Member Stories - Gamma Nu Chapter

Every sister has a story. We've all met Alpha Gam women who possess high ideals, wisdom and inner strength. They are women of action who lead without fear. Here we introduce just a few sisters from Gamma Nu Chapter at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville who are among the Alpha Gam changemakers who inspire others to impact the world. As you learn about these sisters think of those who you know and imagine each Alpha Gam building collective wisdom and strength through their experiences.

Zoe Sievers Qualified to Attend Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Freshman Studying Accounting from Jackson, Tennessee

How did you start showing dogs?

My mom saw a dog show in our town, we went and I was hooked. I spent hours researching and learning everything I could. The closest training facility was an hour away, but I was able to go every other week and learn from great mentors, who allowed me to show their whippet (who ended up being the dad of my dog) in Breed and Juniors for a few years. Highlights include:

• Finishing my first dogs’ Championship and Grand Championship before he was a year and a half old.

• Winning multiple owner-handled best and reserve Best in Show awards.

• Qualifying and getting to attend the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in February of 2025.

• Winning best Junior Handler at the American Whippet Club National Specialty.

• Being ranked the No. 1 Whippet Junior Handler for 2024.

Aside from showing my whippets, I also have a service dog, Leo, who helps me every day. I would like to thank everyone in my chapter and the Alpha Gam LCs for never batting an eye. It means everything to me.

What drew you to join Alpha Gam?

At first, I was extremely nervous about joining a sorority, but the second I stepped foot in Alpha Gam everyone was so welcoming and easy to talk to. I did not meet a single person who wasn’t kind or welcoming. I loved attending the events and being around everyone. It truly felt like I was home.

What has been a highlight of your Alpha Gam experience?

The highlight of my Alpha Gam experience was our sisterhood retreat. It was so much fun, and I loved getting to bond with so many sisters. We did so many fun activities and I learned so much about so many different sisters, it is truly a memory I will cherish for a lifetime.

Meredith Stehr Reflects on Legacy Bond

Freshman Studying Forensic Anthropology from Zionsville, Indiana

My grandma Jean Ann Slayton was initiated into the Alpha Mu Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta at Penn State University in 1958. It means so much to me to have an extra connection to my grandma through Alpha Gam. Being in the same sorority granted me a new connection to her. It has made me feel so much closer, and even though she is no longer with us I know she has watched my journey to college and Alpha Gam. I was honored to receive my grandma’s badge and the Alpha Gam necklace she loved so much. She lived her life with so much kindness, and it is clear she held the values of Alpha Gam very close to her heart. My grandmother always shared her love for the sorority. Her favorite gem was pearls, and she even got married wearing a pearl jewelry set! She always loved roses and reminisced about the red, buff and green. I am honored to wear her badge, and I hope to carry her memory with me and share her love with others!

My grandma became editor for a national magazine formally known as Teen Times, owned by the Future Homemakers of America. She focused on empowering women and teaching them skills to be successful. She always aspired to inspire the woman and impact the world! She has been one of my biggest role models because of her generosity and willingness to help others, and I am thankful Alpha Gam has helped me learn more about her and her values.

In 2025 I’m looking forward to even more firsts for Gamma Nu, especially formal recruitment in the fall and our first Week of Service at UT! I cannot wait to welcome more women into the Alpha Gam family, and to show them the love that Gamma Nu has shown me. I am so honored to call everyone my sisters!

Mae Purnell Experiences

Senior Studying Psychology from Ocean City, Maryland

The pandemic began during Mae’s senior year in high school and disrupted her original college plans. She’d been accepted to UTK, but when she re-applied, she learned she couldn’t enroll until spring 2022. Intrigued by a first-year student study abroad program, she applied. "A few weeks later I was off on my first international flight alone to study in in Florence, Italy,” Mae said. She completed general academic requirements in Italy and traveled on weekends before studying on the UTK campus. Then, in the spring of her junior year she took classes focused on her major in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. “My favorite part was experiencing the university culture, Mae said. “I lived on campus in a flat of 10 people, from Australia, the U.K., Germany, the Philippines, and India.” She participated in campus activities, played on a basketball team, traveled around Australia and even snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef and did a sunrise skydive!

“Traveling is important because it allows me to grow. I have become more independent and more extroverted,” Mae said.

At the start of her senior year at UTK, joining a sorority had never crossed her mind. "I knew I wanted more, and something was always missing for me when it came to campus life,” Mae said. “I saw the Alpha Gam table on campus one day and then I went to the information night. It was easy to talk to everyone, it felt natural and not forced. I could laugh and share stories and felt almost as if I had known everyone longer than just a few hours. I also felt I shared many of the same values. I knew, then and there, that I wanted to be a part of Alpha Gam.”

The highlight of her Alpha Gam experience is the opportunity to meet so many amazing sisters. “Every time I am around them, I feel welcomed and loved. Each sister’s qualities and accomplishments inspire me to be the best I can be,” Mae said.

Lillian Frasure: Army National Guard and ROTC on the Path to Alpha Gam

Sophomore Pre-law Student from Madisonville, Tennessee

I am the third youngest of 10 children. My parents divorced when I was in 8th grade, and I lived with my dad. Sadly, he passed away due to COVID and I was devastated. I felt like I lost my grip on life, grades were slipping, attendance was down the drain. I decided enough was enough and distracted myself playing two sports serving as president of eight clubs and working a part time job.

I wanted to go to West Point Military Academy and was advised to first join the Tennessee National Guard, so I enlisted at 17. After my junior year of high school, I went to Basic Combat Training (bootcamp) in May 2023. I drilled with the Army National Guard during my senior year of high school and decided the University of Tennessee, Knoxville was more my speed. I completed my second phase of training (Advanced Individual training) the summer after my senior year, just three days before I started college.

The integration to the ROTC program came easily to me. Not many people in the program come in with military experience. In my first weeks of college I felt like I was in a rush. One day at breakfast after I’d worked out for ROTC, a stranger in the dining hall asked about my life. He stopped me in the middle of my future aspirations rant and asked, “Lillian, why are you in such a rush to get ahead on life? College is about finding yourself and your people, not getting through it.”

Later, as I walked back from class the girls from Alpha Gam handed me a cookie and told me a little bit about the recruiting process. I thought it could be fun. Little did I know it would be so much more than that.

Alpha Gam means so much to me. It taught me to slow down and actually LIVE through my experiences. My sisters are so motivated and driven but still find time to nurture and build meaningful relationships. They are so uplifting, a breath of fresh air in the midst of chaos. That is what Alpha Gam is all about impacting those around you. I am on the pre-law track and hope to be accepted into law school. I would like to practice as a family lawyer to look out for the best interests of families impacted by divorce. I also plan to become an Aviation Officer within the Tennessee National Guard.

Anna Lampe, Ohio’s Distinguished Young Woman

Freshman studying nursing from Westerville, Ohio

Anna Lampe was selected as Ohio’s Distinguished Young Woman (DYW) before she enrolled at UTK. The scholarship program promotes and rewards scholastics, leadership and talent in young women. "When I started the state program, I was surrounded by eight girls who were so incredibly talented, strong, intelligent, and self-driven that it felt empowering to be with them,” Anna said.

As Ohio’s representative she traveled to Mobile, Alabama for the DYW national finals. There she joined women from 49 other states to volunteer in the community, tour sites such as the USS Alabama Battleship and perform on live television.

When she learned Alpha Gam was coming to UTK, Anna was immediately interested in joining women united by a common purpose. “Being an out of state student, I was very nervous coming to campus and thought joining a sorority would help me make new friends and become involved in the community. I loved how welcoming and wholesome Alpha Gam felt and it made the transition to college life even better,” Anna said. “When I heard I got a bid from Alpha Gam I was beaming. I love every second of my experience. The highlight so far has been our sisterhood retreat. The overnight retreat really drew us closer. It was so sentimental and heartwarming to be able to relate to so many people. I now have the best sisters I could imagine and have made lifelong best friends.”