Mary B. Wright International President
Ernestine Wilson South Central Region Director
Donna R. Williams Tennessee State Director
East Tennessee Nu Zeta Chapter | Knoxville, TN Nu Zeta Chapter has been working continuously since the last Tremendous Tennessee Leadership Conference. This past sorority year our chapter focused on Service and Sisterhood and we prioritized activities, which encouraged both. We volunteered for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, offering much needed support and encouragement for the participants. We donated toiletries to the Ben Atchley Veteran’s Home, and we also recognized a local women’s veterans group, giving gift cards in appreciation of their service. We participated in Mobile Meals where we delivered meals to the elderly on Thanksgiving. In December Nu Zeta along with the undergraduate chapter and youth, participated in the annual Knoxville Christmas Parade and the Christmas Kettle Bell Ringing Initiative. We also celebrated the graduation of our Soror Robin Jones who obtained her Master of Education degree in Mental Health Counseling! We participated in the Centennial Global Day of Service and delivered blessing bags to the homeless. During Finer Womanhood Week in March, Nu Zeta donated classroom and office supplies and also provided lunch to a local school during its teacher appreciation week. We also focused heavily on recruitment and reclaiming. Our efforts proved to be fruitful as evidenced by our 8 reclaimed sorors who were recognized through our “Reclamation Spotlight” on our Facebook page! Additionally, we grew our chapter by recruiting one new member Soror Tiffany Flood! A s you can see, we have been busy; as we say in Nu Zeta, Zeta WorK! We look forward to working for Zeta in our new sorority year.
Middle Tennessee Psi Phi Zeta Chapter | Williamson County, TN The sisters of Psi Phi Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. of Williamson County have been very busy since the 2016 Tennessee State Meeting! From November 2016 to the present date, the members of Psi Phi Zeta Chapter helped in the Next Door and Military Initiative Projects donating reusable items and personal items here and abroad. Sorors did presentations for Pre-Maturity Awareness Month at their churches. The chapter blessed a family of five with a Thanksgiving Basket for the United Way of Williamson County. Held a successful sip and chat that gave the chapter two potential candidates for membership who are now Sorors inducted April 2017. Psi Phi Zeta received a certificate at the state meeting for having the largest Z-HOPE points. We participated in the Bowling for Babies along with other chapters of the Divine Nine. The chapter had a joint Founders’ Day program with the brothers of Phi Beta Sigma. Psi Phi Zeta delivered Blessing Bags to the Center of Hope in Maury County, Columbia Tennessee on the Global Day of Service, Founders’ Day. We also delivered toys for the Toy Boxes and blessed the kids. The chapter attended The Church of Jesus Christ in support of our brother, Bishop Fred Matthews, a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. Psi Phi Zeta also made monetary donations to various programs, had a successful fundraiser, Men of Valor Brunch, and will be walking in the March of Dimes March for Babies in May. We have been blessed in growth of active members who are about service to others. We are looking forward to what is to come and excited about the possibilities.
Middle Tennessee Rho Alpha Zeta Chapter | Hermitage, TN The Rho Alpha Zeta Chapter better known as the Music City Zetas continues to blaze new trails in Service, Scholarship, Sisterhood, and Finer Womanhood! The Music City Zetas exceeded the goal of 1920 pencils for the Global Pencil Project. 2,148 unused pencils were donated to Haywood Elementary School. The Music City Zetas continues to benefit the Robert E. Lillard Elementary School with school supplies, a health and wellness night, and an upcoming multiplication challenge between third and fourth graders. Rho Alpha Zeta continues to help others to excel through a wealth of ZHOPE projects. The sorors walked to raise awareness for breast cancer in African American women in the April 8th Sista Strut sponsored by the Sisters Network, Inc. held at Centennial Park. Wigs for Awareness helped the American Cancer Society supply African American cancer patients with a variety of 20 wigs. Although the March for Babies March of Dime event was cancelled due to severe storms, the Music City Zetas continued to raised donations to benefit research and programs to work to end prematurity and birth defects. Stepping into Sisterhood Celebration 2017 was a month full of awesome events celebrating Finer Womanhood. From an ArtCrawl in downtown Nashville to Zetas Getting Fit at the Nashville Ballet to teaching our children and families about Health and Wellness at Robert E. Lillard Elementary School, Zetas were quite active in the Music City. Toward the end of the month, the Music City Zetas celebrated with a Blue and White Cookout at The Edge and a Sunday Social at the Arrington Vineyard. On Monday, March 27th, the Music City Zetas joined sorors from across the tremendous state of Tennessee at Zeta Day on the Hill. This day of purpose culminated our month with a charge to keep the drive of change in our communities. Music City Zetas celebrated excellence within our city at our annual Young, Gifted and Black Scholarship Luncheon as we brought the sorority year to a close. The Music City Zetas of the Rho Alpha Zeta chapter look forward to another successful year of service, scholarship, sisterhood and finer womanhood. For more information, go to our website, www.MusicCityZetas.org!
Middle Tennessee Pi Zeta Chapter | Nashville, TN Pi Zeta took pride in its initiatives and shows it by taking action in giving back to her community! The sororal year of 2016-2017 was a busy and eventful year for the sorors and auxiliaries. In the season of being thankful, Pi Zeta and their brothers of Phi Beta Sigma, volunteer to feed the homeless at the Nashville Rescue Mission (pictured). Feeding over 420 men in one afternoon and prepping breakfast for the next day. For years now, March of Dimes and Stork’s Nest have been initiatives in the Nashville Community that have been near and dear to the hearts of Pi Zeta members. This love can be seen by the surprise visit received to our Stork’s Nest by the Executive Director of March of Dimes, Doug Eberhart (pictured). Also, by all the purple that can be seen by the many Sorors that took time out on their Saturday to be a part of the Nashville area Macy’s March of Dimes Day . Whether it be “Greetings” on the 1st day of school, Literacy Night, or TCAP Prep at Jones Paideia Elementary School - Pi Zeta is there when the call goes out from Principal and Soror Debra Messenger. Pi Zeta membership is on the rise, welcoming 7 new members on Sorors Jasmine Fluellen, LaDina Upshaw, and Christal Williams on November 3, 2016. Then again in March 11, 2017 Sorors Britney Cooley, Natasha Davis, Elyse Johnson, and Nicole Yeargin. The theme of “Rise Up: Initiate, Inform, and Inspire” was exactly what Pi Zeta worked to do in hosting their 2017 Blue Revue. Our 2 participants Kailynn Gaines and Aaliyah Groves participated in workshops for College Prep, Etiquette and Social Graces, Random Acts of Kindness and shared their oratorical ability and talent. In the end, Kailynn Gaines was crowned as Pi Zeta’s 2017 Blue Review Scholarship Winner. This Blue Revue not only rendered a scholarship winner, but it also touched on the other Zeta principles of Service, Sisterly Love, and Finer Womanhood it we took time to honor Soror Tracey Duke as Pi Zeta Woman of Year. And to honor and pay special respect to two of our Doves who are still active and financial members of Pi Zeta, Soror Willa Taylor (age 92) and Soror Mary Hamby (95) for their many years of service.
West Tennessee Alpha Eta Zeta Chapter | Memphis, TN Alpha Eta Zeta has been busy in the city since the state conference! The sorority year was filled Sisterhood, Scholarship, Service and Finer Womanhood! Following the conference, our chapter grew with welcoming back reclaimed sorors and bringing in new members! The membership held Astounding events that reflected the many wonderful initiatives going on in Zeta! Providing Service in the city keeps us busy! During our Founders’ Day activities we participated in the Global Day of Service by creating blessing bags just as our many Tremendous Tennessee Sorors! We distributed the bags to the homeless in the city; prior to participating in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade. The recipients of the blessing bags were grateful to know that someone took the time to think about them. During this week we also partnered with Sigma Memphis and served food to the homeless at a local shelter. Our Stork’s Nest sponsored a clothing giveaway at the New Horizons Apartments. Residents and members of the community were provided the opportunity to choose shoes, clothes and glasses for themselves and their family members. The committee members did an Astounding job collecting all items for the event. We participated in Read Across America at Freedom's Prep Academy reading to second graders. Our annual Daddy’s Little Girl event provides us an opportunity to highlight the many wonderful things that our youth are doing. We also rewarded high school students for their scholarly efforts with scholarships! Our recipients this year are heading off to Lane College, The University of Memphis, Tennessee State University, Texas Wesleyan University, and Delta State University.
During the summer we partnered with Sigma Memphis and hosted our annual joint picnic, but this year it was community focused ‘Cease Focus –Pursue Life’. We had community partners at the park with us providing needed information to the community. We also provided school supplies to our adopted school, Hamilton Middle School. This year we partnered with Jolie Hair Studio for a Curls for Girlz Back to School Event. The salon provided a free shampoo & styles, and we provided school to girls attending Green Dot schools in Shelby County. As you can see we have been busy! We are equipped and geared up for an Astounding new sorority year!!
West Tennessee Mu Zeta Zeta Chapter | Bolivar, TN The Mu Zeta Zeta Chapter has been dutifully busy since the 2016 TN State Leadership Conference carrying out the principles of Sorority and helping other people excel through community service projects. Such that, chapter members visited Jackson General Hospital and donated supplies to the Prematurity Ward to bring awareness to premature babies. Next, as an Elder care initiate, the chapter donated everyday household supplies to the Commission of Aging for Christmas; as well as, served as Kettle Bell Ringers for the Salvation Army. Substantially, the Global Day of Service was another successful community service project in which the chapter provided blessing bags to the Pine Meadows Nursing Home, Pleasant View Nursing Home and Quinco Group Home. During Global Day of Service the chapter provided: personal hygiene products, bed pillows, children books and toys to the Abusive Women Shelter. Moreover, in observance of 97 years, the chapter attended Worship Service at the Historic First Baptist Church, located in Jackson, TN and made a monetary donation toward the church’s Scholarship Fund. This year the chapter held its third Bi-Annual Scholarship Luncheon and the Theme was “EMPOWERING HIGER EDUCATION”. The keynote speaker was Dr. Logan Hampton, president of Lane College in Jackson, TN, the Mistress of Ceremony was the Unconquerable South Central Regional Director Ernestine Wilson who was introduce by Tremendous TN State Director Donna R. Williams. During the luncheon, the chapter presented individual scholarships to deserving High School Seniors who are empowering their education; as well as gifting Lane College with a monetary donation that will be incorporated in their Scholarship Fund. Finally, the Majestic Mu Zeta Zeta Chapter welcomed 3 new members to the Sisterhood: Nicole Ramsey, Pamela Reed and Stephanie Smith which increased the chapter current membership to 50 active members to end the sorority year. Through outstanding leadership, tremendous teamwork, and continual recruitment and reclamation efforts, stay tuned as the Magic of Mu Zeta Zeta continues to unfold.
Thanks to each of you for your contributions, participation, and presence at the conference. It is because of your efforts that we were able to effectively serve as the Host State and contribute to the success of the conference. A special thanks to our tremendous Conference Co-Marshals (Soror Stephanie Lockett Peeler, Soror Kaylynn Boyd, Amica Vivian McClellan, and Archonette Jada Powell) for all of their hard work! We came together as a State (and garnered some support from other states) and effectively won every position that we campaigned for. The following ran for office and won: Soror Stephanie Lockett Peeler, Soror Joyce Murphy, Soror Robin Jones, and Archonette Jada Powell. Due to Tennessee winning more than two positions on the board, we did the sisterly thing and yielded one of the positions. Congratulations to our newly elected and installed South Central Regional Officers from Tennessee: Soror Stephanie Lockett Peeler, SCR Chair of the Executive Board; Soror Joyce Murphy, SCR Tamias-Grammateus; and Archonette Jada Powell, SCR Youth President! Congratulations to the chapters/auxiliaries that received certificates of recognitions! Tennessee also received certificates for the 2016 March for Babies for most registered and most auxiliaries registered. Congratulations to Soror Dannitria J. Williams (Alpha Eta Zeta) and Soror Erica Lewis (Rho Alpha Eta Zeta) on being awarded the Graduate SCR Scholarships and Amica Vinette Sharp (Bartlett) on being awarded the Amicae SCR Scholarship!
"As first-time attendee, the 88th South Central Regional Conference was a great experience. My favorite part was the Soiree. I enjoyed meeting new Sorors and teaching each other dances. We had so much fun, we were doing the Cupid Shuffle in the refreshments line." -Soror Kayla Tisdale, Pi Epsilon Spring 2017
My name is Airiana Paris, and I am from the Lovely Lambda Delta chapter in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This was my very first regional conference, and I enjoyed every bit of it. I had never seen so much blue and white in one setting because my chapter is small and on a PWI campus. It was such an adrenaline rush to be around and meet so many Sorors. Soror Smith, who sang the solo at the Amicae luncheon, shared her story of battling lupus. I, too, struggle with lupus, and I believe that God made it so that I could meet someone similar to me. I always felt so small with not only being a Zeta but also having lupus. To meet a Soror who is both was just mindblowing. Through that, we exchanged numbers, and now I have a Soror from Mississippi I can talk to about my condition when I'm feeling discouraged. There were other great people, like meeting Madam Grand Wright, but that was the highlight of my experience. I left Nashville feeling confident and inspired. I will continue to let my Zeta light shine, and never let anything or anyone put it out. Sisterly, Airiana Paris Lambda Delta Chapter University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Welcome to The 2017 Tennessee State Conference Location: Jackson, TN by way of
Upsilon Gamma Zeta & Delta Iota Chapters Martin, TN Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Best Wishes & Congratulations TN State Director Donna R. Williams On A Successful Leadership Conference
Mu Zeta Zeta Chapter PO Box 126 Bolivar, TN 38008 Chapter Officers: Marilyn P. Smith-President Priscilla Wooden- 1st Anti Carolyn P. Shaw-2nd Ant Charlotte P. Todd-Secretary Joyce Murphy-Treasure Mary Wilson-Financial Secretary Diane G. Jeffries-Parliamentarian