Inspiring Opportunity The Alpha Xi Delta Foundation newsletter Summer 2013
Welcome
Summer 2013 has been an exciting one for Alpha Xi Delta and the Foundation. As we gathered with Sisters new and old in San Francisco for our 50th National Convention and celebrated more than 120 years of Sisterhood, we found many reasons to remember our Founders and give thanks for their vision. For those that could not be there in California this summer, there are a number of ways for you to share in our memories. We hope this edition of Inspiring Opportunity will give you a small taste of the fun. For a little more energy and action, visit our blog at www.theinsideink.org to see our Convention recap video.
Shining Stars
The Shining Star program was introduced in 2007 at Alpha Xi Delta’s National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was designed as an opportunity to show gratitude and recognize inspiring Sisters while supporting the Alpha Xi Delta Foundation. All gifts help the Foundation fulfill its mission of supporting Alpha Xi Delta Sisters pose for a the Fraternity’s educational photo in front of the Shining Star and leadership development GalaxXi at National Convention. programs; providing and continuing to expand scholarships, grants and member-support funds; and encouraging philanthropy. The sky was the limit with this year’s Shining Stars in San Francisco! The final numbers are in and we are excited to share that 2,243 stars were purchased by 365 donors raising $12,000 for the Alpha Xi Delta Foundation. This is double the amount that the Shining Star program raised in 2011! Convention inspired other giving as well. The combined total of Shining Stars, Leadership Coach, endowments and other special gifts is $62,000!
Inside This Issue... Welcome
Shining Stars A Reception with the Foundation Trustees Meet Xi Elite A Special Gift Announcement Other Ways to Give Dorothy Dodd Grant Recipients
Inspiring
Summer 2013
A Reception with the Foundation Trustees After an afternoon of sightseeing and enjoying all that San Francisco has to offer, Foundation Trustees welcomed Foundation donors giving at the Mary Burt Nash Society level or higher, as well as members of the Society of 1893 and other planned giving donors. We gathered for a dessert reception overlooking the city prior to heading over to the Julia Morgan Ballroom for the Awards Celebration.
National President Sandi Edwards with one of Alpha Xi Delta’s 2013 Women of Distinction, Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Weiner.
Julie Lambert, Orgeon State '81, Alpha Xi Delta Foundation Chair Jane Fursey Ralston, Mount Union '65, and Cheryl Weldon, Georgia Tech '81.
Nickie Hill, Purdue '44, and Marianne Russo, Cal State, Northridge '82.
Meet Xi Elite Based on a flash mentoring concept, similar to “speed dating,” the Meet Xi Elite program was designed to honor members of Alpha Xi Delta’s Heart Sunshine Circle (HSC), a special group of undergraduate Sisters who contributed at least $18.93 to the Foundation in the previous year. The mentors for this program were Alpha Xi Delta’s current and past National Presidents: Sandi Edwards, Kentucky '75, current National President; Linda Belles Alpha Xi Delta’s current and past National Presidents served as Dinus, Washington '60, (1993-1997); mentors during the Meet Xi Elite program at the 2013 Convention. Kim Starr, Kentucky '79, (1997-2001); Jane Hooper Sutton, Western Carolina '75, (2001-2005); Debbie Fenwick Maas, Marshall '83, (2005-2007); and Deanna Detchemendy, Cal State, Northridge '83, (2007-2011). During the program, small groups of HSC women were provided with short-term mentoring sessions with these Alpha Xi Delta leaders to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and experience. Our wonderful Foundation Trustees served as facilitators to ask the initial questions and facilitate conversation.
Opportunity
Summer 2013
Foundation Receives Largest Gift in History The Foundation was very honored to announce a special gift while in San Francisco. Alpha Xi Delta Foundation has received a $1.2 million unrestricted gift from the estate of Helen Lee Wayne Riddle, Oklahoma '47. The largest in Alpha Xi Delta’s history, this gift will provide support for the Fraternity’s priority educational programs that inspire bold and talented leaders for today and tomorrow. Helen Lee Wayne Riddle was born and raised in Enid, Oklahoma. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1948 with a bachelor of science in home economics. While at Oklahoma, she met Edd Riddle, a petroleum engineering student. The couple married in 1951. Lee was initiated into Alpha Zeta Chapter at the University of Oklahoma in August 1947.
Her Alpha Zeta Sisters remember her sense of humor and bubbly personality. While never a donor to Alpha Xi Delta in her lifetime, Lee named Alpha Xi Delta in her estate plans. A World War II Army pilot and retired petroleum geologist, Edd Riddle passed away in 2000. Lee Riddle passed away in 2010. “This gift brings great joy though we regret we didn’t know about Lee’s plans for Alpha Xi Delta during her lifetime. None of us will ever be able to say thank you in person. But we will be good stewards of Lee’s gift. She will have a lasting impact on Alpha Xi Above: Lee Riddle and her husband, Delta and help shape the future for Edd. young women,” said Jane Ralston, Alpha Xi Delta Foundation Chair. StrengthsQuest™ Program helping women maximize their strengths The gift will support Alpha and do what they do best. Xi Delta’s Leadership Coach Program focusing on personal and leadership development and
Other Ways to Give
As you work on your giving plan for the year, please don’t forget about matching gifts. The impact of your gift may be doubled or possibly tripled! Some companies match gifts made to tax deductible organizations. To find out if your company has a matching gift policy, check with your company’s human resources department. Matching gifts do count toward your cumulative giving level. Also, as a reminder, don’t forget our E-Xi Give program! When you enroll, your gift will automatically transfer from your checking account or be billed to your credit or debit card. You determine how much and often you give. Visit www.alphaxidelta.org to get the E-Xi Give enrollment form.
Save the Date! Alpha Xi Delta’s 2015 National Convention will take place July 1-4, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts, at the Sheraton Boston Hotel!
Summer 2013
Dorothy Dodd Grant Recipients Dorothy Dodd Panhellenic Leadership Grants are awarded to an Alpha Xi Delta Panhellenic delegate or Panhellenic officer on campus to further leadership abilities and foster Panhellenic values. This grant provides funding to the Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (UIFI) sponsored by North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). This year, the Foundation awarded four grants to Suzie Coco, Alabama at Birmingham '11, Lakyn Martin, Auburn '12, Addela Marzofka, Wisconsin-Oshkosh '10, and Diana Nguyen, Worcester Polytechnic '11. In this edition of Inspiring Opportunity, we highlight Diana Nguyen’s thoughts on receiving this grant and her experience attending UIFI. “As Panhellenic President at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) this year, I wanted to attend UIFI so I could develop my skills and use them to make a big impact on the WPI Fraternity and Sorority community.
I found three other women at UIFI that are also panhellenic presidents, and we were able to bond and talk about common concerns and issues as well as successes and ideas. It was great to hear others’ ideas and think about how I can take them back to my campus.
others and have great, random conversations.
I would like to thank the Foundation and its supporters for this opportunity. I appreciate your investment in me and in UIFI. Through this, I have a better understanding of Alpha Xi Delta as a whole. This experience will I am glad that others from WPI resonate with me throughout my also had the opportunity to attend life, and I want to be able to pay it UIFI this summer. After this forward.” experience, we can use each other as support and share our plans and passions as we talk about how to implement a real and effective change on our campus. Looking back at my UIFI experience, there were two things that I really enjoyed. The first was hearing the UIFI interns talk about overcoming difficult choices and the courage it takes to ask hard questions, to face issues that need to be faced and to stop worrying about what others may think of you. The second thing I enjoyed was the bus rides to and from events, where I got to meet
Diana (left) with Lakyn Martin, Auburn '12, at the Beta Pi Chapter house at Indiana University.
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