BARRIERS SISTERS BREAKING Spring 2023 Feature article on pages 14-25 10 Leadership Academy Recap 28 Alumnae Chapter News 58 Spring Photos Also in this issue...
Contents 2 | Spring 2023 BARRIERS SISTERS BREAKING Alpha Omicron Pi is a kaleidoscope of fascinating women who bring depth, color, and inspiration to our sisterhood. AOIIs everywhere are breaking barriers in their careers, cultures, and communities, and we salute just a few of these amazing women over the following pages. BARRIERS SISTERS BREAKING Alpha Omicron Pi is a kaleidoscope of fascinating women who bring depth, color, and inspiration to our sisterhood. AOIIs everywhere are breaking barriers in their careers, cultures, and communities, and we salute just a few of these amazing women over the following pages. 4 Editor’s Letter 10 7 Viewpoint 8 Fraternity News 10 Leadership Academy Recap 14 Sisters Breaking Barriers Kandy Bernskoetter, Sigma Colene Elridge, Tau Omega Heather Stanton, Pi Alpha Dr. Bobra Crockett, Iota Stacie Odeneal, Delta Delta Tanasia Jackson, Kappa Kappa 26 AOII Mourns Ann Gilchrist, Theta AOII Past International President 28 Alumnae Chapter News 46 NPC News 48 125 Years of Sisterhood 50 Foundation Focus 52 Alumnae Leadership Programs 54 Things We Love 58 Spring Photos 66 Shop The Emporium CONTENTS CONTENTS Contents
Contents 3 BARRIERS SISTERS BREAKING Alpha Omicron Pi is a kaleidoscope of fascinating women who bring depth, color, and inspiration to our sisterhood. AOIIs everywhere are breaking barriers in their careers, cultures, and communities, and we salute just a few of these amazing women over the following pages. 14 28 Chi Psi (California Polytechnic State U) 58 Contents
The purpose of AOII is to carry into the world about us a spirit of love. Our organization was founded on values including integrity and dignity and we stand for inspiring ambition in all we do. AOII's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion comes from the understanding that a diverse sisterhood, grounded in unique perspectives and experiences, is one of the most important cornerstones of our organization. And as such, the Fraternity considers "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion" to be one of our primary Ends (aka goals). AOII is most defi nitely a diverse sisterhood, fi lled with women of all backgrounds, races, religions, and experiences. In this issue, we will introduce you to just a few of our amazing members who are breaking the barriers that were placed before them. They inspire all women and I hope their stories will inspire you, too. In January, almost 1,100 collegians attended our virtual 2023 Leadership Academy. One of the positive outcomes of COVID-19 was embracing the extensive possibilities that hosting a virtual event o ers. For two jam-packed days, onboarding and training opportunities were provided to all Collegiate Executive Team Members along with Chapter Advisors and Membership Recruitment Advisors. Read more about this wonderful weekend experience beginning on page 10. This issue highlights the many ways our AOII alumnae chapters are enjoying their sisterhood. If there is an alumnae chapter near you, reach out and make a connection. Like so many other sisters, you may discover some of your most lasting AOII friendships are formed as an alumna member. After two bienniums, this issue publishes the last Viewpoint from our International President Crystal Grafton Combs. As always, she shares some wonderful words of wisdom. Which one is your favorite? Personally, I'm taking her quote from Dolly Parton to heart: "Find out who you are, and do it on purpose." Thank you for everything Crystal, and thank you also to all our 2021-2023 Tri-Board members. Fraternally, About Alpha Omicron Pi: Alpha Omicron Pi was founded at Barnard College in New York City, January 2, 1897, by Jessie Wallace Hughan, Helen St. Clair Mullan, Stella George Stern Perry & Elizabeth Heywood Wyman. The Object of the Fraternity: The object of the Fraternity shall be to encourage a spirit of Fraternity and love among its members; to stand at all times for character, dignity, scholarship, and college loyalty; to strive for and support the best interest of the colleges and universities in which chapters are installed, and in no way to disregard, injure, or sacrifice those interests for the sake of prestige or advancement of the Fraternity or any of its chapters. Culture Principles: A look at “how” we do things: Accountability & Ownership, Collaboration, Engagement, Innovation, Open & Honest Communication. How to Join Life Loyal AOII: Visit the Life Loyal page on the AOII website or contact [email protected]. How to Join an AOII Alumnae Chapter: Visit the Chapter Locator page on the AOII website for contact information on an alumnae chapter near you. International President Crystal Grafton Combs, Nu Beta (U of Mississippi) Executive Director Kaya Miller, Gamma Theta (U of South Florida) Alpha Omicron Pi is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference and the Fraternity Communications Association. from the edit Mariellen Perkinson Sasseen, Alpha Delta (U of Alabama) Director of Strategic Partnerships/Editor 4 | Spring 2023
About To Dragma: To Dragma is the official magazine of Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity and has been published since 1905. The mission of To Dragma of Alpha Omicron Pi is: to inform, educate and inspire our readers on subjects relevant to our Fraternity, our chapters, our members or Greek life; to encourage lifetime AOII involvement; to salute excellence; and to serve as a permanent record of our Fraternity’s history. Director of Strategic Partnerships/Editor Mariellen Perkinson Sasseen, Alpha Delta (U of Alabama) Graphic Designer/Webmaster Julianna Johnson, Beta Phi (Indiana U) View To Dragma Online: alphaomicronpi.org/news-events/to-dragma How to Contact To Dragma: To Dragma, 5390 Virginia Way, Brentwood, TN 37027 PH: 615.370.0920 [email protected] How to Update Your Name or Address: Login to AlphaLink via the For Members page on the AOII website, email your new information to [email protected], or call 615.370.0920. Who Receives To Dragma: Active AOII collegiate members, new members, Life Loyal AOIIs, and dues paying alumnae members receive all copies of To Dragma. All AOII members with good mailing addresses receive the Fall issue of To Dragma. Stay Connected: facebook.com/aoiifraternity twitter.com/alphaomicronpi @alphaomicronpi linkedin.com/company/alpha-omicron-pi Three ways to submit your photos and videos: Want to be featured in our print or digital media? 1 2 3 We love to showcase photos and videos of our members and sisterhood. If accepted, your submission could appear in the next issue of To Dragma, on our website, or be featured across all of AOII’s social media! Visit our Photo and Video Submission page on the AOII website, via the For Members page. Email your submissions to [email protected] Tag @alphaomicronpi in your photos Follow Don’t forget to follow AOII to stay in the know! 5 2,755 likes alphaomicronpi Alpha O - Giving us wings and fueling lifelong friendship since 1897 #InspireAmbition #BidDayBestDay alphaomicronpi Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity 673 likes alphaomicronpi Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity 1,145 likes #InspireAmbition #AOIISisterhood alphaomicronpi Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity 2,025 likes #GoDawgs alphaomicronpi Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity aoiielon Sorority & Fraternity aoiikappatau Sorority & Fraternity aoiiuga Sorority & Fraternity aoii_cumberland Sorority & Fraternity alphaomicronpi Peace out, 2022! Have a fun & safe New Year’s Eve, sisters! Tag a sister who will be by your side as we kick off 2023! alphaomicronpi New Year, Same Sisterhood! What was your favorite sisterhood memory from 2022? alphaomicronpi Monday Nights under the Big Lights from the Best Seat in the House with the MVP!
Inulliquam, sim qui 6 | Spring 2023 Gamma Delta (University of South Alabama)
It has been a privilege to serve as International President. Following are a few of the lessons I have learned that capture what it means to Inspire Ambition. One. It’s okay not to be the smartest person in the room. Ask questions and learn from those around you. Two. Celebrate the big things AND the little things. Acknowledge and celebrate each milestone to keep you motivated and inspired. Three. Never travel without a charger. Four. Trust your sisters. One person cannot do all the things. We must work together with trust if we are to achieve success. Five. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but a ring light is a really close cousin, and I’m here for it! Six. Self-care isn’t selfi sh. We cannot show up and be there for others if we do not fi rst take care of ourselves Seven. Friendships are everything. Our founders taught us this. Set aside time for your friends and check in on them during the spaces in between. Eight. Always ask what color shoes to wear for Ritual. Nine. Failure is not failing if you fail forward. Ten. A Grande Peppermint Mocha is only a Grande Peppermint Mocha if it comes from Starbucks (and you can get it all year round). Eleven. I will take progress over perfection every time. Perfection is a myth. Progress can be celebrated. Twelve. A piece of cake makes everything okay. Thirteen. Small changes make a big di erence. These changes add up to big di erences and even bigger achievements. Crystal Grafton Combs, Nu Beta (U of Mississippi) AOII International President Fraternally, Crystal Grafton Combs Fourteen. A great pair of red shoes is worth the investment. Fifteen. In the words of Cinderella, “Have courage and be kind." Sixteen. Perspective is everything. Know your own and value others'. Seventeen. Timeliness is imperative in leadership. It indicates a respect and commitment to others and to the work of the collective. Eighteen. Inspiration surrounds us, in both the extraordinary and ordinary, if only we know to look for it. Nineteen. Be true to who you are. Who we are as individuals is what makes us beautiful as a sisterhood. Twenty. A great headband can fi x any bad hair day. Twenty-One. Leadership means having the courage to live in a place of “AND.” I believe it’s okay for two people to disagree and to still be friends and sisters because I believe that in AOII there is space for all of us. Twenty-Two. To quote Dolly Parton, “Find out who you are, and do it on purpose.” I am so happy that who I am includes being an AOII. I hope this is true for you, too. So, pour yourself a cup of ambition and be the person you were meant to be! VIEWPOINT 7 Viewpoint
Inulliquam, sim qui 8 | Spring 2023 FRATERNITY NEWS SALUTING OUR MOST RECENT LIFE LOYAL AOIIs DELTA NU U of Nevada, Reno Kaitlyn Witt EPSILON GAMMA U of Northern Colorado Kennedy Dick EPSILON ALPHA Pennsylvania State U Bianca Dellanno Allison Lacianca KAPPA TAU Southeastern Louisiana U Jennifer Remondet We are pleased to recognize the following members who joined Life Loyal AOII between September 21, 2022 and January 25, 2023. LAMBDA ETA Grand Valley State U Sara Tidrow OMICRON U of Tennessee Alice Halstead Kristen Kennelly PHI BETA East Stroudsburg U Ann McGlinchey PI ALPHA U of Louisville Sarah Burnett PI DELTA U of Maryland Julie Donovan PI KAPPA U of Texas Austin Mary Key SIGMA OMICRON Arkansas State U Julie Gann ZETA PI U of Alabama Birmingham Alisha Ghosh
Fraternity News 9 April 10-14 is Volunteer Appreciation Week We love our AOII volunteers and during the week of April 10-14, we will be sharing the love even more. Follow us on AOII's social media channels (@alphaomicronpi) as we honor the women who give so much of their time and talents to AOII. From our international volunteers to our local alumnae chapter o cers and collegiate chapter advisors, we thank each and every one of you for all you do for Alpha Omicron Pi! May is Arthritis Awareness Month Arthritis is AOII’s international philanthropy so it’s logical that Arthritis Awareness Month is our time to spread awareness about our favorite cause. Throughout the month of May, we'll be sharing on social media arthritis facts and images about this disease that impacts more than 60 million Americans every year. Women's Health Week - May 14-20 Mark your calendars to join us May 14-20 for AOII's annual salute to Women's Health Week. Follow us on social media to learn what we plan to o er this year to improve your physical, mental, and emotional health. VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION WEEK ARTHRITIS AWARENESS MONTH WOMEN'S HEALTH WEEK MAY 14-20 It's Time to Walk to Cure Arthritis! AOII collegiate and alumnae chapters are encouraged to support the Arthritis Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser – Walk to Cure Arthritis (WTCA). Dozens of WTCA events are scheduled throughout the country to raise funds for arthritis research and a cure. Chapters can form teams and/or participate by going to arthritis.org. Register your team under National Teams > Team AOII in an event near you. To help with tracking, please include your chapter's name in your WTCA team name. Individual members are encouraged to participate by joining a team or contributing to a chapter’s fundraising e orts. Thank You to Our 2022-2023 ELCs An exciting year of travels for this year’s group of consultants is coming to an end. The Fraternity owes a debt of gratitude to this outstanding team of women who o er education, resources, and guidance to AOII’s collegiate chapters. This ELC team, for most of their travels, were back on the road with the opportunity to connect with women all across the US and Canada. Their impact has been immeasurable, and we thank them for a successful year. Appreciation goes to Brianna Iniguez, Grayson Willis, Madeline Holt, Laura Bowers, Hannah Haynes, Alexis King, and Lynn Tecza. We are thrilled that Grayson Willis, Brianna Iniguez and Madeline Holt will stay on for a second year as Senior ELCs for the 2023-2024 academic year! MARK YOUR CALENDARS 10-14
10 | Spring 2023 LEADERSHIP ACADEMY There’s no better way to kick o 2023 than being surrounded by the faces of your sisters! Held the weekend of January 7-8, 2023, AOII hosted Virtual Leadership Academy (LA) for chapter leaders throughout the United States and Canada. With over 1,100 attendees, hosting Leadership Academy in a virtual format allows for a greater number of chapter leaders to attend with o cerspecifi c, individualized training. Leadership Academy always coincides with collegiate chapter elections so that newly-elected o cers are able to participate in specialized training at the very beginning of their term. With programming available for the entire Executive Team, the following chapter leadership was able to begin their term with the full LA experience this year: • Chapter Presidents • Vice Presidents of Community Relations • Vice Presidents of Membership Experience • Vice Presidents of Membership Integrity • Vice Presidents of Membership Recruitment • Vice Presidents of Operations • Vice Presidents of Programming and Enrichment Not to be forgotten, the following advisors were also in attendance: • Chapter Advisors • Membership Recruitment Advisors The programming for LA focused primarily on custom-tailored o cer and advisor tracks for their individual leadership role within their chapter. With 2023 being the second year into AOII’s new o cer structure, this training ensured that each individual o cer understands their role, and how they fi t into the larger, collaborative scope of their chapter and AOII as a whole.
Virtual Leadership Academy 2023 Recap 11 AOII worked to accomplish this collaboration through programming of Leadership Tracks, O cer or Advisor Tracks, and Executive Team Tracks. Collegiate o cers were divided into small group breakout sessions during which they met several times throughout the weekend to debrief, brainstorm, and share best practices with a small group of their peers. Programming for LA kicked o with Leadership Tracks for our collegiate o cer attendees, entitled: Setting the Stage for Leadership Academy, followed later by, Moving from Talk into Action. While AOII’s collegiate leaders were participating in their assigned Leadership Tracks, advisors were engaged in Advisor Tracks focused on: Understanding Gen Z, Four Critical Factors to PREP for a Winning Recruitment, Supporting the Collegiate Chapter Advisory Board, and The O cer Highlight Reel. The keynote speaker always proves to be a highlight to the event, but this year, o cers were wowed with An Hour of Power with AOII’s own Dr. Lori Hart, Delta Delta (Auburn U). With years of experience in higher education focused on health and safety, Lori managed to set expectations for our leaders, while weaving in a bit of humor in order to inspire our members to be di erence-makers on their campuses. Lori’s messages are always a game changer, and our collegiate members applauded her for instilling the revelation that the key to power is always kindness and that life with sisters should always be fun! Top Left: Upsilon Lambda (U of Texas, San Antonio) Middle Left: Alpha Delta (U of Alabama) Bottom Left: Kappa Kappa (Ball State U) Below: Dr. Lori Hart | Keynote Speaker Speaker, Trainer, Advocate for Student Leaders
Virtual Leadership Academy 2023 Recap 12 | Spring 2023 What inspired you most from #AOIILA2023 Day 1? All of the Chapter Presidents, each one has so much knowledge and love to give! What inspired you most from #AOIILA2023 Day 1? Building more academic celebrations in the chapter! What inspired you most from #AOIILA2023 Day 1? Despite being all over the country, we all have so much in common!! What inspired you most from #AOIILA2023 Day 1? Hearing so many new ideas to bring back to my chapter!! What inspired you most from #AOIILA2023 Day 1? Connecting with sisters from all over the country alphaomicronpi
13 Virtual Leadership Academy 2023 Recap O cer Track Sessions allowed our Executive Teams to be divided into o cerspecifi c roles. These o cers logged-on to gain information for their specifi c o ce through Back to Basics: The Fundamentals of Your Role, Let's Get Down to Business, and The Glow Up: Taking Your Team from Good to Great. To wrap-up the weekend, Executive Team Tracks were o ered where chapters were broken up by chapter size; large, medium, or small/extra small. This allowed each chapter’s entire Executive Team to collaborate, while gaining specifi c knowledge tailored to their chapter structure. The fi rst Executive Team track discussed the roles and responsibilities of the Executive Team, Vice Presidents, O cer Teams and Chapter Leadership Team in detail. Additionally, this training focused on the need for purposeful and productive meetings, the development of transferrable and translatable skills while in these leadership roles and how o cers are developing translatable skills that can be used in internships, career, and future endeavors. Executive Team Tracks concluded with the Inspire Chapter Performance Program goals and allowed chapter Executive Teams to meet to begin working collaboratively together on establishing their individual chapter goals. AOII’s International President, Crystal Grafton Combs, wrapped up the event by sharing twentytwo endearing a rmations learned during her two terms as International President. One of the examples she shared was from Dolly Parton, “fi nd who you are and do it on purpose.” These words were just the motivation members needed to close the event fulfi lled and ready to inspire ambition! What inspired you most from #AOIILA2023 Day 1? All of the Chapter Presidents, each one has so much knowledge and love to give! What inspired you most from #AOIILA2023 Day 1? Building more academic celebrations in the chapter! What inspired you most from #AOIILA2023 Day 1? Despite being all over the country, we all have so much in common!! What inspired you most from #AOIILA2023 Day 1? Hearing so many new ideas to bring back to my chapter!! What inspired you most from #AOIILA2023 Day 1? Connecting with sisters from all over the country alphaomicronpi What is at the top of your to-do list post LA!? Review the branding materials! What is at the top of your to-do list post LA!? Share my knowledge with my exec team, and listen to what they learned! What is at the top of your to-do list post LA!? Create a document of all my notes to refer back to throughout the year. Pictured from opposite page (left to right): First Row: Beta Nu (Illinois State U), Delta Delta (Auburn U), Delta Omega (Murray State U) Second Row: Delta Epsilon (Jacksonville State U), Sigma Tau (Washington College), Gamma Phi (Seton Hall U) Third Row: Lambda Tau (U of Lousiana, Monroe); Crystal Grafton Combs, International President Fourth Row: Zeta (Texas State U), Theta Iota (California State U, San Marcos)
14 | Spring 2023 BARRIERS SISTERS BREAKING Alpha Omicron Pi is a kaleidoscope of fascinating women who bring depth and inspiration to our sisterhood. AOIIs everywhere are breaking barriers in their careers, cultures, and communities, and we salute just a few of these amazing women over the following pages. “Breaking Barriers” is an ongoing theme in the life of Kassandra (Kandy) Bernskoetter, Sigma (U of California Berkeley). As an airline captain, Kandy works in a male-dominated industry where only 5.8% of US airline pilots are women. As she expands her own wings, she is working to grow that number for others. In fact, she just fi nished a two-year term on the FAA Women in Aviation Advisory Board. Thirty women from all areas of aviation were appointed through an act of Congress with the mission of developing independent recommendations and strategies to encourage women students and aviators to pursue a career in aviation. She worked with CEOs, aviation leaders, and educators to fi nd ways to attract, retain, and advance women in the aviation profession. Their report to the US Congress, submitted in March of 2022, was even titled “Breaking Barriers for Women in Aviation: Flight Plan for the Future.” By Mariellen Perkinson Sasseen, Alpha Delta (U of Alabama) Director of Strategic Partnerships/Editor IN AVIATION BREAKING BARRIERS KANDY BERNSKOETTER Sigma (U of California Berkeley) Kandy’s work has enabled her to travel the world, literally, as she currently Captains a Boeing 767 for FedEx. Her career to the captain’s chair began a little unconventionally. Rather than going the route of aviation in college, she took fl ying lessons at a local airport to earn a Certifi ed Flight Instructor license while earning a bachelor’s degree in Geography from UC Berkeley. She built up fl ight experience during the 1980s and 1990s and landed, what she calls, her fi rst “real” piloting job in 1998 fl ying in Skagway, Alaska, north of Juneau. She fl ew a small six seat propeller plane and loved every minute. Over the next several years, she worked her way up to larger aircraft and to the captain’s chair at Big Sky Airlines in 2000. After 9/11, the airline industry was struggling and, like many, her airline went out of business. Rolling with the punches, she headed to Walt Disney World to work as a cast member at Disney’s Animal Kingdom until the skies cleared again and she landed at FedEx Express in 2004. 14 | Spring 2023 BARRIERS SISTERS BREAKING Alpha Omicron Pi is a kaleidoscope of fascinating women who bring depth and inspiration to our sisterhood. AOIIs everywhere are breaking barriers in their careers, cultures, and communities, and we salute just a few of these amazing women over the following pages. “Breaking Barriers” is an ongoing theme in the life of Kassandra (Kandy) Bernskoetter, Sigma (U of California Berkeley). As an airline captain, Kandy works in a male-dominated industry where only 5.8% of US airline pilots are women. As she expands her own wings, she is working to grow that number for others. In fact, she just fi nished a two-year term on the FAA Women in Aviation Advisory Board. Thirty women from all areas of aviation were appointed through an act of Congress with the mission of developing independent recommendations and strategies to encourage women students and aviators to pursue a career in aviation. She worked with CEOs, aviation leaders, and educators to fi nd ways to attract, retain, and advance women in the aviation profession. Their report to the US Congress, submitted in March of 2022, was even titled “Breaking Barriers for Women in Aviation: Flight Plan for the Future.” By Mariellen Perkinson Sasseen, Alpha Delta (U of Alabama) Director of Strategic Partnerships/Editor IN AVIATION BREAKING BARRIERS KANDY BERNSKOETTER Sigma (U of California Berkeley) Kandy’s work has enabled her to travel the world, literally, as she currently Captains a Boeing 767 for FedEx. Her career to the captain’s chair began a little unconventionally. Rather than going the route of aviation in college, she took fl ying lessons at a local airport to earn a Certifi ed Flight Instructor license while earning a bachelor’s degree in Geography from UC Berkeley. She built up fl ight experience during the 1980s and 1990s and landed, what she calls, her fi rst “real” piloting job in 1998 fl ying in Skagway, Alaska, north of Juneau. She fl ew a small six seat propeller plane and loved every minute. Over the next several years, she worked her way up to larger aircraft and to the captain’s chair at Big Sky Airlines in 2000. After 9/11, the airline industry was struggling and, like many, her airline went out of business. Rolling with the punches, she headed to Walt Disney World to work as a cast member at Disney’s Animal Kingdom until the skies cleared again and she landed at FedEx Express in 2004.
Sisters Breaking Barriers 15 In all, Kandy has worked at six di erent airlines, always moving to her base when she started a new job, adding, “I only took what I could pack up in my car. When I landed in a new city, there was always an AOII alumnae chapter, and a Women in Aviation Chapter, to welcome me with open arms.” It was in 2021 that Kandy was upgraded to Captain at FedEx to fl y the 767, an accomplishment she shares is the most rewarding of her career. When asked what traits enabled her to break barriers in her fi eld, Kandy replied, “All pilots are held to the same standards when it comes to fl ying planes and passing check rides. But where I am di erent might be grit. I was able to stick it out and stay in the industry for years, with low paying wages and not ideal working conditions, because I knew someday there would be a better job ahead. I am working every day to make the aviation industry a better place for both men and women, and I have seen some changes. I was also determined not to let others, men or women, decide my destiny. Sometimes it can be hard to hear friends and family tell you that you can’t do something. My advice? Ignore them.” One of Kandy’s goals is to make the aviation community a more inclusive place. She is making progress on that goal by serving as the Membership Chair for the Air Line Pilots Association, their pilot union, with 39 member airlines and over 67,000 pilots in the US and Canada. She notes, “I want to continue to show the younger generations that they, too, can go into aviation and achieve their goals.” Kandy's husband, Rick, is a Professional Flight Instructor at FedEx and they live in Moscow, Tennessee with their two cats, Booker and Peej. Beyond aviation and AOII, she is proud to be a member of the board of directors for the Wolf River Conservancy, an accredited non-profi t land trust in Memphis, Tennessee. She shares, “We are protecting the Wolf River, the source of our amazing drinking water. Our current project is completing a 26-mile greenway, which is a paved path along the river. I know we are changing our community for the better, and I am honored to be a part of it.” This longtime AOII volunteer is currently wrapping up six years of service as a director on the AOII Foundation Board. She’s a member of several AOII alumnae chapters and is a former advisor to Kappa Omicron (Rhodes College). Kandy shares, “I have always marched to the beat of my own drum, I have been told. I am the youngest of three sisters, and both of my older sisters joined sororities in college. So, naturally, I had to NOT do that at fi rst!” By her junior year, she realized what she was missing in sorority life and, luckily, AOII was right there and the right choice! "Sometimes it can be hard to hear friends and family tell you that you can’t do something. My advice? Ignore them.” Kandy Bernskoetter in the captain's seat of an FDX B767. Aviation has its perks. Here Kandy makes the iconic harbor bridge climb in Sydney, Australia.
Sisters Breaking Barriers 16 | Spring 2023 By Mariellen Perkinson Sasseen, Alpha Delta (U of Alabama) Director of Strategic Partnerships/Editor BY CREATING “WHAT YOU WISH EXISTED” BREAKING BARRIERS COLENE ELRIDGE Tau Omega (Transylvania U) Colene Elridge, Tau Omega (Transylvania U), is a published author, trainer, keynote speaker, motivator, blogger, coach, wife and stepmom. She is also a woman on a mission to give ambitious women the tools to create better work and a better life. A quick read through her book, “Monday Morning Pep Talks: Inspiration to Make Your Week Thrive” is one of the many ways to be captivated by this sister’s contagious personality. Her key to breaking barriers has always been to create what she wish existed. Explaining that concept, she shares, “If you don’t like something, make a change. If you don’t see something, make it happen. Breaking barriers is seeing past what’s right in front of you.” Case in point, in college, she wanted to major in anthropology, but it wasn’t an available major at her small liberal arts school. She went to her advisor and, together, they made it happen. Later, she wanted to participate in a great women’s leadership conference, so using her own experiences she set out to create one and it proved to be enormously successful. Colene has been breaking barriers since childhood. She recalls how her early years weren’t easy, “My father passed away from suicide when I was young. I was raised by a single mom (who's amazing), and I have a brother who's one of my best friends. After my father passed away my family lost everything. We had very little money when I was growing up and even spent a few months living in a roadside motel. I am the fi rst to recognize how di erently my life could have turned out given the circumstances.” It was through those early experiences that Colene learned the importance of acknowledging her circumstances, but not allowing them to defi ne her. Luckily, her strong faith and supportive family kept her positive when life was hard and those both continue to guide her today. Her career journey began right out of college, landing a job with an agency in state government where she was overseeing equal employment opportunities and diversity initiatives.
17 Sisters Breaking Barriers She was tasked with creating programming and trainings for the 30,000 government employees, then served as an investigator of harassment and discrimination complaints. She often provided expert testimony for those cases. Colene adds, “It really felt like I was jumping in feet fi rst and just fi guring things out. I ran conferences and created an award-winning leadership development program to help promote opportunities for underrepresented demographics in management.” The results of that program were excellent with an 80-89% success rate for graduates getting promoted within a year. There is another prime example of creating what you wish existed. Her business, Be More Consulting, started as a sidehustle to earn extra money for vacations and fun dinners with friends. She didn’t plan to be the owner of her own business, but the path she was on led her directly there. Colene explains, “I was asked to speak at a conference and a big Fortune 500 company reached out to ask if I could do a couple of days of training for their regional management team. And I kid you not, saying yes to that changed my life.” The word “impact” came to her in a dream one night and that dream helped her realize, if she wanted to make a bigger impact she needed to go all in. Colene left her full-time job behind and launched Be More Consulting with two sides: corporate consulting and training, and Coach Colene for personal development. She’s happy to report her journey has been a successful and fun ride. Colene believes, “One of the things that I think I was put on this earth to do is inspire other people to live their best lives.” Naturally, she loves AOII’s Inspiring Ambition tagline. “I think as sisters we have this opportunity to inspire each other by being ambitious and going after big things. It's so easy to see someone who's ahead of you and get jealous. Imagine if instead, we saw her succeeding and was inspired to crank up our own ambition. Turn jealousy into inspiration.” As a collegian, Colene was drawn to AOII almost immediately. “Truly the second I walked into recruitment, I knew I would be an AOII. Then they sang a Justin Timberlake song, and it sealed the deal for me!” Humor aside, Colene added, “I will never forget how moved I was by the stories of our founders and what they did out of friendship, love, and acceptance. It really spoke to me. I loved my collegiate experience, and I also really loved being involved in Panhellenic. I was our representative one year, and then Panhellenic President the next and it was such an eye-opening experience. It gave me an appreciation for all the other chapters on campus, but it also made me love AOII even more.” Colleen especially values all the skills she learned in AOII that have been transferable to her professional life, like negotiation skills and compromising. “If you can survive the debate on a function tee-shirt, you can manage just about anywhere!” Colene’s best advice to AOII collegians is simple, “Build your strengths and neutralize your weaknesses. Make the choice to be really good at what you do. And defi ne success for yourself!” "It's so easy to see someone who's ahead of you and get jealous. Imagine if instead, we saw her succeeding and was inspired to crank up our own ambition. Turn jealousy into inspiration.” Colene's warm smile and infectious personality inspire others to live their best lives.
Sisters Breaking Barriers 18 | Spring 2023 Sometimes breaking barriers means improving understanding between people or groups who have di erent opinions. Other times, breaking barriers is about learning to create your own boundaries not defi ned by someone else’s standards. Heather Stanton, Pi Alpha (U of Louisville), has “felt limited by barriers her entire adult life, afraid of her truth a ecting her potential, of not being seen or heard based on judgement from others,” and ultimately bound by self-imposed restraints. However, a mentor taught her it’s okay to be her authentic self; that there’s enough external barriers she didn’t need to add any of her own. So, she began chipping away! Heather’s experience with her personal mentor has instilled a passion to pay it forward and teach others that they, too, “can live authentically without so much fear.” Originally from West Islip, NY, Heather joined AOII in 1996, where she quickly learned project management skills, coaching, delegation and follow-up serving her chapter in a variety of roles including Chapter Secretary, Panhellenic Delegate, Recruitment Chair, and Chapter President. She also served Panhellenic as Vice President and Panhellenic President. Heather credits learning how to work with a diverse group of people from peers to administration, various socioeconomic backgrounds, di erent cultures, and/or experiences to her collegiate years. Heather is a Life Loyal member and has remained a dues-paying alumnae chapter member since graduation, even serving her alumnae chapter as the Vice President of Programming, Alumnae Panhellenic Delegate, and Alumnae President. She spent many years serving as an advisor to several collegiate chapters where she learned “what it truly means to be a servant leader, to exercise patience and restraint, and how to be honest and direct while still having compassion.” After years of living in the same city where she attended college, the idea of moving to a new place was scary. However, Heather found comfort knowing there was both an AOII alumnae chapter and a collegiate chapter in her new hometown of Columbus, Ohio where she currently lives with her wife, two sons, pit bull mix and tuxedo cat. Heather has worked at The Wendy’s Company since 2015 where she met her wife, Melissa, on their fi rst day of work. Today, Heather is a Senior Business Analyst on the Restaurant Technology team specializing in digital and point-of-sale integration and innovation. Heather believes in lifelong learning and continuous improvement and shares the following By Susanne Smith Fenoglio, Rho Omicron (Middle Tennessee State U) Associate Director of Communications TO ACHIEVE AUTHENTICITY BREAKING BARRIERS HEATHER STANTON Pi Alpha (U of Louisville)
Sisters Breaking Barriers 19 advice to young women trying to excel today: “Be honest and realistic with yourself and others and learn to say ‘No.’ Set yourself up for success with attainable outcomes instead of unrealistic ones, and mix up your goals to include easy wins and challenges or stretch assignments to maintain balance.” Panhellenic relations and recruitment will always be her favorite Fraternity areas of focus, but these days Heather has chosen to focus on her family and use her skills in a broader capacity. What she thought was a step back ultimately opened the door to joining AOII’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) International Standing Committee. While the number of hours she serves are fewer than her previous volunteer roles, she still feels that she is making just as much of an impact in securing the future of AOII. Heather shares, “As a proud queer member of the Fraternity, I see the importance of nurturing understanding, promoting diverse member stories, and removing barriers that exist in our organization for those that feel marginalized. I’m fi nally comfortable bringing my authentic self to AOII and hope that will help others do the same and feel inspired to get involved.” Heather is passionate about o ering words of comfort, support, and encouragement to sisters in need and hopes her greetings are a gentle reminder to sisters that “AOII brought us into each other’s lives and without AOII, we may not have become friends or even known each other. Sisterhood is for a lifetime, even in random or small doses.” For those who want to get involved but may not know where to begin, Heather recommends fi nding an alumnae chapter and attending an event or having co ee with an o cer to see what the chapter and members are like. “Start small and take your time fi nding out where you want to invest your time and talents. Even if it’s once a year at Founders’ Day, joining a Jingle Bell Run team, taking part in an AOII book club, or being a collegiate mentor or pen pal, there’s something for everyone who wants to get involved. I’ve always believed AOII gives back what you put into it.” When asked what Inspire Ambition means to her, Heather shared, “The meaning changes for me depending on the situation. I see it as a compass to guide my AOII activities, a reminder that we’re all striving for success, and that I should lead by example. I see it as a small, but powerful phrase that makes me think about so many parts of our Ritual and how that helps us navigate Fraternity activities and interactions. As an alumna, I try to Inspire Ambition by fi nding ways to constructively be seen and heard by our leaders. I feel this lets them know there are diverse thoughts and opinions in our organization and that’s the way I ensure AOII will be around and be relevant long into the future.” “Be honest and realistic with yourself and others, and learn to say ‘No.’ Set yourself up for success with attainable outcomes instead of unrealistic ones, and mix up your goals to include easy wins and challenges or stretch assignments to maintain balance.” Above: Heather's employeer, The Wendy’s Company, honors Community Ambassadors for their commitment to local communities through volunteerism. Their local Arthritis Foundation used this money to enable children to attend a Juvenile Arthritis Camp.
When Dr. Bobra Crockett pledged AOII’s Iota Chapter (U of Illinois) in 1985, she was not setting out to break barriers, but she did. Growing up in a small town with a diverse peer group, she quickly made friends from all backgrounds when she arrived at the University of Illinois. Her closest friends had already joined sororities and they loved it, so she decided to give recruitment a try, too. “It did not occur to me, at the time, that race would be an issue because it never was growing up in Danville, Illinois,” explains Bobra. “I explored NPC and NPHC chapters and found AOII as my home. My mother and older sister are Alpha Kappa Alpha members, and they were supportive. My Kappa Alpha Psi father was also Greek, all having graduated from U of I. By the time I pledged, I was already a sweetheart for Alpha Phi Alpha (another historically Black fraternity) and they even sent fl owers when I got initiated.” Bobra’s initiation into AOII turned out to be one of the fi rst steps for collaboration among chapters from di erent fraternal conferences on her campus. The local newspaper took an interest and ran a story with the headline “Breaking Traditions.” She admitted, “That was the fi rst time it dawned on me that I was a trailblazer. The second was when women of color went through recruitment after I joined AOII - they said that they felt safer knowing my story. Again, I had no intent to be a trailblazer but I’m happy that it helped others.” Trailblazing or breaking barriers – to Bobra, these ideas both mean “dare to be di erent.” Her life experiences then and now have taught her that is takes courage to challenge the status quo and advocate for anything new, better, or di erent. She grew up learning how to fi nd that courage with parents who were exceptional role models, sharing, “My parents, Lu and Fred Crockett, were very active in civil rights at the state and local level. My father was even President of the NAACP for the State of Illinois in 1966. In this role, he met Dr. Martin Luther King and other civil rights icons, which I didn’t know until I was an adult.” Bobra’s upbringing, confi dence, and passion gave her the courage to pledge where her heart was leading, and those two traits also led her to opportunities that lay ahead. A series of impressive career moves began right after graduation when she was one of two U of I students hired to be a Client Service Executive for the prestigious and global Leo Burnett Advertising in Chicago. She adds, “That led to the Chicago Bulls hiring me in 1992 as a media relations assistant during their second championship season – Michael Jordan even wrote a letter of recommendation for me! From there, I felt led to Arizona where I was hired at the local NBC a liate and was promoted to Marketing Director. I was loaned to the Super Bowl XXX Host Committee in 1996 where I had the By Mariellen Perkinson Sasseen, Alpha Delta (U of Alabama) Director of Strategic Partnerships/Editor AS AN UNINTENTIONAL TRAILBLAZER BREAKING BARRIERS DR. BOBRA CROCKETT Iota (U of Illinois) Clockwise: The U of Illinois News-Gazette featured Bobra in a newspaper story on diversity in October 1986; Bobra and her AOII daughter, Joia, share some Alpha Love at Niagra Falls; and Bobra with her Iota sisters at a chapter function in 1986.
Sisters Breaking Barriers 21 great privilege to serve as Deputy Director. Success in that role led to me being hired as the PR and Events Coordinator in the Mayor’s O ce in Tempe, Arizona.” Along the way, Bobra got married, had children, started her own company, earned an MBA in Organizational Management, and followed up that impressive list up with a doctorate degree in Higher Education Instructional Leadership. Her honed skills were put to great use in the university classroom by teaching business, communications, marketing, advertising, public relations, and social media in higher education. It should come as no surprise that Bobra has also been recognized with many awards in areas such as faculty achievement; curriculum design; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Bobra describes herself as a lifelong learner and she especially has a big heart for young people. In the classroom, she describes her most rewarding moments as watching her students be successful – especially students with special needs and accommodations. She reveals, “My own son is on the autism spectrum. I had to learn how to advocate for him and teach him how to advocate for himself. It’s been quite the journey, but I have a passion for young people with varied abilities.” Life as an AOII alumna has also been enriching. Bobra has served on the Iota Collegiate Chapter Advisory Board almost 10 years and currently is Chapter Advisor. She is also a former Phoenix Alumnae Chapter President, and a recipient of an AOII Alumnae Women of Leadership Award. One of her proudest AOII moments was seeing her daughter, Joia, be initiated into AOII’s Lambda Psi Chapter at Arizona State U. Other shining moments also stand out, including one that involves her dad. Some time back, he was being sent to Arkansas to undergo cancer treatments, so Bobra reached out to the AOII Little Rock Alumnae Chapter for help. Through the kindness of strangers and sisters, her parents had everything they needed, and Bobra will be forever grateful. Another standout memory came while speaking by phone with an elderly member after a Phoenix Founders’ Day event. “I was Alumnae President at the time and called one of our award winners to congratulate her. This member shared how she met Stella Perry back in the 1940s or 1950s at a similar type of event. She described how Stella spoke to them that day about inviting women of color and including women of di erence into our sisterhood. Her recollection was so poignant. It brought me to tears.” Bobra often reminds the collegians she works with that college is only four years, but AOII is for life. She wants them to know that, “Inspiring Ambition means: Lead. Be you. Set an example. Speak up. Make change for the better. I didn’t know anything about our founders when I joined AOII. I didn’t fully appreciate how much they accomplished until I was in the work world. Be like Stella, Elizabeth, Helen and Jess – women way ahead of their time. They accomplished so much before women even had the right to vote. I am in awe of them.” Add Dr. Bobra Crockett to AOII’s long history of admirable trailblazers. “Inspiring Ambition means: Lead. Be you. Set an example. Speak up. Make change for the better."
Sisters Breaking Barriers 22 | Spring 2023 Sometimes barriers aren’t physical objects preventing us from taking the shortest route or ceilings that need to be shattered, yet more often are invisible gaps in processes that make doing the right thing di cult or nearly impossible. Stacie Odeneal, Delta Delta (Auburn U) has found her passion while living and working in this gap, and the impact her e orts are making are nothing short of inspirational. Stacie has always had the biggest of hearts and love for all people, and AOII immediately spoke her love language and fi lled her cup as a college freshman at Auburn University. “My AOII sisters are the same sisters who showed me how to show up, not only for events and fundraisers, but for people, for each other,” she remembers. “AOII gave me sisters who o ered me an opportunity to see people make a di erence by showing up, by o ering kindness, and by working hard to do that. While AOII cannot give character, dignity and scholarship, it gave me a place to see how those qualities are worth celebrating.” Of the many titles accumulated by Stacie Odeneal over the years, connector would be her favorite. An attorney by professional trade, her Tennessee law license also recognizes Stacie as a child welfare law specialist. Stacie’s journey to the courtroom started with her childhood aspirations to be a lawyer. However, once she achieved that goal, she felt her motivation wane, and she almost gave up on her dream. “Finally, unwilling to let pride and the law be the source of my demise, I committed to quitting. I started to close cases and fi re clients so that I could go back to picking cotton on the family farm until my next whim struck. One of the last cases I had to resolve was a dependency and neglect case where I had been appointed by the court to represent a parent.” Stacie’s purpose was formed in that one last meeting – a meeting where all that stood in front of this parent reattaining custody of her child was her attendance at a training class in a neighboring town. Without transportation to this neighboring town, that fi ve-mile distance might as well have been 5,000 miles, and it awakened a purpose in Stacie to fi nd her passion – not in the legal paperwork – but in people. People, who oftentimes, are not heard. By Courtney Dillard, Tau Omicron (U of Tennessee Martin) Director of Communications THROUGH PURPOSE AND PASSION BREAKING BARRIERS STACIE ODENEAL Delta Delta (Auburn U) Stacie Odeneal, Tennessee Child Welfare Law Specialist, spends her days fi nalizing adoptions, connecting families, and protecting the interests of children.
Sisters Breaking Barriers 23 Connecting people with solutions and empowering people to move to a next chapter is what Stacie does best, but celebrating these life achievements with clients and families when this next chapter is earned is what feeds her soul. Her day-to-day work is often anything but glamorous and fi lled with treasure troves of paperwork – all requiring precise attention to detail and immediate response. Additionally, much of her work takes place in the gap that only exists when family circumstances are so threatening that the safety of a child demands foster care. However, her purpose allows her to serve as an advocate for children who have allegedly been abused or neglected, connecting children in the foster system to forever families through adoption, or helping parents earn back their right to see their children through legal redemption. As one might imagine, this work is almost impossible to leave at the o ce. Stacie credits her opportunity to expand her family by adopting three children to her involvement with the foster system. Her education and experience in navigating the issues with visitation, post-adoption contact, and school Individualized Education Plans have all faced her head-on as a foster parent turned adoptive parent. She has been transparent about the struggles of raising a family with children who have endured past trauma. For example, when her oldest child, now 12, was hospitalized last year with suicidal ideations, Stacie realized that her largest challenge lived within the walls of her home. “I had to pay attention di erently,” she explains. “With the help of my experience and education, as well as a network of caring friends, family, and professionals, I was invited to think outside of the box to explore solutions that might match the problem we were facing at home.” This fi rst-hand experience has given Stacie a unique perspective, as well as an immense amount of empathy for children in the foster system. She commits herself to the voiceless children in our foster society, bringing attention to the di culties in the court system and advocating for the best interests of children. She is an active participant in working with interested legislatures and the Tennessee Supreme Court Juvenile Court Improvement committees to create and streamline the state’s existing policy to better serve families and, most importantly, children. On Stacie’s best days, you’ll fi nd her in a courtroom fi lled with balloons in celebration of a family’s adoption. She describes, “the joy and relief shared amongst so many people contrasted against the intimidation of the courtroom o ers a real sense of what 'justice' means. But those days when I get to use my courtroom skills and experience to help a child have a safe place to sleep that night also feels pretty good.” In the greatest of days, Stacie is able to celebrate with her family. This fall, you will fi nd her courtside cheering for her same 12-year old daughter who made the middle school volleyball team, and these are the days where she is able to “watch the magic unfold.” "AOII gave me sisters who offered me an opportunity to see people make a difference by showing up, by offering kindness, and by working hard to do that. While AOII cannot give character, dignity and scholarship, it gave me a place to see those qualities are worth celebrating.”
24 | Spring 2023 To break barriers means to improve understanding and communication between people who have di erent opinions, life experiences, and perceptions of the world around them. Tanasia Jackson, Kappa Kappa (Ball State U) decided she wanted to break the barriers and stereotypes that had attempted to defi ne her from an early age, and her inspiring story does just that. Tanasia grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana with her mother, father, and older sister. Her family lived in less-than-ideal circumstances, briefl y experiencing homelessness when Tanasia was a child. Although her parents had struggles and barriers to break of their own, they were selfl ess on so many levels. Tanasia’s father passed away a week before her tenth birthday, leaving her mother to raise her and her sister. “My mom worked so hard to make sure my older sister and I had everything we could ever need,” Tanasia said. “I knew we were poor, but she never made me feel poor.” As Tanasia got older, she continued to experience varying degrees of racism and discrimination, mainly from adults who pitied her circumstances or thought she was a bad infl uence. However, she surrounded herself with people who believed in and saw potential in her, giving her the understanding that a statistic is just a number, and she was more than just another number. Tanasia was initiated in the Fall of 2012 into Kappa Kappa (Ball State U). From day one she knew she wanted to be Chapter President and immediately became as active as she could, serving her chapter as the freshman Standards Delegate, Vice President of Administration, and eventually as Chapter President. During her time as the Vice President of Administration, she had the opportunity to plan the Educational Leadership Consultant visit. She enjoyed the experience so much that she applied for the role her senior year and was lucky enough to become an ELC with 12 other amazing women that she still has relationships with. “We’ve traveled together, lived together, laughed together, cried together, worked together, and everything in between,” she shared. “Those 12 women are still some of my biggest cheerleaders.” Even in AOII, Tanasia faced challenges. “Serving as an ELC presented a unique set of circumstances that others don’t understand until you’re living it,” Tanasia shared. “Second to that would be my experience as Chapter President. Leading 150+ women is not an easy feat; you cannot please everyone or make everyone like you, but that’s also a part of life. Being Chapter President prepared me for the real world more than any undergraduate course did.” Tanasia graduated from Ball State University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations. After serving AOII as an Educational Leadership “My dreams and goals change with the wind, I’ve learned that that’s okay, I’ll never have everything figured out, but a little chaos doesn’t hurt.” By Kayla Huggins, Delta Omega (Murray State U) Assistant Director of Multimedia FROM DAY ONE BREAKING BARRIERS TANASIA JACKSON Kappa Kappa (Ball State U) Clockwise: While traveling with Delta Airlines, Tanasia soaks up the scenery in Ireland at the Cli s of Moher; poses in a Delta plane engine; and gets reconnected with her fellow ELC team during a wedding.
Sisters Breaking Barriers 25 Consultant for a year, she moved to Nashville, TN and began working as a Social Media Customer Experience Associate for Lyft. Shortly after that, she recognized her love for traveling and turned to aviation. She began her career as a Flight Attendant for Delta Airlines in 2018 and what she thought would be a brief stint to see the world turned into a passion and career for life. “More than anything, I value connections and freedom; being a Flight Attendant allowed me to have both.” The pandemic hit the travel industry hard, so Tanasia took the opportunity to further her education. She returned to Indiana for graduate school and received her Master of Science in Information and Communication Science in 2021. Tanasia struggled to balance fl ying full-time and being a Technical Writer on the side. When her graduate school advisor asked her about her plans, it stopped her in her tracks. “We were walking out of post-graduation celebrations, and she turned to me and said, ‘What if you switched the roles and worked in tech full-time and enjoyed fl ying on the side, or you could just work in tech and fl y for fun instead of work? Wouldn’t that be more ideal?’ Tanasia describes, “And that stuck with me.” Today you’ll fi nd Tanasia working full-time as a Technical Writer for United Airlines. “After a yearand-a-half of juggling fl ying and writing full-time, the universe pulled a 180 on me,” Tanasia shared. “I broke my foot and was forced to take a break from fl ying, which was a blessing in disguise. It shifted my perspective and mental health completely, and I knew being a full-time Flight Attendant was no longer an option for me.” Tanasia also has been a Recruitment Ambassador for AOII since 2019 and currently serves as the Community Relations Advisor for Kappa Kappa. “My dreams and goals change with the wind,” Tanasia shares. “I’ve learned that that’s okay, I’ll never have everything fi gured out, but a little chaos doesn’t hurt.” Looking ahead, Tanasia is keeping freedom and connection at the core of all of her dreams and goals. When asked what advice she would share with young women trying to excel today, Tanasia shared, “1. Pursue everything with ardent zeal. If you can't, then it's probably not for you. 2. You are not intimidating; they are just intimidated and that is not your fault. Don't become small just to make someone else more comfortable. 3. Growth isn't linear, so don't compare your path to someone else's, especially after college. 4. Having empathy isn't about you and putting yourself in someone's shoes, it's about understanding the context of the person and their prior experiences. 5. Find a good therapist now. It's better to have someone lend out a hand and a fl ashlight halfway through the fall rather than hitting the bottom and searching for a hand in the dark.” ‘Amelia Earhart once said, "I believe that a girl should not do what she thinks she should do but should fi nd out through experience what she wants to do," Tanasia shared. “If I can inspire one woman to not let society's expectations defi ne her; to follow her own path; to pursue her own adventures; to grow on her own, nonlinear path – that’s what inspiring ambition means to me."
Saluting Ann Gilchrist 26 | Spring 2023 AOII MOURNS PAST INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT Ann McClanahan Gilchrist It is with a sad heart that the Fraternity announces the passing of Past International President Ann McClanahan Gilchrist. Ann’s commitment to our sisterhood began in 1956 at Theta Chapter (DePauw U). Throughout her lifetime, her service to AOII was significant. Ann served as a Regional Director, Regional Vice President, and on both the Executive Board and Foundation Board. She loved her work as AOII’s National Panhellenic Conference Third Alternate, a Foundation Ambassador, and on numerous International Committees, two of which she served as Chair - the Constitution Interpretation and Revision Committee and the Fraternity Development Committee. Ann served as AOII’s International President from 1995 to 1997. While International President, Ann led the Fraternity into our magnificent Centennial Celebration in 1997, a role she often described as one of her greatest AOII honors. Her commitment to local service has been steadfast, too, and her sisters in the Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter will forever treasure her friendship. Ann met her husband, Keith, on a successful blind date her junior year at DePauw. Her family members have grown up with a home décor full of roses, wheat, and pandas. Ann was the mother of four children, Kathleen (Richard), Kent (Susan), Stuart (Kim), Scott (Laurel), and eight grandchildren whom she adored. Ann McClanahan Gilchrist, Theta (DePauw U) Past International President 1995-1997
Saluting Ann Gilchrist 27 For years, the couple maintained many great fraternal friendships including three members of her AOII new member class who married three of Keith’s Alpha Kappa Lambda brothers. Fraternal service would become part of their life’s work as Ann worked as Director of Chapter Services for Alpha Kappa Lambda Fraternity and Keith was the Fraternity’s Executive Director. Following Ann’s Rose Banquet speech at the 1995 Convention, Keith was asked to share a few words from the podium, “She has been a major contributor to the success enjoyed by Alpha Kappa Lambda. She is a valued professional associate, a trusted counselor, my best friend, a beautiful person and one with whom I am very much in love. We live in a unique interfraternal world… We become the third husband/wife team to each serve as president of their respective Fraternities. [Now] is the first time a professional staff member of a men’s fraternity has become the International President of a women’s fraternity.” Together, Ann and Keith have made a lasting contribution to the Greek world. Ann Gilchrist proudly joined AOII's Past International Presidents during the 2021 International Convention in Orlando, Florida. L to R: Susan Danko, Mary McCammon Williams, Joan Deathe MacCallum, Linda Peters Collier, Carole Jurenko Jones, Margaret (Peg) Kramer Crawford, Barbara Dunn Zipperian, Ann McClanahan Gilchrist, Virginia (Ginger) Anne Banks, Barbara Daugs Hunt, Allison Allgier, Gayle Fitzpatrick, and Sally Wagaman. Ann lived with simple devotion to AOII’s values. She demonstrated these to her sisters as well as to other women within the Greek community. As Stella stated in her letter to the Ohio Valley District Convention in 1936: “We wanted a society that should continue our companionship through life and extend the like joys to others.” The Fraternity honored Ann’s commitment to sisterhood and lifelong service by presenting her with the Adele K. Hinton Award in 2007. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of Ann’s term as International President, The Ann McClanahan Gilchrist Chapter President Scholarship was launched in 2022 to celebrate her life and legacy of leadership. This scholarship will be endowed through the AOII Foundation and awarded to a collegiate chapter president. To contribute to this worthy tribute, scan the QR code.
Alumnae Chapter News 28 | Spring 2023 Aiken, South Carolina Alumnae has doubled in size throughout the last year. The chapter worked closely with the Chi Phi Chapter at USC Aiken during their school year, assisting with and participating in various events. They are so excited for another year of sisterhood and fun together! Athens Alumnae enjoyed their sisterhood activities in 2022. They gathered in each other’s homes or met at favorite spots to spend time together. Some of the highlights included a Cabi Clothing Fundraiser, socials, garden party, art show, and a “Christmas is HUGE” party gift exchange. Located in Athens, GA they are home to the U of Georgia, the Georgia Bulldogs, and the AOII Lambda Sigma Chapter. Many alumnae retire to Athens to enjoy the atmosphere of the Dawg Nation. There are a lot of reasons to celebrate with the team becoming the College Football National Champions! ALUMNAE CHAPTER NEWS Aiken, South Carolina Atlanta Alumnae had an exciting year. They started the year by partnering with the Gamma Sigma Chapter to host a virtual Founders’ Day/125th Anniversary Celebration for all Georgia collegiate and alumnae chapters. Crystal Combs was their keynote speaker and alumnae sisters from the Chicago area joined as well! They supported their local community by volunteering with Helping Mamas and assisting sisters in the education fi eld with supplies for their classrooms. The chapter enjoyed monthly events such as Sisters Night Outs, Atlanta United games, IIOA parties, and holiday gatherings.
Alumnae Chapter News 29 Athens ALPHA OMICRON PI Austin Baton Rouge Austin Alumnae had another fun-fi lled year full of sisterhood. Some of the events included a Ritual workshop with Rene Fitzgerald of the RT&J committee, a wine tasting night, and the annual holiday party in December. The chapter also continued to collect items for a local charitable organization, Manos de Cristo. The highlight of the year was the AOII 125th Anniversary and Alumnae Recognition Brunch held in May. During the event, the work of so many of their sisters was recognized, and multiple 25 year anniversaries were celebrated. Baton Rouge Alumnae had a fun year in 2022. They kicked o the year with a King Cake party to celebrate Mardi Gras, AOII in Wonderland High Tea, and cooking lessons with a local fl air of learning how to make strawberry margaritas and strawberry & spinach salad. They hit their goal of eighty members - increasing membership by 30%. Baton Rouge also takes extraordinary pride in community events such as fi lling the Baton Rouge Community fridge every few months, helping the four Louisiana collegiate chapters (and supporting an out of state chapter this year), hospital supplies & tote bags for sexual trauma victims, BR Panhellenic Sock Drop, and stocking school supplies bags for AOII teachers. The chapter was also excited to be named a Chapter of Excellence in 2022 along with awards for Membership Recruitment, Collegiate Engagement, and Panhellenic & Community Relations.
Alumnae Chapter News 30 | Spring 2023 Bloomington-Normal Alumnae members continued supporting Beta Nu collegians through speaking at chapter meetings, providing food for spring and winter graduating seniors, fall recruitment meals, and a Second Annual Hot Chocolate Bar before fi nals. Their fi rst in-person meeting was held at the home of Past International President Mary Williams for Ritual and the newly revised Rituals books were discussed following Ginger Banks suggestion that “Ritual and fun can be used in the same sentence.” Attendees' initiation dates spanned from 1948 to 2021! In October, spouses joined in for dinner at Micki’s in Hopedale and toured the unique Willis Snowmobile Museum. They also participated and helped BN make the largest donation of over $1,800 for the Jingle Bell Walk/Run for Arthritis in November. Boston Alumnae spent the year going to brunch, visiting the strawberry fi elds, and staying in touch via group chat. They also loved seeing sisters visiting from out of town during their short visits to their part of the country. Bu alo Alumnae kicked o the new year with a well-attended Founders’ Day Celebration at a favorite local restaurant. They then welcomed the spring with a Saturday co ee date and small business shopping. Several sisters met to enjoy local theaters, and some gathered at the end of summer to celebrate their chapter’s long and rich history with dinner and a game night. Sisters continue to support one another with frequent calls and texts proving the lifelong commitment and love of AOII. Calgary Alumnae started the year o with a record number of sisters coming together to celebrate Founders’ Day! Throughout the year they kept in touch with each other virtually and in person. Signature events included making pies on Pi Day, a seniors' welcome night for graduating sisters of Kappa Lambda, traditional cookie exchange at Christmas, and book club throughout the year. A few new events added to the calendar were a (re) education night with the new Rituals book and getting scared at the Calgary Screamfest. They are also excited to support more members taking on international volunteer roles! Boston Central Connecticut Alumnae started o 2022 celebrating Founders’ Day with collegiate sisters at Lambda Lambda (U of Connecticut). In March, they put together Easter baskets for the moms and children at New Reach, an organization that serves and houses victims of domestic violence. On a hot summer day, they met at a winery and enjoyed catching up on each other’s lives. For Christmas, they participated in New Reach’s Adopt-a-Family program and were able to generously provide gifts for a mom and her teenage son. To close out the year, they gathered for dinner in a sister’s home and performed Ritual. Central Kentucky Bluegrass Alumnae had a relaunch party in August of 2022 after taking a hiatus during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The kicko event was held at a local pizza restaurant in Richmond, KY. Local alumnae and collegiate members attended and were able to network. The CKBA hosted a wine tasting party, collaborated with the local collegiate chapter for a Founders’ Day event during Homecoming, hosted a cookie exchange and delivered cookies to the local collegiate chapter, and held a holiday dinner with sisters and their families.
Alumnae Chapter News 31 Central Kentucky Bluegrass Charlotte Central New Mexico Central New Jersey Alumnae participated in various sisterhoods and philanthropic endeavors throughout the year. In May/June, fi ve sisters gathered at a local tavern to share stories and updates on their lives while enjoying brunch. In September, fi ve sisters gathered at a local restaurant to enjoy dinner, talk, and listen to live music. Around Thanksgiving, CNJ donated over 70 non-perishable food items in a local food drive in Central NJ that supports over 200 families. In December, CNJ participated in the Jingle Bell Run along with other New Jersey Alumnae Chapters. Central New Mexico Alumnae spent 2022 holding meetings in members’ homes in Albuquerque, and informal gatherings in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe. One day in May, members met to produce quilts for Pi Delta (U of Maryland). Creating quilts (under the leadership of Treasurer Julie Burnside, quilt designer extraordinaire), has produced chapter income through fundraising e orts, as well as for the local Panhellenic. Quilts have become favorite gifts to collegiate chapters annually. Cheryl Sharps continues to lead the chapter in many endeavors. Last summer, they welcomed back former long-time member Lois McLain who now lives in Austin, TX, with a luncheon at a favorite restaurant in Santa Fe, Midtown Bistro, along with another chapter lunch at La Casa Sena. Resurgence of COVID and an upswing of the fl u season prevented a formal get-together in the fall; however, they were able to cap o the year with a holiday party at the St. James Tearoom for a traditional British high tea. Charlotte Alumnae hosted monthly activities and helped support the Arthritis Foundation. They also raised $1,100 for the annual Jingle Bell Run in Charlotte. The chapter has grown 33% over the last year and everyone is looking forward to 2023 to continue to grow their chapter and impact their community!
Alumnae Chapter News 32 | Spring 2023 Chicago West Suburban Alumnae were excited to return to in-person events. They held monthly meetings at sisters' homes, dinners out to discuss book club selections, and sisterhoods that included a Board & Brush night out, painting fall themed canvases, and a holiday fl oral making class. They collectively wrote over 100 valentines for seniors, as well as holiday cards for veterans. Members attended events including the Alumnae Leadership Conference, Freedom of Movement Gala, the Jingle Bell Run, and supported the Fraternity and Sorority Political Action Committee. The chapter is thankful for another amazing year of sisterhood! Dayton Alumnae enjoyed a vibrant year fi lled with many di erent events. Founders’ Day was held with the Kappa Delta (Wright State U). Collegians from the Dayton area across the nation received a care package for good semester wishes. Programs included a special in-person anniversary celebration, their traditional Salad Supper in September, an evening at an orchard, family day at a farm, making caramel apples, and honoring Stella’s December 8th birthday. Members are proud of Becki Covey who served as President of the Dayton Area Panhellenic Association and participated in a fundraising luncheon that provides scholarships for Dayton area women. Chicago City Alumnae had a relatively quiet year after celebrating their 25th anniversary, but ended the year strong at Zoo Lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo. The chapter was also thrilled to get back to in-person events like Trivia Night, the Arthritis Walk, and Neighborhood Happy Hours. Chicago NW Suburban Alumnae started out the year online due to weather and an increase in COVID with game night and a happy hour. They enjoyed the virtual happy hour so much the past few years during COVID, that they decided to include it in their calendar every year to connect with out-of-town sisters. The remainder of the year featured some of their classic in-person activities again, such as May Potluck, Breakfast at Honey Jam Café, a summer walk in the park, and lunch with Lake County Sisters. They always enjoy, and try to make the focus of their calendar, ways to give back and be involved in their community. This year they packed meals at Feed My Starving Children twice. This event always includes a dinner with sisters beforehand. They sent Valentine’s cards to an adopted chapter, delivered Halloween treats to Phi Chi, and donated Easter baskets to children. They walked in the Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Run, participated in the local Panhellenic Scholarship Fundraiser, and collected and donated toiletry items to Hesed House. Members are looking forward to another great year of sisterhood and community in 2023. Chicago South Suburban Alumnae gathered for the Chicago Area Founders’ Day which was done virtually for the second year in a row. April found them at the home of Sue Trump for a Mexican meal featuring recipes from last Convention. They enjoyed a movie together in November with a late lunch afterwards, and their December Christmas Potluck was hosted by Judy Gerretse. The chapter is full of excellent cooks, so everyone left feeling full and happy. They are gradually returning to a sense of normalcy with in-person events and are looking forward to exciting plans for the rest of the year. Chicago City
Alumnae Chapter News 33 Chicago South Suburban Chicago West Suburban Delaware Delaware Alumnae had a great year in 2022. The chapter celebrated their 20 year anniversary at their Founders’ Day celebration in April and honored Genie Leake as a 50 year member. They enjoyed sisterhood events such as their annual post-holiday lunch in January, a Galantines celebration in February, and sisters night out in March. Members enjoyed a summer dinner in August, wine tasting in September, s'mores making in October, and sign painting in November. Several members participated in Walk to Cure Arthritis and others attended Founders’ Day with the St. Joes Chapter and the Philadelphia Alumnae Chapter. Detroit North Suburban Alumnae enjoyed monthly luncheons along with some fi eld trips organized by Vice President Sandy Tomlinson. Despite the need to cancel Janury’s lunch due to COVID, the rest of the year found sisters enjoying meeting in person beginning in February when they also celebrated with two of the fi ve members with birthdays that month. Dearborn Alumnae hosted many wonderful events this year starting with Founders’ Day in March with sisters from as far as Kalamazoo attending. In April, Gini Shaw, a member of the Macomb County Alumnae, spoke at the luncheon of her lifelong love of and work with shelties. May included a fun Kentucky Derby party followed by their annual fl ower sale pickup and breakfast. Twenty-fi ve year member pins were presented to Cindy Arvant and Dana Evert. Members raised money in June for Walk to Cure Arthritis and in July, members enjoyed a wonderful lunch together. While the September luncheon and meeting was dedicated to planning Founders’ Day, members were thrilled to learn that members Summer Hitchens and Mikaela Cosby received Rose Awards and the Honorable Cindy Arvant received the Woman of Leadership Award. Fall activities included a visit to the exhibit “I Had A Prayin’ Grandmother,” more lunches, and “Jingling at Home” for Jingle Bell Run at the home of President Pamela Mooradian. Eastern Iowa Alumnae hosted various monthly dinners and partnered with their local collegiate chapter for their annual Strike Out Arthritis event called Smoke Out Arthritis. Local alumnae also showed support for an alumnae brunch with the collegiate chapter and look forward to more events next year!
Alumnae Chapter News 34 | Spring 2023 El Paso Alumnae enjoyed a wonderful year! February began with Texas State Day, along with other sisters across the state, and toured the beautiful new home of Tau Mu (Texas A&M U). In the spring, they attended UTEP’s Dinner Theatre and walked dogs from the local animal shelter. One of the benefi ts of living on the boarder is getting to explore another country and culture. Many sisters traveled to Palomas, Mexico, lunched at the famous Pink Store, and did some local shopping. Two new members were welcomed to grow the chapter and they ended the year with holiday celebrations. Fort Lauderdale Alumnae gathered for a dinner for one of their sisters moving away. They also hosted a wonderful Founders’ Day and touching Ritual. The chapter enjoyed a home cooked Mexican meal made by one of their amazing sisters. Fort Worth Area Alumnae gathered on January 22, 2023 to celebrate 126 years of sisterhood. Of the 15 sisters in attendance, six chapters of initiation were represented. Members have enjoyed a year of Book Club discussions, terrarium designing at a local plant shop, and socializing throughout the year. Greater Harrisburg Alumnae met in person for the fi rst time this summer with a happy hour at a local restaurant. They teamed up with Tau Lambda (Shippensburg U) at their Strike Out Arthritis event and to celebrate Founders' Day. They are growing and hoping to see new faces at their next events! Greater Los Angeles Alumnae gathered at the Gri th Observatory in Los Angeles in July. Despite the heat, they enjoyed the breathtaking views of the city and their sisterhood. Another favorite event was the annual Christmas holiday party in December hosted by Cynde Wilen. They have been alternating virtual and in-person meetings this year and also experimenting with Wednesday meetings to open opportunities for more participation. Greater Portland Alumnae had a wonderful year of sisterhood and philanthropy. For the second year they continued working with their local philanthropy, Maine Needs, a non-profi t that assists those in need, by volunteering weekly to fi ll item requests and creating various necessities kits; they made over 100 kits. Five sisters received their 50 year pin at a lovely outdoor luncheon and ceremony at the lovely home of Deb Ledoux. Nancy Pistaki Chard, Deb Garside Ledoux, Marie West Johnson, Kathie Harper Sinnett, and Teri Alto Pease became members of “50 Years of Sisterhood” club. Greater Portland alums enjoyed bowling, the beach, luncheons, and walks. The year ended with a lovely Holiday Gathering hosted by Susie Pierce Marshall. Greater Sacramento Valley Alumnae celebrated AOII's 125th anniversary by donating 125 pandas to local organizations helping kids in crisis such as the Sacramento County Sheri 's O ce and domestic violence shelter WEAVE (Women Escaping a Violent Environment). In May they enjoyed a lovely day wine tasting at a local vineyard owned by an AOII sister. In August the chapter celebrated 10 years of Sacramento sisterhood with a summer-camp themed party. They also enjoyed a springtime Sierras hike and fall pumpkin patch on Apple Hill with sisters from the Reno-Tahoe Alumnae Chapter. Fort Worth Area Greater Los Angeles
Alumnae Chapter News 35 Greater Portland Greater Sacramento Valley Greater Vancouver Region Alumnae held Founders’ Day at the Milltown Bar & Grill, a riverfront restaurant on the Fraser River, where they joined Beta Kappa sisters for brunch. They enjoyed their second annual Pumpkin Patch visit and fi rst Tulip Festival, both with families and dogs. This year also saw Bonnie Sutherland honoured with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pin by her community for her work with Afretech Aid Society, a charity they proudly support. Green Bay-Fox Cities Alumnae started the year with Zoom meetings, including Sister Socials, Heart Healthy Quiz, and their favorite Zoom with Kappa Sigma (U of Wisconsin-River Falls) members. Lunches and exploring Neville Museum were enjoyed. Members volunteered to assist at the Walk to Cure Arthritis Walk and bought veggies and fl owers at the Farmer’s Market. They ended with two Arthritis Foundation events, Jammin’ for A Cure, WI, with dueling pianos, and Jingling in their Jammies, for the WI Jingle Bell Run. Attendance has been fantastic, as members enjoy getting together and inspiring each other! Hammond Area Alumnae have been busy! With COVID behind them, they were anxious to get together and enjoy each other’s company at various venues around town. The annual crawfi sh boil, as always, was a huge hit and the families enjoyed being together, watching the kids play, and reminiscing over delicious crawfi sh. HAAC always loves to support Kappa Tau (Southeastern Louisiana U) in attending Founders’ Day and recruitment events, hosting the Senior Tea, and being alum chums to new graduates and Aunt Stella’s to new initiates. Members love getting to know their collegiate sisters and showing that sisterhood really is for a lifetime!
Alumnae Chapter News 36 | Spring 2023 Houston Alumnae started the year by hosting the biannual Texas State Day in College Station, TX alongside collegians from Texas A&M U and Sam Houston State! The year continued with an Escape Room outing, Steak & Bingo, and the Houston Area Panhellenic luncheon where a fellow sister received a scholarship. The fall semester kicked o with Pizza & Pi’s in Downtown Houston. During the fall, the chapter chose easy going events like happy hours and lunch at a local winery. To end the year, sisters gathered for their annual Christmas party with a potluck and ornament exchange. Indianapolis Alumnae have been busy this year! They were honored to have Kate Sureck serve as the 2023 Community Champion Honoree for the Arthritis Foundation. With a lot of hard work, over $3,000 was raised for the Jingle Bell Run! It was a chilly day but very festive and fun. AOIIs and friends continued the celebration after the 5K by going to brunch. On top of that, they kicked o the Ann McClanahan Gilchrist Chapter President Scholarship and to date have committed almost $50,000! Inland Empire Alumnae experienced a bit of a rough year. During the beginning of the year, many alumnae chapter o cers had to put their collegiate chapter advisory positions as a higher priority, and as a result, they were not able to plan as much, but they did fi nd time to enjoy a Galantine’s Day picnic during February with a gift exchange. Jersey Shore Alumnae stayed busy volunteering in many ways for the Fraternity as advisors, network specialists, committee members, and in the local community doing charity work for youth, churches, sports programs, the arts, and fundraising for the AOII Foundation and the Arthritis Foundation. Members are truly living the obligation of AOII for a lifetime. They lovingly support the collegiate women in NJ and NY metro area. They are supporting the Central NJ Alumnae Panhellenic Scholarship Luncheon on April 15th as AOII serves in the presidential rotation for 2023. Good luck to Susan Jane Story who is also serving as Chapter President. Jingle Bell activities were fun to be part of in Holmdel, Philidelphia and Orlando! Everyone loves their AOII Swag - come out and fi nd some new treasures as you share sisterhood fun with everyone on the Jersey Shore. Green Bay - Fox Cities
Alumnae Chapter News 37 Kentuckiana Alumnae hosted Founders’ Day with Pi Alpha (U of Louisville). They made décor at The Craftery, welcomed new alumnae at Champagne and Roses, enjoyed brunch, the GLAP Panhellenic Luncheon, and percentage nights. Members volunteered to help homeless children in their area at multiple drives and with Elderserve to help the downtown community. The River Rose Literary Society wrapped up its second year. They began monthly game nights with BUNCO and a murder mystery party. Members also visited the lake, cheered on their NWSL team, Racing Lou, and enjoyed their annual holiday party with games, cookie exchanges, and secret sister. Lake County of Illinois Alumnae enjoyed a local winery for a wine tasting brunch and attended a local performance of the Nutcracker. They Zoomed with International Historian Allison Allgier to see the most recent archives updates and learn interesting AOII history. Members continue to volunteer both virtually and in person. They support the Walk to Cure Arthritis and Jingle Bell Run with teams at both events, and their local philanthropy supports The Haven in Libertyville, a homeless shelter for women in Lake County. They brought two meals to the shelter with one member contributing even more of her time. Houston Inland Empire Kentuckiana
Alumnae Chapter News 38 | Spring 2023 Las Vegas Alumnae were thrilled to host their family friendly 2023 holiday get-together at Horses4Heroes in Las Vegas. Horses4Heroes is owned and run by alumnae sister Sydnee Knott and serves as an equestrian center for US veterans experiencing PTSD. 20+ sisters and their families enjoyed horse rides and a personal meet and greet with horses, huge steers, llamas, pigs, sheep, and rabbits. Members enjoyed hot cocoa, hot cider, and s’mores over an open BBQ pit. A great time was had by all! Lexington Alumnae gathered every month for a Happy Hour on the fi rst Tuesday and a lunch on the third Thursday. Other events included craft days, Derby Brunch, winery tour, fall activities at a pumpkin farm, and the Jingle Bell Run. Member also celebrated Senior Installation with Tau Omega (Transylvania U). Lincoln Lincoln Alumnae spent the year being proactive with a new o cer team, scheduling ongoing social events, and meeting monthly by Zoom to keep the o cers on task and up to date. Zeta (U of Nebraska, Lincoln) and Lincoln Alumnae made the Senior to Alumna event a priority where they celebrated with Ritual and discussing the First Year on Us program to encourage involvement. An Alumnae Weekend was planned where all sisters were able to connect over house tours, scrapbooks, and a football tailgate to support the Huskers! Lincoln Alumnae arranged for a winery event, Late Night at the Zoo, Happy Hours, and Shopping for Cedars. Little Rock Area Alumnae had such a fun year fi lled with a celebration of AOII’s 125th year of sisterhood, Hibachi, Derby Day watching, wine tasting, meals out, and Jingle Bell Run. Members can’t wait to see all that this new year holds for their chapter! What a great year!
Alumnae Chapter News 39 Long Island Alumnae celebrated fi ve milestone memberships by presenting these sisters with their 50 Year Membership Pins at both installation and Founders’ Day. Chapter members truly took the phrase "sisterhood for a lifetime" to heart. In 2022 they continued their local philanthropic e orts by donating books, stu ed animals, and clothing to The Pajama Program – a non-profi t organization that promotes and supports a comforting bedtime routine and healthy sleep for all children to help them thrive in the face of adversity. The chapter had strong turnout for their Strike Out Arthritis event at Maple Lanes RVC – a family-run bowling alley. Through outreach and networking, they raised and donated $845 to the Arthritis Foundation. Macomb County Alumnae were invited to Maxine Ross' home to celebrate her 93rd birthday. Maxine was one of the chapter’s charter members and her loyalty to AOII is an inspiration. Drawing on the February theme of love, members gathered at Gini Shaw's and exchanged gifts that represented something they love. With COVID restrictions being eased, it was a joy to meet and celebrate Founders' Day, hosted by Dearborn Alumnae Chapter. Having Karen Marchese join them from Ohio was a wonderful surprise. Birthday celebrations continued in June with several sisters attending a surprise 80th birthday party planned for Barb Zolnierczak. With much sadness they bade farewell to their sister, Maxine, who was just one year short of receiving her 75-year membership pin. Their annual corn roast and picnic took place at Stephanie Benesh's in August with family and friends. Sisters visited Pat Wilson who was hospitalized, while also taking meals to her husband. The year ended with a Christmas brunch hosted by Robin Beltramini. Lake County of Illinois Lexington Long Island Little Rock Area
Alumnae Chapter News 40 | Spring 2023 Madison Area Alumnae continue to utilize Zoom for some chapter meetings. They have a large range of ages, and this seems to be the easiest way to keep connected. This year the chapter tried to plan a greater variety of events. They attended a concert at the local botanical gardens, then walked around the fl ower show. They were challenged by an escape room adventure, but managed to escape at the last second! They also attended one of their favorite events, a farmers’ market. The highlight of the year was the support of the local domestic abuse intervention services. They had their highest donation to date of 593 items and $90 in cash. Milwaukee Alumnae had many proud moments this year! Member Leslie Wininger, VP of Development for Advocate Aurora Health (AAH), purchased a table for her sisters to attend AAH's annual event "Hope Shining Blue" which raised critical funds for survivors of domestic and sexual assault. The chapter has enjoyed backyard barbeques, pool parties, movie nights, as well as their annual holiday gathering at the home of Barbara Hunt. One of their proudest achievements this year was a collaboration with the local Arthritis Foundation. Together with Phi Delta (U of WisconsinMilwaukee), they raised over $2,500 and were celebrated as the top fundraising team for Milwaukee's annual Jingle Bell Run! Milwaukee NY/NJ Metro Nashville Area
Alumnae Chapter News 41 Minneapolis/St. Paul Alumnae has enjoyed their "Taste of the Twin Cities" supper club. It has been a monthly opportunity for alumnae to gather in sisterhood while enjoying some of the best restaurants in the area. NY/NJ Metro Alumnae were in a much-improved position in 2022, fi nally being able to interact in person with their beloved Theta Pi (Wagner College) collegians. Chapter members and AOII friends sponsored “Study Bags” for the women at Wagner College. These bags were fi lled with an assortment of snacks & goodies, curated to get the girls through their fi nal exams. Philanthropic e orts included a school supply and toy drive. Members are looking forward to their annual holiday dinner and traveling to meet with Orlando Alumnae chapter sisters in February for the 2023 Disney Princess 5K. Nashville Area Alumnae had to cancel their everpopular Murder Mystery Party in early 2022 due to a COVID surge but rebounded to enjoy a wonderful year with a balance of both in-person and virtual events. Members jumped on Zoom for a “Love a Good Book” book swap, fl ower arranging and cocktail-making classes, JBR Bingo, and to read books for Greeks Read Across Nashville Day. Members met in person at Founders’ Day events at area collegiate chapters, geographic and young alumnae dinner groups, business meetings, a winery social, and the Jingle Bell Run. The chapter is so proud of their diverse sisterhood representing so many generations, chapters, and backgrounds, and they look forward to serving the community and having fun together in the coming year! Northwest Georgia Alumnae hosted a few events in 2022. The members love Mexican restaurants, so these were top places to meet during the year. Everyone enjoys trying new places and catching up. Orlando Area Alumnae were thrilled to resume all events in person! Sisters gathered in January for a New Year’s Tea to kick o the year and met many times for brunches, lunches, and happy hours. They enjoyed their annual Pi Day family potluck dinner in March. They also walked the beautiful Leu Gardens and celebrated the holidays at an awesome wine and cheese party. They shared Founders’ Day with Mu Lambda (Rollins College), delivering them goodie bags for Halloween, for seniors and new members, and they attended three Panhellenic lunches. Lastly, members raised over $2,500 for the Arthritis Foundation via the Walk to Cure and Jingle Bell Run. Orlando Area
Alumnae Chapter News 42 | Spring 2023 Ottawa Alumnae celebrated AOII's quasquicentennial with a lovely high tea at the Chateau Laurier. Members also got together for some happy hours, potlucks, and their annual holiday party. The chapter also attended the annual Roseball hosted by their local collegiate chapter, and had lots of fun. Palm Beach County Alumnae kicked o 2023 celebrating Founders' Day with a beautiful royal tea. They then celebrated Alpha love and sisterhood with a painting event for Valentine’s Day. Other events planned for the year include making Easter baskets for local children, putting together Thanksgiving baskets for families, and buying gifts for an Angel Tree child for Christmas. Many members also plan to participate in the Jingle Bell Run to support the Arthritis Foundation. In between service events, the chapter enjoys meeting up for happy hours and lunches. Philadelphia Alumnae enjoyed many memorable sisterhood activities including an Escape Room, Axe Throwing, Philadelphia Union Soccer Game, Jingle Bell Walk (raising over $1,000 for Arthritis Research), Holiday gathering and numerous brunches, Happy Hours, dinners, and Zoom meetings. They were delighted to host an Alumnae Career Panel and celebrated Founders’ Day, Senior to Alumna Status and Formal Ritual with Sigma Beta (St. Joseph’s U) Recruitment Care Packages and Halloween Candy Bags were assembled and delivered to Sigma Beta and Lambda Upsilon (Lehigh U). Reno-Tahoe Alumnae created a year-long theme in honor of AOII’s 125th Anniversary. The chapter started with the goal of obtaining 125 members, this endeavor was led by Dana Moreland, the chapter's Membership Chair. Later the group started a new service project in collaboration with the Reno Rodeo where members donated children's socks, with the goal of collecting 125 socks. This goal was exceeded with members donating over 160 socks. Members also were asked to donate toothbrushes again with the intent to collect 125. The year ended with a Karma Box Blitz and Brunch in which members came together to fi ll local Karma Boxes with donations collected. Ottawa Palm Beach County Reno-Tahoe
Alumnae Chapter News 43 San Diego Alumnae celebrated their 2022 Founders’ Day event that always brings sisters to San Diego from all over Southern California. They continued the year reconnecting with brunches, pumpkin painting, and various holiday celebrations. Their year ended with a renewed commitment to their AOII sisters and the values they hold dear. San Fernando Valley Alumnae kicked o 2022 with what is quickly becoming one of their cornerstone events of the year - their annual murder mystery party! The January event was virtual, but November's had them solving the mystery in person for the fi rst time. Starting with a hike in February, they made the transition to in-person events, allowing them to gather at each other's homes for Ritual activities and game nights, and meet up across the valley for beach and brunch dates! Perhaps best of all, they got to see their chapter grow with the addition of new members and get excited as they plan to host Founders’ Day in 2023. San Jose Alumnae ended their Spring semester with Initiation for Delta Sigma (San Jose State U). They celebrated summer at the local amusement park, Great America in a lovely cabana. Once fall came around they celebrated at their annual Fall Brunch and made Halloween goodie bags for the collegians. Then came a wine tasting trip and fi nally an annual Holiday potluck. San Diego Philadelphia San Fernando Valley
Alumnae Chapter News 44 | Spring 2023 Sarasota Area Alumnae used “Celebrating” as their theme for the chapter this year. From celebrating 125 years of AOII luncheon to Founders’ Day with Tampa Bay Alumnae Chapter, it was all fun! Their events celebrated the sunshine such as Jingle Bell Walk and IIOA Picnic on Siesta Beach. Some successful events were still online such as Sharing your Favorite Holiday Cocktail. Looking forward to next year! Southern Orange County Alumnae had some great highlights including supporting their local collegiate chapter, Lambda Beta (California State U, Long Beach), during recruitment by providing meals and participating in mock recruitment. AOII SOC also hosted a favorite event, Career Night. Monthly sisterhood events were hosted including the Summer Luncheon where new members were welcomed. The highlight of the year was a fundraiser called Stella's Trunk. Money was raised for their local scholarship and the AOII Foundation. A separate Strike Out Arthritis event was held at a local BBQ restaurant that was very successful. In December, members participated in the local Jingle Bell Run and celebrated the holidays with a festive party including families. Suburban Maryland Alumnae started holding events again in person in 2022. Members enjoyed a winery outing to taste Maryland wines and enjoy in-person sisterhood. Additionally, members met for a fall happy hour, as well as participated in Jingle Bell runs. Tallahassee Alumnae had a year full of light and love and were able to encourage new women in the Tallahassee area to reconnect to AOII sisterhood. From private dinners to pumpkin painting to a Jingle Bell Run, members were able to cherish their sisters in so many ways over the past year. Tampa Bay Alumnae started 2022 with Founders' Day, celebrating 125 years of their beloved Fraternity! The highlight was an inspiring message delivered by Crystal Grafton Combs, International President and keynote speaker. Alumnae also met at local eateries for wine tasting and dinner. The ever popular spring luncheon at the Columbia was well attended and brought 19 sisters together. Fall included a Tampa Rays game, candle making, and a spa day. TBAC completed the year with a 75th Anniversary celebration at their annual couples’ holiday party. They are thrilled that membership nearly doubled in two years and look forward to an amazing 2023! San Jose Tallahassee Tampa Bay
Alumnae Chapter News 45 Toledo Area Alumnae strengthened lifelong friendships throughout 2022! Events included sisterhoods, history storytelling, Christmas lights at the local zoo, the favorite ornament exchange, and dining out, which included ways to mix up conversation such as Check-In Qestions, Community Jenga, Famous Pairs, and Find Your Snowfl ake. International President Crystal Grafton Combs joined them for Founders’ Day participating in a ra e to support the Ruby Fund and Arthritis. Other chapter activities included hosting an exam bag fundraiser for Alpha Psi (Bowling Green State U) and Theta Psi (U of Toledo) and later welcomed them into alumnae status. Other highlights included sharing opinions on the latest top sellers at book club, and celebrating fi ve chapter awards and two Rose Award winners from ALC. Toronto Area Alumnae were able to meet in person again by mid-year and managed to pack in a lot of gatherings. In April they held their Spring Sisterhood Stroll in the Brickworks followed by a visit to the farmers' market. Summertime brought two lovely events - dinner and catching up at Summerlicious at the Granite Brewery, and their annual garden party where they welcomed new alumnae members. They gathered at the Aga Khan Museum for a privately guided tour and the year closed with an annual Sisterhood Afternoon Tea at the Windsor Arms Hotel. Triangle Triangle Alumnae marked a return to in person meetings in 2022 for the Triangle Alumnae Chapter. Outdoor dinner meetings and visits to Botanical gardens and the NC Museum of Art were the highlights of the year. Ventura County Alumnae was very thankful that they were able to get together both in-person and via Zoom during 2022. In February, they had AOII History and Social Hour on Zoom with International Historian Allison Allgier. In March, they had a Virtual Spring Tea with a number of sisters from across the country. They painted fl ower pots and fi lling them with succulents at a member's home in June. This past fall they were happy to regularly get together in person for dinner, happy hour, and for their much loved annual holiday party and gift exchange. They are looking forward to many sisterhood events and chapter activities in 2023!
NPC News 46 | Spring 2023 NPC HOSTS FALL 2022 ANNUAL CONFERENCE By Loretta R. Good, NPC Chief Marketing O cer From Oct. 13 -15, 2022, the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) hosted its Annual Conference at The Embassy Suites by Hilton Plainfield Indianapolis Airport, just outside Indianapolis. More than 150 NPC member organization leaders, board members and other guests gathered together to discuss topics of mutual interest and build relationships. Event programming was divided into large group education sessions, peer group meetings, and other activities such as time with representatives from businesses in the NPC Partner Program. The event was followed by a regular meeting of the Council of Delegates, which is composed of one individual from each of NPC’s 26 member organizations. 2021-23 NPC Chair Cheri De Jong welcomed attendees to the NPC Annual Conference during the opening session on Thursday afternoon. “We are now officially back on schedule after the many delays and rescheduled events during the COVID pandemic,” said De Jong. “As we begin this conference, let us be mindful of the commitment we have to our member organizations and to each other as we strive to advocate for and grow our Panhellenic communities.” Large Group Education Sessions During the Annual Conference, NPC brought member organization leaders and partners together for large group education sessions to discuss higher education trends and their impacts to our organizations and to provide updates on two ongoing NPC projects. The Future of Higher Education With Jeff Selingo: Jeff Selingo, a noted higher education author and speaker, offered his insight on current higher education admissions and enrollment trends and the impacts for institutions and sororities. He discussed at length how organizations are grappling with meeting Generation Z’s expectations regarding the student experience. Higher Education Trends: VPSA Panel: NPC CEO Dani Weatherford facilitated this panel discussion during which four higher education administration professionals shared their perspectives on trends in higher education and how those trends affect college students and our Panhellenic communities. Topics ranged from relevancy of the sorority experience and what they see as barriers to joining to how to best partner with campus personnel and faculty and their institutions’ approaches to student health and wellness. Data Project Update with Chris Smith of Smith Insights: Chris Smith provided an update on the NPC project to collect and analyze more recruitment and membership data and the implications for the Conference and member organizations.
NPC News 47 Summer Recruitment Marketing Campaign Update With Heather Matthews: Heather Matthews, marketing consultant, provided an update on NPC’s summer recruitment marketing campaign, in which NPC’s volunteer recruitment marketing coaches provided direct coaching to 230 College Panhellenics to help them boost fall 2022 primary recruitment registration numbers and build marketing muscles for the future. Her presentation included a discussion of the campaign details, results, lessons learned and recommendations for future campaigns. NPC also hosted the Conference Conversation for member organization leaders to discuss topics of high priority, including difficulties with housing, barriers to membership growth and threats from college/university overreach. The goal of this session was for leaders to gather information and opinions to help them with future decision-making regarding growth, sustainability and relevancy. During the conversation, they shared their thoughts and organizational best practices, asked and answered questions and brainstormed ideas. Peer Group Meetings NPC also provided more than six hours for peer group meetings for member organization inter/ national presidents, executive directors/CEOs and chief panhellenic officers. Each group discussed topics they believed were important to discuss face-to-face. On Saturday morning, the peer groups also met for a short time with the NPC Board of Directors. Other Activities On Friday, attendees also had several opportunities to meet with representatives from NPC partner businesses. The highlight of the day was the Dinner with Partners, during which attendees participated in a spirited yet friendly trivia contest. Ahead of and throughout the event, attendees could purchase sunflower stickers from the NPC Foundation to honor Panhellenic friendships and bolster the Foundation’s Spirit Fund. The NPC Foundation’s mission is to support NPC initiatives that enhance the sorority experience, including events such as the Annual Conference. “It was a thrill to host our member organization leaders and partners during this Annual Conference near so many of our homes in Indianapolis,” said NPC CEO Dani Weatherford. “This event continues to serve as an important forum for everyone to come together for conversation and camaraderie in order to advance our organizations and the sorority experience.” The next NPC Annual Conference is scheduled for Oct. 19-21, 2023, in Dallas. Regular Meeting of the Council of Delegates As part of NPC’s organizational structure and governance change that took effect in 2019, the Council of Delegates was created to ensure the voice of the NPC member organizations continued to guide the work of the Conference. The Council of Delegates is composed of an individual from each of NPC’s 26 member organizations, and delegates are tasked with attending membership meetings and voting on matters that come before the members. In April 2022, the delegates voted to amend the NPC Bylaws to include two in-person meetings and two virtual gatherings annually. As a result of this change, the first regular meeting of the Council of Delegates, which will now occur between Aug. 1 and Nov. 1 each year, was held immediately following the NPC Annual Conference. During this meeting, the delegates voted to amend several NPC College Panhellenic policies, heard presentations from NPC committee chairs, and discussed a handful of topics of mutual interest. The delegates met virtually for their winter gathering on Jan. 12, 2023, and will meet in person during the NPC Annual Membership Meeting on April 29th in Indianapolis.
ALL-RUBY BADGE The Executive Board in partnership with the Rituals, Traditions, and Jewelry Committee (RT&J) approved a stunning limited-edition All-Ruby Badge. This badge was available for purchase through AOII’s official jeweler, Herff Jones, until January 2, 2023. KYLE CAVAN JEWELRY This women-owned company is focused on modern, college and Greek jewelry. Members enjoyed shopping the beautiful collection they cultivated for Alpha Omicron Pi and the 125th logo was able to be engraved on the back of any AOII pieces. EMPORIUM COLLECTION Our partners at the AOII Emporium developed a special pop-up sportswear collection focusing on AOII’s 125th Anniversary specialty merchandise. 125TH COMMEMORATIVE LETTERPRESS PRINT This exclusive print was commissioned from Base Camp Printing, a small women-owned business. This limited edition 11”x17” print featured prominent AOII items such as the infinity rose, our Founders, a sheaf of wheat and our headquarters building. 48 | Spring 2023 125 Years of Sisterhood Alpha Omicron Pi celebrated its 125th Anniversary on January 2, 2022. This extraordinary quasquicentennial anniversary was commemorated throughout 2022 to honor 125 years of friendship and service began by our Founders - women who defined what it means to inspire ambition. “We wanted a society that should continue our companionship through life, and extend the like joys to others, usefully, and unselfishly.” Stella Perry stated. Now 125 years later, their purpose is still reflected in all aspects of our sisterhood. In the same spirit of our founding, we continue to inspire ambition, to pursue lifelong friendships, and to serve one another. There were several ways we, as a Fraternity, celebrated this milestone in our history: HISTORY TIMELINE Alpha Omicron Pi history has been preserved through a wealth of materials and artifacts found in our Archives. To share these historical moments with all present and future members, several of these items were captured digitally and placed on the timeline utilizing the services of HistoryIT. Visit the history section of the AOII website to view the timeline and click on the “read more” button for additional content under selected entries. A CELEBRATORY YEAR WORTHY OF 125 Years of Sisterhood
MUSEUM As the cornerstone of AOII’s celebration, the Executive Board in partnership with the AOII Foundation approved plans to build a new Archives Museum located within the Fraternity’s International Headquarters building. It was determined that this museum would showcase, preserve, and protect our history for generations to come. Discussions, design, and plans for the museum began nearly four years ago. The original hope was to build the museum during the 125th year, but fundraising efforts were delayed due to placing a priority on needs stemming from the pandemic. The Foundation graciously provided an initial gift to begin the campaign and work of the Archives Campaign Committee began in September 2021. Many thanks to the following women who were successful in raising over $700,000 in pledges during the seven-month initial silent phase of the campaign. ARCHIVES CAPITAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE MEMBERS Allison Allgier, Epsilon Omega, Chair Susan Bonifield, Nu Beta Meagan Davies, Alpha Chi Andrea Dill, Chi Psi Nancy Hohmann, Phi Lori Goede, Gamma Omicron Linda Grandolfo, Nu Iota Carole Jones, Alpha Delta Lisa Niedenthal, Beta Phi Terry Palmer, Phi Alpha Mariellen Sasseen, Alpha Delta Ashley Byrd, Delta Gamma Fraternity The public campaign launch, with its $1 million goal, took place in June of 2022 with a total $848,00 raised by the end of that month. The outpouring of support for this project and the extreme generosity of our members have resulted in achievement of the $1 million goal which is fully funded by donor dollars! Our amazing sisters have enthusiastically supported our desire to preserve AOII’s history. AOII’s legacy has been strengthened through these and other very generous gifts. 49 125 Years of Sisterhood LEAD DONORS $200,000 AOII Foundation $150,000 Gayle Fitzpatrick, Alpha Rho $75,000 Crystal Grafton Combs, Nu Beta $50,000 Carole Jones, Alpha Delta Barbara Zipperian, Kappa Kappa $25,000 Mary Bryant, Delta Omega Charlene Favre, Alpha Omicron Lisa Niedenthal, Beta Phi Terry Palmer, Phi Alpha Sally Wagaman, Sigma Tau In preparation for the museum build that includes an expanded footprint throughout the first floor of AOII's Headquarters building, complimentary work has been done to update all areas of the building including paint, carpet, and furniture. Specific detail work has been added for the museum including removing chair railings, molding, wall fabric and existing cabinetry as well as building new doorways, and moving seating areas. The interactive components of the museum will require electrical upgrades, new museum lighting, increased WIFI, and other technology. The museum will be fabricated and installed throughout this spring and summer with a Grand Opening Celebration planned for September 2023. Despite the extremely successful fundraising campaign, ongoing financial support is still strongly encouraged for preservation and protection of AOII’s history. There is significant need for digitalization of our archives materials, as well as upkeep and maintenance on the museum. Please consider supporting these initiatives by going to the AOII Foundation website and donating to the Archives. “Just as important for us to continue the work of preserving our heritage in the form of physical artifacts, so too is it important for all of us to preserve the high ideals of our organization. To do this, we need to live our lives as our Founders requested in our Rituals. We must reflect credit upon our Fraternity by all of our actions in the world around us. When we demonstrate AOII’s love in all we do, we preserve the true heritage of Alpha Omicron Pi.” Sally Wagaman, Sigma Tau (Washington College), Past International President (2003-2005)
Foundation Focus 50 | Spring 2023 RISSA REDDAN, TREASURER Omega (Miami U) Refl ecting on my time as a Board member for the AOII Foundation, I will miss the gut-busting laughter that we shared. Yes, we have worked hard as a Foundation Board, but we’ve also enjoyed a lot of shared laughter. I treasure our time spent together virtually and in person. I have loved spending time with our Foundation donors in cities across the country. As a competitive person, I loved seeing the improvement in our fi nancial standing since joining the board in 2017. When I fi rst saw the rankings of all NPC and IFC Foundations, I wanted us to do better for our sisters and move up in the rankings, which we’ve done. I’m also proud of the work we’ve undertaken with the Fraternity to achieve our ambition of a $1 million capital campaign for the Archives project. As I look to how I will continue my AOII life after serving on the Foundation Board, I will continue to be an 1897 Society member, and I have the AOII Foundation in my estate plans. I look forward to helping with future donor sisterhood retreats given the success of our 2022 Nashville event. I also look forward to being more involved with my local alumnae chapter (if you’re in Denver, hit me up!). The Foundation is critical to the success of AOII. We need to be able to support our sisters in meaningful ways – whether that is providing more and bigger scholarships to Ruby Fund grants to underwriting programs and speakers for the Fraternity to ongoing support of the Arthritis Foundation. We need to raise more funds to do more for our sisterhood. MEAGAN DAVIES, PRESIDENT Alpha Chi (Western Kentucky U) Over the past six years I have been able to serve with some unbelievably talented women… from an airline pilot to a chief marketing o cer and so many others in between. I have learned a lot from my fellow AOII Foundation Board members, and I’m proud to have these women as my sisters. After six years, I believe it is time to step back and give the new leaders of the Foundation the opportunity to put their own stamp on the organization - although I am so excited for our next Sisterhood Retreat in 2024! One of my proudest moments as a Board member has been the ability to fi nancially turn the organization around. Six years ago, the Foundation was operating at a defi cit, and I am proud to say that is no longer the case! Being involved in the Foundation takes a lot of understanding – the role asks us to act responsibly with regards to fi nancial, legal, and strategic matters. However, the future of the Foundation is vital to the future of AOII. We are all sisters, and the Foundation is a business run by love. Foundation FOCUS As the AOII Foundation prepares to close out the 2021 to 2023 biennium, we asked our fi ve Board members who are terming out to refl ect on their service to the Foundation Board. Read on to learn their thoughts on how the Foundation has been such a huge part of their life for so many years.