FALL 2023 Volume LXX
THE Columns
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ALPHA GAMMA DELTA FOUNDATION
WELCOME
TO OUR LOYAL DONORS
ALPHA GAMS ARE
Alpha Gamma Delta is loving, leading and lasting thanks to our loyal donors. This newsletter is published to share your impact, and to thank you for believing in our Foundation’s mission of providing essential support for women’s education, philanthropy and leadership.
Loving
LOVING OURSELVES At its core, Alpha Gamma Delta’s Purpose is about love-to love learning, to love others, to love service, to love our community. In order to reach our full potential and attain these high ideals, we must care for and love ourselves. According to Chapter Wellness Advisor Kirby Cannon, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Upsilon-University of Oklahoma, many of our youngest sisters struggle transitioning from high school to college and balancing school, work, extracurriculars and personal relationships. With so much on their plates, self-care and mental wellness fall to the backburner, leaving sisters stressed, burned out and overwhelmed. “When we neglect our mental health, we put ourselves in a position where our body eventually says, ‘you have to take a break,’” Kirby said. “It may look like disconnecting from a class, having a physical illness, maybe having a more intense mental health crisis, but it will eventually get there.”
Mental health challenges among collegiate women are not new. For generations, our sisters have faced challenges surrounding mental health, yet for generations, the topic was avoided, deemed taboo and left unaddressed. Add new pressures of social media and increased pace of change, and the struggle is amplified. Today, Alpha Gamma Delta is writing a different story for her members. Since 2019, our Fraternity has prioiritized mental health education for our collegians and those who advise them. Thanks to your Annual Fund support, the Foundation has underwritten more than $240,000 in support of mental health programming and one-on-one chapter consultations. Resources are available to all members in Acorn, Alpha Gam's digital education platform. "Being able to talk to collegians about mental health is really significant," Kirby said. She explained that talking openly about it helps maintain important relationships with sisters. By investing in mental health, we allow our members to prioritize their well-being so they can enter academic and professional settings with a clear and healthy mind. “Being in high stress situations where you are in a fight, flight or freeze headspace is going to keep sisters from retaining information academically,” Kirby explained. “And when it comes to leading people, it's about relationships. Having the emotional intelligence to maintain a relationship with the people that you're leading will create more success than just trying to push through.” “When Alpha Gam talks about mental health and wellness, it takes away the stigma and shame of needing support or resources,” Kirby said. “We are going to see a lot more leadership and better communication that will trickle down to future generations. What we're doing now has a positive long-term impact.” www.alphagammadeltafoundation.org | 1
ALPHA GAMS ARE
Leading
Personal finance expert Leslie Wilkerson, Theta Mu-University of North Carolina Wilmington, learned about the program at International Convention in 2022 from Delta Theta sister and Chapter Advisor Gayle Cunningham. Gayle developed the program based on The Financial Diet: A Total Beginner’s Guide to Getting Good with Money. With 90% of sisters in attendance, she and Leslie led the two-day virtual training and tailored the content to sisters’ specific interests and career paths.
LET'S TALK MONEY
“For a recent graduate, a real job is a huge monthly monetary increase for them,” Leslie said. “I tried to help them understand the value of money and understand that it’s okay to spend, but it’s important to work toward financial goals.”
Leslie is passionate about empowering women by helping them take Life after college can be intimidating. Although it's not taught in control of their personal finances. This opportunity allowed her to school, sisters are expected to manage debt, pay bills, maintain channel her passions into helping young women and was the spark she a budget and start saving as soon as they graduate, leaving needed to reignite her connection with our sisterhood. new graduates often feeling ill-equipped to be successful. “This brought me full circle back to my enjoyment of the sisterhood, which Delta Theta-University of Idaho is tackling this issue head on. I had not felt in years,” Leslie said. “I was able to provide information that Thanks to the Charlotte Ruckman Misner and Elizabeth Misner is near and dear to my heart and help sisters I otherwise wouldn’t have Johnson Leadership Endowment Fund, Delta Theta established a impacted.” Financial Literacy Program about personal finance and savings opportunities post-graduation. Charlotte and Liz established this Leadership endowments are one way to fund ongoing education fund to ensure our Delta Theta sisters leave college prepared to programs for a chapter you love. Contact Foundation Chief Executive lead and succeed. Officer Julie Waitman at 317.663.4242 to learn more.
ALPHA GAMS ARE
Lasting
has stayed connected to our sisterhood, getting involved with her local alumnae group and serving as Delta’s Recruitment Advisor for 20 years. She developed cherished friendships and instilled the same leadership skills she gained as a collegian back into younger generations of sisters. “You put in a lot of hours to teach leadership and communication skills, and it was very rewarding,” she said. “The best thing I gained was the lasting friendships I developed. I have friends of all ages.” Understanding the ways Alpha Gam contributes to the broader development of women, Julie endowed the Julie Miller Scholarship.
JULIE MILLER SCHOLARSHIP Alpha Gamma Delta is a place where women can flourish and expand their horizons, explore new adventures, make meaningful connections and develop as leaders. Julie Miller, Delta-University of Minnesota, credits Alpha Gam for pushing her to try new things. “As a collegian, Alpha Gam was very helpful in getting sisters involved on campus,” Julie said. “Alpha Gam helped me grow as a leader and person.” Throughout her career as a pharmacist and to this day, Julie
“I thought it was important because I gained so much from being in a sorority, and I know the cost of college is incredibly expensive nowadays. I want to help our women further their education and career.” Julie encourages collegiate sisters today to use their Alpha Gam support system to be courageous and step out of their comfort zone. “Expand yourself to do things that maybe you weren't always comfortable doing. Push yourself because your sisters will be there to back you up and help you through it.” Thank you, Julie, for investing in our sisters so they can flourish, academically, professionally and personally. Interested in supporting generations of women scholars and leaders? Contact Foundation Chief Executive Officer Julie Waitman at 317.663.4242.
MAKE YOUR LASTING GIFT Today
SEND DONATIONS AND CORRESPONDENCE TO: Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation 8710 N Meridian St Indianapolis, IN 46260 P 317.663.4242 F 317.663.4244 foundation@alphagammadeltafoundation.org
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FOUNDATION News TRUSTEE MAURIE JONES PHELAN RECOGNIZED AS WILLIAM D. JENKINS OUTSTANDING FOUNDATION PROFESSIONAL In August at the annual Foundation for Fraternal Excellence Seminar, Foundation Trustee Maurie Jones Phelan, Eta-DePauw University was recognized as the William D. Jenkins Outstanding Foundation Professional. Alongside her trustee service to the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation, Maurie served the Delta Tau Delta Educational Foundation for two decades, retiring in September from her role as Vice President of Finance and Operations. Maurie credits the leadership experience she gained as Rush Chair (now Vice President-Recruitment) as her motivation for paying it back to the Greek community. “I used what I learned then in my first job, my job after that and my job after that. When I sat at my desk each morning, I used the very skills I developed in 1977 as a collegiate Alpha Gamma Delta Rush Chair–how to plan, organize, lead by example, show resilience and meet challenges head on,” said Maurie.
MAKE YOUR CALENDAR YEAR-END GIFT!
A growing number of sisters and friends donate through the following giving vehicles because of ease and tax benefit. Always consult with a tax professional to discuss the options best for you. Gifts of Appreciated Stock Donor Advised Funds IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) IRA Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)
Congratulations, Maurie! Thank you for your service and commitment to fraternal excellence. ALPHA GAMMA DELTA FOUNDATION RECOGNIZED FOR FIGHTING HUNGER CONTRIBUTIONS Thanks to the incredible support of our sisters and donors, we are proud to share the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation was awarded Best Program in Support of an Outside Philanthropy by the Foundation for Fraternal Excellence for Alpha Gam's work fighting hunger!
CONGRATULATIONS TO FOUNDATION STAFF MEMBERS JESSICA PRICE AND JENNA HOOD! The Foundation would like to recognize staff members Jessica Price, Beta Xi-Purdue University and Jenna Hood, EpsilonUniversity of Kentucky for graduating with their master's degrees in spring.
Alumnae and collegiate Alpha Gams have made an incredible impact volunteering at local hunger-relief organizations and financially supporting fighting hunger through the Foundation.
Jessica received her M.A. in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, and Jenna received her M.A. in Social Work from the University of Kentucky.
Through the help of our sisters, we have awarded $1.52 million to 106 unique organizations in just five years. Thank you for putting your heart for service into action and contributing in such a meaningful way!
We are so proud of their incredible academic achievements!
GIVE BY MAIL COMPLETE & RETURN the enclosed giving envelope.
GIVE ONLINE
CONTRIBUTE ONLINE AT www.alphagammadeltafoundation.org where you can also become a GEM Society member.
GIVE BY PHONE
CALL US AT 317.663.4242 to charge your gift (V, MC, DS, AmEx) or to find out more about other giving opportunities, endowments, stocks and bequests.
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lease let us know P if your employer matches charitable contributions.
www.alphagammadeltafoundation.org | 3
OUR MISSION: The Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation impacts and enriches our communities by providing essential support for education, philanthropy and leadership.
JOIN US FOR THE FOUNDATION'S SIXTH ANNUAL DAY OF GIVING ON WEDNESDAY,
March 27, 2024!
8710 N Meridian Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46260
THE Columns