Pi Beta Phi - University of Illinois

B etween the warm welcome she received from the women of Illinois Zeta and the beautiful English Tudor chapter house on Wright St., Eileen Conway Seitz '78 was excited about pledging Pi Beta Phi. Eileen has been committed to fulfilling Pi Phi's mission ever since, especially when it comes to enriching lives through service. Eileen started Giving Smiles, a nonprofit charity she founded that provides dental care to low-income residents in middle Tennessee. Pi Beta Phi was proud to recognize Eileen by awarding her with the Carolyn Helman Lichtenberg Crest Award for Community Service. "I am so honored to just be nominated and thrilled to be awarded a Carolyn Helman Lichtenberg Crest Award for Community Service award," Eileen said. "It is even more special to me because I was nominated by my sisters in the Nashville, Tennessee, Alumnae Club who know me well." The caring spirit and thoughtfulness of Eileen's Illinois Zeta sisters and all the women she's met in the Nashville Alumnae Club have inspired her through their service. Eileen's favorite memories of U of I were attending Illinois Zeta's winter formals; she loved staying up late with her sisters the night before to make Christmas stockings for their dates and still has the 1979 stocking she made for Paul Seitz, who is now her husband of 38 years. The Pi Phi Christmas traditions have continued for Eileen with the Nashville Alumnae Club. "Every year, for over 50 years, the Nashville Alumnae Club organizes a huge fundraiser called Christmas Village, which has become a huge Nashville tradition," Eileen said. "Volunteering together brings us close for a common cause. I served as president and held a few other positions in the alum club as well." Eileen is thankful to have so many Pi Phi sisters who share her passion for serving others. After graduating from dental school, Eileen worked in a private dental practice, volunteered at local and international missions and served at several nonprofit dental clinics every year. She left her private practice in 2016 to start Giving Smiles. "The experiences of treating patients in the inner city of Chicago, rural Appalachia or villages in Haiti were just some of the many experiences that inspired me to start a dental charity," Eileen said. "Every day, I saw people with toothaches who had no place to get affordable treatment, and patients who were too embarrassed to smile because of missing or damaged teeth." Giving Smiles relies on donations and volunteers and does not receive federal or state funding. She started Giving Smiles in a refurbished mobile clinic bus with two dental chairs and dental equipment that she purchased in 2016. Eileen receives no compensation and drives the clinic bus to areas of need around Nashville and middle Tennessee where qualifying patients receive care for little to no cost. "Every patient we see has an unfortunate story. We travel to a free food pantry, shelters, churches in small towns and see many uninsured and struggling Nashville musicians," Eileen said. "Recently, I also opened a nonprofit brick and mortar office where patients can always find us. We serve more than five counties in Tennessee where there are no other low-cost dental clinics for the working poor." It never gets old for Eileen to bring smiles to her patients' faces. "Volunteering at the nonprofit is so rewarding," Eileen said. "Every day we receive hugs and tears of joy when we give back their smiles!" You can connect with Eileen at conwayseitz83@gmail.com. PAGE 2 Giving Smiles Want to be featured in your chapter newsletter? Or know a sister whose story should be shared? EILEEN CONWAY SEITZ AWARDED CAROLYN HELMAN LICHTENBERG CREST AWARD FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE Let us know at pibetaphi.org/member-news.

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