This is Sister President, Signing Off....

Dear Sisters,

Over the last eighteen months I have had the honor and priviledge to serve as Chapter President. I first and foremost have to say thank you. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you and our chapter, thank you for your love, trust, faith and support. Thank you for giving me something that has forever changed my life. I can say with one hundred percent confidence that I would not be the woman I am today without out my sisters, our sisterhood, and this experience. Alpha Delta Pi has given me so much over the past two years - and while this time has been brief, the impact is one I don't know if I'll ever fully be able to explain.

Alpha Delta Pi is truly a gift in my life and the experiences and memories I have shared serving the chapter in this capacity are ones that will stay in my heart forever. From my first Jackie hug on big-day to the first grip by former Grand Council President Sister Claire Brown Gwantley, from Leadership Seminar in Atlanta to Grand Convention in Phoenix, and everything in between. While I will admit I have had some trying times during my term, I know that I would not be where I am today without them, I would not be the person I am without them, and our chapter would not be the same without them.

As this journey is coming to an end and others - new, exciting and different - are set to begin let me leave you with a few thoughts:

Over the summer I attended a leadership institute and one of my facilitators told us that "the walls are not there to keep you out, they are there to keep the other people out. The ones who don't care, the ones who are afraid. When you hit a wall keep going, it's not meant for you, it's meant for them." Sisters, remember that when you hit your walls in life. Excellence cannot be achieved without passion, and with passion comes heartbreak. Because you worry, because you get nervous or upset - all of those things mean that you care. When we stop worrying or thinking or looking or aspiring to change, when we rest or let one another slip through the cracks we are giving up on the promise each and everyone of us commits to during our Ritual.

Sisters, always treat one another with the upmost respect, kindness and helpfulness. This will not always be easy. We are human - we have feelings and stressors and jealousies and work. But, remember, we are all students, daughters, sisters, girlfriends, and roommates. We all carry with us a past and a story. While we all have the right to be upset sometimes - if you don't have anything nice to say, or cannot say what you need directly to the sister, then do not say anything at all.

This goes for all sisters, including officers. When you think they "don't understand," or an event or project "is stupid" remember that a sister worked hard, and put in their time and effort to complete that task or project. Did you lend your time, skills or talents? If not, it's not your place to give anything but positive support - or help with the next project if you'd like to see improvement. And sister officers, remember that at the times when you feel lost or frustrated. Remember, it's all there for us. Look to our Creed for guidance, look to our sisters for strength and look to our founders for courage. When you do this, you can have no regrets. When you do this, you can know that every decision you've made, you made with the information at hand and with the best possible knowledge. You can have the security of knowing that every step of the way you made the best choice with the options you were given, and that the choice you made, was made with good intentions for our chapter.

There will be times at home, in your dorm at school, in classes and throughout the rest of your life where you will be unsure. Uncertainly is something we can be certain of. However, you can also be certain of something else - the tie that binds us together is strong and constant. The same Ritual that ties hundreds of thousands of women through time and space so too ties us all together. Look to our Ritual for answers, and know that they carry so far beyond our time as collegians. Also, know that with that tie, I will always be here for you. I will always be your sister.

Thank you to the founding sisters - you are the women who gave me a home away from home; you have changed my life for the better. Thank you to the Leadership Consultants who have shaped my life - you have truly shown me what it has meant to live a life as women of values. Thank you to our advisors and international officers - your constant support and sacrifice has led to our chapter's success, and I personally, would have been lost without you. Thank you to the sisters I have gained over the last two years - you have loved me at my worst and supported me to be the best I can be.

I am so blessed to have been a part of this amazing organization and I can not wait to see the amazing accomplishments that are yet to come.

Love and Loyally,
Mary,
General Member
Alpha Delta Pi

"Always remember that the future comes one day at a time." ~ Dean Acheson

Me and our newly elected Sister President after chapter! (Maybe one of my fav ADPi pics of all time!)


Dean Acheson said "the future comes one day at a time..." while this is true, everything happens just one day at a time, I have to say these past 18 months have felt like they have passed in the blink of an eye. It seems like just yesterday I was handed our C.O.B. and our gavel and sent on the start of a journey that would change my life.

This past Sunday we had our chapter elections. I have to be honest - I was scared and nervous and sad - not because I was nervous for my chapter, we had 50 women interview for offices and I could not feel more blessed to have such talented and capable sisters. No, I felt scared and nervous and sad because my time is done. Yes, I will always be a sister of ADPi, I'll always be connected or involved. I'll have new adventures and responsibilities but at the same time, I could not help but feel a little bit of sadness - this amazing journey is coming to a close. And I know, that while this journey is ending another may soon be beginning - I can not help but think of all the wonderful gifts that this opportunities has given me. All of the things I have learned about myself, about others, about our chapter and our sisterhood.

That being said, I am so excited for our new officers and chapter leaders. I will never forget our I felt and I have these women never do either! The passion, the worry, the excitement that they feel not is what they will need to remember to carry them through. When things are stressful or hard, or when they're feeling overwhelmed - it is that passion that will remind them why they are doing what they are doing and help them to realize the way they will be successful.

Passion alone does not a good officer make, however. Having a successful officer transition workshop, open dialog and providing constant support (as needed of course) - helps make a sister officer the best she can be. Of course, every officer should have the opportunity to make change (that's how we grow), but at the same time - her decisions should never have to be made out of fear or worry. Having an outgoing officer there to lend an ear or a hug or even a place to vent is so valuable. What are ways that we can best help our sisters carry their new responsibilities? Ask lots of questions, work to provide lots of answers, ALWAYS remember the C.O.B. or your officer manual. Share your own missteps with your incoming officer in order to prevent mistakes from being made!!

I have to be honest not having been transitioned and never having transitioned anyone before I'm a little scared - do a pull away too much or too soon? Do I hover too close? I want our new Sister President to make mistakes and choices, to make discoveries and try new things. I was given the opportunity to serve without worry about anyone else and while that's not an experience I can re-create it is one I value and will work to ensure that she knows. As we all begin to move forward I have to remember - the future comes one day at a time... officer transition, graduation, even the Golden Lion (2017, Baby!) .... everything will come in time, and each day I'll learn how to let go a little more and she'll learn how to carry a new weight.

I am so blessed and honored and I could NOT be more proud of my chapter, it's a good feeling to know that even though I'm a little worried - I have absolutely no reason to be scared!

Good Luck, Sisters! Be amazing!

<3 Love and Loyally

To Futures Quest and Beyond!!

So my post about UIFI was incredibly long.... and I still don't feel it truly detailed how amazing the experience was, how much I loved being there or how incredible the people i met where! I'm giving you some warning... I'm anticipating writing a similar post in only a few months!

I am so excited to report that I've been chosen as a Futures Quest mentor for the Alpha Beta session this January in Indiana! "What is Futures Quest?" you might ask!

WELL....

According to the NIC Indy website - The goal of Futures Quest is to help new/er fraternity men discover their priorities and goals for their chapters and to make action plans to accomplishing them:
"Futures Quest provides leadership training to men who have joined a fraternity in the last year. The focus of the weekend is identifying personal strength and challenges, developing leadership and communication skills, exploring personal values and strength of conviction, and making a commitment to fraternal ideals. Past participants have left with a plan for their future."

I am so excited and feel so blessed to have this experience! I know that attending these types of programs can be more than inspiring and to have the opportunity to serve as a mentor and help these men discover all of the amazing things they are capable of doing - I don't know what could be better! Not to mention I am lucky enough to be serving with one of my friends from my UIFI session! I can't wait!!

<3 Love and Loyally




p.s. This is kind of a clue for some other BIG events happening in my life!

Life Moves Fast...

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it" ~ Ferris Bueller


I can not believe it is already November. Ferris Bueller's words have never been more true! In a semester that has been filled with exams, applications (I promise I'll come back to this one) and tons of chapter and community activities I have sadly neglected my little area of the blogosphere! While I have been writing down blog-able topics - without even realizing it, the semester has slipped through my fingers! I spent September locked in my room studying for the LSAT exam, and October was spend on applications and surviving mid-terms!

I promise to get back on track! This blog has not only been a place to share my thoughts and feelings about our chapter but it has been an amazing way for me to capture my own experiences and given me a place to reflect on my year and a half term as chapter president. It seems like only a few weeks ago I was just settling into the idea of being president - the excitement and the worry and now eighteen months later I am preparing for chapter elections this Sunday!

While I am nervous, I am also excited - we are so blessed that every woman slating for a position is amazing, strong, talented and capable! We had fifty...that's right FIFTY... women in our chapter interview for officer positions! I thought I loved and cared for these women before - but after this process I find myself simply amazed by them!

There is so much I want to catch up on here but in the mean time.... here is a quick re-cap in photos of what we have done so far this year!



We had our 'Meet the Greeks' BBQ on the Quad at QU! (This might be a fav pic of all time!)




We hosted our 1st ever Pride Olympics - our Prides for the semester were revealed at a "family reunion" party filled with field-day type games (Go Arts, Crafts, Disney Pride!!)



We've had sisterhood events like this one - we broke up and did a "speed dating" type of activity - in addition to celebrating our 2nd Anniversary and Alpha Delta Pi Day! We've also had TME's on Resume Building, Healthy Lifestyles, Voting and Ritual!



We helped to support the colonization of the newest Alpha Delta Pi chapter at Franklin and Marshall by making and packing 100 courage band bracelets!






We had a week full of competition and fun with 2011 Greek Week - this year it was 90's themed - SO much fun! Isn't our banner amazing?! We won the 'Tag it Up' competition thanks for our amazingly talented sisters!




Not to mention our Semi-formal last Friday! (I know this picture seems a little silly but a certain sister of ours is serving as a Recruitment Councilor!! *wink wink*)



These are only a few of the things we've done!! So I can assure you my time not blogging has been well spent! I promise to catch up soon! We've got so much to talk about!

<3 Love and Loyally