Let’s Go to EO!

By: Danielle Krabbe, IMPACT Attendee, Sigma-University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
 

Me in the room where Gand Council meets, sitting
in International President Tammie Pinkston's
chair!

 Lions and Violets and Diamonds OH MY! While attending IMPACT last week, attendees had the option to visit our Executive Office, and I have to say I am so thrilled I decided to take the trip! I could literally go on and on about my visit with my sisters, but I thought I would just share some of my favorite parts of the afternoon along with many pictures (because you know how we sorority girls are…we LOVE pictures!).


I was in awe pulling up to Memorial Headquarters. The neighborhood was cozy, the landscaping was impeccable, and the mansion was second to none! I mean, just take a look at it! It makes you proud to be an Alpha Delta Pi!




The Creed of Alpha Delta Pi.



A bible used by the Adelphean Society.

A portrait of Eugenia. Memorial HQ has portraits
of all six founders.

But enough about the outside, the inside is where all of the neatest Alpha Delta Pi trinkets are shown on display.   The front part of the mansion, Memorial Headquarters, was renovated in 2004, and it’s like a mini museum! Some of my favorite parts were the Bible, the Alpha Delta Pi Creed (obviously!), and antique badges worn by past prominent sisters. Being surrounded by so much sorority memorabilia really showed me how strong our history is and how close our sisterhood remains. 


And, of course, how could I forget the one and only Eugenia Tucker Fitzgerald!?! Not only is she our most famous icon and the founder, but she is also the woman we all strive to become someday. 


When I asked one of the interns, Lindsey Rogers, Eta Upsilon-Wake Forest University, about her favorite part of Memorial Headquarters, she said she loved the illuminated map on the wall that showcased all the chapters in North America. Instantly, I had to go find my chapter on the map (shout out to Sigma!). 


Each light depicts where we have a chapter!


Another intern, Rachel Caltaneo.,Theta Gamma-Sonama State University, said living in Memorial Headquarters was like living in a museum. She spends hours in the library looking up the history of all the chapters! 

Me with Rachel, an intern living at EO.

Upstairs you will find the living headquarters for visitors and interns.  It has a boardroom for Grand Council (I felt like Tammie Pinkston!), bedroom for the summer interns, and spare bedrooms for visitors who spend the night.

Undoubtedly, there are prized possessions handed down from all of the past International Presidents. Don’t you think it would be awesome to spend a night in our headquarters? I know I would love to someday!




IMPACT attendees, looking at all the artifacts
and learning the fun history of ADPi.

 Through a walkway is the new Executive Office added in 2005. It has the offices for employees of Alpha Delta Pi and once again, more memorabilia. 

Debbie Black, Iota-Florida State University, the Office Services Manager, mentioned one of her favorite pieces was the music box bracelet from 1961. Imagine how heavy that would be on your wrist! In addition, photos lined the walls, including a picture dating from when we were still Alpha Delta Phi in 1911. 



Whew! Time flies when you’re having fun, and it was totally true at EO! One moment, the bus dropped us off and it seemed like five minutes later I was squeezing in one last picture with a lion.

I truly had a fantastic time at Executive Office and I am so delighted I got to go to EO with some truly amazing sisters!

Reflections on Adelphean Compass!

By Tracy Carson, Adelphean Compass Facilitator



Adelphean Compass Facilitators



I start all of my therapy sessions by asking my clients what I call the “simplest yet hardest” question to answer: “How do you feel today?”  The responses could range from the effortless: fine, tired, or happy, to the intricate, which are more often than not filled with starting points for talking through whatever may be going on in a particular clients mind that day.  The point though is that the question has the potential to carry with it a lot of weight even in its elementary formation. 

I don’t know about you, but I am feeling like I could answer that question and talk for hours when I reflect back on my time as a Facilitator with Adelphean Compass.  (I suppose I am already doing that with my hubby... he could probably recount the entire experience moment by moment just having listened to me reflect for the last 48 hours!) I certainly do feel tired but I also feel inspired, humbled and incredible thankful.  Speaking this past weekend was literally a dream come true in my professional and personal goals and I can only hope and trust that it is the beginning of a long and beautiful relationship serving Alpha Delta Pi and its members.  I can’t wait for the next opportunity. 

Me with Dawn Victor-Herring!

I spent some time journaling my thoughts to help me try and articulate how amazing the opportunity was to be a part of leading the future leaders of our sorority.  As a facilitator I recognized the great privilege it was to offer leadership and inspiration.  Leadership for all of us is a weighty task and I do not take it for granted for one second.  I will carry with me forever the look of your faces as you grasped a concept for the first time or constructed an idea to take back to your chapter, thank you for being “all in” this weekend!  I told you on Sunday that YOU have inspired ME and I repeat it again because you have. 

If you are missing the Leadership Seminar, the relationships you formed, and the opportunity to be fed mentally and emotionally than I encourage you to take some time to journal answering the open ended question, “How do you feel today?” as well.  It provides the emotional closure needed to move forward in strength as opposed to feeling empty and lonely.  Journaling without structure allows you to just write from the heart without any direction and you often find the answers you were looking for upon completion of that day’s entry.

I hope you continue to look through your participant guides before school starts this fall.  It’s so exciting to think about the potential for what you may do and I can’t wait to hear how you will apply what you have learned.  Remember what you bring to the table as a leader (Leading with SELF).  Create a VISION for the future and embrace the passions and values of others to gain sponsorship for that vision before you can cast the vision net wide.  Utilize the RELATIONSHIPS that support you and brainstorm how to encourage others that may be on the fringes.  And finally, Do What You Say You Are Going to DO!  Take ACTION and your chapter will never be the same!

I know I just met you and this is crazy but here’s my (twitter handle @tkcarson) and (tweet) me maybe!

Just That Old Sweet Song...

By: Jackie Mills,  Co-Recruitment Director, District IV

Ever wonder what goes on behind closed doors?
See my Top Five!

Maybe it was the Southern accents or the blast of humidity that told me I was officially in Atlanta! (Possibly the Savannah Candy Company in the terminal with fresh pralines too. Ha Ha!)

This is me with some of my favorite ADPis.
Classy and fabulous always!

Every time I come back to Atlanta, it feels like home. Leadership Seminars (and Grand Conventions too) are like coming back home to see your old friends--and picking up where you left off without skipping a beat!

Today was a jam-packed day of meetings in individual programming teams for IOs. Want to know what goes on behind-the-scenes? 

Here's my Top Five for Friday!

1.    Programming teams had approximately eight hours to meet. (Whoa!) In our RD Session, we had a list of objectives, prioritized and delegated projects, and brainstormed about new marketing ideas. (Be excited! Fun things are always in the works!)

2.    Your favorite RDs also met with the Panhellenic Relations Directors (PRDs) to review Release Figure Method (RFM) procedures and statistics. This was super helpful information--and will be great for setting goals with chapters this year. (Watch for that, RVPs!)

3.    In between sessions, of course a quick trip to Gift Mart was necessary (50% off? Holla!) Of course, we all had to have a meal break and glam it up for the all-Leadership Seminar picture. (I'm way in the back. Look for the pink and pearls when it is online.)

ADPis love to shop, especially when everything is on sale!

4.    Meeting face-to-face was super fun and energizing--the RDs were able to bounce ideas off once another, troubleshoot issues, and remind ourselves of why we love recruitment so much. Basically, we laughed. A lot. We even ended up having dinner with the Total Membership Education (TME) Directors to brainstorm on overlapping areas. Yay for being productive!

      5.    And...waking up for 8:30 AM meetings is SO worth it to hang out with cool RDs. (Please reference the picture of Ryan Gosling.)

I am LOVING my time in ATL! As always, be sure to say "Hi!" and follow me at @JackieSueMills. 

The start of LS for the New LCs

By: Megan Stroup, Leadership Consultant


Welcome to Leadership Seminar, ladies! I hope your first evening was wonderful and you’ve already gotten to meet a lot of new sisters. I got to meet some very exciting women earlier this week: my fellow 2012-2013 Leadership Consultants! 


After months of Facebooking and tweeting, waiting to meet each other, the nine of us were finally together at Memorial Headquarters on Tuesday. Our first task in Atlanta was to shoot a video for Alpha education in the upcoming year. Be sure to look for us on Bid Day! We also had the pleasure of dining with Grand Council that evening and, of course, staying up to the wee hours of the morning getting to know one another.

The incoming Leadership Consultants at Memorial Headquarters!

Since our initial meeting on Tuesday, we have been very busy preparing for our chapter and colony visits this year. So far, we’ve had trainings in four separate areas:

We met with Mrs. Beth Mannle at Memorial Headquarters on Wednesday morning to discuss our individual personalities and strengths. This session was a perfect introduction to consultant training because we learned so much about one another and were able to share our most influential chapter experiences.

That afternoon, we arrived at the Renaissance Concourse and had another session with Mrs. Lindy Lutz Cash on image, including individual perceptions and chapter branding. Mrs. Cash shared some great activities for us to try with chapters, so you might get to see one or two this year!

Thursday was another busy day, as we met with Mrs. Tracy Carson in the morning to discuss our upcoming year and how to stay healthy on the road, both mentally and physically and in maintaining our relationships. Those of you attending Adelphean Compass will have the privilege of hearing Mrs. Carson speak, and trust me: she is a great presenter!

Finally, Mrs. Beth Wright gave us an overview of the Release Figure Method. We had a million questions and learned so much about the inner workings of recruitment and the methods used at different schools. This was a very important session because our first visits this fall will be all about recruitment, and we definitely want the right tools to help each chapter be as successful as possible.

Thursday evening, the Leadership Consultants participated in the sister mixer and dinner with the chapter presidents, advisors and International Officers, and we will be participating in the regular Adelphean Compass programming for the rest of the weekend. Please come say hi if you see us, and follow us on Twitter for updates of our experience (see handles below)!

Can't you tell we like hugs! you might get one if we come
to your chapter :)

From left:
Mary Simeoli, Theta Theta (@MSimeoli)
Ashley Luizzo, Epsilon Rho (@ashluizzo)
Jessica Johnson, Eta Rho (@JJJohnsonnnn)
Brittany Walker, Eta Pi (@bwalkitout_)
Caroline Harlan, Epsilon Psi (@CarolineHarlan)
Rose DeLarme, Beta Alpha (@rdelarme)
Megan Stroup, Alpha Gamma (@mcstroup)
Laura Stewart, Zeta Mu (@NoStewFoYou)
Eryn Shannon, Zeta Theta (@eryn_danielle)

ADPi bags, lugagge, and flights oh my!

Rachel, Executive Office intern, with their beautiful homemade sign 

Alysse and the other interns will be at the
airport waiting for the LS attendees!

What a great day it is to meet all of our Leadership Seminar attendees! We are so excited to see all of our wonderful sisters walking through the airport sporting ADPi bags, t-shirts, and luggage.

Don't know your way around the airport just yet? Wondering how to get to your hotel? Just look for us, the interns, and our Alpha Delta Pi sign and we will guide you in the right direction. We would love for you to stop by, say hello, and share what you are most excited for at Leadership Seminar.

Good luck catching flights, we will see you in Atlanta soon enough!

Loyally,
Executive Office Interns

LS Prep from a Facilitator's Perspective



By: Tracy Kerr Carson, Adelphean Compass Facilitator



Tracy Kerr Carson

It’s a long way to Atlanta from Phoenix, Arizona.  4 hours on a plane to be exact. Days and days in the car if you were to drive.  In my heart, however, it’s only a hop skip and a jump.  To say I am excited to be one of your Facilitators in less than two weeks during Adelphean Compass is fabulously understated.  I am actually over the moon that I get to be a part of this amazing experience and I count it a privilege to come alongside of you as you navigate through this wonderful material as participants.



Hi, My name is Tracy Kerr Carson, Eta Xi- Presbyterian College, and I currently live in Scottsdale, Arizona with my Prince Charming of a husband and two wonderful boys.  It’s nice to meet you…virtually.  As I sit and write I am currently in between clients at work.  I am a Professional Counselor and I specialize in the treatment of young women’s issues (depression, anxiety, eating disorders, relationships, etc.). I had the opportunity to speak last summer at Grand Convention on “Healthy vs. Hurting Leadership” and that proved to be the catalyst to remain involved on this level with ADPi. I couldn’t be more honored.

As facilitators we are currently working hard to prepare our sessions for you.  In fact, just this morning while my boys were at their swim lessons I was reading through my notes (yet again) to make sure I have my information down solid.  It’s exciting for me to think about each of you, Chapter Presidents who truly represent the first and the finest of ADPi right now, as I prepare.  What a powerful moment to get to speak to the future leaders all at once.  We are in great company and I can’t wait to come together. 

There is a team of 6 of us that will be presenting as well as two Grand Council members that have served with us as we prepare.  (Can I just say what an HONOR it was to have International President, Tammie Pinkston with us for our entire prep team weekend?!  Holy Moly, that was AWESOME!) The six of us come from all walks and stages of life but the one thing we have in common is an unwavering love of Alpha Delta Pi and an intense desire to serve you (and therefore the future of the sorority) by facilitating throughout the weekend.  I am SO SO SO impressed with these women; I know you will be too. 

So while we are working hard, gathering informative anecdotes, rehearsing our transitions, and memorizing facts we hope you are working hard too.  You have some pre-work to do and I really want you to set some time aside to thoroughly complete these assignments, it will only serve you better once you arrive! 

There are less than two weeks to go until we are all together in Atlanta, I am confident it will be an amazing time.  In addition to my content preparation I also might have spent some time thinking about my wardrobe.  Seriously.  Because you are never too prepared for anything, right?

In the meantime, I really want to get to know you prior to your arrival so tell me in the comments one thing you are excited about and one thing you might be anxious or nervous about (remember I am a therapist so I love to go deep in conversation right away!).

You can follow me on twitter too, @tkcarson.  I can’t wait to see your smart, beautiful faces! Don’t be a stranger when you arrive, I love any chance I can get to give (and receive) a secret handshake!  

What to expect at IMPACT

By: Megan Stroup, Leadership Consultant 2012-2013


For those of you who are looking forward to your first Leadership Seminar this summer, get excited! I attended IMPACT in 2010 when I was serving as my chapter’s Panhellenic Delegate, and I’m thrilled to be going back for Adelphean Compass this summer as an incoming Leadership Consultant. Today, I wanted to share with you the highlights of my time at IMPACT so you know what you have to look forward to.


The sheer amount of Pi-ness will overwhelm you. In 2010, I was entering the hotel for the first time and saw Alphie, larger than life, projected on the marble lobby wall. You will see more lion bracelets, sandals, tote bags, etc., than you have ever seen in your life, and you will want to buy everything in Gift Mart. Be sure to bring extra spending money.



Kelly and I at Leadership Seminar in 2010 (left) and
Grand Convention in 2011 (right).

Making new friends. I think it’s great that IMPACT and Adelphean Compass are in different hotels this year because that means women from the same chapter can’t band together during the social events. It’s seriously so important that you talk to the women around you and meet sisters from different chapters. The lessons you can learn from each other are invaluable.

In fact, I loved my roommate, Kelly, at Leadership Seminar so much that the next year, when we were both chapter presidents, we roomed together at Grand Convention! (I realize that’s not exactly taking my own advice on branching out, but I promise I met lots of new people at Convention, too!)

So make an effort to eat your meals and spend your free time with different women, and be sure to get their contact information. You can be great resources for each other during the year ahead. Your pride might even want to start a Facebook group to ask for advice and provide feedback after you leave LS.




Striking a diamond pose with Claire Brown
Gwaltney, International President from 2007-11.


Hobnobbing with the Alpha Delta Pi elite, a.k.a. Grand Council and the Executive Office staff, as well as countless district, province and chapter volunteers. Warning: Prepare to stand in line for pictures with Grand Council. They really are celebrities!




Look at those violets!

Violets for your sister. The violet fundraiser is really neat! It’s fun to see the women who have served Alpha Delta Pi for years (or even decades!) get so many violets they can’t even fit them all on their name tags. 

Chapter Presidents from Omicron I province before the awards
dinner. Notice the violet on Ashley's name tag (far left).



Be sure to pre-order some violets for your chapter advisors and other people who have helped you during your term. It’s nice to be appreciated, and there’s nothing more exciting than stopping by the violet table and finding one with your name on it!

[Editor's Note]- The deadline to pre-order violets is June 18th. See our previous Blog Post for more information and how to order.





While I obviously enjoyed every minute of IMPACT in 2010, do you want to know my single most exciting moment? I was crossing the street with a group of women in our ADPi letters after visiting the aquarium, and an older woman coming toward us gave me the call. That’s right. She. Gave. Me. The. Call. Is it just me, or is it so exciting when you discover the bonds of sisterhood with complete strangers across the country?

I hope my post has you excited for IMPACT (even more excited than you already were, I mean), and I hope to meet many of you there!

Did Megan's post make you more excited about IMPACT? What's your favorite tip? Be sure to tell us in the comments below!