For
National Panhellenic Conference members, summer is truly a special time.
Hundreds of women gather to celebrate sorority and all that their national
organizations have to offer – camaraderie, connections and conversation. From
one convention destination point to another, you will find women gathering to
strategize about advocacy, bestow honors, memorialize student and alumnae leaders,
and share best practices.
As
we all respectively head to our annual conventions this summer, we thought it
appropriate to share convention memories from your current executive leaders
here at NPC.
I
was pledged and initiated at a small university and chapter. When I graduated,
I joined an alumnae chapter. But it wasn’t until my first national convention
that I realized the true meaning of lifetime membership.
I
witnessed the excitement of sisters, young and old, reconnecting with
sisters they had not seen in years, or meeting new sisters, and realizing we
were not strangers, but women who shared a special bond through our
membership in Alpha Xi Delta.
In
later years while attending other NPC member group conventions, I saw that same
excitement and pride in their sisterhood and organization as I had in mine. As
I witnessed the shared experience, I realized the potential we have to advocate
for women and the sorority experience.
Here
are other memories from NPC leaders:
Jean Mrasek: My first sorority
convention was 30 years ago. I was chapter president and arrived at
the national meeting totally wide-eyed and anxious to learn more
about Chi Omega's history and teachings. It was an incredible experience that
taught me that the sisterhood circle was much larger than I ever
imagined. I was impressed with the intergenerational aspect of the
gathering - collegians and alumnae of all ages. I left inspired as a Chi Omega
chapter officer who could make a
difference on my campus. I did not dream that my degree of impact one day would
be widespread as an elected national officer of my beloved fraternity. And I
did not realize the number of lasting friendships that would be formed as a
result of my involvement with NPC. Indeed, the sisterhood circle is much
larger than I ever imagined. Not only do I have a special bond with my Chi
Omega sisters, but I have a special bond with my Panhellenic sisters who also
share common values and standards.
Mary
Jane Beach: Kappa Alpha Theta will convene its 70th Grand Convention in Tucson June 28. While
attending convention is now familiar, the excitement is nearly the same as the
first time. My first Kappa Alpha Theta Convention was so inspiring. As the
Jacksonville, Florida, alumna delegate, I attended not knowing a soul. I was so
impressed by Lissa Bradford presiding as Grand President (who would later go on
to serve as NPC Chairman) and how she demonstrated the values of Kappa Alpha
Theta, I promptly went home and wrote her a letter telling her this. Little did
I know then what opportunities the future held! This experience set my course
of Theta volunteering at the local, district and national levels including
Fraternity President as well as NPC Delegate and my current Executive Committee
service with the National Panhellenic Conference!
Julie Johnson: To say my collegiate chapter was isolated from
other Kappa Delta chapters is an understatement. The closest chapter was
500 miles away, so I had had no exposure to other collegiate sisters. I
remember walking into the lobby of the convention hotel in Miami Beach,
and was awestruck with seeing National President Jean Tucker Stradley greeting
people. It was like seeing a movie star for me. I met sisters from collegiate chapters
all over the country, some much larger (and also smaller) than mine. We shared
stories and ideas and problems. Even though I had just met them, I felt that
"instant" connection and bond, and quickly realized their chapter issues
were really not much different than those of my own chapter. I have
been to more than 15 national conventions. Even though I have fond memories
from each of them, nothing will ever replace that excitement and awe I had
from attending that first convention as a collegian.
Josette Kaufman: The dictionary offers one of definition of “sister” as
having a close relationship with another because of shared relationships. If
that’s the case, I believe the National Panhellenic Conference is my other mother
because of all the close Panhellenic sisters I have been fortunate enough to
gain through my sorority experience. At a recent convention I had the
opportunity to install Phi Sigma Sigma’s current National President, Alicia
Scott. Just before her installation, we also installed her mom Patty Scott. It reminded
me of 13 years earlier when my own mom, Nancy Marshall, was installed as a Phi
Sigma Sigma prior to my own installation as National President. I credit my own
mom and my NPC mom as having shaped me into the sorority woman I am today.
Do
you have a convention story to share? If so, tell us about your special moment on
Facebook or Twitter and use this hashtag #sororitytraveler. We hope you enjoy
your summer and quality time spent with sisters.
