2015 National Convention Edition - DST Midwest Missile

MIDWESTMissile THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED – MIDWEST REGION

GREETINGS We did it!!!! Thank you so much for the support for our first year serving this AWESOME region. Everyone has been so good to us this year and we know that 2014-‐2015 was productive for our chapters because we received over 200 applications for the Midwest Region Awards -‐ this is Magnificent!

I have to personally thank the Midwest Leadership Team for their dedication and determination to make sure we magnify the mighty in the Midwest. Every State Coordinator, State Facilitator and Regional Coordinator personally took the time to reach out to chapters and made sure we truly followed the guidelines, policies & procedures and implemented our five point programmatic thrust. This team is Marvelous!

In May of 2015 the Midwest graduated 175 Collegiate Sorors…. This is definitely something to be proud of, but leaving the undergraduate experience in Delta should only be a rite of passage. We will be forwarding every graduate’s e-‐mail to the Collegiate Transition Task Force (﴾CTT)﴿ so they transition to the Alumnae chapters with ease.

Congratulations Graduates!

As we start the 2015-‐2016 fiscal year, please remember that EVERY chapter needs to be in compliance by September 1st… so we need for you to complete all of the necessary forms ASAP. But that’s not it, we hope to encourage each Soror to become a better Delta. How? By attending the State Clusters that we will roll out this fall.

Our goal is to use this year to Educate and Motivate!

Keep up the AWESOME work as we continue to Magnify the Mighty in the Midwest!

Mona Y Davenport

Mona Y. Davenport, PhD Midwest Regional Director

Howdy To the Mighty Sorors of the MidWest,

I am excited to be here at the 52nd National Convention with you all. I must say that I am thrilled and overwhelmed with this being my first national convention, but I know this experience will be one for the scrapbook. I would like to thank each and every one of you for being here and doing the work of Delta. I hope that this convention is as fun and memorable for you as it is for me.

Also a special welcome to our sisterhood luncheon. This is the time we take to recognize some of our outstanding Sorors and Chapters in the Midwest. I have seen the things we are doing in this region, and I must say it makes me honored to call you all my sisters.

This past fiscal year I have had the opportunity to learn so much about our sorority and meet so many phenomenal Sorors. I look forward to continuing the journey this upcoming year, as well as meeting more of you all. We have our upcoming Midwest Clusters, so I want to thank you all for your participation in advance. Start saving those coins because after this convention there will be much work to be done. See you all again soon!

Shaquira Robinson

Shaquira Robinson Midwest Regional Representative

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PROGRAM MIDWEST Region Sisterhood Luncheon Presiding: Soraya Farver and Shantel Franklin Theme: How the MidWEST was ONE! Processional Welcome Shaquira Robinson, Midwest Regional Representative Greetings Marcia L. Fudge, Esq., 21st National President Introduction of the Dais Dr. Shawn Peoples, Midwest Regional Secretary Performance Midwest Region Choir Blessing of the Food Rev. Marilyn Barnes, Midwest Regional Chaplain Lunch Served Performance Midwest Region Choir Regional Awards Soror Earline Cottrell, Midwest Region Delta DEAR Coordinator Soror Sherina Maye, Co-Chair, National Collegiate Transition Task Force Soror Angela Billings, Midwest Region Social Action Coordinator Soror Dalana Brand & Mia McGee, Midwest Region Program Planning & Development Co-Coordinators 2016 Regional Conference Fundraiser Update Carolyn Sanders, Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter President Closing Remarks Dr. Mona Davenport, Midwest Regional Director Announcements Dr. Shawn Peoples, Midwest Regional Secretary Recessional

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SCHOLARSHIP & STANDARDS Sorors,

What a busy year this has been for the National Scholarship & Standards Committee and the Mighty Midwest Region!

First a sincere and heartfelt “Thank you” for your confidence during my first year of service as your region’s Scholarship & Standards member. Thank you to all the chapters who extended their hospitality over the past year by welcoming me at the various workshops and meetings. Listening to your experiences, comments and concerns has made my job much more meaningful.

In 2014-‐15, we continued to Magnify the Mighty in the Midwest in many ways: ! Conducted Webinar Trainings – Nominations & Elections, Advisor Refresher ! Presented to chapter presidents on state conference calls ! Reviewed Policies & Procedures and met with chapters to assist with policy development ! Updated service areas in the region ! Conducted collegiate advisor round table discussions & surveys ! Conducted sate, chapter and leadership workshops and rehabilitation workshops ! Performed assigned duties and tasks as a member of S&S Committee

Lastly, one of the most rewarding aspects of being a member of the National Scholarship & Standards Committee involves the promotion of educational opportunities and chapter excellence in programming through scholarship and seed grant funding. Congratulations to the 2014-‐15 scholarship and chapter seed grant recipients! $500 Seed Grant Recipients

! Carbondale Alumnae -‐ Forward and Upward in Education ! Eastern Panhandle Alumnae -‐ "Beyond the Pillow case Project" ! Gamma Nu-‐ Bloomington, IN -‐ The 5 Step Plan ! Greater Cleveland Alumnae -‐ Sisters With A Goal (﴾S.W.A.G)﴿ Community Garden ! Kappa Eta -‐ Milwaukee, WI -‐ REaDy for Action ! Lambda Chapter -‐ Chicago, IL -‐ AIDucation ! Madison Alumnae -‐ Historically Black College & University (﴾HBCU)﴿ College and Career Fair ! Minneapolis-‐St. Paul Alumnae -‐ Breaking Free, Inc.-‐ Life and Job Skills/ Education Program ! Nu Phi City Wide Chapter -‐ Columbus, OH -‐ Sister 2 Sister ! Springfield-‐Decatur Area Alumnae -‐ Parent Education ! Theta Zeta Chapter Charleston, IL -‐ D.l.V.A.S. Developing Intellectual Values for Achievement and Success ! Xi Chapter, Louisville, KY -‐ A Delta Thanksgiving ! Zeta Iota Chapter Dekalb, IL -‐ Empire State Of Mind Individual Scholarship Recipients

Special Scholarship Recipient Regular Scholarship Recipients ! Ayomide Adeleye ! Tammy Mays ! Rachel L. McDuffie ! Trienere Powell ! Kyra Grant ! Tangela Reavis ! Markita Hall ! Joyce Victor ! KyVonne Lackey ! Jamila Lee-‐Johnson

Sorors, thank you once again! I am looking forward to the next three years of service to the best region in the sorority! Let’s continue to MAGINIFY the MIGHTY in the MIDWEST!

Kimberly Offord, Midwest Member National Scholarship & Standards Committee

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SOCIAL ACTION Social Action in the Midwest

The eight states of the Midwest Region have walked in the footsteps of our Founders and implemented programs that increased the Political Awareness and Involvement in our communities.

The D.I.V.A. Movement

Deltas Increasing Voter Awareness Movement was in high gear during the sorority year. Chapters in the Midwest region held over 140 Voter Education/Registration/Mobilization events. The events reflected the creativity and diversity of our chapters; highlights include participation in National Voter Registration Day events (﴾including the Columbus Alumnae chapter participation with the Tom Joyner Morning Show)﴿. Chapters also sponsored Voter forums and volunteered as election judges and poll watchers.

ACA Education

Chapters sponsored education events to ensure that community members were aware of the Affordable Care Act options and deadlines. Events included phone banks, forums and health fairs where health care insurance providers were available to answer questions and assist community members in their search for affordable care insurance.

Midwest Appointment Project

Chapters throughout the region continued to educate members on opportunities to serve in elected and appointed positions. In Michigan, Soror Brenda Lawrence was elected to Congress. Soror Lawrence joins Sorors Marcia L. Fudge and Joyce Beatty, both from Ohio. Chapters also reported a number of elected officials at the state and local levels.

Delta Days in the State Capitol

Sorors in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and West Virginia sponsored a Delta Day in the State Capital. Michigan Sorors participated in the first Statewide Legislative Summit hosted by the NAACP and the State Congressional Black Caucus – with the largest delegation of all groups participating! Throughout the Region over 200 Sorors visited their state capitals to advocate on behalf of their communities this year. State Elected officials can no longer wonder "who are those women in RED?"

Delta Days in the Nation's Capitol

The Midwest was proudly represented by 143 Alumnae and 78 Collegiate Sorors at the 2015 Delta Days in the Nation's Capitol. Alumnae Chapters throughout the region assisted Collegiate chapters so that all chapters would be represented in Washington. In addition, each State prepared position papers on topics of importance to their communities. As Sorors visited their congressional representatives and senators, the position papers were used to start important conversations on issues impacting our communities.

Racial Profiling and Eliminating Stereotypes

Our Collegiate Sorors used their voices to begin conversations on campuses bringing attention to the issue of racial profiling. In forums and on social media, chapters were highlighting the problem of stereotypes and how they lead to racial profiling. This important effort will be carried over into the next Sorority year.

What's Next?

In the 2015-‐16 Sorority year we will concentrate on Advocacy, Access and Accountability. We will be advocates for our communities and our issues at all levels of government. We will continue to increase and improve our access to our elected officials through Delta Days and other methods. We will hold ourselves accountable by reporting at each Chapter meeting and documenting our work. We have WORK TO DO!

Angela J. Billings

Angela J. Billings Midwest Region Social Action Coordinator

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LEAD AND PP&D Small Steps Yield MIGHTY Outcomes for Leadership and Mentoring Success in the Midwest

During the 2014/2015 sorority year, the Midwest Region took a significant step in order to magnify the need and answer the call for mentorship within its chapter ranks. By adopting and implementing the LEAD program, each state in the region contributed to an unsurpassed effort to increase the adoption rate of the program amongst the membership by recruiting mentors and mentees and manifesting the theme of "Empowering and Connecting Tomorrow's Sisterhood."

Key activities / outcomes attained throughout the Region ! 100% appointment of LEAD Coordinators for each chapter in the Region ! Completion of baseline reports and needs assessments by state ! Chapter training ! Completion of region-‐wide webinars

! Appointment of state liaisons within the Regional LEAD Committee ! Tracking and logging of mentoring hours ! Chapter recognition ! Assessment for future programmatic priorities and adjustments

The efforts of the Midwest Region LEAD Committee during the 2014-‐2015 year was a significant start to laying an intentional foundation for leadership development and succession amongst chapters. The committee would like to commend and congratulate ALL chapters who took steps to implement the program and to invest in the membership through mentoring. The committee, under the guidance and direction of the Midwest Regional Director, looks forward to further championing the tenets of leadership development and succession planning... continuing to assist chapters as they move leaders toward the future in the next year and beyond.

Special appreciation to the MW Region LEAD Committee: Arial Bigham -‐ Xi Chapter, Sydney Howell -‐ Epsilon Omicron; Denise Robinson -‐ Kalamazoo Alumnae, Porscha Smith-‐Godwin -‐ Pontiac Alumnae In Service,

Regina L. Greer

Regina L. Greer Midwest Region LEAD Coordinator

Greetings Sorors from the “Mighty” Midwest Program Planning and Development Committee!

This year, we started this 2014-‐2015 sorority year with a vision to expand Regional programming initiatives as well as encouraging sorors to provide excellent programming to support the five point programmatic thrust and Project 13 initiatives. The committee started the year off with a webinar about chapter calendar preparation. Just as a reminder, chapter calendars for the 2015-‐16 sorority year were due June 30! In preparation for Regional awards, we conducted our second webinar which included award descriptions and tools for a successful chapter award submission. In addition to award submission, the Midwest Program Planning and Development committee included two separate award categories for small and large alumnae chapters which increased the amount of chapter award submissions. We were very pleased to have received over 215 award submissions from both collegiate and alumnae chapters.

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This year, we continued our commitment towards combating Sexual and Domestic Violence through expanding the focus toward prevention and resolution of Child Abuse. We received submissions from all over the Midwest Region for this initiative. Each chapter who implemented an awareness and prevention program helped further the discussion in our local communities thus providing the voice for bringing awareness for an abused child. During the 2015-‐16 sorority year, we will be expanding our focus toward bringing awareness of cancer in our Local, State and National communities. The Midwest Program Planning and Development is looking forward to the upcoming sorority year as we prepare for Regional Conference in 2016!

Dalana Brand & Mia McGee Dalana Brand & Mia McGee Midwest PPD Committee

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ILLINOIS Chapters kicked off the Illinois "Delta DEARS Get ERT Ready" with a videoconference training held in both Springfield and Chicago. Chapters are preparing for the Statewide ERT Weekend to be held on September 11th-‐13th, 2015 where each chapter will educate the DEARS on preparedness and present them with preparedness starter kits.

At the 2015 Delta Days at the State Capitol (﴾DDSC)﴿, Lambda and Joliet Area South Suburban Alumnae were named Outstanding Social Action Chapters of the Year.

Shantel Franklin, State Facilitator and Sarahjini Nunn Spencer, State Coordinator

In addition, individual chapters have continually hosted EXEMPLARY programs:

! Alpha Nu collaborated with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. to address sexual violence and assault. ! Bloomington Normal Alumnae hosted it's annual Soulful Gospel Brunch to benefit it's scholarship program. ! Carbondale Alumnae hosted "Race, Policing, and Politics", an open forum prompted by the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. ! Champaign-‐Urbana Alumnae competed in the Presence Covenant Medical Center Illinois 5K Run/ Walk. ! Chicago Alumnae hosted it's annual Founders Day Program with Past National President Mona Humphries Bailey. ! East St. Louis Alumnae hosted it's annual EMBODI Luncheon with keynote speaker, Captain Ron Johnson; the state patrolmen placed at the helm of the Ferguson, Missouri crisis. ! Evanston-‐North Shore Alumnae celebrated it's 40th Anniversary at their Founders Day Program with keynote speaker, Soror Sarahjini Nunn. ! Glen Ellyn Area Alumnae hosted their Founders Day program with keynote speaker, Dr. Teresa L. Fry Brown. ! Joliet Area South Suburban Alumnae celebrated their 95th Founders Day with keynote speaker, National First Vice President Beverly E. Smith. ! Lambda authored the collegiate social action position paper on Racial Profiling and presented it at DDNC. ! Mu Theta hosted "Fight Like A Girl: Unveiling the Mask" which included powerful discussions about domestic violence. ! Peoria Alumnae commemorated 40 years of service by providing programs to the community and hosting a Leadership Luncheon. ! Pi Omega hosted "HIV/AIDS: What do you know?

Myths versus Facts" to increase HIV/AIDS awareness.

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! Rockford Alumnae hosted a Gospel Brunch entitled "The Whole World Is In His Hands: Hands On Africa.” ! Schaumburg-‐Hoffman Estates Alumnae hosted it's 4th Annual Cotillion Ball: "Jewels of Distinction.” ! Springfield-‐Decatur Area Alumnae hosted it's Founders Day which featured keynote speaker, Midwest Regional Director Mona Y. Davenport. ! Theta Alpha hosted "Touch the Sky," a college preparatory workshop attended by Chicago area high school students. ! Theta Delta hosted "Girl Talk With Sara" during Sexual Assault Awareness Month and discussed tips about what to do if ever in a compromising position. ! Theta Epsilon hosted it's 3rd Annual Black History Month Ceremony to expose the community to the contributions made by African Americans. ! Theta Zeta held its Annual Georgia Warren White Jabberwock Scholarship and awarded a $300 scholarship to a female freshman. ! Waukegan Alumnae hosted it's annual "Red, Black, and Green" event to kick off Black History Month and benefit it's scholarship program. ! Zeta Chi hosted it's Women's Empowerment Dinner honoring dynamic women on the campus and Soror Regina Greer as keynote speaker. ! Zeta Iota hosted an economic development focused program, "Let's Make A Deal" which provided pertinent information about negotiating salaries. llinois Leadership Team (﴾pictured from left to right)﴿ Tauriana Lyles-‐ King, La Toya Dixon, Shantel Franklin, Sarahjini Nunn Spencer, Jilnita DeLoach-‐Johnson, Deja Survillon and Tchicaya Ellis-‐Robertson

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INDIANA

Delta Days

The great STATE OF INDIANA had a wonderful and exciting year starting with our collegiate sorors implementing some extraordinary programs throughout the year:

Gamma Nu Chapter hosted Ceramics with the Deltas. This was an event during their annual Jabberwock week. The event allowed the Gamma Nu Chapter to celebrate art sculptures and collaborate with the Art Department at Indiana University.

Chi City Wide Chapter sorors hosted a Health Fair entitled "Destroying Bad Habits". Throughout the health fair were free STD and glucose testing stations. The purpose of this event was to promote physical fitness and provide health care tips for a healthier lifestyle.

Kappa Nu Sorors hosted “What would you do?” This event made you think about issues in society today.

College students were given scenarios on difficult situations and asked the question what would you do if you were placed in that situation.

Nu Eta Sorors hosted a fundraiser entitled "Prom Genie Dress Drive". The fundraisers were centered on helping local high school girls attend their junior/ senior proms in a fashionable prom dress for free in Gary, Indiana.

Zeta Theta Sorors hosted their annual "5K Delta Dash for Diabetes". This year our lovely sorors added a twist by adding an obstacle course and Zumba.

The Alumnae Chapters held their annual Founders Day Celebration. Some of the keynote speakers were our own 14th National President Frankie Muse Freeman, Soror Octavia Matthews, Midwest Immediate Past Regional Director Soror Regina Harper and Soror Mayor Karen Freeman-‐Wilson. Each one of these sorors captured their audience by highlighting various topics related to Delta Sigma Theta and community involvement.

The twelve chapters within the State of Indiana came together and had a wonderful Delta Days at the State Capitol where 43 sorors were in attendance. The topic was “Deltas in Action for Social Justice" and our speaker was the 1st African American Mayor for the City of Gary, Indiana, Soror Mayor Karen Freeman-‐Wilson.

The day was filled with various workshops and sorors ended the day attending the Congressional meeting.

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KENTUCKY

Kentucky Statewide Founders Day 2015 -‐ Photograph courtesy of WmCarter's Photography

This year, Kentucky's chapters had many programs and activities that focused on Sisterhood, Scholarship, Service and Social Action:

Lexington (﴾KY)﴿ Alumnae and Eta Omicron hosted the “Women! Let's Run for Office” seminar and “Dissolving Stereotypes in Politics” respectively, both with a focus of increasing the number of women holding elected office and how to go about getting educated about running for those positions.

Eta Upsilon received a sorority seed grant for its #LoveIsLouder program; a program that addresses issues like bullying, negative self-‐images, discrimination, loneliness and depression.

Paducah Alumnae hosted Kentucky's biennial Statewide Founders Day with more than one hundred Sorors from across the state in attendance. The event was exemplified through the rededication service and a soul-‐stirring message by Rev. Danita Anderson, chaplain of the Glen Ellyn (﴾IL)﴿ Area Alumnae Chapter, who issued a challenge for sorors to remember the importance of sisterhood.

Both Bowling Green and Fort Knox Alumnae chapters had inspiring Black History Month programs. Bowling Green Alumnae celebrated unsung heroes for outstanding public service in the area. The keynote speaker was 21st National President Marcia L. Fudge.

Fort Knox Alumnae held its annual Black History Gallery opening, where retired educators from various communities were recognized and honored for teaching during the historical era.

Alpha Pi and Frankfurt Alumnae celebrated 80 years and 70 years of service respectively with Frankfurt Alum hosting a luncheon at the Kentucky Historical Society and an inspiring address from Soror Karen McDaniel.

Hopkinsville Alumnae collected and gave away coats in November, hosted its first Sickle Cell Walk in September and sponsored a "Sweetheart Walk" in February.

Mu Epsilon co-‐hosted the annual Mr. And Ms. Black UK Scholarship Pageant with the University of Kentucky Black Student Union. The pageant is an opportunity to showcase students’ talents as well as encourage educational development and advancement.

Xi chapter's Speed Networking with Black Campus Leaders Reception event allowed students to have one-‐ on-‐one time with the black faculty and staff at the University of Louisville in an effort to show appreciation and acknowledgement to these Black leaders.

Eta Rho dedicated many programs to maintaining health and wellness including diabetes education, stress management and Workout Wednesdays where a personal trainer taught participants about staying fit.

Bowling Green Alumnae's Black History Month Banquet featuring 21st National President Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge as the keynote speaker

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MICHIGAN The main objective of the Michigan leadership team is to help cascade the programming and initiatives from Delta Sigma Theta’s National and regional leaders to the local chapters. Another key objective is to support the 24 chapter presidents. As part of the state leadership team, state secretary, Soror Jenice Mitchell Ford has helped to leverage technology to keep chapter presidents informed.

Michigan Chapter Presidents with Mardi Woods (﴾State Coordinator)﴿, Brianna Kline (﴾State Facilitator)﴿, Kim Offord (﴾MW member of S&S)﴿, and Dr. Malvieux (﴾SWFD Speaker)﴿

Key highlights from the Michigan leadership team and Council of Presidents include: ! The initiation of a State of the State checklist to help President's keep all their key deliverables in one place (﴾Google doc for real time updating)﴿ ! Soror Kim Coleman, State Social Action Coordinator worked with local alumnae chapters to execute Project 22.22.22. Through this initiative we were able to raise more than $4,000 to send 21 collegiate sorors to Delta Days at the Nations capital. Special thanks go to the Saginaw Alumnae Chapter, the fiduciary agent for this endeavor.

! Statewide Founders Day with Pontiac Alumnae Chapter and Omicron Zeta being host chapters chaired by Sorors Valerie Reese, Allison Harmon and Alexandria Gross; initiated first MI Statewide directory ! ERT in the state was lead by Soror Gayle Coleman and was very active, especially with the coordination of FEMA Emergency Initiatives in collaboration with the Southeast Michigan Chapters: Detroit, Inkster, Pontiac, and Southfield Alumnae. A statewide emergency contact system using Groupme was also initiated. ! PP&D was led by Soror Joye Mosley and Soror Kenya Abbott and they kept our Presidents informed on all National and regional programs, initiatives and awards.

Chapter Highlights: ! Ann Arbor awarded over $12,000 in scholarships at their Solid Gold in Education Awards Program. ! Benton Harbor-‐ St. Joseph held its Gospel Explosion Concert benefitting area youth through scholarships. ! Delta Beta was awarded Chapter of Excellence at the Eastern Michigan University's Greek Awards. ! Delta Upsilon has ranked #1 in grade reports of all NPHC organizations on the campus of Western Michigan University.

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! Detroit chartered the Detroit Delta Prep Academy and conducted 2 Expungement Fairs serving more than 1,000 people. ! Epsilon Epsilon created innovative programs such as Financial StabilitEE that not only engaged members of our community, but brought attention to little-‐known topics. ! Flint held a Selma Movie Premier followed by a roundtable that gave audience members an opportunity to share their history from this era, their pains and their struggles. ! Grand Rapids held Tiaras & Bowties, a fashion show event where parents received $100 to start their kids 529 college fund. ! Kalamazoo's Economic Development Committee presented a workshop for low-‐income seniors and college students with vendors from financial institutions. ! Nu exceeded their goals for the year by having the most improved chapter GPA for all Greek organizations at the University of Michigan. ! Saginaw held Power Play, an annual program focusing on healthy living while fighting childhood obesity. ! Southfield held a Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Symposium. This is a signature program that has gained public awareness and support in the communities.

Kenya Abbott (﴾Collegiate MI PP&D co-‐chair)﴿, Joye Mosley (﴾MI PP&D Chair)﴿, Brianna Kline (﴾State Facilitator)﴿, Mardi Woods (﴾State Coordinator)﴿, Gayle Coleman (﴾MI ERT Chair)﴿

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MINNESOTA Sorors in the State of Minnesota have been busy doing the work of Delta. Below are highlights from Nu Epsilon City-‐Wide Chapter and Minneapolis/St. Paul Alumnae Chapter.

Nu Epsilon City-‐Wide Chapter enjoying a wonderful Founders Day

The Nu Epsilon City­Wide Chapter has had an eventful year serving the community, raising awareness of various issues, and bringing engaging events to the University of Minnesota.

During the school year the chapter served a meal once a month at People Serving People, a local shelter for families.

Another highlight of the year was Delta Week, held in the last week in October. The week consisted of three main events: Lifeline to the Future: Credit Scores, Academic Success with UCCS and A Multicultural Perspective on Domestic Violence.

For each event, the chapter partnered with different organizations and individuals from the University of Minnesota and the community. Lastly, the chapter’s campaign, “Delta RED: Recycle Everyday,” provided an opportunity for students to take part in a public service announcement. It involved pictures of chapter members and students recycling being posted on social media.

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Alumnae (﴾MSP)﴿ Chapter’s year included global programs and historic milestones! First, the 19th Annual Literary Luncheon attracted a record-‐ breaking attendance of more than 600 guests, as Iyanla Vanzant delivered an inspiring message. During the event, the scholarship committee awarded $10,500 dollars to five high school seniors, making this the highest total amount of scholarship dollars awarded by the chapter.

Youth Development hosted two EMBODI programs, with more than 60 young males and 25 adult male volunteers participating in the "Game On" sessions. “Advocacy through Partnerships” was the theme at Delta Day at the State Capital, where sorors participated in intimate conversations with panelists and legislators about sex trafficking and early childhood education.

Minneapolis / St. Paul Alumnae Chapter

"Happy" was the message to sorors at Founders Day. Soror Yorri Berry used a shortened acronym to challenge sorors to be Hopeful, Audacious, Purposeful and You! The month culminated with a spirited sisterhood retreat facilitated by Soror Nuntiata Buck. Sorors made bi-‐monthly visits to the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, where they prepared meals and fed toddlers and young children. In November, more than 40 constituents in a transitional center were overjoyed when sorors cooked and served Thanksgiving meals at the center. Delta Dears continued to make a difference globally by helping to prepare food packages at Feed My Starving Children.

During Collegiate Transition Task Force month, MSP and Nu Epsilon collaborated with the League of Women Voters to present a “Health Legacy Forum” to address the elimination of heath and racial disparities. The MSP chapter continued to promote Project 13 by partnering with the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association.

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OHIO Deltas from the Buckeye State made their presence known as they participated in Delta Days in the Nations Capital. Forty-‐four sorors attended and thanks to the support of alumnae chapters and an individual contribution of $1,000 from Soror Lois Richardson of Greater Cleveland Alumnae, thirteen collegiate sorors were able to attend. A delegation had an opportunity to meet with Senator Rob Portman to express its support of Soror Loretta Lynch for U.S. Attorney General and urge him to vote for her.

State Coordinator Dr. Frieda R. Bennett and State Facilitator Ametra P. Harris

During National Child Abuse Awareness Month, chapters participated in the statewide initiative O-‐H-‐I-‐O Goes BLUE to spotlight child abuse. The state co-‐coordinators for PP&D spearheaded this initiative

Here are a few examples of programs representing the sorority's Five-‐Point Programmatic Thrust and Project 13 Initiatives:

Cincinnati Alumnae had 41 participants in the Delta Academy. Activities this year included: a bio-‐medical engineering workshop, medical device design, a day at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, Cyber Security and Technology; and a planetarium observation.

Dayton Alumnae sponsored the 7th Annual Girl Talk –”You Are Responsible for YOU!” There were 40 girls participating from grades 5 – 8. Workshops included Zumba, Personal Hygiene/Healthy Lifestyles, Community Safety, and Positive Self-‐Image. Vision boards made from magazine clippings provided the girls an opportunity to envision themselves as they are now and in the future.

Lorain County Alumnae partnered with two other organizations to host a domestic violence forum and used cell phone donation drive to promote awareness of domestic and sexual violence during National Crime Victim Rights Week. The chapter procured a $2,500 grant that will be donated to Genesis House, the local battered women's shelter.

The Nu Phi chapter developed a program entitled, "Keys 2 Success: College Preparedness Workshops," a program for high school students to experience early planning tools to prepare for college. The sessions included: Using Your Success for the Present Future, FASFA 101: Financing Your Future, and Everything that Glitters is Not Gold: Appearance Could Be Different than Experience. There were 45 – 50 attendees at each session.

The loss of black male lives was the impetus for the Rho Xi chapter hosting a men's appreciation event during Delta Week. Short video snippets were compiled of young women around campus stating what they appreciated about the minority young men on campus. This event helped to recognize men of color and demonstrate they are not alone on their journey to greatness.

"Dancing Out Diabetes" was sponsored by Toledo Alumnae to increase awareness about diabetes. The event was held at Pickett Academy, a community hub school that connects students, families, and residents to resources and support in their neighborhood. The event provided diabetes screenings and information on how to live, manage, and prevent diabetes.

Finally, the Epsilon Omicron chapter celebrated its 50th Anniversary. National First Vice President, Beverly Smith, attended, and Soror Allison Harmon, President of DREF, was the guest speaker at the 30th Anniversary luncheon for Montgomery County (﴾OH)﴿ Alumnae.

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WEST VIRGINIA

Deirdre Guyton, Carolyn Williams, Lisa DeLilly, Marsha Lawson, Paula Mitchell, Trina DeJarnette & Fran Jackson

Vibrant and visible chapters impacting the communities of West Virginia

The chapters of West Virginia participated in a variety of events during the year. All chapters participated in voter registration drives, cancer walks, and a variety of fundraisers. During the West Virginia 2015 Legislative Session; all chapters were recognized and given certificates of appreciation from the State Senate and State House of Representatives for community service.

Red Carpet Events for Annie and Selma were hosted by Beckley, Charleston-‐Institute, Eastern Panhandle, and Greater Morgantown; where family and friends were invited as part of the audience.

The collegiate chapters; Theta Omega and Omicron Upsilon; hosted study tables throughout the year and as a result all of the chapter members were able to maintain cumulative GPA's over 2.50 for the fall semester. The study tables were for members as well and students on campus. During the 2015 Delta Days at the Nation's Capital; both chapters were able to attend collegiate day activities with assistance from Bluefield Alumnae, Eastern Panhandle Alumnae and Greater Morgantown Alumnae Chapters.

Each chapter hosted a variety of events that made a huge impact on their service areas. Beckley Alumnae Chapter participated in Delta Day at the City Council, during Christmas they participated in Adopt a Grandparent and the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Programs. They also participated in the read aloud program for local elementary schools and hosted the state's annual Founders Day celebration.

Bluefield Alumnae Chapter partnered with Bluefield State College Alumni Affairs office to host "Trunk or Treat" for kids in the neighborhood, and donated teddy bears to the first responders for the Teddy Bear Project.

They also sponsored a Sister to Sister Mentoring Workshop for ladies on the campus of Bluefield State College.

Charleston-‐Institute Chapter made a donation to Pride Community Services to assist needy families with meals during the holiday season, sponsored a RED luncheon for the GO RED campaign and held their annual "Night of Elegance" fundraiser for their scholarship program.

Eastern Panhandle Alumnae Chapter participated in the local Go Red for Women program, the Adopt a Child; where they adopted a child in Africa; sponsored several events with their Delta Academy/GEMS, held enrollment events for ACA and a fitness workshop for the community.

Huntington Alumnae Chapter participated in World Aids Day, the local MLK March, donated turkeys to

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Chapmanville for needy families during the holidays, and held a Delta Dear fellowship on Founders Day for their members.

Greater Morgantown Alumnae Chapter held a series of financial planning workshops for members and the community, held a dining for diabetes workshop and participated in the Read Aloud program for a local elementary school.

Theta Omega donated clothes to a local homeless shelter and participated in World Aids Day encouraging students to get tested.

Omicron Upsilon collected Toys for Tots for the local Marine Corp and held voting demonstrations for students.

As the new sorority year approaches we are eager to continue to "Magnify the Mighty in the Midwest" in "Almost Heaven West Virginia."

Carolyn Williams, Lynn Wade, Natalie Tennant (﴾WV Secretary of State)﴿ & Marsha Lawson

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WISCONSIN

WI State Collegaite MW Retreat

The six chapters in Wisconsin have done great work throughout the Sorority year! The four collegiate chapters, Kappa Eta City-‐Wide, Lambda Alpha, Sigma Upsilon and Zeta Xi Core all implemented impactful community programming on their respective campuses.

The two Alumnae Chapters, Milwaukee and Madison have also served their communities with service projects originating from our National Five Point Programmatic Thrust program.

Each of the Collegiate chapters held "Delta Week" on their campuses during the fall and spring semesters and each hosted outstanding events including "Sunday Brunch: Faith as a Revolution"; "The Safe Zone – Sex Education and Planned Parenthood"; "Three Strikes, You're Out" – Domestic Violence Awareness; "Can You Pay My Bills?" – Economic Development, "Test of Time: A Look at Voter Literacy" – Political Involvement. Furthermore, Marquette University awarded the Kappa Eta City-‐Wide Chapter the Educational Program of the Year Award for hosting "The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth: A Real Look at Politics".

In addition to the great programming, scholastic achievement was front and center for one of the collegiate chapters. The University of Wisconsin-‐ Milwaukee received the highest G.P.A. among the NPHC organizations as well as Outstanding Collegiate Program of the Year.

Milwaukee Alumnae celebrated 70 years of service in the community with a powerful Founders Day celebration that featured the 24th National President, Cynthia M.A.

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Butler-‐McIntyre as the dynamic keynote speaker. For their service project, the chapter collected over 70 blankets that were distributed to local social service agencies to serve the homeless and transient population.

Madison Alumnae continued its focus on celebrating scholastic achievement by presenting its 20th Annual Heart and Soul Scholarship Ball. Over $20,000 was raised in support of graduating high school seniors. This initiative was anchored by Soror Carola Gaines' Presidential Push Campaign in which she solicited donations from individuals all over the country.

Historically, it was a record breaking fundraiser; the largest amount Madison Alumnae has ever raised for the scholarship ball.

In March, all of the chapters came together for Delta Day in the State's Capital. The theme was "Advocacy in Action 2.0: A State in Crisis". Over 30 Sorors stormed the Capitol building to discuss issues important to the communities they serve and to develop ways to work together toward effective solutions. They shared their concerns with state legislators regarding the implications of Governor Walker's rejection of federal Medicaid funding as well as the disparities within education and incarceration for African Americans in Wisconsin. The small yet mighty chapters of the state of Wisconsin will continue to magnify upward mobility and forward thinking, while embracing our Sorority's mission and goal-‐Empower, Serve and Lead.

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SAVE THE DATE

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