Gamma Phi Beta - University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Gamma Phi Beta During her time in Pi Chapter, Karen held the office of treasurer during both her sophomore and junior years. On top of her involvement with Gamma Phi, she was also a member of the marching band, like some of her other Pi Chapter sisters, where she played snare drum in the drumline for several years. "Having others in the house sharing those wonderful memories was another bond that was very special," Karen said. She says that the most special memories were the lasting friendships that she gained from the Gamma Phi sisterhood. The types of friendships that pick right back up after being apart for years, without explanation or apologies. "Having surrounded myself with sisterhood, diversity, and our beliefs provided me a foundation that I use in every aspect of my life," Karen said. "Whether it be learned skills or life lessons, Gamma Phi was and is a cornerstone of my life of which I am extremely proud!" Karen graduated from the University of Nebraska Lincoln with a degree in education in 1983. Karen was absent from Pi Chapter for several years after she graduated as she went through trying times during her school years surviving both physical and mental abuse. "I hadn't personally addressed this," Karen said, "and to move on in life, Gamma Phi was the final step in my healing journey." In 2009, she began volunteering as a chapter advisor, which was a turning point in her life. For the past 10 years, she has been an active participant in Lincoln's fight against domestic violence through her service as a board member and past chair of Voices of Hope. Karen served as a chapter advisor for five years and has been a member of the corporation board since 2009. She will leave the board later this year to open opportunities for others, but she still has a few pieces of advice to offer the ladies of Pi Chapter! 1. Have confidence in yourself. Picture what you want in your mind and go for it. Don't let anything stand in your way to achievement, especially yourself! 2. Learn how to communicate (speaking AND listening) and develop relationships with people. These will be skills that will differentiate you from others in the future. 3. Understanding the "whys" in life, whether it be in your daily activities or your future career decisions, will help enable you to see what drives people, decisions, and outcomes in life and your career. Too many people just "do," and it takes special people to understand why they do what they do. 4. Be passionate in everything you do and always work harder than everyone else. Ask to do more than what is expected of you and only expect the satisfaction of learning. 5. Understand that taking risks in life is normal, and so is failing. Always ask yourself, "what did I learn today and how will I improve myself tomorrow?" As for the current undergraduate chapter, Karen had only good things to say. "They are intelligent, driven, beautiful, and diverse women just like we were at their age," Karen said. "I'm so impressed with each one of them and am so proud to tell people I'm a Gamma Phi Beta!" Outside of her continued involvement with Pi Chapter, Karen works at Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. in Lincoln. "I had been accepted into law school shortly after joining Ameritas," Karen said. "After much consideration, I decided to stay on and try my hand at a career." Almost 36 years and over 12 positions later, she went from being a night shift dental claims examiner to leading the company's $1.5 billion U.S. dental and vision insurance company as the Executive Vice President, Group Division. Her sister, Lisa, is retired from Millard Public Schools and lives in Mineola, Iowa. After spending the past 32 years traveling around the country nearly every week for work, Karen has gained a greater appreciation for the song There Is No Place Like Nebraska that she played year after year in marching band. You can reach Karen at gustinkm@aol.com. Moonstruck (Continued from page 1) CHAPTER OFFICERS President Chloe Hardin '16 pichapterpresident@gmail.com Omaha, Neb. Administrative Vice President Olivia Stanek '17 Omaha, Neb. Financial Vice President Olivia Coffey '17 Lincoln, Neb. Membership Vice President Alisha Roarty '16 Elkhorn, Neb. Education Vice President Alexandria Schroder '17 Holdrege, Neb. Public Relations Vice President Kathryn Hammer '17 Sioux Falls, S.D. Panhellenic Affairs Vice President Ellie Hobelman '16 Lexington, Neb. Executive members Ellie Hobelman '16, Aly Schroder '17, Olivia Stanek '17, Chloe Hardin '16, Olivia Coffey '17, Alisha Roarty '16, and Kathryn Hammer '17 at the REAL Leadership Conference, which took place January 25-27 in Chicago. (Right) Galentine's Day sisterhood event with Delta Gamma. (Middle) Anna Suppes '18, Anna Watson '18, and Sarah Qualsett '18 at the Galentine's Day sisterhood event with Delta Gamma. (Left) Maddie Huppert '18 with friends from ΔΓ.

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