Not My Chapter, but Still My Responsibility

Many Pi Phis remain connected to our sisterhood through loyal volunteer and financial support of their own chapters. Yet for some sisters, supporting a chapter other than their own is an impactful way to embody friendship, leadership and lifelong commitment.

Foundation donor ROBERTA “BOBBIE” BLISS PITTMAN, Wisconsin Beta, established a dedicated fund for the California Mu Chapter to ensure generations of women would continue to enjoy the same opportunities and experiences Pi Phi gave her.

Bobbie joined the Wisconsin Beta Chapter of Pi Beta Phi as a junior after transferring to Beloit College from the University of Illinois. Despite serving the chapter as Treasurer, she remembers no alumnae presence demonstrating involvement after graduation. “I never saw an Alumnae Advisory Committee (AAC) member — at all,” she recalls. “I didn’t know a thing about the Pi Phi alumna experience, so I completely wrote it off.”

In 1965, shortly after her work at IBM brought her to Phoenix, the Camelback Alumnae Club called her to help with the installation of the Arizona Beta Chapter at Arizona State University. “It never occurred to me to join an alumnae club, but I went because they called and asked me to do something,” she says with a laugh. As Bobbie connected with other Pi Phis in the area, she quickly gained an appreciation for alumnae involvement. The connection sustained her through frequent moves during her husband’s years as a naval officer. When the Pittmans finally settled in California in the early 1980s, Bobbie promptly joined the Ventura County Alumnae Club and served as Treasurer. She was asked to serve on the Installation Committee when the California Mu Chapter at Pepperdine University was established in 1996 and ultimately became the chapter’s AAC Financial Advisor.

Determined to model alumnae commitment for the undergraduate members, Bobbie’s close involvement with California Mu’s collegians and finances opened her eyes to a growing problem. “Women in our chapter often couldn’t afford to stay in school and stay in Pi Phi,” she says. “As the chapter’s financial advisor, I knew these women and saw their struggles firsthand. We had such a strong chapter, and I didn’t want to see women leave because of something that could be prevented.”

After the death of her husband in 2015, Bobbie chose to establish the Bobbie Bliss Pittman Undergraduate Scholarship Fund at Pi Beta Phi Foundation. The needbased award gives first preference to a California Mu collegian, and is the chapter’s only designated fund. “I was in the position to make a difference, and thought, ‘why wouldn’t I do this?’” she says. “I want to keep the chapter strong, and I want to help our women be the best they can be.”

Bobbie sees a clear connection between her gift and the overall future of Pi Phi. “Without our collegians, our sisterhood has no future,” she says emphatically. “We need more scholarships to support the women in our chapters. If our members are resigning because of finances, we could be losing a future Grand Council member or lifelong volunteer.”

From left: Bobbie Bliss Pittman and SALLY MINNING SHOEMAKER, Arizona Beta, at Convention 2015 in Chicago. That year, Pi Phi recognized Bobbie as Outstanding Alumnae Advisory Committee Financial Advisor for her work with the California Mu Chapter at Pepperdine University.