L I V I N G O U R VA L U E S
Pi Phi Motivates Others and Encourages the Heart By: Massachusetts Gamma SHELBY PEFLEY
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n our chapter, most of the Executive Council members are seniors. We select these older members to serve because of their extensive experience in Pi Phi and on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus. But Massachusetts Gamma KYLA TRUMAN is one of the few women who joined the Executive Council as a junior. She threw herself into the role, not only performing her duties to the highest level, but taking on more responsibilities at every turn. And she did everything with an earnest joy that excited everyone around her. Kyla emerged as an outstanding new leader last fall when she volunteered for the MIT Giving Tree program, which brings holiday cheer to families in need. The organization works with students, staff, faculty and friends to gather gifts, and then partners with local service organizations to distribute those gifts to families. In her role, Kyla worked with student groups on campus to collect gifts. The program was an overwhelming success, collecting more than 900 toys, books and essential supplies so that every child who requested a gift received one. Our chapter was so impressed with Kyla’s work for the MIT Giving Tree that we elected her to serve as Vice President of Philanthropy. In her role, she managed two philanthropy events: Ransom for Reading and Pi Burger Phry. Ransom for Reading is an event involving the entire MIT community. Campus leaders are “kidnapped” and students donate money to “free” them. Using the organizational skills she learned while managing the MIT Giving Tree, Kyla recruited a larger number of student groups to
participate than we had ever had before. Her excitement for the event was contagious and our chapter members stepped up, volunteering however they could. Ransom for Reading raised nearly $3,000 for Read > Lead > Achieve, more than twice what the event raised in the past. After Ransom for Reading’s great success — and the great effort necessary to make it so — it would have been easy for Kyla to simply carry out our second event, Pi Burger Phry, at the same level as previous years. Instead, she completely revamped the event to make it better. We have always sold cupcakes and cookies that were decorated to look like burgers and fries. But while we traditionally sell the treats at a booth on campus, Kyla added the ability to order online in addition to our booth orders. These changes required many hours of extra work, but Kyla had nothing to worry about. Sisters lent a hand any time she asked for help. I remember Kyla being so surprised she didn't have to repeatedly ask others for help. But I wasn't surprised. She communicates her passion so well and it’s easy for others to get excited alongside her. Pi Burger Phry was also a great success, raising twice what it had in the past. This year, our members recognized Kyla for her dedication to our chapter and elected her Chapter President. I was honored to serve with Kyla on Executive Council as Vice President of Membership. I was especially thankful for her leadership while I managed our chapter’s primary recruitment. I could always count on Kyla to inspire sisters in her daily speeches, in the planning activities she did with the chapter and in her one-onone interactions with each woman. It was also because of Kyla that I was able to succeed in my role. When I had a 103-degree temperature on the second day of recruitment, Kyla was there to comfort me behind the scenes so I could be strong in front of the chapter. She genuinely cares about people, and her belief in me helped me believe in myself.
Left: The leadership of Massachusetts Gamma KYLA TRUMAN (right) has motivated her chapter sisters to get more involved on campus and in Pi Beta Phi. Kyla particularly served as a mentor to Massachusetts Gamma SHELBY PEFLEY (left) during behind-the-scenes planning of primary recruitment.
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