increase involvement for the many walks and runs we do around Boston, including volunteering at the local Alzheimer’s walk.

Fact: Alpha Mu is planning its first retreat for active members this fall! The retreat will take place on a boat that will cruise on the Charles River along the beautiful Boston skyline.

ALPHA KAPPA University of Kansas—Lawrence, KS Founded 2010 • 70 Actives / 28 new members Recruitment theme: Disney President’s Project: Project Linus—making blankets for critically ill children Fall service: Mental health training for members; National Day Without [mental health] Stigma; International Violence Against Women Act; CASA birthday bags; Project Linus; Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center Fact: Last semester, Alpha Kappa won $8,000 in a crowd-funding campaign held by the KU Alumni Association!

ALPHA LAMBDA North Carolina State University—Raleigh, NC Founded 2010 • 33 Actives Rush theme: Omega Phi Alpha, Where all of your dreams come true (Disney themed) President’s Project: Mental Heath Fall service: Shack-a-thon; Miracle League; working with Girl Scouts; NAMI events Fact: We have an all-sophomore executive board.

ALPHA MU Boston University—Boston, MA Founded 2011 • 62 Actives

ALPHA NU Texas State University—San Marcos, TX Founded 2013 Rush theme: Come one, come all, to the greatest sorority on Earth, Omega Phi Alpha!

Fall service: Special Olympics, homecoming, GOAL low ropes, charity miles, senior prom Fact: We have a tradition of wearing cowboy boots to activation.

ALPHA XI University of Central Florida—Orlando, FL

Alpha Omicron received the New Chapter Builder Award.

ALPHA OMICRON University of Florida—Gainesville, FL Alpha Pi is recognized with OPA donuts at Convention 2015.

ALPHA PI West Virginia University—Morgantown, WV

FALL 2015

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National Office PO Box 955 East Lyme, CT 06333 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Save the Date!

Convention 2016: Sunshine & Sisterhood Thursday, July 14 to Sunday, July 17, 2016 Tempe Mission Palms Hotel, Tempe, AZ

Registration opens by March 15, 2016 Choose from multiple pricing options including single days or weekend only.

Pricing to come.

For questions, email convention@omegaphialpha.org Join the Facebook event for updates.