Pi Beta Phi - University of Georgia

p. 3 ΠBΦ A fter more than 20 years since her initiation, Ashleigh Johnson Waits '98 is still guided by Pi Beta Phi's core values. ey helped shape the person she is today and inspired her to pay it forward for A New Vision Built on Great Tradition – e Campaign for Georgia Alpha. "Pi Beta Phi has provided me with some wonderful opportunities while enriching me personally, and it's important to me that other women are afforded these same amazing experiences within our sisterhood." Contributing to the capital campaign is a way for Ashleigh to make certain the same life-changing opportunities she received are available for generations to come. Future sisters will have their own unique and meaningful experiences with Georgia Alpha — experiences that will instill in them the same altruistic values as Ashleigh holds. "I have met some amazing women while serving the Georgia Alpha Chapter, and they have guided me to fulfill greater potential than I thought I had while allowing me to share my passion and experience to help other Pi Phi sisters achieve amazing heights." Ashleigh understands the importance of honoring the sisterhood by supporting the campaign and is hopeful it will ensure the continued engagement of remarkable women on the UGA campus. "While the Georgia Alpha house is beautiful, it is starting to fall behind the other houses on campus. As we strive to be the best we can be, we must continue to elevate our presence on campus to ensure we engage with the most amazing women possible." Pi Beta Phi's values frequently make themselves known in everyday places in Ashleigh's life, in both personal and professional settings. When stepping outside the usual professional atmosphere, a new friend and Ashleigh recently discussed the importance and meaning of Sincere Friendship. "Life isn't all about being polite but instead being true to who you are and being sincere with others." Being true to herself and in honor of her ΠBΦ sisters, Ashleigh knew she wanted to help write the next chapter of Georgia Alpha. Ashleigh and her husband recently started the next chapter of their own life and welcomed their first child. They live in Woodstock, Georgia. You can reach Ashleigh at ashleigh.waits@ gmail.com to find out more about why she supports the future of Pi Beta Phi at UGA. Positive Pi Phi Experience Inspires Ashleigh Johnson Waits '98 to Give Back to Georgia Alpha Vaneesa Williams Little '74 Ensures Georgia Alpha Remains Competitive Throughout 21st Century D espite being shy and reserved as a freshman, Vaneesa Williams Little '74 went through recruitment and opened herself to the opportunity of joining a sorority. She had never even heard of Pi Beta Phi until her cousin's wife offered to write her a letter of recommendation; however, once she visited the house and talked to the Georgia Alpha women, everything fell into place. "It wasn't hard for me to talk to the women who took me around. Every time I returned, I always looked for Patrice Argo Nelson '73, and she seemed to look for me," Vaneesa said. "Other than that, my choice was somewhat shallow: I wanted a house that was air-conditioned!" Like many undergraduates, Vaneesa wanted a comfortable and modern place to call home for the next four years. "Many of the other chapter houses in the mid-'70s were lacking air-conditioning, and coming from below the gnat line, that was unacceptable," she stated. Reflecting on what was most important for her in terms of housing as an undergraduate, coupled with her experience serving on Georgia Alpha's Chapter House Corporation, Vaneesa knew she had to support A New Vision Built on Great Tradition – The Campaign for Georgia Alpha. "I understand why we must raise money to keep our house up to date and competitive," Vaneesa said. "It was one of the most meaningful volunteer activities of which I've ever been a part. It was, however, a difficult and extremely frustrating job because we never had enough money to fix/repair/ acquire everything we needed for the Pi Phi house." Having toured all the sorority houses on Milledge Ave., Vaneesa knows that many sorority houses at UGA have recently been renovated or remodeled, and it's necessary for Georgia Alpha to follow suit. "Although our Pi Phi home was renovated and modernized in the late '60s, it was not designed to accommodate the overwhelming number of members it houses today. The facility lacks space for all members to assemble at the same time, and it desperately needs dedicated, quiet study space." "If we, as Georgia Alpha alumnae, do not donate to update our house and make our chapter competitive for the future, no one else will. We have to support the chapter we've known and loved to make it into a home that will convince prospective New Members they want to belong at 886 S. Milledge Ave.," she stated. "We are building on the work of women who were farsighted enough in the 1960s to renovate and enlarge the old house so that it could sleep 68 women. That refurbishment brought us through to the 21st century, but we need to continue their work to create a house that will carry Pi Phi forward into the 22nd century." Following her career in library science, Vaneesa has enjoyed traveling to all parts of the world with her husband, Allan. You can connect with Vaneesa at allanrufusiii@aol.com.

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