Alpha Phi Quarterly Spring 2017

Quarterly A

L P H

A

P H I

SPRING 2017

Get Organized Now Spring clean your life with tips and tricks from Alpha Phi experts

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 1

3/10/17 4:29 PM

Alpha Phi

Quarterly

Inside This Issue 4

Amongst the Ivy

General Fraternity and Greek-letter news and announcements

15 Silent Chapter Honoring our sisters’ passings

24 From the Quad

ISTOCKPHOTO: TRILOKS

Accomplishments from our undergraduate members and chapters

Editorial Policy

32 Where We Live Stories from four house directors

34 Always Alpha Phi

Noteworthy news from our alumnae members and chapters

41 Trending

Staff and editorial board top product picks

42 Ask Martha

Relevant, real-world advice from one of the best

43 What’s in Your Organizer Toolbox?

Alumna shares her best tricks of the home-staging trade

44 Now & Then

Sisters reflect on their academic study habits

A PUBLICATION OF ALPHA PHI INTERNATIONAL FR ATERNIT Y SINCE 1888

Editorial Advisory Board

Cayce Putnam Blackley Sheila George Bright Kathy Feeney Hiemstra Karen McChesney Howe Denise Blankenship Joyce Lindsey D’Elia Mayo Ciera Murray Allison Cink Rickels Emma Sheils Jennifer Holsman Tetreault Jordi Tiffany Alpha Phi Quarterly Staff

Elisa Drake, Editor-in-Chief quarterly@alphaphi.org Alpha Phi Quarterly Design

Tria Designs Inc. www.triadesigns.com

The purpose of the Alpha Phi Quarterly and its content is to provide information and services to the membership of the Alpha Phi Fraternity, in keeping with the Fraternity’s status as a 501 (c) (7) tax-exempt private membership organization.

The magazine is devoted to highlighting its members and matters of fraternal and collegiate interest.

The views expressed in the articles published in the Quarterly are those of the authors and their contributors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Alpha Phi Fraternity, its officers or staff.

Submissions

All persons interested in submitting materials for publication in the Alpha Phi Quarterly are encouraged to send them to the editor at the Executive Office. The editor reserves the right to accept, deny or edit any materials submitted.

Unless otherwise requested, all photos sent to the magazine will become the property of Alpha Phi International and will not be returned.

Articles may be sent by email to quarterly@alphaphi.org or by mail to Alpha Phi Quarterly 1930 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201.

Submission Deadlines Summer 2017: April 14, 2017 Fall 2017: July 14, 2017 Winter 2018: Oct. 13, 2017 Spring 2018: Jan. 12, 2018

Questions

Please direct any submission questions or inquiries regarding advertising or reprint permission to the editor at quarterly@alphaphi.org.

Publisher

Alpha Phi Quarterly (USPS Pub # 14680) is published quarterly by Alpha Phi, 1930 Sherman Ave., Evanston IL 60201-3214.

Periodical postage paid at Evanston, IL and at additional mailing offices.

Postmaster

Please send address changes to Alpha Phi Quarterly 1930 Sherman Ave. Evanston IL 60201-3214.

COVER IMAGES FROM ISTOCKPHOTO: HANGER / PAVLEN; SHOES/FLYFLOOR; BIN/ USTEMGURLER; PL ANNER / R ASSL AVA; L APTOP/ GECE33; WEIGHT/ BLUEHILL75; FOOD/ IQUACU; WATER BOT TLE/ BOR ABALBEY

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 2

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

3/10/17 4:29 PM

VO L . 1 2 9 N O. 2 SPR I NG 2 017

Features

Spring Cleaning for Life

16

It’s the season for renewal, and we rounded up more than a dozen Alpha Phi alumnae who provide tips, wisdom and advice on spring cleaning everything from your finances to your food choices.

Alumna’s Survivors’ Bill of Rights Unanimously Passes

13

It took Amanda Nguyen’s (Iota TauHarvard) own experience with sexual assault to change federal law. She’s working on state laws now.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THENEX T WEB.COM

The High-Speed Hyperloop Gets Help From Collegian

24

Jessica Powell (Zeta Pi-Case Western) is one of a handful of females on a team to design a Hyperloop pod.

Bravo TV Wouldn’t be the Same Without This Marketing Guru

34 S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 1

Alumna Ellen Stone (Epsilon Psi-Lehigh) makes her mark on Bravo and Oxygen, earning her a spot on Adweek’s Most Indispensable Executives list.

Alpha Phi Quarterly

1

3/10/17 4:20 PM

Q

A Message from the International President

DEAR SISTERS,

International Executive Board

Deana Koonsman Gage, President Laura Jen Kin Berger Susan Bevan Amanda Minchin Carter Tobi Board Nieland Linda Schnetzer Jacqueline Schools Jennifer Holsman Tetreault Rebecca Andrew Zanatta Ex-officio: Sally McCall Grant, NPC Delegate Ex-officio: Linda Wells Kahangi, Executive Director Ex-officio: Karen McChesney Howe, Foundation Chair Foundation Directors

Karen McChesney Howe, Chair Mary Beth Tully, Vice Chair Nancy Salisbury Trillo, Treasurer Colleen Sirhal, Secretary Gretchen Wilson Alarcon Kim Brown Brannon Jenny Concepcion Hansen Jean Creamer Hodges Coree Christine Smith Ex-officio: Michelle Hektor, Executive Director Ex-officio: Deana Koonsman Gage, International President Executive Office

Executive Director: Linda Wells Kahangi 1930 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 475-0663 fraternity@alphaphi.org www.alphaphi.org Foundation Office

Interim Executive Director: Susan Stevenson Zabriskie 1930 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 475-4532 foundation@alphaphi.org www.alphaphifoundation.org National Panhellenic Conference

Does it take your computer crashing to realize there’s just a lot of stuff in your life you don’t really need? For years I have managed to convince myself that my mind is far better organized and less cluttered than my office and closets. Maybe the mess finally caught up with me, because for the last few months I have been cleaning out, throwing away and donating. “Why do I still have that?” “Even if it fit, would I really wear it again?” “Will my children wonder why on earth I saved that?”

Honestly, I should have been famous.

That’s the only good reason that I can think of for keeping some of the things that I have saved over the years. Maybe if I had become President of the United States someone would have been interested in my elementary school workbooks or my memorabilia of six decades. But alas, I’m not and never will be, so most of what I’ve kept is nothing but junk.

Even my own children don’t appreciate the boxes of papers saved since they began preschool or the deteriorating pieces of clay that were their treasured first art projects.

So now, much of the memorabilia is gone, but the memories of good times, family and friends are still vivid. I don’t need a crumbling pot to remember the sweet little hands that proudly modeled the clay or postcards to remind me of my childhood vacations. I don’t need nametags and programs to remember the love and laughter of Alpha Phi sisters at conferences and conventions. I don’t need a bid day jersey to remember the joy and excitement of the day that I joined Alpha Phi. The experiences and opportunities represented by those reminders of the past have made me who I am today. I don’t need the things, because there’s a place in my heart that harbors the memories. The friends and loved ones throughout my life have become a part of me. So don’t be afraid to unclutter and reduce the number of things in your life; what you have given and received from others will be your treasures always.

Loyally,

Deana Koonsman Gage (Gamma Iota-Texas Tech) International President

Alpha Phi Delegate: Sally McCall Grant First Alternate Delegate: Laura Malley-Schmitt Second Alternate Delegate: Ruth Gallagher Nelson Third Alternate Delegate: Laura Lynn Davidson Ellett

2

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 2

3/13/17 1:22 PM

Q

Quotable

“

To experience peace, ease and productivity, you have to get rid of the clutter in your life.

“

ISTOCKPHOTO: SVETIKD

Kelly Maher (Delta Rho-Ball State)

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 3

Alpha Phi Quarterly

3

3/10/17 4:25 PM

Amongst the Ivy

TALKING POINTS

Cluttering Our Lives

67

%

The percentage of people who say they would save up to 30 minutes a day if they were more organized

Being disorganized also negatively impacts:

Productivity: 77% State of mind: 65% Motivation: 53% Happiness: 40%

82

%

Percentage of people who believe if they were more organized their quality of life would be better

In our on-the-go lives, there’s often limited time for keeping our homes, offices and bedrooms perfectly clean and clutterfree all the time. No one expects you to, either. But there are some interesting facts on why maintaining at least some modicum of neatness can do more than just look good.

Top 2 reasons why people struggle with effectively controlling and addressing clutter:

“It’s overwhelming” (30.8%)

“I don’t have time.”

(22.8%)

FACT:

44% of Americans say they make unhealthier food choices when their home is messy

How do people feel when they organize their workspace?

Close to three quarters of Americans (71%) feel accomplished 68% in control 54% confident 52% motivated 43% relaxed

35%

Percentage of people who would feel ashamed if anyone got a glimpse of their desk or workspace

28%

would feel that way if people saw their bedroom closet

Not only do people judge their own organizational habits, but they are also critical of others. If they saw a colleague’s cluttered workspace…

40% would assume that this person must be lacking in other aspects of his or her job 33% would think the person is overworked and doesn’t have the time to clean up 13% would have a lower overall opinion of this colleague

49.5

%

of people anticipate they’d save 30 minutes or more at work if their workspace were more organized

45

%

of people would consider hiring a professional organizer

* Sources: American Cleaning Institute, National Association of Professional Organizers 2014 Household & Business Organizing Survey, National Association of Professional Organizers, napo.net; OfficeMax 2011 Workspace Organization Survey conducted by Kelton Research; The SpareFoot Holiday and New Years Survey 2016

4

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 4

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

3/10/17 4:20 PM

Fact vs. Fiction Alpha Phi is called a “fraternity” because it started out as a men’s organization FICTION: Alpha Phi has always been an organization for women. The word “fraternity” comes from the Latin word “frater,” meaning “brother,” so it would seem an odd choice for a women’s group, but the term “sorority” wasn’t in use in 1872 when the Original Ten founded Alpha Phi at Syracuse University. And the women weren’t alone in calling their group a fraternity.

Ironically, it was the second Greek-letter group of women who formed at Syracuse, Gamma Phi Beta, founded in 1874, that first adopted the term “sorority” in 1882. Their advisor, a Latin professor, suggested it, and it stuck. It made sense, as “soror” means “sister” in Latin.

But Alpha Phi was already incorporated as a fraternity, as were other female Greek-letter organizations at the time, so that’s the way it stayed.

Words that Matter In this recurring section, we’ll explore commonly misused words or phrases so you can say what you actually mean.

Compose vs.

Comprise Compose (verb): Compose means to make up or form the basis of.

If you’re using the word “compose,” then the parts or elements you’re talking about will generally come first in the sentence before the whole, unless you’re structuring your sentence in a passive style.

CORRECT: “There are 132 sisters who compose our chapter.”

Celebrating Alpha Phi’s MVPs!

ALSO CORRECT: “Our chapter is composed of 132 sisters.”

These two examples are correct because you could substitute the words “make up” for “compose” and “made up of” for “composed of.”

INCORRECT: “Our chapter composes 132 sisters.”

Substituting “makes up” for “composes” reveals that this is not the correct word to choose for this sentence.

Comprise (verb):

“Comprise” means contain, consist of, include or be composed of. Remember that when you’re using the word “comprise,” the whole item you’re talking about would generally come first in the sentence, before the parts.

CORRECT: “Our chapter comprises 132 sisters.”

Alpha Phi appreciates the dedicated volunteers who support our Fraternity. Your hard work can be seen in our many successes so thank you for everything you do to make Alpha Phi the outstanding sisterhood it is.

International Volunteer Appreciation Week 2017 April 23-29

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 5

Try substituting the word “contains” for “comprises” and you’ll see that this works correctly.

INCORRECT: “Our chapter is comprised of 132 sisters.”

This sentence reflects a common misuse of the word “comprise.”

Because the phrase “is contained of” or “is included of” wouldn’t make sense, this use of “comprised” doesn’t make sense either.

General rule of thumb with “compose” and “comprise” is to think about it as the parts compose the whole, but the whole comprises the parts.

Alpha Phi Quarterly

5

3/10/17 4:20 PM

Q

Amongst the Ivy

Alpha Phi Fraternity

2016 Annual Report 2,326

Members Trained through Leadership Programs

99

EMERGING LEADERS INSTITUTE GRADUATES

38

LEADERSHIP FELLOWS

1,857 LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ATTENDEES

2,154 VOLUNTEERS

$2.5 Million

IN SUPPORT OF ALPHA PHI FOUNDATION

6

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 6

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

3/10/17 4:20 PM

To read a comprehensive report, please visit alphaphi. org (keyword: Annual Report).

Data reflects fiscal year 2016: July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016.

8,649

NEW MEMBERS

3.25

238,144

EIGHT

134

TOTAL INITIATED MEMBERS

AVERAGE GPA

COMPLETED CHAPTER FACILITIES PROJECTS

128

AVERAGE CHAPTER SIZE

168

COLLEGIATE CHAPTERS S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 7

ALUMNAE CHAPTERS

FIVE Campuses Colonized

Alpha Phi Quarterly

7

3/10/17 4:20 PM

Q

Amongst the Ivy

2017 Leadership Conferences THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, CHAPTER OFFICERS, ADVISORS and

volunteers par ticipated in intensive leadership training programs in Dallas, Chicago, Pit tsburgh, and Denver, as par t of Alpha Phi’s annual Leadership Conferences. This year, themed “Alpha Phi Spirit,” the programs provided oppor tunities for collegiate members to net work with of ficers from other chapters and learn from experienced alumnae who are willing to share their professional and volunteer exper tise. These net working oppor tunities allow par ticipants to build strong professional foundations and ser ve as each other ’s suppor t systems following graduation and beyond. Above all, the women par ticipating learn to be mission-driven, results-oriented leaders eager to share the Alpha Phi spirit with their

PHOTOS COURTESY UNIVERSIT Y PHOTO AND DIGITAL PIX & COMPOSITES

chapter members to guide them to a successful year. 

8

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 8

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

3/13/17 1:16 PM

Chapters Recognized for Philanthropic Excellence at 2017 Leadership Conferences Collegiate chapters honor Alpha Phi Foundation’s mission by hosting Red Dress events each year. In 2015-16, chapters raised more than $2.5 million in support of the Foundation.

During Alpha Phi International Fraternity’s Leadership Conferences each February, Alpha Phi Foundation announces the “Excellence in Philanthropy” award winners. These awards are presented to the top five fundraising and the most improved chapter in each quadrant. We extend our heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the 2017 award winners!

Giving is reflective of the 2015-16 academic year.

SOUTHERN QUADR ANT

Top Chapter Donors 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Texas (Omega) Missouri (Omicron) Oklahoma (Phi) LSU (Delta Tau) Florida State (Gamma Phi)

Most Improved Fundraiser St. Mary’s (Iota Beta)

NORTHERN QUADR ANT

Top Chapter Donors 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Kent State (Beta Omega) Minnesota (Epsilon) Nebraska (Nu) Creighton (Theta Delta) Michigan (Theta)

Most Improved Fundraiser Iowa State (Zeta Delta)

E A S TERN QUADR ANT

Top Chapter Donors 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Villanova (Eta Epsilon) Tufts (Zeta Theta) Maryland (Delta Zeta) Franklin & Marshall (Zeta Sigma) St. Joseph’s (Theta Theta)

Most Improved Fundraiser Towson (Eta Omega)

WE S TERN QUADR ANT

Top Chapter Donors 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Santa Clara (Zeta Gamma) Washington (Sigma) Loyola Marymount (Zeta Beta) UC Irvine (Eta Kappa) Arizona (Beta Epsilon)

Most Improved Fundraiser San Francisco State (Eta Theta)

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 9

Alpha Phi Quarterly

9

3/10/17 4:21 PM

Q

Amongst the Ivy

RETROSPECTIVE

Alpha Phi Joins Forces with Kids for Saving Earth Original story by Mary Berkmoes Carroll, then International Vice-President, Alumnae

A

This article was originally published in the Spring 1991 Quarterly. With Earth Day celebrated this year on April 17, we thought it was an interesting look back at the involvement Alpha Phi had with a program that helps children learn about ways to protect the environment.

ALPHA PHI FRATERNITY, IN CONJUNCTION WITH

Kids for Saving Earth, an organization based in Minneapolis, is sponsoring the development of a public service program called Kids and the Environment. Alpha Phi alumnae and collegians are currently presenting this 45-minute program in their neighborhood schools and for local organizations. Kids and the Environment is a fourstep presentation for elementary school children (K-6) designed to enable volunteer speakers to introduce children to solving problems of the environment. The goal of this program, written by a naturalist, is to stimulate the children’s awareness as to what they can do to protect the environment. Through the interaction of the Alpha Phi presenter and the children, great dialogue is taking place. During the lesson, the children participate in activities which conclude with a short video on the background of Kids for Saving Earth. The teacher or club leader receives a Kids for Saving Earth handbook and information on forming a club. The module is a complete “how to” from beginning to end. Included are instructions

10

on how to contact a local school or organization, sample press releases, a training video for the Alpha Phi presenter, a step-by-step script and lesson outlines.

Tessa Hill, president of Kids for Saving Earth and an Alpha Phi alumna initiate, shared the Kids for Saving Earth story with Alpha Phi alumnae at Convention 1990. A dream that began with one small boy in Minneapolis had led to the creation of Kids for Saving Earth, an organization designed to encourage kids to form clubs to pursue efforts to improve the environment.

Tessa’s son Clinton had great concerns about the environmental problems of the world, about the water we drink and the air we breathe. Even as a small child, Clinton vowed that he would do all he could to help ease the world’s environmental problems. He drew marvelous pictures of machines to clean up the air and protect the environment. He envisioned a better place for all living things.

As a sixth grader, Clinton persuaded his classmates to join him in a club he founded called Kids for Saving Earth. He envisioned this as just

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 10

3/10/17 4:21 PM

ABOVE: (original photo caption) Martha Frankfurth, Epsilon-Minnesota collegian, with students at Cherokee Heights Elementary School in Saint Paul, Minn., where she is giving a “Kids for Saving Earth” program. Alpha Phis may participate in this activity individually or in groups; all it takes is enthusiasm and the materials available through Alpha Phi. OPPOSITE: (original photo caption) On Earth Day 1990, some 200 million people in 140 nations gathered together to tell the world that the Earth is in trouble and they were willing to do something about it. They gathered in parks, marched and paraded, and talked about ways they could help. They heard that everything people do makes the world a better or worse place to live. They discussed ways people of all ages can take care of our planet.

Revisiting Environmental Protection Facts and Tips from 1991 1991 FACT: Enough disposable diapers get

dumped each year to stretch to the moon and back seven times.

TIP: Encourage moms to use cloth diapers.

2017 UPDATE: The environmental impact has continued: Today, the number of dumped diapers would stretch to the moon and back nine times every year.

1991 FACT: American offices

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 11

TIP: Save trees by sharing magazines and newspaper subscriptions with friends.

TIP: Save a tree by taking your own tote bag to the store to carry your groceries.

2017 UPDATE: So much for a digital society. Paper usage has increased by 400% from 40 years ago; 4 billion trees are cut down to make all that paper each year.

Good news? More than 50% isrecycled.

1991 FACT: An 18-watt

fluorescent light bulb provides the same amount of light as a regular 75-watt bulb, but lasts 10 times longer.

TIP: Ask your parents to consider switching to fluorescent bulbs when lights burn out.

2017 UPDATE: Today, there are several types of energy-efficient light bulbs to choose from: halogen incandescents, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and light emitting diodes (LEDs).

Alpha Phi Quarterly

ISTOCKPHOTO: ILLUSTR ATIONS

the beginning of a worldwide network of clubs for children everywhere with a mission to create public awareness regarding topics as global as the rain forest to as local as recycling in the neighborhood.

On November 17, 1989, this dreamer of dreams died from a cancerous brain tumor. His parents were committed to seeing the original Kids for Saving Earth club continue as well as spreading the dream to children everywhere. With a grant from Minneapolis-based Target stores, Clinton Hill’s dream reached 32 states on Earth Day 1990 via a Target insert in the Sunday newspapers. Additional corporate sponsors have joined Target in promoting this remarkable organization, including Canadian companies Cotton Ginny and Safeway.

What began with a hand drawn poster and a can for contributions has grown into hundreds of Kids for Saving Earth clubs worldwide. The vision of one small boy who felt that children can make an impact on the world continues in the enthusiasm and dedication of thousands of children who have pledged themselves to saving the Earth.

throw away enough paper each year to build a wall 12 feet high stretching from Los Angeles to New York City.

11

3/10/17 4:21 PM

Q

Amongst the Ivy

NEWSFEED YOUTUBE

Wichita State (Gamma Xi)

Oprah Selects Alumna for TV Ad “People always talk about how down-to-earth Oprah is and how she instantly puts people at ease, and that is so true,” says Holly Pernice (Gamma XiWichita State). She met the media mogul at her home in Montecito, Calif., last year after being selected as one of eight people to discuss with Oprah—and film a TV commercial about—their weight loss through Weight Watchers.

Holly, a sales and advertising manager, had lost 90 pounds in 16 months as of January and says, “The great thing about Weight Watchers is it truly is a lifestyle and not a diet.” Besides eating smaller portions and incorporating more healthy foods, Holly does Zumba, hip-hop dance classes, creates “vision” boards, and recently got a dog, who forces her out on walks. “I just really embrace this new me and live my life so much more now,” she says.

The Weight Watchers TV ads ran from December through the end of March, and the YouTube version is closing in on 1 million views.

INSTAGRAM

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

INSTAGRAM

Florida State University (Gamma Phi) @fsualphaphi

University of Delaware (Epsilon Nu) @udalphaphi

University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Nu) @AlphaPhiUNL

“We are so proud of our sister Alyssa [Kinney] conducting service learning as a part of leadership study abroad in Thailand and Myanmar this winter! You go girl! #YGG #udalphaphi #aphiservice #aphiabroad #sistermoments #thailand”

“Congratulations to @AllisonTietjen1 on being crowned as Miss Heartland!

We wish you luck as you go on to compete for Miss Nebraska 2017.”

University of Colorado (Beta Gamma) @boulderalphaphi

“Feelin’ spirited because it’s game day! @boulderalphaphi #GOALPHAPHI”

Let’s Chat!

Alpha Phi International (Executive Office) @AlphaPhiIntl @AlphaPhiIntl

1 2

“CPR Training Next up, come stop by our big red bus at the Union to donate blood (or change) from 1-5 this afternoon! “

Alpha Phi Foundation @AlphaPhiFoundation @APhiFoundation

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 12

3/10/17 4:21 PM

ONE OF US

On the Rise

In 2013, Amanda Nguyen (Iota Tau-Harvard) was raped in Massachusetts. When she learned that the law allowed her rape kit to be destroyed unless she filed to save it every six months, she didn’t accept that reality; she wrote a new law.

The federal Survivors’ Bill of Rights Act (H.R. 5578) passed unanimously and was signed by President Obama Oct. 7, 2016. Then, just 12 days later, the survivors’ rights bill she wrote for Massachusetts (House Bill 4364) was also passed. While waiting for the laws to go through the process, Amanda founded Rise, a nonprofit that fights for rape victims’ civil rights.

A lot of women have been sexually assaulted. When it happened to you, you saw a flaw in how the legal system responds and took action.

I remember walking into my local area rape crisis center and seeing so many people there, and that’s when I realized that my story is not mine alone. I had a very clear choice: I could accept the injustice or rewrite the law, because it wouldn’t only be for my case; it would help everybody in that room.

What would you say to women who feel helpless in a fallible justice system?

The first thing I’d like to say to survivors is that you are never alone.

I remember feeling so alone; I remember feeling despair, but I also felt

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 13

Amanda has been recognized by Marie Claire’s Young Women’s Honors. She was on Forbes 30 Under 30-Law and Policy list and she is a TED 2017 Senior Fellow. Using the successful bills as models, Amanda now focuses on expanding Rise to help change laws at the state level, where most sexual assault and rape cases are tried. But law is not where Amanda sees her future.

The three-time NASA intern ultimately plans to discover an exoplanet and be an astronaut. In her free time, she plays piano, composes and watches rocket launches— she’s seen six. One day, we expect her to be in one of those. We had the opportunity to speak with Amanda in between her many travels.

fire, and so I used that fire to change the broken justice system. The most powerless thing you can feel is being raped, but I also know what it feels like to will Congress to work together unanimously, and it came from being true to my own truth. I want to tell people, it’s so important to speak up and, even if you don’t want to speak up, as a survivor, you can speak up in different ways. … The strength of this movement was built on the strength of its diversity.

You spoke at the Women’s March on Washington in January. Tell us about that.

The speech was on empowerment and keeping the fire and hope alive. When I said I was a survivor, I heard people cheering and thought that was weird, and then I realized those people are survivors themselves and identifying, and thought that’s an awesome place to cheer from. … There were hundreds of thousands of people there, and it wasn’t just the enormity of it; it was the solidarity and taking refuge in our shared humanity and love; it was amazing.

Still planning to be an astronaut?

Yes, that’s really what I want to do. A lot of astronauts are older because you have to accomplish something before becoming an astronaut.

[Interning at NASA] was so empowering; people really care and listen there. I met one of my astronaut mentors Leland Melvin, and he said, ‘You should go and be an astronaut, and I will guide you through.’ Katherine Johnson [depicted in “Hidden Figures”] is Melvin’s mentor, so I consider myself the grandbaby of Katherine Johnson.

How has your connection to Alpha Phi played into your life?

My Alpha Phi sisters are so supportive. They are still some of my closest friends who have given me strength throughout everything. I’m so grateful for the community that is Alpha Phi. Learn more about the work for sexual assault survivors’ bills of rights at risenow.us

3/10/17 4:21 PM

Q

Amongst the Ivy

Create your Alpha Phi Legacy Did you know you can help ensure that the next generation of Alpha Phis has the same, if not more, opportunities than you’ve had without affecting your current budget?

Give a gift that supports the next generation of our sisterhood with these three simple gift options that create your legacy in Alpha Phi without giving up cash today.

A gift of retirement plan assets. When you name Alpha Phi Foundation as a beneficiary of your retirement plan assets, you don’t part with a single penny today and you protect your beneficiary from taxes later.

A gift of a life insurance policy. You have two worryfree options to leverage life insurance policies. First, you can name Alpha Phi Foundation as the recipient of the policy’s benefit. Second, you can transfer ownership of the policy to us today. This latter option allows you to receive an income tax deduction equal to the policy’s fair market value or equal to the total premiums paid, whichever is lower.

A gift in your will or living trust. Including a gift to Alpha Phi Foundation in your will or living trust, known as a bequest, allows you to feel good about your contribution now, but transfer the money later.

YOUR DONATION AT WORK Sisters in Need

$109,250

to assist sisters in crisis in fiscal year 2016

91 Recipients 63 collegians, 28 alumnae

Scholarships

$209,750 in scholarships

68

scholarship recipients

Contact us for our official bequest language to share with your attorney.

With a little planning, these solutions help guarantee that

There were 350 applicants that we weren’t able to support in fiscal year 2016. Your generosity will help us meet the growing needs of our women.

Thank you.

the Foundation’s vital programs continue to benefit our sisters well into the future.  Visit alphaphifoundation.planmylegacy.org to learn more.

1 4

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 14

3/10/17 4:21 PM

“ This is goodnight, but not goodbye.”

Silent Chapter

— “Linger” Akron (Eta Gamma) Lisa Nichols Temsey (‘91), December 7, 2016

Montana (Chi) Theresa Quilico McDonough (‘45), December 9, 2016

Alumna Initiate (Alpha Lambda) Sarah Holderman (‘04), January 25, 2017

Nebraska (Nu) Susan Powers Alexander (‘74), January 6, 2017

Bowling Green (Beta Omicron) Jeanne Greathouse Thompson (‘52), December 24, 2016 Colorado (Beta Gamma) Claire Leraan Brown (‘53), November 19, 2016 Colorado School of Mines (Iota Zeta) Maritza Cruz (‘09), December 14, 2016 Denison (Beta Kappa) Wilma Herbert Root (‘45), December 30, 2016 Duke (Beta Nu) Patricia Page Leslie (‘54), January 6, 2017 Idaho (Beta Zeta) Janet Gamble Lang (‘69), November 22, 2016 Illinois (Beta Alpha) Mary Poyser MacCallum (‘67), January 15, 2017 Indiana (Beta Tau) Bonnie Reece Fuller (‘51), January 14, 2017 Kent State (Beta Omega) Jane Miller James (‘51), December 10, 2016 Missouri (Omicron) Helen Crawford (‘48), January 17, 2017 S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 15

Our apologies. The Winter 2017 Quarterly listed Nancy Andrews (Sigma-Washington) in the Silent Chapter. In fact, we are grateful to have learned she is alive and well.

Patricia Purdham TeKolste (‘41), January 14, 2017 Northern Colorado (Delta Gamma) Kelly Lassen (‘93), December 17, 2016 Northwestern (Beta) Sheila Traynor Klein (‘54), December 12, 2016 Virginia Genrich Sammon (‘47), December 12, 2016 Ohio State (Rho) Judy Davison Carlos (‘62), December 18, 2016 Ann Pryor Foster (‘52), December 5, 2016 Norma Bird Miller (‘45), December 21, 2016 Oklahoma (Phi) Diane Hardwick Freeny (‘47), January 7, 2017 Judy Holloway Fronterhouse (‘36), December 17, 2016 Puget Sound (Gamma Zeta) Kathleen Davidson Mays (‘78), January 14, 2017 Syracuse (Alpha) Dorothy Monnoyer Jordan (‘46), November 18, 2016

Washburn (Upsilon) Constance Glenn Finden (‘54), January 7, 2017 Washington (Sigma) Betty Barclay McCurdy (‘48), December 27, 2016 Marlene Bergeron Thees (‘58), January 12, 2017 Washington State (Beta Rho) Marilyn Davis Pratt (‘47), November 18, 2016 West Virginia (Beta Iota) Sarah Zinn Wallace (‘50), December 19, 2016 Western Michigan (Delta Theta) Miriam Fletcher (‘77), January 16, 2017 Whitman (Beta Phi) Claudia Nelson Dingerson (‘56), December 2, 2016 Beverlei Nuzum Hoerlein (‘48), December 21, 2016 Silent Chapter announcements may be submitted at alphaphi.org (keyword: silent chapter) or to quarterly@alphaphi.org.

Please note: year listed in parentheses is year of initiation.

UCLA (Beta Delta) June Waterbury Mew (‘52), December 7, 2016

Alpha Phi Quarterly

15

3/10/17 4:21 PM

By Elisa Drake, Editor-in-Chief

ISTOCKPHOTO: BOGDANDREAVA; BINS/ ANGIEPHOTOS; LIST/ BONET TA

Spring Cleaning for Life When the days start getting longer and the sun shines brighter, it’s no wonder that we’re suddenly hit with a burst of motivation and inspiration. No matter what climate you call home, spring comes with a sense of renewal—and a tradition of cleaning. We’ve rounded up some Alpha Phi experts to help us spring-clean all areas of our lives.

And we’ll start with ways to organize just about everything in your home and office.

16

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 16

3/10/17 4:21 PM

Spring Clean Your

Organization Skills Those pesky piles of paper.

One word: Purge. If you haven’t worn it in 18 months, you aren’t going to.

Nancy Klein Kekst (Beta-Northwestern), director of development and communication at a suburban Chicago synagogue, who’s always been uberorganized and helps others get there too, suggests three cute boxes labeled “Work on,” “In progress” and “Hold.” Decide where a paper goes before it stacks up, says Alison Zirbel (Epsilon ThetaNorthern Iowa), an interior decorator and owner of Spaces by Ali. For urgent items, Alison keeps a clip on her refrigerator.

Hate papers all together? Scan and save them in a properly named computer folder. “The important thing is to have a system and move papers to the correct home or temporary home quickly,” Alison says.

Your overrun closet.

One word: Purge. If you haven’t worn it in 18 months, you aren’t going to. If you’re never going to repair that hem, bring it to the tailor or give it away. “When you clean your closet, you see what you need,” Nancy says. That way, when you go shopping, you don’t wander aimlessly or buy things you don’t need. Nancy goes a step further and makes a list before even entering a store. In terms of seasonal wardrobe changes, Nancy divides her closet into “work” and “nonwork” clothes, then by season. For smaller closets, Alison recommends storing off-season items in basement or under-bed storage tubs or space-saving bags. Both pros suggest clearing your closet twice a year.

Deciding what to wear will be a more pleasant experience if your closet is up to date.

The bathroom.

Discard what you don’t need and keep one drawer or bin for daily supplies.

Anything else goes in closed bins or bags—with labels, of course. Hair care in one, fancy makeup in another, overflow hand creams, travel toiletries, etc. Then they’re super easy to access when you need them.

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 17

Laundry room.

More bins and labels. In her laundry room, Nancy keeps a box for “Stain remover stuff” and another marked “When the power goes out,” including candles, matches, flashlight and batterypowered radio. “In an apartment, you might have little boxes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t organize,” she says.

Office desk.

“Similar to the paper advice for your home, the most important thing is to take care of papers quickly,” Alison says. Try keeping two in-boxes: one for coworkers to put things in and one for your own “to do” items. “Try not to touch the same paper more than a couple of times” without dealing with it, Alison advises.

General clutter.

Nancy says she loves the idea of every year pretending you’re having your house painted. Pack up knickknacks and tchotchkes so all that’s left in your house (or just one room) is the furniture. Then spread everything out on your table and only keep what you love. The rest?

Donate! Or have a garage sale.

Schedules.

Bottom line: “Find a calendar that works for you, one that you will visit frequently and keep up to date,” says Alison, who also keeps a family whiteboard calendar in the kitchen. For Nancy, her calendar doubles as a task list. “I put down three tasks I want to accomplish in a day,” she says. It could be as simple as “Pay the bills.” Divide your to-do list into “Projects in the house,” “People to call” and “Places to go.” Then put those “places” on your calendar. Like a good app? Try the Hub or Cozi family organizer apps.

Alpha Phi Quarterly

17

3/10/17 4:21 PM

Spring Clean Your

Finances Some people find personal finance management a cinch, even fun. Some see it as a chore. For the latter, it’s time to take charge, starting with these tips from Alpha Phi financial whizzes.

Collegians: First, examine your spending habits, says Katharine Earhart (Beta Delta-UCLA), a principal and institutional wealth advisor at Alesco Advisors in Los Angeles and a Foundation donor. A great way to do this is through free online programs like Mint, LearnVest or PersonalCapital; they’ll help automate and monitor spending, savings and debt. Speaking of debt, Katharine advises paying an additional $100 per month on your student loan or credit card, to pay it off ASAP. To avoid some of the debt all together, Nannette L. Kamien (GammaDePauw), principal of Inspiration Financial Planning, LLC in Glenview, Ill., warns against opening too many accounts. “Don’t be dragged into opening accounts just for coupons or bonuses.” Another tip we love: Ask a sister to be your “accountability partner” to help control spending. Need more help? Take a course on budgeting and investing; ask a friend or a parent’s friend; or check out the info at TD Ameritrade, Charles Schwab, Fidelity or, specifically for women, Ellevest.com.

Recent grads: If you have trouble paying student loans, don’t ignore the situation; you have options, and it should all be part of your long-term financial plan, notes Barbara Allen Kooman (Gamma Rho-Penn State), a financial advisor with Kooman & Associates in Altoona, Penn. “When you have a financial plan, it’s easier to make financial decisions and stay on track to meet your goals,” Barbara says.

Warning: Don’t derail a plan by skipping health insurance. One major medical bill could seriously set you back. Three more hints: 1) If your company offers a 401K plan, opt in. “A small systematic contribution adds up bigtime,” Barbara explains. 2) “Monitor your salary, 18

“Monitor your salary, your team’s and your company’s performance, so you can continually negotiate for what you want in your career.” your team’s and your company’s performance, so you can continually negotiate for what you want in your career,” Katharine says. 3) Set aside a small amount, even $1,000, for emergencies.

Older alumnae: If you’ve got it under control, nice work. If not so much, it’s time to regroup. “You have to get real with yourself and face the numbers first,” Nannette says. In other words, gather your documents to figure out how much you’re earning versus spending; how much you owe; and any interest, fees and payment terms on debt. Pay down credit cards first, and resist further temptation by taking them out of your wallet. Then, try a budgeting app like YNAB (You Need a Budget). Katharine points out that even if you’re over 50, it’s not too late to save. “You can participate in catchup contributions to your retirement, so speak with a tax advisor.” As an Alpha Phi, another financial consideration is to set aside some money as a bequest to the Alpha Phi Foundation.

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 18

3/10/17 4:21 PM

Spring Clean Your

Head Space There are plenty of things to bring us down, belittle our power and leave us feeling unfulfilled. With all the spring cleaning going on here, we thought, why not clear away that psychological negativity too? It’s something Kelly Maher (Delta Rho-Ball State) helps women do all the time as owner of Kelly Maher Coaching in Chicago. We chatted with her about the idea of spring-cleaning our lives.

What comes to mind when you think about spring cleaning your life?

To experience peace, ease and productivity, you have to get rid of the clutter in your life. That means clutter of all forms—mental, emotional and physical. … It’s the physical stuff in our house that is taking up unnecessary space and energy. And it’s the thoughts and emotions taking up needless space and energy in our heads and hearts.

Where should women start to “clean” their lives of negative influences?

One of the first things I do with all of my clients is to get them aware of their thoughts. It’s amazing how many of us have the same few negative thoughts running through our minds that either we’re not aware of or we’re not aware of how often we actually think these things. Most often they are some variation of “I’m not good enough” or “I don’t deserve this.”

So as we become more in-tune to the negative thoughts, we can start to shift them to healthier and more positive ones.

ISTOCKPHOTO: SENSORSPOT

We often hear about the power of being grateful. How does that help?

Everything is energy. Everything.

And all energy has a vibration. Even our thoughts. Yep, our thoughts have an energy, and when we think negative thoughts, we are emitting a low vibration. If we think positive thoughts, such as gratitude, we are emitting a high vibration. And

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 19

since like attracts like, the more high vibrating energy we emit, the more high vibrating things (people, situations, joyful experiences) we draw into our life. Acknowledging what you are grateful for actually brings into your life things for which to be grateful!

3) Meditate. All you need to begin meditating is to start quieting your mind for five minutes each day. Begin by lighting a candle and focus on the candle flame while breathing in and out. If your thoughts wander, it’s OK and totally normal, just bring your focus back to the flame.

What are some steps we can take to get our spring cleaning started?

Anything else you’d like to add?

My wish for you is to own YOU.

1) Journal. Go ahead and get it out!

Swear, say nasty things, it’s OK. Your journal is your private place to express what you need to. Once you have finished venting, write about the positive things in your life: What is going right in your life right now? What are you grateful for?

2) Clean and organize your space. The reality is that having extraneous stuff around us just takes up space and drains our energy. So clean your physical surroundings and you’ll be amazed at the positive effect on your inner space.

Alpha Phi Quarterly

19

3/10/17 4:21 PM

Spring Clean Your

Social media can play a role in both job applications and relationships in general, so we talked to Christine Pantazis (Xi-Toronto), a social and digital media professional, to get a few pointers on dealing with this reality.

We have so many interactions through social media that sometimes it can be tricky to balance the communication with everyone in all areas of lives, while still maintaining a certain standard. There’s pressure to post, respond, follow and like, and we’re often left feeling like we have to do it all. Stop the madness!

“Don’t let FOMO (fear of missing out) get the best of you,” Christine warns. “Unless you work in social media, there’s no need to be on every single platform,” Christine says. Whew, that’s a relief. Instead, Christine recommends choosing just one or two channels that most of your friends and family also use.

Take 10 minutes, maybe during lunch or after dinner, to scroll through and post what you want to share.

Before you over-share, though, ask yourself why you want to post that particular news or photo and how it will be perceived: boastful, entertaining, controversial?

Particularly for younger users, Christine’s

2 0

litmus test is to consider, “How would you feel if your parents were to see said post?” Or an employer or a potential date?

We all have a photo (or three) that we wish hadn’t made it to our social media feed, but it happens. So now what? Take inventory, Christine says, and delete any photos that might pose a problem. Next, check your privacy settings. Take control of your Facebook account, for example, by making it private

Christine’s litmus test is to consider, “How would you feel if your parents were to see said post?”

Still, if you’re trying to build a personal brand, everything counts, and there are ways to protect that brand. Be thoughtful in your posts and use LinkedIn to build your network. Because LinkedIn is considered more of a professional space than other platforms, you can use it to your advantage. “Post professional status updates that pertain to your industry and specific realm regularly in order to establish yourself as an authority,” Christine suggests. Search for other members in your area of expertise and connect, follow and like their posts too.

Remember, Christine says, be authentic regardless of the platform and allow social media to compliment your life, not usurp it. “Social media is just an extension of your IRL [in real life] persona; the two should not be different.”

and not searchable to the public.

On Instagram, nobody will see content you’ve posted unless you’ve granted them permission, so be careful who you let into your inner circle.

You can also adjust settings to prohibit friends from

ISTOCKPHOTO: MICHAL-ROJEK

Social Identity

tagging you in photos. “That being said,” Christine notes, “A couple of tasteful photos of you and your friends at a social event are not going to make or break your chances of gainful employment.”

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 20

3/10/17 4:21 PM

Spring Clean Your

Resume Guess how long it takes a recruiter or employer to determine if you’re a good fit for a job from your resume? Six seconds.

How long should you spend creating that resume? As long as it takes. Start here and make your resume shine.

8 Things to consider when building your resume

Getting back into the workforce

1. Polish your grammar and sentence structure. “A lot can be said about a candidate’s writing abilities based on how they format their resume and how they articulate themselves,” Gabby says.

Resume trends have changed over the years. For instance, “Resumes are becoming abbreviated, while showing more personality,” Gabby notes. It can be longer than a page, but anything over two is pushing it. Also, pretty much everything is done online. “Gone are the days of job seekers stopping by an office to drop off a resume,” says Laura. She encourages job-hunters to reach out to someone in the company’s HR department via LinkedIn for a personal touch. Whatever you do, be honest, even if you’ve got a gap in employment. Molly suggests including a “summary statement to acknowledge the break and your passion to get back into the workforce.”

2. Tailor your resume to each job. In fact, even the same job at two different companies should have slightly different resumes. In all cases, “Check relevant skills required and ensure they are on your resume,” Molly says.

3. Exceed one page—if necessary. If it’s relevant to the job or gives context for something bigger, keep it in.

4. Start with a template. Jessica suggests using Google docs, “so you always have access to revision history” and you can easily share it for some constructive criticism.

5. Keep it simple. Use bold and bullet points, avoid heavy paragraphs, and quantify your accomplishments with numbers wherever possible. If you’re applying for an artistic role, then your resume can be more creative.

6. Put contact info at the top. And if you’re a recent grad, Laura says, start with your education section, then experience.

7. Add relevant links. Many employers view resumes online, so it’s acceptable to include links to videos, personal websites and portfolios, but still be sure all important info is on the resume itself.

Our experts on the subject: Gabrielle (Gabby) Risi (Theta PhiChristopher Newport), recruiter with Treliant Risk Advisors, a financial institution based in Washington, D.C. Jessica Safir (Iota Gamma-University of the Pacific), founder of England’s Alpha Phi alumnae chapter and a recruiter for Google Molly Ahadpour (Gamma Kappa-CSU Long Beach), director of talent acquisition for customer service and sales at Wayfair Laura Keidel (Beta Iota-West Virginia), senior corporate recruiter, Movement Mortgage, a nationwide mortgage lender

8. Highlight your Alpha Phi experience.

If you’re a recent grad with scarce job experience, your involvement with Alpha Phi makes a statement about you. Collegiate classroom experience counts too, Molly reminds us.

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 21

Alpha Phi Quarterly

21

3/10/17 4:21 PM

Spring Clean Your

Eating and Exercise Routines How’s that get-healthy New Year’s resolution coming along? You’re not alone if your answer is, “Not so great.”

Weight-related resolutions make up almost a third of all resolutions, according to the Statistic Brain Research Institute, but less than 10 percent of all resolution-makers feel they’re successful. Getting back on track can do more than just get us back into those jeans we love.

“If you can fit exercise into your life, you’ll have more energy, feel better, stress less and get that little ‘me’ time,” says Sabrina Cali (Epsilon Alpha-Ashland), a personal trainer and adjunct professor of sports and exercise studies at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland.

Plus, studies show that people who move more are typically happier and live longer.

OK, you get it. You should exercise, but when? “By including exercise in your daily or weekly plan, it helps keep it a priority,” says Lt. Sara Steenburn (Delta Nu-Maine), an Active Duty Navy dietitian. Just 20 minutes a day will make a difference. Carly Parkhill (Beta Epsilon-Arizona), a registered dietitian nutritionist, suggests making exercise the first thing you do each day. Whatever your best time is, make it happen by planning ahead.

“Each Sunday, look at your calendar and see where you can fit exercise in,” Sabrina suggests. Then, pen it in.

5 ways to sneak exercise into your day: We gathered some ideas from nutrition and fitness experts Carly Parkhill (Beta Epsilon-Arizona), Sabrina Cali (Epsilon Alpha-Ashland) and Lt. Sara Steenburn (Delta Nu-Maine).

1. Keep your abs engaged regularly to help build those muscles without even doing a sit-up. Suck them in while driving, studying or working on the computer. While sitting at your desk, lift your feet off the ground, engaging both your quads and abs. Do this for 10-20 seconds multiple times a day.

2. Keep motivated during your workout by finding music at high beats per minute.

3. Recruit friends, co-workers or family to attend group classes and carpool there to stay accountable; or find a trainer and share the cost with your group.

4. Go for a quick walk on your lunch break, park farther away at the store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and get up from your desk as much as you can.

5. Try 20- to 30-minute interval trainings two to three times a week with exercises that work large muscles like squats, lunges and pushups, instead of long cardio workouts.

2 2

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 22

3/10/17 4:21 PM

The Food Factor As we know, exercise is half the picture.

Eating well is the other. But it shouldn’t be scary, and it shouldn’t feel as if you’re giving up everything that tastes remotely good. It all has to do with balance, moderation, being mindful of our choices and why we make them, gaining knowledge and—that one thing every one of our experts emphasized— drinking enough water.

What to avoid Overall, the experts preach moderation, because, as Carly says, “Everyone knows once you eliminate a food, all you do is crave it.” Your plate should generally be half fruits and veggies, a quarter grains or starches, and a quarter meat or alternative. But there are some guidelines with that: “Choose higher in fiber and lower in salt, sugar and fat,” Emily notes. Also, beware of foods that tout themselves as “healthy” or “low fat.”

“These terms are not regulated by the FDA, so the foods may not be what they claim,” Sabrina warns. Ingredient lists will tell you most of the story, so read them.

“You should know what you’re putting in your body,” Sabrina says. Don’t starve yourself, either; it’s OK to snack, but Emily says stick with things like hummus and vegetables, yogurt and fruit, cheese and crackers, and trail mix (probably not the kind with M&Ms). To maintain energy levels throughout the day, avoid simple carbohydrates or sugary foods that can make us feel sluggish and more likely to make unhealthy choices.

What’s good to eat Fruits and vegetables.

Not a surprise. “The more colorful your diet, the healthier it is,” says Carly who tells people that if they haven’t seen a fruit or veggie all day, “Guess what dinner is?” Sabrina suggests cutting up veggies right away so they’re handy for snacking and not languishing in your fridge.

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_C1-C2_01-23_P3.indd 23

Whole foods. Processed foods often strip out naturally occurring nutrients and, while supplements and vitamins help, it’s best to get vitamins and minerals from food. For instance, choose whole grain bread over white or even whole wheat.

Complex, fiber-rich carbohydrates. “Carbs are not your enemy,” Carly says.

Just choose them wisely.

High-fiber foods include oatmeal, quinoa, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables.

Organic foods. Many organic foods are worth the extra cost. “Avoiding the hormones in meats and milk products will help reduce the potential for early onset puberty,” Carly says. “Decreasing exposure to the pesticides in fruits and vegetables will help prevent certain cancers,” she adds.

Water. H2O is underrated and seriously essential. It helps regulate temperature, eliminate waste and cushion our joints. Plus, “Important chemical reactions used in burning energy cannot occur without water,” Carly says. Tip: Bring a water bottle wherever you go.

“Oftentimes when we’re not drinking enough water, we can become tired,” notes Emily Campbell (Theta Eta-Western University), a registered dietician in Ontario, Canada, who suggests adding lemon, mint or cucumber for a change of taste. 

The SMART System Establish a goal for your exercise plan to help you stick to it. When writing goals, try the SMART system, suggests Sabrina Cali (Epsilon Alpha-Ashland): S-Specific: Make sure it’s a specific goal, like fitting into an outfit, measuring a certain body area, running a 5K. M-Measurable: How will you measure your progress? Will it be a number or regular check-ins?

A and R-Achievable and Realistic: Think about what you want and where your life is and if you can realistically reach your goal. Good to know: A healthy amount of weight to lose per week is 1 to 2 pounds.

T-Time Oriented: Give your ultimate goal and every check-in goal a due date.

Additional Resources: CHOOSE MY PLATE: Personalized eating goals; choosemyplate.gov EAT RIGHT ONTARIO: Credible health information; eatrightontario.ca ABBEY’S KITCHEN: Fun recipes and videos from a TV personality and registered dietitian; abbeyskitchen.com A LITTLE NUTRITION: Nutritional coaching and free courses; alittlenutrition.com 80 TWENTY NUTRITION: Healthy recipes (many vegan) and nutrition news; 80twentynutrition.com MY FITNESS PAL: An iOS app for calorie counting NIKE TRAINING CLUB: Fitness routines specifically for women with progress tracking, for iOS FITNESS BLENDER: Free workouts on YouTube, searchable by length, difficulty, training type, muscles used, calories burned and more

Alpha Phi Quarterly

23

3/10/17 4:21 PM

PHOTO COURTESY OF THENEX T WEB.COM

From the Quad

Sister Competes in SpaceX Challenge CASE WESTERN RESERVE, ZETA PI EVER WISH YOU COULD GET PLACES AT “AIRLINE SPEEDS for

the price of a bus ticket”? That’s what billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk proposed in his 2013 white paper that introduced the “Star Trek”-esque idea of high-speed travel tubes for people and cargo. We’re talking speeds up to 700 mph. A few brilliant minds have run with the concept, founding a company to make it happen—and they’re getting increasingly close to reality. Sister JESSICA POWELL (ZETA PI-CASE WESTERN) can claim a part in this sci-fi adventure.

Jessica snagged a spot on the North Coast Hyperloop team, one of only five females in a team of 42. Formed by biomedical engineering students at Case Western with a goal to make transportation better, cleaner and faster, the team entered the Hyperloop Pod Competition II run by advanced rocket manufacturer SpaceX; they recently qualified for the final design round of the competition and might have the chance to see their pod in use at SpaceX’s Hyperloop test track when the competition culminates this summer. Jessica manages internal operations for the entire team as a member of the operations subteam.

“This is a huge, multifaceted and diverse team, which is amazing to work with, but can be complicated to manage,” she says. Together, the team has been working on a design for a pod focused on maximum speed. “Being on the brink of something revolutionary like this is exhilarating,” says the third-year biomedical engineering student.

2 4

While Jessica realizes it can be challenging to gain credibility as a woman in an engineering environment, she says it doesn’t bother her. “As a woman, I think it’s so important not to let these stereotypes hold you back. I found this to be an awesome project, so I went for it.” Jessica’s longterm plan is to use her engineering degree to research surgical solutions as a transplant surgeon.

In addition to her work with Hyperloop, she has been working on xenotransplant research, cross-species transplantation, and recently presented some of her work at the American Society of Transplant Surgeons winter symposium.

For now she’s awaiting the results of the SpaceX competition. “This competition is a great way to gain valuable engineering and business skills,” she says.

“We want to prove to the tech world that we have what it takes to run a successful engineering company.” 

“This is a huge, multifaceted and diverse team, which is amazing to work with, but can be complicated to manage.”

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 24

3/10/17 4:08 PM

LEHIGH, EPSILON PSI

Presenting for Good LAUREN DINAPOLI’S

research project during a summer internship at the New Jersey Hospital Association led to her being selected as a student presenter at the American Public Health Association’s annual conference in Denver this past October. Lauren’s project focused on access to primary health care for lower income families. “Not only did I feel as though I was able to make a positive difference,” Lauren says, “but I was better able to understand the type of work I’d like to pursue after graduation.” Lauren is a double anthropology and health, medicine, and society major with minors in global citizenship and biology.

YALE, IOTA CHI

Sister Represents Ivy League In November, LELINA CHANG (IOTA CHI-YALE) presented an opening ceremony speech at the 7th annual Wuhan International Exchange Camp in China.

Lelina is president of the Ivy Council and represented the Ivy League at the event. Attendees hailed from more than 70 countries to hear and discuss topics related to the theme, “The Youth Creates the Future.” The Wuhan event promotes friendship and cooperation among young people from around the world and believes that improving dialogue will improve the decisions of future leaders.

IOWA STATE, ZETA DELTA

Travel-Inspired Fashion Among the many styles at this year’s Omaha Fashion Week was the work of SARAH MADER (ZETA DELTA-IOWA STATE), a senior in apparel design merchandising with a focus on creative and technical design. The only Iowa State student selected to showcase her designs during this large fashion event, Sarah’s Becoming collection was inspired by her travels to Morocco and Spain. In one dress, she incorporates colors and carvings found at the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain; a jumpsuit features the blues of the city of Chefchaouen.

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 25

Alpha Phi Quarterly

25

3/10/17 4:08 PM

Q

From the Quad

STANFORD, KAPPA

One to Hear Lots of little girls have dreams of becoming the next Rhianna or Ariana Grande. TAYLOR GREY (KAPPASTANFORD) is on her way to fulfilling that dream.

The self-taught, 19-year-old musician started writing songs when she was 10. She recently toured with Jacob Whitesides and released her debut album, “Mind of Mine.” Although she’s a huge classic rock fan, Taylor’s style leans toward pop. Through her burgeoning career, having the support of her Alpha Phi sisters has been a huge bonus. “My big and my grand big came to my first show ever,” says Taylor, co-director of Kappa chapter’s new member education. As her fan base grows, Taylor says she hopes people keep listening and enjoying her music, “because I love making it.”

BOSTON UNIVERSITY, ETA

“Survivor” Contestant Becomes Chapter President The day she was initiated into Alpha Phi in March 2015, JULIA SOKOLOWSKI (ETA-BOSTON) promptly left on a flight to the island of Kaoh Rong in Cambodia to film the 32nd season of “Survivor.”

At 18 years old, Julia was the youngest woman ever to compete on the reality show. Did she win the million bucks? No, but in a physically grueling fight to the finish, she lasted 29 out of the 39 days and placed 7th, competing against 17 others including body builders, a bounty hunter, an NBA champion and a former FBI agent. To skeptics who wonder if the show is all that real, Julia says, “What you see is completely accurate. I did not shower, brush my teeth or have access to a bathroom. I ate bugs, slept in the dirt and competed in physical and strategic challenges that tested me emotionally and intellectually.” Throughout the filming, and while the show aired from mid-February through mid-May 2016, Julia says she was extremely vulnerable. “I was raw and exposed, which was the biggest challenge, but also the greatest reward.” The experience was a life-changer for Julia. “I gained a sense of confidence from ‘Survivor’ that I truly do not believe I could have attained any other way.” Now, Julia takes on a new challenge as Eta chapter president. “I'm so excited, and I think I owe a lot of my leadership experience to ‘Survivor.’” Ironically, the winner, Michele Fitzgerald, became one of Julia’s best friends and recently moved in with her in Boston.

26

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 26

3/10/17 4:08 PM

STANFORD, KAPPA

Kickin' It

An online sports magazine referred to sister KYRA CARUSA (KAPPA-STANFORD) as one of the “most impressive young soccer players the country has seen.” A forward on Stanford’s Pac-12 team, Kyra was one of five players in 2016 to start all 21 games; she registered five goals and 10 assists. Play hard, work hard could be her motto, as she also received a Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention. Stanford soccer alumnae Julie Foudy, Kelley O’Hara and Christen Press have gone onto become World Cup champions, and we wish the same success for Kyra.

OLD DOMINION, EPSILON ETA

Children Benefit from Sisters' Volunteerism Sister PATINA BETCHAR (pictured on right), who graduated in spring 2016, served as volunteer chair on the board for the annual Moonlight and OLD DOMINION, EPSILON ETA

Mistletoe black tie gala, which raises

SEA-ING FOR THEMSELVES

As part of the rigorous Dan Pathways internship at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in the Nuclear Engineering division, juniors (pictured above, from left) PAULA GHADIRI and KYLEE KOHL are learning how to maintain aircraft carriers and submarines for the Navy. To be eligible for this selective internship, applicants must be engineering majors in an accredited university and in good academic standing with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

“The program is really cool, because it allows you to continue coming back and working there as you'd like; plus, it offers us guaranteed jobs for when we graduate,” Kylee says.

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 27

money for the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk, Va. Members of Epsilon Eta helped set up, run and clean up the event. This year, the funds raised went to the sports medicine department, which offers comprehensive treatment of children’s and college athletes’ illnesses and injuries. Other Epsilon Eta sisters involved in the event included senior and past president MOLLIE CLEMONS

(pictured on left); juniors

Message from the Committee on Leadership The Committee on Leadership (COL) is charged with creating a slate of women to serve on the International Executive Board (IEB), including the international president. In the process of slating the 2018-2020 IEB, the first order of business is to solicit applications from collegiate members to serve as the collegiate representatives on the COL. Presentations were given at the Fraternity’s Leadership Conferences in February, outlining the desired qualifications and expectations of those wishing to serve. The deadline for applications was March 20, and the COL is now reviewing application materials and conducting phone interviews with the finalists. The two collegiate representatives to the COL will be announced on May 1.

The COL looks forward to spotlighting the selection of its two collegiate member representatives in the next issue of the Quarterly.

Watch Alpha Phi’s website for the latest updates from the COL throughout this biennium. COL alumnae members are Linda Long Boland, chair; Susan Brink Sherratt; Jan Brinker Schaeffer; Lindsay Martin Poss; Diane Spry Straker; and Keri Miller VanAcker.

HANNAH ZACH

and KYLEE KOHL ; and sophomores KENDALL AMBROSE

and ANDREA BETZ .

Alpha Phi Quarterly

27

3/10/17 4:08 PM

Q

From the Quad

DRAKE, GAMMA OMICRON

Three Chapter Champions ELENA DIETZ, ALY TISTHAMMER and EDEN KREIGHBAUM have something

in common—and it’s more than being sisters in the Gamma Omicron chapter.

They all have taken to heart Alpha Phi’s spirit of love and charity.

During her first year at Drake in 2013, Elena Dietz joined the bone marrow registry during a drive at the student center. “I was intrigued by the idea of being a life saver,” she says.

Within the year, she was called to donate and, although the process went smoothly, the recipient passed away before her bone marrow could help. “I couldn’t save him, but maybe I could save someone else,” she said. When she returned to Drake in 2015, she formed a new Be The Match group on campus.

Since then, Elena’s campus chapter has registered more than 200 students, with plans to get 100 more by the time she graduates in May. One campus donor already was a match for a man with leukemia.

Read more about Be The Match on page 35.

In her senior year of high school, Aly Tisthammer applied for and was accepted into a program to participate in

a week-long medical mission through Operation Smile. She was assigned to Chinandega, Nicaragua, where she taught families about basic healthcare, including dental hygiene. Surgeons on the mission provided cleft lip and palate surgeries for everyone from babies to adults. “I truly saw the impacts of the Operation Smile organization and wanted to continue my involvement,” Aly says. As a sophomore at Drake, she founded an Operation Smile club to help raise awareness for the organization.

“We hope to be able to show others the amazing impacts a 45-minute, $240 surgery can have on someone’s life and increase our students’ responsible global citizenship.”

Eden Kreighbaum was looking for a book to read and discovered “I Am That Girl” by Alexis Jones, one of the founders of the I Am That Girl nonprofit, which connects girls ages 14 to 22. Learning about the organization motivated Eden to start a chapter of I Am That Girl at Drake. “My sisters in Alpha Phi were the first to support me,” she says. One of more than 175 local chapters, Eden’s group holds weekly

discussions that focus on topics ranging from kindness to body image. It also recently completed a fundraiser for the Chrysalis Foundation, an organization in Des Moines that supports uplifting afterschool care for young women.

“Establishing the Drake University chapter has taught me immensely about myself and has allowed me to form deeper bonds with my friends,” Eden says.

LEFT: Eden Kreighbaum; ABOVE, TOP: (from left) sisters Laura Kovanic, Elena Dietz and Ashton Anderson; ABOVE, BOTTOM: Aly Tisthammer with children holding up their new toothbrushes.

USC, BETA PI

Sisters Score Big Not one, not two, but three sisters were on the USC Women’s Soccer team that won the NCAA National Championship in December, including forwards SAMANTHA BRUDER and TAYLOR McMORROW and midfielder SYDNEY SLADEK .

The team won 3 to 1 over West Virginia. Sister WHITNEY COHEN (BETA PI-USC) is a team student manager.

2 8

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 28

3/10/17 4:08 PM

Alpha Phi Excels WESTERN, THETA ETA

NEBRASKA KEARNEY, DELTA XI

Sister Receives Academic Award LINDSAY LOCKWOOD (THETA ETA-WESTERN) was

awarded the Professor Frederick Walter Burd Prize in Psychology, recognizing her outstanding academic work at Western affiliate Huron University College of Psychology.

The award is given to a student with the highest first-class standing in third-year honors psychology proceeding to fourth year psychology. “I was always taught to value education, and I think that being a member of Alpha Phi has reinforced my belief in the importance of investing time and effort into it,” says Lindsay who eventually plans to go to medical school.

CARNEGIE MELLON, IOTA SIGMA

Twice the Honors

Academic Achievement

The Delta Xi chapter reached a collective GPA high of 3.602, which put the chapter at the top of the GPA charts out of all Nebraska Kearney organizations in its history. The chapter has maintained the highest Greek GPA for the past 26 out of 28 semesters, with 48 of the 114 collegiate members earning GPAs from between 3.5 and 3.99 and 34 collegians hitting the 4.0 mark.

Two Iota Sigma-Carnegie Mellon seniors, MICHELLE WAN and YVONNE CHEN , have been inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, an honors business fraternity that recognizes the top 10 percent of the class. Congratulations on their high achievement.

Get

CSU-LONG BEACH, GAMMA KAPPA

with 224!

Give us a shout at hello@224apparel.com to start your chapter’s customized order today!

OFFICIAL VENDOR OF THE ALPHA PHI BOUTIQUE

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 29

Sister Gets Highest Marks in Greek System Past Gamma Kappa chapter president MADI MILLS won the Greek Scholastic Excellence Award at CSU-Long Beach. The award goes to the collegian with the highest GPA in the Greek system on campus.

Madi graduates this spring.

WEST CHESTER, EPSILON KAPPA

Sister Wins Scholastic Award It’s nice to start off your collegiate career with an award. Such was the case with SIENA CATANZARO who received a Herbert Mitchell Scholarship, awarded to two West Chester University incoming English majors with outstanding GPAs and SAT/ACT scores, and exceptional community involvement.

Alpha Phi Quarterly

29

3/10/17 4:36 PM

Q

From the Quad

RED DRESS FUNDRAISERS WICHITA STATE, GAMMA XI

The Gamma Xi chapter put on an extravagant Red Dress brunch during November that featured a speaker about heart health. Together, with a silent auction and raffle baskets, the event raised more than $7,700 for Alpha Phi Foundation.

IOWA STATE, ZETA DELTA

Zeta Delta held its first Red Dress Gala in November, which included a keynote speech about heart health by alumna Greta Standish. Greta’s daughter Margaret is a charter member of the Zeta Delta chapter, and mom and daughter were initiated together. Greta is a cardiac arrest survivor and was able to discuss her personal experiences at the event, which raised more than $16,800 for Alpha Phi Foundation.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, EPSILON XI

Epsilon Xi raised more than $32,000 at its 11th annual Red Dress Gala in November, surpassing the previous year’s total and exceeding the chapter’s goal by $10,000.

FLORIDA TECH, THETA ZETA

At the Theta Zeta Red Dress Casino Night, two sisters discussed their experiences with heart disease and how research and funding saved their lives. The evening raised money for Alpha Phi Foundation.

30

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 30

3/10/17 4:08 PM

Extension Alpha Phi Colonizes at Stevens Institute of Technology IN SPRING 2014, ALPHA PHI’S EXTENSION TEAM

first established a relationship with the sorority community at Stevens Institute of Technology.

Following the in-person presentation phase, Alpha Phi was selected to be the second of two new sororities to join the community.

As of Feb. 23, we are thrilled to introduce Stevens women as Alpha Phi members!

This winter’s recruitment process began on Jan. 23, with collegiate Alpha Phis from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Iota Omicron) traveling to Hoboken to represent Alpha Phi during the first round of formal recruitment on Jan. 23 and 24.

They conducted events in the Sigma Phi Epsilon facility, and we are thankful to the gentlemen of ΣΦΕ for welcoming us to their home.

Alpha Phi then observed the remainder of formal recruitment and conducted a post-recruitment marketing campaign. Our recruitment events kicked off on Thursday, Feb. 16 with four days of personal interviews conducted by team members and local alumnae. Events took place on Feb. 16 and 20, allowing the potential Alpha Phis to get to know each other and learn more about Alpha Phi. The recruitment events concluded with a preference ceremony on Feb. 22, which included International President Deana Gage (Gamma Iota-Texas Tech).

The colonization concluded with a Feb. 23 bid day celebration on campus. Our 40 new members were

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 31

welcomed into the Stevens Greek community by established sorority and fraternity members and celebrated their membership.

Special thanks to Extension Team Lead Lauren Kelly Gall (Iota Lambda-Connecticut) and Chelsea Dubrofsky (Delta Zeta-Maryland), Jordan Hillman (Theta Mu-Hofstra), Elizabeth Lafontaine (AlphaSyracuse), Lauren Locke (Gamma Iota-Texas Tech), Theresa Murray (Eta Epsilon-Villanova) and Mary Beth Tully (Epsilon Psi-Lehigh) for your work to establish Alpha Phi’s newest chapter! 

Alpha Phi Quarterly

31

3/10/17 4:08 PM

Where We Live

Me Retire?

Not Yet

IF YOU LIVE OR HAVE LIVED IN YOUR

chapter house, you may be familiar with the term, House Mother. Long ago, this person was typically a matronly single lady who may have enforced curfew, offered etiquette lessons and was a “mother away from home” for Alpha Phi collegians.

Over the years, the house mother role has evolved into what we know now as the House Director. And she’s

not just a substitute mom; she’s a professional facility manager who still has time to share humor, wisdom and perspective that come with life among our collegiate members.

Alpha Phi house directors come from diverse and fascinating backgrounds and each has a story to tell. We’ve gathered a few of their stories here, in their own words. 

House Director Conference We would love to meet your house director. Alpha Phi’s Housing Department is excited to announce the 2nd House Director Conference July 1113 at our new Delta Tau chapter house at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. House Directors will gain valuable skills and get abreast of issues that impact them in today’s ever-changing campus environment. Email Crista Kieffer at ckieffer@alphaphi.org for more information.

32

Without a doubt, I have the best job in the world. I have retired five times, but I am always thrilled to return when asked. It is an honor and a privilege to have “mothered” (now grandmothered) thousands of young women over the years.

People ask me what the best part of the job is, and my answer is always, “the young women.”

Sorority life has changed over the years, but the women remain respectful, energetic, kind and fun-loving. It is very rewarding to welcome them as new members and four years later to see them blossom into mature women with a bright future.

Over the years I have gathered so many funny stories. For instance, not long after I became a house director, I received a call from a local police officer saying he had two of my girls in custody. I did not recognize the names, but explained that I had recently taken the position, lived with 50-plus young women and that we had just recruited 80 more. The officer politely asked more questions, and I babbled on. It occurred to us at about the same time that we were not talking about the same kind of house, and the officer assured me that the two in custody were not my girls. Maybe I’ll write a book about the stories when I retire—again.

ISTOCKPHOTO: MUGS/SASIISTOCK; COOKIES/ JOE_POTATO

Big Homes, Big Hearts

Alice Nelson, Delta Tau-Louisiana State University

Alice “came to our rescue” two years ago when we opened our house at LSU.

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 32

3/10/17 4:08 PM

Like Mother, Like Daughter Kimberly Upton, Gamma Omicron-Drake For years before losing my job, my mother, Gloria Parsons, had encouraged me to leave my highstress and long-hour position as associate dean of student life and become a house director. She knew the rewards of the job because she’d been the Alpha Phi house director at Delta Epsilon (University of Iowa) from 1995 to 2005.

I finally listened to her. Now, nearly three years after arriving at Alpha Phi, I’m writing a new chapter in my life, and it’s the best chapter yet.

I have a degree in public relations and a master’s in counseling and higher education student services and was a hall director at a few colleges and universities, but as a house director, I’m not a conduct officer. Taking me out of the role of disciplinarian allows me to have a relationship with the women that might otherwise be stained by a perceived notion that I’m judging them.

I enjoy the tasks that go along with [being a house director], but I take the greatest pleasure from knowing how doing these things supports the goals of the women. Many of them are working hard now, so that in the future, they can change the world. And I know they will.

Kim has worked for Alpha Phi for three years.

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 33

Feels Like Home to Me Brenda Aitken, Epsilon Beta-Butler Shortly after getting my undergraduate degree at West Virginia University, I became a house director for my own sorority and collegiate chapter, Kappa Delta. I had lived in the chapter house during college and knew my house mom well, so I thought I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. Boy, was I wrong!

I’ve now worked for 15 years as a house director, for four sororities and one fraternity at four different universities. I enjoy every aspect of being an Alpha Phi house director, from the women to the staff to keeping the property up to code.

I love my interactions with the collegians who are enlightening and have wisdom beyond their years, and I enjoy watching them grow into adulthood.

I recently traveled to the Gamma Phi chapter at Florida State University while they were in transition from their house director and needed some immediate support following the unexpected death of a member.

I got to know the chapter women and worked with their advisors and members from the Executive Office. It’s great traveling to places where I know I will always be welcomed like I am in my own home.

Brenda is in her second year with Alpha Phi.

From One Adventure to the Next Mary Achor, OmicronUniversity of Missouri When I was initiated into Alpha Phi in 1964, I had no idea what my life would be. For years, I settled down and was a wife and mother and legal secretary. Then, much to my astonishment, life became a whirlwind of adventure. I had been working as an assistant for writer Doug Wead, who became a senior aide to George H.W. Bush. When Doug founded an international relief agency, he asked me to help fundraise, and I organized charity events in Washington, D.C., some featuring planeloads of celebrities.

When it seemed time to return to Missouri, I moved back to Columbia and spent quiet years writing. Out of the blue, Omicron’s housing corporation president called, asking if I would be interested in becoming house director. I had to keep from leaping with joy.

It was like coming home again.

I love the young women’s shining faces and unlimited potential, their intensity and humor, their energy and joy. My job is, of course, mainly to be sure our chapter house is beautiful and safe and in good repair. But supporting our young sisters as they study and grow is the big task.  Mary has been with Alpha Phi for a little over three years.

Left: Mary with Jenna Bush, who’s included in “All the Presidents’ Children: Triumph and Tragedy in the Lives of America’s First Families” a book Mary helped write.

Alpha Phi Quarterly

33

3/10/17 4:09 PM

Always Alpha Phi

Alumna is “Wonder Woman” of Marketing and Advocacy IF YOU’VE EVER WATCHED AN EPISODE OF “THE REAL

Housewives” or “Snapped” (no judgments!), you’ve seen the skills of alumna ELLEN STONE (EPSILON PSI-LEHIGH) at work. “Over the past few years, I’ve been most proud of rebranding Bravo as a lifestyle and entertainment brand,” Ellen says. She’s being modest: She helped push Bravo from a top-30 cable entertainment network to a top 10, and this past November, Ellen was listed in Adweek’s 50 Most Indispensable Executives in Marketing, Media and Tech. She was also named one of CableFAX’s Most Powerful Women in Cable and a Wonder Woman in Cable from Multichannel News. Some of her success is due to launches of the wildly popular “Top Chef” and “The Real Housewives” franchises, as well as more recent hits like “Below Deck” and “Vanderpump Rules.” Ellen also played an important part in the debut of “The Prancing Elites Project,” which achieved the highest-rated series premiere on Oxygen since its rebranding initiative a few years ago.

With a marketing degree from Lehigh University School of Business, Ellen began her career in advertising, working on the unforgettably clever Milk Mustache campaign, among projects for other high-profile clients. After several leaps up the marketing ladder, Ellen joined Bravo in 2006. She is now executive vice president of marketing for Bravo and Oxygen Media and oversees the development and 3 4

execution of consumer advertising, on- and off-air creative, and digital and social marketing.

In addition to her impressive career, Ellen considers her work with the Jewish Women International (JWI) organization equally important.

In 2011, JWI named Ellen a Woman to Watch and, after attending their fundraising event in Washington D.C., she says she was “blown away by their work with in-jeopardy women and their lobbying work with the

This past November Ellen was listed in Adweek's 50 Most Indispensible Executives in Marketing, Media, and Tech.

Anti-Violence Against Women Act.” She wanted to do more, which led her to a position on the JWI board in 2012. She’s now the vice chairman and helps move its mission to, as Ellen describes, “empower women and girls through programs that promote financial literacy and anti-violence against women, specifically healthy relationships, to realize women’s full personal strength.” We think Wonder Woman herself would approve. 

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 34

3/10/17 4:09 PM

Pictured are (from left to right): Kathy Sue Russell, Mary Fox Thomas, Mandy Russell Wagner

ASHLAND, OHIO

Three Generations Unite MARY FOX THOMAS (RHO-OHIO STATE )

received her 65-year pin from the Ashland Area Alumnae Chapter at a combined meeting with the collegiate chapter of Epsilon Alpha-Ashland University. Mary shared this special occasion with her daughter, Kathy Sue Russell (Epsilon Alpha-Ashland), and her granddaughter, Amanda Russell Wagner (Epsilon Alpha-Ashland), who traveled from Texas to celebrate the milestone.

Sister Seeks Adventure With experiences under her belt including recruitment, chapter involvement and serving as an officer of her Alpha Phi chapter, not to mention the support from her sisters, KATHY CASARES (IOTA BETA-ST. MARY’S) left the familiarity of Texas to become an English teacher in Zhangjiagang, China.

“While new experiences are both scary and overwhelming, they have also given me opportunities to overcome my fears, embrace my strengths and realize the possibilities are limitless,” Kathy says.

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 35

“Today” Show Highlights Alumna’s Daughter ANNA DELANEY IS AN OUTGOING 8-YEAR-OLD WHO ENJOYS READING,

dancing and playing with her family dog. But that’s not why she was asked to be on national television. This past December, the “Today” show featured Anna and her mother MELISSA DELANEY (BETA EPSILON-ARIZONA) as part of a weeklong series called “Sharing Kindness.” They were there to talk about the incredible generosity of a bone marrow donor who saved Anna’s life. When she was 6, after experiencing persistent fevers and seeing specialist after specialist, Anna was ultimately diagnosed with the rare Chronic Active Epstein Barr Virus. The best option was a bone marrow transplant, but no one in Anna’s immediate family was a match, so the DeLaneys looked to the Be The Match registry of donors. Anna had her transplant last August and has been gaining strength since then.

“We are so grateful to Anna’s donor,” Melissa says. “As I held his cells in my hand on transplant day, I was simply awed by the beauty and the science. He literally saved our little girl’s life, and we hope one day to meet him.” Through the continuing challenges of Anna’s diagnosis and recovery, Melissa credits her Alpha Phi sisters for much-needed love and support, despite their geographic distances. They sent notes and well-timed gifts and, she says, “They even banded together to create a surprise Candy Land out of my daughter’s playroom.” Melissa and her family have become passionate advocates for Be The Match and encourage more people to join the donor registry. “All it takes is a simple swab of your cheek and, if you’re a match, perhaps a sick day or two to donate.

And you could also potentially give a little girl like Anna the greatest gift you could ever give someone— the gift of life.”

Alpha Phi Quarterly

35

3/10/17 4:09 PM

Q

Always Alpha Phi

CSU LONG BEACH, GAMMA KAPPA

She's Flying Now

DALLAS, TEXAS

Festive Philanthropy The winter holidays brought some real-life elves all the way to Dallas. As part of the WFAA Channel 8 Santa’s Helpers Program, the Dallas & Suburban and Southwest Dallas Area alumnae chapters have helped collect toys since 2002, when BETTY JO FULLER (GAMMA OMEGA-MIDWESTERN STATE) learned that WFAA had hired sister ALEXA CONOMOS (ZETA GAMMA-SANTA CLARA) as a news reporter. The North Tarrant County alumnae chapter joined the effort about five years ago, and for the 2016 holidays, sisters from McKinney, Texas, also contributed—McKinney area alumnae collected 3,000 toys alone. All told, the combined toy total topped 50,000. MARCY EWING VANGALEN (GAMMA IOTA-TEXAS TECH) helped coordinate alumnae to distribute and organize the toys for the receiving agencies on the final night of the drive.

BETTY JO, REBEKA ECKER (DELTA BETA-TEXAS A&M COMMERCE)

and RILEY MCRAE (DELTA DELTA-OKLAHOMA CITY) helped answer phones on the final night of the drive, taking in donations of more than $20,000. The busy Alpha Phi elves are already planning for next year.

As a collegian, CARLYN JUERGENS (GAMMA KAPPA-CSU LONG BEACH)

was a creative writing

major. But during her junior year, writing took a rear seat to flying. A family friend who was an American Airlines pilot encouraged Carlyn to take a flying lesson—and she was hooked. “Until that point, I had never met a female airline pilot, and I really admired her.”

Carlyn started as a flight attendant for Delta in 1991, became a pilot in 2001 and in 2013 was awarded Delta’s prestigious Chairman’s Club award, presented annually to only 100 of the company’s approximately 80,000 employees.

What makes it even more impressive is that only 5 percent of pilots in the entire United States are female. Helping to change that, Carlyn mentors and recruits other pilots at the Women in Aviation Conference and volunteers for Delta’s new Women Inspiring the Next Generation

NORTHERN ILLINOIS, EPSILON DELTA

program (WING). This past September, to

Charter Members, Always Sisters

all-female crew and all-female support team

Charter members of the Epsilon Delta-Northern Illinois chapter gathered for gabbing and lunch recently at a French café near Chicago, including Alpha Phi’s own Director of Training and Development, DENISE JUNG REENS. “We were never at a loss for words,” Denise says.

36

celebrate Girls in Aviation Day, WING invited an to host a flight for teenage girls interested in aviation. “It’s like a school field trip, but in a plane instead of bus,” Carlyn jokes. Last year, Carlyn was elevated from piloting domestic flights to serving as First Officer on international flights. She now flies up to 300 passengers on an Airbus A330 to Rome, Prague, Athens and other far-flung destinations.

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 36

3/10/17 4:09 PM

BRITISH COLUMBIA, BETA THETA

Sister Draws Attention for Exposé

OKLAHOMA, PHI

ALUMNA IS STATE SENATOR was elected state senator in November, noteworthy in itself, but she was also the only newly elected female state senator in Oklahoma in a year with 25 seats up for election. A longtime resident of Bartlesville, Okla., Julie (pictured above, right) began her community activism as a mom, helping to build a school playground and serving on the school board.

She has held several governmental and municipal positions including on the city council and the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission.

One of her goals as senator is to build a new Boys & Girls Club facility.

JULIE DANIELS (PHI-OKLAHOMA)

A shortage of housing in Vancouver has led to extreme measures by some young women. Recent Columbia Journalism School graduate, GRACE LEE (BETA THETA-BRITISH

was on the front end of an exposé about what Vancouver tamely refers to as “bed shares.” In reality, it entails young women trading sexual favors for free rent. Grace uncovered the stark truth by posing as a woman looking for a bed share; she responded to posts on Craigslist under a pseudonym, put on her most alluring makeup and met with men who had posted the ads.

The publication of Grace’s article in Metro Vancouver sparked a social and political discussion about the city’s affordable housing crisis.

COLUMBIA)

BUTLER, EPSILON BETA

SISTER RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS AARP AWARD When it comes to volunteerism, Alpha Phi alumnae always come out on top. SUZANNE YERDON LEWANDOWSKI (EPSILON BETABUTLER) is a prime example. She recently

received the 2016 AARP Massachusetts Andrus Award for Community Service.

“My story is actually one of hope and possibilities,” she says. After surviving an eating disorder and ensuing alcoholism that almost killed her, Suzanne went on to form the Eating Disorders Collaborative of Massachusetts and developed the North Brookfield Substance Abuse Task Force in Worcester County, Mass. She also founded the North Brookfield Hearts for Heat Emergency Fuel Program, providing emergency financial assistance to help families in need keep their heat on. This is all in addition to her full-time job as administrative assistant at Assumption College in Worcester and recently earning her master’s degree in health education. The AARP award included $2,500, which Suzanne promptly split amongst 10 different charities.

COLUMBUS, OHIO

State Names Sister Top Prosecutor The Ohio Prosecuting Attorney’s Association named CAROL HAMILTON O’BRIEN (BETANORTHWESTERN)

Ohio’s Outstanding Prosecuting Attorney for 2016. The award

is honored annually to the Ohio prosecutor who best demonstrates a commitment to justice, professionalism, and the association’s mission to pursue truth and justice and to promote public safety. Carol also coaches Special Olympics gymnastics.

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 37

Alpha Phi Quarterly

37

3/10/17 4:09 PM

Q

Always Alpha Phi

Anniversaries DALLAS, TEXAS

ALUMNAE CHAPTER CLAIM TO FAME During its recent Founders’ Day event, the Dallas and Suburban Alumnae Chapter celebrated its 70th anniversary, making it the longest continuously active alumnae chapter in the Fraternity.

More than 65 sisters gathered to honor the Founders and the chapter’s decades together, reminiscing on successes and amazing events that have marked its history.

JUDY KAY MEAD (DELTA GAMMA-NORTHERN COLORADO), alumnae engagement manager for the Southern Quadrant, gave a keynote speech on the legacy of the founding members.

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA

110 YEARS

This past December was the big 110th anniversary of the XI CHAPTER (TORONTO), marked by celebration and the launch of the Toronto and Area Alumnae Chapter website.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

25 YEARS STRONG

It was a time for celebrating and renewing vows at the 25th anniversary of THETA THETA (ST. JOSEPH’S) chapter, where alumnae, ranging from the graduating classes of 1993 to 2016, shared experiences and stories with collegiate members. “It was fantastic to hear about the traditions we have come to love from the sisters who established them,” commented TAYLOR KASCHAK (THETA THETA-ST. JOSEPH’S) , vice president of programming and education. Alumnae sisters also received a Red Dress pin to remind them of the importance of the work they do.

LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA

SILVER ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION THETA ETA (WESTERN UNIVERSITY) also celebrated its silver anniversary, gathering alumnae, parents and current members for the event. The chapter hosted a gala dinner and dance with a silent auction that raised more than $2,625 for the Alpha Phi Foundation.

USC, BETA PI

Getting Kids Ready to Read At the bottom of her email signature, LOUISE V. MOORE (BETA PI-USC) includes the line, “Behind every successful student is a parent who cares.” As the author of the book, “Preschool Reading Success in Just Five Minutes a Day,” she encourages parents to put this philosophy into practice.

Published in 2015 and recently re-launched, the book urges parents to take control of their child’s reading instruction early on. Louise offers tips on slipping in lessons throughout

3 8

the day without being pedantic or boring, and making learning joyful and stress-free.

The 70-something English major taught her son to read when he was 3 (he’s now an attorney) and was encouraged to write down her process. She’s currently working on a follow-up for older children who have trouble reading. Her first test case: her publisher’s 7-year-old son.

Find out more at childrensreadingsuccess.com.

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 38

3/10/17 4:09 PM

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Alumna Makes an Impact on Education GAMMA ALPHA SAN DIEGO STATE

Disease Awareness Grows, Thanks to Alumna SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

BREAKING BARRIERS

Not only is JOANA MARTINEZ (IOTA BETA-ST. MARY’S) one of only a few women in the U.S. to hold a combat Military Occupational Skill, she also just won the Runner Up Golden Gloves Female Light Welterweight Championship. Joana currently trains at ChampionFit Gym in San Antonio with two-time World Boxing Champion Jesse James Leija. She also boxed throughout college at St. Mary’s where her Alpha Phi sisters were her personal cheering section.

Last October, Reno alumnae chapter member KATIE SILVA (GAMMA ALPHA-SAN DIEGO STATE) (pictured at left above) went a step further in her push for awareness of dysautonomia, a disease she herself suffers from.

She was instrumental in Nevada’s declaration of October 2016 as Dysautonomia Awareness Month.

Dysautonomia is an umbrella term used to describe various medical conditions that cause a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system, which controls automatic functions of the body such as heart rate, digestion and temperature control.

“I’m hoping to raise awareness so that all individuals in Nevada affected by dysautonomia will receive the treatment they deserve and also help expedite the process of being diagnosed, which, on average, is six years,” Katie says. Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve issued the proclamation.

DALLAS-FORT WORTH

Alpha Phi Welcomes New Alumnae Chapter The LAKE RAY HUBBARD ALUMNAE CHAPTER was chartered on Nov. 10, 2016, to meet the growing demands of the DallasFort Worth area. Their first event was a holiday happy hour with 25 alumnae bringing stuffed bears to donate to the Rockwall County EMS unit.

The first responders use the bears to help comfort children who have been injured or involved in an accident. Congratulations to the new chapter and to their contribution to a great cause.

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 39

Four years of teaching high school Spanish in Baltimore taught HANNAH HOLLIDAY (ZETA OMICRON-JOHNS HOPKINS) that there was something very wrong with the system. As a 2012 Teach for America corps member, Hannah taught in a public school for three years, while simultaneously attending Johns Hopkins for her master’s degree in education. During her teaching rotations at both public and private schools, she felt like the procedures and practices did not serve the best interests of students and their families. But she didn’t see the schools as the culprit: She felt that the problems stemmed from higher level policies. Seeking to make a positive change from the top down, Hannah applied and was selected for a fellowship with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education in Washington, D.C. She now works on the Cross-Sector Collaboration Task Force as part of a public policy fellowship with the Leadership for Educational Equity. Hannah is seeking to answer the question, “How do charters and public schools work collectively to equitably provide resources for all students?”

Hannah’s vision is to “elevate student voice in policy to create clear and equitable pathways to enter college and careers of students’ choice.”

Alpha Phi Quarterly

39

3/10/17 4:09 PM

Q

Always Alpha Phi

Alpha Phi Weddings

FLORIDA TECH, THETA ZETA This past term, current Theta Zeta-Florida Tech sisters and alumnae attended the wedding of Theta Zeta alumna MEGAN SIMMERSON.

CONNECTICUT, IOTA LAMBDA When LINDA (VAN) PATROS (IOTA LAMBDA-CONNECTICUT) was married last July in Connecticut, the weather was gorgeous and the bridesmaids were Alpha Phis—or at least four of them were. Joining the bride from the Iota Lambda chapter were MEAGHAN CONWAY, KRISTEN QUANN, ALICIA GARCIA and COLLEEN MARONEY.

ABOVE: Alpha Phis (Zeta Theta) pictured are (front, left to right) Kristie Fabiano, Megan Simmerson and Danielle Scandiffio; (second row, left to right) Clarissa Liimatainen, Norah Ashoura, Devon McMahon, Ashley Kalita and Emily Sybo; (top row, left to right): Erica Richardson, Blair Kania, Courtney Cudemus and Ali Boddy

EAST CAROLINA, DELTA ALPHA Last May, in Raleigh, North Carolina, MELISSA PEPPER PLUNKETT (DELTA ALPHA-EAST CAROLINA) married college sweetheart Greg,

ADRIAN, DELTA ETA Alumna MEGAN (KIPP) HOLMES (DELTA ETA-ADRIAN) married her college sweetheart and Sigma Alpha Epsilon alum this past November in Detroit. She was joined by 16 of her Delta Eta sisters including four of which were bridesmaids and a fifth, her maid of honor and biological sister. Megan currently serves as chapter advisor for the Iota Epsilon chapter at Kettering University.

4 0

member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. In attendance were 14 sisters from Delta Alpha (including two bridesmaids) and Theta Nu (Appalachian State). Melissa served as Delta Alpha chapter president in 2010. Her “something blue” was her alumna pin included on her bouquet.

“Alpha Phi gave me best friends not for four years, but for life,” Melissa says. They get together multiple times a year coming from all areas of the country.

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 40

3/10/17 4:12 PM

Trending

Banana Hook Of all the lifeimproving products at Container Store, the self-adhesive, undercabinet Banana Hook is one of our favorites.

Capresso H2O Plus Electric Teakettle You can see when you need to refill, and it’s conveniently electric with an auto shutoff.

Top Home and Cleaning Products (not including the professional cleaning crew) Toto Washlet This fancy schmancy toilet was featured on a recent episode of the Kardashians.

We won’t go into detail, but it cleans, it deodorizes, it’s heated, and it even sanitizes itself. If it’s good enough for Kylie…

Goo Gone This cleaning workhorse removes things like gum from an upholstered couch, labels from mason jars, and stickers without chipping your mani.

Handy Smart Phone App Unexpected guests and no time to clean? Alpha Phi photos to hang and no hammer or nails?

Just enter your info and needs, and Handy hires household pros for you.

Also at handy.com.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Tops for tackling everything from soap scum to tea stains to your children’s creative “oopses.”

Carex Day-Light Bentology Bento Lunch Box

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 41

Lunches have lots of parts, and that’s why we love this BPA-free container. It neatly packs main, sides and dessert into mini covered containers under one sealed lid.

Rainy days in Seattle, wintry days in Chicago. Whatever gets you down, this therapeutic, glare-free white light lamp can boost spirit and energy.

Alpha Phi Quarterly

41

3/10/17 4:11 PM

Ask Martha

I have thousands of pictures of my Alpha Phi sisters on my phone and laptop. I love them all, but they’re a big, digital mess. How can I manage all my photos?

—D rowning in a Digital Image Ocean

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / BTRNKEL

Quite a 21st century problem, isn’t it? Here’s a suggestion to start: Plan your picture-taking ahead of time. For each event or gathering, think of 20 photos that you definitely want, then you’ll be less tempted to take a few hundred you don’t want.

Each week, do a photo dump from phone to laptop and create folders for each month. At the end of the month, tag and print the worthy of the bunch. Too much trouble? Leave it to a smart phone app. A few that stand out are Photo File, where you pre-select an icon category to file a photo you’re about to take; Slidebox, which has you swipe Tinder-esque through your photos to save, toss or file; PostalPix, allowing you to send photos to print directly from your phone; and the “Shark Tank”-backed Groovebook, which sends a mini, monthly photo album of up to 100 4-by-6 photos with perforated edges to easily tear and share. What about videos? Try the Kickstarter-funded 1 Second Everyday. It merges second-long moments of your life into one video diary up to 365 seconds. You’re so photo-savvy now.

— Martha

BATHTUB BLUES

a non-abrasive sponge. Last step: Pour some bubbles in and relax.

– Martha

How do I get my old bathtub to sparkle again? I’ve scrubbed and scrubbed and there’s still graying grime.

It depends a bit on the type of tub you have. For acrylic (looks like plastic), try a 50-50 mix of blue Dawn dish detergent and vinegar; spray, let it sit and scrub. On porcelain, use a pumice cleaning stone; there are a few brands out there. With enamel (similar to porcelain, but a magnet will stick to it), you have to be gentle, so for truly tough stains, work up a paste of two parts baking soda (or cream of tartar) to one part hydrogen peroxide, apply, let it sit, then scrub with 4 2

Martha Emily Foote Crow The first National President of Alpha Phi International, Martha was also an education administrator and the fourth Alpha Phi to serve as dean of women at Northwestern University.

PAPER TAKEOVER My home is a mess of papers, from kids’ homework to magazines to bills. It’s a never-ending battle here.

First of all, you don’t need to keep all the papers. After checking bank statements, shred them; you can always get copies online. Kids homework control? Get stackable wire bins for each kid to stick completed homework and artwork; at the end of the year (maybe twice a year), go through and ask

them what they want to keep.

It won’t be much. Take pictures of kid creations you know you won’t hang and toss the originals. Bills? Unless you’re self-employed, shred them as soon as you know they’re paid.

Cancel magazine subscriptions you don’t have time for (not the Quarterly, of course), or rip out pages you want to read, put them in the bathroom and recycle the magazine. Get rid of expired coupons and store good ones in a sealable bag in your car. All other papers go into one pretty bin to sort and file.

– Martha

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 42

3/10/17 4:09 PM

1.

My Daily Routine

Don’t be afraid to archive.

Even if you’ve done the adding and taking out thing, just knowing you don’t have to physically give that item away sometimes makes it easier to accept. Store it away for another time. Just be smart about it: It’s all about being consistent with your organizational support. I love clear bins with removable lids. Always purchase the same brand and size (I like the 66 Qt. Latch Box from Home Depot). I’m not a big labeler, but I do mark each bin with dry erase tape to make it easy to find items and change what’s inside. Who has time to dig?!

2.

I love to donate and consign ! I have separate bins (my own literal Dropbox) for each location. I also make quarterly consigning appointments. That way it forces me to really think about those unused items. I’m a huge supporter of shopping small and locally.

I also prefer to donate to small and local organizations like Dress for Success.

(EPSILON-

MINNESOTA), a former

school counselor-turned real estate design consultant, home stager and broker.

She knows all about how to organize, consolidate, control clutter and create something beautiful. Her personal style is mid-century modern anything, and she loves finding one-of-a-kind thrift shop treasures. When she’s not busy turning messes into real estate masterpieces, she hikes, runs, skis and hangs with her two boys, Luke, 11, and Milo, 9. One of her key pieces of advice is, “Less is more.” If you get something new, take something out.

Here are some more tools of the trade from Jessica’s toolbox of organizing tips.

3.

Color is a great organizational tool in so many ways. We love to pick one piece of art as our inspiration and decorative direction.

Find a color—a pop of color that excites you—and go from there. Pillows are also a great way to add a pop and change a look with ease, as well as keep you on a budget!

One can never have enough pillows.

Chez moi, pillows are in a constant rotation.

4.

Gotta love a good serving tray. Trays keep items condensed and

clean and display a story. You can use them on your coffee table, console, desks etc. Also makes dusting much easier.

5.

Books are beautiful! It’s the one item it’s OK to stack and display in quantity. I love to remove the covers off my hardbacks and turn the books with the white pages facing out …adds a nice fresh look. Or color-code them displaying the bindings.

6.

Finally, entertain ! It’s the easiest and most enjoyable source of motivation to clean, declutter and organize!! Cheers to that!

S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 43

Alpha Phi Quarterly

PILLOWS/K AR AMMIRI ; TR AY/ FIRMAFOTOGR AFEN; BOOKS/ ROSE_CARSON; FOOD/ UGURV

HUPPRICH

ISTOCKPHOTO: BINS/ PHOTOEUPHORIA ; CLOTHING BOX / WENDELL ANDCAROLYN;

M

TIPS FROM A PRO eet Seattle area alumna JESSICA

43

3/10/17 4:09 PM

Study Hours

Now & Then

With exams and final papers creeping up (or maybe they’re behind you—woohoo!), we got to thinking about the differences in studying and exam-taking now versus, say, 30 or so years ago. Believe it or not, collegians, there was a time with no Internet. So, we decided to get a picture of both times from current Scholarship Chair Sami Baumert (Delta Xi-Nebraska Kearny), a junior and the director of academics for a chapter that has demonstrated its academic excellence, and Pam Carter-Pierce (Phi-Oklahoma) who was initiated in 1979.

Some things have seriously changed; and some things never do.

Sami Baumert

(Delta Xi-Nebraska Kearny)

Pam Carter-Pierce (Phi-Oklahoma)

Our chapter’s study lounge.

Favorite place to study

Third floor landing of the ΑΦ House.

As scholarship chairman, I was able to monitor freshmen attendance in study hall while studying for my own classes.

Alone because I focus better this way.

Study alone or in a group?

Typically I studied alone. However, we would sometimes hold each other accountable by spreading out in the dining hall after dinner with our books!

Quizlet; highlighting the text and going back through; and sisters who may have taken the class before.

Best study tools/ resources

In our study lounge, there is always someone in the house who is willing to take a study break with you. Typically, they involve a quick road trip for some food and making memories along the way.

For many of my papers I am able to use the university’s online database or Google to research articles or journals.

Another important resource are text or journal articles from the library. I typically do the majority of my research online and compile a list of beneficial resources. After my paper is complete, I simply print it off and turn it in.

Chocolate or popcorn, for sure!

Coffee is a must as well!

Carpool to the library and have a huge section of Alpha Phis studying together until it closes!

We also tend to have lots of late night food runs.

Google, chocolate, road trips.

4 4

Name

Books with spiral notebooks, binders and, of course, flashcards.

Favorite study break

Food! If we really had to pull an all-nighter, we would go to Dinko’s by the railroad tracks in the middle of the night. They had a dish that was called the Dinko’s Darlin’, which was two enchiladas with two lookin’ at ya (fried eggs).

Ewww…Can’t believe we ate that!

Final papers process start to finish

I would start with the card catalog and find books to check out. I do remember using the microfiche readers to look for newspaper and magazine articles as well. Rough drafts were written by hand, sometimes more than once.

I had an electric typewriter and would type my final paper. The paper was put in a presentation folder before turning it in.

Favorite study snack

I don’t remember snacking much. I think our house mother was pretty strict about things like that in the common areas.

Study or exam rituals

It was traditional to receive a care package in the mail from your parents filled with snacks.

Flashcards, card catalogs, care packages.

Alpha Phi Quarterly S P R I N G 2 0 17

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 44

3/10/17 4:09 PM

Q

Iconic

The Phone’s For You Before the age of cell phones and even before it was commonplace to have a phone in every room, there were pay phones around campus and the decidedly un-mobile house phone. It was typically tucked into a phone booth for privacy, and everyone had to share. This goofy 1977 photo was taken at the University of Idaho (Beta Zeta) and although the rotary-dial phones of yore may be obsolete, some chapter houses held onto the phone booth itself, providing a secluded space for, what else, making phone calls.

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 3

3/10/17 4:30 PM

Save this portion of your Quarterly! You will need your membership number (first seven numbers found at right) to help identify yourself if you contact the Executive Office.

POSTMASTER: Please send changes to Alpha Phi, 1930 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201

AP_Qrtly_Spring17_24-44_C3-C4_P3.indd 4

3/10/17 4:30 PM