Alpha Phi Quarterly Winter 2019

Quarterly A

L P H

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P H I

WINTER 2019

Plus: Foundation Heart to Heart Grant recipients #DIGIN to cardiovascular health

INSIDE: Must-try eats and attractions in Toronto Odd jobs of Alpha Phis Responses to Greek skeptics

Alpaca farming wasn’t the original plan for Mary Ianni (Beta Alpha-Illinois), but, like the other six Alpha Phis we feature, her second career proved to be her passion.

Alpha Phi

Quarterly

Inside This Issue 4

Amongst the Ivy

General Fraternity and Greek-letter news and announcements

24 Where We Live

Must-stop spots when visiting the Toronto (Xi) chapter

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA HYKE

26 From the Quad

Accomplishments from our undergraduate members and chapters

Editorial Policy

32 Always Alpha Phi

News from our alumnae members and chapters

40 Silent Chapter Honoring our sisters’ passings

41 What’s on Your Social Media Feed?

Three collegians discuss their social media savvy

42 Ask Martha

How to respond to sorority skeptics

43 Trending

The best bags for work and school

44 Now & Then

Alpha Phi’s oldest living International President and its newest

A PUBLICATION OF ALPHA PHI INTERNATIONAL FR ATERNIT Y SINCE 1888

Editorial Advisory Board Laura Berger Cayce Blackley Sheila Bright Maeve Gillette Kathy Hiemstra Lizzie Hineman Karen Howe Denise Joyce Grace Porchivina Allison Rickels Madison Woodrick 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 2019: April 12, 2019 Fall 2019: July 5, 2019 Winter 2020: Oct. 4, 2019 Spring 2020: Jan. 2, 2020 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 PHOTO BY CHRISTINA HYKE

Alpha Phi Quarterly

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VO L . 131 N O. 1 W I NTER 2019

Features

Career Gear Shift 14

An alpaca farmer, a virtual assistant, a distillery owner. These are a few of the second careers Alpha Phi sisters have shifted to, proving it’s never too late to find your passion.

Job Board Job-searching is frustrating, but Ladan Davia (Eta Upsilon-Chapman) has made it easier.

9 Heart to Heart Grant

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Discover the #DIGIN project, led by three Yale School of Medicine cardiologists who received this year’s Alpha Phi Foundation Heart to Heart Grant.

That’s Odd! Everyone has had that one crazy job.

Read about some of them from seven Alpha Phi sisters.

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Alpha Phi Quarterly

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A Message from the International President

DEAR SISTERS,

International Executive Board Renee Smith Zimmerman Zainer, President Laura Jen Kin Berger Susan J. Bevan Stacey Thulin Daniels Ruth Gallagher Nelson Lisa Cabaniss Olson Jacqueline Schools Jandy Thompson Linda (Allie) Winkelman Ex-officio: Sally McCall Grant, NPC Delegate Ex-officio: Sue Riley McGlynn, Executive Director Ex-officio: Mary Beth Cooleen Tully, Foundation Chair Foundation Directors Mary Beth Cooleen Tully, Chair Colleen Sirhal, Vice Chair Claire Costin, Treasurer Coree Christine Smith, Secretary Gretchen Wilson Alarcon Jenny Concepcion Hansen Susan McNeice Susan Zabriskie Rebecca Andrew Zanatta Ex-officio: Amy Peebles, Executive Director Ex-officio: Renee Smith Zimmerman Zainer, International President Executive Office Executive Director Sue Riley McGlynn 1930 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 475-0663 fraternity@alphaphi.org www.alphaphi.org Foundation Office Executive Director: Amy Peebles 1930 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 475-4532 foundation@alphaphi.org www.alphaphifoundation.org National Panhellenic Conference Alpha Phi Delegate: Sally McCall Grant First Alternate Delegate: Laura Malley-Schmitt Second Alternate Delegate: Laura Lynn Davidson Ellett Third Alternate Delegate: Linda Long Boland

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I knew when I was elected as International President that there would be good days and bad days, but I never expected that within the first seven days, I’d have a very bad day. While on a phone call with our collegiate leaders at Harvard, I listened to our young women struggle with the weight of a decision they felt pressured to make: to no longer be Alpha Phis or to be in jeopardy with their university.

They revealed the framework around their emotional decision, and I vacillated between feeling protective, sad and in disbelief that these bright women were being denied the ability to spend time together as Alpha Phis. My heart hurt as the conversation continued for over an hour and during numerous calls that followed.

For those members who might not know, Harvard University created a policy that penalizes undergraduates who join single-sex organizations. Among the penalties, the policy bars those students from leadership roles at Harvard and prevents them from receiving recommendations from the Harvard College dean for elite academic opportunities such as the Rhodes Scholarship. Female students protested on campus, and #HearHerHarvard became a rallying cry.

I believe that Harvard’s policy infringes on our members’ freedom of association, depriving them of single-sex relationships, and taking away a safe space where they feel support from one another.

We must safeguard the experience and the organization we have the privilege to call our own. The members of Harvard will always be Alpha Phis, and I have no doubt they will be proud members and alumnae. They will continue to defend our existence by telling their story and will reinforce their right to be sisters. Perhaps this unfortunate situation will strengthen Alpha Phi, provide vision, inspire our ambition and eventually lead to something good.

I am proud Alpha Phi believes in the importance of opportunities and choices for women. The right to create an inclusive, supportive and empowering community for women is as valuable today as it was 146 year ago. To the members of Harvard, you inspire us, and we continue to fight with you!

AOE,

R enee Smith Zimmerman Zainer (Beta Epsilon-Arizona) International President

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Q

Quotable

“

I always tell myself, ‘You can have everything in life, just not at the same time.’

”

Ladan Davia (Eta Upsilon-Chapman)

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Amongst the Ivy

Foundation by the Numbers

TALKING POINTS

In 1956, Alpha Phi was one of the first women’s fraternities to establish a foundation. With the generosity of donors and sisters, Alpha Phi Foundation has lived by its mission of “advancing women’s lives through the power of philanthropy.” Here are some fascinating Foundation facts from 2017-2018.

$1,519,743 Amount invested in leadership, scholarship, women’s heart health, Forget Me Not grants and heritage programs

$709,350 Amount invested in leadership development and training programs of Alpha Phi International Fraternity

$34,070

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Number of sisters supported by Forget Me Not grants

Amount raised for the Phyllis Sims Selig Heritage Challenge last September to fund writing and publication of Volume II of the history book

4

40 Number of collegiate women who participated in Leadership Fellows Program

Number of newly endowed scholarships: Clara Bradley Burdette Founders Scholarship

150

Beverly Lasher Theta Scholarship Lucy Hart Finnerty Phi Chapter Centennial Scholarship

Number of collegiate women who attended the Emerging Leaders Institute (ELI)

4

Craig Hester/Hester Capital Management LLC Scholarship

$412,000

$277,000+

Amount invested in women’s cardiac care, research and education

Amount bestowed in merit- and need-based scholarships

305

8,582

Alpha Phi Foundation volunteers

Number of Foundation donors

Alpha Phi Quarterly

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Fact vs. Fiction

The Founders all died young.

FICTION! It’s true that three Founders died before the age of 46 (the youngest, Hattie Florence Chidester Lukens at 32), but several lived into their 70s and both Jane Higham and Clarissa (Clara) Bradley Wheeler Baker Burdette hit their 90s. In fact, Clara lived to the impressive age of 98. By that time—82 years after Alpha Phi was founded—Clara had witnessed 53 new chapters being established, including the first Canadian chapter at the University of Toronto (Xi). Not only was Clara Bradley Burdette the longest-living Founder, she was one of the most active throughout her life and was included in the 1908-1909 edition of “Who’s Who in America.” Beyond

her involvement with Alpha Phi, Clara advocated for women’s empowerment with her creation of the California Federation of Women’s Clubs, an umbrella organization of 40 statewide clubs, representing about 6,000 women in California. Featured in the book “Becoming Citizens: The Emergence and Development of the California Women’s Movement, 1880-1911,” Clara’s club creed stated, “Home must always be the center, but not the limit, of a woman’s life.” She saw civic obligations as “organized altruism” and warned women that “if they insist in lingering lovingly in the traditions and customs of the past…they will have to step aside and watch the world go by.” Approximately 50,000 letters, manuscripts, diaries, documents, scrapbooks and photographs related to Clara’s life, the California Federation of Women’s Clubs and Alpha Phi are stored in 163 boxes at the Huntington Library in San Marino, Calif. Quite a long life and legacy, indeed. 

C. A.

B.

E.

D.

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APhi 2018Oct ad.indd 1

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Amongst the Ivy

RETROSPECTIVE

Bygone Career Titled “Consumer Aide,” this article was originally published in the Winter 1971 Quarterly, which had reprinted it from the Milwaukee Journal. We thought it was an interesting look at a career that has fallen by the wayside. These days, shoppers can find

N

NANCY ROSS IS THE ANSWER TO THE CONSUMER WHO FEELS

that the supermarket has taken the personal touch out of grocery shopping.

Since last June, Nancy has been fielding about 20 phone calls a day, telling National Food Store customers, and anyone else with a shopping or food question, such things as the number of calories in the new ‘sugar added’ diet drinks (six per ounce); the number of calories in nondairy creamers (33 per tablespoon); which soaps are low in water polluting phosphates; what are the week’s most economical meats and how to make convenience foods into meals that taste as if they took all day to prepare.

Nancy Ross is actually Anne Rossmeier (Gamma SigmaWisconsin Stout), a home economist who is the first consumer representative for National Food Stores in the country.

Her work covers the Milwaukee division, with 33 stores in Milwaukee and a total of 58 in Wisconsin. The first name, Nancy, is a takeoff on National; and the patriotic last name, Ross, is borrowed from Betsy. “Besides, it’s a shortened version of my own name,” Anne says, “so I’m comfortable with it.”

Anne, tall, brown-eyed and slender, grew up in Hilbert, Wisc., and graduated from Stout State University, Menomonie.

Her mother, she said, inspired her to go into the field of home economics. “She’s so talented. A great cook. She made all our clothes when we were children. Creative stitchery. But most of all she enjoys it . . . and it’s the same for me.”

Anne taught home economics at Homestead High School in Mequon for two years, serving as department chairman her second year. “But I felt I didn’t want to teach anymore, and I’d always been interested in consumer problems and emphasized them in my classrooms.”

She works directly with Milwaukee Division Manager Joseph Bagel. “He’s been a store manager and knows the homemaker very well. I see things from the student viewpoint. So we

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answers to all their food-related questions online, not to mention do their grocery shopping online. Plus, we detect a bit of sexism associated with the job. But how about those ahead-of-her-time recycling ideas?

Maybe the consumer rep should make a comeback.

discuss things and come to a final decision. It’s interesting to see a supermarket from the management side, rather than as a consumer. It’s all very intricate. The average store has over 7,000 items.”

Anne said her work includes sitting in on weekly meetings of management and new items committees, which seek a woman’s view on what the customer wants. She also appears at store openings around the state, is available to clubs and groups for consumer education programs; will work with the Milwaukee schools on consumer education, visits National Stores in Milwaukee to talk with customers and writes a weekly newsletter, distributed in all Milwaukee division National Food Stores.

The first name, Nancy, is a takeoff on National; and the patriotic last name, Ross, is borrowed from Betsy.

Her first newsletter told which foods were plentiful; offered menu suggestions; a recipe; suggested in “Note No. 1: Add a dash of salt to Jello salads and desserts. It improves the flavor.”; and, under environmental ideas, advised homemakers to return wire hangers to laundries and to refuse items packaged in excessive plastic or foil.

Anne said she agreed with her boss’s feeling that the supermarket scene has dehumanized food shopping from the days of the old corner grocery. They feel that a consumer W I N T E R 2 0 19

Right: A corded phone?

Crazy times. This Winter 1971 Quarterly article highlighted the then-innovative career of Anne Rossmeier (Gamma SigmaWisconsin Stout).

representative will bring back the personal note. Many of her calls come from newlyweds, many who hold jobs and want to cook interesting and nutritious meals on a limited schedule.

They want menu suggestions, product information when they feel labels aren’t specific enough; and new ways to use convenience foods. Many of these calls, she said, come at the dinner hour. A high percentage of calls come from women with children who want laundering and stain removal information.

Others need to know how to buy for large groups or for picnics.

Questions come, too, from senior citizens and people on Social Security who must learn how to stretch their dollars.  W I N T E R 2 0 19

“It’s interesting to see a supermarket from the management side, rather than as a consumer. It’s all very intricate. The average store has over 7,000 items.”

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Amongst the Ivy

MEDIA MASHUP ABC7NY.COM

Beta-Northwestern Diana Basmajian (Beta-Northwestern) would like to join activist marches on behalf of organizations that support women, but she has multiple sclerosis, so she crochets for the causes instead. Specifically, she crochets dolls in the likeness of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (materials: “girl power, wire glasses, plastic eyes, yarn”). Over the summer, Diana was creating and sending the 6-inch dolls to people who made a donation of at least $50 to an organization that supports women. By the time ABC7 picked up her story in New York, where Diana lives, she had already sparked more than $10,000 in donations to such groups and had made 150 dolls, each one taking about four hours.

She told ABC, “For me [Justice Ginsburg] brings voice to the voiceless.” Diana has raised the donation minimum to $100 and has committed to continuing her work until she helps raise $100,000. Her dolls are also sold on etsy.com, with a portion of proceeds going to various organizations.

FACEBOOK

SPLASH!

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Nu-Nebraska

Delta Epsilon-Iowa

@Alpha Phi UNL

In its “Ever After” column of July 29, 2018, Chicago’s Splash! magazine featured the wedding of Gabriela Soltys (Delta Epsilon-Iowa) to her high school sweetheart Charlie Herr at the city’s historic Drake Hotel. Gabriela’s wedding party included four Delta Epsilon sisters; and her wedding bouquet featured forget-me-nots and lily of the valley.

As part of its Bicentennial Bucket List of “200 things every Illinoisan should do, see, eat or drink at least once in a lifetime,” the Chicago Tribune included the Frances E. Willard House among its category of “20 things to see linked to influential Illinoisans.” An excerpt of the blurb reads, “Willard’s ‘Do Everything’ mantra had the author and orator championing women’s right to vote and upending injustices in classrooms, courthouses, prisons and the workplace. The WCTU still exists; it’s headquartered in a building behind Willard’s 19th-century Evanston home, which became a museum in 1900. Tours available on select afternoons for $10.” Just up the street from the Executive Office, in fact.

“We are so excited to share that senior Monica Rogers was elected homecoming queen this week and crowned at the UNL homecoming celebration yesterday! We can’t think of a more humble, kind and deserving woman to receive this honor. We love you, Monica Rogers!”

PHOTO COURTESY CAR A SCO PHOTOGR APHY

PHOTO COURTESY CR AIG CHANDLER /UNIVERSIT Y COMMUNICATIONS

Let’s Chat!

Alpha Phi International (Executive Office) @AlphaPhiIntl

Alpha Phi @AlphaPhiIntl AlphaPhiIntl

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alphaphiinternational. tumblr.com Alpha Phi International Fraternity (Official)

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ONE OF US

Job Search Disruptor Ladan Davia (Eta Upsilon-Chapman) majored in broadcast journalism at Chapman and was planning to pursue her dream of becoming an on-camera TV host, but the 2013 grad decided the business wasn’t for her, so she started job-hunting for something new. She was quickly frustrated by ineffective job boards and recruiters. It made her think, “It shouldn’t be this hard.” In fall 2017, she launched Beeya, a job site of a different type. In recognition of her business, she has been nominated as Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young.

Describe Beeya and why you felt there was a need for it now?

When I left the entertainment industry, I started using online platforms to try and find a job. I noticed they were really outdated and flat out didn’t work.

Even the biggest ones would give me ridiculous jobs… The problem with these websites is they get paid from advertisements. There is no incentive for them to find you a job… They match you off keywords, give bad matches, and you have to continue to search. Beeya matches you off data points, not keywords, and we don’t get paid from advertisements. We focus completely on the job seeker and have left it completely free.

Where’s all that confidence come from to start your own business at such a young age?

I come from a family of entrepreneurs and I’ve been able to see what you can do to impact the world and other people’s lives by starting your own company. My goal is to take the bias out of job hunting. Finding a job shouldn’t be based on the color of your skin, gender or socioeconomic background. It should be based completely on merit.

What do you enjoy about running your own company?

I love the ability to create change— that’s the best part of running your own company. Of course, there have been challenges.

For example, when I started Beeya, two engineers I hired stole almost 50 thousand dollars from me and disappeared.

How did Alpha Phi help in your success?

Alpha Phi gave me leadership experience, the ability to be comfortable talking to large groups of people, confidence and organization skills that I still use every day. I think anyone can become an entrepreneur as long as you’re ready for a bumpy road and can always see the light at the end of the tunnel. I always tell myself, ‘You can have everything in life, just not at the same time.’ 

Left: Beeya is the brainchild of 2013 graduate Ladan Davia (Eta Upsilon-Chapman) who aims to shake up the online job search industry.

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The Good Doctors This year’s Heart to Heart Grant recipients help patients dig into data so they can participate better in decisions about their health

By Elisa Drake How many times have you waited beyond your appointment time for a doctor’s visit, only to be ushered in, then rushed out, often with a prescription in hand for something you can’t even pronounce? When it’s a minor matter, this might be OK. But if it’s something bigger, something that affects the rest of your life, such as cardiovascular health, Yale School of Medicine cardiologists Dr. Erica Spatz, Dr. Lisa Freed and Dr. Sasanka Jayasuriya think it’s unacceptable. “The 20-minute visit is just not sufficient for giving people the information they need to even start to consider these difficult and lifelong decisions,” Erica says. To help bring patients into the health decision-making discussion, Erica, Lisa and Sasanka launched what they called the #DIGIN project. For their work, they received this year’s Alpha Phi Foundation Heart to Heart Grant of $100,000.

In partnership with the nonprofit Patient Revolution, an action and advocacy movement for “careful and kind patient care,” the #DIGIN project organizes community events that encourage women to discuss their cardiovascular health and risk for heart disease. The grant money will help the #DIGIN team develop these events where they’ll have a chance to gather specific information about statin therapy as preventative 10

Alpha Phi Quarterly

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Left: Cardiologist Dr. Erica Spatz works with a patient at the Yale School of Medicine.

Below: Dr. Spatz with co-recipients of the Heart to Heart Grant cardiologists Lisa Freed and Sasanka Jayasuriya.

“We are helping people create their own narrative about what is best for them by digging into how they approach issues of health, how they perceive their risk for disease, as well as their capacity to prevent disease.”

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treatment for heart disease and stroke.

“In these peer groups we are really digging into the data,” Erica explains.

“We are helping people create their own narrative about what is best for them by digging into how they approach issues of health, how they perceive their risk for disease, as well as their capacity to prevent disease.” Patient Revolution will use the findings from these #DIGIN events to help create printed materials that aid women everywhere in deciding which statin therapy is right for them.

Grant funds will also go toward the costs of these materials.

The first collaboration between #DIGIN and the Patient Revolution was a few years ago and centered around breast cancer screening. Extending the sessions to women’s cardiovascular care was a natural progression. “When the Alpha Phi Foundation grant opportunity was forwarded to us, we were excited to reach back out to the Patient Revolution to carry forward this work,” Erica says. “While we as cardiologists carry the knowledge about the evidence and the tradeoffs of therapy, [Patient Revolution] are the experts in communicating this Alpha Phi Quarterly

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Volunteer Shout-Out Each Foundation Heart to Heart Grant application is read and scored by several Alpha Phi alumnae with medical backgrounds. We asked a few of them about their experiences.

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information and facilitating discussions that enable people to interact with the data and share how the data resonates with them, based on their orientation to health and their preferences, values and goals.”

As the Patient Revolution states, “Healthcare is about understanding who you are and what ails you and then figuring out how best to move forward.

For this, healthcare needs to see you and your situation in high definition; the full, messy, contradictory picture. For that, it needs your involvement.” Work like that of the #DIGIN project and the Patient Revolution are counter-acting doctor visits that trade personal attention for efficiency. They are reminding patients that their individual story matters. “Our goal is to help provide patients and caregivers with the tools and support to be full partners in those clinical conversations,” says the Patient Revolution. Erica adds, “This work is helping to advance novel ways to engage women in their health.” 

“The 20-minute visit is just not sufficient for giving people the information they need to even start to consider these difficult and lifelong decisions.”

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Samantha Côté (Eta ChiBishop’s)

The Intern’s Perspective

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT VOLUNTEERING? One of my favorite parts is learning about the different ways in which organizations want to improve women’s cardiac health.

Research scientists who are awarded an Alpha Phi Foundation Grant often need research assistants.

Which is where Eleanor (Ellie) Pinchbeck (Epsilon Psi-Lehigh) comes in. Last summer, the junior dual psychology and health, medicine and society major interned on the #DIGIN project under the supervision of Dr. Erica Spatz at the Center of Outcomes Research & Evaluation at the Yale School of Medicine.

Among other tasks, Ellie reviewed evidence including clinical trials, subgroup analyses, meta-analyses and editorials on primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in women, and created a comprehensive literature review on the topic. She also coordinated the grant award event. “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work on the 2018 Heart to Heart Grant,” says Ellie who also learned a thing or two, mostly that “women need to play an active role in making joint decisions about their health with their healthcare provider,” she says.

“I’m so fortunate to have seen the impact that the Foundation has.”

LEARN SOMETHING: It is a great way for young scientists to get involved in the process, give back, learn about women’s cardiac care and how amazing teams from around the continent are thinking of advancing women’s health.

Jennifer Freeman (Omega-Texas) WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO VOLUNTEER? As a prior National Institutes of Health training grant recipient for nutrition research, I wanted to help Alpha Phi find quality research to sponsor. I know how hard it can be to find funding for your project.

GET INVOLVED: If you know of a great organization or individual with an ongoing project, you should encourage them to apply.

Susan Stone (Zeta Nu-Texas Christian) WHAT DOES THE HEART TO HEART GRANT MEAN TO YOU? The Heart to Heart Grant is important because it is relevant to women. I truly believe there are Alpha Phi women who have survived heart disease because of heightened awareness promoted

by Alpha Phi. SHARE YOUR TALENT: In Alpha Phi there are so many ways to volunteer that don’t require a lot of time or money. We all have some talent to contribute.

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The Takeaways The goal of the Patient Revolution and the work of the Yale School of Medicine’s #DIGIN project is to help provide patients and caregivers with tools and support to be full partners in clinical conversations and decisions. We’ve gotten the go-ahead to share some of the Patient Revolution suggestions so you can incorporate them into your next doctor’s visit.

1. Plan your conversation with the following five statements: I want to talk about...

It is important to me because...

2. Open up the conversation.

Certain aspects of your family and friendships, work, neighborhood, finances, faith, emotions, sleep or eating habits might affect your health and your health treatments.

Use these questions to reflect on such factors and consider discussing them with your doctor.

3. Consider the barriers. Sometimes it’s hard to explain why we don’t speak up at the doctor’s office.

If any of the following resonate, think about how it could impact your health.

What is one non-medical thing about your life you think your doctor should know?

 I don’t want my comment or question to make me appear unintelligent or concerned about the wrong things.  I don’t want to be a burden to my doctor.

It may help you to know...

What is one thing your doctor is asking you to do for your health that feels like a burden?

 I don’t want my doctor to think of me as a difficult patient.  I assume that decisions need to be made right away.

I hope this conversation leads to...

What is one thing your doctor is asking you to do for your health that is helping you feel better?

 I worry I’ll be judged for considering cost in making decisions about my health.

I worry this conversation will lead to...

Where do you find the most joy in your life?

Practice your statements before your appointment to help give you confidence to share when you get there.

EXTRA TIP: Share them at the start of the visit, before the doctor calls time up.

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 I worry I’ll be judged if my choices are different from what most other people would do.

 I assume that the doctor’s recommendation is the only option or the best option.  I assume that if an aspect of my life is important, the doctor will ask me about it.

Source: The Patient Revolution

Alpha Phi Quarterly

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Career

If you’ve ever felt stuck in your job, let these Alpha Phis be an inspiration; they followed their hearts, did a 180 and found happiness in often surprising places.

Gear

By Elisa Drake

DOWN ON THE FARM

As a teen, Mary Ianni (Beta Alpha-Illinois) worked at Rockford Auto Glass, the business her father had started in 1945 in the far north central part of Illinois.

When he passed away at a young age, Mary was only 16, so the running of the family business fell to Mary’s two older brothers and her mother. After some time away, Mary joined them and continues to grow the company, even to this day. But when Mary met Tim Kamholz, life changed a little. “As far as how we got into alpacas, well, that’s my fiancé Tim’s doing,” Mary quips. Yes, alpacas. Mary and Tim had purchased some land to build a home and keep their two horses, but they were looking for an additional use for the property. Mary assumed Tim’s talk about alpacas was a passing fancy. “Then we were on vacation, and we made arrangements to visit an alpaca farm,” Mary recalls. “That was all it took for me.” In 2005, they bought two alpacas, quickly cleared the land, built a barn and

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Shift

a home and turned themselves into alpaca farmers. Mary is a natural with the alpacas and could talk at length about her love of the animals. “What do we enjoy about raising alpacas? Wow, there is so much,” Mary gushes. It’s not their friendly nature, as they can be stoic creatures, often giving the cold shoulder, but they certainly have personality to spare—and soft, abundant wool. If processed properly, the cashmere-like fiber is warmer and lighter weight than wool, and hypoallergenic. Now, Mary and Tim have 38 alpacas, including some they board for other people. Mary also sells alpaca-fiber products, including yarn she dyes herself. She says she has never regretted her alpaca adventure.

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r

t PHOTO BY CHRISTINA HYKE

BETTER THAN MONEY Although she was making good money as an account manager at a large medical book and journal company, Lynn Chapman Glover (Epsilon Omega-Texas A&M) says, “I was never happy.” When she moved with her husband to a rural part of Texas, she found her calling.

“I saw so much poverty and need,” she says. “So I became a social worker.” For the past 20-plus years,

NEW CHAPTER

Lynn has, among other things,

“She definitely has a way with words!”

“Always the perfect mixture of romance, hilarity and mystery.” “If I could give this book six stars, I would.” These are some of the hundreds of Amazon reviews that Jennifer Turner Turano (Eta Gamma-Akron) has received for her historical romance novels. Jen’s first book. “A Change of Fortune,” was published about seven years ago, but before that, she had followed her major (clothing and textiles) into the retail world, first in a buying office, then as a manager at a department store. She took some time off to be a stay-at-home mom and when she was ready to work again, she started writing. She played around with several genres, but settled on historical romance. “The setting for all of my books is the Gilded Age, which is a riveting time in history,” Jen says, adding, “I’ve turned into a history nerd somewhere along the way, so I love digging into old newspapers of that time, looking for my next story idea.” In fact, Jen’s 10th novel, “Caught

by Surprise,” recently debuted, and she’s busy with a new series.

She says that writing has “taken me down a path I never imagined, but one that I love.”

Lynn has seen a lot of heartbreaking stories along the way, but says, “You can never give up.” been a child protective services investigator, helped determine eligibility for childcare subsidies, taught single moms how to choose good daycare, helped underserved families locate housing, and is now the director of the Early Childhood Intervention Program in Brownwood, Texas. She has seen a lot of heartbreaking stories along the way, but says, “You can never give up.”

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BACK TO SCHOOL She had just left a position as senior vice president at a commercial insurance company; her marriage was on the rocks; and she had two young children. It wouldn’t seem like an ideal time for Carolyn Ray (Delta

OFF THE RACK

Nu-Maine) to return to school for a master’s in social work, but she was

When Carol Henry Feldman (Beta IotaWest Virginia) graduated in 1974, she headed directly to Pittsburgh and the merchandise training program at the now-defunct Gimbel’s department store. Through many retail moves and promotions, Carol eventually became store manager at a Marshall’s.

But retail was losing its luster for her. “The retail hours were more than demanding, and I started to think about moving,” Carol says. During her jobsearch, she met some law firm professionals who, as she puts it, “were willing to take a chance on me.”

With no additional formal education required, they hired Carol as their human resources director. “I recall saying in the interview that working with people is the same no matter what the environment, as long as you have diplomacy, management and leadership skills. Thankfully, they bought it!” The switch from retail to HR seems to have been the right move for Carol who says, “It has been a dream career for almost 20 years.”

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ready for a change. “Returning to school was actually very therapeutic for me during a challenging time,” Carolyn explains. “It provided an escape from the turmoil of my marriage transition and also positively impacted my self-esteem.”

It took her about two-and-a-half years to complete her advanced degree, and for the past 10 years, she has worked as a licensed clinical social worker in psychiatric settings such as hospitals, a residential treatment center for substance abuse, and in private practice.

Despite the big salary difference, Carolyn says, “I enjoy helping clients identify and explore their strengths and resources, find growth and fulfillment, and heal.”

IT'S PERSONAL

Sometimes Cheryl Higbe Tallyn (Phi-Oklahoma) starts work at 6:30 in the morning; sometimes she’s working at 11 at night. The flexible hours are one of the things Cheryl loves about her second career as a virtual personal assistant. The marketing major started her post-college life working for IBM in Tulsa, then got her master’s in business and continued in marketing communications, but was laid off. It turned out that her boss had been let go too; he subsequently started his own company and hired Cheryl for administrative and marketing assistance. She set up a home office and was off and running, providing services ranging from house management to payroll to website creation for her former boss and a long list of other clients.

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DISTILL OUR HEARTS

The first job Jennifer Hansen Stiefel (Beta Zeta-Idaho) had was helping her parents hand out reindeer sausage sticks at Costco—“When you see someone eating a sausage or hot dog at Costco, it all started in Anchorage, Ala., circa 1985 by my family,” Jennifer says. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs certainly had something to do with the shift she made from school teacher to president of a distillery. “My husband, Justin, and I were sitting around a campfire with some friends drinking scotch. The discussion began, ‘We can do this, but with a Pacific Northwest twist,’” Jennifer recounts. A year later, in 2012, they launched Heritage Distilling Company in Gig Harbor, Wash. They now own six distilleries, distribute in 34 states and employee 120 people. Although they continue to expand, it’s hard work. “Every month involves planning for cash flow, investing and sales,” Jennifer notes.

Plus, distilling is new to the state of Washington, so Jennifer works with legislators to help develop effective policies that take the small businesses like hers into account. “We have to fight every day to get access to the market, and that requires being nimble and creative and making a superior product,” Jennifer says. Besides her business “baby,” Jennifer and Justin have three children ages 14, 11 and 8, and she says, “It is imperative to have a balance between work and home.” 

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“My husband, Justin, and I were sitting around a campfire with some friends drinking scotch.

The discussion began, ‘We can do this, but with a Pacific Northwest twist.’”

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Considering a Second Career?

Get tips from those who’ve done it: Ensure that home life and work life are in balance—seek help on both fronts.

Acknowledge you can’t do everything.

Keep a sense of humor.

Use your network of friends and business contacts.

Don’t be afraid of social media.

Try a temporary agency to get your feet wet in a new career.

Follow what you love.

Do it! You won’t know until you try!

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We asked alumnae about the oddest jobs they ever had. We received some fascinating responses.

SO TIRE-ING During graduate school, Melissa Griffin Henson (Delta Delta-Oklahoma City) landed an internship with the Dayton Tire Company. Soon after she got there, she was tagged to be the factory tour guide for potential hourly workers, leading up to eight tours a day.

In the beginning, she’d sometimes forget a fact or two, but says, “It was super loud in there, so if I couldn’t remember something, I just sort of moved my mouth and nodded a lot.”

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SWEAR IT’S TRUE Before the days of cable and Netflix, movies aired on regular old TV channels, and people like Meredith Todd Denzler (Omega-Texas) got them ready for prime time.

Meredith was a radio, TV and film major and gained some experience working for a local Dallas/Fort Worth TV station where her job was to help edit the movies for timing, cut out curse words and create breaks for the ads. “Basically I got paid to sit around and watch movies all summer.” In fact, she says, “Best job ever!”

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UNDERNEATH IT ALL “There is so much to tell, in so little space and time,” says Olivia Zitelli (Delta Phi-Indiana U. of Pennsylvania) of her foray into the male underwear business. Here’s the gist: Olivia opened her first Drawers store in Pittsburgh in July 1983, at the time Calvin Klein was turning men’s underwear into a fashion trend. She collaborated with Joe Boxer on creative designs like glow-in-the-dark boxers, hosted events and “exploded with sales,” Olivia says. There was even a line of travel underwear that was tested by Apollo astronauts —“You could wash them in the sink, wring them in a towel and wear them again.” She eventually had three stores and a loyal following. But by 1994, big box stores were selling products at a price she couldn’t match, and Olivia shuttered her company in 1995. “I liked to say that I sold fun.”

PUMP IT UP It was 1972, and gas sold for about 25 cents a gallon, but every now and then a station would drop its price by a penny, then the one across the street would do the same. Near the Nebraska Kearney campus, one gas station owner decided to hire college women to attract customers. Sandra (Chris) Johnson Hehner (Delta Xi-Nebraska Kearney) was one of them. “Two of us stood out front in our purple hot pants, white blouses and purple scarves around our necks and would wash windshields while people filled up their cars,” Chris recalls. “We caused quite a commotion.” So much so that the local newspaper came out, interviewed them and took their picture, which landed on the front page.

HOP TO IT Denise Jung Reens (Epsilon Delta-Northern Illinois) worked for Alpha Phi in the Executive Office for 25 years, but before that, she was a stay-at-home mom, working part time on the promotions staff at the local mall. Among various interesting tasks, one was playing the Easter Bunny. “Kids sat on my lap and told me what they wanted for Easter,” Denise says. She thought it would be cute for her neighbor to bring her boys, then 3 and 5 years old. “She put them on my lap, and I said, ‘Hi’ and whatever else, and my youngest son turned and looked and said, ‘The bunny ate my mom,’ and he started screaming.”

He had recognized her voice inside the bunny. She had to go change out of her costume and assure her son that she was OK. “To this day, my kids still talk about it.”

A DIRTY JOB As one of the only women on the Fort Wayne, Ind., park cleanup crew during the summer of 1983, Cathleen Marine (Zeta Theta-Tufts) says, “I spent much of my day squeezed into the cab of a pickup truck with two men.” It wasn’t her top choice. The job market was tough, and her mother finagled the position for her. “It was pretty much, ‘You’ll do this and like it,’” Cathleen says. And by cleanup, we’re talking bathrooms, grounds, the works. It was about as enjoyable as it sounds.

“It’s the first and only time I actually crossed days off the calendar until I was done,” Cathleen says, adding, “I got quite the awesome farmer’s tan that summer.”  W I N T E R 2 0 19

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Tales f

The diverse post-college whereabouts of some of our recently graduated chapter presidents

Beyond Tynan Gable

Gamma TauWillamette Willamette, completing dual-degree bachelor’s/ MBA program, Salem, OR

Jessica Kostelnik

Beta PhiWhitman English teacher at Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China

Madison (Maddie) Miller Lambda-UC Berkeley UC Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco

“The leadership and teamwork skills I learned as chapter president, and in my four years, set me up for success and opportunities after getting my bachelors.”

— Michaela Cenac-Huggins 2 2

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Michaela Cenac-Huggins

Beta UpsilonOregon State Oregon State’s Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Corvallis, OR

Stephanie O’Brien Zeta Phi-MIT Software engineer at Ultimate Software, San Francisco

Lea Gierut

Julie Niederberger

Gamma Rho-Penn State New product introductions materials program manager at Apple, Cupertino, CA

Mara Ley

Zeta Beta-Loyola Marymount Sustainability coordinator at Reformation, Los Angeles

Epsilon GammaSacramento State Legal assistant, Orange County, CA, in gap year before law school

Tayler Bergstrom

Kappa Beta-UC San Diego UCLA Anderson School of Management behavioral lab manager, Los Angeles W I N T E R 2 0 19

from

d

Catherine (Cat) Lavigne Beta Eta-Manitoba Registered nurse at St-Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Canada

“Apple recognized the skillset that was needed to successfully lead a group of 220-plus collegiate women (while juggling everything else that comes with being a Emma Sheils student), and Iota Omicron-WPI knew it would Supplier quality engineer at be valuable Olympus Surgical Technologies America, Southborough, MA in their fastpaced work environment.”

— Julie Niederberger

Rebecca Galer

Theta Kappa-Rochester New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY

Lyndsey Armacost

BetaNorthwestern Production assistant at ESPN, Bristol, CT

Leah Struhsaker

Eta Gamma-Akron Year of service with the Lutheran Volunteer Corps, Minneapolis

Caroline Greco Kristen Hofmann

Lynne O’Dell

Theta LambdaCentral Missouri University of Missouri-Kansas City for master’s in higher education administration, Kansas City

Iota SigmaCarnegie Mellon Emerging Leaders Program participant with Crown Castle, Pittsburgh, PA

“Serving as chapter president provided me with the leadership experience I needed to stand out as a candidate.”

— Kristen Hofmann W I N T E R 2 0 19

Zeta Sigma-Franklin & Marshall Nanny in Bryn Mawr, PA; applying to dental schools

Allison (Alli) Gibbs Eta OmicronVirginia Tech Technology analyst at Accenture, Arlington, VA

Devon McMahon

Theta Zeta-Florida Tech Florida Tech for master’s in applied behavior analysis; and registered behavior technician at a school in Cocoa, FL Alpha Phi Quarterly

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Where We Live

Tour

Toronto

THIS IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF FEATURES HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE AMAZING

cities that are home to our chapter houses. This time we’re hitting Toronto. Whether you’re visiting for parents’ weekend, an alumnae reunion, a chapter anniversary or just on vacation, you’ll want to check out some of these must-try restaurants and attractions. And of course, be sure to stop by the Xi chapter house.

WHERE TO GO

Allan Gardens Conservatory 19 Horticultural Ave. torontobotanicalgarden.ca Dating back to 1858, this 16,000-square-foot conservatory houses six different greenhouses under its stunning glass dome. Maybe the collegians love it for its colorful flora, its lush landscaping and offleash dog park, or maybe, because no matter the weather outside, in here, it’s a balmy clime, perfect for the orchids, cacti, palms and more.

Graffiti Alley South of Queen Street West, between Portland and Spadina Every major metropolitan city has its graffiti art.

In Toronto, this alleyway serves as a gallery of some of the best and most Instagram-worthy.

Not surprisingly, the artwork rotates with the street artists’ inspiration. Good to note: This is an alley, so beware of some not-so-pleasant alley odors.

Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto (MOCA) 158 Sterling Rd. museumofcontemporaryart.ca This modern art museum received renewed energy when it relocated to the century-old Tower Automotive building, famous for its then-innovative concrete slab construction. It’s the perfect backdrop to the innovative and thought-provoking creations and art installations, like the ongoing “Demos: A Reconstruction,” which allows visitors to move and rearrange 74 large, fabric-covered foam blocks.

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Museum of Illusions 132 Front St. East museumofillusions.ca You won’t believe your eyes at this brand new Toronto museum filled with holograms, optical illusions and interactive exhibits, including an all-ages playroom where puzzles, games and tricks give your brain a workout.

Royal Ontario Museum 100 Queens Park rom.on.ca This sprawling, multi-faceted destination opened in 1914 and was expanded in 2007 with a now-iconic architectural addition called the Crystal. Showcasing art and culture from throughout history and around the globe—everything from dinosaurs to gems and minerals to Egyptian mummies and a real bat cave—it’s tough to make it through the entire museum in one visit. If you’re short on time, prepare ahead and jot down a few exhibits you know you want to see.

Casa Loma 1 Austin Terrace casaloma.ca Once the extravagant home of Toronto’s revered businessman Sir Henry Pellatt, this 1914 Gothic Revival castle is now a historic museum and event space, as well as the occasional movie location (scenes from “X-Men,” “Chicago” and “The Pacifier” were all filmed here). Take in some of the 64,700-square-foot mansion and 5-acre gardens with a self-guided tour; you’ll get a peek at period-furnished rooms, secret passageways and an underground tunnel, the carriage house with its vintage automobiles, and a view from one of its fairytale-like towers.

Bata Shoe Museum 327 Bloor Street West batashoemuseum.ca Talk about a shoe fetish. The late Sonja Bata, a Canadian fashion icon and wife to a shoe company mogul, started collecting shoes early on. As her collection grew to the thousands, she decided she needed a permanent location. The museum she opened now has more than 13,000 artifacts that span 4,500 years of footwear on five floors. A highlight is the celebrity kicks, including Queen Victoria’s ballroom slippers, Shaquille O’Neal’s size 22 sneakers and Elton John’s silver platform boots. 

WHERE TO EAT

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Playa Cabana Hacienda

Kasa Moto

Otto’s Berlin Döner

14 Dupont St. playacabana.ca

115 Yorkville Ave. kasamoto.ca

256 Augusta Ave. ottosdoner.com

Collegiate Xi members love this fresh Mexican fare. Get your taco in a traditional soft or crispy corn tortilla, or as a kale wrap. Try the popular grilled Mexican corn and braised short rib tacos.

A stylish, two-story space attracts an equally stylish crowd for its contemporary Japanese, including sushi, maki and signature menu items like a whole grilled sea bass. If the weather’s right, head to the rooftop terrace.

This cheerful, fastcasual café serves two made-from-scratch traditional German street foods: the döner sandwich, reminiscent of Greek rotisserie shaved meat; and currywurst, a grilled bratwurst, sliced and covered in a curry-spiced ketchup sauce.

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From the Quad

Fantastic Five

O

On Oct. 6, Nebraska Kearney (Delta Xi) initiated 35 new members and five alumnae initiates. Three of those new members are sisters—yes, triplets.

And not only that, but Delta Xi new members Emily Petersen, Hannah Petersen and Rebekah Petersen are legacies to Nebraska Kearney junior Sarah Petersen who started it all when her mom encouraged her to join a sorority. Sarah says she was extremely shy and reserved at the start of college. “It was a pretty big step outside my comfort zone to join a sorority,” she says. But being a member of Alpha Phi has changed that.

Now she co-leads Alpha Phi’s Bible study, she’s on the cheer squad, and she was named the 2017-18 Student Employee Rookie of the Year for her work in the Nebraskan Student Union and Student Engagement Office. “The girls in the sorority see things in me that I never saw in myself,” Sarah says. Triplet sisters Emily, Hannah and Rebekah are right behind her.

Hannah and Rebekah are members of the UNK Pride of the Plains Marching Band Color Guard and Nebraskats show choir, and Emily is on the UNK Cheer Squad alongside her older sister. Two more noteworthy elements

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TYLER ELLYSON, UNKCOMMUNICATIONS

DELTA XI-NEBRASKA KEARNEY

From left are sisters Rebekah, Sarah, Emily and Hannah Petersen.

in that initiation ceremony: One of the alumnae initiates was Patti Petersen, mom to the four Petersen collegians; and two of the other new members were twins: Jylissa Sinner and Jeresa Sinner. “Going through recruitment, we had a lot of people telling us to branch out, but in our hearts, we both knew we wanted Alpha Phi,” Jeresa says. “Being sorority sisters as well as actual sisters has created a stronger bond between us and has shown us a completely different meaning of the word sisterhood,” she adds. “We are blessed that Alpha Phi has helped us create a new bond while enhancing our old one.” 

From left are Jylissa Sinner and Jeresa Sinner

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KAPPA DELTA-STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

ZETA PHI-MIT

In the Mood

Interesting Internships

As part of a workshop with Advanced Functional Fabrics of America and the Fashion Institute of Technology, Erika Anderson (Zeta PhiMIT) created colorchanging clothing. “We wanted to give people the option of having different colors of clothing at any time without filling up their closets and without filling up landfills,” Erika says. The senior engineering student made the 25 Under 25 list on BostInno.com for her high-tech fabric that changes colors via photovoltaic fibers.

Erika is on the varsity women’s softball team and is a founding member and creative director of MIT’s fashion and arts magazine.

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The women of Stevens Institute of Technology (Kappa Delta) had some amazing summer internships. We gathered just a few of them here: Jessica Driscoll, an engineering management major, interned with construction management company AECOM. Stephanie Funcasta was at Arizona Beverages USA in New Jersey. Chemical engineering major Viv Cheng conducted research at the Mechanical and Aerospace department at Princeton University’s School of Engineering.

Brianna Perez worked at construction management firm, New Line Structures.

Quantitative finance major Laura Murphy spent her summer overseas in Dublin, working for Trinity College’s finance department. Also abroad were Gaby Borodyansky, shadowing doctors and helping nurses at Centro Hopitalar de Lisboa Central in Portugal, and mechanical engineering major Caralyn Cyr, in Hamburg, Germany, learning about artificial intelligence.

Jessica Driscoll

Gaby Borodyansky

Brianna Perez

Caralyn Cyr

Stephanie Funcasta

Laura Murphy

Viv Cheng

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Q

From the Quad ZETA OMICRON-JOHNS HOPKINS

Academic Standout Students at Johns Hopkins who major in international studies may apply for the five-year BA/MA program at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), but only a handful are accepted.

This year, one of those students was Ashley Wax (Zeta Omicron-Johns Hopkins), IOTA ZETA-COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES

a junior majoring in international studies,

Tapping the Network

released a huge amount of worry and

One of the many amazing things about Alpha Phi is its networking potential. The women at Colorado School of Mines (Iota Zeta) jumped on that idea, hosting a fall networking event with about 20 local alumnae. Held at the chapter house, the event began with an ice breaker, then broke up into a speeddating-style activity. Collegiate members could bring their resumes for alumnae to review, or get career advice from the pros.

sociology and Spanish. “To get the call reassured me that the work I had devoted and continue to devote to my passions had put me on the right path,” Ashley says. She plans to spend her fourth year at the SAIS campus in Bologna, Italy, then her graduate year at the campus in Washington, D.C. Ashley says Alpha Phi “constantly fosters a spirit within me that pushes me toward greatness.”

THETA ZETA-FLORIDA TECH

Life on Mars Living on the moon, Mars or the International Space Station could be doable in our lifetime, especially with work by people like Malia Ashmead (Theta Zeta-Florida Tech). Last summer, the biomedical engineering major worked at Langely Research Center, with a focus on human-rated inflatable habitats. “These habitats are able to be compacted into a small size when loaded on the rocket and then inflated once in space and at their final destination.” Malia plans to apply to medical school when she graduates in December.

DELTA XI-NEBRASKA KEARNEY

Walking the Walk For Kristin Bell (Delta Xi-Nebraska Kearney), exemplifying Alpha Phi values is not just talk. Out of the four sororities, seven fraternities and three multicultural Greek organizations on campus, the chapter president recently won the Living the Ritual award at the campus Greek Awards. Of her award, Kristin says, “I was honored that those around me acknowledged that I live out my values and that I truly cherish everything Alpha Phi has given to me and helped me grow.”

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KAPPA DELTA-STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

GAMMA PI-ARIZONA STATE

In the Game Whoever said men have the monopoly on gaming hasn’t met Michaela Moriarity (Gamma PiArizona State). She and a group of three other Panhellenic women from other universities have launched Boosted, a podcast about gaming news and technology. The political science major fell in love with gaming as a child with World of Warcraft in 2004. “Gaming has allowed me to have an escape for when I need some time to relax,” she says. She now enters tournaments and co-hosts the weekly podcast. Although women make up only about 22 percent of gaming industry professionals, Michaela says, “There has been a lot of support for females in gaming recently.” After graduating in May, Michaela plans to attend law school.

SMART Sister

ZETA OMICRON-JOHNS HOPKINS

Goals Achieved Playing on an NCAA soccer team is already notable; competing with that team in Germany adds an extra level of excitement.

That’s exactly what the Johns Hopkins women’s soccer team did this summer, including Alpha Phi Zeta Omicron juniors Emily Maheras, Madelyn (Maggie) Coulson, and Jacqueline (Jackie) Tait, and sophomores Kathleen (Katie) Whittington (pictured), Insa Mannstadt, and Alexandra Damron. They all agree that it was an amazing experience to play with people from other countries and cultures.

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From the time she was a young girl and her grandfather was a first responder killed on 9/11, Gabrielle McCormack (Kappa Delta-Stevens Institute of Technology) has wanted to be a civil servant.

After enjoying her work as a research software engineer at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at the Lakehurst Naval Air Center (NAWCAD-NAVAIR) in New Jersey, Gabrielle applied for the Department of Defense’s Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program. Out of a pool of more than 2,500 applicants, Gabrielle was one of just a few hundred awarded this scholarship. In exchange for dedicating two years to her sponsoring facility, NAWCAD-NAVAIR, Gabrielle receives a $25,000 per year stipend and health insurance allowance until graduation. “Being a member of Alpha Phi has inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and be the woman that I want to be,” Gabrielle says.

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Q

From the Quad

DELTA UPSILONBALDWIN WALLACE

DELTA XI-NEBRASKA KEARNEY

Coffee Connection

Color for a Cause Alpha Phi woman at Baldwin Wallace (Delta Upsilon) got doused in colored powders, but they weren’t starting a trend; it was a color war, part of a fundraising event for Baldwin Wallace’s Dance Marathon that partners with the Elizabeth Glaser

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DELTA GAMMA-NORTHERN COLORADO

Counselor of the Year

Each summer, the Japanbased Guy Healy education consulting and exchange agency recruits about 120 high school and college students from the United Pediatric AIDS Foundation, States to work as American camp counselors in Japan. which raises money to This year, sophomore help with the treatment Keeley Nelson (Delta and prevention of HIV Gamma-Northern and AIDS around the Colorado) was accepted globe. Color us impressed. into the program and taught English at several camps throughout the summer. “We taught them different American games and songs,” Keeley says.

It seems that Keeley’s efforts were appreciated, as her team won the program’s Counselors of the Year award.

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Over the summer, Breanna Hemphill (Delta Xi-Nebraska Kearney) got a job at a Starbucks at home in Omaha. Every morning, a woman would order a tall, nonfat, no foam, hazelnut latte from the drive-through window. Besides filling her order, the two would regularly chat. “I always thought to myself that, even though this lady is a complete stranger, she just seems to connect with me on a different level,” Breanna explains. During the last week of summer break, Breanna mentioned that she’d be heading back to Kearney for sorority recruitment. “She immediately asked what sorority I was in, and I said Alpha Phi. She dropped her jaw and said, ‘Oh my goodness. I’m an Alpha Phi too.’” Before Breanna left for school, the woman came into the Starbucks and handed Breanna a little white box—in it was the woman’s Alpha Phi pin. “I cried in my car for a little bit, because it touched my heart in so many ways,” Breanna says. “No matter how far you travel, wherever you go, there will always be sisters somewhere.”

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Extension Welcome to Kappa Eta

DELTA PI-INDIANA STATE

It’s All Greek Walks along an ocean boardwalk, visits to natural hot springs, wineries and historic monasteries. These were some of the experiences Indiana State (Delta Pi) Alpha Phi sisters Priyadharshini Manikandan and Star Leonard had in Thessaloniki, Greece, on a fiveweek summer program. “We chose Thessaloniki because we were looking for a city that was rich in history and wasn’t as touristy as many other cities in Europe,” Priyadharshini says.

They also spent a weekend in Athens.

November 11, 2018, marked the installation of Kappa Eta chapter at the University of Florida. The celebration of the Fraternity’s newest chapter took place in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom, also the site of the chapter’s Initiation.

Former interim Executive Director Linda Schnetzer (Beta Omicron-Bowling Green) presided over the Initiation of more than 150 women, while Extension Team Lead Susan Weiskittle Barrick (Beta Omicron-Bowling Green) served as the toastmistress at the Installation Banquet.

Joining the University of Florida community became a dream come true in fall 2014. At that time, Alpha Phi was selected to be the second of two new sororities to join the campus. While waiting to join this prestigious campus, Susan Barrick and the extension

department cultivated local alumnae and built a relationship with the Fraternity and Sorority Affairs staff. The Kappa Eta chapter was established in September 2018 following the hard work of our Educational Leadership Consultants and volunteer team. Thank you to Team Gators for making Kappa Eta a reality.

Resolve to save more this year.

GEICO can help Alpha Phi sisters save with a special discount on auto insurance.

geico.com/mydiscount | 1-800-368-2734

Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. GEICO contracts with various membership entities and other organizations, but these entities do not underwrite the offered insurance products. Discount amount varies in some states. One group discount applicable per policy.

Coverage is individual. In New York a premium reduction may be available. GEICO may not be involved in a formal relationship with each organization; however, you still may qualify for a special discount based on your membership, employment or affiliation with those organizations. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. GEICO Gecko image © 1999-2018. © 2018 GEICO

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PHOTO CREDIT: SOLDIERON

Always Alpha Phi

Sports Therapy

B

BETA THETA-BRITISH COLUMBIA BATTLING DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY FOLLOWING A SEXUAL

assault several years ago, NICOLE (NIKKI) BARNETT MURILLO (BETA THETA-BRITISH COLUMBIA) , a lieutenant in the Canadian Navy, was having a difficult time even leaving her house. She would go to her job as a public affairs officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, then go home and spend time with her dog Lola (pictured). But that changed when she was selected out of more than 700 applicants as one of just 39 Canadian athletes to compete in the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney, Australia. The word “invictus” means “unconquered” and, as the Games website explains, “It embodies the fighting spirit of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and personifies what these tenacious men and women can achieve post injury.” Created in 2014 by HRH the Duke of Sussex, otherwise known as Prince Harry,

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the games aim to “harness the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who serve their country.” Nikki competed in power lifting (adaptive bench press) and archery, a sport she’d never participated in before but found calming, “almost meditation-like, which really helps my depression and anxiety.” That renewed sense of calm was just part of the power of healing Nikki experienced firsthand. “The physical, social and emotional benefit of sport have played a huge role in my recovery,” Nikki explains.

She also says training five or six days a week gave her “purpose and something to look forward to.” It got her active again and introduced her to likeminded people.

“I have a new family of people that understand what I’m dealing with,” she says. “They’ve helped me accept my new ‘normal,’ and they are there to get me through the rough days. Each and every member of the team inspires me, and I can’t believe someone decided I was worthy enough to stand beside these incredible men and women.” Her Ontario and British Columbia Alpha Phi family has also been a strong and steady positive influence throughout everything.

“No matter where I go, I will always have sisters to support me,” says Nikki who encourages others with mental health issues to reach out to their sisters. As Nikki notes, “Prince Harry started the Invictus Games because he knows how the power of sport can help heal. Don’t be afraid to try something new (like archery!) and find what works for you.” Nikki placed 6th in lifting and took home the silver medal in archery. 

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ZETA ALPHA-EASTERN ILLINOIS

Flight Lessons

In education circles everywhere, the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) are getting well-deserved attention. At the same time, experts predict a shortage of airline pilots. This combination of facts inspired Kathryn Young Lavery (Zeta Alpha-Eastern Illinois) to merge her love of flying (she was a flight attendant for seven years) with her experience as a science and math teacher. This past fall, she and her husband, a Delta pilot, opened The STEM Hangar, a 3,125-squarefoot flight-themed facility in Woodstock, Georgia. The unique education destination offers STEM enrichment classes and camps to children in Kindergarten through 8th grade. “Students can learn to fly in our student flight simulator, have fun in virtual reality, compete in robotics, investigate in a science lab, and invent, create, and code in our Makerspace,” she describes. There’s even a 30-seat mock airplane for birthday parties. “My best moment so far was after one of our first classes when a 5-year-old boy was leaving, and he stopped, looked back, and said, ‘Thanks for the best day ever!’” Kathryn says. Sounds like her idea is really taking off.

The reception desk at the STEM Hangar is the actual fuselage from a plane

GAMMA PI-ARIZONA STATE

WOMEN UNITED

Adding to her volunteer commitments with Alpha Phi, including as a member of the Extension Committee and Foundation Strategic Planning Committee, Jennifer Holsman Tetreault (Gamma PiArizona State) was recently selected to serve on the Women United Global

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Leadership Council, an advisory body that provides strategic recommendations to United Way Worldwide. “I am excited about being a part of this strategic and creative work, and look forward to bringing many of these advocacy and programmatic elements to our local Women United,” Jennifer says.

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Q

Always Alpha Phi

Wedding Bells

Alpha Phi Authors OMEGA-TEXAS

No Bones About It When Suzanne Carlisle Crowley (Omega-Texas) began writing, it was on paper she would staple together to BETA NU-DUKE

At her June wedding in the Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia area, Heather Wiese Herrmann (Beta Nu-Duke) was surrounded by Alpha Phis. “I was so lucky to have everyone present at the wedding, including my Little’s coBig,” Heather says. Pictured are Duke (Beta Nu) sisters (from left to right) Kiley Samz, Bethany Bosley Donnalley, Heather Wiese Herrmann, Anna Schroeder Taylor and Melanie Heredia.

ALPHA-SYRACUSE

After traveling as an ELC in 2013-2014, Kathryn (Katie) Madden Ahern (Alpha-Syracuse) returned to her hometown in New Hampshire where she reconnected with her high school friend Tim Ahern. This past fall, she married Tim in a ceremony in Rye, N.H., with Alpha Phi spirit all around, beginning with their invitations, designed by Katie’s bridesmaid Cameron Boardman (Alpha-Syracuse), continuing to their wedding registry—Katie included a link to donate to the Foundation—and finally in her “something blue,” as Katie wore her Alpha Phi ELC badge.

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Alpha Phi Quarterly

resemble a book. In middle school, she graduated to a typewriter, penning full-length chapter books; then, in GAMMA PI-ARIZONA STATE

Seeing Stars From an ongoing children’s series about her rescue kitten to a pirate-themed romance, Traci E. Langston (Gamma Pi-Arizona State) has a wide writing range, especially considering she only started publishing at the age of 50. In between those extremes is her new, self-published book, “Dear Celebrity: One Woman’s Search for Love Among the Stars.” In it, Traci tells of her real-life successes, failures and funny stories about writing letters to celebrities, “not asking for a photo or an autograph, but for a relationship,” she explains. She is currently working on her next romance novella.

2007, Suzanne hit the big-time when HarperCollins picked up her tweentargeted “The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous,” which is now available in hardcover, paperback and digital versions. Since then, Suzanne has had three more books published.

Her most recent middle-grade novel, “Finding Esme,” debuted this past summer. The story focuses on what happens when 12-year-old Esme discovers dinosaur bones on her family’s Texas peach farm. Suzanne includes elements of her own family in this tale that taps into her “long fascination with archaeology and paleontology.” Plus, being set in Texas, Suzanne says, “Lots of old family legends, folklore and funny southern sayings make an appearance.” At book signings, Suzanne is often asked about her writing process. “It’s not very glamorous (and it’s sometimes very painful),” she admits. “Write, repeat, then make it pretty.” Next up for her is an unnamed “scary dystopian,” she says. “Think ‘Hunger Games’ meets ‘The Scarlet Letter.’”

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Reunions and Anniversaries

CHI-MONTANA

It was the 100th anniversary for Montana (Chi) this past October, including Oct. 1 being declared Chi Chapter Day in Missoula in honor of the chapter’s longevity. Held during homecoming weekend, the centennial celebration was topped off with a banquet for more than 250 people, where each decade of sisters led a song. “It was a reminder to all of us collegians to treasure each moment we have with each other,” says Hailey Hall, current chapter vice president of marketing.

EPSILON UPSILON-CSU NORTHRIDGE

A group of eight sisters from the 1989 CSU Northridge (Epsilon Upsilon) pledge class gathered for their 30-year reunion in July. Pictured from left to right are Jolie Broder Harrison, Ginger Johnson Hoolahan, Lynn Hopkins Howard, Rosie Rubio Marton, Meg Harrington Randazzo, Corinna Folick Mosher, Janene Goldberg Scurfield and Elham Homayounjam Zolikha.

PSI-SOUTH DAKOTA When the South Dakota (Psi) 2010 pledge class graduated, the women decided to try to organize a reunion trip every four years to stay in touch. So far, so good. Their first gathering was in Boulder, where one event was the Wig Night Out, which inspired some colorful faux hairdos.

BETA DELTA-UCLA

Alpha Phis from the UCLA (Beta Delta) pledge classes of 1983 to 1988 got together over the summer at the home of Alison Daly Van Dyke (Beta Delta-UCLA).

GAMMA OMICRON-DRAKE

In 1968, 15 Alpha Phi women graduated from Drake (Gamma Omicron). Fast forward 50 years, and 12 of those women reunited at last spring’s Drake Relay weekend. The collegiate Alpha Phis hosted a brunch and opened up the chapter room for the alumnae to hold a memorial service for Mary Gneiser Atkinson (Gamma Omicron-Drake). At Sally Meyer’s (Gamma Omicron-Drake) house in nearby Des Moines, they perused memorabilia, reminisced, and talked and toasted. Ann Wilson Goodrich (Gamma Omicron-Drake) says the sisters are already planning a reunion for next year. “We found our sisterly bonds were still so strong that we wouldn’t let another 50 years go by.” Pictured are (back row, left to right) Jane Kovach Prugh, Marsha Wright Linder, Sally Meyer, Polly Sunder Ross, Ann Wilson Goodrich, Julie Cerio DeHaan and Shelley Dawson; (front row, left to right) Susan Givens Skillman, Constance (Connie) Turner Washburn, Kathryn (Katy) Rigg Jenkins, Nancy Laster Burke and Anne Burrows Gonzales.

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DELTA XI-NEBRASKA KEARNEY

More than 250 Delta Xi (Nebraska Kearney) alumnae celebrated the chapter’s 55th anniversary with a weekend of festivities, including a brunch at the chapter house and watching the homecoming parade. A reunion banquet featured Delta Xi sisters Jessica Goebel Cogswell and Diane Gabrukiewicz Bystrom who spoke about the influence of Alpha Phi on their lives and careers. Collegians shared their recruitment door songs.

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Q

Always Alpha Phi

The Wedding Planner

W BETA BETA-MICHIGAN STATE

WHILE PLANNING HER WEDDING, CAMRYN FIKS GINSBERG (BETA BETA-MICHIGAN STATE)

CLARY PFEIFFER PHOTOGRAPHY

stumbled upon her career path. “I found that I’m very passionate about creating personalized and thoughtfully designed events,” she explains. Rather than stressful and tedious, Camryn says, “I took great pride in planning every small detail.” Even her friends noticed her expertise and asked if she could plan their weddings too. “A few months later, I decided to take the leap to open my own business and pursue my passion.” Thus was born Chicago-based Camryn Brook Events. Camryn points to her officer roles in Alpha Phi, including as chapter president, as grooming her into a strong leader and instilling organizational skills that are critical to her business. Camryn’s work has been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides and Style Me Pretty. She says, “It’s been so exciting and rewarding creating events to celebrate life’s most important occasions.”

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Alpha Phi Quarterly

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THETA-MICHIGAN

Lasting Impact A bond that began in a house on Hill Street in Ann Arbor, Mich., will go on to change the lives of Alpha Phis for generations to come. When Beverly Lasher (Theta-Michigan) joined Alpha Phi in 1947, she found a group of women that made the University of Michigan feel like home. After graduating as a proud Wolverine, Beverly’s journey took her on a circuitous path to owning her own business in Birmingham, Mich., and eventually retiring to Hilton Head Island.

Her friends knew her as a woman of true character and integrity, of strength and determination, with an infectious laugh and love of life. She was, to them, a wonderful mentor and an example of grace and style. Now, they will know her as a woman who invested in the potential of her sisters. Upon her passing in 2016, Beverly left a wish to see her sisters continue their studies toward advanced degrees to benefit their communities. Through her $1,073,756 bequest, the largest Alpha Phi Foundation has received to date, the Beverly Lasher Memorial Scholarship grants Beverly’s fellow Wolverines the means to attend graduate school. Her faith in women will change the lives of her sisters for generations to come. Beverly is pictured in this University of Michigan publication top row, second from the right, with her Alpha Phi sisters.

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EPSILON DELTA-NORTHERN ILLINOIS

Here’s To Her Health We send out an Alpha Phi cheer to Jennifer Hutchinson Frobish (Epsilon Delta-Northern Illinois) for marking one year cancerfree. The former Alpha Phi International director of training and development is pictured here (third from the right) at Siteman Cancer Center in Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis with friends (left to right) Jaime Alsup Ryberg (Theta Gamma-Truman State), Leslie Ferguson (Phi-Oklahoma), Liz Snider (Gamma Epsilon-Lake Forest) and Michelle Connell Stevens (Epsilon Phi-NC State).

Alpha Phi Quarterly

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Always Alpha Phi

DELTA GAMMA-NORTHERN COLORADO

Top-Level Advocate Last August, Lynn Mestnik Johnson (Delta GammaNorthern Colorado) went from nominee to confirmed assistant secretary for family support in the federal Department of Health and Human Services. She credits Alpha Phi for helping to get her there. “The experiences I have had as an Alpha Phi have helped me to move into this type of position,” she says. Prior to this, Lynn (pictured below second from right) spent much of her career as a probation officer, worked for thenColorado Gov. Bill Owens, and later as the executive director of the Jefferson County Department of Human Services in Colorado, where she supervised the county’s Head Start program. Although Lynn sees challenges in her new position, she notes, “I truly believe that as a great country, we can do so much better to reduce abuse and neglect of children and seniors, end poverty, and serve our most vulnerable populations with the dignity and respect each and every person deserves.”

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Alpha Phi Quarterly

BETA DELTA-UCLA

RHO-OHIO STATE

Learning to Lead

Each year, the Dallas Regional Chamber selects up to 55 individuals to participate in Leadership Dallas, a 10-month educational program that prepares them to serve as agents of positive change in the community. This year, Sara Kite (RhoOhio State) was among those chosen for this esteemed group. The former Educational Leadership Consultant works for AT&T as regional operations director, products and marketing. Sara is looking forward to growing her awareness and understanding of the challenges and issues facing her region’s community and notes, “I am where I am today because of the relationships I formed in Alpha Phi.”

Rosy Outlook On New Year’s Day, millions of viewers tuned in to watch the Tournament of Roses, including the iconic, Rose Parade, this year celebrating its 130th anniversary.

Helping to make it all happen behind the scenes was the event’s Executive Vice President Laura Farber (Beta Delta-UCLA), the third woman and only first Latina to ever serve in this role. Laura has been volunteering with the Tournament of Roses for 25 years, first as a committee member, then vice-chair, chair and director. In 2012, she was asked to join the executive committee as vice president and will become president for the 2020 parade. She has enjoyed being part of the festivities and says, “I love bringing joy and hope to the world in our New Year’s celebration via the parade and the Rose Bowl game.”

Laura Farber with her husband and children WI NTE R 2019

IOTA DELTA-RHODE ISLAND

Home to Help IOTA BETA-ST. MARY’S

Winning Workout Some alumnae like to meet up for coffee or dinner. Vanessa Garza (Iota Beta-St. Mary’s) and Maria Garcia Casteneda (Iota Beta-St. Mary’s) recently met to sweat it out at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, for the 10th anniversary Camp Gladiator Stadium Takeover. Camp Gladiator, a fitness program launched in 2008 by “American Gladiators” husband-and-wife champions, has about 3,500 locations around the country. At this special event, Vanessa and Maria dashed up, down, around and through the stadium concourse, bleachers and field, while working out at 10 fitness stations.

“The goal was to show people that everyone can win at their fitness,” Vanessa says.

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After a nationwide search, Cortney Mahoney Nicolato (Iota Delta-Rhode Island) was chosen to serve as president and CEO of United Way of Rhode Island. With this position bringing her back to her home state, Cortney says, “I am so humbled by the opportunity to come home and serve the community that means so much to me.”

She was previously CEO of The Senior Source, a social services nonprofit serving older adults in North Texas, and an executive for the American Heart Association’s National Center. “My career has been centered on impacting lives using innovative approaches, and I am thrilled to build on the great work already happening at United Way of Rhode Island,” she notes, adding that she understands the struggles many locals face and is focused on breaking the cycle.

“About a quarter of our population live at or below the federal poverty line. These community members have to make tragic decisions every day, like where to sleep that night or whether one can afford to eat that day,” says Cortney who is looking forward to contributing “to the wellbeing of our community, through collaboration, grant making and advocacy.”

Alpha Phi Quarterly

39

Silent Chapter

“ This is goodnight, but not goodbye.”

— “Linger”

We honor our sisters whose notification of passing we received between July 27, 2018 and Oct. 25, 2018. Silent chapter notes may be submitted via alphaphi.org (keyword: silent chapter) or to quarterly@alphaphi.org.

Please note: year in parenthesis is year of initiation.

Arizona (Beta Epsilon)

Michigan (Theta)

Ashland (Epsilon Alpha)

Minnesota (Epsilon)

Maureen McGavock (‘78) Louise Swinney Ingram (‘46) Caren Parker Gout (‘67) Michelle Somogyi Meneth (‘91)

Bowling Green (Beta Omicron) Kathryn Cook Crider (‘44)

Colorado (Beta Gamma) Betty Dimmitt Frye (‘39)

Missouri (Omicron)

Dixie Brunkow Kennedy (‘56) Patricia Barnes Scales (‘57) Sallyanne Brink Naile (‘81)

Mary Thompson Gleason (‘55) Catherine Collins Majek (‘75) Norma McClellan Shehan (‘54) Elizabeth Bloom Weaver (‘54)

Denison (Beta Kappa)

Barbara Baker Vliet (‘44)

Nebraska (Nu)

Evelyn Court Anderson (‘50) Ruth Hight Dowd Boeka (‘55) Marilyn Coupe Gangel (‘49) Kay Kinsey Hall (‘46) Patsy Miller Hosman (‘13)

Nebraska Kearney (Delta Xi)

DePauw (Gamma)

Evelyn Hartford Horton (‘50)

Drake (Gamma Omicron)

Beverly Castner Miller (‘62) Amanda Wilken (‘13)

Sue Coffey Holtz (‘67)

Newberry (Zeta Eta)

Iris Jennings Rodelsperger (‘77)

North Dakota (Pi)

Barbara Norman Maddock (‘36)

Idaho (Beta Zeta)

Frances Schodde Burgess (‘47)

Kansas (Gamma Delta)

Barbara Linn Lindstrom (‘59)

Kent State (Beta Omega)

Phyllis Johnson Steele (‘51)

Longwood (Epsilon Epsilon) Deborah Bailey (‘75)

Maine (Delta Nu)

Judith Grout Savary (‘66)

Manitoba (Beta Eta)

Betty Morton Christian (‘40)

Miami University (Gamma Nu)

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Dawn Lindgren (‘85) Marguerite Olsen Mason (‘45)

Murray State (Zeta Zeta)

Cornell (Delta)

Elise Earley (‘14)

Marysue Quinn Fraser (‘46) Sandra Brown Tyson (‘50)

North Texas (Gamma Eta)

Oregon (Tau)

UC Davis (Epsilon Rho)

Oregon State (Beta Upsilon)

UCLA (Beta Delta)

Suzanne Bollay Kiesz (‘63) Barbara Owens Pierce (‘50)

Puget Sound (Gamma Zeta) Sheila Kamil (‘78)

Purdue (Delta Mu)

Washington (Sigma)

San Diego State (Gamma Alpha)

Washington State (Beta Rho)

Lois Johnston Larson (‘48)

Judith Scott Knierim (‘54) Joanne Grant Querin (‘50)

South Dakota (Psi)

Mary Lee Novotny (‘64)

St. Mary’s (Iota Beta)

Manuela Rivera Weaver (‘05)

SUNY Plattsburgh (Theta Psi) Christine Morse Sicko (‘01)

Syracuse (Alpha)

Texas (Omega)

Ohio State (Rho)

Sally Richards Schmuck (‘52) Ann Crawford Sowers (‘48) Ann Wittmer (‘54)

Alpha Phi Quarterly

Janis Hornby Elliott (‘47)

Rollins (Beta Lambda)

Northwestern (Beta)

Sara Barr Caldwell (‘59) Joann Brick Griffith (‘53) Jean McCracken MacDonald (‘38) Dorothy Fineron Neumann (‘45) Angela Nielsen Park (‘98) Emily Villars Zander (‘42)

USC (Beta Pi)

Washburn (Upsilon)

Marilyn Valskamp Weems (‘80)

Northern Iowa (Epsilon Theta)

Audrey Hughes Cummings (‘40) Barbara Hull English (‘73)

Barbara Ducker Chin (‘82) Michele McGaffic Drennan (‘79) Vicki Solgere (‘80)

Patricia Harding Appelbaum (‘50) Rae Kesner Maltby Butler (‘60) Barbara Bark Shaul (‘43) Virginia Will Yeager (‘42)

Kristina Reemtsma Simpson (‘84)

Anne Wilson Warner (‘76)

Maxine Walters McEnroe (‘44) Sheila Bray Stewart (‘58) Dorothy Dakan Cardiff (‘63) Lois Munter Dobish (‘56)

West Virginia (Beta Iota)

Helen Brown Dotson (‘59) Elizabeth Stine Harris (‘54)

Whitman (Beta Phi)

Doyle McKenzie Doherty (‘53) Margaret Ramsey Laughlin (‘52) Barbara House Lienhard (‘52)

Wichita State (Gamma Xi)

Tonie Brabham Southard (‘70)

Wisconsin (Iota)

Laura Lave Dunlop (‘38) Mary Lee Huff Miller (‘78) 

Nanine Wheeler Allender (‘35) Mary Love Gaither (‘47) Lucy Speaker Grant (‘52) Bette Pringle Magee (‘57) Emily Moore Seay (‘45)

Texas Tech (Gamma Iota)

Rhoena Koepf Hopkins (‘62)

UC Berkeley (Lambda) Patricia O’Grady (‘53)

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What’s On Your Social Media Feed?

We’ve tapped three sisters with huge followings to share their secrets to social media success.

Alyssa Light (Beta Pi-USC)

Instagram and Twitter: @iamalyssalight

Keaton Milburn (Gamma Pi-Arizona State) YouTube and Instagram: @kkeeeaattoonn I use social media as an outlet to express myself, whether sharing fashion, makeup or everyday life.

YouTube is my main social media outlet that I use to talk about my college experience and sorority life.

I use social media as a form of expression. . . . When I first began using social media, I was around the age of 12, uploading covers to my favorite songs onto YouTube. From that, I was provided with various other opportunities.

Social media helps expand my career or network with auditions for NBC’s “The Voice,” photo shoots and casting for brands and labels that I love such as Fenty and Adidas, as well as opportunities to record original music.

Social media helps expand my career or network because I now look at YouTube as a full-time job ... It’s helped me really branch out and learn to market myself.

A good post shows that what you are doing is of importance to you. ... Remember that we don’t have to share everything on social media.

Social media categories I love: favorite clothing lines, designers, models, musicians and bands, because it’s a great way to get inspiration.

A good post shows your most authentic self. ...Talking about what’s going on in your life at the moment or vlogging everyday life.

People I follow: YouTubers Lauren Elizabeth and Jaclyn Hill

Kendall Visser (Beta Epsilon-Arizona) Instagram: @kendallvisser I use social media primarily to connect with family and friends.

I also use it to promote myself in my industry as a model.

Social media helps expand my career or network because casting directors, photographers and even designers can look to my Instagram and get a good feel of what my look/vibe is.

A good post is a true reflection of you. ... It’s about staying true to what interests you and not what you think other people want to see.

People I follow: @sarahbahbah and @chrissyteigen  WI NTE R 2019

Alpha Phi Quarterly

41

Ask Martha

On a recent flight home to see my parents, I got to chatting with the gentleman sitting next to me. I was enjoying the conversation and pleased to have someone to help pass the time. But then he asked about the logo on my hat. I told him it was my Alpha Phi sorority logo—and that’s when everything changed. He said, “Oh,” and I could

see that he was suddently passing judgments on me. I felt deflated and flustered, so I excused myself to the lavatory. When I returned, he was reading with his headphones on. I just wasn’t prepared for that negative response and didn’t know what to say. What do you suggest if that happens again?

— Disappointed, but Determined

Dear DD, There is a lot to say on this matter, even more than we have room for here, but I’m giving you a start, breaking it down into categories with compelling comebacks for each.

FRIENDSHIPS

“Some collegians meet their best friends as members of a singing group, a sports team, an art club or any number of different organizations on campus. As a member of Alpha Phi, I was introduced to a group of women

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who share common values and goals, women who are smart, driven, funny, athletic and passionate; women who became my fast and lifelong friends.”

PHILANTHROPY

“Every year, members of the Greek community across the board volunteer more than 10 million hours to charitable causes and donate over $7 million to hundreds of philanthropies. As an Alpha Phi, service represents one of our six core values.

Our chapters complete 160,000 hours of community service each year, and in support of our Foundation’s philanthropic focus to improve

Alpha Phi Quarterly

women’s heart health, our chapters lead education and awareness campaigns throughout the year.”

EMPOWERMENT

“As an Alpha Phi, my sisters push me to do more than I ever thought possible, including becoming a leader on campus. In fact, over 85 percent of student leaders

overall are part of a Greek organization. It makes sense, because we have the support and encouragement from an incredibly positive group of people who stick by us and rally around us through good times and challenging ones.”

NETWORKING

“When I move, travel or look for a job, I will always reach out to my Alpha Phi sisters first. No matter their chapter or graduating year, the common bond between us provides me with an instant connection. If job searches are all about who you know, then my circle got a whole lot wider the day I became a member of Alpha Phi, and for that, I am forever grateful.” 

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Trending

Samorga Organizer Is your big, beautiful bag a dark abyss of the unknown? These clever felt organizers create order out of the chaos and come in various fits and colors.

Lo & Sons O.G. Edgemont Spacious and lightweight, this waterresistant tote is made from recycled plastic bottles. The padded laptop compartment detaches, so you can easily unload when you need to. Plus, with a few zips and snaps, it converts to a backpack.

Kanken Backpack Made in Sweden and named for the arctic fox, Fjällräven began with backpacks for school children, but has graduated to grownups too. The durable bags can be selected in fun color combos.

Form and Function

You’ve got stuff to carry to work or school, so pack it right with bags of beauty and brawn.

Everlane Form Bag This Italian leather bag exudes sophistication, and is roomy enough for a 13-inch laptop. The adjustable strap is a nice touch, or you can even make it a cross-body.

Dagne Dover Classic Tote Keep your keys on the handy leash, your laptop cushioned, and your water bottle contained in its own pouch in this sleek and spacious day-tonight bag.

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Haute Shore Leopard Bag Fill this show stopper with everything and carry it anywhere.

The neoprene material is built to last and a whole lot lighter on your wallet than leather.

Briggs & Riley Backpack This simple, smart backpack holds plenty of secret compartments that make storing and finding everything a breeze.

Alpha Phi Quarterly

43

Now & Then

Madame Presidents There have been many International Presidents in the history of Alpha Phi. Each one has brought her own strengths and individual personality to the position, leading it forward through the decades. No matter the changes, though, each has presided over the Fraternity’s mission to “uphold her high ideals of womanhood, of scholarship, and of service and to perpetuate her spirit of sisterly love and kindness.” Here, the newest International President and the oldest living International President compare their experiences.

Renee Smith Zimmerman Zainer

(BETA EPSILON-ARIZONA)

Continuing to ensure the future of the organization.

Topics such as membership contraction, financial result of contraction and campus suspensions are pressing topics that threaten the future.

Growth of membership including new chapters, financial sustainability, creating a membership experience that is unprecedented

P ressing topics of concer n for the board

Goals for the board

Nancy Wittgen DeVoe

(GAMMA-DEPAUW)

That was back in an interesting time when the universities wanted to see each organization’s constitution… We didn’t have any discriminatory clauses in ours. I was very proud of Alpha Phi. Another area I’m proud of is that we started Alpha Phi down the path of operating more as a business.

The main focus is what it always is: chapter size and strength.

At the Executive Office

Board meeting locations

We held most of the meetings at the Executive Office, which at the time was called the Executive House.

[Nancy changed the name to the Executive Office so we would be more professional.]

Basecamp, email, conference calls and group chat

Board director communication

That was really old times… we’d communicate by phone.

We called each other and sent mail. Everything had to be printed out. We wanted to get a collator… I remember when we got our first huge computer, an IBM 3600.

The majority of board directors work outside of the board position they hold. We have a dentist, teacher, government employee, senior recruiter, commercial real estate agent and many other volunteer roles in their community.

Contraction Growth Basecamp

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Name

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Board directors’ work outside of volunteering

There were only five people on the Board at the time and about half of them worked.

Discriminatory clauses Growth Phone calls

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Q

Iconic

Working in Colors On Oct. 12, 1975, more than 300 Alpha Phis and guests attended the dedication of the new Executive Office at 1930 Sherman Avenue in Evanston, Ill. Officers spanning a period of the previous 30 years signed the guestbook that day, and collegians from Minnesota (Epsilon) drove eight hours just to be there. In those years, the Quarterly was mostly black and white, but for the Winter 1976 issue, the publication featured an eight-page color insert to showcase the new headquarters. These are a few of the photos of the interior design that reflected the times in all of its rainbow-hued glory.

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

I believe in lifelong membership.

I believe in supporting those sisters that come after me, so that they too may find love and loyalty, sympathy and understanding, inspiration and opportunity.

ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS TO SUPPORT ALPHA PHI IS TO PAY YOUR DUES. In less than five minutes, you can check this off your to-do list!

You can now pay your lifetime dues in installments of $37.50 each month. If you choose to pay your annual dues of $38.46, it is equivalent to just over $3 a month. Pay by credit card online at www.AlphaPhiDues.com.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE MY  Annual alumnae dues payment of $38.46 (dues paid through June 30, 2019).

Special Offer!

Pay your lifetime dues today and receive a special Alpha Phi gift!

 Lifetime alumnae dues payment of $450.  Lifetime alumnae dues installment payment of $37.50.

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PAYMENT  Pay by Check and mail this form to:

Alpha Phi International Fraternity Inc. Official Lockbox 27687 Network Place Chicago, IL 60673-1276

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