Delta Delta Delta - University of Alabama

M arLa Stephenson Sayers '57 has many great memories of her college years at Alabama, experiences as a Tri Delt and outside the walls of the Chapter House. MarLa spent her freshman year at Mt. Vernon Junior College in Washington, D.C., transferring to the University of Alabama her sophomore year. Many of her high school friends had already pledged Tri Delta, including four of her close friends, and encouraged MarLa to pledge. She felt Tri Delta was a good fit and joined her sophomore year. Her time at Tri Delta was filled with many experiences that would help MarLa become the woman she is today. The goals set for Tri Delta sisters, such as love, friendship, and self-sacrifice, helped to mold MarLa's own goals and life. Her own aspirations led her to many leadership positions at Alabama, including acting as social chairman for Tri Delta. She also served as president of the women's student government her senior year at Alabama, where she was influenced by Dean Sarah Healy, who encouraged her to be a better leader. MarLa had the honor of being chosen to act as an honorary lieutenant colonel sponsor for the Air Force and marched with the Corps of Cadets. She was also voted as University of Alabama's Homecoming queen in 1958. While MarLa enjoyed her time at Alabama, she also enjoyed time off campus widening her view of the world. She spent one summer at the University of Mexico and another summer in the interior of Paraguay on a World Council of Churches ecumenical trip, building a three- room hospital. She went to a national Tri Delt leadership conference one year, where she enjoyed broadening her horizons by seeing what other chapters were doing around the country. She encourages collegians to broaden their own horizons and put all they have into life. "Just like anything in life, what you put into it makes what you get out if it more interesting, prepares you for life; it gives you a more diversified life and education." MarLa fondly looks back on her years as a Delta Mu, including thinking about her advisor Francis Samuel Copeland '29, who advised members to accomplish great things in life. She is thankful for the lifelong friends she made at Tri Delt and continues to give back to Delta Mu. She served as House Corporation president and local chapter alumnae page 3 Delta Delta Delta Cassie Price '12, Cat Kelly '12, and Cece Sparrow '12 enjoy the spring weather. W hile Annette Nevin Shelby '59 only had two years to enjoy being an active member of Delta Delta Delta at Alabama, her pride in being a Tri Delta has lasted much longer. After transferring to the University of Alabama her junior year, Annette joined Tri Delta: "It just seemed to fit." She knew the Chapter had a reputation as a very good sorority and took pride in being a member for that reason. During her time in the Delta Mu Chapter, Annette served as activities chairman her senior year. Annette remembers several alumnae who had a positive impact on her, specifically Francis Samuel Copeland '29, Ozzie Belle Pope Herrod, Brenau '36, and Carolyn Petry Dominick '36. Annette remembers these ladies having a great love for Tri Delta and were there whenever the actives needed them. They came to recruitment events and cared greatly about the pledges. She kept in touch with these women over the years. While Annette enjoyed being a Delta Mu and living at the Chapter House, she participated in other activities, as well. She was a part of the intercollegiate traveling debate squad and a member of academic and service honors societies, including Phi Beta Kappa and Mortar Board. Her college years prepared Annette for a very successful post-graduate life. After earning a bachelor of arts and master of arts in speech communication from Alabama, she went on to earn a Ph.D. in organizational communication from Louisiana State University. Annette taught at Alabama for ten years in communications and, later, the business school. She then moved to Washington, D.C., and taught at Georgetown Business School for 20 years. Annette became the first woman to be tenured and the first woman to be promoted to Full Professor in the Georgetown Business School. When she retired, she was named professor emerita at Georgetown, another first for a woman. Annette has stayed in touch with the Chapter over the years, serving as recruitment advisor for a number of years. She attends events regularly, including Founders Day and Pansy Breakfast. With her vested interest in Tri Delta, Annette has advice for collegians. She suggests they take a wide variety of hard, challenging courses, even if they might not do as well in them. She tells girls to get the best education they can and not lock themselves prematurely into career choices, because that will limit the opportunities they have later in life. "I know I had lots of opportunities because I did not limit myself. A lot of young women get advice to be focused and decide what you want to do. There is a time for that, but if you do that too early you cut off your options. Don't blinder yourself." Delta Mu has changed in many ways since Annette lived in the Chapter House, but the thing that surprises her most is how large it has become. "My Chapter class was so small—we had 32 girls." She understands the growth is driven by the growth of the university and the demand for outstanding young women to pledge nationally ranked sororities, but she feels keeping the kind of camaraderie she felt as a collegian is a challenge today. Overall, Annette is happy with how things are going at Tri Delta, especially the Chapter's involvement with St. Jude Hospital. Annette and her husband, Richard, live in Tuscaloosa and have two sons, Richard Jr. and Claude, and two grandchildren, Elizabeth and William. She enjoys traveling, growing roses, reading, and entertaining her friends. Annette can be e-mailed at shelbya@georgetown.edu. AlumnA SetS Good exAmple for All tri deltAS MarLa Stephenson Sayers '57 Proud to Be a Delta Mu (Continued on page 4)

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