Alpha Phi - Michigan State University

BETA BETA CHAPTER of ALPHA PHI at MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Spring 2023 The Ivy The Ivy I n October 2022, we gathered 250 women to celebrate 100 years of Beta Beta sisterhood, leadership, and love. We also honored the Feronians as the first women's organization at Michigan State University more than 100 years ago. And we pledged to keep our organization going strong into the next century. None of us met the women who started the Feronian Society, nor the women who formed Beta Beta. These women understood that if you are blazing a trail, it is not for yourself. The greater purpose is to create a path for others to follow. How fortunate we are to follow these leaders. BLAZING THE TRAIL FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS When the Centennial Celebration Committee began working on the celebration, we wanted to honor past generations that invested in us; we wanted to pay it forward. Current Beta Beta members benefit from meaningful investments. Due to the construction of 616 and significant renovations to the chapter house, they live in a beautiful and well-maintained home. In addition, with the investment of several generous donors, Beta Beta members benefit from two endowed educational scholarships. A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR OUR NEXT CENTURY We decided the next investment should be leadership development. The goal is to support our members in the classroom, help them as they choose a career, and enable them to succeed in a work environment immediately after graduation. Before selecting our approach, we did some research. We spoke with almost a dozen corporate Human Resources professionals. We asked them if we were to offer a leadership program, what would they recommend? What kind of program would help our members land jobs or make their learning paths at college more fruitful? Beyond helping collegians set up their LinkedIn pages and finesse their social media, they all recommended that we help our members understand their strengths. They said that when they ask recent graduates to describe their strengths, most do not have a good answer. They indicated this could hold a student back in an interview and on the job. EQUIPPING BETA BETAS TO NAVIGATE CHALLENGING TIMES We want to start now to equip new members with the skills and techniques needed for a better future. Beginning this summer, we will create the Centennial Leadership Program and prepare to implement it this autumn. A highlight of this endeavor will be the CliftonStrengths program, which will help members identify and build on their own talents. "CliftonStrengths for Students helps students grow confident in who they are and how they can contribute to the world. It's an educational program that uses Gallup's world-renowned CliftonStrengths assessment to measure 34 research-validated talent themes. It guides the development of those talents into strengths with resources tailored for students. Through CliftonStrengths, more than 22 million people know what makes them unique and how their strengths shape their approach to work, decision-making, relationships, and more. By focusing on what students do best, students can make better choices in the classroom, support their own well-being, and prepare for the workplaces of tomorrow." PLEASE JOIN OUR TEAM! Now that we have created the program, we are looking for volunteers to help us plan and launch. If you would like to join the Centennial Leadership Committee, please contact Lorie Fiesselmann Dietz '75 at loriefdietz@comcast.net or Joy Sayed Murray '77 at ejoymurray@gmail.com. BE A LEADER, INVEST IN A LEADER To support this effort, we also need to build the fund that will endow this program. We humbly ask you to join us in supporting the next century. Just think, if 100 women gave an average of $100 each, then we would be $10,000 closer to our goal of endowing a class of 50 Beta Betas. Scan this QR to make your investment. Our fund is a 501(c)(3) foundation formed to underwrite the Beta Beta Centennial Leadership Program. So far, we have raised almost $31,000, or 61%, of our $50,000 endowment goal. Thank you to the generous Beta Betas who have already contributed. We are almost to our goal! Please consider investing in our future. AOE, Lorie Fiesselmann '75 loriefdietz@comcast.net Joy Sayed Murray '77 ejoymurray@gmail.com Building the Next Century of Beta Beta Scan Me To Give! WILL YOU JOIN US?

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