Themis—Spring 2023

National President

Dinah Jackson Laughery, Beta Gamma

Vice President Collegiate I

Meredith Harris Braselman, Delta Lambda

Vice President Collegiate II

Stancy Robinson Hagans, Gamma Tau

Vice President Collegiate III

Kimberly Jones Ivester, Gamma Pi

Vice President Alumnae I

Kery Reinkemyer Webb, Eta Iota

Vice President Alumnae II

Cheri White Armstrong, Theta Gamma

Secretary-Treasurer

Shannon Ferguson, Alpha Psi

National Panhellenic Conference Delegate

Dr. Katie Peoples Zamulinsky, Theta Xi

Extension Director

Karla Lundgren Wheeler, Psi

ZTA FRATERNITY

HOUSING CORPORATION

President

Natalie Yingling Lisko, Delta Omega

Vice President Housing Area I

Karen Rose Roper, Iota Alpha

Vice President Housing Area II

Julie Ward Moxley, Theta Sigma

Vice President Housing Area III

Marnie Marlar Frazier, Eta Omega

Vice President Construction

Kris Fleming, Eta Theta

Vice President Design

Ashlee Driggers Kositz, Eta Chi

Vice President Operations

Nona Douglass Richey, Zeta Omicron

Secretary-Treasurer

Casey Guimbellot Pash, Iota Chi

Directors

Dinah Jackson Laughery, Beta Gamma

Carolyn Hof Carpenter, Theta Tau

Shannon Ferguson, Alpha Psi

ZTA FOUNDATION

President

Carolyn Hof Carpenter, Theta Tau

Vice President of Alumnae Development

Cynthia Byars Courtney, Gamma Tau

Vice President of Collegiate Development

Carla Martin Cobb, Theta Tau

Vice President of Philanthropy

Marlene Dunbar Conrad, Eta Iota

Vice President of Scholarship

Kristen Humeston Harthorn, Beta Phi

Secretary-Treasurer

Kay Dill Kreutzer, Eta Rho

Directors

Nora Nell Hardy Jackson, Beta Gamma

Becky Hainsworth Kirwan, Gamma Beta

Sherry Server Tilley, Zeta Alpha

Dinah Jackson Laughery, Beta Gamma

Shannon Ferguson, Alpha Psi

Natalie Yingling Lisko, Delta Omega

Casey Guimbellot Pash, Iota Chi

From Where I Sit

When we are young, we are taught to believe in ourselves, that we can do anything we set our minds to and the sky’s the limit. We believe anything is possible! Remember dreaming to be an Olympic gymnast, a doctor, an artist or a marine biologist?

As we get older, belief in ourselves fades. As important as it was to believe in ourselves as kids, it becomes crucial to remember we are still amazing, we can do great things and we can also help others succeed by believing in them.

In college, a local alumna named Mary Hobbis Schubert (Alpha Theta Chapter, Purdue Unviersity) believed in me. She trusted me to help her make a visiting National Officer feel welcome behind the scenes. Soon, that National Officer, my chapter Mentor Claire Winn Dowden (Delta Zeta Chapter, Sam Houston State University), got to know me and believed in me, as well. I would have never applied to be a ZTA Leadership Consultant were it not for these women believing in me as a collegian.

Advisors can have a much bigger impact than they realize. Just one “I am so proud of you” or “I think you would be a great officer” could change the course of a collegian’s ZTA journey. I recently assisted with interviews for next year’s Leadership Consultants, and it was eye opening to hear our National Officers and ZTA staff members share why they are in their roles. Every one of them said it all started with someone believing in them.

As ZTA volunteers, whether a collegiate or alumnae chapter officer or a National Officer, it’s even more crucial to believe in those around us. Trusting our teammates enables them to shine, and it builds trust. If we don’t believe in each other from the start, we paint a picture of how things could go wrong, and in turn, our sisters question their own abilities and hold back. Believing in our sisters gives them the confidence to do their best work, and it builds their trust in us.

Just imagine how much more successful our executive committee, alumnae board and even friendships could be if everyone trusted that others always had the best intent. Imagine how much more successful we could be personally if we believed in ourselves like we did when we were young.

Believing in ourselves and in others is where success begins. Help your sisters by believing in them, encouraging them to do more and then trusting them when they do.

KARLA LUNDGREN WHEELER Extension Director

18

Hop in our time machine and stroll down memory lane to learn how social media platforms changed the way sisters and chapters communicated and shared news.

TODAY’S SPECIAL: SERVING UP SISTERHOOD

Get to know four Zetas with successful careers in the food industry who use their love of food, family and fellowship to feed their communities and the world.

ON THE COVER:

Three alumnae and one collegian share how their journeys led them from college to food-related careers.

THEMIS

VOLUME 121 NUMBER 3

SPRING 2023

1036 S. Rangeline Road

Carmel, IN 46032 (317) 872–0540

zetataualpha@zetataualpha.org

STAFF

Editor

Wendy Brunner

Graphic Designer

Kahlie Cannon

Staff Writer

Christy Marx Barber, Alpha Psi

Senior Director of Communication

Ashley Sherman

Contributors

Susan L. Beard, Delta Psi

Liv Gardner, Delta Gamma

Peyton Harris, Gamma Iota

Patti Cords Levitte, Beta Phi

Hannah Newman, Zeta Lambda

Maddie Willis, Alpha Omicron

WINTER 2023 CORRECTIONS

Cover

We failed to identify that Frances Yancey Smith is on the right and Alice Bland Coleman is on the left.

Social Post

An incorrect photo was used of Iota Phi Chapter. Below is the correct photo.

#BadgeDay23

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA @ztafraternity |

Points of Pride

Photo #4 described on page 45 should have been identified as Eta Beta Chapter at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer ® walk of Greater Pittsburgh.

UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION

ZTA wants to occasionally communicate via text. If you prefer to opt out, please update your communication preferences in Sisters Only by scanning the QR code below.

@zta_tulsa It’s #badgeday23!

Being an Alumnae chapter our badges mean everything to us. They are a symbol of our sisterhood, and all the memories we have gained. Peep our cute sisters, and their badges. Maybe even an honor ring or two.

@sfa_zta Happy badge day -

Our badges serve as a reminder of our love and devotion to our chapter and fraternity#betterinabadge #badgedayzta #WeAreZTA #ZTAisHome #514istheplacetobe #sfazta #sfasu #flywithpanhellenic

@tamucczta Happy National Ritual Week!

Day one • National Badge Day

This week is very special to us as we honor our chapter and show everyone how much Zeta means to us! These pins represent love and pride to be in Zeta Tau Alpha. This family is forever!

@aug_zta Happy #badgeday23 !

We wear our badge proudly over our heart as it represents something bigger than ourselves, connecting us with Zetas all across the world. It serves as a reminder of our love and commitment to our fraternity and chapter.

ZTA Tulsa Alumnae @zta_tulsa

Eta Mu Chapter @aug_zta

Theta Eta Chapter @sfa_zta

Kappa Alpha Chapter @colostatezta

Iota Phi Chapter @ztancsu

@ztancsu Happy Founders Day, ZTA! Today, we are celebrating 124 years of love & sisterhood!!! We can’t wait for many more @ztafraternity

HEC Highlights

from the Historical and Educational Center

Bronze door markers commonly adorned a house or building to share its name or address. This circa 1920s ZTA door marker has a unique shape compared to those common of the time. The building boom in the Roaring '20s saw many decorative elements added to ZTA houses, and this was a stylish way to show ZTA pride. Original location of marker unknown.

STATUS UPDATE:

FROM DIAL UP TO SMARTPHONE APPS, ZETAS STAY IN COMMUNICATION.

| WENDY BRUNNER, EDITOR |

AIM

did you know?

AOL Instant Messenger was released in 1997 and created the internet culture we know today. Users were thrilled to communicate instantly with friends and family whenever the mood struck them. It’s where many people became fluent in emoticons and LMAO-ing. At its peak in 2001, AIM had 36 million users, some of whom were Zetas, who discovered the fun of AIM handles and sisters’ away messages.

Marissa Veal Baptista

Theta Chi Chapter, George Mason University

Since cell phones were rare in the late ‘90s for college students, we spent hours in the computer labs on the George Mason University campus messaging with one another. We still use our AIM handles today as inside jokes when communicating with one another almost 30 years later!

Corrine “Cori”

Ann Williams

Gamma Alpha Chapter, University of Miami

Well, first of all, my AIM screen name was “ZTAPrincess2004,” so right off the bat, I made it clear where my allegiances lay. Second, I remember having my AIM friends listed in categories, with “ZTA Princesses” at the top, so I could always be sure to check their away messages first. Ah, the good ol’ days. Such fond memories!

brb off to chapter meeting

MYSPACE

Maggie Casmus Borze

Beta Nu, New Mexico State University

We were big on MySpace. It was so fun being able to add songs, put pictures of our favorite celebs up and chat with friends.

Lauren Rockwell Eggbeer

Theta Iota, University of North Florida

MySpace was filled with sappy quotes, quizzes and sisterhood poems. My top friends depended on who I was hanging with at the time. Not proud of this. Lol. It was definitely Zeta-fied! I think DJ Scrilla was my music, too! Wow!

did you know?

MySpace, launched in 2003, was Facebook before there was Facebook. Users could connect with friends, follow official accounts for celebrities, publish blog posts and engage in various forums. In 2005, MySpace had over 100 million users worldwide. Zetas used MySpace to chat with their sisters, listen to music and blog about college and sorority life.

FACEBOOK

Alyson Chavarria Contakos

Gamma Tau Chapter, Texas Tech University

We used Facebook to post information about chapter/group events that involved other sororities and fraternities. I mostly recall using it to post photos. We didn’t have smartphones where we could upload photos instantaneously. We scanned prints to our computers and uploaded them manually to FB. Looking back, it’s crazy to think I was part of history in terms of the social media revolution. I wonder what Maud would say?!

Ashley Stevens

Eta Mu Chapter, Augusta University

My sister, Macy, told everyone there was something new called Facebook and we should all get on it so we could stay connected. It made it so much easier to coordinate our plans, especially since our chapter doesn’t have a house.

Catherine Bowersox Posey

Kappa Phi Chapter, Christopher Newport University

When Facebook was new, I used it to remember the names and faces of my 64 new sisters. And, thanks to my risk management chairs, my profiles stayed squeaky clean through college, and I didn’t worry about potential employers seeing questionable posts or pictures after I graduated.

Jenny Wills Boatright

Delta Mu Chapter,

The University of Tennessee at Martin

did you know?

When The Facebook (it really was called The Facebook then) was launched in 2004, it was only open to people with .edu email addresses. Today, the platform is open to anyone over age 13 and has twoplus billion monthly active users.

We used each other’s Facebook wall like one uses Messenger today. Entire conversations happened back and forth. For chapter communications, groups were made constantly. My new member class had its own group where we could post reminders about meetings and study hours. It did not operate like today’s groups, but mainly functioned as a bulletin board.

INSTAGRAM

Laura Parker Barnes

Eta Zeta Chapter, Elon University

Instagram started to become popular when I was a senior. I can remember finally deciding to download it and posting my first picture of a group of my ZTA sisters at a senior gathering. It is very filtered because that’s what felt cool about Insta at the time. It’s still my original pic on insta!

Chelsea Benson Miller

Theta Chapter, Bethany College

Instagram came out just a few months before I joined ZTA. My sisters and I used it all the time to post pictures of all of the fun we had together. This was back in the day of crazy filters, borders and only one photo allowed per post, so a ZTA event could easily cause 10-15 posts in a matter of a few minutes. I also created Theta’s first Instagram account when I was the Historian-Reporter!

did you know?

Instagram was launched in 2010 as a platform for users to share, like and comment on photos and videos of people they follow. Insta had one billion users worldwide in 2022. Zetas found this platform to be a fun and easy way to share event pictures and videos, and it makes for an effective ZTA recruitment tool.

did you know?

Snapchat was founded in 2011 as a platform where people’s photos and videos--many with Snapchat filters-disappear from the site after a few moments of being seen. According to Snapchat, an average of five-plus billion snaps are created every day.

SNAPCHAT

Kristin Fiehler

Eta Tau Chapter, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Snapchat became the easiest way to share a joke or what you were doing. Sharing your feelings with an ironic filter on a selfie was high currency, especially once a screenshot was taken and later reshared for a birthday post. In particular, capturing a sister doing something silly so everyone could be in on the fun, and then reliving it every chance you had. The amount of Snapchat screenshots I amassed could fill a whole photo album. Social media was still mostly for sharing instead of big communication.

Megan Henderson

Delta Zeta Chapter, Sam Houston State University

The first thing I did on Bid Day was take a snap in my new letters to send to my family and friends and post on my story. Later that day, my member class created an MC’19 group chat. After Initiation, our chapter created a group Snapchat story for members, old and new. This allowed us to share funny moments throughout our day, where we were on campus to meet up or stories we wanted to tell. Even now, as an alum, I love communicating with my sisters on our group story!

did you know?

TikTok is a video-sharing social network platform that launched in 2016 with a current average of one million TikTok videos watched every day. It’s known for viral dance and lipsync videos, but any topic can be made into a TikTok video.

TIKTOK

Taryn Cycholl

Kappa Chi Chapter, Shorter University

It’s wild to me silly little apps like this can have such a large effect on what is going on in the world. I mainly used TikTok to just be goofy and participate in the dances that were trending at that time. I remember making my first TikTok with a sister who convinced me to go through recruitment, which resulted in me being a Zeta! My university was small, so I quickly became known as “the TikToker” of my class, specifically within my chapter, and it became a conversation starter and ice breaker for me.

Mariah Tsipouras-Clark

Delta Beta Chapter, Florida Southern College

I was serving as our chapter

Historian-Reporter in 2020 when the pandemic was in full swing. During this time, we saw the huge rise of TikTok. This led me to creating a chapter TikTok account, acting as a great way for sisters to stay connected during this time of distance. All sisters were encouraged to contribute ideas and participate in videos. It was a great way to showcase our sisterhood, be creative and have fun together! Once we were back in person, I remember sisters wanting to stay after chapters to hang out and make videos. It quickly became another activity for us to bond.

SHARING PROFESSIONAL TALENT AND PERSONAL TIME WITH ZTA

By Christy Marx Barber, Staff Writer

A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional for a national wealth management company.

A director of sustainability and procurement for an international beverage company.

A registered interior designer creating workspaces for multiple iconic corporations.

What do the three professionals have in common? Talent and career success? Yes, of course. And, fortunately for ZTA, they willingly share their time and talents as volunteers for the Fraternity Housing Corporation.

The FHC has 133 volunteers serving as committee members, Area Housing Coordinators or Housing Advisors. In this issue, we introduce you to Deb Minnick, Rachel Guthrie and Ashley Rose.

DEB BRIDGERS MINNICK

Alpha Xi Chapter, Indiana University FHC Finance Committee Member

Senior Vice President, Capital Wealth Advisors

Deb’s career experience includes managing loan portfolios for the wealth management groups of super-regional banks. She applies that knowledge in her FHC role by reviewing current loans and new financing offers for construction and remodeling projects. “We ask important questions and determine if we need to fight harder for different terms,” she said. “When we borrow money, it has repercussions. We always want to align those actions with our purpose.”

That purpose includes operating in the best interest of the ZTA membership. “We have to act on behalf of the past, present and future members of the chapter,” she said. “Each committee takes that purpose to heart. We have healthy debate. We need to know the why as well as the how and what.”

Deb served nine years on the Chapter Financial Management Committee, helping collegiate chapters balance budgets. Serving on the FHC has allowed her to see ZTA from the flip side of using funds to make housing possible. “I now have a greater

appreciation for the house I lived in and the house my daughter lived in. I want to preserve that legacy,” she said. “The FHC volunteers are smart, resourceful women who do everything they can for this era of college students who have lived through COVID and a changing financial picture for their parents. Living in a ZTA house can provide stability for them.”

RACHEL GUTHRIE

Eta Theta Chapter, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Area Housing Coordinator

Director of Sustainability and Procurement for Anheuser-Busch

Rachel leads the implementation of Anheuser-Busch’s aluminum purchasing contracts in North America. That involves supervising corporate contracts and getting materials where they need to be. For ZTA, she supervises the housing facilities in eastern Missouri.

Deb Bridgers Minnick

Rachel Guthrie

In both roles, she handles emergencies, like a beer production facility that doesn’t have enough aluminum cans or a ZTA facility that has too much unwanted water. “At work, I fight figurative fires all the time,” Rachel said. “The most crucial ZTA situations seem to involve water, too much of it in the wrong places, and often after midnight. I’ve learned to be calm. The first step is to stop the situation from being a disaster and knowing who to contact to keep it from happening.”

Rachel honed her problem-solving skills by renovating her early-1900s St. Louis home with her husband, touching every inch of the house. “Through that experience and my job, I’ve learned technical troubleshooting and problem solving. I know the importance of meeting deadlines, reading contracts and communicating with contractors,” she said. “The correlation between my professional and ZTA work is very helpful.”

Rachel has a great appreciation for Housing Advisors and House Managers. “Even though they are not on the forefront of recruitment and sisterhood events, they are critical to a chapter’s experience,” she said. “They take pride in their house and their leadership roles, and that will help them in their careers and as homeowners.”

ASHLEY ROSE

Alpha Upsilon Chapter, Oklahoma State University

FHC Design Committee Member

Registered Interior Designer at Gensler

Ashley has worked on the design teams for iconic Dallas corporations AT&T, American Airlines and the Dallas Cowboys. She joined the Design Committee in 2019, but, because the FHC suspended most projects due to COVID, the summer of 2022 was her first season of designing great spaces for ZTA.

“It’s a fascinating process behind the scenes,” Ashley said. “I lived in a chapter house for three years,

and I knew it would be clean and have plenty of food, but I never thought about how hard alumnae worked to provide ZTA housing.”

The design committee members bring different areas of interest to the team. Ashley’s is studying the dimensions of the space to create a workable plan. “Do we have clearance for that sofa? What’s the best size for the area rug? Those are the things I look for,” she said. “I coordinate with the Area Housing Coordinator and Housing Advisor to be sure it will fit—especially if it will fit through the door.”

For one facility, Ashley designed a buffet and had it custom made for the facility, giving the chapter a beautiful space to show off its awards. “My favorite aspect is the before and after look and how much the collegiate members love it,” she said. “They know how well it benefits them in recruitment and they are so appreciative. The warm and fuzzy of it all is the best.”

FHC President Natalie Yingling

Lisko is grateful for volunteers who share their talent and time with ZTA. “Without the knowledge and experience of our volunteers,” she said, “the FHC could not have grown into a multimillion-dollar corporation, managing over 100 facilities. We owe much of our success to the talented women who serve as housing volunteers.”

Ashley Rose

“I lived in a chapter house for three years, and I knew it would be clean and have plenty of food, but I never thought about how hard alumnae worked to provide ZTA housing.”

- Ashley Rose

SUPPORTING THE FUTURE OF BREAST CANCER RESEARCH

By Christy Marx Barber, Staff Writer

In 2014, Dr. Regina Barzilay, a distinguished professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab, was immersed in researching natural language processing—a form of AI that gives computers the ability to understand spoken and written human language.

Then, Dr. Barzilay was diagnosed with breast cancer, at age 43, and her research focus shifted.

After her successful treatment regimen for breast cancer, she asked, as good scientists do, an important question. Could she use her knowledge of AI to find breast cancer earlier? Based on a preliminary retrospective research study completed in 2021, that answer is trending toward “yes.” Now, with a $500,000 two-year grant from the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), Dr. Barzilay’s research is moving forward in a clinical setting.

RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Following treatment for breast cancer, Dr. Barzilay returned to work in 2016. “Doing early detection and risk assessment was the first thing on my mind, even though I had never done any work on medical data before,” she said. “I was obsessed by it, but it was not an easy route.”

Because she had never previously worked with medical data, scientific funding sources rejected her grant proposals for the first time in her career. “Even though I wrote that I had just gone through breast cancer treatment,” she said, “they would say ‘well, this technology is lacking.’” So, she and her team took a new approach. “Doing more of the same doesn’t change much,” she said. “We need to try to go in other directions with scientifically grounded alternative actions to change the status quo.” BCRF and five other funders agreed and supported a retrospective study of mammography using AI.

Dr. Barzilay draws a parallel between AI and teaching a child to write letters. “You want to explain to a child how to write the letter ‘a.’ So, you explain that it has to be round, and it has this (curved) end, and they practice it over and over,” she explained. “Artificial intelligence refers to different methodologies for machines to learn tasks from provided data. You give the machine lots of examples over and over and then create an algorithm that enables it to discriminate between things.”

In a retrospective study, the machine doesn’t know the outcome, but the researchers do. Dr. Barzilay’s plan was to obtain mammograms from patients diagnosed with breast cancer—from their first scan to the one that showed the cancerous mass. The goal was to determine if an algorithm created from those scans would “teach” a computer to identify the cancer earlier than is possible for the human eye.

Adam Yala, then an undergraduate at MIT, did the legwork to obtain the data. “When I met him, I didn’t have normal hair and I was obsessed,” Dr. Barzilay said. “Breast cancer is not something an MIT undergraduate really thinks about. He could have done so many interesting projects in computer science. He had to go and beg and beg for data from people who were extremely skeptical. I am very grateful he had the strength of character to push through it.” Adam is now Dr. Yala, a professor at University of California Berkely and University of California San Francisco.

Dr. Regina Barzilay

The MIT team was able to create an algorithm that would make a prediction from the mammogram. Of those who were later diagnosed with breast cancer, this algorithm correctly predicted 40% of the cases compared to the current widely used statistical model, Tyrer-Cuzick, that correctly predicts 23%. They named the algorithm “MIRAI,” the Japanese word for future. And that’s where the research continues.

CLINICAL STUDY

“It’s not enough to make this technique with retrospective data. The bigger question now is what happens prospectively. We need to create a clinical pipeline,” Dr. Barzilay said. That clinical study using MIRAI is what the ZTA Foundation is funding through its grant to BCRF.

The study is being conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital in Worcester, which has a diverse patient population of races and ethnicities. The team is currently recruiting and identifying the cohort for the clinical study. Consumers use AI every day to book travel, turn on their smart phones or select movies, but the general population still has misconceptions about its use. AI is not as prevalent in the medical field, so the team has prepared educational materials to encourage patients to join the study.

Radiologists will run MIRAI on the mammograms of patients who agree to participate in hopes of validating its efficacy, affordability and accessibility.

Dr. Barzilay explains that MIRAI is more effective than traditional screening technology that roughly determines the propensity for cancer based on family history, ethnicity and breast density.

MIRAI is also affordable. Radiologists already use automation to assess mammograms. MIRAI is an extra processing layer on top of the existing workflow. Clinics will not need any additional equipment.

MIRAI could make additional treatment more accessible. Most insurance companies will not pay for follow-up procedures, like an MRI, if a patient is not high risk. A patient may want additional screening but not be able to afford it. MIRAI can increase accessibility of that screening by identifying high-risk patients earlier.

MIRAI could also produce a more personalized breast health care plan by identifying women who are not at risk and may only need a mammogram every two years and those who are at risk and need to be screened more often.

Dr. Barzilay is grateful for the ZTA Foundation funding that could dramatically change the clinical system and patient outcomes. “We didn’t want to wait 10 years until I was an expert in this field,” she said. “We shouldn’t kill new ideas because this disease has not been cured for many decades. We need to have all the different perspectives, however wild they may seem, to be able to change the state of the art.”

The ZTA Foundation’s role in this progress is encouraging to President Carolyn Hof Carpenter. “For 30 years, Zetas have educated millions about the importance of regular mammograms,” she said. “Funding the clinical study of MIRAI allows us to continue to raise awareness and be at the forefront of possible advancements in early detection.

FOUNDERS’ FUN IN FARMVILLE

By Patti Cords Levitte, Archivist, and Susan L. Beard, Archives Committee Chair

Have you thought about what our Founders did in their spare time at the State Female Normal School (SFNS)? Did they play sports? Did they belong to clubs? Were they leaders in other groups? Were they popular? It is hard to imagine them in an environment other than the Mystifying Picture.

Our Founders did not have jampacked schedules or invasive technology. Their slower-paced life enabled them to do things by choice to fill their time in Farmville. All nine Founders had different pastimes and hobbies, and the various clubs at SFNS allowed them each to pursue their interests outside of ZTA.

We know they were very involved because of a quote we have from Maud Jones Horner, where she stated, “We were not content to be only a club. Each of us belonged to several already and somehow they did not satisfy our longings. We wished to be something stronger and greater, to reach far out and to have influence wherever we went.” Indeed, Zeta Tau Alpha filled a need for the Founders to create something meaningful, purposeful and long-lasting, but they were still active in other passions.

Arguably, one can say SFNS offered less formal involvement in college organizations than a large co-ed college. The focus of the school was to produce teachers, and students were able to fast-track their studies if needed. There are not as many details about student groups at SFNS before 1898, when the first yearbook was published.

Many of the students were locals and participated in activities with their families in town. The lists of groups in the early yearbooks seem more analogous to a high school

yearbook. There are many “in-joke” groups, where we can only guess at the real aim of the club. The Founders participated in the most organized groups, and one Founder was even responsible for founding a secret group that still exists today.

Maud was recognized by students at SFNS as one of the most popular students during her time there. She appeared to have a wide range of interests and participated in what was considered a good variety of the available organizations at SFNS. Maud served as the business manager of the SFNS yearbook, called the Normal Light, in 1899. Alice Bland Coleman also served with her on the yearbook board as an associate editor. Maud participated in the Tennis Club as the secretary, treasurer and vice president. She was one of the sportier Founders, staying active in the Tennis Club for most of her time at SFNS.

Maud’s likeability showed in the honors she was given in the yearbooks, being named the “guardian angel” of Professional Hall dormitory in 1899 and “the girl we all love” in the 1900 yearbook. She also belonged to the Tuckahoe Club, along with Frances Yancey Smith, which appears to be for students from a certain section of Virginia.

Frances did her part in leaving an impression on SFNS. She served as the President of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) at SFNS from 1899 to 1901. Many of the Founders were active with churches in Farmville, but Frances’ devout nature drew her to the YWCA in

ABOVE: 1898 SFNS Tennis Club--Maud is seated, middle row, second from left

RIGHT: 1899 German Club--Helen is seated far right, Cammie is standing middle row, fourth from left

Farmville. She worked for the YWCA after college as a traveling secretary doing outreach and mission work throughout the South.

Bicycling was another new craze sweeping the country at the time of the Founders, and it is surprising Frances and Helen May Crafford were the only ones to participate in this activity. There were only a few athletic clubs available to the students, but Alice Grey Welsh was too early for SFNS to have had an equestrian club. She was well known for her horsemanship, and it can only be assumed she rode in Farmville as much as she did at home in Richmond, Virginia. Alice Welsh was the Founder who belonged to the most esoteric clubs, like Q.O.F. and H.B.T (these clubs were so secret, even the abbreviations in their names were secret and are lost to time). These were groups put together for fun by students, but we can only guess at the reasons behind them. Alice was the “Collector of Spoons” in the H.B.T. Club, so it’s likely it was related to all the dormitory eating parties.

Another popular club with the Founders was the German Club. You might assume it was for studying the German language, but it was for the style of dancing done at assemblies, both of which were known as “Germans.” They involved old-style reels and group dances with certain figures and steps popular during the 19th century. This club was renamed the Cotillion Club shortly after the Founders graduated, and it covered all the knowledge a woman needed to be successful at social events. Maud, Alice Welsh, Cammie Jones Batte, Helen May Crafford and Alice Coleman were members and were known to attend dances at nearby schools like Hampden-Sydney College and Washington and Lee College.

The other club many of the Founders were part of was the Seaside Club. You can conclude from the name it probably involved beaches and swimming. Helen, Cammie, Alice and Ethel Coleman Van Name, and Ruby Leigh Orgain were all participants. We only wish we had a photo of them in beach attire!

One group that was started by a Founder still exists at Longwood University, although its purpose has changed over the years. Frances was one of the founders of CHI, a secret group called the “sorority of sororities.” Members of ZTA, Kappa Delta and Sigma Sigma Sigma joined CHI, and we know they had banquets, but the actual purpose was vague. Maud was not supportive of this and passed legislation prohibiting Zetas from belonging to another sorority.

In the first few years of CHI, they were visible in the yearbook, with their names and insignia published. Over the years, as the university changed and became co-ed, CHI evolved into a secret school spirit society. Its current purpose is to promote Longwood University, and membership is a closely guarded secret. Their CHI walks are a highly anticipated part of the Longwood school year.

Although our Founders were focused on their education, they made the most of opportunities available to them to become well-rounded young women. ZTA was an important part of their lives, but they did not lose sight of the importance of other campus or community activities where they could develop their leadership skills, share their love for others and laugh. That’s a good recipe for all of us to follow.

ABOVE: Frances’ 1899 letter to SFNS students, inviting them to join the YWCA.

RIGHT: Staff of the 1898 Normal Light yearbook. Maud is standing, third from right, and Alice C. is standing, second from left.

Brittany Means Wills

By Hannah Newman,

Although college comes to an end, a Zeta’s job to serve is never over. The end is only a transition into the beginning.

For alumna Brittany Means Wills, that transition to a new beginning came just before graduating from the University of Missouri when she and her then fiancé, Allen, signed their first lease to open a Pickleman’s Gourmet Café in Springfield, Missouri.

The Pickleman’s near the Mizzou campus played a pivotal role in Brittany’s collegiate experience and became the place where her past, present and future collided. It was well-known for catering fraternity and sorority events and being open late for college students when everything else was closed.

Brittany knew she wanted to invest in a business where she could prioritize working with people and her relationships with them. She wanted a business that would grow alongside its workers and serve the community with love.

“Our goal is to provide a high-quality meal in a reasonable amount of time with a smile on our face,” Brittany said. “If we can make someone’s day

just a little bit better, then I feel like we do our part one guest at a time. We want to be a positive part of our guests’ lives and our community.”

Brittany and Allen now make days a bit better at seven stores in communities throughout Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and soon, Texas. Their experience as business owners has flourished into more than just a place for people to work and enjoy a pleasant eating experience. Their restaurants have become an opportunity for the local areas to grow and better themselves because of Pickleman’s goal to touch the lives of their community.

“We focus on partnering with local schools, food banks and children’s organizations to give back through community fundraisers. My husband and I are both very passionate about education; we are working on different scholarship programs for our employees who are pursuing their education. The goal is not to hold onto our teams forever, but to send them on in their journey better than when they started with us,” Brittany said.

Brittany was initiated at Eta Lambda Chapter (College of Charleston) and then transferred to Alpha Psi Chapter (University of Missouri). She currently lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she is a member of the Northwest Arkansas Alumnae Chapter. She is the former General Advisor and current Housing Advisor for Epsilon Chapter (University of

Arkansas) and current Mentor to Alpha Upsilon Chapter (Oklahoma State University).

Brittany’s inner Zeta has overlapped with her role as a business owner. She continues to embrace lifelong learning, leading and serving daily. “I enjoy working with Zetas from all walks of life and different experiences than me. It challenges me and keeps me on my toes, making me a better mom, wife and businesswoman. To see so many collegiate women go on to become successful career women brings incredible joy; knowing one day they will be the advisors to women like my 6-year-old daughter is a full circle moment.”

“IF WE CAN MAKE SOMEONE’S DAY JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER, THEN I FEEL LIKE WE DO OUR PART ONE GUEST AT A TIME...”

– BRITTANY MEANS WILLS, Alpha Psi Chapter

Contributing Writer

Jessica Siegel Lehrer

By Peyton Harris, Contributing Writer

After growing up in her family’s restaurant business, Jessica Siegel Lehrer insisted her career would follow a different route.

She graduated from the University of South Florida in 2005 with a degree in psychology and criminology. Then she attended Cambridge University in England for her master’s degree in criminology. When she returned to the States, she worked as a police officer for the City of West Palm Beach. But something was still missing.

Fast forward to now; Jessica is a mother, wife—and yes, a restaurant owner.

“I missed being with my family,” she said. “I missed the experience of working together.”

Since 2007, Jessica has helped manage the family business, Adam & Joe’s Gourmet Eatery. In 2017, she became a partner in the restaurant that specializes in perfectly curated lunches.

Adam & Joe’s website features

colorful wraps, bowls and sandwiches. One post encourages customers to “#eattherainbow.” Jessica began working in the catering side of the business before she became an owner. She has helped modernize the restaurant while maintaining its California-inspired core.

“We’ve always been quick to adapt with things that need to change, either with technology or the way we have to do logistics,” she said.

Talking to new people and exploring creativity are her favorite aspects of the job. “What I get to do every day is a little different, which is exciting,” she said. “There are always new things to create and new ideas.”

An average day for Jessica consists of taking her children to school, reviewing catering orders for the following day and organizing the catering team. “It could be a

sandwich platter for 10. It could be box lunches for a thousand. It could be a burger bar for 500,” she said.

In 2003, during her junior year of college, Jessica became a founding member of Kappa Sigma Chapter (University of South Florida). Helping to establish a new chapter on the campus provided a great experience for her. “I know that if I reach out to any of my Zeta sisters, even if I haven’t talked to them in 15 years, they’ll take my call. I know they’ll respond,” she said. Her involvement in ZTA has continued after college. She lives in Boca Raton, Florida, and is a member of the Broward County Alumnae Chapter.

Throughout her time in the business, and her life in general, Jessica believes getting to know new people, or “lifelong learning” is the value she retains most as a member of ZTA. “What I carry most is really getting to know people who are different and learning how to connect on a real level with other people.”

“THERE ARE ALWAYS NEW THINGS TO CREATE AND NEW IDEAS.”

– JESSICA SIEGEL LEHRER, Kappa Sigma Chapter

Mickela Mooney

By Liv Gardner, Contributing Writer

Trails and row crops form the pathways that connect the houses of the Mooney family in Chesterfield, Tennessee. On that small family farm, surrounded by aunts, uncles and grandparents, Mickela “Mickey” Mooney learned the definition of hard work.

Her family paved a path to set her up for success and sent her off to The University of Tennessee at Martin to pursue a degree in agriculture business. Her parents and grandparents served as her foundation, but it was her sister, Reed, who served as her inspiration.

“Reed worked for a local business that specialized in charcuterie boards and she eventually took it over,” said Mickey. After a couple of years, Reed made the decision to step aside. Mickey faced a choice most college sophomores don’t expect: Could she remain a college student and become a business owner?

In August 2022, Mickey took out a loan.

She had done the research, talked to renters and loan officers, consulted with her mom and shadowed her sister.

A signature here, an initial there and the finishing touches were all in place. All the licenses were now in her name.

She had done it. After months of dreaming, she was officially a business owner at age 20.

At the same time Mickey was deciding to run her sister’s business, she was also taking on a new challenge: becoming President of Delta Mu Chapter (The University of Tennessee at Martin).

A self-proclaimed tomboy who never saw herself in a sorority, Mickey accepted a continuous open bid in spring 2021. Since then, she has served the chapter as Director of Campus Activities, Treasurer and now, President.

“I don’t think I would have been able to take on the business if I hadn’t served in those ZTA roles,” said Mickey. “Being Treasurer taught me so much, from how to manage a budget, to paying bills, to basic time management skills.”

Mickey opened the doors to her own business, The Charcuterie Queen, in November 2022. Her first customers? Her ZTA sisters.

“I’ll never forget our opening day. My advisors chipped in to send flowers and my sisters stopped in between their classes to support me,” said Mickey. “It meant the world to me.”

With six employees on staff, including several Zetas, Mickey operates Monday to Saturday, stopping in between her classes and Executive Council meetings to make sure everything runs smoothly. She has modified her sister’s menu to make it her own and even offers occasional charcuterie classes for locals and students.

“I’m definitely proud of what I have accomplished, but I wouldn’t say that it’s why I’m most proud of myself,” said Mickey. “A lot has happened with my family and friends recently. I am proud of myself for still being able to be a daughter, a sister and a friend.”

“I DON’T THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ON THE BUSINESS IF I HADN’T SERVED IN THOSE ZTA ROLES”

– MICKELA MOONEY, Delta Mu Chapter

Stacy Heuer

By Maddie Willis, Contributing Writer

Stacy Heuer turned her love for cooking into a 30-year career in the food industry by following a unique post-college path.

She majored in food science at Purdue University. Most students who study food science end up working as product developers or manufacturers. Instead, Stacy became a project manager, guiding new product development projects from the beginning stages of formulating an idea to getting the product on store shelves and beyond.

She finds her work in the industry relatable because food is relatable for everybody. “This has turned into being just that perfect mix between something I’ve always loved to do, which was cook, and then actually taking a piece of that and turning it into a career,” Stacy said.

Stacy valued her time at Purdue University. She enjoyed her studies and received direct guidance from the program department head. “I got the advantage of going to a big school but being in a department that felt like I was part of a much smaller school, so the best of both worlds,” she said.

Her career in the food industry began during a co-op opportunity with Continental Can Company. The company offered her a position immediately out of college.

Later, Stacy worked for Keurig Green Mountain when the company launched its cold beverage products. She was the program manager leading the development of the K-pods used in Keurig beverage makers.

Stacy has been in her current position as project manager at Integrated Project Management for the last seven years. As a project manager, Stacy oversees the entire process of any given project. She works alongside many different departments, including research, marketing, finance and development to get a new product on the shelves. She described her project manager position as, “...being equal parts air traffic controller, therapist, bullfighter and toddler daycare director.”

Trying new things was also part of Stacy’s college experience. She decided to get involved with something different by going through recruitment. She was initiated into Alpha Theta Chapter (Purdue University) in 1985 as a first-year student and lived in the chapter house for three years. “My two closest friends are pledge class sisters,” she said.

Stacy believes her time as a collegiate ZTA helped her develop skills she uses daily in her professional career. “You can learn the technical skills really easily to be a project manager, but frankly, it’s a people

job,” she said. “I’ll credit ZTA for helping me build some of those people skills.”

Stacy is currently a member of the St. Louis Alumnae Chapter, where she always feels a sense of family. “No matter where you went to school or what you do for a living or anything like that, there’s a consistent common bond between everyone.”

“THIS HAS TURNED INTO BEING JUST THAT PERFECT MIX BETWEEN SOMETHING I’VE ALWAYS LOVED TO DO, WHICH WAS COOK, AND THEN ACTUALLY TAKING A PIECE OF THAT AND TURNING IT INTO A CAREER,”

– STACY HEUER, Alpha Theta Chapter

Noble Achievements

As Zeta Tau Alpha’s mission states, the Fraternity “emphasizes leadership development, service to others, academic achievement and personal growth for women.” It comes as no surprise, then, that members are doing amazing things within ZTA and in their communities. From earning recognition for professional success and outstanding volunteerism to helping improve the lives of others around the world, these members are making ZTA proud.

*Jaclyn Waterman Conatser

Theta Iota Chapter University of North Florida

Jaclyn was recently awarded the David Brady Award by Merrill Lynch/Bank of America. This award honors the legacy of David Brian Brady, who was a New Yorkbased financial advisor until his death in the World Trade Center Sept. 11, 2001. Jaclyn was one of 14 recipients chosen across the entire organization. The award is given annually to wealth management employees who demonstrate the spirit

of partnership and what it means to go above and beyond expectations in their dedication and commitment. Jaclyn currently serves as the General Advisor for Theta Iota and is the VP II Membership for the Jacksonville, FL Alumnae Chapter. She holds a committee chair position in the Jacksonville Alumnae Panhellenic Association and serves as the Academic Advisor for Delta Omega Chapter (Westminster College). Outside of ZTA, Jaclyn volunteers for Girls on the Run, a program for girls 8-12 years old that

Sophie Burzynski Gamma Rho Chapter Auburn University

Sophie was crowned Miss Alabama 2023 in January and will compete for the title of Miss USA in the fall. She is 21 years old and currently a senior.

*Indicates an alumna

trains them for a 5K running event while teaching positive behaviors and improving self-esteem. Jaclyn is also a board member and volunteer for Field of Dreams, an organization that allows children with intellectual or physical disabilities the opportunity to play baseball.

Maddie Faggart

Delta Gamma Chapter

High Point University

Maddie Faggart is not only a Zeta wearing the crown of sisterhood and service, she truly is a queen who wears an actual crown and travels the country as the International Cinderella Woman. Maddie was crowned at the Cinderella International Scholarship competition in July 2022. She competed in interview, talent, casual wear and evening gown along with over 40 other women ages 18

to 29 from across the country. She is a junior and has been a member of the prestigious High Point U Dance Team since freshman year. Her lifelong dream is to become a member of the Rockettes and grace the stage of Radio City Music Hall. She was also nominated by her chapter to represent them at the Miss High Point University Pageant. This 21-year-old has her hands full managing schoolwork, ZTA, dance team and Cinderella duties. Maddie must have a fairy godmother on speed dial!

*Jenny Gootee Fann

Iota Chi Chapter

Middle Tennessee State University

Jenny’s brother passed away seven years ago due to overdose after 10-plus years of addiction. Since then, she has heard many stories from others who were affected

*Jocelyn Dettloff Alpha Gamma Chapter University of Michigan

After an accident sledding sand dunes in Africa in 1997, Jocelyn was left paralyzed from a spinal cord injury. Not one to be slowed by challenges, she has gone on to play competitive tennis, skied, sky-dived, become an advocate for the differently abled, traveled abroad, taken up motivational speaking and written a book called “It Rained in the Desert: One Woman’s Story of Spirit and Resilience.” The audiobook was recently released.

by addiction. It does not discriminate and is always kept hush hush. Jenny and her Nashville real estate team, Jenny Fann & The Gurus, wanted something to shine the light on this epidemic by hosting the inaugural Joey 5K in memory of her brother and to raise awareness. The 5K was held March 4, 2023, in Franklin, Tennessee. Approximately 200 people attended or volunteered, and they raised over $12,000 in Joey’s memory.

of California, Los Angeles

Sali won the Chairman’s Ring of Honor and was recognized as one of the best of the best of PepsiCo’s outstanding sales leaders. These are the people who execute with excellence, go above and beyond to serve customers, outperform the competition, win in the market and display a relentless commitment to making PepsiCo even faster, even stronger and even better.

*Sali Gold-Johnson Beta Epsilon Chapter University

Shaw Landestoy Gamma Psi Chapter Texas Christian University

Alexa is a sports broadcaster currently working in Washington, D.C. While a student from 2015 to 2018, Alexa was the in-stadium host for TCU football at Carter Stadium and host for numerous media shows for TCU athletics. Also, she worked the Cheez-It Bowl, Cotton Bowl, covered high school football for Fox Sports Southwest and was the courtside reporter for the WNBA Dallas Wings.

Upon graduation, Alexa began working for NBC Sports Washington, where she is in her third season as the host for the NHL Washington Capitals’ pre- and post-game live shows. In summer 2021, Alexa hosted the update desk for the Tokyo Olympics. Alexa has been awarded two Emmys for her work with both the Capitals and the Olympics.

Tell us a story!

Do you know ZTA collegians or alumnae who should be featured? Submit their names and accomplishments through the Themis Story Submission form by scanning the QR code.

When Sue pledged ZTA in fall 1976, she pledged to live a purposeful life of service. After her personal decade-long struggle with infertility, Sue decided no one who is challenged in their own familybuilding journey should ever walk alone. Sue became an ambassador for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association and has given her time tirelessly to the infertility community by leading national and local infertility support groups, advocating at the federal and state levels for affordable access to care, and founding the Detroit Walk of

Hope. She has published an infertility support book titled “Detours: Unexpected Journeys of Hope Conceived from Infertility,” and donates all her proceeds to RESOLVE. Sue was awarded RESOLVE’s highest national award for SERVICE at the annual Night of Hope gala Nov. 14, 2022, in

*Alexa

*Sue Brabson Johnston Delta Omega Chapter Westminster College

New York City. Sue has been an active member of the Ann Arbor, MI Alumnae Chapter since fall 2005.

*Amy Luna-Klibert

Mu Chapter

Drury University

Amy won the Georgia Southern Award of Excellence in Leadership, which recognizes administratorlevel employees who, through their extraordinary leadership over the last year, demonstrated exemplary responsive leadership to students, colleagues and other customers of Georgia Southern University. The award recognizes leaders who, in addition to fulfilling their administrative and managerial roles with dedication and creativity, demonstrate vision and an outstanding commitment to excellence.

*Nancy Shook Monteer

Mu Chapter

Drury University

Nancy recently won the Premier Illuminating Excellence award for Higher Education Foodservice.

She is the director of Campus Dining Services at University of Missouri and oversees all the dining options on campus.

*Kendra Davis Moyses

Zeta Omega Chapter

Ferris State University

In fall 2022, Kendra successfully defended her dissertation entitled “Exploring Early Childhood Professionals’ Perceptions of Online Asynchronous Professional Development,” exploring how early childhood professionals felt about participating in an online course on the topic of social and emotional development of young children and if they made any caregiving practice changes because of the course content. She is now a proud graduate with a Doctorate in Educational Technology and will continue research and teaching through her work at Michigan State University Extension.

*Etor Ndinyah

Delta Iota Chapter

Clarion University of Pennsylvania

Etor is the first Ghanaian American woman in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to obtain her fitters license in hearing instrument sciences. She grew up with a friend who was deaf, which led to her majoring in speech pathology and audiology. She has worked in the hearing industry for over five years and recently became board certified. During her time as an undergraduate, she received many accolades, including student of the year. In addtion to ZTA membership, she created and founded the American Sign Language club and was an active member on the InterGreek Council. Her biggest joy is reconnecting her patients with their loved ones through quality hearing solutions.

*Amy Monger Parsons

Kappa Alpha Chapter

Colorado State University

Amy was chosen as Colorado State University’s 16th president and began her new role Feb. 1. Other positions

Hannah Miltiades

Omicron Chapter

Brenau University

Hannah is a first-year fashion merchandising major at Brenau University. Six of her pieces were featured in a collaborative exhibit presented by the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and the Brenau University Art Department. Three were collaged trend-forecasting boards predicting fashion trends for spring 2023. Another piece was a concept map of the entire fashion industry, while another was a line work piece based off of rhythms in music. The last piece was a figure ground reversal piece created by cutting and mounting black pieces of paper. The exhibition ran from Dec. 12, 2022, to Jan. 9, 2023.

Amy held in the CSU System include executive vice chancellor from 2015 to 2020, vice president for university operations from 2009 to 2015, and deputy general counsel and associate legal counsel at CSU Fort Collins from 2004 to 2009. She also taught Student Affairs in Higher Education master’s degree program courses. Amy holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from CSU and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado.

Lambda Nu Chapter

Furman University

Alexandra, a thirdyear medical student at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan was recently named the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Medicine Physicians Student of the Year. She plans to specialize in emergency medicine.

Kappa Omicron Chapter

Merrimack College

Casey fulfilled a lifelong dream of completing her Disney College Program while working at a Walt Disney World theme park. She represented her chapter and college well by going above and beyond in show and courtesy. She met and connected with incredible people and was on TV.

After losing her dad, Officer Dale J. Woods, in the line of duty in 2019, Hallie earned her bachelor’s degree and moved to St. Joseph, Missouri, to attend Missouri Western State University for her master’s degree. After two semesters, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she began a two-term internship at the Deptartment of Forensic Science, and she finished her online Master of Science in Forensic Investigation in 2022.

The University of Texas at El Paso

Analisa was crowned Sun Queen for the Sun Bowl, which is the second-oldest college bowl game. The Sun Court has been a part of the Sun Bowl since the first Sun Bowl game was played in 1936. The Sun Court serves as ambassadors for the city of El Paso and the Sun Bowl Association. Sun Court members volunteer at community events and make appearances at all Sun Bowl Association events throughout the year. Individuals are chosen based on poise, appearance, personality, communication, interpersonal skills and the ability to demonstrate knowledge of El Paso.

Analisa Quinonez Gamma Gamma Chapter

*Alexandra Sappington

Casey Stevenson

*Hallie Woods Delta Theta Chapter Ohio Northern University

must be ordered through

Chased Single Letter Guard, #0700 |

Plain Double Letter Guard, #0200 |

Crown Pearl Single Letter Guard, #0500 |

Chased Double Letter Guard, #0800 | F. Crown Pearl Badge, #0103 | G. Crown Pearl Double Letter Guard, #0600 |

Treasurer Dangle, #04 |

Advisor or Volunteer Dangle, #21 |

Recording Secretary Dangle, #05 |

President Dangle, #01A |

Academic Achievement Dangle, #22 |

Vertical Letter Lavaliere, #L2647 |

10K Lavaliere and gold-filled Snake Chain, #L2649 |

Pierced Crown Charm with 18” Snake Chain, #2616A |

Betsy Ring, #BETSY | U. Cora Ring, #RP3400 | V. Addy Ring, #ADDY

Badges

Zeta Tau Alpha International Office.

Where have you met a Zeta who wasn’t in your collegiate chapter?

We asked this question on social media and received some really fun answers. Here are just a few!

HALEY SELF

Theta Gamma Chapter, Texas A&M University

LACY SCHNEIDER O’CONNOR

Theta Omicron Chapter, Baylor University

Rafting in Moab, Utah in 2014! Our rafting boat guide was a Zeta! I discovered it because my son was wearing the ZTA sunglasses we were given at Convention.

I met a Zeta at a summer camp in Natchitoches, Louisiana, and she was a member of Delta Kappa Chapter. I was not yet a member of ZTA, but after my Bid Day a couple months later, she messaged me saying “Welcome into the Sisterhood!” It made me feel so loved and connected to ZTA since she wasn’t even a member of my chapter.

BETH PALCHER KORNEGAY

Alpha Mu Chapter, Washburn University

I started radiation for breast cancer recently and wore my Zeta Tau Alpha beanie during treatment. Jill, one of the radiology technicians, asked me if I was a Zeta. Turns out she, her older sister and her twin younger sisters are Zetas in a neighboring state. Jill took great care of me during treatments and was very helpful and reassuring, which made treatments so much easier, both mentally and physically. In this photo, I am ringing the bell with Jill, signifying the end of my treatments.

TOVAH FREEDMAN KURLANSIK

Kappa Xi Chapter, Stockton University

While I was still a collegian, I spent Shabbat with my rabbi’s brother and his family. They also invited their tenant to join. She was bubbly and vivacious, and through our conversation, we realized we were both sisters of ZTA. We were amazed at how small the world really is. Afterward, we went onto the porch away from everyone else to talk about our time in ZTA.

ALLIE

HAMELL

Gamma Phi Chapter, University of North Texas

My job! I was hired by a Zeta. I just started my position as VP II/New Member Coordinator and most of what my interview consisted of was her asking me questions on what I was planning to do for Bid Day.

Rachel Wafle-Tabacchi

Zeta Omega Chapter, Ferris State University

My car died on the side of the highway in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2000. I had a ZTA sticker on the back. A random person stopped to help because she was a Zeta.

LEXIE

ELLIOTT

Delta Omega Chapter, Westminster College

My partner’s aunt is a White Violet member. The first time we met, I was at her house for a family birthday party. Within a few minutes of arriving, she and I figured out we were both members of Zeta Tau Alpha. We did the secret handshake and sang Turquoise and Gray within a few moments of meeting each other--we were so giddy!

JUDY ANDERSON SHINKLE

Gamma Mu Chapter, University of Nebraska at Omaha

I met a Zeta in Italy on the Cinque Terre coast. I always wear my letters when traveling and most of the time run into a sister.

The Officer Leadership Academy season was full of learning and sisterhood to set up chapter leaders for a successful year ahead.

Roll Call! Officers trained included the President, VP I/Coordinator of Committees, VP III/Membership Chair and Treasurer.

VIZs in the House! All three boards were represented at Officer Leadership Academy to educate and support collegians in their leadership journey.

Data Dive! Chapter leaders reviewed chapter assessment reports to better serve their chapters during their time in office.

Retreat Ready! Officers learned how to build the best Executive Committee retreat after OLA.

Value Love! Collegians learned and reviewed the Nine Key Values to apply them while leading their chapters successfully, always keeping the Fraternity at heart.

Sisterhood Strong! In the event survey, 9 out of 10 attendees said they felt a stronger sense of sisterhood after their in-person OLA experience.

TEAM ZTA! Saturday had a fun tailgate-themed sisterhood event complete with photo ops, tailgate games, karaoke and, of course, Zeta Love.

READER’S GUIDE

Themis of Zeta Tau Alpha, the official publication of the Fraternity, has been published continuously since 1903.

HOW TO MAKE AN ADDRESS CHANGE

Go to sistersonly.zetataualpha.org and update your information. You may also email changes to zetataualpha@zetataualpha.org (subject: Address Change) or call IO at (317) 872–0540.

Parents/guardians: While your student is in college, ZTA sends the magazine to the home address on file. If your student has a different permanent address, please send it in.

HOW TO SUBMIT NEWS

Send all news and photos to the Communication Department by emailing news@zetataualpha.org or through bit.ly/ThemisStories. All submissions become the property of ZTA and are subject to editing. Include full names and chapter(s). Photos must be 1 MB (1,024 KB) or larger to be printed.

HOW TO SUBMIT TO THE ARCHIVES

Have something to contribute to the archives? Email Patti Cords Levitte (patti-levitte@zetataualpha.org).

Themis of Zeta Tau Alpha (ISSN 1529-6709); (USPS 627-120) is published quarterly by Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity, 1036 S. Rangeline Road, Carmel, IN 46032.

Subscription: $2 per year. Single copies: $0.50. Periodical postage paid in

1036 S. Rangeline Road

Carmel, IN 46032

zetataualpha.org