I can honestly say that being an Alpha Gam has changed my life and made me the woman I am today. I’ll take this time to note what I am thankful for in regards to Alpha Gamma Delta. One is not more important than the other and if not all would have happened how and when they did, I might not be at this point in my life now.

I am thankful for:

• a school that had a Greek system;
• Alpha Gamma Delta being on my campus;
• Alpha Gamma Delta being such a diverse group of young women who were willing to accept me for me;
• the older sisters who took my under my wing and showed me a true “Greek” experience;
• the younger sisters who allowed me to do the same for them;
• Alpha Gamma Delta challenging me to be leader;
• holding positions that sometimes were just right for me and others that pushed me out of my comfort zone;
• Alpha Gamma Delta having a Purpose that I could respect and live by;
• for all the other Greek members that I met and developed friendships with;
• for the small group of women who fought so hard to keep our chapter alive;
• for the chapter giving me a reason to stand up and fight for something;
• an alumnae group who was so welcoming when I entered the real world;
• an alumnae group who had positions where I could be actively involved;
• a team of officers who are dedicated and support me in my efforts as alumnae president;
• for the alumnae members who still care about Alpha Gamma Delta and participate in our monthly events;
• for alumnae members who serve in International roles and continue to be a guide in the world of Alpha Gamma Delta;
• for alumnae opportunities that continue to challenge me and make me a better person;
• for a collegiate chapter that has grown so much over the last few years and has worked hard to keep Zeta Delta alive and well;
• for collegians who have allowed me to advise them and share my experiences and opinions with;
• for Zeta Delta’s chapter advisor who continues to mold the young women who one day will become alumnae.

Thank you isn’t enough for 13 years of life and experiences. But, I will say it anyway. Thank you Alpha Gamma Delta!

If you were part of a sorority, you don’t easily forget recruitment. The long days and nights, preparing so your parties are just perfect, your tired feet, trying so hard to remember the face with the name and the list goes on.

I still think about recruitment when I am planning a work function or meeting someone new. I always remember to be at the same level as them and don’t bombard them. Somethings just stay ingrained in your head forever.

And while I am no longer a collegiate going through recruitment, I still get excited when this time of year comes around. I say a little prayer for my chapter on a successful rush. I cross my fingers that their parties will go well and preference ceremonies will be filled with girls they can’t wait to call their sisters. And I wait anxiously to hear the results from Bid Day. Yesterday, was the day of waiting.

The news was broadcast in the typical 2010 way — Facebook. I was so incredibly proud and excited to read that the Zeta Delta chapter at Towson University has 30 new members. The number is astounding. It blew me away. But it is something that is very well-deserved. Since 1979, I know Zeta Deltas have been working hard to make the chapter a home for collegiate women. More than 500 women have come together to live a purpose and be part of the group that will last for a lifetime. Yesterday that commitment was renewed as 30 new members ran across Burdick Field and joined their new sisters for the very first time.

Zeta Delta is very much alive and well in 2010. I am so happy that this chapter has overcome the odds and made it to the top. Congratulations Zeta Delta! Wear your spriit and sisterhood proudly on campus every day, but especially today!

This week thousands of Alpha Gams will be heading to Tampa for the 2010 Convention. Sadly, I will not be among these women. It seems as though an abundance of time and money is never around when Convention time rolls around. Still, that doesn’t mean I won’t spend some time reflecting on this year’s theme, “Navigating with Purpose.”

I am a list-maker and a goal-setter. I make lists and goals for the day, the week, the year. Lists and goals help me function and achieve everything I want to. The year is half over and I am proud of the goals I already achieved —participated in Towson University’s graduation ceremony where I received my Masters in Information Technology, ran my first 5K and elected as president of the Chesapeake Alumnae Chapter for the second time in 10 years. Little, more easily achieved goals are written down or inscribed in my memory for the second half of the year. More long-term goals are still being sorted out and explored. One would say that I am clearly “navigating with purpose.” And that purpose would be to make me a well-rounded daughter, sister, coworker, friend and woman.

But navigating with a purpose isn’t always easy. Daily distractions can get us off course and sometimes finding the road back to the purpose is hard. Sometimes I wish I had a compass in my pocket to help me get back on the right road. But when I think about it, I do have a compass. It just is not as tangible as the instrument we all think of when we hear the word “compass.”

My compass in life is the values and morals I was raised on, the loyalty and dedication I put into anything I do and the ability and need to put others before myself. Some of my morals and values were engrained in me from a very young age. Others were redefined or discovered in college when I joined Alpha Gamma Delta. Our Purpose and the experiences I encountered as a collegiate helped mold and define the sister, friend, coworker and leader I am today. Whenever I feel as if I am off my course and need a little navigation, I can reflect back to those times. Reflecting on those memories will steer me back on course and that purpose I once wasn’t so sure of will be pointing me in the right direction.

I don’t know what the rest of 2010 will hold for me, but one thing is for sure. I will be navigating with purpose!

Summer unofficially began this weekend. High school seniors are planning for their graduations and senior week. Soon they will be thinking ahead to August when they go off to college. Some will touch base with their roommates and peruse their school’s website to find groups they can join. You may even know a female who is contemplating joining a sorority. You can do several things to help young ladies as they consider Greek life.

If you know a young lady who is thinking about going through Fall recruitment, find out if Alpha Gamma Delta is on her campus. If so, fill out a Recruitment Information Form (RIF) or Legacy Introduction Form (LIF). This will help the Alpha Gamma Delta chapter on her campus learn more about her before she walks into that first recruitment party.

Talk to her about your experience as an Alpha Gam. Talk to her about the leadership, scholarship and philanthropy opportunities that are available through Alpha Gamma Delta. Pull out your photo albums and scrapbooks and share with her your memories of sisterhood.

Most importantly, talk to her about hazing. Hazing still exists on college campuses today, especially among fraternities and sororities. It can be mental or physical and can have an impact on college coeds for years to come. Encourage her to join a group that has an anti-hazing policy and let her know what she can do if she encounters hazing.

Taking a small amount of time during the summer to do these things can help make a young lady’s fall recruitment a memorable and successful experience.

Log in to the Members Services section of www.alphagammadelta.org and click on Recruitment Information to find a a copy of the RIF and LIF. For more information about hazing, read the Spring 2010 Quarterly.

On May 2, we held our Senior Rededication Ceremony. As I read words that I heard during my initiation ceremony 13 year ago, I was transported back to that day and the incredible amount of dedication I had for the decision I was making. As I walked into the ceremony, I promised myself that I would be an Alpha Gam for life and always give 100 percent to a group that had standards I valued so much.

I believe that I lived up to that promise. Over the years, there were challenges. It required to me to think outside the box, stand up for what I believe in and spend a lot of time improving a group that I hope will be around for many generations to come.

As an alumnae, I continue to give that 100 percent, to fight for a group a women I believe in. It isn’t always easy, but it makes me the strong, independent woman I am today.

On this day, we also held our Officer Installations. For the second time in five years, I was installed at the president of the Chesapeake Alumnae Chapter. My heart swelled with love as I took my oath. I enjoy this position. I enjoy being a leader - something I learned how to do through Alpha Gamma Delta. I have high goals for our alumnae chapter during the next two years. The most important is that we always create a welcoming environment for those women who are looking for alumnae chapter, a place where they feel at home and can renew their love for Alpha Gamma Delta.