ALUMNAE AND RECRUITMENT

| BY HARRIETTE BAKER | Associate Director, Programs & Education at Phi Sigma Sigma

I love Recruitment because I’ve seen its beautiful beating heart from just about every angle. I was a reluctant potential new member, confused first-time recruiter, recruitment counselor, confident senior recruiter, Leadership Consultant, fraternity/sorority advisor, NPC area advisor, PNM educator/trainer and most recently, a ZTA task force member. When Recruitment calls, I come running. I want to share my passion and hopefully inspire other alumnae to get engaged and support the collegiate recruitment process.

promote the sorority experience

The newest way alumnae can promote the sorority experience is by volunteering as a Collegiate Recruitment Ambassador through ZTA. The Fraternity introduced this role last year, and these volunteers help high school seniors and their families understand fraternity/ sorority life. Although these volunteers don’t specifically promote ZTA, their promotion of the overall sorority experience helps potential new members go into Recruitment with an open mind so they can find their home, ensuring current collegians are able to recruit the PNMs who share ZTA’s Key Values.

Contributing to ZTA’s success in recruitment doesn’t require an advisor role or working a shift at the closest collegiate chapter anymore. Of course, you are welcome to ask the leaders of the nearest chapter how you can help; but know that no-frills recruitment means that sharing anecdotes from events popular in the past, like mock recruitment, recruitment or legacy teas, and gatherings to collect and organize references, no longer serve Primary Recruitment well. It’s also important to keep in mind that chapter members are well-equipped to handle the logistics of Recruitment and member selection on their own and that campus Panhellenics will communicate all important dates.

The easiest way to support ZTA is to be a proud and vocal spokesperson for the sorority experience. Share the meaningful and significant lessons and skills that you gained through your membership. The opportunity to assist in recruitment lives in the, “I learned this from a sorority sister,” or “When I was my sorority’s Treasurer I really struggled with…” Share how ZTA has served you with others in your community all year long.

reassure PNMs

With the affordances of modern technology, many universities, organizations and collegiate chapters

have shifted their communication about the perceived deadlines and requirements related to reference documents (like ZTA’s Membership Information Sheet). Thanks to the implementation of online registration for Primary Recruitment and the popularity of social media and networking platforms, chapters can directly access so much of the information alumnae previously supplied through references without the photos, resumes and—let’s call it “flair”—that eventually became overwhelming "The easiest for collegiate chapters to process. way to support Alumnae still have the ZTA is to be a opportunity to submit an MIS through Sisters proud and vocal spokesperson for the sorority experience." Only for a potential new member with whom they have a longstanding relationship. However, PNMs are not required to have an MIS, and having one does not give them an advantage or impact the chapter’s decision to offer an invitation to membership. That privilege is exclusively reserved for the chapter members. During the week of Recruitment, be mindful to avoid pressuring PNMs or their family members to give ZTA any special consideration or share a play-by-play of the recruitment process. If you find yourself in a conversation with PNMs who are

asking you about ZTA during their recruitment process, encourage them to keep an open mind, know that the recruitment process protects their preferences and interests, and focus on finding the group that shares their personal values.

encourage chapters

The antiquated term “rush” has seen the sunset. Days of red/ green cards, discussion sessions and voting by paper are all things of the past. The Release Figure Methodology implements an algorithm to ensure the recruitment process is treated with the highest integrity by mutually pairing members and chapters. Today, Primary Recruitment is one of the most sophisticated, measured and thoughtful experiences offered to students; so it makes sense that nofrills practices emphasize authentic connections rooted in genuine conversations. RFM enables the maximum number of PNMs to find the right sorority to call “home;” chapters’ “bumping” systems complement RFM and are designed to help PNMs get to know as many sisters as possible. Together, these processes inform collegiate members’ decisions and enable them to further relationships in each round.

So what can alumnae offer to chapters when Recruitment runs on an algorithm, doesn’t serve refreshments and sometimes takes place virtually? Collegiate chapters’ recruitment needs are unique and varied to say the least. Ask the chapter President and Vice President III/Membership Chair what the chapter needs— and listen to the answer. If chapter leadership says the members need dinner dropped off or notes of encouragement, that’s what they need. If you are interested in providing broader support, consider becoming an advisor. When it comes to providing on-site support for Recruitment, use the “yes, and” approach. Yes, as alumnae, we cherish the memories of recruitments past, with the thoughtful decoration, polished entertainment and delicious refreshments; and we recognize that current and incoming college students value their time and are looking for the organizations that are going to give them the most meaningful experiences. of experience in sisterhood are providing premier membership opportunities. The growth of any values-based organization supported by a network and infrastructure focused on development is to be celebrated. Collectively, members of NPC sororities are part of one of the largest women’s organizations in the country. A thriving fraternity/ sorority community benefits all the groups and individuals involved.

celebrate community success

While we are proud of our ZTA experiences, it is important we remember those are our experiences and they occurred at a point in time for us and the group of sisters we joined with. Women participating in sorority recruitment have the right to explore and pursue an experience that is theirs and theirs alone. That experience may be best offered by ZTA or by another organization. Remember that Recruitment is a mutual selection process and the ultimate goal is for all PNMs to find the place that fits them best.

Be confident that the inter/ national sorority organizations that share collective centuries While the process has changed over time, Recruitment has always been the beating heart that we trust to pump new life into our organization. It draws in and infuses our collegiate chapters with new members who represent their interests and carry our sisterhood forward in perpetuity, so it benefits ZTA to continue to be leaders in shaping the fraternity/sorority experience. How will you contribute?

ZTA OUTSTANDING ALUMNA 2022 ESPN HOST LAURA RUTLEDGE

By Christy Marx Barber, Staff Writer

As a teenager, future ESPN host and anchor Laura McKeeman Rutledge could imagine herself in the spotlight—just not the spotlight of network sports broadcasting.

The spotlight would have been on a stage with Laura playing piano, violin, dulcimer, or drums or dancing in a ballet company (photo 3). Ballet was her career path until the end of high school. “I was a serious dancer,” Laura said. “I studied in China and went to a boarding school in Washington, D.C., to study ballet. I had the opportunity to sign with a ballet company my senior year—and then I decided I wanted to go to college.”

That big decision ultimately led Laura to summer 2007 orientation at the University of Florida where she decided to register for sorority Recruitment. “I hadn’t considered it, but everyone told me it was a great way to meet people,” Laura recalled. “Because of ballet, I hadn’t had the usual high school experience, so I thought looking into joining a sorority would be a good idea.”

That wise decision led Laura to ZTA’s Gamma Iota Chapter. “I love to talk to people, so the Recruitment process was fun,” Laura said. “I think back to how many interesting Zetas I met—so smart and accomplished. I went in with a completely open mind, but I would have been completely crushed if the feeling hadn’t been mutual. I’m so glad they felt the same way.” Fewer than 15 years later, her ZTA sisters will honor her at Convention 2022 as the ZTA Foundation’s Outstanding Alumna for excellence in sports broadcasting. Laura has hosted “SEC Nation,” SEC Network’s live college football pre-game show, since 2017 and “NFL Live,” ESPN’s year-round weekday professional football news and information show, since 2020 (photo 4).

Laura owes her first broadcasting job to a Gamma Iota Chapter sister, Kristin Giannas, now a meteorologist at an Orlando television station. Kristin was a broadcast major, and Laura was in “exploratory mode.” She was still taking ballet classes and needed extra income to pay for them.

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“Kristin told me the school radio station was paying $6 an hour for broadcasters,” Laura said. “I really needed that money. The station only had one opening. It was in sports, and I said ‘Sure, I’ll take it.’”

That tip from a sister jump-started Laura’s career at UF, where she earned her broadcast journalism degree and received the 2011 Red

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Barber Award for Excellence in broadcasting. Laura also represented ZTA in the Miss UF pageant (photo 2), which qualified her for the Miss Florida pageant in 2012. She earned the crown as Miss Florida and participated in the 2013 Miss America pageant.

During and after college, Laura worked as a local sideline reporter for the Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres, as a sports anchor for CNN’s “New Day” and “Early Start,” and as a contributor on HLN’s “Morning Express with Robin Meade.” She joined ESPN just five years after graduation.

Today, when Laura is on the set of “SEC Nation” on a college campus (photo 6), ZTA members often stop by to meet her. “Truly everywhere I go, I feel that connection immediately,” she said. “It’s a common ground—a unique tissue that holds us together. I have always felt so very supported and proud to be a Zeta.”

As a collegian, Laura served Gamma Iota Chapter as Judicial Chair. “That was a great learning experience and a pivotal moment,” she said. “Because I didn’t grow up with a lot of close friends, I craved that feeling of being surrounded by women who want to help each other. Women helping women is the best possible thing we can do.”

On her social media platforms, Laura intentionally shows how she values being a wife and mother as much as her career. She and her husband, Laura interviewing Patrick Mahomes during a Monday Night Football game in 2021

Josh, a former Major League Baseball player, welcomed their daughter, Reese, in October 2019 (photo 1).

“Having Reese was an important reset for me,” Laura said. “During my pregnancy, I worked so hard. The network didn’t push me. It was all me thinking I might lose my career. I think many women worry about being a mom and having a career. It’s so sad that we feel that way. So, I do show Reese in my social media to show that it’s possible.”

Reese has her own budding sports broadcast career. Every week for the past two seasons, SEC Network and ESPN’s college football coverage has included “Baby Reese Picks,” a home video segment where Reese picks her favorite from two football teams’ helmets. She made 14 correct picks in the most recent 17-week college football season. In the College Football Championship game, Reese correctly picked the University of Georgia over The University of Alabama, her father’s alma mater. And she picked the Bulldogs while wearing a turquoise princess dress and a five-pointed tiara.

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Laura on the set of “Between the Lines” in January 2021

“I think back to how many interesting Zetas I met— so smart and accomplished...”

- LAURA RUTLEDGE

ALPHA ZETA CHAPTER HOLDS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

By Christy Marx Barber, Staff Writer

Eight young women formed a social club at The Ohio State University in 1920 with the express purpose of becoming a Zeta Tau Alpha chapter. They became Alpha Zeta Chapter, the 31st link in ZTA’s Chain of Chapters, on May 30, 1921. The founding sisters most likely never dreamed that 101 years later, the chapter would have 195 collegiate members and that 1,765 women had been initiated into ZTA at Ohio State.

An 11-member committee celebrated those 101 years of sisterhood by planning a weekend of festivities on April 8 and 9, 2022. The celebration had been put on hold in 2021 due to the pandemic. On Friday evening, sisters toured the chapter’s new home and participated in the House Dedication Service. Members who lived in the previous two-story house in the 1980s marveled at the spacious new house with three floors and a finished basement.

Attendees gathered for a luncheon on Saturday at the Fawcett Center on campus. In her keynote address, ZTA Foundation President Carolyn Hof Carpenter shared her personal connection to Alpha Zeta as National President at its reactivation in 2016 after a 25-year pause.

Mrs. Carpenter had visited the new chapter house in late March 2020 just before the pandemic shutdown. She saw the chapter’s original charter from 1921 and the new charter from 2016 hanging in the front hallway. “As I began to think about this centennial celebration, I kept coming back to that image,” she said. “One chapter. Two charters. And a space in between them. And then the pandemic pause. And how those two events were immense challenges, but they could not and did not dim our love for our sisters. If anything, they strengthened it.”

The oldest and youngest members of the centennial planning committee also remarked on the strength of the chapter’s sisterhood. Nancy Bennett Bauman, initiated in 1959, was the event’s emcee. “I have so much pride in our Fraternity and my 63 years of membership in our beloved Alpha Zeta Chapter,” Nancy said. “My life has been blessed by the friendships I’ve made in ZTA. My college roommate, Anne Brown Chapman, came from Florida to be roommates once again. We talk and laugh like we were still 18, but we go to bed a little earlier.” Chelsie Teutsch, who was President of the chapter at its reactivation and served ZTA as a Leadership Consultant after graduation, gave the closing remarks. “Although I represent the end of today’s celebration, this is not the end for Alpha Zeta,” she said. “Alpha Zeta members will continue to build upon the sisterhood that was established in 1921. They will continue to create their own traditions. And they will continue to make us all proud.”

top: Alumnae gather for a photo in front of the Zeta Tau Alpha backdrop. left: Attendees proudly hold up Alpha Zeta’s link in the Chain of Chapters.

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(top to bottom) Three mid-century heavy crest necklaces; 1937 edition of “The Balfour Blue Book” jewelry catalog; sterling shoe clips with crests, late 1920s

LIFE ISN’T PERFECT, BUT ZTA JEWELRY CAN BE!

By Patti Cords Levitte, Archivist, and Susan L. Beard, Archives Committee Chair

All Zeta Tau Alphas have felt the excitement of receiving their own badge, but it certainly isn’t the only piece of ZTA jewelry members have worn over the years. Since the very beginning of the Fraternity, sisters have been proclaiming membership and expressing their personality through pieces of jewelry with ZTA letters, symbols or logos on them.

Today, buying a piece of ZTA jewelry is as easy as ordering it online and having it shipped, sometimes even overnight. Fraternity jewelry wasn’t always so easy to find or purchase. Members sometimes had to wait months to receive their orders.

ZTA’s Founders had an advantage over other organizations at Farmville early on, as they partnered with a jeweler. Mr. E.C. Wiltse of Farmville, Virginia, was ZTA’s first badge designer. He also supplied other jewelry to the members of Alpha Chapter, including a badge that had many multicolored stones in it. While there are descriptions of some of these custom pieces, ZTA does not know where they ended up after leaving their original owners’ possession.

Mr. Wiltse would remain the official jeweler for the first few years, but badge production demands outpaced his capabilities as the Fraternity grew. In 1906, ZTA switched to the A.H. Fetting Company of Baltimore, Maryland, and that company was the official badge provider through the 1920s; but the Fraternity also had vendors for producing other jewelry, gifts and stationery, as there was no trademark on ZTA symbols restricting who could make and sell ZTA-branded items.

The business of fraternal jewelry was very competitive in the 1910s and 1920s. The only way of controlling the output was to authorize specific companies as ZTA’s official vendors for novelty jewelry and items. In 1908, ZTA parted ways with The Auld Company, which had been making miniature versions of ZTA’s badge and mounting the shield off the front of the badge onto items like umbrella handles and men’s tie pins. That year, ZTA voted to standardize the size of the badge and prohibit use of any individual parts of the badge. The L.G. Balfour Company was ZTA’s main vendor for jewelry from the 1920s through the 1970s.

Past Grand President Bertha Cruse Gardner’s sterling art deco bracelet with crest charm, circa 1930

Its jewelry catalog was a highly anticipated piece of mail at ZTA chapter houses.

Balfour also supplied licensed jewelry to college bookstores, which were another main source for ZTA items. Many members bought a crest emblem from the bookstore and took it to their own jeweler to “Zeta-fy” a piece of jewelry. One of the prettiest examples of Zeta-fied jewelry is the mother-of-pearl, marcasite and sterling necklace that belonged to past National Council member Vallera Clough Ross (Sigma Chapter, Baker University). She had a crest added to it after her initiation in 1948. Another modified necklace that is important to ZTA’s history is the long, enameled sterling art deco necklace with a cabochon amethyst and applied crest that Bertha Cruse Gardner (new Beta Chapter, Judson College) wore often while she was Grand President from 1928 to 1933.

ZTA JEWELRY TRENDS

Licensed ZTA jewelry has changed with the styles in each decade. In the Roaring ’20s, every Zeta wanted art deco bracelets and cocktail rings with the crest on them. Members loved these pieces enough to care for them and pass them down to other Zetas, and several of the pieces live in the Historical and Educational Center for visitors to appreciate.

The 1940s brought an explosion in novelty “fun” jewelry, with the letters or crest appearing as accents on bracelets and especially brooches. Circle pins with letters or ZTA symbols added to them were very popular from this time until the 1960s. Chunky pendants with a very large crest were popular in the 1960s and could easily be part of a layered necklace look today.

Charm bracelets were extremely popular from the mid-20th century through the 1960s. Sisters often put their dangles on bracelets instead of on their badge guards. Charm bracelets were also a way to add in ZTA charms that had secret meanings for the wearer or commemorated an event like Convention. Balfour made a sterling circle charm with the year and city on it for each Convention from the 1920s through 1960s.

The latter part of the 20th century’s ZTA jewelry is mostly concentrated in necklaces, bracelets and rings, with some styles being repeated for years as their popularity never waned. Today’s licensed jewelry can be found on the HJGreek website, with new styles being added every season. Many other licensed vendors, like Kyle Cavan, offer uncommon pieces that represent members’ unique styles and Zeta Tau Alpha.

Zetas have been wearing jewelry that displays their pride in being a Zeta since 1898. Today’s Zetas have almost unlimited articles of ZTA apparel and plenty of opportunities to find a special piece that they can treasure today and forever.

top: Mrs. Gardner’s art deco sterling, enamel and amethyst pendant with crest, circa 1930; bottom left: mid-century sterling circle pin with ZTA monogram; bottom right: past National Council member Vallera Clough Ross’ sterling, marcasite and mother-of-pearl pendant with added crest, 1940s

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES

in challenging times

By Susie Beederman Regan, Contributing Writer

Rachel Delmar (Lambda Upsilon Chapter, University of Wisconsin—Madison) is well-versed in finding opportunities during challenging times. When schools shut down in March 2020, Rachel saw an uptick in neighborhood parents asking for babysitting and tutoring services. While parents navigated remote work or returned to the office, Rachel helped their children log in to classes and stay on top of schoolwork. She saw firsthand that children were struggling with online learning. “I wanted to do something because I knew kids would start getting academically behind because of this,” Rachel said.

It was from this experience that Best Step Tutoring was born. Rachel texted her friends to hop on a Zoom meeting and proposed an idea: free, weekly online tutoring. Her friends were on board, and soon the group developed a website, social media presence and business structure. They also recruited more friends to tutor, and within six months, Best Step Tutoring included participants

[1] Rachel Delmar (Lambda Upsilon Chapter, University of Wisconsin-Madison) is a member of ZTA’s Inclusion Committee. [2] Rachel and a sister pose after Initiation. [3] Sisters gather for a chapter meeting in 2022. from seven different states, Malaysia, Egypt, India and Canada.

Two years later, Best Step Tutoring is still going strong. Students are matched with a tutor based on subject and availability. In addition to common topics like language arts, reading and math, tutors offer college panels, essay workshops and career sessions like “So You Want to be an Engineer.” One standout offering is the SAT workshop series, hosted by a student tutor at Rice University who got a perfect score on the SAT.

The SAT workshop is particularly relevant in Rachel’s home state of Illinois, where high schoolers are required to take the SAT. She points outs that private SAT tutoring is expensive and not accessible to everyone. Workshops like this are consistent with her original vision for Best Step Tutoring as a program that broadened access to those unable to afford professional tutoring. Today, Rachel remains committed to the vision. Best Step Tutoring was recently granted nonprofit status, and this past April, she launched a program to provide laptops to participants in need.

“I never imagined when I started texting my friends that it would go this far,” she said. “I never imagined it would help hundreds of people.”

Despite establishing herself as a successful entrepreneur in high school, Rachel was unsure

about her future at the University of Wisconsin— Madison last fall. The first-year student was questioning her major and felt lonely and isolated in her residence hall on the outskirts of campus. But the chance meeting with ZTA’s Leadership Consultants changed Rachel’s outlook.

“Being part of something new on campus is really exciting,” Rachel said.

She loved that collegians and alumnae from across the country came together to add a link to the Fraternity’s Chain of Chapters. One of Rachel’s favorite recruitment conversations was with an alumna from the University of Washington, a fellow clarinet player. “Everyone was genuine and nice,” Rachel said. “I had never felt that open before.”

Those early conversations proved to be a turning point in Rachel’s college experience. While initially on the fence about joining a sorority, she realized some of her hesitation was due to false stereotypes. Rachel now embraces the responsibility to help Lambda Upsilon build a positive reputation and continue to break stereotypes alongside her sisters.

“I’m no longer looking at transferring,” she said. “I love being in Zeta because I have my community. I know my people.”

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As a Zeta Tau Alpha, Rachel now has a new platform from which to advocate for equity and access. This past spring, she applied for and accepted the offer to join the Fraternity’s Inclusion Committee. In her application, she wrote about her passion for diversity, equity and inclusion work and the need in particular for people with disabilities to have a voice in fraternity and sorority life. As a student with learning and mental health disabilities, she has found support at the McBurney Disability Resource Center at the university. By being open about her own experience, Rachel hopes to end the stigma for others, and she wants fellow Zetas to know: It’s okay if you’re not okay.

As a member of the Inclusion Committee, she joins collegians and alumnae from different chapters in making recommendations that will shape the future of the Fraternity’s DEI work. “I’m so grateful to gain experience by doing something like this,” Rachel said. “It’s really cool working with people from all over the country. It’s such a great opportunity.”

After a busy year with Lambda Upsilon and the Inclusion Committee, Rachel has also gained a better sense of self. She declared a new double major, education policy studies and gender and women’s studies, along with certificates in public policy and disability services. Rachel hopes to use her education to help others, take on leadership roles and eventually develop equitable policies. It’s been quite a journey since Rachel decided to stop at the ZTA recruitment booth on campus.

“This is like the best decision I ever made,” she said. “I’m starting off my sophomore year in such a better place. I love where I am. I have friends; I have a community. I feel like I can do a lot with that.”

[4] Members sell pink carnations as a philanthropy fundraiser. [5] Sisters “say cheese” with a statue of Bucky Badger. [6] Rachel and other chapter members celebrate their Bid Day.

GIVING ZTA FACILITIES THE CROWNING TOUCH

By Christy Marx Barber, Staff Writer

In early spring 1899, Zeta Tau Alpha’s Founders designed the first badge of the Fraternity. It included a five-pointed crown, surrounded by the letters Z, T and A. Founder Ruby Leigh Orgain saved a print of the design in her personal memory book; it is the oldest ZTA artifact that pictures a crown.

ZTA members learn the significance of the five-pointed crown in the Initiation Service. The Coat of Arms (or crest) of the Fraternity has included a crown since 1908. The Fraternity standard for chapter excellence is the Crown Chapter Award, and its merchandise program is known as Crown & Co. So, in 2013, it was not surprising that focus groups in ZTA’s rebranding study overwhelmingly chose the fivepointed crown as the symbol to be included in the Fraternity’s official logo.

“The crown is a gentle nudge to us all to stand up a little straighter and show our pride in being Zeta Tau Alphas,” said ZTA Fraternity Housing Corporation President Dinah Jackson Laughery. “The FHC Design Committee enjoys finding and incorporating five-pointed crowns in the décor of our chapter facilities. It’s a subtle, classy reminder to remain true to our principles and values.” The antique door handles at Epsilon Chapter (University of Arkansas) and the stained-glass crown at Beta Theta Chapter (Franklin College) have graced their facilities for many years. Recently remodeled FHC facilities include five-pointed crown book ends. ZTA-branded chairs with five-pointed crowns cut out of the back are great additions to chapter meeting rooms, study spaces and common areas.

To see examples of how the FHC has incorporated links and the Coat of Arms in housing decor, see the winter 2019 and winter 2020 issues of the magazine under the Themis tab on ZTA’s website.

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SCAN TO VIEW THE CHAPTER LOCATOR Did you know you can see more pictures of chapter houses on ZTA’s website?

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[1] Crown bookends at Alpha Psi Chapter (University of Missouri) [2] Stained glass crowns, strawberries and white violets framing the door of the Beta Theta Chapter (Franklin College) house [3] Chairs in a study space at Eta Xi Chapter (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) [4] Chapter room chairs at Nu Chapter (University of Alabama) [5] Chairs in a common area at Iota Rho Chapter (East Carolina University) [6] Door pulls at Epsilon Chapter (University of Arkansas)

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ALPHA MU CHAPTER CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

By Janet Vigen Levy, ZTAlways/Virtual Alumnae Membership Chair

What began with two young women who created a new social group at Washburn University led to Alpha Mu Chapter’s installation as the 37th link in the Chain of Chapters on March 4, 1922. On the weekend of March 25-26, 2022, more than 100 collegians, alumnae and guests gathered in Topeka, Kansas, to celebrate 100 years of Alpha Mu Chapter.

On Friday evening, Alpha Mu alumnae reconnected at Washburn Alumni Association’s After Hours social event at the Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center.

Saturday evening’s celebration at the Topeka Country Club began with a cocktail hour. Attendees enjoyed a chapter memorabilia display and bid on silent auction items to help fund a ZTA Foundation Recognition Scholarship. Photo opportunities included the Alpha Mu chapter flag, on loan for the occasion from International Office.

Centennial planning committee chair and Topeka, KS Chapter President Sydney Fox welcomed everyone. Alumna Samantha Greif Budden led the Zeta Prayer before attendees enjoyed a buffet dinner and dessert bar.

Anniversary Committee member and alumnae chapter Secretary Tammy Schmeidler Peters began the program with a roll call to showcase the attendees, from current collegians to alumnae of all ages, including 54year member Dixie Burkett Sypher, a 1968 initiate. Sydney then led the recitation of The Creed, provided an overview of the local chapter’s accomplishments during its first year as a reorganized alumnae chapter, and thanked the alumnae officer team for its dedication.

The following remarks continued to highlight the joys of ZTA sisterhood. Alpha Mu President Kristen Vanderbeck acknowledged the chapter members in attendance and said, “This year, we have spent time focusing on our sisterhood and membership, rebuilding the bonds that make us Zeta Tau Alpha and prioritizing those things we find important for our future as a chapter.”

General Advisor Paige Auten thanked Alpha Mu’s Advisory Board members. “The opportunity to learn from and advise these collegiate women has truly enriched my life and love for our Fraternity,” she told attendees.

Vice President Collegiate III Kimberly Jones Ivester touched on Alpha Mu historical highlights, including that 1,702 women have been initiated into Alpha Mu Chapter in the last century.

Vice President Alumnae II Cheri White Armstrong shared her delight at the growth of the Topeka alumnae chapter, which was one of the earliest in the country to receive its charter. “The original members from 1928 would be so proud of the 77 duespaying members,” she said. Mrs. Ivester and Mrs. Armstrong presented the Fraternity’s traditional centennial gift of a clock to the chapter President. “Alpha Mu at 100 is alive and growing. Your presence here signifies that,” they said. “Stay focused on your friendships and ZTA’s values. Work together as collegiate and alumnae members for the success of the Fraternity.”

top: Collegians pose for a photo-op. bottom: Mrs. Armstrong and Mrs. Ivester present the Fraternity’s centennial gift of a clock to chapter President Kristen Vanderbeck.