The Compass Editors Remember Their Tenures

For the past 100 years, only twenty-three women have had the privilege of serving as editor of The Compass. Whether the position title fell under Editor, Grand Editor, or National Director of Publication, the role of executing our national magazine has always been one of importance. Since 1974, eleven women have served in this role. Please enjoy reading about the last eleven editors of The Compass. We remember our other sisters who served as editor and who have entered the Eternal Chapter.

1921-1922 – Irene Lucille Devlin, D 1922-1928 – Frances Best Watkins, B 1929-1935 – Rowena Harvey, Z 1936-1939 – Jean Hennegan Strasser, E 1939-1941 – Dorothy Stephans, E 1942-1943 – Kay Mulvaney Boynton, K 1944-1946 – Evelyn Brink Lothes, E 1946-1947 – Janet Imse Tiernan, T 1948-1950 – Marian Burnham Henterly, S 1951-1962 – Katherine “Kitty” Krupp Zawistowski, S Fall 1962 – Betty Comer McDaniel, T

(Guest Editor, after election as National President) 1962-1973 – Dolores Friess Stephenson, S

1974-1976 – Margi Osborn

Borgman, AI

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPASS AND BECOME THE EDITOR? I don’t remember how I got involved. I had just left college in 1974. I was very active as a student and had a journalism minor. I vaguely remember going to two National Conventions. I think one was in Chicago, maybe. I was president of our chapter and also received the Senior Service Award, but I don’t remember much about either experience. I was very close to Julie Ince Herr, AI, and Debbie McVey Lucas, AI. Julie passed away several years ago and I am still in contact with Debbie and the alumnae group from the Alpha Iota Chapter.

1976-1980 – Penny Dirrig Cummings, S

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPASS AND BECOME THE EDITOR? I took journalism as an elective and was a reporter for my high school newspaper, The Vincentian, at St. Vincent High School in Akron, Ohio, in my sophomore year. I became second page editor as a junior and was the Editor-in-Chief in 1961-62. (It is now St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, home of Lebron James!) I majored in English at the University of Akron and was a reporter for their newspaper, The Buchtelite. Other activities took precedence. I was president of the Association of Women Students as a junior, Chapter President of Theta Phi Alpha as a senior, and was named Outstanding Senior Woman when I graduated in 1966. Sigma Dolores Friess Stephenson, S, had succeeded Kitty Krupp Zawistowski, S, as editor of The Compass and it was always exciting to see our photos and news in the magazine. Once we were on the cover when we won Songfest. My husband was an Air Force pilot and it was always a touch of home when The Compass arrived in my mailbox as we moved around the USA. I became a reporter and editor for newspapers produced by Officers' Wives Club. When Ray left the Air Force, I ended up as a civilian in Milan, Ohio, with a newborn son and I was bored. The opportunity to become editor of The Compass was too tempting to resist and I edited it from 1976-80.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING EDITOR DURING YOUR TENURE? Never being close to a collegiate chapter or alumnae association was the most difficult part for me. Most everything was accomplished by mail. When we moved to Delaware, Ohio, I was able to contract with a printer located there, so proofreading each issue and making corrections in-person was a delight before it went to press.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST/WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? WHAT WAS ONE STORY OR HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER? I bravely took my family to a National Convention in Chicago and I was pleased that they could experience the sight-seeing opportunities. My sons still remember riding a tour bus with Theta Phi sisters singing sorority songs! When I lived in Connecticut, I was able to attend Founders' Day with the New York (City) Alumnae Association and it was meaningful to meet new sisters united by the same rituals. I am back in northeast Ohio and a highlight was being initiated into the Sapphire Circle with my Sigma Chapter sisters and Akron alumnae.

1981-1982 – Tina Pelc

Mulcrone, AG

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPASS AND BECOME THE EDITOR? I was Historian for the Alpha Gamma Chapter in Chicago and the editor of The Compass at the time enjoyed the little articles I sent in for publication. She recommended me to the position of editor.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING EDITOR DURING YOUR TENURE? The hardest part of being editor was organizing all the articles I received in the mail (without the aid of computers or the internet) before delivering the final copy to the printing company.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST/WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? I enjoyed reading about the various chapters and the activities they were involved in. It was always such a pleasure to share their stories in The Compass.

WHAT WAS ONE STORY OR HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER? I will always remember how I admired the recipients of the Senior Service Award. Publishing their accomplishments and aspirations made me so proud to be a sister of a sorority with such amazing women.

1983-1990 – Elizabeth Cibulskis

Eberhart, AG

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPASS AND BECOME THE EDITOR? Tina Pelc Mulcrone, a fellow Alpha Gamma Chapter sister, was stepping down from being the editor. We were pretty close and I had mentioned to her that if she ever stepped down or needed help I would be interested. The Grand Council appointed me about the same time I graduated from DePaul University in June of 1983. A highlight was interviewing for the position in-person with Grand Council during their meeting in Chicago! I did not have any training in writing or magazine design. I am an accountant! But I had a love for Theta Phi Alpha and thought my background as a high school yearbook editor and Chapter Historian would help me muddle through! It was seven years of great fun and wonderful memories! I took my Initiation vows seriously and was very involved in college and then as an alumna. I loved being a collegian, but my experiences as an alumna have been amazing. My best friends are my sisters.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING EDITOR DURING YOUR TENURE? Learning the publishing ropes and getting chapters and associations to send in articles on time, via the U.S. Mail. I was the editor before personal computers, before desktop publishing software, before cell phones. I used a 35mm film camera to take photos. The magazine was typed up on a typewriter and I cut and pasted up the pages to send to the printer to create the magazine! Good times!

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST/WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? I enjoyed the trips I made to record Theta Phi Alpha history. I was at the Installation of Alpha Pi, Alpha Sigma, and Alpha Omega Chapters. Other highlights would be attending the College Fraternity Editors Association meetings, our National Conventions, and Leadership Conferences.

WHAT WAS ONE STORY OR HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER? The first big Theta Phi Alpha trip I made was to the Installation of Alpha Pi Chapter. Five sisters traveled by car from Chicago: Maria Sumara, AI, Chi Chapter Governor; Melissa Brooks, AI, Chapter President; Julie Ince Herr, AI, National Second Vice President; Jean Yosepian, U, Theta Phi Alpha Foundation Director; and, myself. If you have ever experienced winter in the Midwest, you will understand why the memory of driving in the cold and snow for ten hours is unforgettable. It was so cold we had to continuously scrape ice off the inside of the windows! The warm welcome the Alpha Pi Chapter sisters gave us made us forget the trip! I was editor during some of the Fraternity’s most trying times. In 1983 when I took the position, we had fourteen collegiate chapters. When I resigned in the summer of 1990, we had thirty chapters and six colonies (now emerging chapters). We celebrated our Diamond Jubilee, and we updated the National Constitution and Bylaws. Those years were exciting and challenging. It is fabulous we are here today to recognize 100 years of publishing The Compass. Thank you to all the editors, past and present. Our history was and is in your hands.

1990-1996 – Barbara Vaingat

McIntyre, S

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPASS AND BECOME THE EDITOR? I don’t remember any specific reason. I worked at a newspaper; I knew how to do a page budget and I could do layout and format. I saw an opportunity to use my strengths.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING EDITOR DURING YOUR TENURE? In those early days of computer production, things could be pretty clunky. I started using QuarkXPress for Mac on a computer at work, and then the Fraternity bought a PC for me to use. This was before email and I didn’t have access to a scanner, so I mailed a floppy disk and all the photos to the printer in Minneapolis. It seems comical now. Many sisters will remember the Indianapolis National Convention of 1992. The photographer we engaged was remiss in producing our photos, a situation that continued for months and caused a long delay in The Compass Convention issue. I think we had to threaten legal action. It was most frustrating.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST/WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? My predecessor, Elizabeth Cibulskis Eberhart, AG, was so gracious and helpful in passing on the job to me. I enjoyed working with so many National Officers, alumnae, and collegians.

WHAT WAS ONE STORY OR HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER? The ultimate privilege was having Betty Comer McDaniel, T, serve as my copy editor. Being her apprentice was like earning a master’s degree.

1996 – Kathy Sullivan, AG

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPASS AND BECOME THE EDITOR? I stepped down from the Grand Council to become the editor.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING EDITOR DURING YOUR TENURE? It was fun to bring my technology skills to laying out and publishing the magazine and adding at least limited color to each issue as we started the transition from black and white. Having had no previous experience with the software, it was an interesting challenge to tackle.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST/WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? Working on the National Convention issue was great to try to bring the experience to both sisters who attended and those who were not there, not only through photos but engaging stories. I also enjoyed creating an Editorial Board to gather ideas.

WHAT WAS ONE STORY OR HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER? Over the 100 years, I think the profiles of the Siena Medalists have been the most meaningful writing experiences for me, because telling the stories that they share can be very impactful to everyone who reads it.

1997-1999 – Lori Runkel

Rypka, AZ

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPASS AND BECOME THE EDITOR? My good friend and sister, Jeanne Ross Eichler, AB, was involved at the national level, and she recommended me for the position.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING EDITOR DURING YOUR TENURE? Technology! The internet was fairly new to public use, and there was a learning curve on the computer Theta Phi Alpha had for this position. I wanted to do a refresh of the design, and we needed to purchase new software to make that possible. There are a lot of moving parts in putting together a publication – from connecting with others, to keeping track of what’s due, to getting it on paper and printed. Also, if memory serves, it was the first time we used color inside The Compass.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST/WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? I enjoyed working with my sisters to highlight the amazing women of Theta Phi Alpha. I met gals who I am still friends with today, and know we will stay connected for years to come.

WHAT WAS ONE STORY OR HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER? One highlight I won’t forget is a unique cover design that we pulled together. It was a full-page mosaic of pictures of sisters. That was a blast to put together, and I think it was well-received. I loved showcasing my sisters!

1999-2010 –

Renée Gravois, BE

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPASS AND BECOME THE EDITOR? My dear friend, sister, and mentor, Leslie Ervin Trahant, AB, invited me to serve in this capacity and recommended me to the Grand Council. Through my work experience as a college marketing professor, together with my volunteer roles in Theta Phi Alpha and other organizations, I had ample writing experience. While The Compass was my first magazine experience, my other experiences in writing and marketing gave me a good foundation from which to learn the ins and outs of publishing.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING EDITOR DURING YOUR TENURE? Time! Developing an issue of The Compass takes more hours than I could ever begin to count. Mix together raising children, working full-time, and such a time-intensive volunteer role, you get the idea of being time-challenged and time-frazzled.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST/WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? So many – just to name a few: the teamwork, sisterhood, camaraderie, shared commitment, challenge, and creativity it took to produce each and every issue. The experience of meeting so many sisters while gathering stories and interviewing them. The bonding with sisters on the Writing and Editing Team over story planning, writing, revising, and more revising. The joy of seeing a story start as just a kernel of an idea and helping shape it into the finished product. The fun of making decisions about the cover, lead stories, and other elements of each issue. The incredible support I received from Grand Council, National Officers, previous editors of The Compass, chapters and alumnae associations, our publisher, and the many volunteer writers and editors with whom I had the pleasure to work. The pride of a job well done. The joy of receiving The Compass in my mailbox and getting sisters’ feedback. I could go on and on about the incredible value, learning opportunities, sisterhood, and friendship that being part of The Compass team has added to my life.

WHAT WAS ONE STORY OR HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER? A consistent highlight for me through each of my years as editor was showcasing the awe-inspiring stories of the impact our sisters make in Theta Phi Alpha, our communities, and our world, even in times of hardship. I will always remember the stories about the challenges sisters faced and the many positive impacts they made in the wake of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Thank you for the opportunity to have served as editor of The Compass and to all sisters who have contributed to the magazine over our first 100 years.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPASS AND BECOME THE EDITOR? I worked on the Writing and Editing Team with Renée (Gravois) for two years. She decided to retire from the editor position. I had some interest in the position, and Karen Rubican, AS, convinced me to take over as editor. One of the best decisions I’ve made in Theta Phi Alpha!

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING EDITOR DURING YOUR TENURE? I think the hardest aspects are time and space. I wish we had all unlimited space in the magazine to print every great story and feature that we come across. It’s also finding enough time in the day to put everything together once that time of the year rolls around to start piecing the magazine together.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST/WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? I’m a true communication nerd and writing and editing brings me such joy. Putting the magazine together is hard work and is very time consuming, but the team of people that I worked with really made the magazine what it was (and is!). I loved submitting all the pieces to our designer and seeing it come to life with photos and color. It truly makes a difference.

WHAT WAS ONE STORY OR HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER? I was very fortunate to work on some big issues, including The Compass 90th anniversary, our 50th National Convention in New Orleans, and the BIG one, the Fraternity’s Centennial. Working on the issues after National Convention are always great and I want to convey all the “feelings” from Convention to our readers. Being able to showcase our Centennial Celebration in Ann Arbor was truly special. When we toured Ann Arbor, we visited the graves of some of the Founders and had dinner in the Student Union (where our Founders weren’t allowed to enter the front door, and were only allowed to visit if attending a dance with a fraternity man) at the University of Michigan. Being able to share that with our readers was simply amazing.

2016-2017 – Melissa Zolla, BX

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPASS AND BECOME THE EDITOR? My predecessor, Lauren Svec Gallo, BB, was running for Grand Council and knew a replacement would be needed if she won the election. After being a Leadership Consultant for a year and a half, I was looking for a new way to be involved as an alumna. Both of us being part of the Northern New Jersey Alumnae Association brought us together and I started shadowing how the process worked over that summer. Being a National Convention year, it was a big fall issue so we worked on it together.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING EDITOR DURING YOUR TENURE? Balancing my regular job with the editing process. I work in college admissions and the fall is our busiest part of the year. Sometimes there weren't enough hours in the day to get it all done, but we eventually managed.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST/WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? I loved finding stories to highlight all stages of membership and including photos of as many chapters as possible. I always felt that an article was great for story telling but a photo truly captured the Theta Phi spirit.

WHAT WAS ONE STORY OR HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER? The first issue Lauren and I worked on was the Convention issue. Since I was able to attend Convention, it was like reliving the whole experience not only from my point of view, but from fellow sisters as well.

2018 – Danielle Netta, BG

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPASS AND BECOME THE EDITOR? I have been volunteering for Theta Phi Alpha since I graduated in 1997 from Fairleigh Dickinson University. About 12 years ago, I was a staff writer for The Compass. When my daughter was born in 2011, I took some time off. A few years ago I was looking to get involved again and The Compass needed an editor and they knew of my prior experience working for The Compass, in addition to my career in corporate communications and my extensive professional writing background, so it was a perfect fit.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING EDITOR DURING YOUR TENURE? The hardest part for me was the sheer volume of work. This is definitely one of the volunteer positions that requires to have excellent time and project management skills. It was practically a part-time job. For me, balancing my full-time job, being a mom, and working on The Compass was a lot to manage.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST/WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? Working on The Compass allowed me to work with sisters from many different chapters. I always enjoy meeting new sisters and working together for Theta Phi Alpha. I always hope when I speak to my own chapter and tell them my experience, the collegians will do the same as me and volunteer when they become alumnae.

WHAT WAS ONE STORY OR HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER? I can’t say there was one particular story, but all of the sister spotlights were always my favorite. We have amazing women in Theta Phi Alpha who have accomplished so much in their personal and professional lives. 2020-present – Lauren Svec Gallo, BB

I’m back! I’m so excited to be back as the Director of Publication and Editor-in-Chief of The Compass! I really enjoyed my time as editor from 2010-2016, and after spending four years serving on Grand Council, I knew this was the job that I wanted to return to. I’m very fortunate to see such amazing changes over the past 11 years, including a new designer, a full-time communications director for the Fraternity, and lots of sisters who love writing, editing, and communication as much as I do! Doing this job is really a passion for me, and I love working on the magazine. I’m so excited for this issue to hit your mailbox, since it celebrates 100 years of The Compass!