I turned 60 recently, okay last year, whatever. So, I’m a little over 60 and am actively involved, no, passionately in love with the work that my national woman’s fraternity is doing. I have never been more proud to be a Chi Omega. That is saying a LOT because you never met anyone more excited to be a Chi Omega than 19 year old Maggie Michaels at the University of Michigan. See below for one happy girl radiating joy on bid day.
After being a no-bid at all local sorority system Hope College (their loss), I transferred to the University of Michigan, kept my heart open to anyone of the 18 houses at the time and received a bid to my 1st choice, Chi Omega. The next year I moved in to one of the world’s most stunning sorority homes and was elected GH (president). The next year, I was elected Panhellenic president for the entire university. I was the queen of the Greek system and proud to represent.
Scarred by my experience at Hope, during my Panhellenic leadership, we invited Sigma Kappa to expand on campus and recolonized Alpha Xi Delta – allowing hundreds more women the opportunity to experience sorority life. It was a my sorority sisters who first saw in me the ability to get groups of people to do hard things, something that would repeat again and again throughout my life.
Once I started my career, I became a “Lost Chi Omega”. If Chi Omega had milk cartoons, I would have been on one. I was busy working long hours in demanding jobs. The activities of the local alumnae groups did not meet my schedule, interests or needs. I would regularly write a small check to the Chi Omega Foundation, which got me off the Lost Chi Omega list but I never really engaged. I still kept in touch with my core group of mostly pledge sisters from Ann Arbor with whom I was close but the national organization didn’t mean much to me.
Every year or two someone from the national Chi Omega Foundation would call on me to go get coffee when they happened to be in Atlanta calling on much more generous donors. I told them they didn’t need to bother as my donation barely covered the coffee. However, these well trained and polished development professionals were cultivating me. Gradually, as my career grew, my donations grew and the gifts of treasure were joined with time and talent.
I now proudly serve on the Ever at Heart Campaign Steering Committee where we are growing the endowment so that there is ALWAYS money to fund the intensive training and risk management that is needed in the modern environment of Greek Life. I am especially proud of our anti-hazing programs and our wellness programs around campus safety and mental health. So Very Proud!
This past weekend our Ever at Heart, committee met in conjunction with regional leadership training. It was energizing to see the collegians and advisors.These are some amazing women. I heard 7x Grammy winning producer from Entertainment Tonight, Erin Johnson, talk to Chi Omega CEO, Leslie Herrington, about how being Recruitment Chair, helped give her confidence and prepare her for her incredibly accomplished career. She is talented beyond measure, smart as a whip and tough as nails. I feel the same way about my start, my sorority sisters saw me as a leader before I saw myself as one. That story is repeated in chapters rooms across the 181 and growing chapters nationwide and inside each Greek chapter nationwide, leaders are identified, grown and developed.
Our sorority has also recently rolled out a mentoring program. I had my first mentee last semester and Lainie Lawrence of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is the most incredible young woman. She is an all-around all-star. Not to mention that my son Riley is marrying a Chi Omega, Emily Armour, who is equally incredible and whom I’ve been mentoring for years. She has a long future of Chi Omega ahead of her with me dragging her to convention this summer (although she’s actually very excited). I want Chi Omega to last forever so that everyone who joins has an opportunity to experience all that I have and all that I continue to experience.
Of course, I think Chi Omega is not just the biggest (there are 4 of us randomly from 4 schools on our 14 person tennis team) but also the best. But truthfully, I believe that ALL sororities offer this opportunity to learn, grow and develop young women and provide a lifetime of opportunities. Deep down, I know I would likely have been just as passionate as an ADPi, Alpha Phi, TriDelt, KD, Kappa, Delta Gamma, you name it… I believe in the value of a Greek experience in college and beyond. I would not have the career I have without it.
There is a trend some places for young women to disengage before graduation. They don’t know what they are missing, what they are sacrificing by not taking advantage of their lifetime of sisterhood. There are also parts of the country where membership isn’t growing like it is in the south and Midwest. Again, these women don’t know what they are missing in having such a place to belong, to lead and grow within their greater school environment.
Sororities were founded by feminists who wanted an equal opportunity to the ‘good ole boy’ network that they saw on campuses in the 1800’s. Now, in 2024, the networking and business discussions that I have with my sisters from across the country are as relevant as any I have in the c-suites or board rooms. These should not be missed as women look for opportunities to network and leverage their careers and form good ole girl networks of our own. Next month, March 4th, 2024 is International Pin Day. I’ll be wearing mine proudly, still and always. Go Greek. Go Chi O. Chi Omega, mine forever.