Alpha Phi - Michigan State University

The Ivy 2 M y name is Madalena Piedmonte '19 and I am the President of our chapter. I am elated to announce I received both the Beta Beta Chapter Scholarship and the Beta Beta Class of 1963 40th Anniversary Scholarship from the Alpha Phi Foundation. I am inspired by these generous donations from our alumnae, Susan Sherratt '77 and Karen Kolschowsy '60. I am incredibly thankful to be a part of such an amazing group of women. Our chapter is excited to be in person again this fall. Before classes began, we took a night off from recruitment practice to enjoy a Lugnuts baseball game together. The Executive Board worked hard all summer planning a fall semester filled with sisterhood bonding and memory-making opportunities. With our commitment to safely recruiting new members, Panhellenic Council decided to introduce and utilize a hybrid format this year. Fortunately, we were able to hold Bid Day in person at our chapter house to provide a true sense of what it means to be a sister of Alpha Phi. Our theme this year was inspired from "We're Not Really Strangers," a social media movement turned card game which challenges players to go beyond surface-level conversations and truly connect with peers. With that, we chose the theme "We're Really Sisters" to break the ice and get to know our potential sisters. Although this was a deeper Bid Day theme than we have done in the past, we found it was perfect for our chapter because it promoted deep friendship and connections. We incorporated a mix of retro and modern décor with red and white accents. There was a big display of red candy, a popcorn machine, a red ball pit, and scattered red roses. Our Executive Board's goal during the pandemic has been to promote positive mental health and lasting friendship, and our Bid Day theme proved to be a great way to introduce our new members to those values. Now moving to a hybrid format, our new and current members have many events to look forward to. As we missed out on so much from last year, we have increased the number of activities we have to offer our members. Our Vice President of Health, Wellness, and Accountability is planning a 5K walk/run to promote heart health and education called "Move your Phi't." My hope is this becomes an annual tradition. Not only will it promote heart health, but it will also improve our participants' health. Our Sisterhood Chairman is planning a "Back in Black" girls night, which consists of renting out a local restaurant and catching up with each other. Additionally, we are planning "Grab a Date" to a Pistons game. These new events—accompanied with traditional events such as Hayride, Formal, and Candlelight—set the stage for a happy, healthy, and busy year. AOE, Chapter President Madalena Piedmonte '19 Sisters Focus on Deeper Connections during Recruitment Transition to Hybrid Format Allows for More Chapter Events "At the Alpha Phi house, sharing a room with a snorer, a night owl, a study maniac, a few cheerleaders, a fellow lilac lover, or your lifelong-to- be best friends was a great, immersive way to really get to know so many wonderful, fun, and friendly women," Cindy said. "That impact has lasted a lifetime." Cindy remembers so many fun times with her sisters. Some of her best memories include Greek Sings, pledge raids, and dancing. It was not all fun and games, though. Cindy served as Scholarship Chairman and encouraged strong academic standards in the house. Beta Beta always made the list of top academic performers! "Alpha Phi truly provided a solid foundation for who I am today," Cindy said. "It was during college sorority days where I gained confidence, learned to be more accepting, became open to new adventures, and knew I had to become the best version of myself." These lessons proved invaluable throughout her 30-year career in communications at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. "It may sound corny, but working with scientists and students who are seeking to better understand and protect the planet for your children and their children—well, it just does not get any better," Cindy said. "My communications degree from MSU provided a strong foundation for my future career path." A perk of Cindy's job at Scripps was meeting many charismatic and influential people. She met former Presidents Ford, Clinton, and Obama, and they were just the start! She also met Wally Schirra, Jane Goodall, Walter Cronkite, and Jacques Cousteau. Cindy loves to explore and feels blessed her career gave her the opportunity to do so. She went scuba diving on research expeditions and traveled to oceanographic research institutions around the world. Outside of work, her love of travel has led her to an abundance of destinations. "My husband, Michael, and I are fairly recent retirees, so one month after saying goodbye to the work world and shortly before COVID struck, we went on a yearlong wanderlust adventure, chasing the sun and, of course, the water," Cindy said. Cindy and Michael have traveled to Malta, Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Romania. Their favorite countries are Greece and Croatia. They managed to visit eight countries in 2020 right before the pandemic hit. "My new life motto is: Do it now or forever wish you had," Cindy said. Cindy's hobbies include all things travel. She loves to read about new destinations and plan her trips, and she will often connect with friends and family while traveling. She also loves to sleep, drink wine, and spend time with Michael, the funniest person she knows. You can connect with Cindy at cindy2clark@gmail.com. Cindy Clark Mishler '76 (Continued from page 1)

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