Pi Beta Phi - University of Mississippi

What attracted you to Pi Beta Phi? When I arrived on campus, I didn't have any existing sorority connections or preconceived ideas about which group I wanted to join. I entered recruitment with an open mind and met a few Pi Phi members I connected with. I knew I had found my home. The close group of friends I made kept me involved and connected to this day. There are eight or nine of us, friends since freshman year of college, who have a group chat—and we talk daily! What makes you proud to be a Pi Phi alumna? I am proud of Pi Phi for being a source of such strong friendships. The women of the Mississippi Beta Chapter are genuine and true to themselves, and it shows. The chapter is not just made up of one stereotype but is open to women from different areas of the country and all kinds of friend groups. Everybody can find their friends in that chapter because there are so many different personalities, activities and interests. What are some of your favorite memories from the chapter house? My sweetest memories are centered around normal things like hanging out while getting ready for football games or watching something in the TV room in the evenings. It's the ordinary things that make the house feel like a home. How have you served the Mississippi Beta Chapter? As an undergraduate, I served as secretary and was elected Chapter President in my junior year. As an alumna, I started volunteering right after I graduated. I served at the local level as an alumna advisor, and I've been fortunate enough to continue my volunteer experience with the Fraternity as an elected officer. Previously I was the Region 6 Programming Specialist, then the Region 6 Collegiate Regional Director and then the Grand Vice President Collegians. I now serve as the Grand Vice President Finance/Housing for the International Fraternity, and I also serve as Ex-Officio member on the Fraternity Housing Corporation Board. As such, I've been able to see firsthand the benefit of the facilities for our collegiate members! They grow, mature and learn to share their space with others, which is an experience you don't get in an apartment with just one or two people. Why is it important for alumnae to give back? As alumnae, the most important things we can give are our time and treasure. That could be volunteering or giving funds to housing campaigns. I always remember there was someone during my college years who poured their time and their treasure to make the chapter what it was then. It's important to give back so the pattern is sustained. There are a lot of things pulling at our members' funds today, so in order to maintain the things that are near and dear to your heart, we have to be able to give some of ourselves back to Pi Beta Phi. How did Pi Phi shape who you are today? There are not a lot of other places and opportunities available to undergraduate women to lead a group of 200+ people and develop leadership skills. I tell a lot of our chapter vice presidents who manage budgets, "This is an awesome résumé builder! There's nowhere else that you're going to be able to walk into a place as an employee and say, 'I managed a budget of over $2 million.'" That responsibility I had in college has made me a better professional and volunteer. Emory and her family live in Rossville, Tennessee, right outside of Memphis. She has a 15-year-old, Emma, a 12-year-old, Anna Claire, and a five-year-old son, Walker. Anna Claire plays competitive softball, so most of their weekends are spent at the softball field. "We are also season ticket holders for Oxford baseball," she shared. "Baseball has become the thing we do as a family. Life pulls us away, but for those few hours at the park, it's great to be able to hang out together." If you'd like to contact Emory, you can send an email to emoryeison@gmail.com. The MS Beta Post PAGE 4 "The social connections you make will be valuable for the rest of your life." W e are thrilled to be back at school with all our sisters! The semester had a busy start with sisterhood events, including Dinner Around the World, Build a Bear, social activities and game days. Being back in the house after a long summer away reminds me of how grateful we are to have a space we can call our own. In the spring, we hosted Pi Phi Pizookies, a fundraiser for Read > Lead > Achieve ® . This semester, we will be hosting Lemonade for Literacy and our largest philanthropy event of the year, Wing Ching! Our New Members are excited to participate in CASA Encore, a dance competition, and Panhellenic's largest fundraising event. In August, we had an incredibly successful recruitment period. We were thrilled to host recruitment at home for the first time since 2019. Our members were so proud to show each Potential New Member our beautifully renovated house! We welcomed 227 new angels as they ran home to 642 Rebel Drive, and we couldn't be happier! We have loved seeing our record-breaking New Member class build relationships and get involved in Mississippi Beta. Whether they were participating in Bid Day, enjoying the New Member Retreat or just hanging out and studying at the house, seeing their smiling faces every day reminds us that we have made friendships that will last a lifetime! They have so much to look forward to in the coming weeks, including getting a Pi Phi Phamily during big/little reveal and becoming fully initiated members in October. We are so proud of our scholarly angels! Last semester, we boasted a 3.32 GPA, which placed us fourth out of 33 fraternity/sorority chapters on campus. We can't wait to see what new achievements the rest of the semester holds for Mississippi Beta! In Pi Phi, Izzie Weatherington '20 Chapter President msbetacp@gmail.com This Fall, There's Room for All! Chapter Welcomes Record-Breaking New Member Class Emily Clark '22 and Claire Fischer '22 wait for their newest sisters to run home on Bid Day! Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity Emory McGinnis Eison '99 Shares Her Volunteer Journey

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