The Leaves Changed and So Did We

           

It was arguably only yesterday that the sun beat down on us as we moved our clothes, books, beds, and hundreds (literally, hundreds) of bottles of shampoo and perfume back into our 4517 home. Another summer closed but fall was fresh and fully ahead of us. We were finally reunited and ready to tackle another semester. Don’t blink! Too late. Thanksgiving is already upon us as well as the elections of a new Leaders’ Council, a new cabinet, and, in a few short weeks, finals. How is it that the speed of time is predictably increasing and yet still comes as a shock? It felt like a whirlwind but Pi Delta did not get swept up. Instead, we buckled down and as the leaves changed, so did we. This semester highlights one of change, adjustments, new mountains climbed, and different paths forged.

Cutting the ribbon at House Rededication 

             This fall we have been blessed with a new house. The tireless modifications, planning, and renovations done over the course of the past few years have shown. The updates are modern and sophisticated. Our “Pi Delta Makeover” has given us a new place to serve as the center of our sisterhood- movie nights on the couches; meetings in the dining hall; dinner gatherings (and hilarious stories) in the kitchen. A House Rededication in October solidified the beginning of this next chapter. Members of Headquarters, Greek staff at UMD, and alumnae gathered for the ribbon-cutting and celebrations to renew the value that our house is our home. And a new member has been added to the family! Mrs. Mallat is our eccentric new house mom who loves us as if we were her own. We are lucky to have had her help throughout the semester and look forward to our time with her to come. She only adds to the unique vibes that vibrate throughout this house.

            Additionally, Pi Delta hosted the first annual Rose Ball to Strikeout Arthritis on October 11^th. The event was a black-tie affair consisting of a three-course meal, speaker from the Arthritis Foundation, silent auction, and raffle. Even in its infancy, Rose Ball raised $2500 which was donated in its entirety to the Arthritis Foundation! Special thanks to our Philanthropy Chair, Ashley Nonemaker, for the careful planning and execution of this event that turned out to be such a success and step in the right direction for our chapter. This serves to mark only the beginning of a path toward becoming, overall, more philanthropic, humble, and dedicated, as individuals and as a unit.  More information and photographs about the event are available on our website www.umdalphaomicronpi.com (which is new as well!)

Sisters at Rose Ball to Strikeout Arthritis 

            We aspire for nothing short of loving what we have and molding it into something greater. This is not as contradictory as it sounds. What Pi Delta has is a limitless, genuine love for one another that grows stronger with each obstacle we overcome. At the end of the day it is the friendship, laughter, and freedom to be ourselves that makes this house so great. We recognize this but at the same time are in the dawn of realizing that we can also take this and run with it. And this has shown. Pi Delta has improved communication within ourselves, with our community, and with Headquarters; we have budgeted, balanced, and modified to abide by more appropriate guidelines; we have acknowledged areas of improvement and directed our attention to them; and we have gained confidence. Pi Delta is proud to announce its achievement of the necessary Standards of Excellence to qualify us for Ruby status! None of this could have been possible without a genuine thirst to succeed and grow; a thirst quenched only by the determination of our leaders and members. 

            At the same time, we never abandon our principles. Our strong foundation of sisterhood has proven to be the perfect tool for embracing change-we are realizing this more than ever. As our chapter is in the midst of electing new leaders, we can only hope that they, too, keep this as a central focus while forming the future of Pi Delta. 

That being said, we proudly introduce the incoming Leaders’ Council and Cabinet for 2014:

Chapter President- Rae Baron

Vice President of Administration - Ali Mazurek

Vice President of Academic Development - Sway Maripuri

Vice President of Chapter Development - Arielle Abrams

Vice President of Communications - Ciara Delehanty

Vice President of Education - Jillian Sikora

Vice President of Membership Recruitment - Casey Rozek

Vice President of Standards - Shaill Vasavada

Chapter Treasurer - Katie Cauley

New Member Educator - Kathleen Murphy

Secretary - Ericka Rocke

Philanthropy Chair - Klarissa Tan

Property Manager - Esha Sirkar

Risk Management Chair - Rebecca Connor

Activities Chair - Kelly Lawrence

Alumnae Relations - Cara Hissey 

Keeper of the Ritual - Jordan Sallinger

Social Chair - Bethany Fincher

Technology Chair - Andrea Saferstein

TShirt Chairman - Jenny Kovalick

Alpha love and all of mine!

Let Your Light So Shine

Every good little Alpha O knows that a couple weekends ago was Alpha Omicron Pi International Convention in Chicago, IL! Almost 1000 sisters from every chapter gathered in the Windy City to experience the heart of AOII. Our Chapter President, Tricia Almeida, Vice President, Nicole Ederer, Risk Manager, Taylor Keenan, previous Chapter President Kate Rodehau, and Chapter Advisor, Sarah Hennig, spent the weekend exploring the city, attending banquets, listening to speakers, and appreciating our ritual on a large scale. With convention only occurring once every two years, it serves as a great opportunity for those who do get a chance to attend- an opportunity to see our sisterhood in a new light and to appreciate what a wonderful organization we are a part of. Yet this time, “opportunity” falls short of a proper description.  “Chance to explore” does not come close to what Convention 2013 meant for Pi Delta.

When we nominated Kate Rodehau for the Stella Perry Award we were driven, hopeful, and anxious. Driven because we were determined to show everyone our incredible sister; hopeful because we knew how deserving she was; anxious that we wouldn’t do her justice. Kate led our chapter during times when everyone was convinced we would fall apart.  Her courage and genuine kindness are inspirational. She is beautifully humble and remarkably poised, and she guided us as we regained our footing. An excerpt from her nomination essay is as follows:

“Kate takes every challenge and turns it into an opportunity to better herself and allow everyone around her to grow and carry on.   Her priorities can be summed up as ‘others come first’ regardless of what this demands of her.    Her character and integrity are obvious not only as a leader, but as a friend and sister as well.”

Although as a chapter we know all of this about our sister, it was still an unbelievable wave of relief, shock, and pride when it was announced at Convention that Kate received the Stella Perry Award!

“When the announcer began the speech Nicole, Taylor, Sarah, and I all had a feeling she was speaking about Kate,” Tricia describes. “Kate still couldn’t believe it when they announced her name. We all just started crying. The whole room was on their feet for her. We were so happy for her because we knew she deserved it and we were glad 975 other AOII’s were there to hear about what she had done for our chapter.”

If anyone was most stunned, it was Kate herself. She continues to be nothing but grateful.

“Truly not expecting to hear my name announced, due to the tremendous honor and prestige of the Perry Award, I was overcome by gratitude for the women who saw my efforts worthy of the esteemed honor, the women who made such efforts possible through their hard work and perseverance, and the women who never stopped believing in Pi Delta or its potential to exceed the expectation.

I truly believe to be successful you must work selflessly, surround yourself with good people, and say ‘thank you’ to those who make it all possible. This achievement would not have been feasible without those four incredible women who paved the way selflessly years ago, without the incredible support of Pi Delta’s AAC, SMAC, Network 2, HQ staff, and UMD’s Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life. And without the tremendous Pi Delta sisterhood that has allowed my chapter to not only endure but to thrive through the loss of our beloved sister, Kayla, whose light continues to shine on us all and to whom I dedicate this award. Thank you to my family, my sisters, and my friends for the love and support, which has allowed my light to shine."

So there you have it. The true purpose of AOII convention is moments like this, where we can see and appreciate one another, honor our sisters both living and deceased, and catch a small glimpse of one another’s differences that areternally bound together. Alpha Omicron Pi Convention 2015 is set to take place in Los Angeles- we will be seeing you there! 

Heads Up, Hats Off!

“Graduation:” one of those rare words with a flurry of emotions falling off the end. For some, it didn’t come quick enough. For our AOII seniors, they blinked and the past four years disappeared. Nevertheless, graduation was inevitable and, on May 19^th, we watched 31 of our beautiful own walk the frightfully exciting walk across the Comcast Center stage. It can feel like an ending, even with professors and family members swearing the promise of a new beginning. How can it not? Alpha Omicron Pi has become home. But more so this is a beginning- a beginning which all of the past years’ memories have been waiting for. Everything these girls have been through, beyond just this sorority, has formed who they are. Now, all they have learned, shared, felt, and dreamed has the opportunity to surface from within them and help guide their decisions to come. 

It is difficult to form feelings into words; to be able to actually describe what AOII gives us.  But we can say that it is a mutual relationship, and our graduates leave behind just as much, if not more, than what they have taken.  Being in a sorority doesn’t mean what the movies tell us it means. Many can actually contravene the shallow stereotype of a bimbo sorority girl and can attest to the charity and time that members, including our graduates, donate to national and campus organizations, as well as their academic achievements.

Within Alpha Omicron Pi, our seniors leave us with time and monetary donations throughout the years; thousands of dollars and hours of commitment. They have worked and reworked the structure of this house and leave us with a solid course for future action.  But more importantly, they leave us with a legacy.  They have given us exemplary leaders and the formula for what it takes to be a leader- dedication, passion; a real love for this house.  They have laid the foundation for who we should be. They have shared and given laughs, dreams, tears, heartache, devotion, inspiration, and perseverance.  They have loved and been loved- are loved and will be loved, forever. There is no end when you are in a sorority.  There is no end to Alpha Omicron Pi.

They may be off doing amazing things at prestigious companies or graduate schools, but 4517 becomes a place in your heart once you’ve been here.  And the doors are always open for when you come back.

Congrats, graduates! We love you and wish you all the best.

A Busy Panda is a Happy Panda

We have not stopped and we don’t plan to! This past week has been a whirlwind at 4517 College Avenue- full of planning, executing, and enjoying several major events from philanthropy to the beginning Greek Week.  The energy is high and spirits are lifted, and the sun has not stopped shining, either!


Sisters get pied to Strike Out Arthritis!


This past Thursday, April 11^th marked our biannual AOPie in the Face in front of our Pi Delta Chapter house from 7 to 11p.m. Members from across the community showed support and made strides to Strike Out Arthritis by delivering sticky and sweet pies to our faces. And the girls took them like true champions-using laughter and jokes and from time to time, a little sweet revenge.  Our Philanthropy Chair, Ashley Nonemaker, orchestrated the entire event with the help of her committee and as a result we raised over $400! AOPie in the Face is often a favorite event among sisters and this semester the consensus was no different. How could it get old?




Sunday was also a full day as well as a beautiful one.  At a sunny 65 degrees, it was the perfect weather for our 2^nd Annual HonduRun in honor of our beloved sister, Kayla Libby.  Kayla was a dedicated member of the UMD branch of Students Helping Honduras and so each year we get together with SHH to co-sponsor a 5K race along with music, food, raffles, and a balloon release in her memory.  All of the proceeds went to the construction of the Benedicion Elementary School in Honduras.  The Libby family and several of Kayla’s friends from their Massachusetts hometown joined us for the event.  Participants enjoyed looking at photo albums, letters, and pairs of high heels, as well as writing Kayla notes on bright, pink balloons.

“We had a great turn out- better than last year,” said Amy Young, who helped to coordinate HonduRun. “It was great to see so many people come out to honor Kayla’s memory and support a good cause. The Libby's were happy to see how everything went."

Kayla's memory lives through us each and every day and Sunday was the perfect way to celebrate this.

And as if we did not have enough to do already, Greek Week at the University of Maryland has begun!  This semester, we are paired up with Alpha Tau Omega which is thrilling in itself since they are an awesome group of guys.  We have already attended a UMD baseball game and set up our own carnival stand on Chapel Hill for a day of service to the community. The rest of the week has much in store for us, too, including Olympics events, athletics, dumpster painting, and the highly-anticipated skit competition.  Our theme is the Travel Channel and we will be sporting colors and flags from around the world.  Greek Week is always a time to celebrate and enjoy being a member of the UMD Greek community, forging new friendships, and making a lot of noise-and it’s finally here!  Go ATOPi!

Follow us on Twitter @umdaoii to stay updated on how our week is going!

Alpha Love and FTK!

This weekend, the University of Maryland hosted a successful 4^th year of Terp Thon- a Dance Marathon program that raises money for cancer research and the Children’s Miracle Network, and prompts thousands of students to stand “for the kids;”  for those who cannot stand for themselves.  At the beginning of the semester, Pi Delta paired up with IFC fraternity Alpha Tau Omega to form a fundraising team and, by the day of the event on March 10th, had raised over $12,000!

Members of AOII sporting their "Team Yellow" shirts.

We also had several active members involved in the formation of Terp Thon from our very own chapter.  Senior Amy Young served on the executive board for the organization as the Morale Chair, and was up on stage in front of thousands teaching the signature “morale dance” that was performed at the end of the 12 hours.  She was one of the top overall fundraisers, and spoke at almost every chapter meeting about Terp Thon’s progress and why we should all be involved.  Every sister admires her dedication and enthusiasm for such a great cause and is beyond proud of the work she has done!  Not to mention, she made the cover of the UMD newspaper The Diamondback, the front of The Diamondback Online, and made an appearance on the popular website Total Frat Move.  In addition, new member and sophomore Amy Vaccaro shares a similar passion for Terp Thon, serving as captain on its advertising team and heading their video execution, as well as raising over $1,000!  And senior Brittanie Hawkes was the 3^rd highest overall fundraiser, contributing over $1,700!

Amy Vaccaro (left) and Amy Young (right)

“It’s unbelievable how far this organization has come in 4 years and I am so proud to call myself a part of it,” Brittanie said, via Facebook.  Her tireless efforts persisted until the very end; out of every participant, she raised the most money over the duration of last hour.    

In addition to non-stop music and dancing, Terp Thon also had entertainment from the UMD dance team UnBound, which feshman new member Tori Janus is a part of.  Sisters cheered proudly as she and the team performed a contemporary dance number.  And between songs and live performances, 20 "Miracle Children" joined us to share their stories, laughter and tears.  They served as reminders of why we were there and who we were standing for.  

Terp Thon raised over $306,000 and touched countless lives this year.  The sisters who participated agree that it was one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences they have had the chance to be a part of.  

Being a part of a sorority gives you the chance to develop a passion not only for your own chapter’s philanthropy, but for charity in general and for the desire to devote yourself to bettering the lives of others.  We are lucky to have organizations like Terp Thon here at UMD that give us the opportunities to really change the way we look at our own lives and to make a difference.  And we are blessed to have such dedicated sisters as role models and as encouragement to push ourselves to do more. 

Only a Life Lived For Others is a Life Worthwhile

We are excited to announce that we will be working with the UMD branch of Students Helping Honduras again this semester, and co-sponsoring the 2^nd annual HonduRun. 

Children of the village Buenos Amigos in El Progresso, Honduras

 SHH raises money to send students to poverty stricken areas of Honduras and build schools there. Last April 2012, our chapter paired up with SHH to host the first ever “HonduRun in honor of Kayla Libby”, to contribute to the cause and to recognize a sister’s life and dedication.  Kayla was an active member of SHH and had been working with them to fund an elementary school known as El Pimientera Elementary School before she passed away in Jan. 2012.  The event was a 5K that began front of the Kappa 

Alpha Order fraternity house and featured food, music, and raffles.  Members from across campus and local communities, as well as from Kayla’s hometown community in MA, came out to participate.  Together we raised over $2,000 and all of the proceeds went to the school, which was completed in the summer of 2012 and dedicated to Kayla with a plaque in her memory.  

El Pimientera Elementary School in El Progresso, Honrduras

The 2^nd annual HonduRun will take place this coming April 2013 and again will include a 5K race, music, food, and raffles. Proceeds will benefit a new project in a village in Honduras called Bendicion de Balsamo, where SHH has been building a school for 150 elementary-aged children with an overall fundraising goal of $20,000. A book sale will also take place for El Pimientera Elementary School.  

“I’m really, really excited that were doing the HonduRun again this spring,” said senior Erica Davis.  “I think it’s a really incredible way to give back to the students on this campus and the philanthropies they are involved in while also remembering our sister Kayla.”

More registration information will become available as the date approaches on the Alpha Omicron Pi and Students Helping Honduras websites: 

 www.umdaoii.wix.com/umd  

 www.umdshh.webs.com

Welcome to the Family, Spring '13!

Recruitment is: overwhelming, exhausting, anxious, exciting, chaotic, nerve-wracking.  It asks of you your time and your patience.  But the rewards are unbelievable.  Ask any Pi Delta and she will tell you that not only is it worth it, but it is an experience that truly goes unmatched.  Over these past few weekends, the Greek community at the University of Maryland has been busy with spring formal recruitment.  With rounds last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as well as this past Friday and Sunday, every Greek member and Potential New Member has been searching for a perfect fit.  And it is with enormous pride and love that we introduce our new pledge class of spring 2013!  Thirty-nine beautiful, talented girls have already made their mark on our chapter as they have been welcomed home.  Older sisters are eager to share with them the joyful experiences they have had thus far in AOII and our new girls show little hesitation in divulging in all the chapter has to offer.  Monday night, Feb. 4^th, was bid night where, following tradition, PC’13 ran from Chapel Hill to our front doors where they spent the evening having dinner and getting to know Alpha Omicron Pi- their new home.  Congratulations, ladies!  We have seen in each and every one of you the qualities desired of an AOII and love you unconditionally already!

 Pi Delta during the House and Values Tour of recruitment on Jan. 25th. 

Welcome, PC’13: Arielle Abrams, Tanya Bagheri, Clare Bailey, Rae Baron, Holly Barra, Melissa Bean, Emily Catron, Katie Cauley, Rebecca Connor, Ciara Delehanty, Maggie Doran, Maddie Dwivedi, Bethany Fincher, Maura Fries, Jody Herron, Cara Hissey, Tori Janus, Delaney Kelly, Hannah Kim, Rachel Kuff, Morgan Lash, Kelly Lawrence, Ali Mazurek, Katie McCreanor, Catherine McGrath, Katharina Mitchell, Erin O’Keefe, Joy Phifer, Colleen Phillips, Ericka Rocke, Casey Rozek, Andrea Safirstein, Jordan Sallinger, Abbey Sauber, Jillian Sikora, Klarissa Tan, Amy Vaccaro, Shaill Vasavada, Kristen Wolfe.