Pi Phi is My Constant

Whether in her family, career or Pi Phi, Kentucky Gamma MARY CECILIA SCIALDONE MURK believes in servant leadership as a way of life. By staying attentive to the needs of others, Mary Cecilia has led by example since her days as a collegian at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). Her drive to provide support wherever needed helped her discover her leadership ability and led her to her current role as a Foundation volunteer. “I try to be the person who always steps up for someone else and influences others through my willingness to help,” she explains.

Mary Cecilia’s first experience with servant leadership came shortly after joining the Kentucky Gamma Chapter. Though newly initiated herself, she said “yes” when asked to step into the recently vacated position of New Member Coordinator (now Director New Member Experience). “Pi Phi quickly saw a leader in me I didn’t think I was,” she says. “I didn’t know if I was the right person for the job, but I agreed to give it a shot—and it was a great first exposure to serving the Fraternity.”

Emboldened by her newfound leadership experience, Mary Cecilia served as her chapter’s Vice President Communications (now Vice President Community Relations) before becoming Panhellenic President at EKU. After graduation, Mary Cecilia immediately embraced alumnae life through Alumnae Advisory Committee service and alumnae club involvement—both of which gave her a source of friendship and belonging following a cross-country move to California and the closure of her own chapter. “Pi Phi has been a constant in my life since I was 18,” she reflects. “There’s always a way it fits into my life, and an opportunity to learn and grow. It’s something I can come back to that keeps me grounded and connected to an experience that’s bigger than myself.”

Despite her ongoing service and leadership, Mary Cecilia felt she had more to give to Pi Phi. At the 2016 Fraternity Day of Service Signature Event in Silicon Valley, California, a conversation with then-Foundation Executive Director HALLEE WINNIE, Michigan Gamma, opened her eyes to the possibility of volunteering with the Foundation.

When the Stewardship Committee needed support, Mary Cecilia stepped into the role—drawing from her own experiences to connect with Foundation donors through phone calls and thank-you emails. “I was fortunate enough to receive scholarships and an Emma Harper Turner Fund Grant from our Foundation as a collegian, so I found it easy to sincerely express gratitude,” she says.

Mary Cecilia’s Foundation involvement inspired a desire to be more closely connected to the members impacted through Foundation programs. After taking a short break from volunteer work following the birth of her third child, she was able to join the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee. The opportunity to review scholarship applications—and learn the deeply personal stories shared by collegian and alumnae applicants—felt like a full-circle moment. “I’d always hoped to help with scholarships because I received one,” Mary Cecilia shares. “To be able to say I’m part of our Foundation’s mission and the work we’re doing—I’m very thankful. I’m happy to pay it forward and be involved in any way I can.”

Inspired by the legacies of longtime Pi Phi volunteer leaders, including Grand Vice President Emerita CAROL INGE WARREN, North Carolina Beta, and past Grand President PAULA PACE SHEPHERD, Texas Epsilon, Mary Cecilia plans to continue serving our sisterhood in whatever capacity she can, for as long as she can. She also hopes her servant leadership sets the tone for other Pi Phis to join her as a volunteer. “If not you, then who?” she smiles. “A lot of people wait for others to step up, but it’s more rewarding to be that person yourself. Give Pi Phi the opportunity to take up space in your life—the reward is far greater than the work we put in. What might feel like a small ‘yes’ can change your life in a big way.”