Beautifully humid morning for a quick run with my fellow Runner Deephers.
DPhiE Runners Photoshoot:
I woke up early this morning, excited to start the day with a run with women from all around the US. Our sorority magazine, The Triad, is putting together a story about our little Facebook Group, DPhiE Runners. This Facebook page has brought together women from across the country to encourage each other in our training for various races, and to meet up and run together at some notable runs like the Disney Princess Half Marathon weekend. We donned our favorite unicorn running shirts and posed for a few quick pics... SANS MAKEUP if you can imagine.
We are hoping one of these will be the cover of The Triad coming out soon.
Ready for another exciting Grand Chapter!
Grand Chapter Part Two:
In the second half of Grand Chapter today, Donna Von Bruening gave the Educational Foundation report.
Some important details included:
- $55,000 in scholarships were awarded.
- They have rolled out the LPI: Loyalty Pledge Initiative. This program is a sisters-only giving opportunity, allowing sisters to sign up for monthly donations as low as $10/month. You get a very cool pin if when you pledge too!
- $1000 donation by Mary Marbach... you have to hear this story. She was on a flight to Orlando for Convention when she saw a group of collegiate women on the flight with her. She told them if they will sing DPhiE songs on the plane, she would donate $1000 to the Ed Foundation. They did, and so she did. Amazing.
The National Development Corporation reported:
- 1 full-time staff member has been selected.
- Land was purchased for the Gamma Omicron chapter at Georgia Southern University, to break ground Fall 2014
New International Governing Board members were slated and approved! The 1917 Club chapters were recognized. And last, and most excitedly,
Convention 2016 was announced to be in Philadelphia! See you there!
Disney Institute: "Disney's Approach to Leadership Excellence" Lunch:
This lunch and learn was incredibly insightful in regard to developing a vision through shared values. We talk a lot about our values in a sorority, but to begin to think about your leadership as values-based is pretty smart stuff. Carmen from the Disney Institute talked to us about the word "leader". Its not a noun, its a verb. Leaders are leaders because they act. As leaders, we must take our values of Justice, Sisterhood, and Love, and apply meaning and interpretation. These values mean different things to different people, but it is the leader's job to bring it on home.
And, from this lecture, my favorite new word is overmanaging. This is not micromanaging, rather the attention to even the smallest detail to make sure all continues to align with the values of the organization.
As a token from this session, our table was given little treats for volunteering to speak. Mine's the Mickey!
Ritual:
Its always so fascinating to see what chapters consider ritual attire. Our girls at the Phi Lambda chapter have set a strict dress code for all rituals to include a modest black dress, closed toed black shoes, pearls and pin only. When it was announced we could wear anything from dress-to-pin, to ritual, to our evening wear for the banquet, we were a little concerned. The idea of ritual is not to stand out in the crowd, but to focus on the words and actions of the ritual itself. Cheryl Lamb, International Ritualist, put it perfectly in order for me to understand the leniency of this particular ritual. She said cared less about what the women were wearing, and more about them attending and being a part of the special ceremonies. Preach it Cheryl. Thanks for always reminding me that sisters come first, and process comes second. The ritual was beautiful, and it was so wonderful to see over 600 women participating together in one room.
2014 Convention Awards Banquet:
And now, the moment we have all been waiting for... DINNER! Such a nice spread for our fancy banquet dinner, to celebrate the hard work of he past biennium, and to share in the glory of each winning chapter and member.
As the food was blessed, a special guest was announced... first Donald, then Goofy, then Mickey and Minnie! I swear, I have never seen so many sorority women excited about mascot-sized cartoons. I almost fell out of my chair, I jumped up so fast to take pictures.
Myself and Carla spent about 30 minutes of dinner standing in line to get a shot with the characters. What an amazing surprise!
As the award ceremony began, I was floored by receiving an Outstanding Alumnae of the Biennium mention. Myself, along with three other Alpha Epsilon grads were on the list. To be on the same list as Carolina Yera, my superstar advisor-crush, I was absolutely speechless.
Until they started to read the nomination essay for the Excellence award. I was cool, calm, and collected as they talked about this special alumnae and how she was so dedicated to the chapter she advises. I was even calm when they read out my personal motto, "Not Four Years, But for Life" thinking everyone here believes in that motto. Then when Nicole read my name out loud, I couldn't help but jump up and down. I am honored to have received such a beautiful award, and blessed to have chapter women in my life that thought to nominate me.
Me and my fellow Outstanding Alumnae of the Biennium, Carla Walker and Angie Villalba from
Alpha Epsilon chapter.
Me and International Governing Board President Tricia Carlin.
Me and my nominating collegian, Stephanie Van Gelder. Thank you for thinking of me and saying such sweet things. Love you! 
What was the biggest win of the night in my opinion, and most deserved, went to Phi Lambda for Most Improved Recruitment Program. These women worked insanely hard this year to turn around the chapter image and recruitment standards at Emory University. With Angie Villalba as their Recruitment Advisor (talk about bleeding purple and gold), and Diane Sun as VP of Recruitment, there was no way they weren't going to get this award. HUGE congratulations to my chapter women on an excellent job well done.
Together all three chapters of Georgia in one photo. Gamma Omicron, Alpha Epsilon, and
Phi Lambda.
From the outside looking in you can't understand it, from the inside looking out you can't explain it. Sisterhood defies all distance and logic.
