SUMMER 2007
FIRESIDES TRAIN
CHAPTER LEADERS
WE INVITE YOU
TO CONNECT WITH
A NEW ALUMNAE
CHAPTER
RECRUITMENT
IS CHANGING
WITH THE TIMES
CHI OMEGAS AT HOME
CONTENTS
FEATURES
SUMMER 2007
24 FIRESIDES TRAIN CHAPTER LEADERS
Discover how Chi Omega’s February 2007 Firesides trained,
educated, and supported collegiate chapter leaders.
30
26 WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT
WITH A NEW ALUMNAE CHAPTER
28 EXECUTIVE HEADQUARTERS
BETTER THAN EVER
06
15
17
CHI OMEGAS AT HOME
Our Chi Omega homes | Safety at home
Chi Omega house keeping | Chi Omega home makers
42 RECRUITMENT IS CHANGING WITH THE TIMES
ON THE COVER: Front entry of the
Chi Omega Executive Headquarters
ABOVE: Myth Garden at Chi Omega
Executive Headquarters
THE ELEUSIS OF CHI OMEGA
www.TheEleusis.com
Chi Omega is a member of the
National Panhellenic Conference
and the College Fraternity Editors
Association.
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS:
Jessica deGraffenreid, Epsilon Lambda
DEPARTMENTS
04 Let’s Talk About It
06 Chi Omegas Flourish
15 I Am A Chi Omega
16 Greeks Speak
17 Pearls of Wisdom
EDITOR: ChristineThomas Barnicki, Phi
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journals should be sent to:
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The Eleusis of Chi Omega (ISSN
0887-6906) is published by Chi
Omega Fraternity, 3395 Players Club
Parkway, Memphis TN 38125
18 Helping Hands
POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to The Eleusis of Chi Omega
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21 Side By Side
COPYRIGHT: Chi Omega Fraternity
2007. Vol. 110. No. 2
46 Making A Difference: The Chi Omega Foundation
50 Toasts and Singing
54 Directory & Reader’s Guide
The Eleusis of Chi Omega is
published three times per year.
DEADLINES ARE:
October 15 for the spring issue
February 15 for the summer issue
June 15 for the fall issue
LET’S TALK ABOUT IT
Sweet Home, Chi Omega
Chi Omegas amaze me. Traveling as S.H. in all regions of
the country affords me the opportunity to meet Sisters who
are doing remarkable things. Some are living their dream
as business professionals in the corporate world. Some are
juggling family responsibilities with their own home-based
business. Some Chi Omegas are sharing their leadership
talents full time with their communities as soccer coaches,
PTA officers, church leaders, and in volunteer positions of
every kind and size.
Jean Mermoud Mrasek
National President
Chi Omega nurtures “social-capital” investment in our
communities. A research initiative funded by the National
Panhellenic Conference and conducted by the Center for
Advanced Social Research at the University of Missouri–
Columbia reveals that Greek alumni/ae from the 1965
era forward account for greater “social capital” than nonGreeks. Reports show that Greeks take part more fully in
non-profits, religious organizations, and other community
involvements than non-Greek alumni.
It is no wonder that many Chi Omegas find satisfaction
by volunteering in meaningful ways in their communities. The six purposes nurtured within Chi Omega provide
a firm foundation from which we put values into action.
Indeed, we make a difference in our communities as well
as our homes.
Chi Omega has always been part of my home. I am a Chi
Omega legacy, and the first Chi Omega legacy to serve as
S.H. My Chi Omega mother, Marilyn Hudson Mermoud,
BRIEFLY
Order your 2007–2008 Chi Omega Daily Planner
The new Chi Omega Daily Planner is designed for collegians
and alumnae and has resources such as Fraternity policies,
quotes from influential Chi Omegas, and special dates in
our history. The 18-month planners are cardinal and straw
to reflect your Fraternity pride. Purchase them
at: www.ChiOmega.com/everyday.
Make a difference in the life of a Sister
Nominate a Chi Omega for the Nancy Walton Laurie
Leadership Institute of Chi Omega. Nominations are due
taught me the value of a purpose-driven life. Much is imparted to others by what we do with our lives, not just what
we say. My mother worked hard to provide a supportive
home environment that stressed high standards and expectations to achieve success. I have an obligation as a mother
to do the same for my children by modeling this path in
many facets of my life, including that of serving as a volunteer.
Many times I am asked about my volunteer leadership
positions. The deep commitment I feel toward Chi Omega
and the passion I have for women’s leadership and development prompts me to continue to serve without pay. The
intrinsic reward is watching young women grow into successful leaders who serve their communities and impact
lives. There is no salary in the world that could equal the
growth witnessed in women because of the goodness Chi
Omega offers.
In this issue of The Eleusis, you will find interesting examples of Chi Omegas living their lives to the fullest by doing
what they enjoy the most related to life on various home
fronts, and touching others in the process.
As former S.H. Melanie Shain said, “we have opportunities
each day to make a difference in the lives of other Sisters.”
Sisters, go forth and do wondrous things.
And let’s talk about it.
September 10, 2007. Download the form from ww2.ChiOmega.com/everyday. Once inside
the resources section, open the “Leadership Resources” folder, open “The Nancy Walton
Laurie Leadership Institute” folder, and download the form. This workshop explores values and ethics and participants will be empowered to put their values into action. If you
have any questions, contact Kimberly Grantham, director of training and programming, at
kgrantham@ChiOmega.com.
Chi Omega hires new director of alumnae development
Katie Keane, Kappa Delta/Bowling Green U, is Chi Omega’s new director of alumnae
development. Katie succeeds Sarah Longino Thornton, Tau/U of Mississippi.
Chi Omega is colonizing in Florida
Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, will welcome a new Chi Omega chapter this
fall. Area alumnae interested in assisting may contact Laura Lee Jones, director of extension/special projects, at 901/748-8600 or via e-mail at ljones@ChiOmega.com.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Chi Omega’s mission and vision
statements are the guidelines
for the national leadership as
programs are developed.
OUR MISSION
Chi Omega is a Sisterhood that provides a network
of friends and lifelong development for collegiate
and alumnae members.
Chi Omega’s website provides many ways for you to stay connected
with our Sisterhood. Throughout The Eleusis you will find the mouse
symbol pictured here, which will direct you to supplemental online
resources on our website and across the Internet. Please use the web
addresses below to help you find important Chi Omega information.
CHI OMEGA WEBSITE
www.ChiOmega.com
Chi Omega is committed to:
• Personal integrity
• Excellence in academic and intellectual pursuits
• Inter-generational participation
• Community service
• Leadership development
• Social enrichment
OUR VISION
To be the premier national women’s organization
in the 21st century.
To establish renewed value and respect for all
women by promoting:
• High moral standards and ethics
• Personal growth
• Professional development
• A network of friendship and support
FOR LIFE.
Summer 2007
CHI OMEGA MEMBER SITE
ww2.ChiOmega.com/everyday/
CHI OMEGA NEW MEMBER SITE
http://nm.ChiOmega.com/
THE ELEUSIS ONLINE
www.TheEleusis.com
Correspondence
Because we can’t imagine a strong
Sisterhood without you, your active
involvement in Chi Omega is essential.
Look for this writing icon throughout
The Eleusis; it is a call to action —
asking you to submit letters, information, or other
correspondence necessary to communicate to the
family and friends of the Chi Omega community.
CHI OMEGA FOUNDATION
www.ChiOmega.com/chiomega/?foundation
MERCHANDISE: CHI O CREATIONS
www.ChiOmega.com/shopping
CHANGE PERSONAL INFORMATION
ww2.ChiOmega.com/everyday/signIn
CHI OMEGA LEARNING CENTER
http://lc.ChiOmega.com/
Chi Omega’s values instill in members a sense of purpose
and determination to reach for their goals while remaining
connected to those who came before. These are the stories
of our Sisters who remind us that no matter what the arena,
Chi Omegas flourish!
Meg Galvin cooks up a career
One of only 13 female certified master chefs in the world,
Meg Barton Galvin is also a master juggler of time and
obligation. She’s a culinary instructor at Cincinnati State
Technical and Community College, does charitable work,
runs marathons, and is raising three children. She also
finds time to co-host The Dish, a cooking/talk show airing
weekly in the Cincinnati area with negotiations underway
for it to be televised nationwide.
One of Meg’s most important achievements was the creation of the culinary program at the Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State, one of only three such programs
offered in the United States. She wrote the curriculum for
the degree for the U of Cincinnati then realigned it for the
program at Cincinnati State. The program provides dual
admission to both institutions and students spend two
years at each learning the technical, scientific, and business
aspects of the culinary arts. Prior to 2004 when the program was first offered, no Ohio colleges offered a bachelor’s
degree in the cooking arts. Meg also spearheaded the effort for accreditation for the culinary program from The
Research Chefs Association. She knows the requirements
since she helped write the association’s accreditation guidelines.
With the program now in place, Meg hires faculty, meets
with families, assists with marketing, acts as a liaison to UC
for Cincinnati State, and teaches Theory of Cooking I & II,
which covers how to work in a professional kitchen, basic
cooking methods, ethics, and the history of food. She also
conducts the culinary demonstration class through which
students learn how to set up and deliver a cooking demo.
Raised in Lexington, Kentucky, Meg was one of six children. Their farmer father allowed Meg and her sister to
help in the garden while the four boys managed the bigger projects. After the work was done, Meg’s mother took
the girls to the local country club to play tennis and swim.
Meg worked at the club during summers, teaching tennis
and helping with accounting and catering. Her goal was to
become the general manager.
MASTER CHEF MEG GALVIN, GAMMA THETA/EASTERN KENTUCKY U.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
CHI OMEGAS FLOURISH
For college, Meg attended Eastern Kentucky U where she
was initiated into Chi Omega by Gamma Theta Chapter.
Heeding some wise advice, she earned a degree in business
and then, since there were not many American culinary
schools, enrolled in Cordon Bleu of London. There, meeting the challenge of attending classes taught in French, she
completed a condensed program in one year. One month
after returning to Lexington, she was general manager at
her hometown country club, a position she kept for seven
years.
Wanting to make the kitchen the focus of her career, Meg
took a position as food service manager for a hospital. Seven
years later she was ready for a new challenge. That’s when
she discovered a love for teaching and started as a parttime instructor at Cincinnati State and in the community.
She joined the faculty full time about 30 months ago when
her youngest children, twin boys, entered kindergarten.
Meg believes there is a correlation between increasing obesity levels in the United States and the frequency of meals
eaten at restaurants serving up large portions. “A lot of
people eat out thinking it saves time,” says Meg. “But it really is quicker to cook a meal and clean up than to drive to
a restaurant and eat. All you need is a no-frills repertoire of
recipes and a basic pantry. You will be doing yourself and
your family a service.”
Every Friday, you’ll find Meg in the grocery store. She creates a menu for the week before leaving home. On Sundays,
she does the time-consuming cooking and makes a big pot
of soup or roasts a cut of meat. This routine allows Meg to
have dinner on the table in 20 minutes on most nights.
Meg’s cooking influences include her mother. “With six
children in the family, we didn’t have the luxury of going
out to dinner except maybe once a month. I grew up coming home to a kitchen fragrant with dinner and fresh vegetables from the garden and the farm.” Her favorite things
to make include pastries, pies, cookies and cakes, and
soups, like white bean and shrimp bisque. “The best part of
home is having the aromas of something on the stove or in
the oven.” She adds that she likes the experimentation and
creativity of cooking. While she rarely follows a recipe, she
may look to one for ideas.
Even though surrounded by food, Meg never struggles
with weight. She exercises daily and doesn’t eat large meals.
“Most chefs aren’t heavy. It’s hard work lifting 80-pound
bags of potatoes, running up stairs, chopping, whisking.
Cooking is very taxing on the body.”
To those who don’t share her love of cooking, nor her expertise, Meg recommends learning the basics, such as knife
skills, how to poach, how to roast. “Learn the whys and
hows and then you can build on that foundation.”
Summer 2007
The Office’s uptight accountant is a
Theta Kappa Sister from Baylor U
One of television’s favorite accountants is also our Chi
Omega Sister: Angela Kinsey, an initiate of Theta Kappa
at Baylor U, portrays the uptight number-cruncher Angela
Martin on NBC’s hit comedy The Office. “It’s by far the coolest, most amazing job I’ve ever had in my life,” she says,
adding that she has almost nothing in common with her
character, except she can be a little bossy at times, too. As
a struggling actress, Angela worked as an operator for 1800-Dentist and often draws upon her days in corporate
America for her scenes in The Office.
A hit with viewers, the show has also garnered critical
acclaim. The Office won an Emmy Award in 2006 for best
television comedy and the cast received the 2007 Screen Actor’s Guild Award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series.
Originally from Texas, Angela grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia, and still speaks the language.
While at Baylor, she took as many theater classes as possible but found her home in the
English department. English appealed to her the most because of the flexibility the major
offered. “I felt at home,” she says. “I could be an English creative writing major and it didn’t
take away from my acting.”
There is a lot more to Angela than her humor, according to her
Theta Kappa Sister Melanie Moore Briscoe. “She is that person you
would want by your side in the very best and worst of times.”
Angela says her focus for acting was to create things for herself. She wanted to perform
stand-up, do improvisation, and even write a one-woman show. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English but says she never took an accounting class like her television character did. The only time she ever went into the business school was to study with friends.
Chi Omega was a integral part of Angela’s years at Baylor. The Sisterhood was perfect for this
“way chatty” woman, as she calls herself, and she loves anything social. Angela played on
the chapter’s intramural softball team and used her theater experience when she performed
with her Sisters in “Blaze of Glory,” Chi Omega’s winning entry in All-University Sing.
Angela also participated in the Baylor-in-London program. She says, “It combined my two
loves: studying Shakespeare and Wadsworth and getting to experience theater in London.”
Acting lessons in New York City followed college graduation. Then it was on to Los Angeles
where she landed small parts in television and did stand-up at an improve theater before
landing “the coolest job” on The Office.
Watch for Angela on the big screen early this summer as she stars with John Krasinski,
Mandy Moore, and Robin Williams in License to Wed. Angela lives in Los Angeles with her
husband and their two cats and still has friends from her Chi O days at Baylor.
Tau initiate is Miss Southern Tennessee
Catherine Werne, a graduate of Ole Miss and a Tau Chapter initiate, won the title of Miss
Southern Tennessee in a competition held in March this year. She is a resident of Memphis and will compete in the Miss Tennessee USA Pageant in October. She is employed at
WMCTV in Memphis. To view her photo, go to www.TheEleusis.com.
CHI OMEGAS FLOURISH
Chi Omega Quilters
Always interested in the written word, Pat earned a degree
in journalism at the U of Texas–Austin where she was a
collegiate member of Iota Chapter. While at school she
met Jim, they married in 1955, and together raised three
children. Following Jim’s career around the country, the
family moved to Ohio, California, New Mexico, back to
Texas, and finally to Huntsville, Alabama.
Pat made her first quilt in 1968 when there were few books
or magazines on the subject. While in California she took
a stitchery class, which led to her first project, a memory
quilt for her son. After that she was hooked. When Jim’s job
took them to Alabama in 1975, she worked with rural black
quilters, creating quilts sold during the American Bicentennial. Other quilting projects include making a Victorian
patchwork wedding dress for her oldest daughter, designing and making kits for sale by The Hermitage, President
Andrew Jackson’s home in Nashville, Tennessee, and making two pieces for the national AIDS quilt.
Pat Flynn Kyser with the quilt she designed as the logo for the 2007 Panoply Arts Festival in
Huntsville-Madison County, Alabama. It depicts the annual event in Big Spring International Park
with a fiber representation of the red Japanese bridge running across it.
Stitching Stories
Combining artistry and her love of life and family, Pat Flynn Kyser creates one-ofa-kind, hand-stitched quilts that tell stories of heritage, personal journeys, and the
beauty of nature. Her quilts have hung in museums across the country and are represented in private collections.
A native of Port Arthur, Texas, Pat grew up with a needle in her hand. Her role-model
mother taught home economics at the local high school and made everything her
children wore. Little Pat enjoyed playing with bits of fabric and making doll clothes
and marionettes. During high school she began making all of her own clothes.
Fun with miniatures
Since she was four-years old, Kathleen Rindal Brooks has
had a needle in her hand. For the last 28 years, it’s been a
quilting needle with which she has created hundreds of
quilts of every size in a variety of styles. Specializing in miniature quilts, Kathleen carries a pocket-sized work-in-progress wherever she goes. Making full use of their portability,
she’s able to share her passion for quilting at all times.
KATHLEEN BROOKS
Kathleen’s masterful use of scraps gives her little quilts
their wonderful, whimsical personalities. She mixes new
and vintage fabrics and gives traditional patterns her own
personal twist. Humorous fabrics, special quotations, personal messages, and hidden details to surprise and delight
onlookers are among her trade secrets.
An initiate of Omicron Chapter at the U of Illinois, Kathleen graduated with bachelor’s degrees in elementary and
Combining her interests of writing and quilting, for 20
years Pat contributed a column to Quilt World Magazine
and freelanced for other publications. Her quilts have appeared in Southern Living Magazine and in Australian and
German needlework publications.
A teacher of quilt making since 1968, Pat was a lecturer
in 1984 at Australia’s First National Quilting Seminar; undertook a two-month teaching tour in 1988; and presented
four, week-long seminars in Germany. She is a member of
the Embroiders’ Guild of America (EGA), a charter member of the Tennessee Valley Quilt Association, the founding
president of the Alabama chapter of EGA, a charter member of Heritage Quilters of Huntsville, and a member of the
National Quilt Association.
early-childhood education. While taking a break from
teaching elementary school to raise her children, Kathy’s
quilting hobby grew into a new career. Her quilts have won
national and international awards and have been featured
in many publications.
This cheerful quilter lives in River Forest, Illinois, with
her husband, Rich, and their children, Travis, Jordan, and
Hayley. Family pets include a hedgehog named Mrs. Tiggy
Winkle, a pig named Wilbur, and Al, an albino frog. Don’t
be surprised at this menagerie! After all, this is the same
woman who authored Little Bits of Whimsy: A Pattern
Book. This pattern/how-to book is full of fun-filled designs
to tickle the imagination. Its widespread appeal led the way
to her recently released book, A Pocketful of Whimsy: Wee
Patchwork Gifts. It, too, is drawing quilters everywhere into
the miniature fold. In addition to writing, Kathleen also
lectures and teaches quilting workshops.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
CHI OMEGAS FLOURISH
Preserving the Past
Sara Rhodes Dillow, quilt maker, collector, historian, and
preservationist, has only a rough idea of how many quilts
she has, guessing that the collection numbers between 200
to 300 quilts. “We didn’t mean to start a quilt collection,”
says Sara of the hobby she and her late husband, surgeon
Byron Dillow, shared. “It just happened. One quilt led to
two quilts and two quilts led to more.” The couple was
drawn to older quilts and unusual quilts. They focused
on fine appliqué, on pieced quilts made with rare fabrics,
and on pre-1850 chintz quilts. “We looked at the fabrics as
Part of Sara Dillow’s collection, this treasure is a stuffed-appliqued
album quilt with stipple quilting, circa 1850, 83" x 83". It was probably made in Maryland’s Eastern Shore area. Historic album quilts
were often signed by the quilt maker or a friendship group.“Quilts
are important documents of women’s history,” says Sara.
much as the quilts,” she says. But any quilt that “spoke” to
the couple was fair game for their collection. “It’s a reaction
of the heart,” she admits. “Sometimes I think I bought the
quilts I wish I had the time to make. Sometimes I think
it’s the sense of connecting with someone from the past.”
When the couple first began collecting, they attended flea
markets and garage sales, but quickly graduated to antiques shows where they developed relationships with wellrespected dealers. And they had an affinity for collecting that
transcended quilts: Their home overflows with interesting,
primitive pieces and early Americana, including collections
of handmade tin items, old baskets, hooked and braided
rugs, and “make-do’s,” or early recycled objects. Their collection of yellowware is nationally known and brightens up
nearly every room in the home. Pieces include ink wells, foot
warmers, colanders, gelatin molds, and bowls of all sizes.
Sara’s interest in quilts exceeds collecting. She served three
terms as president of the American Quilt Study Group, a
non-profit organization that supports scholarship on quilts
and quilt makers. She was a founder and the first president
of the Nebraska State Quilt Guild, which undertook a 10-
Summer 2007
year effort to document every quilt held in a public
museum in Nebraska. She wrote Repiecing the Past, a
still-in-print book that updates a dozen vintage quilt
patterns from her collection, making them available
to quilters today. She also regularly speaks to groups
about quilt history, design, and quilt preservation.
Sara practices what she preaches about quilt preservation. Her collection is housed in specially designed
closets organized so that any quilt can be retrieved in
minutes. Each quilt is kept in a cardboard, acid-free
textile storage box, labeled with a number that corresponds to the quilt inventory she keeps in her computer. The inventory describes each quilt, detailing its
pattern, dimensions, primary colors, origin, maker,
original cost, and where it was purchased. A notebook
holds color photos of every quilt. Inside the boxes, quilts
are tagged with their catalog numbers and placed amid
acid-free tissue paper, with extra tissue stuffed in the
folds to deter creases. Quilts not stored are displayed
on her walls at home. She changes these every three
weeks, which changes the entire look of rooms.
Sara’s first interest in quilts was making them herself.
A major project now is a series of quilts depicting endangered Nebraska wildflowers. A Princess Feather
quilt she inherited from her aunt piqued Sara’s and
Byron’s interest in collecting vintage quilts.
After the unexpected death of her husband in 2002,
quilts and quilting took Sara in new directions. Today
she is a volunteer fundraiser for The International
Quilt Study Center at the U of Nebraska–Lincoln,
which holds one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of quilts in the world with more than
1,700 quilts and four major collections last valued between $8 million and $9 million. A newly constructed
facility is scheduled to open this fall and will be the
world’s first museum and international center dedicated to the study, preservation, and display of quilts. It
will contain public galleries and meeting spaces, work
areas dedicated to research, and climate-controlled
storage areas for the center’s world-class collection. A
graduate program in textile history with an emphasis
in quilt studies was also created; it is the only program
of its kind.
Sara is also an independent contractor for quilt acquisitions for the new museum and she oversees the
growing quilt-centered philanthropy that she and her
husband founded.
Sara is an initiate of Kappa Chapter at the U of Nebraska–Lincoln. Her alma mater honored her as an
outstanding alumna in 1997.
Chi Mu wins notable
honors at Bucknell U
Chi Mu Chapter at Bucknell U and several of its
collegians and advisors
received significant awards
from the school’s Interfraternity and Panhellenic
Councils in February this
year.
• The chapter received
the Philanthropy, Recruitment and New Member
Education Awards.
• Paula Shaw, Chi Mu’s
faculty advisor, was named
Outstanding University
Advisor, which honors the
woman who best guided
her chapter to excel in university, community, and
Greek life.
• Cassie Ostroski was
named Outstanding Senior, signifying she best
represents the spirit of
sorority life, excels in the
classroom, and has made
significant contributions
to Bucknell, the local community, and Greek affairs.
• Karen Ziegenbusch
Gardner, Mu Zeta/Adrian
College and Chi Mu’s
personnel advisor, received The Paul Pigman
Memorial Award, given
to the individual who best
represents the character
and standard of conduct to
which the members of the
Greek system at Bucknell
aspire.
• Chi Mu was named
one of Bucknell’s six Silver Star Chapters. A Silver
Star chapter meets or exceeds minimum-chapter
standards that include
community service hours,
scholastic achievement,
educational programming,
and attendance at university-sponsored events.
CHI OMEGAS FLOURISH
Pillows as gifts of faith
10
ERIS BALL
MerriMail delivers gifts
and ideas for an artful
lifestyle
With an idea that blossomed in 2004 after watching the first episode of
Donald Trump’s The Apprentice, Eris Coley Ball,
Delta Kappa/U of North
Carolina–Charlotte, and
Caroline Armijo launched
MerriMail in April 2006. It
is the first creative-living
subscription that includes
delightful gifts, useful information, and ideas that
support artistic lifestyles.
Delivered quarterly in
a white corrugated box
with colorful tissue paper,
the unique, high-quality
gifts inspire and shape the
content of the companion
newsletter and focus on
themes such as creativity,
fashion/health/beauty, leisure, and gardening.
“We want to inspire people
by presenting multi-sensory experiences through
gifts and ideas,” says Eris,
who manages the public
relations for MerriMail.
With 12 years experience
in communications and
public relations, she also
has a successful handbag
business, Stogie Swank.
Caroline oversees the visuals and branding. For more
information,
see www.merrimail.com.
Rushan Goodson Smyth
never dreamed that a
graduation gift for a family friend would set her on
a new career path. But in
1995 when her babysitter
requested a leopard-print
pillow to carry with her to
college, Rushan was determined to fulfill the wish.
She had a sewing machine,
some leftover upholstery
material, and, she says,
next to no ability to make
the two come together in a
meaningful way.
Despite just a few crooked
rushan smyth amid her faith-based pillows
seams, Rushan was pleased
office help, prototype makers, and jobs out production,
with the results but felt something was lacking: that special
Rushan still designs every pillow herself, carefully matchtouch that would remind her young friend of the affecing the fabrics, trims, and colors to the Bible story she wants
tion they shared for one another. After much reflection,
it to tell. She shops for material in the textile mills of North
Rushan attached a favorite Bible scripture on a small tag.
Carolina, searching for rich chenilles, bold brocades, and
To her surprise, the pillow was a popular present.
intricate tapestries. Once the perfect combination is found,
Several years passed before the idea bloomed into a busishe hands the sewing tasks to other women and focuses her
ness for biblically inspired pillows. When a friend was
energy on speaking to women’s groups and selling pillows
diagnosed with cancer, Rushan pieced together a rich
through “pillow parties.” Those who attend are charmed
crimson and gold pillow and attached a special card with
not only by the quality of the products but also by her ena Biblical verse about healing. It was enthusiastically regaging personality and the sincerity of her message. Thus,
ceived and friends encouraged her to set up shop.
with the simplest of tools (needle and thread, fabric and
trim), Rushan brings warmth and encouragement to othCalling her company Peniel Pillows, its first products were
ers while doing what she loves best: sharing her faith.
constructed at home using the fabric from her mother’s
cast-off draperies. Rushan sold them at crafts fairs and
Rushan sent five of her pillows to President and Mrs. Bush
church bazaars before taking them to the Atlanta market
shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. A thank-you
in 2000. When designers, specialty shops, florists, and
note from Mrs. Bush is framed and proudly on display in
Christian bookstores snapped them up, she expanded her
Rushan’s home. A pillow also graces a sofa in the upstairs
operations. First, she moved production out of her house.
lounge at the Chi Omega Executive Headquarters.
Then, after performing all the design-through-shipping
An initiate of Zeta Zeta Chapter at Samford U, Rushan
functions herself for a year, she began to hire staff.
and her husband have two adult sons and reside in TusToday, the product line also includes jewelry, throws, holicaloosa, Alabama. There’s more information about Peniel
day ornaments and Bible covers. And while she has hired
Pillows at www.penielpillows.com.
Coach Pat Summitt and Lady Vols net title #7
On April 3 this year in Cleveland, the Lady Vols of the U
of Tennessee–Knoxville earned their seventh national basketball title. The win moved head coach Pat Head Summitt,
the winningest of all women’s coaches, closer to meeting,
then besting, former UCLA men’s coach John Wooden’s
record of 10 national championships.
An initiate of Xi Zeta Chapter at the U of Tennessee–Martin and a Chi Omega Malinda Jolley Mortin Woman of
Achievement, Pat is a seven-time Southeastern Conference
Coach of the Year, seven-time NCAA Coach of the Year,
and the Naismith Coach of the (20th) Century. Head basketball coach at UT–Knoxville since 1974, her overall winloss record is an unmatched 947–180. Her Lady Vols have
made an appearance in every NCAA Tournament, as well
as every Sweet 16, and have appeared 17 times in the Final
Four. Adding to Pat’s list of achievements: In February this
year, she became the first female coach of women’s college
basketball to be put on a Wheaties cereal box.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
CHI OMEGAS FLOURISH
Errand Solutions, LLC provides a new kind of employee benefit
AIMEE CRIST
Jewelry sales rep
featured on industry
magazine’s cover
Aimee Sebastian Crist,
Theta/West Virginia U,
was featured on the cover
and in the March 2007 issue of Empowering Women
magazine, a publication of
the direct-sales industry.
The issue features Aimee
and several other women
who have experienced
personal and professional
success as independent
Silpada Designs representatives. Aimee is also featured on a DVD included
in the magazine. Silpada Designs is the
largest sterling-silver jewelry, direct-sales company
in the United States. Its
sales representatives have
the flexibility to set their
own hours, allowing them
to spend time with their
families while still pursuing a rewarding and lucrative career that combines
socialization with work. Aimee has been a Silpada
sales representative since
March 2005. Earlier, she
had a successful career
with Merrill Lynch and at
a placement firm in San
Diego.
Aimee resides in Del Mar,
California, with her husband and their son. She
looks forward to a reunion
this summer with three
Theta Chapter Sisters.
Summer 2007
In 2000, Marsha McVicker had one office, one employee,
and one big idea: contracting with employers to provide
concierge services as an employee benefit to their busy
executives. Today, seven years later, her business, Errand
Solutions, LLC, has offices in multiple markets, annual
sales of $9 million, more than 100 employees in 15 states,
and serves in excess of 1.5 million American workers.
Clients include companies like Kraft, Oscar Meyer, Hyatt,
and many hospitals. Services include everything from the
ordinary, such as dry cleaning, car care, and event ticket
procurement, to the extraordinary, such as helping a family after a devastating home fire, hiring entertainment for
a special event, and replacing a swimming pool with landscaping to more quickly sell a home.
To make all this happen, employers pay an annual fee to
Errand Solutions, which provides the on-site, personalized
convenience service. In turn, employees simply pay discounted rates for the services or products purchased, all of
which are provided by pre-screened, qualified vendors.
Marsha came up with the concept for Errand Solutions
while working toward an MBA at the U of WisconsinMadison, where she also earned a bachelor’s degree and
was initiated into Chi Omega by Nu Chapter. Marsha has
refined her proprietary concierge model and technology to
meet the needs of large organizations and their employees
and has developed specific programs to meet the unique
needs of the healthcare industry.
“Providing concierge or errand-running services is one of
the most effective and cost-efficient ways employers can
help employees save time and reduce stress,” writes Marsha
of her unique business concept. “Offering employees the
gift of time as an employee benefit can serve as the building
block of a successful work-life balance/wellness program,”
she continues. “Just having a couple of extra hours, or even
just a few minutes, can help reduce stress. Additionally
time is what employees need to implement other wellness
activities such as an exercise program, preparing healthy
meals, or simply relaxing with family and friends.”
Marsha has been featured in i-Street Magazine and The
Chicago Sun-Times as one of Chicago’s “Women in Black,”
the 26 most prominent women in Chicago’s high-tech
community. She is profiled in the book You Need To Be
A Little Crazy, by serial entrepreneur, Barry Moltz. She is
also a proud member of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization, the Society for Human Resource Management,
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, and she has been
a guest lecturer at conferences and in academic settings,
including the Women’s Business Development Center, Premier Patient Services Conference, and the U of WisconsinMadison.
Additionally, Marsha has been interviewed by Robert
Reich for National Public Radio’s “Future of Success” series
and she was featured in many publications, including In
Business Magazine, Crain’s, Madison Business Journal, and
the Wisconsin State Journal.
Further information about Errand Solutions is available on
its website: www.errandsolutions.com.
Alumnae–collegiate
holiday brunch
Attending the 2006 Christmas Brunch, an event hosted by the San Antonio Alumnae, were, from the
left, Yeola Steed Mitchell, Iota Alpha/Southern Methodist U; Edna Myrick Archer and Beverly Childress
Fulton, Iota/UT–Austin; and Kathy Adams Biedenharn, Gamma Theta/Eastern Kentucky U.
Collegiate Chi Os from San
Antonio and their moms are
special guests at an annual
Christmas Brunch hosted by
the San Antonio Alumnae.
Representing nine chapters, the 2006 holiday party
guests were from Kappa
Zeta/Texas Tech, Rho Epsilon/Texas Christian U,
Kappa Beta/Rhodes College, Mu Beta/U of Georgia, Xi Kappa/Texas A&M
U, Sigma Epsilon/Vanderbilt U, Alpha Beta/Auburn
U, Zeta Zeta/Samford U,
and Theta Kappa/Baylor U.
A photo of the young women
is at www.TheEleusis.com.
11
CHI OMEGAS FLOURISH
12
Tops in Scholarship
With 152 of 171 chapters reporting as of April 2007, the Fraternity’s fall 2006 GPA is 3.177. Our 124
chapters with GPAs greater than 3.0 are listed here, along with the 34 chapters ranked number one on
their campus.
35 Chapters Are Ranked #1 On Campus
Beta Gamma/U of Louisville Beta Theta/U of South Alabama Chi Epsilon/U of Evansville Delta Alpha/U of Tennessee–Chattanooga
Delta Kappa/U of North Carolina–Charlotte
Epsilon Gamma/U of Tulsa Epsilon Lambda/Furman U Eta Alpha/Oregon State U Eta Kappa/U of Missouri–Rolla Iota Gamma/Centenary College of Louisiana
Kappa Delta/Bowling Green State U
Kappa Zeta/Texas Tech U Lambda/U of Kansas Lambda Delta/Kent State U Nu/U of Wisconsin Nu Theta/West Liberty State College
Nu Zeta/Emporia State U Omicron Lambda/Birmingham-Southern College
Phi Delta/Mississippi State U Psi Beta/U of Iowa Sigma Mu/Babson College Tau/U of Mississippi Tau Beta/Oklahoma State U Tau Theta/William Woods U Theta Delta/Carroll College Theta Gamma/Queens U Theta Zeta/Eastern New Mexico U
Upsilon/Union U
Xi Alpha/U of Utah Xi Delta/U of Toledo Xi Kappa/Texas A&M U Xi Theta/South Dakota State U Xi Zeta/U of Tennessee–Martin Zeta Beta/U of Arizona Zeta Delta/U of Nebraska–Omaha
124 Chapters With GPAs 3.0 And Above
3.5 And Higher / 6 Chapters
Kappa/U of Nebraska–Lincoln
Lambda Gamma/U of Virginia
Nu Alpha/Stanford U
Sigma Epsilon/Vanderbilt U
Tau Mu/Washington U
Xi/Northwestern U
3.40–3.49 GPA / 13 Chapters
Beta Lambda/Carthage College
Beta Alpha/U of Pennsylvania
Chi Mu/Bucknell U
Epsilon Gamma/U of Tulsa
Epsilon Lambda/Furman U
Eta/U of Michigan
Eta Delta/U of Florida
Eta Gamma/U of South Carolina
Iota/U of Texas–Austin
Iota Alpha/Southern Methodist U
Iota Gamma/Centenary College of Louisiana
Mu Kappa/Duke U
Nu Gamma/Pennsylvania State U
Tau Beta/Oklahoma State U
3.30–3.39 GPA / 18 Chapters
Alpha/U of Washington
Beta Theta/U of South Alabama
Chi Delta/Millsaps College
Chi Epsilon/U of Evansville
Eta Lambda/American U
Mu Lambda/U of Dayton
Mu Zeta/Adrian College
Nu/U of Wisconsin
Nu Beta/U of Alabama
Omicron/U of Illinois
Omicron Lambda/Birmingham-Southern College
Phi Delta/Mississippi State U
Psi Kappa/Clemson U
Rho Epsilon/Texas Christian U
Rho Gamma/Hillsdale College
Rho Lambda/U of Delaware
Theta Kappa/Baylor U
Xi Lambda/Washington & Lee U
3.00–3.29 GPA / 87 Chapters
Alpha Alpha/U of North Texas
Alpha Beta/Auburn U
Alpha Delta/Indiana State U
Alpha Lambda/Valparaiso U
Beta Beta/Washington State U
Beta Delta/Thiel College
Beta Gamma/U of Louisville
Chi/Transylvania U
Chi Beta/Purdue U
Chi Gamma/Marietta College
Chi Theta/Western Kentucky U
Delta Alpha/U of Tennessee–Chattanooga
Delta Lambda/Northern Arizona U
Epsilon Alpha/U of Oklahoma
Epsilon Beta/U of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
Epsilon Delta/U of Southern Mississippi
Eta Alpha/Oregon State U
Eta Beta/Iowa State U
Eta Kappa/U of Missouri–Rolla
Gamma/Florida State U
Gamma Theta/Eastern Kentucky U
Gamma Zeta/U of Arkansas–Little Rock
Iota Kappa/Troy U
Iota Lambda/Villanova U
Iota Zeta/U of Nebraska–Kearney
Kappa Alpha/Kansas State U
Kappa Beta/Rhodes College
Kappa Delta/Bowling Green State U
Kappa Lambda/U of California–San Diego
Kappa Zeta/Texas Tech U
Lambda/U of Kansas
Lambda Alpha/U of Kentucky
Lambda Delta/Kent State U
Lambda Kappa/Huntingdon College
Lambda Zeta/U of Missouri–Kansas City
Mu Alpha/U of New Hampshire
Mu Beta/U of Georgia
Mu Delta/Bradley U
Mu Gamma/Culver-Stockton College
Nu Lambda/U of North Carolina–Wilmington
Nu Zeta/Emporia State U
Omicron Beta/College of William and Mary
Phi Beta/U of Pittsburgh
Phi Gamma/Louisiana State U
Phi Theta/East Central U
Pi/U of Tennessee
Pi Alpha/U of Cincinnati
Pi Delta/New Mexico State U
Pi Gamma/U of New Mexico
Pi Kappa/Appalachian State U
Psi/U of Arkansas
Psi Alpha/U of Oregon
Psi Beta/U of Iowa
Psi Epsilon/Arizona State U
Psi Gamma/Mercer U
Psi Lambda/Valdosta State U
Psi Mu/U of Central Florida
Rho/Tulane U
Rho Kappa/Illinois State U
Sigma Alpha/Miami U
Sigma Lambda/Virginia Tech
Sigma Mu/Babson College
Tau/U of Mississippi
Tau Alpha/Ohio U
Tau Delta/Gettysburg College
Tau Gamma/Wittenberg U
Tau Kappa/U of Montevallo
Tau Theta/William Woods U
Theta/West Virginia U
Theta Beta/Indiana U
Theta Gamma/Queens U
Theta Zeta/Eastern New Mexico U
Upsilon/Union U
Upsilon Lambda/Hanover College
Upsilon Mu/John Carroll U
Xi Alpha/U of Utah
Xi Beta/U of Maine
Xi Delta/U of Toledo
Xi Gamma/Michigan State U
Xi Kappa/Texas A&M U
Xi Zeta/U of Tennessee–Martin
Zeta/U of Colorado
Zeta Beta/U of Arizona
Zeta Delta/U of Nebraska–Omaha
Zeta Gamma/College of Charleston
Zeta Lambda/Wake Forest U
Zeta Zeta/Samford U
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
CHI OMEGAS FLOURISH
Tau Betas sweep homecoming competitions
Oklahoma State U’s homecoming celebration is commonly referred to as the “Largest Homecoming in the Nation.”
While every homecoming is an exciting time for the members of Oklahoma State U’s Tau Beta Chapter, the 2006
event, which took place the week of October 16, was an
especially exciting time for the 185 members.
Rachel Y. Hawkins House dedicated at Troy U
The late Rachel Youngblood Hawkins was honored on
March 10 this year with the dedication of the Iota Kappa
Chapter House on the Troy U campus in her memory. She
was instrumental in chartering the chapter in 1976 and was
personnel advisor for 22 years. Approximately 100 people
from the University community, including collegiate and
alumnae Sisters of Iota Kappa, were on hand for the ceremony, which included the unveiling of a commemorative
marker (pictured above) on the lawn of the house.
In his remarks, Troy U Chancellor Jack Hawkins (no relation) said the University owes a great debt to Rachel
Hawkins and her husband, Doug, for their contributions to
the Greek System. “In the life of a university, there are only
a few leaders who play a pivotal role in the development of
the institution,” he said. “Rachel Hawkins was such a leader. It is not an exaggeration to say that Doug and Rachel
Hawkins were the parents of the Greek System at Troy.”
Additional tributes to Rachel, an initiate of Alpha Beta at
Auburn U, were given by Janice Hawkins, Troy U first lady;
Lamar Higgins, a member of the Troy U Board of Trustees;
S.K.A. Joellyn Sullivan; and Sherry Wallace Starling, president of the Iota Kappa House Corporation and an initiate
of the chapter.
In closing remarks, Dr. Doug Hawkins, Rachel’s husband
and president pro tem of the Troy U Board of Trustees,
thanked the University and the women of Chi Omega for
honoring his late wife, who died September 10, 2006.
Oklahoma State’s homecoming consists of a variety of
events and activities, including a campus-wide philanthropy project, a carnival for children, and a football competition. The Greek community plays an especially active
role in making this annual event a must-see by spending
weeks sticking tissue paper into chicken wire and welding metal bars together to create house-sized panels of
colorful scenes, complete with moving parts. Thousands
of students, parents, faculty, alumni, and entertainmentseeking visitors from near and far flood the streets around
Oklahoma State’s Greek community to admire these large
works of art. Each “masterpiece” is judged on creativity,
engineering, safety, and overall appeal. These scores, along
with those earned through other competitions held during
the week, determine what organization will be declared the
Homecoming Sweepstakes winner. In 2006 the Tau Betas
took home this coveted award after placing in nearly every
category and competition throughout the week.
One Tau Beta earned individual honors during homecoming: Kristen Radka, a 2004 initiate, was selected as the 2006
homecoming queen. She is a senior elementary education
major who will continue her studies in Melbourne, Australia, after graduating in December of 2007. Actively involved on campus, she served as the 2006 Camp Cowboy
executive director, Panhellenic secretary, a Student Government executive, a Student Alumni Board executive, and
the Tau Beta Alumnae Relations chair. The selection process for Homecoming Royalty is rigorous and includes an
application and two interviews. Fifteen women are chosen
as the “Top 15 Seniors,” then the group is narrowed to the
“Top 5,” or The Homecoming Royalty. This year Tau Beta
had five seniors in the Top 15: Allison Ford, Holly Thomas,
Stacy Whipple, Ruth Bobbitt, and Kristen Radka. Kristen
Radka and Ruth Bobbitt were both Homecoming Royalty.
13
California beauty
Jennifer Lee, Gamma Beta/
UCLA, is Miss Yosemite Valley
2007. Next she’ll compete for
the Miss California title.
Pi Gamma named
Outstanding Senior
Valerie Garcia is a recipient of the 2007 Clauve
Outstanding Senior Award
at the U of New Mexico. A
psychology and anthropology major, she was G.H. of
Pi Gamma Chapter, treasurer of Mortar Board, and
served in student government.
As a new student orientation leader, Valerie helped
youth make the transition
from high school to college. She has made presentations at professional
conferences, including the
National Orientation Directors Association. She
volunteers for the MakeA-Wish Foundation® and
Roadrunner Food Bank.
Venture capitalist heads management company
New student government president is a Mu Beta
Valerie Hildebrandt Wulf is president and co-manager of
Midwest Venture Capital Managers, LLC. She is an attorney with 18 years experience in investing in and starting
up private-venture businesses and has extensive experience in mentoring women entrepreneurs. An in initiate of
Nu Chapter at the U of Wisconsin where she also earned
her juris doctorate, Valerie previously practiced law with
national firms in San Diego and Chicago. She is a board
member of the Madison Ballet and a director for the GBO,
Inc. charitable foundation.
Kathryn Bowers was elected president of the Student Government Association at the U of Georgia for the term of
2007. Her biggest boosters during the campaign process
were her mom, Nancy Andrews Bowers, Psi/U of Arkansas, and her Mu Beta collegiate Sisters. “Everyone was been
so supportive and accommodating of my crazy schedule,”
says Kathryn of the hectic campaign. “I couldn’t have done
it without them. From wearing T-shirts, making phone
calls, and painting banners, to simply giving me reassuring
hugs, they were wonderful.”
KATHRYN BOWERS
Summer 2007
CHI OMEGAS FLOURISH
LSU advisor receives
Award of Excellence
14
Sisters living in and near Panama City, Florida, are invited to join these Chi Omegas who are forming a new alumnae organization. Pictured from the left are: Ann Kruse Percival, Gamma/Florida State U; Sallie Whitehurst, Eta Delta/U of Florida; Joyce
Pepper Ward, Gamma/Florida State U; Andrea Boutwell-Hess, Iota Kappa/Troy U; Janet Johnson Anderson, Eta Delta/U of
Florida; Pam Wiggins Salinas, Chi Alpha/Tufts U; Sherlene Jaco Jaffray, Zeta Beta/U of Arizona; and Karen Petersen Blackerby,
Kappa/U of Nebraska–Lincoln. Sisters interested in joining this alumnae group are invited to contact Andrea Boutwell-Hess
or Ann Percival at kruse@bellsouth.net.
Recognized with a 2007
Greek Excellence Award
from Louisiana State U
was long-time Phi Gamma/Louisiana State U advisor Jolie Wamble Berry,
Epsilon Delta/U of Southern Mississippi. The presentation, made at a gala
on March 14 at the Baton
Rouge Country Club, honored area alumni who exemplify the ideals of their
Greek organization’s creed
and kicked off Greek Week
at LSU, during which sorority and fraternity members worked with Habitat
for Humanity to build a
home. Proceeds from the
event provide unrestricted
funding for the LSU Greek
Excellence Fund, administered by the LSU Foundation. The fund is designed
to foster and strengthen
personal growth and scholarship, leadership development and commitment to
service for members of the
LSU Greek community.
Zeta Alpha co-chairs
Greek Week at OSU
The Southern Maine Alumnae Chapter was chartered on April 1 this year at an Eleusinian Tea, which also honored three
Sisters, Claudie Higgins, Jackie Perry and Connie Martin, for their more than 50 years of Fraternity membership. If you would
like to join this very active and growing group, contact President Jill Allen at jmpa55@yahoo.com. With the exception of
two women as noted, those pictured above at the event are initiates of Xi Beta/U of Maine. From the left in front are
Wanda Simonton Monthey, Jill Pelletier Allen, Val Gryzb Stefanski; in the middle are Pamela Haley Cook, Kayla O’Malley, Molly Putnam
Liddell, Claudie Halle Higgins, Connie Atherton Martin; in back are Jess Fogarty, Judy Mullen Rowe, Joy Crafts McNaughton from Beta/Colby
College, Jackie Perry, and Christine Lindsay Mallar from Phi Lambda/Franklin & Marshall College.
Brittany Rhonehouse was
one of two co-directors
who led the 75-member
Greek Week Steering
Committee at The Ohio
State U this year. An initiate of Zeta Alpha Chapter
on the OSU campus and a
junior majoring in nutrition, she oversaw the subcommittees that organized
the events that took place
during the first week in
May. “These sub-committees did everything,” Brittany said. “From designing
games, providing food and
refreshments, and handing
out prizes.”
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
This column features Sisters who embody the spirit of Chi
Omega. They work earnestly and speak kindly, are womanly
always and discouraged never. They are role models, leaders,
and friends. They are proud to say, “I am a Chi Omega!”
—by Mary Evelyn Merritt White, Iota/U of Texas–Austin
Dorothy said it best,
“There’s no place like
home.” And Chi Omegas
nationwide consider their
chapter’s physical facility to
be their Chi Omega home.
The word “home” evokes
serene and pleasant feelings of security, warmth,
shelter, protection, and
affection. All of these and more are attributes that Chi
Omega house corporation boards (HCBs) strive to provide
for our collegiate members in our chapter houses, lodges,
townhomes, parlor rooms, dormitory spaces, and even
in instances where no physical chapter space exists. To
achieve and maintain this goal is the ongoing challenge
each HCB faces.
When interior design professionals begin new projects,
the first questions they ask are about the living patterns of
the occupants. For our HCBs, the habits of our members
and their needs while at college guide the design and decorating decisions. Whether the chapter facility is a room,
lodge, townhome, or free-standing structure, a place in
which members can gather, communicate, relax, and have
fun are initial goals.
Our senses must be considered, too, in design decisions.
We are stimulated both positively and negatively by sight
and smell. The distraction of messiness and clutter can prevent effective concentration and communication; a negative smell wafting through the air can be an instant turn-off
for members and guests. Organization and cleanliness are
therefore essential components in creating a refreshing
and appropriate environment for our young women.
In our chapter house facilities, members should ideally
be able to eat, watch television, and entertain non-members comfortably in a generally accessible area. Additional
design considerations include developing space for both
individual and group study, including access to Internet
To nominate a Sister for I Am A Chi Omega,
send an e-mail to TheEleusis@chiomega.
com.
Summer 2007
communication and adequate lighting, and sleeping and
dressing areas free of noise and external distractions. For
chapter business, an officer’s area with appropriate storage
and file space is desirable.
After determining the needs for the available space,
considerations of materials’ durability, style, color, and security become factors in designing an appropriate atmosphere. Generally, Chi Omega facilities tend to be traditional, perhaps because Greek architecture, with its stately
columns, balance, and symmetry, is the design style that
feels like home to many Chi Omegas across the country.
We are fortunate to have a natural color palette from which
to work. Our colors of cardinal and straw provide a soothing yet energizing range of hues for use in our homes and
work well with many secondary colors.
Shades of straw can be used throughout a one-room
meeting space or an entire house. Derived from yellow,
it represents happiness, joy, and sunshine. In ancient
cultures, yellow was thought to stimulate the nerves and
purify the body.
Cardinal can be used for accents in fabrics and in rooms
where high-energy activity will be found. Red is associated
with love, warmth, and comfort. It evokes strong emotion
and intensity, and was thought by the ancients to stimulate
the body and mind and to increase circulation.
Other colors may be used as well. With a calming affect
on those it surrounds, green represents nature, tranquility, good luck, and health, and has been found to improve
reading ability. Blue evokes calmness, order, and serenity
but may produce sadness or aloofness in certain shades.
The security and safety of members and guests are the final
arbiters of design choices. Essential are an updated security and fire system coupled with locking systems for entry,
audible alarms for door violations, and a well-developed
lighting plan for both interior and exterior.
Alumnae look back with pride and affection to their days
spent in their Chi Omega homes. Thanks to our house corporation boards, today’s collegians have rewarding experiences, too, ensuring that “their Chi Omega home is where
their heart is.”
Mary Evelyn White has been
a Chi Omega volunteer since
1976 when she assisted with
the founding of Xi Kappa
Chapter and the simultaneous
development of the Greek
area at Texas A&M U. She
was personnel advisor for Xi
Kappa from 1976–1990 and
in 1978 directed the construction of the chapter house.
Since that time, she managed
two additional construction
projects on the facility.
Chi Omega’s S.T.B from 1990–
1994, Mary Evelyn chaired
the Building Committee
for Chi Omega’s Executive
Headquarters in Memphis and
was also the project’s interior
designer. Today she chairs the
Headquarters Committee and
most recently coordinated the
design and construction of
the 2006–2007 renovation to
the Headquarters in response
to the expanding needs of
the Fraternity and Foundation.
(See pages 28–29 for details.)
President and owner of
By Design, Inc., an interior
design firm in College Station,
Texas, Mary Evelyn’s firm was
selected by Southern Living
Magazine to complete the
interior design and furnishing
of the Texas Southern Living
home in Bryan, Texas, featured
in the August, 2006, issue.
Lead designer for this project
was Mary Evelyn's partner,
Susan Cougar Tremont, also
an initiate of Iota Chapter.
Mary Evelyn is a long-time
donor to the Chi Omega
Foundation.
15
Chi Omega has been a leader among Greek organizations since
the early 1900s. The tradition continues today. In this column,
Greeks Speak, you’ll find information about the latest
developments and accomplishments in the inter-fraternal
world and how Chi Omega is making a difference.
16
Under the current Federal tax code, colleges and universities may expend tax-deductible
charitable contributions for building and renovating dormitories. But fraternity and sorority educational foundations may not use tax-deductible charitable contributions for housing
unless the areas are designated specifically for educational purposes.
Chi Omega’s Congressional Awareness Committee is working with other Greeks to change
this unfair distinction between Greek housing and other collegiate housing. For several
years, we have been lobbying in support of the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act,
which eliminates the distinction. Under the proposed law, fraternal educational foundations [501(c)(3) organizations] would be able to make grants to their respective undergraduate chapters [501(c)(7) organizations] for chapter housing improvements.
Congress has the power to pass legislation affecting Greek life.
Here’s why and how you can take
action to improve the state of
Greek housing across the country
It’s been said that bad officials are elected by good citizens
who do not vote.
By extension, bad laws are made by good citizens who don’t
get involved in the legislative process. Recognizing that the
United States Congress considers many policies that affect
Chi Omega actives and alumnae, our Fraternity has formed
a new Congressional Awareness Committee.
How can you help? Go to www.fraternalcaucus.com. First, click on the link to sign up
and get involved. Second, click on the link to contact Congress. From that link, you will
be guided through the quick steps to send letters to your representative and senators in
Congress.
Encouraging charitable giving for housing improvements by fraternal organizations relieves
the burden of doing so on financially strapped colleges and universities. Cash-strapped
states cannot provide sufficient housing improvements to accommodate the rapid increase
in post-secondary students resulting from the “baby boomlet” that will reach campus during the next decade.
If the Act becomes law, the first priority of fraternities and sororities will be to raise the
funding needed to make critical life-safety improvements to their aging housing. Fraternity
and sorority housing averages almost three fires a week. While those fires represent only
With the passage of the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act
your financial contributions to the improvement of
your chapter’s physical structure will become tax deductible.
The purpose of the committee is to encourage civic involvement and create awareness among Chi Omega’s membership about congressional affairs that impact Greek life. Our
Committee has been working with other Greek groups to
monitor legislation affecting Greek life. Now we need your
help to influence members of Congress to support legislation that will enable us to make fire safety and other improvements to our housing.
10% of the on-campus residential fires each year, the average fraternity and sorority house
fire incurs five times the damage done in an average residence hall fire and the injury rate
for fraternity house fires is twice as high as other campus fires.
Maintaining our beautiful houses and suites requires a
continuous flow of resources. Greeks operate housing for
more than 250,000 students at no cost to the host schools
or the American taxpayers. Our housing is worth in excess
of $3 billion, but the replacement value of this housing is
immeasurable.
Please do your part to improve Chi Omega’s housing. Contact committee chair Kelly Rucker
Bingel at Kelly@mvc-bc.com if you have questions about Chi Omega’s Congressional Awareness Committee or related, proposed legislation. Or go to the Chi Omega Learning Center at
lc.ChiOmega.com and click on the “civic engagement” topic.
Today, according to the nation’s leading insurer of Greek housing, only 8% of all Greek
housing facilities are protected by a fire suppression system. Installing fire protection equipment could save lives and also lower insurance premiums by as much 30%.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
Because Chi Omegas have a reputation for being outstanding
hostesses, we asked Sisters to share with us their best ideas
on making guests feel at home. We discovered a variety of
concepts and are pleased to share them here in another
offering of Pearls of Wisdom, great ideas for Chi Omegas
from Chi Omegas.
From alumnae hostesses
Pamela Thomas Konetzni, Nu Zeta/Emporia State U
• Keep homemade appetizers on hand for quick snacking.
• Save banana bread in the freezer for breakfast.
• Prepare meals in advance of guests’ arrival so that you
can enjoy your time together.
• Keep one of the garage bays empty for their car.
• Have a guestbook for them to sign when they leave.
• Send guests on their way with food and beverages for the
trip.
Adrianne Specker Deem, Rho Epsilon/Texas Christian U
For overnight guests, I put together a basket of soap, shampoo and conditioner, lotion, and bath oil. With the basket I
include some special towels and a note welcoming them to
our home. If guests will be staying for a while, I like to have
a vase of fresh flowers in their room. Wanda Damm Bindley-Figari, Alpha Delta/Indiana State U
I make my home warm and welcoming with candles, soft
music, a fire in the fireplace, and food and drinks I know
guests will enjoy. I also invite people I think will be compatible and will enjoy each other. Finally, I make sure our
dog is happy, but not bothering guests.
Kristine Pivarnik Lass, Xi Alpha/U of Utah
Let the natural surroundings of your part of the world influence the items you place in your guest suite.
• Place in the room geographical necessities your guest
may not have thought to bring: a sun visor for the day on
the sand, an umbrella if it’s the rainy season, an Egyptiancotton robe and slippers for cool mountain mornings.
• Place postcards of local points of interest and a pen in the
guest suite. Your guest may take them home as a remembrance or compose a note to a friend.
• A self-serve coffee maker, evening beverages, and snacks
placed in their room allow guests to satisfy late-night cravings without disturbing you.
• Your local newspaper, a map or visitors’ guide left out as
reading material lets guests get an overview of the area’s activities and assists you when discussing the day’s agenda.
• Politely inform guests of any house rules that cannot be
broken even for a few days. A note elegantly framed and
hung on a ribbon next to the door can gently request,
“Please Remove Shoes” or “Please Do Not Allow Cat Out.”
Chrissy Cody O’Brien, Phi/U of Southern California
To make guests feel at home I find out what they eat for
breakfast and make sure I have it in the house. If that isn’t
possible I make sure to have milk, juice, eggs, bread, and a
couple of cereal choices.
Summer 2007
From our professional innkeepers
Karen Spell Shaw, Zeta Gamma/College of Charleston;
owner, Governor’s House Inn, Charleston, South Carolina
www.governorshouse.com
You ready their linens, bedrooms, and food. You polish your
silver and arrange fresh flowers. But your guests come to
see you, so spend some time to prepare yourself to look relaxed and stress-free. That way, you’ll greet your guests with
a warm, welcoming smile on your face and a joyful spirit in
your heart. Your guests will genuinely feel welcome.
Favorite vacation
spots is the Pearls
of Wisdom topic for
the fall 2007 Eleusis.
Sisters, please let us
know about those
off-the-beaten-path
places that are exciting and/or relaxing.
Deadline: July 15.
Send replies
to: TheEleusis
@chiomega.
com. Include
your first, maiden,
and married names,
chapter and school.
We thank you in advance.
Jean Rouse Spell, Zeta Gamma/College of Charleston,
owner, Two Meeting Street Inn, Charleston, South Carolina
www.twomeetingstreet.com
• Greet your guests at the door with a warm, sincere welcome that exceeds their expectations.
• Familiarize your guests with your home. For example:
If you have a security system, let them know how to avoid
setting it off; show them where the glasses are in case they
are thirsty in the middle of the night.
• Anticipate your guests’ needs. Do they have strict dietary requirements? Are they bringing children who will
need special accommodations, foods, or entertainment?
Are they fully mobile?
• Make reservations at restaurants, tourist sites, and for
special events.
• Stock the ingredients for all the meals you will prepare.
• Plan activities related to your guests’ interests plus those
that are unique and/or the best of your area.
• Create happy memories that will last a lifetime and bond
ever more closely your cherished friendships.
17
18
Chi Omegas contribute significant time and financial resources,
consistently and wholeheartedly, to causes greater than themselves. Chi Omegas make a difference every day — in their
homes,businesses,schools,andcommunities.HelpingHandsis
dedicated to these extraordinary women.
Pedaling 150 miles from Houston to Austin were Kelly Wilson, left, and Rachel Christensen, collegiate members of Psi Zeta Chapter/U of Houston, who participated in the
MS150, to raise funds for multiple sclerosis research.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
HELPING HANDS
Chi Omegas walk for a cause
Home for girls is Tau’s philanthropy
Omicron Kappa collegians participated in the Relay For
Life in April this year. For the event, teams raise money for
cancer research and then take turns walking the Toomey
Field on the U of California–Davis campus. The goal is to
keep at least one team member on the track for 24 hours.
The Gardner Simmons Home for Girls in Tupelo, Mississippi, is the philanthropy of Tau
Chapter at Ole Miss. The home, named in memory of Margaret Gardner and Robin Simmons, two of the five young Tau collegians killed in a walk-a-thon accident 20 years ago,
provides a stable, nurturing environment for girls ages 11–18 years who have been abandoned, abused or neglected. The staff works to build self-esteem and responsibility while
teaching goal-setting and problem-solving skills so the residents may become self-sufficient, productive citizens. There are also foster care and independent living programs. The
Tau collegians host a lunch and an “Owls at the Alley” bowling tournament to raise money
for the Home. There is further information about the Gardner Simmons Home at www.
gardnersimmons.org/index.php.
Chi Omega’s team of 15 members took turns walking in
pairs for two-hour shifts, and they were at it for the duration of the event. In all, 45 members camped out for the
night. Those not walking gave moral support and encouragement to their Sisters.
For those not walking, a sea of tents and booths shared the
field with a volleyball game, line dancing and a “jail” where
people donated 50 cents to have someone jailed and a dollar
to have them bailed out. The “batmobile” was also present:
A converted shopping cart that people could hitch a ride in
for a small donation.
The young women of Omicron Kappa Chapter raised more
than $4,000.
Relay For Life, sponsored by the American Cancer Society,
began in the mid-1980s in Tacoma, Washington. According
to its website, Relay For Life is the largest fundraising event
in history. There are now more than 4,800 events nationwide.
The Valentine’s Day party at Azalea Gardens retirement home and working with Habitat for
Humanity are other community service activities of Tau Chapter.
Holiday gifts collected for deaf-blind children
The Wheaton and Glen Ellyn (Illinois) Area Alumnae Chapter met in December 2006 at
the home of Donna Ferguson Terbell, Psi Beta/U of Iowa, to share holiday cheer and to collect items for donation to the Philip J. Rock Center and School, which provides services to
children who are deaf-blind and their families with the goal of helping the children achieve
independence based on their individual potential. You’ll find a photo of the party at www.
TheEleusis.com. Click on Helping Hands.
Hula-hoop for Make-A-Wish®
The Zeta Deltas at the U of Nebraska–Omaha held a hula-hoop-a-thon in the campus
plaza as a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Nebraska®. A photo of the event
can be viewed at www.TheEleusis.com. Click on Helping Hands.
Chi Omegas pitch in to clean up
Hope Village for Children
In February this year, the Epsilon Betas at the U of North
Carolina–Chapel Hill paired up with the men of Kappa
Sigma Fraternity to form a “Clean and Green Team.” They
picked up trash, removed stickers from benches and trash
cans, took down old fliers from city kiosks, wiped down
street furniture, and collected the trash that gets caught in
the bushes and greenery in downtown Chapel Hill.
After meeting two foster children during a holiday trip home to Mississippi in 1997, Sela
Ward decided to meet a broader need for support for abused and neglected children by
initiating and partially funding the creation of an emergency shelter for those awaiting
placement in foster homes. In 1997, Sela purchased 30-acres of land in Meridian, formerly
the site of a Masonic orphanage. Not surprisingly, the people of Meridian pitched in. Teachers volunteered to start tutoring programs, doctors set aside time to work with the children,
churches organized groups to help out, and others took over the decorating. When Hope
Village for Children opened in her hometown of Meridian in January 2002, Sela was on
hand for the celebratory events and even painted some canvases for the walls.
Upsilon collegians sponsor Make-A-Wish® 5K race
Our collegiate Sisters at Union U sponsored the Make-AWish 5K race, held on March 10 this year. The entry fee was
$12 for pre-registration, and $15 the week of the race. All
proceeds from the 5K went to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Mid-South.
Beta Kappas challenged by cancer
The Chi Omegas at Cal-Poly Pomona participated in a
week-long series of competitive events to raise money for
the Huntsman Cancer Foundation. Our Sisters earned the
most money among the Panhellenic organizations.
Serving up pizza for Make-A-Wish® kids
The U of Iowa Psi Beta collegians were on hand to serve
pizza at Iowa City’s Pizza Ranch in the Sycamore Mall. The
pizzeria hosted three fundraising opportunities for the
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa,® donating a percentage
of its proceeds once a month to the charity.
Summer 2007
The campus includes two short-term care emergency cottages for 24 children from birth to
age 18. Another cottage houses 10 girls, 13–18 years old, in need of long-term residential
care. A similar cottage houses 10 boys of the same ages who require long-term residential
care. Case managers, cottage supervisors, and direct-care workers supervise the children.
A primary goal is to ensure the children participate in community activities, which assists
with social skills and emotional growth. Hope Village children have participated in theater,
art and dance classes, swimming instruction, and much more. Fundraising is underway to
provide a home for more children and to further enhance services.
A state-of-the-art campus, Hope Village is a pilot for Sela’s dream of a nationwide network
of similar safe and nurturing environments for abused and abandoned kids everywhere, not
just in Mississippi. In 2005, Hope Village provided shelter for 143 of Mississippi’s abused
or neglected youth. In 2006, Hope Village provided in excess of 10,000 nights of service to
more than 200 children. And Sela says, “This is not enough.”
Sela is an initiate of Nu Beta Chapter at the U of Alabama–Tuscaloosa and honorary chair
of the Chi Omega Foundation 1895 Society.
19
HELPING HANDS
Run and Walk for
the Make-A-Wish®
Foundation
20
These collegiate Gamma Thetas at Eastern Kentucky U were volunteers for the Richmond Area Arts Council’s Community Holiday Concert. Allie takes Oprah’s “Pay It Forward” challenge
There are thousands of ways to spend $1,000. But what if
there was one little catch: the money can’t be spent on yourself or any of your family members. Suddenly it seems a bit
harder to conceptualize what to do with all that money. Not
for Allie Brinkerhoff, a charter initiate of our newest Chi
Omega chapter: Rho Mu at DePaul U.
The sophomore graphic-design student received that challenge when she attended “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in
October 2006. Oprah’s “Pay it Forward Challenge” asked
314 audience members to use the $1,000 towards a charitable cause. Each received a credit card, a video camera to
record their experience, and a week and a half to return the
footage and camera to the show. With tickets acquired at
the last minute, Allie and her mother were lucky to be in
the audience that day.
With $1,000 to spend, Allie immediately thought of Children’s Memorial Hospital, near DePaul in downtown Chicago. She contacted the hospital and discussed with Ken
Labok, a hospital associate director of public affairs and
community relations, the ways her money could contribute
to the facility.
Allie selected the Reach Out and Read program, located at
the hospital’s uptown clinic. The program is designed to encourage children to start reading at an early age and unites
reading and pediatric care. For many children, the uptown
clinic’s books are the only books they read. The worldwide
program donates over 4.3 million books annually to hospitals in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Guam
and Puerto Rico.
Books have always been a part of Allie’s life because both
of her parents are educators. “Every night before going to
bed my parents read to me; I even slept with a book under
my pillow,” she says.
The program was particularly appealing because Allie herself struggled with reading in the past, and later discovered
she is dyslexic. Allie was able to deal with her learning disability through reading, family support, and a reading tutor. Many children at the clinic are overcoming their own
obstacles, including learning disabilities and language conversion, or learning to speak English after predominantly
speaking a different native language.
“I can’t imagine learning to read without these resources,
especially for a child struggling with a learning disability in
circumstances like so many at the clinic,” says Allie.
Allie bought about $700 worth of children’s books for the
clinic, purchased a couch for the waiting room from a resale store, and decorations for the waiting room, which
included colorful rugs, pillows and a banner with flags
from around the world. Allie’s contribution inspired others to contribute to the project, including a bookstore that
matched Allie’s $1,000 to the hospital’s clinic. “It goes to
show [that] giving is contagious and that amazing things
can be accomplished when people come together for a
cause larger than themselves,” says Allie.
On her show, Winfrey said, “ . . . every gift I’ve ever given
has brought at least as much happiness to me as it has to the
person I’ve given it to.”
Allie shares this sentiment. “I found myself smiling walking down the street and [being] excited for no particular
reason. I asked myself why and realized I felt more fulfilled
and happy because of this experience,” says Allie, who is a
member of her chapter’s Communiuty Service Team.
Sisters and friends in the
Charleston, South Carolina, area: Get ready for a
little workout and a lot of
fun on October 13, 2007
as you participate in the
Make-A-Wish® Waves &
Wishes 5K Run and Walk
to benefit the Make-AWish Foundation of South
Carolina®. The 2005 event
raised $17,000 and hosted
159 participants. Last year,
$34,000 was raised with
335 participants. This year,
there’s no limit to what can
be raised or the number of
runners and walkers who
take part. Breakfast will be
served at an after party,
complete with entertainment, a silent auction, a
wish granting, and introduction of sponsors, volunteers, and award winners.
Katrina Norris Taylor, Delta
Kappa/U of North Carolina–Charlotte, is managing the event. Assisting are
Sisters in the Charleston
Chi Omega Alumnae. See
www.wavesandwishes.org
for details.
Omicron Zetas fund
boy’s one true wish
With funds raised by a
bowling tournament and a
silent auction, the women
of Omicron Zeta at Arkansas State U granted
the wish of three-year-old
Dawson, who wanted to go
to the Walt Disney World®
Resort. The young women
participated in the wish
granting, which took place
at the annual Have-a-Heart
Radio-a-thon for Make-AWish®. See event photos
at www.TheEleusis.com,
click on Helping Hands.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
SIDE BY SIDE
In a gathering of Sisters, conversation eventually turns to a discussion of
contemporary issues, Fraternity traditions, and cultural interests. What do
Chi Omegas think? How different are our collegiate and alumnae experiences?
Where do we go and what do we do? To satisfy our curiosity and as a bridge
across generations and miles, this column features our members’ perspectives on myriad subjects. Designed for easy visual comprehension, we hope
you enjoy Side By Side.
The purpose of attending college has always been to prepare for a career and to become well-rounded women.
But changing technology, and social and cultural trends
have altered how we traditionally went to class, studied
our textbooks, wrote papers, and had some fun.
Yesterday we physically sat in a classroom; today, we may
enroll in a online course and never meet the professor. At
one time, we took lecture notes using an ink pen and paper; now we use our laptop computers. Until recently, we
went home for spring break; today we jet with friends to
the tropical isle of our choice for a week of sun and fun or
spend the time working on a community service project.
To discover other comparisons of college life then and
now, we asked our alumnae and collegians to let us know
about their chapter house rules, entertainment, classes
and professors, studies, and more.
Enjoy the contrast!
Alumnae
We had strict curfews. On school nights, we had to be in
by 9 pm; on weekends, we had an extra hour and could stay
out until 10 pm. But don’t think we had less fun. We just
started earlier!
Necessities were few 40 years ago. When I arrived at college in
my freshman year, all I had was one big suitcase of clothes and
a typewriter. In my junior year, I took a small record player,
too. As for what we wore to classes, at first it was always skirts
and blouses or dresses, nylon stockings, and nice low-heeled
pumps or loafers to class; jeans and tennis shoes were for art
classes only. Dress became more casual in my last two years
when we could wear nice pant suits to class.
At the Lambda Delta house, 28 girls shared just three phone
lines. Just before dinner, we stood on the stairs waiting for
the house mom to appear; then we’d proceed to the dining
room where we’d sing a song and then sing grace before being served a sit-down dinner by the “house boys,” typically
fraternity men who were compensated with a meal plan.
Summer 2007
Collegians
Jean Able
January 2006 initiate
Nu Beta/U of Alabama
When I write a paper, the first thing I do is turn on
my computer and Google Internet sites that may have
the information I need. When my online research is
complete I compose the text on my computer and print
it out from my desktop printer. I go to the library only
when I need some quite time for studying.
Brooke Baker
January 2006 initiate
Iota/U of Texas–Austin
Every student I know has a cell phone that’s also a calculator and takes pictures. The chapter house has only one land
line, but nobody uses it.
Virginia Murphy Krahenbuhl
1946 initiate, Omicron Beta/
College of William & Mary
Carolee Snyder
1968 initiate, Phi Chapter/
U of Southern California
Karen Deer Sutton
1986 initiate
Lambda Delta/Kent State U
The Side By Side topic for the fall 2007 issue is “The
necessities of college life.” We’re interested in hearing about
the items you took from home to the dorm or sorority
house that you couldn’t live without. Please respond with
no more than 75 words to: TheEleusis@chiomega.com.
Include your first, maiden and married names, chapter, and
school. Deadline: July 15.
21
24
FIRESIDES train chapter leaders
Do you ever wonder how our chapter officers
and advisors learn to lead our collegians? Do
you think about what kinds of support the national organization gives them? Chi Omega
hosted Firesides 2007 in Memphis during two
weekends in February and accomplished the
goals of training, educating, and supporting
chapter leaders.
Chi Omega’s national leadership knew the conference goals were ambitious and they planned
the programming accordingly. Friday opened
with a mock trial illustrating the risks our chapter officers face. Attorney Beth Stathos, Epsilon
Alpha/University of Oklahoma, Greek advisor at
her alma mater and a facilitator for NPC’s similar
“Something of Value,” presentation, acted as the
“I learned why we have our rules and the importance of enforcing them.”
Many Sisters may recall a time when Firesides
were held in the summer months. By moving
these conferences to February, the goal is to train
chapter officers at the beginning of their term so
they can fully benefit from that knowledge.
Firesides leaders Karen Langford Bobbitt, Upsilon/Union University, Missy Ganaway Pask,
Sigma Alpha/Miami University, Liz Crossman
Cook, Rho Epsilon/Texas Christian University,
and Kate Chipley Scattergood, Alpha Kappa/
North Carolina State University, masterfully
planned and orchestrated myriad Firesides details around the theme of Firesides 2007: Empowering Leaders to Make a Difference.
The national leadership of Chi Omega set this
as the weekends’ goal: “To have chapter leaders,
advisors, and house corporation officers who are
educated to better understand the risks facing
their chapters and who are empowered to lead in
a way that protects our members and promotes
values in alignment with Chi Omega Policies.”
Delegates consisted mostly of chapter presidents
(G.H.s) and personnel advisors. Many chapters
also sent their member educator (G.M.) and a
house corporation delegate.
Delegates arrived in Memphis on the Thursday
of the conference and immediately began meeting Sisters from around the country in informal
gatherings and regional Sisterhood events. Collegians socialized, shared stories and best practices, and met their regional director, the woman
at the Executive Headquarters assigned to assist
their region.
prosecutor. In the trial, four collegians, including
the G.H., were charged in a civil suit to determine their responsibility in the death of a Sister.
One delegate found the morning “eye-opening,
intense, and real.” An advisor noted it was, “the
most effective tool . . . used to demonstrate the
seriousness of an active’s actions.”
Friday afternoon proved just as educational
when delegates attended Toolbox Time, presented by the Nancy Walton Laurie Leadership
Institute of Chi Omega. During the afternoon
sessions, delegates learned tools to help them
implement the 3-Es: Education, Environment,
and Enforcement. This session highlighted portions of the Laurie Leadership Institute educational modules.
Saturday was a major highlight of the weekend
as delegates spent part of their time touring the
Executive Headquarters. While there, they met
S.H. Jean Mrasek, browsed their chapter’s history volume and visited the museum, explored
the myth garden, and shopped in Chi O Creations’ brand-new boutique. The fun continued
with an after-dinner Sisterhood event themed
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, based on
the popular book and movie of the same name.
Sisters relaxed with new friends and watched
the movie, had snacks, and made Chi Omega
friendship bracelets.
On Sunday morning it was time to pull the
pieces of the weekend together. At a sit-down
breakfast, Sisters shared and discussed what they
learned during Firesides and, with the help of a
facilitator at each table, delegations developed
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
More than $10,000 was raised through The Owl Tree each weekend of Firesides,
thanks to a challenge gift by loyal Foundation donors.
an action plan for turning what was learned at
Firesides into reality.
Inspired words from inspirational Sisters
In keeping with the Memphis location, our
Foundation’s Friday night dinner, Can’t Help
Falling in Love With Chi Omega, allowed the delegates to celebrate Chi Omega and listen to the
inspirational and often humorous remarks of
our alumnae speakers, former CNN News Anchor Natalie Allen, Epsilon Delta/University of
Southern Mississippi, who spoke during the first
Firesides weekend, and University of Arkansas
at Little Rock’s College of Medicine Dean Debra
Henry Fiser, Psi/University of Arkansas, who
spoke during the second weekend.
Natalie, who was joined by her mother, Betty
Varner, and her son, Nicholas Wright, demonstrated the winning wit that made her one of our
nation’s most prominent broadcast journalists.
Foundation President Jane Rogers asked Natalie
to speak about our Foundation’s new theme: I
am a Chi Omega. I lead. I serve. I give. “I am a
single Mom. I lead. I serve. I give,” Natalie said.
But she wasn’t done yet. Natalie continued, “I
clean. I slave. I fret. I worry. I patch. I nag. I carpool. I am a newscaster. I announce. I enunciate.
I analyze. I interview. I probe. I break news. I
articulate. I fumble.”
Natalie was such an engaging speaker that she
had her audience listening carefully to every
word. It is clear that she has stayed connected
to her Sisters and continues to contribute to
Chi Omega with her voice, time, and other resources. During her remarks, she talked about
the support she has received from her Sisters,
which made a difference in her life and helped
her believe in herself.
Debby Fiser is recognized as one of the nation’s
leading pediatricians and her caring, thoughtful
dedication to her profession was evident from
her remarks to the rousing ovation she received
at their conclusion. In addition to her formidable
intellect and capacity for problem solving, Debby
is often cited for her ability to clarify in plain
Summer 2007
words complicated or nuanced issues. Jane also
requested that Debby speak about leadership, service and giving. Debby, whose daughter, Kathryn,
was recently initiated by Psi Chapter, challenged
us to find our capacities for leadership and service
by carefully examining our own daily lives.
25
let anyone stop us from achieving that dream.
“Listen to those little voices inside you,” Debby
said. “You must not be afraid to try something
just because no one has done it before or because
others don’t believe you can do it.”
As a physician who has been honored by some
of our nation’s most prestigious medical institutions, Debby explained how we could step up to
leadership. She asked us to consider 10 points
and as she led us through them, we began to
think about the possibilities.
The distinguished pediatrician, who had been
counseled as an undergraduate that medicine
was not for her, told us that focus and persistence
would pay off in the end. She also said that our
ego or pride should not be listened to if either
was urging us to quit: “You have to be prepared
to put your pride on the line.”
Debby first asked us to find a dream, a vision bigger than ourselves. “What need around you stirs
your heart?” she asked. Then she urged us not to
“Pass it on,” Debby urged. “If you enable others
to achieve their dreams, your good influence
multiplies!”
“I grew with Chi Omega through this enlightening experience.”
Lessons from Firesides 2007
• Regardless of where we are from, we are bonded by our Ritual and committed to preserving the ideals and
values of Chi Omega.
• It is critical that we educate Sisters about Chi Omega membership expectations and benefits, enforce the
rules and hold members accountable, and create an environment in which members can thrive and flourish.
• Be loyal to the Fraternity. This phrase from the Symphony speaks volumes about our lifelong commitment
and responsibility to Chi Omega. Placing our personal preferences aside and focusing on what is best for
Chi Omega is a challenge for leaders, and requires an understanding that chapter decisions on the local level
impact the national organization.
• Minimizing risk is about being safe, making good decisions, and thinking through all plans.
• Everything our house corporations do helps protect chapter members and the chapter’s assets.
• Be prepared to say “I’m responsible.”You will be respected for your accountability and your willingness to
learn from your mistakes.
26
We invite you to connect
with a new alumnae chapter
NORTHEAST
Southeast
Albany, New York
Alabaster/Shelby County,
Avon, Connecticut
Alabama
Fairfield, Connecticut
Ashland, Kentucky
Portland, Maine
Buford, Georgia
Rochester, New York
Columbus, Georgia
Wilmington, Delaware
Cumming, Georgia
Destin/Niceville/Ft. Walton,
Great Lakes
Florida
Madison, Wisconsin
Gainesville, Florida
Southeast Indiana
Greenville, Alabama
Valparaiso, Indiana
Macon, Georgia
Mid-Atlantic
Nancy, Kentucky
Annapolis, Maryland
Savannah, Georgia
Baltimore, Maryland
Charlottesville, Virginia
Greenville, South Carolina
St. Petersburg, Florida
Columbia, South Carolina
Tampa South, Florida
Winston-Salem, North
Upper Pinellas, Florida
Carolina
Tallahassee, Florida
Tampa North, Florida
Winfield, Alabama
Panhandle
West
El Paso, Texas
Anchorage, Alaska
Horseshoe Bay, Texas
Bakersfield, California
Woodlands, Texas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Phoenix, Arizona
Plains-Mountain
Reno, Nevada
Columbia/Mid-Missouri
Salt Lake City, Utah
Grand Island, Nebraska
Iowa City/Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Lincoln, Nebraska
Rapid City, South Dakota
You are
a Chi Omega
You make
a difference
You want
to have fun
You are invited
to connect
New alumnae organizations are forming, which means
more opportunities for meeting and networking with
Chi Omega Sisters, making a difference in your neighborhood, community, nation, and Fraternity, and having fun. If you live in or near one of these areas, we invite
you to connect.
You’ll find the name and contact information for each new group on our website: ww2.ChiOmega.com/everyday.
Sarpy County, Nebraska
Sioux City, Iowa
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
28
CHI OMEGA Executive Headquarters
Our Chapter Services staff enjoys a consolidated work
area from which to plan their many programs.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
29
eadquarters BETTER THAN EVER
To provide expanded services for our membership, portions of the Chi Omega Executive
Headquarters were reconfigured to allow more
efficient and usable office space and visually
striking display areas for the Chi O Creations
Boutique. The redesigned Executive Headquarters made its debut in February as the more than
500 Sisters attending Firesides 2007 toured the
Fraternity’s national home.
Chi Omega Foundation Treasurer Melanie
Shain and Executive Headquarters Committee
Chair Mary Evelyn Merritt White, Iota/U of
Texas–Austin, spearheaded the comprehensive
effort, which included an assessment of how
space was being used and could be used to better serve Chi Omegas. Assisting with superb
on-site management was Facilities and Operations Manager Annie Olson Paden, Kappa Beta/
Rhodes College.
“We met our goal of completing the redesign by
the first Firesides weekend in February,” Melanie shared. “It was then that many Chi Omegas
saw our Executive Headquarters for the first
time, while others were return visitors who were
fascinated with the many improvements and
immaculate maintenance.”
According to Mary Evelyn, the reconfigured
spaces complement and strengthen the use the
building has seen during its 13-year life, including its service as a volunteer meeting place, the
development of our nationally renowned archives, and its professional office capacity.
“Through the years our services have changed in
scope and demand,” Mary Evelyn said. “It was
definitely time to reconfigure our facility to accommodate our expanding member programs.”
Changes to the Executive Headquarters include:
• Renaming the basement the “Chi O Creations
level” with construction of a boutique, office
area, and inventory space;
Summer 2007
• reconfiguring part of the second floor to house
the Foundation staff;
• creating a Chapter Services staff area from previous study cubicles on the second floor; and
• installing a staff conference room on the first
floor.
Located on 1.5 suburban acres in Memphis, the
Chi Omega Executive Headquarters has more
than 23,000 square feet of office space and guest
accommodations. Inspired by 18th- and 19th-century architecture, its design incorporates elements
of English-Georgian and Jeffersonian styles.
The facility is owned and maintained by the
Chi Omega Foundation, with designated contributions raised during A Loyalty to Sisterhood
campaign used for operation and maintenance.
The Executive Headquarters opened its doors in
January 1994 and was formally dedicated during
our 1995 Centennial Celebration.
Melanie and Mary Evelyn stressed that the Chi
Omega Foundation and Governing Council
take great pride in the many donors who have
made the facility a reality and who continue to
generously donate for its upkeep and maintenance. “This is a tremendous resource for all Chi
Omegas,” Melanie said.
The two leaders encourage all members to visit
our newly redesigned home.
Special thanks to:
• David Merritt, architect
• Annie Olson Paden, who oversaw the work
performed by the contractor during renovation and the installation of the furniture.
Appreciation extends to her husband, Bill.
• Scott McCall, B&B Construction, site superintendent
• Executive Headquarters staff
Tours of the Executive Headquarters are
available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.
to 5 p.m. For chapter or group tours, please
contact the Executive Headquarters staff at
ChiOmega@ChiOmega.com.
Left above: Sandra McAdams Connor, Psi/University
of Arkansas, and her husband, Bob, presented the
Foundation with this stunning neoclassical desk for
the Foundation’s Board Room.
Above: Everyone’s favorite boutique, Chi O Creations,
has relocated to a beautiful area in the basement, now
appropriately labeled the “Chi O Creations level.”
30
CHI OMEGAS AT HOME
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
Our homes are reflections of who we are and what we desire to be.
Because we are Chi Omegas who care for one another, our Fraternity homes are maintained as safe, warm, inspiring, and nurturing
environments. For more than a century we have provided homes to
collegiate women aspiring to personal growth, academic excellence,
volunteer service, leadership development, and social enrichment.
For many members, their fondest memories as Chi Omegas have the
same address: their chapter home.
In this issue of The Eleusis, we look at the kinds of facilities in which
we live and meet, examine contemporary safety issues, consider the
challenges of maintaining our physical properties, and meet those
who turn our houses into homes.
Our Chi Omega homes
PAGE 30
A look at where our Sisters live and meet, trends in
campus housing, and more.
Safety at home
PAGE 32
Chi Omega’s insurance provider offers insight into
the latest safety technology and the importance of
providing safe environments for our undergraduate
members. Guidelines for the maintenance of smoke
detectors in the home are included.
Chi Omega house keeping
PAGE 34
What does it take to maintain our physical facilities,
homes that are often as big and busy as boutique
hotels? What are the considerations and challenges
our house corporations face?
Chi Omega home makers
Our house directors and cooks are in key positions
to influence the tone of a chapter house.
Summer 2007
PAGE 39
31
32
Our Chi Omega homes
Traditional chapter houses and townhomes: 101 chapters
Owned by a chapter’s house corporation board on land it may also own, Chi Omega’s traditional
chapter houses accommodate from 4 to 120 live-in members. If meals are served, a live-in house
director is required. With the exception of the smallest homes, a cook, cleaning staff, and landscape
service are generally employed to maintain the property, which includes in most instances a full
kitchen, dining room, study areas, chapter room, storage for chapter property, a den or great room
for watching television and entertaining, lawn and garden areas, and parking lot. Recruitment events,
homecoming open houses, holiday parties, and more are held at the facility.
Pictured: Epsilon Zeta/Stephen F. Austin State University
Floors or blocks of adjacent rooms in residence halls: 28 chapters
The host university houses Chi Omega collegians together on one floor or in a block of adjacent
rooms in a residence hall. Members pay the university for room and board. Often there is a separate
room rented and furnished by the house corporation board for chapter business and in which the
women may congregate to talk, study, or watch television. Depending on the size of the membership,
chapter meetings may be held in larger rooms located elsewhere in the dorm or on campus. Off-site
space may be contracted for the storage of ritual materials, chapter files, and supplies. Recruitment is
at a site designated by the campus Panhellenic.
Lodges: 16 chapters
Owned or leased by a house corporation board, lodges are free-standing structures of many sizes.
While there are no bedrooms, live-in house director, or meals prepared and served, almost all other
activities that occur in traditional chapter houses may take place here. There is space for chapter meetings, storage of ritual equipment, recruitment events, study and entertainment areas, Internet access,
mailboxes for each member, and a small kitchen for snacks and light cooking. Members contract
independently for their campus-area housing and meal plans.
Pictured: Alpha Alpha/University of North Texas
Suites or parlor rooms: 14 chapters
The Chi Omega suite or parlor is one room inside a dorm, student union, or other university-owned
property. Rented for the chapter’s exclusive use and furnished by the house corporation, uses include
study, small-group meetings, storage of chapter supplies, and if the space is of adequate size, chapter
meetings and recruitment. There may be a television, Internet access, and member mailboxes but
there are no sleeping accommodations or kitchen. Members contract independently for their campusarea housing and meal plans. Recruitment is held in locations selected by the campus Panhellenic.
Pictured: Pi Kappa/Appalachian State University
No facility: 12 chapters
Chapters with no physical facility use designated but non-exclusive space on campus for chapter meetings. The site, generally a classroom or multi-purpose room, may change weekly, monthly, or annually.
Chapter property is usually kept in a storage unit, which may or may not be part of their campus space.
Members contract independently for their housing and meal plans. Recruitment is held in locations
selected by the campus Panhellenic. For casual conversation, to work on mutual projects, and to study
together, Sisters meet in their dorm rooms and apartments, or in other campus-area spaces.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
The love we share for our Chi Omega Sisters is often centered around the
physical structure in which we meet, talk, study, and share friendships.
33
Now you know . . .
• Not all Chi Omega chapter houses have
five columns, sleeping porches, or secret
rooms.
• Rules about living in the house vary from
chapter to chapter.
• The Kappa Zetas at Texas Tech University have a big, beautiful lodge that the
women use to study and relax. But they
can’t live in the house because the city
of Lubbock won’t allow more than two
unrelated people to live together.
• Eta Chapter at the University of Michigan
was the first Chi Omega chapter to own
its home, purchased in 1906.
• Theta Beta Chapter at Indiana University
has the largest live-in capacity with 120
beds.
• Chi Lambda Chapter at Winthrop University has the smallest live-in capacity with
four beds.
• Some chapters use PowerPoint presentations for chapter meetings and recruitment sessions.
• ChiOmegahasapproximately1,800house
corporation volunteers in its national database.
Chi Omega homes listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
• Kappa Beta/Rhodes College
• Lambda/University of Kansas
• Psi/University of Arkansas
• Psi Alpha/University of Oregon
The states of our chapters
• The state having the most collegiate Chi
Omega chapters is Texas, with 13.
• States having only one collegiate Chi
Omega chapter are Montana, Wyoming,
Delaware, Rhode Island, New Hampshire,
Maine, New York and South Dakota.
• States having no collegiate Chi Omega
chapters are Vermont, Connecticut, New
Jersey, Maryland, Alaska, Hawaii, Minnesota, North Dakota, Idaho, and Nevada.
Summer 2007
What’s hot in campus housing
Few RESIDENCE HALLS are being built in the
style of two-to-a-room and bathroom facilities
at the end of the hall. This time-honored plan
has given way in recent years to new buildings
or reconfigured upgrades that are apartmentlike units of four small, private rooms, two bathrooms, a living area, and kitchen.
Greek villages are exciting concepts across the
country. Built in clusters often around a central
and shared common area, a number of university-owned homes or townhouses each provide
living quarters for generally 20–40 members of
a fraternity or sorority. Each home has a kitchen,
space for chapter meetings, study, and recruit-
ment, member mailboxes, televisions, and other
entertainment media. On some campuses, there
is also a common dining area for the Greek community. Depending on individual relationships,
the university or the leasing house corporation
board will furnish all or part of the house.
luxuries some students don’t even have at home
are being installed in many dormitories and
Greek facilities. These include hot tubs; exercise
rooms with treadmills, elliptical machines, free
weights, weight-lifting systems, televisions and
workout tapes; fingerprint security systems;
large, wall-mounted, flat-screen televisions; and
wireless Internet connections.
34
Safety at home
—by Sara Sterley, MJ Insurance, Inc.
Chi Omega’s insurance provider offers insight into the latest safety technology and the importance of
providing safe environments for our undergraduate members.
Providing a safe environment for your undergraduate members is one of Chi Omega’s highest priorities. For chapters with housing, it is the
responsibility of Chi Omega house corporations
to ensure that properties incorporate as many
contemporary life-safety standards as possible,
including the use of sprinkler systems, security
systems, and safe-exit strategies.
Sprinkler systems
From an insurance perspective, our most pressing life-safety concern in the chapter house
is fire. Fortunately, property owners are now
able to protect the lives of their chapter members and employees, as well as the chapter
property itself, through the use of fire-sprinkler systems. According to the National Fire
Sprinkler Association (NFSA), “Aside from firefighting and explosion fatalities, there has never
been a multiple loss of life in a fully sprinklered
building due to fire or smoke.” For that reason, MJ
Insurance offers an incentive on all property coverages under the Fraternity’s insurance program
as a means of throwing our whole-hearted sup-
port behind the use of fire-sprinkler systems in
chapter housing. To date, 40 Chi Omega chapters
have these systems, with more expected to follow.
Greek chapter houses, to have sprinkler systems.
In many cases, house corporations on campuses
affected by these regulations are forced to install
sprinkler systems within a definitive period of
time and are often unable to negotiate pricing.
It is far preferable for a house corporation to
have the foresight to install a sprinkler system
according to their schedule and budget, rather
than to have it forced upon them by ordinance.
Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions
regarding fire-sprinkler systems, including the
myths that sprinkler systems frequently discharge without cause and that they inflict more
water damage than a fire. The probability of a
standard-response spray sprinkler discharging
accidentally due to a manufacturing defect is
one in 16,000,000 sprinklers per year in service
according to data from the NFSA. Additionally,
according to the Center for Campus Fire Safety,
the amount of water which is put on a fire by fire
department hoses in an unsprinklered building
fire is nearly always tens to hundreds of times
more than that which sprinklers would have
discharged. During a fire, only sprinklers closest to the fire activate, limiting the total amount
of water needed.
Sprinklers save lives and property at Mu Alpha.
The $60,000 price tag for a sprinkler system mandated by the City of Durham proved its worth in
February 2006 as fire broke out in a small storage room on the top floor of the Mu Alpha chapter house. Simultaneously and automatically, the
smoke detector went off, the fire department
was alerted, and the 13-year-old sprinkler system activated to extinguish the blaze before the
firemen arrived without loss of or injury to life
or irreparable structural damage.
Increasingly, universities, municipalities, and
cities are requiring multi-living facilities, such as
“It was a frightening experience,” says Vickee
Perron Whiting, treasurer of the house corpora-
Guidelines for the care and maintenance of smoke detectors in your home
The installation and maintenance of smoke
detectors is an important aspect of emergency
preparation in every home. Fire safety experts
recommend that homes have hard-wired, monitored smoke detectors with a battery back-up. If
that is not feasible, purchase traditional smoke
alarms according to these guidelines:
• Many hardware, home-supply or general-merchandise stores carry smoke alarms. Be sure the
alarm you buy is UL-listed. If you are unsure
where to buy one in your community, call your
fire department (on a non-emergency telephone
number) for suggestions. Some fire departments
offer smoke alarms at little or no cost.
Pretty and popular, candles are a major cause of fires.
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your
home, including the basement. Because many
fatal fires begin late at night or in the early
morning, install smoke alarms both inside and
outside the sleeping area for extra safety.
• Smoke alarms should be installed on the ceiling or six to eight inches below the ceiling on
side walls. Since smoke and many deadly gases
rise, installing your smoke alarms at the proper
level will provide the earliest warning possible.
Always follow the manufacturer’s installation
instructions.
• Be sure to test the smoke alarm once a month
per the manufacturer’s instructions.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
Providing a safe environment for our collegians goes a long way toward
ensuring each has a lifetime of positive and happy Chi Omega memories.
tion and an initiate of the chapter at the University of New Hampshire. “The women had just
finished a recruitment event here when the fire
broke out, so all the members were present.”
The three-story wood structure, built in 1923,
sustained extensive but contained damage.
“Soot was everywhere and water damage from
the sprinklers was severe,” says Vickee. “The 30
members who live in and our house director
had to move out for nine nights until the mess
was cleaned up.”
Reconstruction of the chapter house included
gutting the room where the fire started and the
rooms below, including the house director’s
suite. Much of the work was done during the
semester, planned around the schedules of the
young women, with the remainder completed
during the summer. The $50,000 repair bill was
covered by insurance.
Security systems
Technology has created several easy ways for
house corporations to have more control over
life-safety and property-management issues at
the chapter house. Many of the newest security
systems can be designed to monitor a building’s
pipes, wiring, and utility rooms, so that water
• Replace the batteries at least once a year. Tip:
Pick a holiday or your birthday and replace the
batteries each year on that day. If your smoke
alarm starts making a chirping noise, replace the
batteries and reset it.
• Keep your smoke alarms clean. Dust and debris can interfere with their operation, so vacuum over and around them regularly.
• Typical smoke alarms last about eight to ten
years, after which they should be replaced. Like
most electrical devices, smoke alarms wear
out. You may want to write the purchase date
with a marker on the inside of your unit. That
way, you’ll know when to replace it. If you are
unsure how old your smoke detectors are, per-
Summer 2007
and other property damage is caught as early
as possible. These systems are especially helpful during school breaks as house corporation
volunteers can remotely access the data and
have warnings sent to them via e-mail, text message, or telephone. When water or other property damage is caught in the early stages, repair
is significantly less of an expense from both a
monetary and time standpoints.
The latest security systems also enable house
corporations to limit access to their facilities
using a keypad and biometric technology rather
than easily duplicated keys or frequently shared
door codes. The house corporation at Chi Beta/
Purdue University installed this system last
year. Based on a keypad-entered code number
plus fingerprint recognition, the system allows
the front door of the chapter house to be locked
all day, every day. Workmen and staff access the
building by the back door, which is opened by
a key card. “Computer controlled, it’s easy to
set up or instantly suspend access,” says House
Corporation President Barb Halpin Boodrasang,
Eta Kappa/University of Missouri–Rolla. “And
the young women love it because there’s no longer any worry about losing or forgetting a key
card.
form a functional test of the smoke detectors to
ensure they are working correctly. This entails
spraying from an aerosol can positioned six to
eight inches from the smoke detector. Be sure
the “smoke” enters the sensing chamber of the
smoke detector. If the smoke detector detonates,
assume it is five years old and start the clock at
that point to determine when it should be replaced. Write the replacement date on the smoke
detector so everyone will know when it should
be replaced.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
for replacement. Some smoke alarms come with
a 10-year battery. They are designed to be replaced as a whole unit, thus avoiding the need
for battery replacement. Emergency preparedness
Important components of life safety in our chapter houses is the need for well-marked exit signs
and a clearly designed exit strategy for residents
in case of an emergency. Fire safety experts recommend the following strategies:
• Regularly inspect rooms and buildings for
fire hazards. Ask your local fire department
for assistance.
• Inspect exit doors and windows to ensure
they are working properly.
• Create and update detailed floor plans of the
chapter house. Make them available to emergency personnel, employees, and residents.
• Conduct fire drills. Practice escape routes and
evacuation plans. Urge residents to take each
alarm seriously.
Prepare to make fond memories
For most Chi Omega alumnae, memories of living at the chapter house are likely your fondest
and most treasured memories of your college
years. By continuing to incorporate and update
these homes with the most recent life-safety advances available and preparing for the unexpected, we can ensure that many more generations
of Chi Omegas remember their college years
with similar attachment.
Recommended resources
National Fire Sprinkler Association: www.nfsa.org
The Center for Campus Fire Safety: www.campusfire.org
Fire safety: www.firesafety.gov
U.S. Fire Administration: www.usfa.dhs.gov
ADT Security Services: www.adt.com
MJ Insurance, Inc./Sorority Division:
www.mjinsurance.com/sorority
35
36
Chi Omega house keeping
The “House,” as it is fondly called, is more than
just a student residence. It is a home-away-fromhome for our Sisters. It is a place to sleep, study,
and eat. It is a gathering place for Chi Omega
events. It is a starting point for many a night
out or an afternoon football game. It is a home
that welcomes alumnae and parents and where
members relax together between classes, play
cards after lunch, curl up on a couch to watch
television, or relax together on the porch on a
lazy spring afternoon.
Our Chi Omega memories often
center on events and friendships
shared in our chapter homes.
What does it take to maintain our physical facilities, homes that are often as big and busy as
boutique hotels? What are the considerations
and challenges our house corporations face?
To answer these questions, we interviewed 10
house corporation members representing diverse chapters and housing situations. Some
recently managed major improvement projects;
others have significant renovation plans on the
drawing board. All are responsible for providing
safe, clean, and desirable environments for our
collegiate members, alumnae and friends.
Common ground
“There’s always a long list of things to do. It keeps
all of our 10–12 house corporation members
busy,” says Susan Reiser White, a Phi Gamma/
Louisiana State University initiate and secretary
of her chapter’s house corporation. Janet Connell Ehlers echos Susan’s sentiment. An alumna
of Kappa/University of Nebraska–Lincoln and
a 15-year member of the Kappa House Corporation, she adds “We have constant projects
underway, a regular maintenance schedule, and
a rotating list of upgrades.”
Right: At the University of New Mexico, even a light
dusting of snow doesn’t dampen the welcoming appearance of Pi Gamma’s unique entry door, featuring
our Greek letters hand carved in each square.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
Often unseen, members of Chi Omega’s house corporation boards
are responsible for maintaining the beautiful properties that are our homes.
The Theta Lambdas at Wingate University share the Greek Sorority House with three other Panhellenic groups.
Unglamorous upkeep
Often the required maintenance and upgrades
are to those unseen but vital components of a
physical plant, many of which come with hefty
price tags. But all our house corporation members agree that it’s the unglamorous, out-of-sight
systems of a home that provide not only safety
but the necessary creature comforts as well. “Of
course we’d prefer to do the things that show
rather than the mechanical, electrical, and so
forth,” comments Susan, whose board replaced
all the windows in 2006 and faced extensive roof
repair after Hurricane Katrina damaged the Phi
Gamma house, located in Baton Rouge.
As part of their new, 35-year lease with the University of Louisville, Beta Gamma Chapter was
required to assume the financial and project responsibility for installing in their townhome a
sprinkler system, fire and smoke alarms, disability access, and new heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electric, and plumbing systems. Also addressed were hazards abatement, roof repair, and
elimination of asbestos. “All that was just to bring
the structure up to code,” says House Corporation President Patty Baker Weigel, an alumna of
the chapter. “After that, there was the challenge
of creating a visually pleasing, comfortable, and
inviting environment for the eight members who
Summer 2007
could live in plus the other collegians who would
make regular use of the facility.”
commitments, convenience is an important
consideration.
“There are often so many necessary projects that
the choice of what to do first is difficult,” reports
Susan. “That, and we try to be on the cutting edge,
anticipating what our women will need and want
for several years into the future,” adds Janet.
In 2004 Phi Gamma added a laundry room
complete with commercial appliances which
the 52 live-in women access without cost. At the
same time, two large bathrooms were upgraded
with new showers, sinks, and individual water
closets rather than stalls. An extravagance was
the installation of wall-mounted televisions in
the bathrooms, which were original to the now40-year-old house.
Beyond the bones
With the physical structure maintained for safety and comfort, attention turns to the amenities
and living environments that make our houses
inviting homes for Chi Omega’s young women.
A number of factors combine to drive decisions
about decor and amenities:
• Because our homes get heavy use, carpets
wear out, paint chips, tile cracks, and furniture
breaks.
• The growing number of members in many
chapters requires expanded space for dining,
meeting, studying, and sleeping.
• Cultural trends and the introduction of new
products into the marketplace, such as large,
wall-mounted flat-screen televisions and wireless Internet connections, influence purchasing
decisions.
• Because our collegians are busy with studies,
part-time employment, social and volunteer
A wing was added to the already-large Kappa
home in 1993. It included quarters for the house
director, a computer room, laundry, and sleeping rooms for an additional 16 women. Upgraded in 2006 were the formal living room and
library, designed around a palette of cardinal
and straw; work included removing the carpet
and refinishing the underlying wood floor. This
year, a number of projects are ready to go: The
seating capacity of the dining room will be increased from 88 to 115 so all members are able
to eat together in one room; the safety features
of the rooftop sun deck will be upgraded; and
the study room will be outfitted with a large,
flat-screen television, new sectional seating and
carpeting, and an antique roll-top desk.
37
38
Chi Omega house keeping, continues
the envy of the other groups,” says an enthusiastic Carolyn, who has plans to retire from a
teaching career and go full time into the business of Chi Omega. “I am hoping for new plans
soon from the University, something like a dorm
floor or nice lodge for our women. But this common house is a good step up from nothing.”
Planning for improvements
Kappa Chapter at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln designed their new living room using a palette
of cardinal and straw. Beautiful area rugs compliment the refinished wood floors.
One-rooms are Chi Omega homes, too
It’s not just Chi Omega’s traditional chapter
houses and townhome facilities that require
the creation and ongoing maintenance of cozy,
inviting environments. Our house corporations
responsible for smaller spaces also give careful
consideration and attention to shaping a place
where their members can study, relax, and have
small-group meetings.
The Pi Kappas at Appalachian State University
are housed in a former hotel now owned by the
school. Named Appalachian Panhellenic Hall, it
is the home for all Greek women on the campus.
Residents rent from the university, take meals on
campus, and have chapter meetings in one-time
ballrooms. According to Stephanie Standafer
Carlson, an initiate of Rho Zeta at East Carolina
University and Pi Kappa House Corporation
president, the chapter’s suite in Panhellenic Hall,
consisting of a typical hotel room and adjoining
bath, is easily accessible and a place where the
women meet, study, and relax. “Until recently,
we had a room in a dorm. When we moved here,
our furniture fit perfectly in the new space.”
The Theta Lambdas at Wingate University are
in a similar situation. The Greek Sorority House
at Wingate was earlier a four bedroom, singlefamily home. Now, each of the four sororities
on campus calls one of those bedrooms “home,”
and shares use of the public areas. Previously
without physical space of any kind, in 2003 the
university “gave” the Panhellenic groups use of
the home rent-free.
Although conveniently located, it’s difficult to
use, according to House Corporation President
Carolyn Nichols Lape, an alumna of Zeta Alpha
at Ohio State University. “No one lives there and
few keys are available, so access to the property
by the 50 chapter members is not easy. Nevertheless, the Chi Omega room is used for meetings
by the Exec Board, advisors, house corporation,
and other small groups, and has been the site for
receptions for graduates and their families.
While the other sororities at Wingate University
haven’t furnished their spaces and the school
has yet to outfit the common rooms, the Theta
Lambdas have created a cozy and comfortable
home-like space. Working with a cardinal-andstraw palette, Carolyn and several collegiate
members selected furniture from catalogs and
the walls were painted and pictures hung by
house corporation husbands. “We definitely are
While regular maintenance and upgrades of our
facilities require planning, large-scale renovations demand extensive forethought and consideration and often take years to accomplish.
Eta Delta Chapter at the University of Florida
is an example. “We began our conversation with
an architectural firm that specializes in Greek
houses in 2005,” relates Jennifer Jenkins Rowe,
an Eta Delta alumnae and six-year house corporation member. “They assisted us in an analysis of our finances, present facility, and future
needs. Together we determined our goals are to
upgrade the air conditioning, electric, heating,
and ventilating systems, remodel the baths and
kitchen, move the chapter room from the second to the first floor, expand the dining room
so that all members can be served together and
at the same time, and provide better office space
for chapter files and business.”
Crediting members of the Eta Delta House
Corporation with sharing the work load, careful
consideration of the details, and prudent fiscal
management, Jennifer says that the extensive
financial analysis will be completed this summer and the project will launch in 2008 or 2009,
three to four years after initial planning began.
Even for Jennifer, who is coordinating the project and has a professional background in land,
regional, and urban planning, this project is, as
she admits, “very complicated.”
When renovations begin at Kappa Alpha Chapter at Kansas State University in the summer
of 2008, it will be after three years of planning,
changing plans, and details, details, details.
“Getting all the pieces together is hard work and
time consuming,” says Joan McCrillis Lafferty,
who has been house corporation president for
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
House corporation volunteers agree that it is important
to involve the collegians in planning for upgrades and renovations.
her initiating chapter for four years. Plans call
for gutting the living quarters on the second
floor and configuring the sleeping-study space
into suites, each with two or three small, oneperson bedrooms clustered around one large
study room for four. A sprinkler system will be
installed at the same time. “This is an exciting
project,” she says, adding that “the foundation
requires some preliminary work, which will be
done this summer.”
On the University of Dayton campus, the Mu
Lambdas recently took possession of a sixbedroom home. Located on the edge of campus,
it is in a student neighborhood the university is
committed to developing long-term. The home
is a “new” Greek house built in 1910. Totally
renovated, it retains the style of that era, featuring pillars and a classic Greek look. Owned by
the university, which is responsible for all maintenance and for furnishing the bedrooms, the
Mu Lambda House Corporation furnishes and
maintains the public areas: the living room, television room, chapter room, laundry, and kitchen.
“We tried to be forward thinking as we negotiated and worked with the university for 10 years
to plan for our housing and for the desired configuration of the space,“ says Maria Chilia Snizik,
a member of the house corporation board and
chapter alumna. “The required size of the chapter room, which needs to hold 120 members,
drove the design of the space. Features include
wireless Internet, a sprinkler system, well-lighted parking, keyless entry, and a 42" flat-screen,
wall-mounted television that doubles as a monitor for slide shows during recruitment. Living in
the six-bedroom home are the chapter officers
and three Cardinal Cabinet directors.
House corporation volunteers agree that it is important to involve the collegians in the planning
process right from the beginning. “They need to
feel ownership of the house,” explains Mackie
Smith O’Keefe, who is quoted in the Chi Omega
House Corporation Board Manual. An alumna
of Eta Gamma at the University of South Carolina and president of the house corporation durSummer 2007
The cardinal front door and straw facade with our Greek letters welcome members and friends
to Theta Theta’s home at the University of South Florida.
Additional requirements for homes on the National Register of Historic Places
The renovation project of Lambda Chapter’s home in 2000 took on an out-of-the-ordinary twist.
With a landmark location on a beautiful corner lot adjacent to the famed Chi Omega fountain
at the University of Kansas, the stunning, 85-year-old house was recently added to the National
Register of Historic Places. To maintain its position on that prestigious list, some modifications
were required to return the structure to its original early-1920s style. At the same time, all of the
upstairs living quarters, which sleeps 84, the kitchen and basement were upgraded, and sprinklers, enhanced security, alarms, and smoke detectors were added.
Kansas City-based architect Lorie Kuchem Doolittle-Bowman, a Lambda alumna, designed and
managed the renovation, for which she won a professional award for outstanding achievement.
Special details she called out include the embossing of our Greek letters in the living room’s plaster ceiling and having the Chi Omega Symphony hand painted around the ceiling of the chapter
room.
“This large home is a great living space,” says Stacey Satterthwaite Dillon, a Lambda alumna and
house corporation member. “Once we determined to move ahead with the project, we spent
about six months with the feasibility study, 18 months in a capital campaign, and two years completing the work, which was scheduled around use of the house by the collegiate women.”
39
40
Chi Omega house keeping, continues
lied one another to come up with a substantial
sum of money.
The chapter also set up a foundation to collect
funds that donors could claim as tax deductions.
With the help of the architect, the percentage of
the new house that was considered “educational
space” was determined and that percentage of a
donor’s gift was tagged as tax deductible.
The beautiful home of Upsilon Lambda at Hanover College.
ing the design and construction of that chapter’s
11,000-square-foot home, completed in 2004,
she advises that the young women “need to like
it, want to live there, and it must have the environment and amenities they need.”
It doesn’t come cheap
Built in 1960 and updated in the interim, the Pi
Gamma Chapter house at the University of New
Mexico is ready to implement a complete reconstruction plan developed with the assistance of a
team of architects and contractors. The project
calls for installation of a sprinkler system, a new
roof, plumbing, tile, carpet, windows, and thirdfloor showers, upgrading the air conditioning
system, and more, according to Kathy Denslow
Gough, a chapter alumna and member of the
house corporation. “Financing is the only thing
holding us back now,” she says of the ambitious
undertaking, which is expected to cost between
$500,000 and $750,000.
This staggering but typical price tag for necessary renovations is one of the first hurdles house
corporations face and must cross successfully
before scheduling the contractors. Prudent with
finances, our house corporations automatically
put away funds for general and expected mainte-
nance as well as big-ticket renovations, upgrades,
additions, and unforeseen circumstances. But
with prices ranging from several hundred thousand to several million dollars, there is no choice
but to raise additional funds. With varying
success, monies have been generated through
simple letters of appeal, multiple programs designed and managed by house corporation volunteers, and sophisticated campaigns developed
and implemented by professionals.
The Eta Delta/University of Florida house
corporation has saved a lot of money, but with
an anticipated cost of $2–$2.5 million for their
renovations, they will definitely be looking for
more through a fundraising campaign.
The Eta Gammas at the University of South
Carolina gained fundraising insight as a result
of soliciting $1.7 million for their new home.
They designed a number of giving programs in
an attempt to fit the interests and giving ability of every chapter alumna, parent, and friend.
One program allowed rooms, furnishings, and
architectural features to be sponsored by individual donors or groups. For example, the
columns on the front porch of the house were
“given” by the 1996 new member class, which ral-
At Beta Gamma, the house corporation coordinated its fundraising through the University,
enabling gifts to the renovation project to be
tax deductible and gain the donor recognition
through the University’s development program.
With adjusted house fees for collegians, generous donations from alumnae, funds saved by
the house corporation, and long-term financing
in place, the more than $200,000 project commenced in 2005. At an open house in June 2006
the project, 10 years in the making, was unveiled
to appreciative alumnae, parents, and friends,
The event raised additional funds with the sale
of composite photos and souvenir bricks, embossed with the owl insignia, from their home’s
dismantled chimneys. “We are still looking for
donations to complete the decorating and to
preserve our ‘rainy-day’ fund,” says Patty, adding
that the chapter is registered online with two national retailers, hoping that alumnae will select a
household item or two as a gift to the chapter.
End results
Expensive? Yes. A lot of work? Certainly. Worth
it? “Absolutely,” says Patty, whose sentiments are
echoed by house corporation personnel across
the country.
The fond memories of our days as collegiate Chi
Omegas share a common address: our chapter
homes. It was there we had weekly dinner and
meeting, made lifelong friends, and enjoyed
wonderful events. It was a place to interact with
our peers in a way possible in no other space. To
provide our collegiate Sisters a home away from
home where they can grow, nurture, and be nurtured in the best traditions of Chi Omega—it’s
worth it. Absolutely.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
Chi Omega home makers
41
The women of Phi Delta at Mississippi State University took house director Nancy Jones to a Mexican restaurant to celebrate her birthday in January this year. At the top are
Amy Blubaugh, left, and Laura Ann White; flanking “Momma Jones” are Lauren Green, left, and Bonnie Wright.
Without sacrificing the warmth and caring implied in their former title of
“housemother,”today’s house directors manage a complex organization and are
often a crucial component of a chapter’s success.
Remember your housemom? She’s not just a
mom anymore: She’s a house director. She still
models good manners and gracious living and
serves as a resource to residents and members
who live out but the job has evolved and is a huge
responsibility, whether there are 10 beds or 110
beds. Without sacrificing the warmth and caring
implied in the title “housemother,” house directors are administrators responsible for managing
a complex organization and for supervising staff.
professional, and responsible house directors,
our house corporations likely could not get their
jobs done. While specific responsibilities are determined by each house corporation, the house
director generally serves as an on-site property
manager for the house corporation and can
handle everything from menu planning, recruitment-event assistance, emergency repairs,
household staff training and management, daily
household operations, and so much more.
Often the house director is a crucial component
to a chapter’s success. In fact, without dedicated,
House directors deal almost daily with air conditioners that are out of order, hot-water heater
Summer 2007
repairs, and stopped-up plumbing. Olivia Bramble, house director for Xi Alpha Chapter at the
University of Utah, is known for her talents with
tools. A house director for seven years, she does
her best to be a prudent financial manager by repairing things herself. “I have a tool box. I have a
drill. . . . I try to fix things myself before calling a
professional,” she says.
Beyond management of the physical facility and
household staff, the house director is a momaway-from home, a confidante for members,
hearing personal problems of all types. Her open
door is a haven for sympathy, understanding, and
consolation.
According to Nancy Bushart Jones, who was initiated into Chi Omega as an undergraduate by
42
Chi Omega home makers, continues
Lambda Alpha at the University of Kentucky and
is now house director for Phi Delta at Mississippi
State University, “You have be a good listener for
these young women. They don’t want a problem
solver. They just want a sounding board.”
That and a AA battery, a small safety pin, or a roll
of tape. Those are some of the emergency items
Nancy keeps in a box for those frequent “just-incase” times that come up in a house of 40 collegeage women.
Nancy reports many humorous stories and wonderful experiences during her 12 years at Phi
Delta. One day we may read about them in her
book about the life of a housemother.
An influential presence
A house director is in a key position to influence
the tone of the house. Take Betty Russell, for instance, house director for Xi Kappa at Texas
A&M University. “Betty has created a warm, loving atmosphere in the chapter house; the young
women want to be there and have been using
100% of the facility’s capacity during the three
years she has been with us,” says Sally Cooper
Barkley, a Xi Kappa alumna and member of the
house corporation.
That sentiment is echoed by collegiate Xi Kappa
Kara Nicks, who says, “Betty’s like our second
mom. She takes care of us and makes everyone
feel comfortable and welcome. We couldn’t ask
for better.”
Betty also knows about nutrition, reports Sally.
“Her menus are wonderfully planned. She works
with the women to ensure they have the kinds of
foods they both like and need. Once each semester, she meets with them to discuss meal and food
options and to plan for any allergies, vegetarian
requests, and other special dietary needs.”
Introduced two years ago, Betty’s Pretzel-Bread
Sandwich is a big hit and a staple at Xi Kappa.
Made with provolone cheese and white turkey
breast between two slices of pretzel bread and
served warm, it’s a favorite meal when offered together with soup and salad.
“No one really knows how to
describe this job. . . . I like to refer
to it as property manager/hostess.
While the job is not as physically
taxing as it is emotionally and
mentally exhausting, we’re
basically on call 24 hours a day
and must manage any
problems that arise.”
—Irene Peterson, house director
Xi Lambda at Washington & Lee University
Continuity
A house director also provides continuity from
year to year within the house. While student
members come and go, the house director can be
a source of stability. Her knowledge and loyalty
are very useful to the group.
Marie Gerdsen, for instance, has been the house
director for 19 years at Omicron Chapter at the
University of Illinois. “She’s gracious, someone
the young women should, and do, emulate,” says
Karen Van Dyke Wilkinson, an initiate of Mu
Delta at Bradley University and a member of
Omicron Chapter’s house corporation. “Marie
commands respect while enforcing the rules and
guiding the young women. That’s a tricky thing.”
Marie retired in May this year and the house
corporation will attempt to fill the huge void for
the 160 chapter members, 52 of whom live in the
chapter house.
It’s the little things that count
Marie was one of those who did many extra and
loving things. “We’ll definitely miss her,” says
Karen. “She enjoyed decorating and sewed for the
women, often hemming their pants and skirts.”
While there are many professional house directors, many of whom have attended classes and
schools designed espeically for their niche career,
it’s the small gestures and loving care that make
a house director memorable, things that don’t go
on a list of responsibilities when advertising an
available position and things that aren’t put on
resumes. Like Marie, many of our house directors
make costumes for the campus variety show, serve
a member’s favorite dessert on her birthday, and
sell T-shirts for the chapter’s charity fundraiser.
Second careers
Many of our house directors have college degrees and previous professional careers in nursing, banking, and more. Nancy Jones was a high
school English teacher and successful real estate
saleswoman. Betty Russell was in hotel sales and
event planning. Pam Wilson-McNamara, the justretired house director for Alpha Chapter at the
University of Washington, loved teaching and
had a part-time position as a microbiology professor during her seven years with the chapter.
In every case, house directors find the experiences of an earlier career contribute to their ability
to perform in their new roles. Betty, for instance
finds her background with hotels and in event
planning come in handy, for she is expected to
attend, plan for, and execute many chapter-house
events, which may include directing the setup
of facilities, menu planning, food ordering and
preparation, and greeting guests.
The reward factor
Our house directors assert that the rewards of
their position are respect, love, and laughter.
They often build close relationships with members, serving as their mentors, and are further
rewarded by witnessing in the years after graduation how they have grown up. Like any mother, a
house director enjoys seeing how the young people she once “raised” have become mature adults,
marrying, and having children of their own.
There are also less serious benefits to being a
house director. They have the opportunity to observe all the fun and games, from beach parties
to wish granting for charity. Within the sorority
there is a sense of camaraderie in which house
directors share. At the end of the day, laughter is
a most important reward.
That, and a very active lifestyle. You have to love
activity to live with up to 100 other women.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
43
Just like at home, Chi Omega’s chapter
houses have a large kitchen, a warm
stove, a simmering pot, and a caring
cook.
It takes more than ingredients and technique to
be a good cook. Good cooks put something of
themselves into the preparation, dispensing not
just edibles but care and happiness, too. For Chi
Omegas across the country, many great memories begin in the chapter house kitchen.
At Mu Delta, there’s a sign on the kitchen panty
door that reads “Edna’s Good Eats Diner.” A bit
territorial, but rightfully so, for it’s here that cook
Edna Cockfield has served up 34 years of meals
to the Chi Omegas at Bradley University. Whatever she makes, they eat it all. Sometimes sisterly,
sometimes motherly, sometimes friend and confidant, Edna brings salt-of-the-earth flavor to the
house. “She’s wonderful, she’s the one constant
of the sorority,” says Kim Armstrong, an alumna
and president of the house corporation.
The alumnae compiled a cookbook of house favorites to celebrate Edna’s 30th anniversary in
2003. The title? Food, Friendship and Fun. Appropriate, for it’s observed by many that when
alumnae come back, they first stop to see Edna.
It’s the same at Gamma Chapter where cook
Ophelia Townsend has served up delicious
means for our collegians at Florida State University since 1992. Not simply a cook, she is
often a sounding board for members’ problems
and is always available for special events at the
chapter house, including parents weekend and
homecoming when about 400 people look forward to sampling Ophelia’s delicious barbecue.
And at the University of Alabama, for 18 years
Lily Ellis has made each meal special for the
women of Nu Beta Chapter. “Alumnae still go
back to the house for a meal if they hear she is
making her homemade chicken salad for lunch
or poppy-seed chicken for dinner,” says Mandy
Williamson Cobb, a Nu Beta initiate and house
corporation member.
Summer 2007
Edna Cockfield has served up meals to Mu Delta Sisters for 34 years. Photo courtesy of the Peoria Journal Star.
The story is a bit different in Boulder where
chef Wick Poore just completed his first year in
the Zeta Chapter kitchen at the University of
Colorado. After a 30-year career with upscale
restaurants and country clubs, he was attracted
to having holidays and most weekends off and
summers open to spend with his family. With
one assistant cook, Wick turns out traditional
homestyle foods like macaroni and cheese, provides a choice of entrees for Monday’s sit-down
dinner, and makes everything from scratch except the dinner rolls. Always eager to try to new
and trendy dishes and provide variety, he is best
known for his desserts: crème brûlée, strawberry pie, cheesecake, and cookies, which he sets
out in the afternoons for quick snacks. Brooke
Davis, initiated by Pi Delta at New Mexico State
University, raves about the brunch Wick prepared for a recent house corporation meeting she
attended. “Three different egg dishes, pancakes,
and french toast. And it was all just fabulous.”
“These women are my customers and I want
them to be happy,” says Wick, who plans nutritious meals and easily accommodates vegetarians
and others requiring special diets. Appreciative
of the rapport he has built with his “customers”
during his first year at Zeta, Wick is looking forward to returning in the fall. Awaiting him will
be a new kitchen with an improved work flow.
And awaiting our collegiate women in the fall
will be Chi Omega’s many, caring chapter-house
cooks preparing to serve up warm memories for
a lifetime.
44
Recruitment is changing
with the times
Recruitment events may have a new look
The name has changed and so has the
once-traditional, hectic pace. Rush is now
called recruitment and, mirroring today’s
informal environment, the pace can be
whatever a campus desires.
To fit the broad spectrum of needs on campuses across the county, the National Panhellenic Council developed four recruitment styles.
Campus Panhellenics choose the style that best
fits their campus culture. These recruitment options have been available since 2004 and have
been adopted on many campuses. We anticipate
additional campuses will be making changes,
too, particularly those with smaller quotas and
previous success with informal recruitment and
continuous open bidding. Briefly, the four recruitment styles are:
• FULLY STRUCTURED RECRUITMENT. These
traditional, structured events work well on campuses having a large number of women interested in becoming part of the Greek system.
Confidentiality
remainsimportant
With a great many
alumnae involved
in new member
recruitment on
the chapter level
and with multiple
communication
devices so readily available, sharing
information about recruitment is easy. But
what’s okay to share and with whom?
Is it okay for a collegiate member to tell her Chi
Omega mother that the chapter liked a young
woman for whom she wrote a RIF? Should an
alumna contact the chapter during recruitment
to inquire about the status of a young woman?
• PARTIALLY STRUCTURED RECRUITMENT.
Potential new members attend events that fit
their schedules and interests but must visit each
sorority at least once. A Preference event and
Bid Day conclude recruitment.
• MINIMALLY STRUCTURED RECRUITMENT.
Each chapter determines the times and types
of their social occasions. A Preference event is
optional. The campus Panhellenic sets the date
for issuing bids.
• CONTINUOUS RECRUITMENT. Ongoing, informal events of all sizes are organized
by chapters and their alumnae. Bids are offered
directly to potential new members.
Traditional, or fully structured recruitment, is
expected to remain on most Chi Omega campuses but many other campuses will benefit
from the ability to customize recruitment to fit
the needs of potential new members. With these
new parameters, we anticipate the benefits of sisterhood to be shared with many more women.
Can alumnae sit in during a selection session?
Sending a quick text message to a friend about
a potential new member during recruitment is
okay, isn’t it?
The answer to all these questions is an emphatic
NO. Recruitment event conversations and interactions must not be shared with those not
directly involved in the process. During recruitment, for example, sending a text message with
information about a PNM is not acceptable.
Only collegiate members who take part in their
chapter’s recruitment process may participate in
selection sessions. Only alumnae serving on the
Advisory Board and Chapter Recruitment Team
members may attend membership selection
sessions. Alumnae may not vote and must not
share selection session information.
Here’s where to get a RIF (Recruitment Information Form). Go to www.ChiOmega.
com/everyday. Click on Resources, then Recruitment Information. The Recruitment Information Directory is also located in the resources section. For assistance contact the
Executive Headquarters at 901/748-8600.
Most fall 2007 college freshmen:
• Have used the Internet their entire lives.
• Come from families with an income 60%
above the national average.
• Are altruistic and family-oriented.
• Want to be financially secure.
• Knowcellphones,computers,andBlackberries
not as luxuries, but as neccessities for everyday
life.
• Always had a room of their own.
• Never lived in a world with the Berlin Wall.
• Are very close to their parents. Because
they tend to hover over their children, these
parents are known as ‘“helicopter parents.”
Courtesy invitations and recruitment
information affected by NPC Changes
To place more women in the Greek
community and allow more chapters
to reach quota, the National Panhellenic
Conference has revised the methods of
calculating quota and the number of
women a sorority may invite to each
recruitment party.
What do these changes mean to you? Panhellenic’s new Release Figures Method will not always
allow a Chi Omega chapter to extend courtesy
invitations to all women with RIFs. On some
campuses Chi Omega may now be required to
release more potential new members earlier in
recruitment, allowing them to consider other
options earlier in the process and ideally find another sorority home. This means RIFs are more
important than ever, for the sooner a chapter
identifies quality young women, the better.
Many campuses have implemented the new Release Figures Method with positive results. NPC
expects that all campus Panhellenics will adopt
the new formulas within the next few years.
Chi Omega alumnae must remember that a RIF
does not guarantee a young woman, even a legacy,
an invitation to Chi Omega membership. An active chapter has the privilege and responsibility of
selecting new members who best match its needs.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
Here’s what you need to know about the changing face of recruitment.
What remains the same? What are the changes and how do they affect you?
Chi Omega legacies: Who are they?
Why are they important?
In Chi Omega, we value the legacy of those who
came before us and gave selflessly to ensure a
bright tomorrow for future generations of Chi
Omegas. As the growth of our fraternity soars
in its second century of existence, so too does
the number of Chi Omega legacies. These valuable potential new members offer us an exciting opportunity to strengthen our chapters.
Legacies have been called “the diamonds in our
own backyard,” as they bring an affinity and appreciation for Chi Omega to their new member
experience. At the same time, legacies can offer recruitment challenges. Some chapters have
more legacy potential new members participating in recruitment than the size of the expected
new member class. These chapters can address
this best by being proactive in their awareness
and consideration of legacies. Here are a few resources and recommendations:
Who is a Chi Omega legacy?
Chi Omega defines a legacy as a sister or a
daughter of a Chi Omega in good standing.
Granddaughters, cousins, and nieces of Chi
Omegas have close ties but are not Chi Omega
legacies. Someone whose sister and mother are
both Chi Omegas may be referred to as a double
legacy.
Are there rules about legacies and recruitment?
All chapters should have a legacy policy that
guides their recruitment process. This policy
must consider the number of legacies in recruitment and should stipulate an invitation to one
A family tradition. Second-generation Chi Omegas and twins, Nancy Allen McGraw, left, and Cindy Allen
Edwards flank their daughters, Ann McGraw, center left, and Ashley Edwards. The four are part of a 13-member
Chi Omega family, all initiates of Psi Chapter at the University of Arkansas. Ann was Psi’s G.H. in 2004 and
Ashley was G.H. in 2005. They all agree that the Chi Omega tradition means more with each generation.
invitational round, when legacies might be released, and if legacies will receive special placement on the bid list. Additionally, the chapter
should have a method of identifying legacies to
the chapter at large and address special consideration and courtesy.
Do we need permission from the Governing
Council before we can release a legacy?
In short, no. The chapter has the right to choose
its own new members. According to the Book
of Rules, legacies must be invited to at least one
invitational round unless there is only one invitational round.
Tips for Advisors
It is the advisor’s role to educate the chapter
on what it means to be a legacy and to ensure
that legacies are treated courteously and fairly
throughout the recruitment process. You can
help ensure that the process is as fair and positive
as possible by seeing that the chapter establishes
a legacy policy in advance of formal recruitment.
Advisors can assist the chapter in clearly communicating the chapter’s legacy policy to alumnae before and during recruitment.
To view a slide show of Chi Omega legacy families, go to www.The Eleusis.com.
National Chi Omega Rally helps larger chapters navigate the increasing complexities of recruitment
Recognizing that recruitment is a huge and complex undertaking on many campuses, Chi Omega provided a new training forum for some of our largest chapters. In early June this year, officers and advisors from 15 chapters attended a Recruitment Rally
in Memphis. Hosted by the National Recruitment Team, the goal
was to offer education and information about pre-screening, targeting,
matching, rotation, and voting. This level of recruitment support is criti-
Summer 2007
cal as our membership numbers, and number of legacies, reach an alltime high.
Chapters attending were selected according to the size of the potential new
member pool, the percentage of potential new members with RIFs, and the
number of legacies going through recruitment. We hope this innovative
approach helps these already-large chapters “take it to the next level.”
45
46
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
In honor of all our members, the Chi Omega Foundation
chose a new theme for 2007 and beyond:
I am a Chi Omega. I lead. I serve. I give.
Chi Omega Foundation
Celebrates Record Estate Gift
During the last year of A Loyalty to Sisterhood campaign,
Chi Omega received $1.245 million from the Barbara and
Harry Boone estate. This is the largest estate gift ever received by the Chi Omega Foundation.
Barbara Goodrich Boone, like all Chi Omegas, was known
for her leadership and service. Like Barbara, our members
practice the Chi Omega distinctive brand of leadership
each day as they work in many different and varied endeavors, from serving in the U.S. Congress to running a small
business to managing a family.
Chi Omegas are known for their volunteer service, with
many members managing or serving on a variety of boards
and steering committees, including those of colleges and
universities, healthcare facilities, fine arts organizations,
and community associations.
Our members use their talents to further the goals of the
Fraternity, with Chi Omegas anticipating and meeting the
needs of local collegiate and alumnae chapters on a nationwide basis. Chi Omegas also freely and generously serve on
national and regional Fraternity committees and boards.
In addition to this propensity for leadership and service,
Chi Omegas, just like Barbara Boone, have big hearts.
Therefore, in honor of all our members, the Chi Omega
Foundation chose a new theme for 2007 and beyond:
I am a Chi Omega. I lead. I serve. I give.
These words easily capture the generous spirit exemplified
by Barbara Goodrich Boone. Barbara, a Wisconsin native,
was a 1938 initiate of Kappa Gamma Chapter at Ohio Wesleyan University. After Barbara transferred to the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill (UNC), she affiliated
with the Epsilon Beta Chapter. While at UNC, she majored
LEFT: Amy Williams Brady, Iota/U of Texas, is a graduate of the
Nancy Walton Laurie Leadership Institute of Chi Omega and has
been trained to lead workshops on life choices.
Summer 2007
47
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
48
Firesides 2007 life changing leadership programs were made possible due to Foundation donors.
in journalism and served as an officer of the Panhellenic
Council. Her mother also was a Chi Omega.
as a world-class member facility; developing and sustaining
an information-technology infrastructure for members and
Our new theme has been chosen in honor of all our faithful members and their families,
people like Barbara and Harry Boone, and Sisters like you.
Barbara Goodrich Boone,
1988 in Orlando, Florida
Harry F. Boone was a native of Tennessee. A graduate of
the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he retired from
a military career and served as an executive in the defense
industry. The Boones lived in Florida.
chapters; training Chi Omegas to make a difference in their
chapters and communities; and supporting our members
through the Sisterhood Fund and Alumnae Educational
Grants.
Barbara Boone died in 1993 and her husband passed away
in 2004. “We are honored to be among the organizations
that were given the greatest parts of their estate. We will live
up to the trust they’ve placed in us,” Foundation President
Jane Rogers remarked.
We hope Barbara and Harry Boone’s leadership, service,
generosity, and farsightedness will inspire you. In fact, we
trust their commitment will challenge you during the many
moments of your daily life and move you to consider ways
in which you can participate in our Fraternity’s current programs and future promise.
Through their leadership, service and bigheartedness, the
Boones made a commitment to Chi Omega members of
today and in the future. By placing their trust in the Chi
Omega Foundation, their gift will enable the Foundation to
support the four goals of A Loyalty to Sisterhood campaign.
These are: ensuring that our Executive Headquarters grows
Just as the Boones, you lead, serve and give. Our new theme
has been chosen in honor of all our faithful members and
their families, people like Barbara and Harry Boone, and
Sisters like you.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
I am a Chi Omega.
I Give to The New 1895 Society!
The 1895 Society of Chi Omega has always recognized the
strongest supporters of our Foundation’s Annual Fund.
2007 marks the 10th anniversary year of this successful
giving group! In honor of the many members who have
made The 1895 Society so successful, and in keeping with
our mission to serve more members, we have restructured
this flagship organization.
Our member programs and services are comprehensive
and effective, but a careful look at the next decade’s budget projections highlights the need for more significant
resources. In light of that need, we have made an annual
gift amount of $1,000 the defining level for membership in
this select group.*
You define our success: Join The 1895 Society
As always, The 1895 Society will honor all members whose
annual gift firmly secures our ongoing programs and services. Programs like AlcoholEdu, our Sisterhood Fund
and Alumnae Educational Grants. Programs and services
that benefit collegians and alumnae alike.
Won’t you consider joining the new 1895
Society? Your gift of $1,000 or more on a
yearly basis can touch many lives. And,
in honor of your gift, we will send you
our new 1895 Society pin (shown here), a
designer replication of a vintage hat pin
given as a favor for all who attended Convention 1906.
LEFT: Sela Ward, Nu Beta/U of Alabama
Honorary Chair
Yes!
I believe in Chi Omega’s
nationwide mission and
services. I want to join The
1895 Society by making a
2007 annual gift of $1,000.
My gift will help members
facing a personal crisis, an
educational need, or a lifealtering decision.
* Current 1895 Society
members will continue to
be recognized for the duration of their pledge. For new
members, there will no longer be a three-year pledge
obligation.
Summer 2007
I Lend my support as a member of The 1895 Society as follows:
q My 2007 qualifying gift of $1,000.00 is enclosed.
q Join the Cardinal Gift Express with an electronic gift! I authorize the Chi Omega Foundation to withdraw $___________
per q month q quarter from my checking or savings account on the _______ day of each month.
Signature _________________________________ * Please enclose a voided ehcek.
q Please charge my gift to: q VISA q MasterCard q Amex
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49
Chi Omega is for a lifetime. Our collegiate years are only
the beginning of our Chi Omega experience. Every day
across America, Sisters are connecting with each other. We
invite you to share in their stories and send us your own. We
invite you to connect: Chi O, ever after, we’ll remember you.
50
Wedding reunion
Chi Omegas from different schools and generations
discovered their Sisterhood
at Christi Jordan Snaufer’s
wedding on June 24, 2006.
View photos of the bride,
a Theta Kappa/Baylor U
initiate, and her Chi Omega friends and relatives at
www.TheEleusis.com.
Fun in the Big Apple
Holiday reunion in Seattle. It was a winter reunion for these Sisters from Tau Epsilon Chapter, University of Puget Sound. Initiated between
1972 and 1978, many had not seen each other since their graduation. Hosted by Ginny RooneyWoodhouse and Joanna Graham, at Joanna’s
home in Seattle, ornaments with the theme“snow”were exchanged after a mid-day luncheon. Sisters attending and pictured above are: In
the far back from the left, Margie Hassel Kellogg, Jody Pulicicchio, Calista Wilde Wiebusch, Robin Maner Hertlein, and Barbara Howard
Perris; center, Jill Masunaga (in red), JoAnne Gordon, Sue Anne Slade; center, Ginny RooneyWoodhouse (in blue and black jacket), Elizabeth
Andrews Williams, Janet Bibler Wolcott, Joanne Salzbrun O’Kelly; front, Kathy Graham Forgrave, Joanna Graham.
“Fearsome Foursome” Plus One Fifty-Year-Old
Celebrate Sisterhood in Savannah
Four Tau Alphas from Ohio U, Jackie Kittinger McDonald, Karen Arnsbarger Chuvalas, Ann Stevens Rush, and
Karen Carter Suffecool, get together for a reunion every
other year in a different city. All 1981 graduates, they are
known as the “Fearsome Foursome.” Last November they
met in Savannah, Georgia, and included one more Tau Alpha Sister, Kathy Kittinger Malesick, to celebrate her 50th
birthday. Kathy, a 1977 graduate, has a connection to the
“Fearsome Foursome” because the year the four were initiated was her first year as a Tau Alpha advisor, a position
she still holds, and Jackie and Kathy are biological sisters.
How did the ladies get their name “Fearsome
Foursome?” They’ll do whatever it takes to stay
in touch, keep their Chi Omega bond of Sisterhood, and have a fantastic time. View a photo
of these Sisters at www.The Eleusis.com.
Twenty Sisters from Upsilon Alpha at Syracuse
U met in New York City
on January 27 this year.
It was the first time in almost 20 years that many
of the women were together. Graduates of SU
from 1986–1990, those
attending were: Stacey Saz
Rothfarb, Marla Kornfeld
Rothfarb, Cindy Glassman Heilweil, Jemina Nolan Keller, Priscilla Chin
O’Carroll, Marianne Cushing, Karen Bruno O’Brien,
Jen Waite Hawes, Andrea
Ball Kreitner, Karen Klein,
Jackie Day, Gwen Moran,
Kim Gross Krieger, Chris
Kovis Demetrius, Katie
Murphy Hoopchuck, Colleen Hardiman Aguirre,
Marla Shelasky, Toby Heller Feller, Kaarn Osberg
Lynch, and Deb Lowy
Zirlin. To see a photo of
this reunion, go to www.
TheEleusis.com.
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
TOASTS AND SINGING
Santa Barbara reunion
Milestone reunion. Chi Omega sisters from Appalachian State U gathered this fall in Boone, North Carolina, to celebrate their 25th college
reunion. From the left, seated, are Mary Maynard Deekens Ellis, Anne Riley Moelle, Connie Kumpe Searle; standing, Claudia Andrews Mills,
Ann Cameron Behar, Karen Little Harwood and Terri Martin Kennerly.
Fifteen members of Delta
Delta Chapter’s graduating classes of 1956–1962
met last summer for a reunion at their chapter house at UC–Santa
Barbara. Photos, mementos, fun times, good food,
and conversation inspired
the event. Attending were
Suzie Williams Nelson,
Pat Price Bowhen, Ellen
Passick Hahn, Joan Strand
Kieding, Pam Van Wie
Stoney, Ann Kuhl Lovegren, Norma Weldon James,
Judy Dean Arendsee, Beverly Nutt DiTammasso,
Maureen Mahoney Shutts,
Emily Braden Vaughan,
Anita Weil Redman, Ann
Shonstrom, Betty Bridges
Shoemaker, and Carol
Bredsteen Breuner. You
will find a photo of these
Sisters at www.TheEleusis.
com.
Midwest Sisters off to the Southwest for fun
In August of 2006, 10 Sisters of Omicron Chapter, class of
1959 at the U of Illinois, met for a long weekend in Santa
Fe, New Mexico. Attending were Patricia Lay Marion, Janice Sauerman Funk, Lynn Fox Eggers, Gail Fox Nash, Carol
Erickson Johnson, Patt Carroll Ekstein, Marilyn Muir Nelson, Alex Michael Lelon, Lois Grant, Louise Middlemas
Meitsterling. You will find a photo of these Sisters at www.
TheEleusis.com.
Ski party for Lambdas
Nine Lambdas from the graduating class of 1986 at the U
of Kansas enjoyed a Sisters-only vacation in Breckenridge,
Colorado, in September 2006. To view a photo of these
women in the Rockies, go to www.TheEleusis.com.
Campus reunion for Psi women of the ’60s
Alma mater–Chi Omega reunion. These initiates of Theta Alpha enjoyed some time together while attending the 2006 reunion at their alma mater, Cornell U. Standing are Marilyn Bashoff, left, and Heather
Roning Wallace; seated from the left are Catherine Rowbotham, Christine Del Favero Kurtz, who is the
RAD for the Northeast region, and Heather Ford Weber. All are 1996 graduates.
Summer 2007
Twelve Sisters of the new member class of 1963–64 of Psi
Chapter renewed friendships with a reunion in Fayetteville, staying at the historic Inn at Carnall Hall on the U
of Arkansas campus. They visited the chapter house and
presented gifts to the Psi House Corporation in honor of
former advisor Louise Brooks, and in memory of Carolyn
Mullins Jones. You’ll find a photo of these Sisters at www.
TheEleusis.com.
51
TOASTS AND SINGING
52
Former S.K.A.
Jeanne McCarty
enters Omega
Chapter
It is with sadness that
we share the news that
Carol Jeanne Bozzell
McCarty, a former
Supreme Governing
Council member, died
Sunday, February 25,
in Fort Worth. She was
81 years old.
Jeanne served as S.K.A.
from 1966 to 1972.
She contributed to Chi
Omega’s growth by
assisting with the installation of Omicron
Theta at Midwestern
State U, Lambda Theta
at U of Akron, Theta
Theta at U of South
Florida, Delta Theta
at Oglethorpe U, Tau
Kappa at U of Montevallo, and Sigma
Kappa at Austin Peay
State U.
Jeanne graduated from
the U of Texas–Austin,
where she was initiated by Iota Chapter.
She held bachelor’s and
master’s degrees from
the U of Texas–El Paso
and retired in 1989
from that university’s
Department of History,
where she served for
15 years as an assistant
in-structor.
In the El Paso community, Jeanne was
a church deacon and
elder and president of
the YWCA. She was a
director of the El Paso
County Historical Society and a member of
the Daughters of the
American Revolution
(DAR).
A TERRIFIC LOOKING GROUP OF 70-YEAR OLD SISTERS.
UCLA reunion reunites 30 Gamma Beta Sisters
—by Joy Ekdahl Jeffery, Gamma Beta/UCLA
In November 2006 I returned to Hilgard Avenue, home of
the Gamma Beta Chapter, for my 50th UCLA Alumni Reunion. I was thrilled and filled with nostalgia as I walked
into the chapter house. Thirty alumnae from the 1950s were
also there to meet the beautiful and intelligent young collegians and the dedicated alumnae advisors who organized
Happy memories of living there for four years
came flooding back.
a lovely buffet luncheon and house tour. Having not been
to the house since I left in 1956, happy memories of living
there for four years came flooding back. I had not seen most
of the 30 alumnae since 1956 and we were a terrific looking
group of 70-year olds. We reminisced about who shared
this bedroom and that, how the newly decorated house is a
great improvement, the rules of living in, and other traditions, some I had forgotten about. Reliving those wonderful years with Gamma Beta Sisters was a happy memory I
cherish.
I am so proud to be a Chi Omega and see how well our
chapter is doing academically and socially, as well as being
philanthropists and community-service volunteers in their
Los Angeles neighborhood. Thank you, Chi Omega, for offering me social skills, leadership opportunities and lifelong
friends.
ATTENDING
Gaye Filbert Balazs
Martha Kipp Barber
Dixie Sorensen Bear
Dian Vail Bowyer
Sally Richardson Carroll
Mary Nord Courtney
Jean Carroll Davis
Carolyn Smyser Depolo
Jan Jensma Dion
Nancy McCloy Frykman
Patricia Green Harker
Connie Seidel Hazel
Diane Page Howard
Susan Quarness James
Joyce Ekdahl Jeffery
Adrienne Fostinis Klingensmith
Shirley Scantland Manning
Jeannine Klamm McCaig
Marilyn Montgomery McKay
Constance Grey Meylan
Joyce Quigley Moore
Ingrid Nelson Poole
Suzanne Clayton Richards
Carole Slocum Ruge
Lynn Franklin Sampson
Marylyn Martin Scavone
Holly Larson Steere
Joann Gingles Waldron
Suzanne Elliott Zanteson
HOMETOWN
Huntington Beach CA
Los Angeles CA
Dove Canyon CA
Marina Del Rey CA
San Marino CA
Coronado CA
Columbia SC
Orinda CA
Palos Verdes Estates CA
San Marino CA
La Canada-Flintridge CA
Kenner LA
Dallas TX
Northridge CA
Hillsborough CA
Palm Desert CA
Pasadena CA
Hacienda Heights CA
Glendale CA
Westchester CA
Westlake Village CA
San Diego CA
Santa Monica CA
Pacific Palisades CA
La Verne CA
Carbondale CO
Carlsbad CA
Santa Ana CA
Pasadena CA
The Eleusis | www.chiomega.com
TOASTS AND SINGING
Still friends, and still laughing
DINNER CLUB: Sisters gather
monthly for 27 years
“When things aren’t going perfectly in life, you know you’re
going to come to Dinner Club, and you’re going to laugh,”
says Teri Pollard Orr. Kathy Mahoney Allen, Vicki Coulter
McCue, Marsha Bjerkan, Cindy Smith Croskell, Jill Nickoley Tidrick, and Sarah King Hull agree.
A lot can happen to seven women in the three decades after college. Most marry, some have children. Children get
married and parents die. Careers ebb and flourish. Friends
move away, and sometimes they move back. You finally
learn to cook. This circle of Sisters has mostly laughed, but
sometimes cried through life’s every twist and turn around
one restaurant table or another every month for the past
27 years.
“It’s really wonderful,” Cindy says. “It’s a family.”
The only member not living in the area, Sarah Hull, moved to Edmond, Oklahoma, in 2006,
the same year everyone turned 50. Dinner Club saw an opportunity for a road trip and set
off to dine with Sarah in her new home. Joining them was Beth Varvel Richards, referred to
as the “bonus” Dinner Club member. Part of a military family, Beth has lived in many areas
of the country but has been able to join her Lambda Sisters for a number of dinners and on
special occasions over the years.
The group has even developed a sentimental cookbook for family and friends. One evening,
they flipped through the pages and howled at the contrast between one woman’s elegant,
elaborate soup recipe and another’s recipe for Purple Passion punch.
The Sisters, most living in the Kansas City area, simply call
their gatherings “Dinner Club.” Each meeting is cherished
as unofficial therapy and a guaranteed good time.
“It really doesn’t matter where we are,” says Cindy. “It’s just
that we’re together and laughing that’s important.”
All seven women are initiates of Lambda Chapter at the
U of Kansas and graduated together in 1978. They weren’t
close friends in college and most likely would have drifted
apart for good, says Kathy. It wasn’t until a couple of years
after graduation, when Vicki was preparing to move to
California, that the group started its tradition.
They met for a going-away dinner. They laughed like crazy
and had a terrific time, so doing it again was a no-brainer.
Since then, the lively bunch has picked a different Kansas
City area restaurant each month. They sometimes repeat
but joke that most managers probably wouldn’t want
them back as the group is louder than the typical, more
restrained restaurant patrons.
The conversation rarely turns into reminiscing about college days or long-ago events. “There’s always too much going on in the present,” Marsha says.
Highlights over the years have included Teri’s marriage,
whose nuptials came a bit later in life than usual, the birth
of children, and more recently the first child’s wedding.
More difficult meetings followed the unexpected death
of Marsha’s father. “Dinner Club was there for the whole
thing,” she said.
When Teri’s mother-in-law died, she spent days dealing
with family matters and grief. Glimpsing her Dinner Club
Sisters at the funeral was one of the most touching moments she can recall, Teri says. “I’ll never forget looking up
and seeing them there.”
Summer 2007
Dinner Club members. From the left in back, Sarah Hull, Teri Orr, Vicki McCue, Jill Tidrick; in front, “bonus” member Beth Richards, Kathy Allen, Marsha Bjerkan, and Cindy Croskell.
Everyone should have a dinner club, or at least something like it, members say. “Dinner
Club is very special to all of us because of the lasting lifetime friendships we have with each
other,” Marsha says. “We wish everyone could have the same experiences that we have had
and continue to have.”
The key, Cindy says, is that no one person is in charge. Before leaving one dinner, the group
picks the time and place of the next. Then, everyone who can show up does. If someone
misses a month, the onus is on them to call or e-mail one of the others to find out where
they’re going next.
Also, Cindy says, the group plans occasional picnics or get-togethers that include spouses
and children, but the dinners are just for the women.
Early on, none of the women thought their initial dinner together might turn into a lifetime tradition. Now they credit their meetings with making many years of life a lot richer.
From an article by Sara Stites that originally appeared in the Kansas City Star, February 24, 2007.
Xis reunite during Northwestern homecoming weekend
In conjunction with Northwestern U’s October 2006 Homecoming and Reunion Weekend,
a group of 1963 Xi Chapter initiates gathered at the Chi Omega house to renew acquaintances with each other and with their chapter advisor, Frances Eschbach Kinney, also a Xi
alumna. Attending were Beth Paige Andersen, Joan Leighty Lennie, Sue Meyer McShannock (chapter president 1965–1966), Sue Snider Osterberg, Mary Ann Colloton Fallon,
Joan Erzer Behrens, and Pam Barnhart McCarthy. Thanks are extended to Housemother
Annie Stern and Xi actives, including Cheryl Bradley, for helping to make the event especially memorable. Photos are available at www.TheEleusis.com.
53
DIREC TORY
R E A D E R ’S G U I D E
The Eleusis is the official publication of Chi Omega
Fraternity.Incontinuouspublicationsince1899,itsmission
is to connect Chi Omegas to the national organization by
promoting our common experiences, communicating
the state of the Fraternity, affirming our values
and purposes, highlighting our success stories, and
providing resources for the development of women.
54
CONTACT The Eleusis
The Eleusis, Chi Omega Executive Headquarters
3395 Players Club Parkway, Memphis TN 38125
TheEleusis@chiomega.com
Phone: 901/748-8600 Fax: 901/748-8686
CHI OMEGA EXECUTIVE
HEADQUARTERS
3395 Players Club Parkway
Memphis TN 38125
Phone: 901/748-8600
Fax: 901/748-8686
Fraternity chiomega@chiomega.com
Foundation foundation@chiomega.com
Website www.chiomega.com
Executive Director of the Fraternity
Anne Emmerth, Sigma Alpha
Executive Vice President of the Foundation
Sally Stephens, Sigma Alpha
CHI OMEGA GOVERNING COUNCIL
President
Jean Mermoud Mrasek, Epsilon Gamma
503 Vicksburg Way, Southlake TX 76092
Vice President
Shelley Eubanks Potter, Xi Kappa
1305 Cornell, Longview TX 75601
Secretary
Joellyn Forrester Sullivan, Kappa Beta
560 Rienzi, Memphis TN 38103-8733
Treasurer
Letitia Niemeier Fulkerson, Zeta Alpha
3457 Whitekirk Way, Cincinnati OH 45245
Alumnae Officer
Andrea Derouin Bechtel, Nu
999 Lake Street, Winnetka IL 60093
CHI OMEGA FOUNDATION BOARD
OF TRUSTEES
President
Jane Wickard Rogers, Psi
5315 Hawthorne, Little Rock AR 72207
Vice President
Jean Mermoud Mrasek, S.H., Epsilon Gamma
Secretary
Sandra McAdams Connor, Psi
Treasurer
Melanie Maxwell Shain, Chi Delta
Martha Mann Bradshaw, Psi
Kim Siebers Cornetet, Chi
Mary Ann Hancock Frugé, Tau
Leslie Blackwell Oliver, Iota Alpha
Ex-Officio
Letitia Niemeier Fulkerson, S.N.V., Zeta Alpha
Nancy Walton Laurie, Psi
CHI OMEGA NATIONAL ARCHIVIST
Lyn Harris, Psi Gamma
488 S. Crest Road, Chattanooga, TN 37404
Phone: 423/622-4032 E-mail: lynharris1@aol.com
CHI O CREATIONS
3395 Players Club Parkway
Memphis TN 38125
Phone: 901/748-8601
Fax: 901/748-8688
Director of Merchandising
Barbara Holder Rideout, Zeta Theta
Chi O Creations Board of Trustees President
Anne Johnson Schultz, Pi
NPC DELEGATE
Patty Plumlee Disque, Alpha Beta
3395 Players Club Parkway, Memphis TN 38125
REGIONAL ALUMNAE DIRECTORS
Northeast Region
(CT, DE, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT)
Christine Del Favero Kurtz, Theta Alpha
Mid-Atlantic Region
(MD, NC, SC, VA, WV, Washington DC)
Joelle Mirco, Omicron
Great Lakes Region
(IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)
Janie Fryman Cochran, Epsilon Theta
Southeast Coast Region
(AL, GA, FL)
Nancy Jean Price, Epsilon Delta
Central South Region
(AR, KY, MS, TN)
Sharon Simmons Sandahl, Tau
Plains/Mountains Region
(IA, KS, MO, NE, ND, SD)
Meredith Bayles Bell, Lambda
Panhandle Region
(LA, OK, TX)
Jamie Ann Fuller, Iota
West Region
(AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT,
WA, WY)
Penni Takade, Kappa Lambda
RECEIVE The Eleusis
Collegians: During the academic year, your chapter receives copies
of the magazine for distribution to members. The summer issue is
delivered to your home address.
Alumnae: Chi Omega Fraternity believes that membership in Chi
Omega is for a lifetime and is committed to distributing The Eleusis to
all members without subscriber fees. Please keep your address up-todate at www.chiomega.com/everyday.
International Addresses: The Eleusis is not mailed to addresses outside
the United States. If you wish to have your copy of The Eleusis sent to a
stateside address to be held for you, please provide that address. If you
wish to provide an overseas address for other mailing purposes, you
will not receive The Eleusis.
APPEAR IN The Eleusis
Chi Omega encourages members to submit stories, news or content
ideas to The Eleusis. Please send text via e-mail, fax or the US mail,
digital images via e-mail, and traditional glossy photos by US mail.
Because of the volume of mail received and the space constraints in
our magazine, it is possible your material may not be used or that it
will appear several issues later than you expect. Every effort is made
to include date-sensitive items in a timely manner.
Submissions must include:
• Your first, maiden, and last names, chapter and school, mailing
address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address and the date.
• The first, maiden, and last names, chapter and school of all Sisters
in your article and photo caption(s).
Photo requirements:
• Traditional, glossy-finished photos from film/35mm camera.
• Self-scanned and digital-camera images with resolutions of at least
300 ppi (pixels per inch) at a minimum image size of 4" x 6". Digital
photographers must use at least a 3.2-megapixel camera with the
highest-quality settings selected: The resolution must be set on
large, while the compression setting must be set on superfine.
Capturing a picture in a small-resolution setting then increasing
the file size in a photo-management program does not work. File
formats accepted are jpeg (maximum quality), eps and tif. Do not
reduce the size or initial quality of the image before transmitting it.
Note: Even if your photos meet these requirements, they may not
be suitable for print production.
• Prints prepared from your digital files by a professional developer
may or may not be suitable. Each must be evaluated individually.
Images that will not be used:
• Pictures containing hand-held beverage containers of any kind.
• Pictures showing cluttered dining tables or with glassware that
may be construed to contain alcoholic beverages.
• Pictures in which subjects are wearing sunglasses over their eyes or
questionable attire.
• Pictures of brides. (Because of the high number of wedding photos
received, only alumnae who have held significant local or national
positions may have wedding photos considered for publication.)
• Images produced by desktop or inkjet printers.
• Pictures taken with camera phones. They are not of print quality.
• Images clipped or scanned from magazines or newspapers.
• Photocopies from a Xerox or Docutech.
• Tiny pictures clipped from composites or snapshots.
DEADLINES
Spring issue: October 15
Summer issue: February 15
Fall/Winter issue: June 15
1939
From the Daily Nebraskan. “Hedge-Hopping Co-eds Fly High. Yvonne
Costello and Dorothy Wear were caught practicing up on the art of hedge-hopping so they could
make their eight-o’clocks on time at the University of Nebraska.” The young women were collegiate
members of Kappa Chapter. Photo from the scrapbook of Betty Lou McCoy, Rho Beta/Drake U.
The Eleusis of Chi Omega
Chi Omega Executive Headquarters
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Memphis, Tennessee 38125-8817
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The women of iota alpha at Southern Methodist University are ready for recruitment at their beautiful chapter home.
I AM A
Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I am an
individual but I recognize that I am part of a
larger whole. I am proud of my Sisters. We make
a difference. We invite you to connect.