Original post can be found here on the official Alpha Phi blog.

When I accepted my bid to Alpha Phi, an older member promised that I made one of the best decisions in my life. I never had a doubt about the decision, but it did take me seven years to realize the complexity of what Alpha Phi on a bid card would mean for me and I am willing to bet I have more aspiring moments to look forward to.

I have been working for the same company since my college graduation. When hired, my company’s policy was that new hires could not work where they were familiar (no hometown, no college town), and because the complexity of the business and rapid changes, it was common that a new manager would only know where they were headed to work a few weeks before their scheduled start date.
Sound scary? How did that work out for me? Well…

It was amazing!

Each time I relocated, I did not have a plan, I was in an unfamiliar city where I had never been before, and most importantly I did not have friends or family waiting to greet me and help me, but I did have Alpha Phi.

With each new city, it only took a few clicks online to find the closest alumnae chapter and just like that (click, click, click) I had a girls’ night out, I had a recommended hair stylist and honest real estate advice. Six years, three relocations, three different regions of the United States, two condos and many, many moving vans, packing crews and apartments later, I realize that home is wherever I am.

Over dinner with some colleagues, I discussed the journey we had been on since college, a whirlwind of a journey. When it was my turn to vent, I realized I had absolutely nothing to actually vent about. At that moment I realized that joining Alpha Phi truly was one of the best and significant decisions I have made. As important as my chapter sisters were to molding my collegiate experience, Alpha Phi on a grander scale is just as important to molding my entire life experience. Alpha Phi is the link to a new city being my home, friends right around the corner, and far less things to worry about in an unfamiliar city. Alpha Phi was yielding a completely different experience for me than my non-Greek peers.

In the end, no matter where I go, I am an Alpha Phi; no matter how much I give back, my sisters across the country will give me more than I could ever repay. Back then it was two words on a piece of stock card, and now a few clicks on the Alpha Phi website are the keys to my success in a new city, the next job or my next step in life.

So log onto to http://www.alphaphi.org to get reconnected, your sisters are waiting to hear from you.

Jennifer Hernandez (Iota Beta-St. Mary’s) currently resides in Bay Harbor Islands, FL.

Original post can be found here on the official Alpha Phi blog.

I love history and genealogy, so, family photos and collectibles have always meant a lot to me. This is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing that I actually enjoy looking at things hanging on my walls, in my bookcases, on top of my mantle. They define me, my interests and those of my husband and my son. The curse is that my house is getting full!

The secret for me has been to begin to identify what items might belong in another place where they can be treasured and appreciated and not end up at a garage sale. In the case of Alpha Phi items, I have tracked the sale of Alpha Phi badges and other items for initiated members only being sold on eBay for several years now. Luckily, the number of badges being sold online has decreased as more members learn and remember the proper way to handle badges. The Alpha Phi badge, upon the member’s death, should either be buried with the member, given to another Alpha Phi or sent back to the Executive Office. Nancy Theisen Bennett (Delta Tau–LSU) currently resides in Fresno, CA.

Personally, I have begun to give away to other Alpha Phi’s the items I no longer wear with much frequency. As friends’ daughters have joined Alpha Phi, I have given away some clothing and some jewelry. They love it as it truly is “retro” and certainly appreciate the thought. Several years ago, I was given a beautiful raised crest disc necklace by an older alum and neighbor who wanted me to have it to wear to Alpha Phi functions. I have worn it with great pride and always told the story when I wore it and gotten a lot of compliments. Should I stop wearing it, I will make sure to pass it along to a younger Alpha Phi that I know will treasure it as I have. It is important for Alpha Phi’s legacy to keep these badges and jewelry and even clothing in member’s hands. Anything less degrades the special nature of these items we all wear with pride.

In gifting of Alpha Phi items, also consider giving back to your collegiate chapter or a local chapter in your area. If your local collegiate chapter conducts silent auctions as fundraisers at events, some of these “vintage” items could be big sellers.

If you do see an Alpha Phi badge or even another sorority or fraternity badge at an estate sale and you cannot afford to purchase it, consider contacting a member who might be interested. I was at an antique sale several years ago and spotted a Phi Mu badge. I contacted one of my Phi Mu friends in Fresno Alumnae Panhellenic who knew the vendor and purchased it from her to give to another Phi Mu. And, as the family member who collects, I had been given my grandmother’s Alpha Delta Pi Initiation Certificate (1922, Kansas State) along with some other mementos from her college days. I contacted the Alpha Delta Pi Memorial Chair at their national headquarters. After describing the items in detail, she was thrilled to have them sent to her and I know my grandmother would be thrilled as well.

I encourage you to protect Alpha Phi’s legacy and feel good about passing along your legacy.

Nancy Bennett (Delta Tau-LSU) currently resides in Fresno, CA.

Original post can be found here on the official Alpha Phi blog.

You go to several weddings in your life. You meet your friends’ cousins, co-workers and childhood best friends. You shake hundreds of hands, and there’s small talk until you settle on something in common. “Oh, you work in health care? So does my mom!”

At one wedding just when I was growing tired of the idle chit-chat, I was introduced to the bride’s friend from college. We started talking about the good old days, and of course sororities came up. She is an Alpha Phi from the Beta Alpha chapter at Illinois – our common ground had been established. Our faces lit up, and we gave each other the hand shake with a knowing look. Instantly, she rose above all of the other new acquaintances and became a friend. We spent the rest of the night reminiscing about social events and comparing notes on our philanthropy fundraisers.

I have not moved far from my alma mater, the University of Maryland, but Washington, DC, attracts people from all over the country. At cocktail parties or even riding the Metro, I’ll meet an Alpha Phi or see a girl in an APhi t-shirt and feel an immediate kinship.

Major life changes like new jobs and moving can be intimidating; you’re meeting several new people and some of your best friends are no longer conveniently nearby. Every so often though, you come upon someone who has a shared outlook, who you already know cherishes the same values and who knows the true meaning of sisterhood. You meet an Alpha Phi, and the world gets a little smaller.

Maggie McGuire (Delta Zeta-Maryland) currently resides in Chevy Chase, MD.

Original post can be found here on the official Alpha Phi blog.

For me, promoting my Greek membership began in August 1972 when I stepped off the bus from picking up my bid card at the LSU student union and was welcomed at the Alpha Phi house with my new pledge sisters. That night is still a blur to me.

I quickly found out that a couple of girls in the dorm were also Alpha Phi new members. In short order, we made our way to the closest store to purchase our first Alpha Phi t-shirts – customized stitched on letters with our name on the back! With the purchase of this new t-shit, I was now promoting Alpha Phi all across campus. We were SO proud to be affiliated with Alpha Phi that we were promoting Alpha Phi without even thinking about it. We started learning all of the songs, the different chapters and the history of Alpha Phi. After initiation all members received a wonderful Centennial history of Alpha Phi that I still cherish today. It also became a lot easier to promote our membership when Alpha Phi adopted the Bear as a mascot when I was in college. That was a lot easier to cuddle with than an ivy plant!

After graduation, marketing my Greek membership became rather vague. I am an extroverted person and a joiner so when I interact socially or join organizations, Alpha Phi comes up naturally in conversation. It definitely helped in meeting other Alpha Phis when I mentioned my membership in social situations. It also helped me professionally, as I was told by friends that two women at the bank I worked at were also Alpha Phis. It even helped to seal the deal on selecting my son’s first daycare. The care provider showed me one of her daughter’s room that was set up with cribs and there on the wall was the girl’s Alpha Phi composite from USC. So, it definitely benefited me personally to mention my Alpha Phi membership.

The role of promoting Greek membership changed as I became a mother. My son saw my involvement first hand as a volunteer as well as my husband’s for his fraternity, Alpha Gamma Rho, where he was a treasurer of the local house corporation board. During my son’s senior year of high school, I actively asked his friends about their interest going a fraternity or sorority. I wrote recommendation letters for any of the young women who I knew well and considered to be good candidates for Alpha Phi. I also did my homework on the chapter at the school they were planning on attending. I took it upon myself to find out the other sororities at the school and helped connect the young women with women in the community who could write a recommendation for those sororities. This is a great way to promote the National Panhellenic groups as a whole. If the woman ended up joining Alpha Phi, I would call her mom to volunteer that if she, as a mom, had any questions that I would be happy to help.

Volunteering at recruitment for any local college is also a wonderful way to promote Greek membership as these young women see that you, as a Greek member, are still involved. Alpha Phi is a lifelong membership and alumnae should embrace any opportunity that allows them to demonstrate this to our younger members. Remember, you “ARE” an Alpha Phi not, I “WAS” an Alpha Phi!

Nancy Bennett (Delta Tau-LSU) currently resides in Fresno, CA.

Original blog post can be found here on the official Alpha Phi blog.

In 2003 I was a successful career woman with a great job, a great house, fun friends, and big plans for being a working mom. Then that week came when we were supposed to take our little one to day care. My husband and I simply couldn’t do it, and so began my journey to maintain a sense of myself.

What is self? I suppose it’s the place where you’re comfortable with what you know, how you apply it, and what is going on in your world. If what you know shifts, how do you remain grounded? That’s been a question I ask myself almost daily.

For me, that’s where Alpha Phi has become truly valuable. College was a tremendous experience for me, full of all the superlatives you can throw at a time in your life with relatively low responsibility and high ability to do as you please. I joined as a junior and did not choose a leadership path because I knew my tenure was short. In that that time, I learned many valuable lessons on relationships and meeting expectations.

So many women I know struggle with where they fit in the world. Whether they’re in the workforce or at home for their tasks, I find many of my friends are simply drained from all they do. Stress, boredom, repetition, and lack of recognition take their toll on everyone, but especially women who want to have it all.

I’m not immune to feeling drained. Over the past eight years of my sabbatical from “a real career,” I’ve worked to build some defenses over feeling downtrodden. One method is not foolproof, but it’s so effective that it makes me sad others don’t use it.

You guessed it—I stay in touch with Alpha Phi. I take it a step beyond just the “I sent in my lifetime dues” category, although that is important and might be just what other need. I have found that I need to maintain a relationship with my alumnae chapter.

I can hear the explanations now. I’m too busy. Work wears me out. The kids have baseball, ballet, basket weaving practice. We’re all on the life path, friends, with the same amount of time in our day. And here’s what I learned, not from my Alpha Phi life, but some other key friends: if you don’t take care of you, there’s nothing left to give those you love.

What do I get from my involvement? Much like exercise gurus will encourage you to put your workout on your calendar, when I book an Alpha Phi meeting, I create a mini-goal. Get to that meeting and you’ll feel better. It works. There’ve been times I thought I should skip, but I think of the encouragement I’ll receive and realize I’m trying to excuse myself from one of the key things in my life that enables me to simply be Melinda.

Okay, so I get a night out with friends. What else, you ask? In our alumnae chapter, I’ve met people at different stages of life. New grads. New moms. New retirees. Each woman is unique, coming from a very different place than me. Sharing their experiences helps me understand my own. Learning from them helps me go back to my corner of the world refreshed, renewed, and ready to be the best I can be.

I encourage you to make that appointment for yourself. I think you’ll be surprised at how Alpha Phi can help you right now.

Melinda Wedding (Gamma Iota-Texas Tech) currently resides in McKinney, TX.

Original post can be found here on the official Alpha Phi blog.

When I joined Alpha Phi six years ago, I don’t think I truly anticipated such lifelong support and friendship. I also didn’t expect my dream travel experience to include bats, tons of rain, or really hard, dirty, sweaty work—let alone all of those things. Last Friday, I returned from a two-week trip to Peru with one of my closest Alpha Phi sisters and had the time of my life. And all of the above? It rang true.

Bouncing from Lima to Cuzco to a lodge in the jungle, my grand-little Lindsey and I had a blast. But some of our stories stick out for their pure unluckiness. For our first three days in Peru’s very varying weather, we only had what we’d worn on the plane. Our luggage was lost, taking its sweet time coming to our little corner of Cuzco. When it finally arrived looking like it just got out of the ring witsome MMA fighter, we found most everything had been stolen from the outer pockets, though our locks had saved the rest. Thank goodness! A few days later we were in the Amazon rain forest  grabbing Lindsey’s iPod from our room at the lodge and—was it raining? No, bats were using us as targets for their excrement. And they were quite accurate. Later in the trip, we got stuck on a lake in the middle of the jungle in torrential rain (this time from the sky, not unwanted roommates) and had to hike through a newly machete-chopped path, and I could go on with the hilariously unfortunate events that added fun bumps to our path through Peru.

After our adventures in the city and rain forest  Lindsey and I had an incredibly humbling and exhilarating week in Piura, Peru, on a mission trip. In Piura, we built homes from the ground up. We brought food to families who needed it. And we took care of the homebound, among many other things. Through it all, we were greeted with endless love, grace and seemingly bottomless gratitude, truly opening our hearts and minds to what’s most important in life. We knew it before, but it wasn’t what was in our luggage. It was what—and who—we found when we landed.

The only other time I remember feeling such instant, incredible warmth and love was when I joined the sisterhood of Alpha Phi those six years ago. The feeling of knowing someone would be there for me even at my worst, make me smile when that’s the last thing on my mind, and send positive prayers, energy or whatever you’d prefer to call it in my direction at all times is a rare one, and as sisters we are blessed beyond measure. After all, having someone to help you clean up after a bat encounter is irreplaceable.

Alysse Gear is a 2011 alumna of the Gamma Omicron chapter at Drake University. She graduated with a degree in magazine journalism and another degree in English, and her most beloved college memories involve her sisters in Alpha Phi. As a collegian, Alysse was on several committees (New Member committee was her favorite!) and served as Spirit Chair, Community Standards Chair and Chaplain. She now works as a copy editor and the environmental committee leader at Reader’s Digest-Milwaukee and spends her free time pursuing environmental causes, working on her blog and traveling to visit her Alpha Phi sisters. Alysse can’t wait to make more memories as a new member of the alumnae world and help others stay involved along the way.

Original post can be found here on the official Alpha Phi blog.

Having a career in any office presents challenges – refrigerator food theft, heading to the break room about to pass out only to find an empty coffee pot because that new intern is not doing his job, waking up early, sitting next to a mouth breather, trying not to go insane within the confines of your gray, dreary cubicle, and all sorts of other fun stuff.

How about adding this to the mix? – you’re an electrical engineer and are part of an overwhelming minority of women in your office. On top of all the standard office challenges, you are provided with the experience of being treated differently from your peers. This is my life. I’ve noticed different sets of obstacles provided by older men and by younger men – but both are frustrating and it’s easy to have a hard time.

Granted, the times are changing for the better. Younger men who are not accustomed to old-fashioned culture are respecting women more as engineers. They expect the same level of expertise regardless of gender. They trust women with equal responsibility, which makes excelling in the career much easier. However, I’ve found that a new set of challenges (and some old ones) occur with younger men in the office.

If you have these issues, your main weapon against “woman treatment” is… You are an Alpha Phi! Alpha Phi’s are strong, and Alpha Phi’s know what they are doing. Alpha Phi’s also receive advice from other Alpha Phi’s. Here’s mine for any of you who are uncomfortable in a male-dominated office:

Ask questions if you don’t know how to do something. However, begin your question with a display of your knowledge.

I’ve noticed that whenever I just asked a question at work, an older gentleman would begin his answer with the most basic principles that any engineer should already know, which he wouldn’t do if a man had asked. For example, if I were to ask how to set up my voicemail, some older men I’ve worked with would probably say “So, a telephone is a device used to communicate with another individual remotely – which means from a distance. Some phones are equipped with ‘voicemail’ which is a system designed so that you can leave a message in a person’s phone if they are not near it at the time of your call.” This frustrated me to no end. However, I discovered that if you display your knowledge up front on a consistent basis, men will raise their expectations, your responsibility levels, and consequently their respect for you.

Ask for constructive criticism frequently.

At first, men may be hesitant to give you any. But after some period of consistent badgering, they will start to answer your questions about what you can improve upon. Eventually, they will start to offer unsolicited advice, and you will be able to really thrive in your career.

If someone pulls a prank on you, do not take it personally or complain to  management.

Most companies will advise you to report office mischief, but I disagree (unless the prank caused damage to yourself or your cubicle). On most occasions, pranks are sort of an initiation into a group, which is a good thing. I have noticed that women are usually prime targets for multiple “attacks,” though. My theory is that young men expect women react to pranks in ways that are incredibly humorous to them. So what should you do? Laugh about it, and take revenge on the perpetrator (in a safe, harmless way of course!). It will show that you’re easy-going and not high maintenance, which can make people more comfortable working with you. Having working relationships is extremely important.

Keep in touch with your sisters on breaks.

Many of your alumnae sisters may be in an office environment as well. It helps to air any grievances to each other, and you may be able to give and receive some good advice! My chapter has a message board set up so that the alumnae and collegiate members can communicate all the time. We usually have threads dedicated to work/office complaints, and it really does help us all out with uncomfortable situations. Some of the stories actually end up being pretty funny too, and a good laugh can help you get through a bad day no matter where you work.

Get used to/ignore being called “hun,” and other terms of endearment.

I haven’t been able to avoid this particular nuisance. On the bright side, at some point the younger men who are used to modern culture will be the only ones who haven’t retired. I think this is just something that will take a few more years to phase out, and if this is your only obstacle related to being female in a male dominated, you are doing really well for yourself.

Happy careering, ladies! I expect to see you as CEOs. 🙂

Yvette Babich was born and raised in the beautifully scenic land of Southeast Michigan, where she recently graduated from the Iota Epsilon chapter of Alpha Phi at Kettering University. As an undergrad, she took exciting opportunities to hold positions within her chapter, including Director of Publicity and Advertisement, Director of Music, Director of Member Development, Chaplain, and Vice President of Chapter Operations. The chapter truly shaped her into the confident person that she is today.

These days, she holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and is at the starting line of her career as a power systems engineer in downtown Detroit. She’s looking forward to what’s in store and the adventures she will continue to have with sisters/best friends, and is thankful for the opportunity to share her alumnae experience with the best and brightest women of the world!

Original post can be found here on the official Alpha Phi blog.

Volunteering your time is a win-win.  For the organization with which you volunteer, your efforts and time, no matter how small, add up to support their cause.  But for you, in every volunteer experience, there is something you can learn or take away from it.  And this helped me in ways I could never have imagined.

I started my first “real” job with a small software company in Atlanta.  Each day was filled with new challenges that stretched my brain, but more importantly tested my confidence as a leader. However, I found that I spent my day interacting with people exactly like me – and people even more analytical and less social than me. It seemed like advancing my career would require me to gain more confidence, project management, and team management skills and experience – but where would I get real-life opportunities?

At about the same time, I started volunteering for Alpha Phi.  A woman from my chapter asked me to help her test a software project for Alpha Phi, not unlike what I did at work each day.  Of course, I agreed.  Later that year, I was asked to serve on the Fraternity’s Technology committee, followed the next biennium on the Collegiate Recruitment Resources Committee.  I was learning all sorts of new “people” skills, while contributing to Alpha Phi the technology skills I already developed.

Later, I received a phone call from a past International President who wanted to talk about what types of things I aspired to accomplish in Alpha Phi.  Then it hit me, I have two separate career paths I need to manage.  That sounded like a lot of work, so I took the list of skills I’d need for both career paths, merged them into one, and determined which method – volunteer job or paid job – I could use to obtain them. I ended up deciding to continued to serve Alpha Phi on the CMSC, IRT, and SPC, as well as being a recruitment volunteer and finally Regional Manager.

And my approach paid off after 15 years.

Earlier this year, I was approached by another software company for a Senior Manager position. Professionally, I had never held a position this high, and for a moment was not sure I had the experience and confidence to take this on.  As I read the position description, and thought about the required skills and experience… But then I realized I had all of that – through being an Alpha Phi volunteer.  As Regional Manager, I was responsible for the performance of many chapters, most of which I did not have direct interaction with. I also needed to coach younger volunteers and collegiate officers as they worked with their chapters and found their own Alpha Phi career paths.  Finally, I had to ensure the success of projects and chapter oversight with a volunteer pool that was constantly changing and evolving.

And that is exactly what this company is asking me to do.  Having thought this through in advance of the interview, I was easily able to articulate that my middle management volunteer roles in a sizeable non-profit organization gives me the opportunity everyday to manage projects and people, to coach others of various levels of skills and experience in a fast-paced, medium-turnover environment, and to advance the overall organization through my contributions. I never would have thought that the main skill sets that qualified me for this job would have been taught to me and mastered through volunteering. Alpha Phi helped shape and elevate my career.  My time invested was well spent and not only rewarding from a volunteer standpoint, but also that of career advancement.  Leveraging my volunteer skills allowed me to obtain the job I wanted and will enrich my experience in a new professional role.

Andi Etwaroo (Zeta Omicron-Johns Hopkins) is the extension team lead for our Iota Sigma chapter at Carnegie Mellon, and she also serves as the co-chair for the Alpha Phi Strategic Planning Committee

Original post can be found here on the Official Alpha Phi blog.

I often hear the question, “What is your favorite part about being a sister in Alpha Phi?” Followed by answers, like “I feel at home when I am with my sisters” or “I know I am cared for and I will always have a genuine friend to lean on.” I relate closely to these two answers, but more often than not, when I am asked the same question I will always answer with:

Alpha Phi has given me more than I could have ever imagined (cliché, but true). On top of navigating college with the support of my Delta Nu chapter sisters and having the opportunity to hold several positions within my chapter, I was also accepted to attend a session of the Emerging Leadership Institute (ELI) and the Fellows Program while I was an undergrad. I like to think of these Alpha Phi leadership programs as the stepping stones or the “ladder” I climbed to becoming the woman I am today. ELI was the perfect guide to learning how to become a leader, within my chapter, undergraduate classes and the other organizations I joined as a collegian; while the Fellows Program helped me shape my leadership skills for life post-graduation. These opportunities inspired me to reach for higher professional goals and gave me the skill sets to do so. If it weren’t for the Fellows Program, I truly don’t think I would be where I am professionally and I would have missed out on the lasting Alpha Phi connections I have made.

Top 5 ways I benefited from attending ELI and Fellows Program:

 

• I strengthened my communication and interviewing skills tremendously. I learned how to rattle off a 30 second elevator speech, which highlights all of my professional and leadership skills.
• I was introduced to a network of sisters who have supported me from all over North America. Some of my best friends are Alpha Phis I met through these programs and even though we live states apart I keep in contact with these women on a daily basis and visit them as often as possible.
• Due to the generous financial support of Alpha Phi Foundation, I was able to participate in both of these life-changing opportunities. The programs pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me the opportunity to travel on my own to cities I had never visited before (Indianapolis, Evanston, and Chicago).
• I built confidence in myself and strengthened the leadership skills I knew I had, but also identified other skills that needed some work. I wasn’t ashamed to admit my weaknesses in these environments because I knew I had a team of women going through the same experience and willing to support me along the way. Imagine being in a room full of top Alpha Phi leaders from across North America, it was both motivating and inspiring.
• I learned the true definition of what it meant to be a leader and how I could stand up for myself, strive for my goals and most importantly not be intimidated by male leaders in the work force.

If I could give any single piece of advice to a collegiate member in Alpha Phi, it is to take advantage of these leadership programs. Or, if you’re an alumna and would like to volunteer some of your time, apply to be a facilitator (I also keep in contact with the facilitators from these programs and I can’t thank them enough for all they taught me).

The lessons I learned as a participant of these programs, still ring true in my current everyday life. Following my college graduation from the University of Maine in May 2015, I began working at Alpha Phi International’s Executive Office as a Program Coordinator. While working in this position I also manage a media production company, which I co-found as a senior in college. Working and living in one state, while running a company in another location is not the easiest thing to do as 22 year old, but the Alpha Phi Leadership Programs gave me the skill sets and confidence to meet my goals and become the young professional I am today. I am confident that the experiences I had in both the ELI and Fellows Programs helped to build a solid foundation that I build upon each day. I know that no matter where I go or what I do, the skills that I have gained will serve me well as a leader and as an Alpha Phi.

Kristen Douglass (Delta Nu-Maine)

Original post can be found on the Official Alpha Phi blog.

In August of 2011, as I drove away from the life I knew for the past four years, I made a phone call to see what I could do to continue my time with Alpha Phi. For four years Alpha Phi was everything to me, and I knew that I wanted Alpha Phi to be a part of my life forever.

I started volunteering with the Zeta Xi chapter at Elmhurst and met wonderful women whom I still talk to now. I volunteered there for three years, and then while attending Convention 2014, I found out that Alpha Phi would be opening a new chapter right down the street from me at the University of St. Francis. I was so excited that I immediately started to figure out how I could help open a brand new chapter at a University that had never had a sorority or fraternity.

After a lot of hard work and effort I was able to be the Chapter Advisor of the Iota Phi chapter at St. Francis University. I used my new-found home and role to find advisors that would be willing to help start this new chapter and help make it succeed like all the others before us. After a year of working with Iota Phi, I got the news that my husband was being relocated to Wisconsin for work. The first question I had was “What about my role with Alpha Phi??”

I was devastated to leave this brand new chapter that I had helped create but knew that my time with Alpha Phi was not over. Before I even moved to Wisconsin, I had been in contact with other volunteers from the Iota chapter at University of Wisconsin Madison. Being able to volunteer with the Iota chapter has given me a new life line here in Wisconsin. Having to leave behind your entire family, your job and all your friends is not an easy thing, but with Alpha Phi you always have a home no matter where you go.

As an alumna of Alpha Phi you have an opportunity to meet so many more people than you do as a collegian. I have met so many wonderful women, and I know I will always have someone to turn to no matter where my life takes me. Every year I get so excited to attend Leadership Conference in February because I get the chance to see all the amazing volunteers and staff members that have helped me through not only my college years but also my volunteer years. I always meet new people and get to reconnect with those I haven’t seen since the previous Leadership Conference.

The women that I have met through Alpha Phi have become my best friends and sisters in more ways than one. They are the women that I can’t wait to share good news with. They are the women that are there for me when something bad happens and help me figure out what to do to make it better. They are the ones that I couldn’t wait to tell that I would be having an Alpha Phi legacy. They are the ones that no matter where I am in my life, will always be there to support me and have my back. They are the ones that I look up to and hope to be.

I loved being an Alpha Phi as a collegiate, but being an Alpha Phi as an alumna is even better. I hope that I can inspire the women that I work with the way I have been inspired by so many before me.

Alyson Shelton Feminis (Epsilon Delta – Northern Illinois)