Chi Omega - University of Wisconsin

Nu Chapter of Chi Omega at the University of Wisconsin • Fall 2021 THE NU'S Χ Ω A s always, autumn in Wisconsin was beautiful with all its color and majesty! I met with my family in Door County to enjoy the change of the seasons and all this beautiful area has to offer. We ventured to Northport to drive down the curvy road and stopped for a chilly outdoor lunch at Charlie's Smokehouse accompanied with smoked fish and locally brewed IPAs. It was a lovely reminder of how breathtaking Wisconsin is at this time of the year. This fall, Chi Omega at UW-Madison is off to a positive start. Members have enjoyed using the backyard patio for barbecues and other social gatherings. Now that many events are in person, we held a successful recruitment process as Nu Chapter initiated 92 new members this December. We continue following safety protocols to ensure the health of each sister, and we are fortunate to have 25 members now living in the Chapter House; we anticipate the house will be full at the start of the 2022 fall semester. Also, we are thrilled that Chi Omega traditions have returned, including Monday night meetings, singing songs together (like "Shapes"), and resuming social events. Chi Omega continues to be the largest fraternity with its 181 active collegiate chapters. While overall membership is down slightly, Chi O new membership numbers are increasing. As many of you know, Chi Omega National is working hard to improve the sisterhood experience for all its members. It formed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee, and the recommendations they made are now being integrated into our Chi Omega Chapters. Women interested in joining can now submit their own self-recommendation on the Chi Omega website. The Eleusis also added three active members to the publication to create a better voice for the active member experience. Full details of the committee and their recommendations are on the front page of the Chi Omega website at chiomega.com. To provide every member a chance to thrive and succeed, the Chi Omega Foundation created a new Undergraduate Support Fund. These need- based grants help collegiate members cover educational expenses. This program was created with $500,000 from the Foundation and will be the focus of future fundraising to increase the fund and make yearly grants to active members. The wellbeing of each of our members is a top priority; Chi Omega National continues to focus on the wellness and safety of our members by providing regular educational sessions at the Chapter about the use of alcohol and understanding personal safety issues while on campus. We thank our alumnae for staying connected and loyal through these unprecedented times. Collectively, we have proven that, no matter the circumstances, we can all be proud members of Chi Omega. Nu Chapter remains vibrant, and we will see our fraternity continue to positively address all our current challenges. Loyally Yours in Chi Omega, Kathy Suckow Murtfeldt '72 House Corporation VP and Project Manager (408) 384-2571 | kmurtfeldt@icloud.com C hi Omega sisters sang, "Consider yourself part of the furniture," during the Oliver- themed recruitment in 1974. "I'll be the rug!" sang Ann Stover '74, who felt so comfortable that she lay on the floor. She knew she had found a place where she belonged. Chi Omega has enriched Ann's life tremendously. "I've celebrated wonderful times with sisters, and we've held each other up during difficult times," she shared. "I don't know where I'd be today without my sisters!" One of Ann's highlights of living in Madison was pledging as a freshman and living in the True Resilience A Wonderful Time at Chi O Nu Chapter Continues to Thrive Despite COVID-19 Setbacks Ann Stover '74 on the Importance of Staying Connected (Continued on page 3) Chapter House for three years. Her other favorite collegiate memories included attending themed parties and football games, studying at the KK, baked Alaska, Annie May and Mrs. Olson, being on several committees, and trips to Florida. Her Chi O memories continue as an alumna. "I've had the pleasure of staying involved with Nu sisters and sisters from around the country as part of our alumna group in Milwaukee. We kept in touch on Zoom during the pandemic, and we even held our annual scholarship fundraiser virtually," Ann said.

• Cover