4 minute read
Walking the Pi Phi Path Together
As mother and daughter, Tennessee Gammas YVONNE SMEJKAL AYERS and CAROLINE AYERS have shared many milestones and special moments in their relationship over the years—one of the most significant has been walking the Pi Phi path together.
While Caroline and Yvonne both share a sisterhood in the same chapter, they also share the experience of being Leadership Development Consultants (LDCs)—Yvonne from 1995-1996 and Caroline from 2022-2024. Although the LDC program has adapted and evolved in the last 20 years, the heart of the experience has stayed the same, and so has their inspiration for wanting to become LDCs. After both enjoying their collegiate years as Pi Phis, Yvonne and Caroline knew they wanted to give back to the Fraternity in a meaningful way.
The LDC program fosters an abundance of leadership development, not only for the chapters who receive visits, but for the consultants as well. Both Yvonne and Caroline have found significant value in this and see the program as a great opportunity for young women approaching life after college. “Entering the post-graduate world is scary and different,” Caroline says. “It’s so important to step confidently into the next phase of life knowing you have that connection to Pi Phi.”
Yvonne specifically notes the unconditional support you feel from Pi Phi as an LDC. “Everyone around you wants you to succeed; you have this beautiful safety net of Pi Phi,” she shares. “You have your chapter to lean on, the local alumnae clubs, Pi Beta Phi Headquarters (HQ), International officers—they’re all ready to catch you. It’s so important for young women to get those affirmations and encouragement like that.”
From multi-tasking to time management, Yvonne and Caroline both feel the LDC program offered them pivotal leadership skills— one of the most prominent being confidence within themselves. Caroline notes that before becoming an LDC, public speaking often spiked her anxiety, but through the program she was able to find her voice. When Yvonne was an LDC, she was able to build her confidence in leading difficult conversations with respect and sincerity. “There are so many skills you gain that are unexpected, but that push you forward for the rest of your life,” Yvonne says.
Yvonne and Caroline also discuss the special relationships they’ve built through the LDC program, especially with fellow consultants.
During Yvonne’s tenure, their only source of communication was leaving messages for one another through HQ’s voicemail system—but that didn’t dim the strength of their relationships, as she notes many of them keep in touch to this day. As technology has developed over the years, Caroline and the other consultants stay connected through text, over social media, on bi-weekly check-in calls and more. “One of my biggest resources is the other women in the program,” she says. “LDCs are like a sisterhood within the sisterhood—it’s an instant connection point!”
One of the most important relationships that strengthened from Caroline and Yvonne’s time as LDCs has been their own. Although the two have always been close, following the same path years apart nurtured a unique bond between them. Yvonne never wanted Caroline to feel pressured into joining Pi Phi, but Caroline knew it was where she belonged when the time came.
“When it came down to it, I could see myself happy at any of the sororities on campus for four years, but I asked myself where I would feel at home for the rest of my life,” Caroline says. “Pi Phi was truly recruiting based on the values I was raised on. I’ve been around Pi Phis my entire life, so it makes sense why it feels like home, and I’ve seen that in every chapter I’ve visited—it feels like home. I can’t imagine it any other way.”
Yvonne feels indescribable gratitude knowing Pi Phi has given Caroline the same experiences as it brought her. “You want your kids to take their own path and do what makes them happy, so the fact that I get to share this with Caroline is beyond amazing,” Yvonne shares. To ensure all sisters can have the same opportunities as herself and Caroline, Yvonne has also been a long-time supporter of Pi Beta Phi Foundation. “Being a consultant tied me to Pi Phi forever, and it keeps giving back. Whether I was 19 or 40, I’ve gotten so much out of Pi Phi, and watching Caroline get so much out of it gives me even more. I want my future Pi Phi sisters to have those same experiences."
