The Impact of College Weekend

College Weekend is a premier leadership development experience designed to educate chapter leaders and Alumnae Advisory Committee (AAC) members on best practices in their area of focus. Both new and experienced leaders are given the opportunity to engage in specialized programming and connect with fellow leaders to help them excel in their officer positions. California Mu LAUREN BRAJEVICH and Illinois Eta ELIZABETH HULICK attended College Weekend 2024 as emerging Chapter Presidents and left the experience with fundamental skills, pivotal lessons and new friendships. Read their reflections below and the impact of College Weekend on their leadership journeys.

Lauren Brajevich

Heading into College Weekend, I was most looking forward to spending time with my California Mu sisters before we entered our new leadership positions together. I arrived intending to refine my leadership skills in a way that would empower my chapter and make them feel supported and loved.

My experience involved learning about my new role as Chapter President through curated sessions about leadership styles, proactive planning, time management, conflict resolution and more. It was so much fun to spend time with hundreds of fellow Pi Phi leaders and feel instantly connected to them—even upon our first meeting. On the last evening of College Weekend, we attended the biggest Pink Party I had ever seen. My California Mu sisters and I marveled at how special it was to laugh, sing karaoke and enjoy dessert with so many other Pi Phis!

Alongside the sisterhood fun and camaraderie, the most impactful part of my programming was learning how to gracefully lead our chapter through change. Change is necessary to keep our chapter thriving and to provide an inclusive experience for all, and I’m appreciative I learned how to navigate and handle conflict effectively.

College Weekend is a unique experience to connect with all the Pi Phi chapter leaders from so many different universities. There is so much to be learned by listening to the experience of others, but also such a sense of belonging to be found. I am so grateful to be part of the California Mu Chapter. In Pi Phi, I have found the highest caliber of women I have ever met—every sister radiates kindness, love and a quiet confidence. Being a Pi Phi makes me better! College Weekend was such an evident reminder of this sisterhood I cherish so dearly.

Elizabeth Hulick

College Weekend was the first event I attended through Pi Phi. I came into the experience hoping to understand my role as Chapter President and make connections with other Pi Phis—and I’m so grateful I went!

At the Friday night opening dinner, my Executive Council and I sat at a table with officers from Indiana Epsilon. It turns out their Chapter President was a hometown friend of our Vice President Finance/ Housing who couldn’t make the trip—which immediately helped us feel at home.

I also sat at a table with other Chapter Presidents during the specialized sessions, and these were some of the best connections I made throughout the weekend. They were all so kind, and we found so much similarity in our chapters’ experiences. While taking on the position of Chapter President can be intimidating, I know I have such an amazing support system in Pi Phi.

We were all given the opportunity to lead our chapters because someone saw the leadership skills and potential we already have—but there’s always room to grow and learn more. Opportunities like College Weekend introduced me to new techniques, strategies and perspectives for leading that will help make a huge difference for our chapter.

In my educational track, the facilitators discussed the similarities of a Chapter President to that of a CEO, and I had never thought about my role like that before. One of my childhood dreams was to be CEO of a big company someday, and in some way, I feel like I’m living out that dream now. I can be an example of what a sincere and empathetic leader looks like and help shape the future of an organization I care so deeply about.

I think it’s normal to sometimes feel deflated by the day-to-day operations of our own chapters, but being in an environment like College Weekend shifts your perspective and shows you the true scale of our sisterhood. It’s nice to know this journey is not one I’m walking alone, but one I’m taking alongside hundreds of sisters. Pi Phi has changed so many lives for the better and hopefully will continue to do so for a long time.