Alpha Chi Omega - Purdue University

Lyre Letter 2 T he bonds of sisterhood play a vital role in Nicki Reas Meneley's '97 relationship with Alpha Chi Omega. Her prior connections with women already in Alpha Beta made her decision to join that much easier. She knew they shared common values and interests, which only strengthened the friendships she made. As a collegiate member, alumnae support played a huge role in Nicki's life at Alpha Chi. Alumnae like Bonnie House Andrews '38 and Bonnie Andrews Hockema '74 were very influential during college. Two others, Mary Harrison Ford '57 and Meredith Deneau '93, played a large part in Nicki's first post-graduate career, which happened to be as a traveling consultant with Alpha Chi. "Mary and Meredith wrote my letters of recommendation to work with Alpha Chi. All of these women have contributed greatly to the success of the chapter while I was there and since I've graduated. Alpha Beta has been incredibly blessed to have some outstanding alumnae working behind the scenes and on the front line to ensure the chapter's success." Nicki earned her B.A. in psychology with a double-minor in sociology and supervision. After traveling with Alpha Chi for two years, she took a position in the main office for an additional three. "After that I took a job at the Purdue Alumni Association and went back to school for my master of public affairs with a concentration in nonprofit management. While working at Purdue I began doing consulting team visits for NPC, which is how I initially became involved. I had just finished graduate school when they created the executive director position and it seemed like a perfect marriage of my professional work with the sorority and my education in nonprofit management. As executive director, I oversee the staff operations and work with the NPC Board of Directors to ensure the strategic plan is being executed and the mission achieved. I work very closely with the NPC executive committee." "Every job I've had is because of some connection I made through Alpha Chi Omega. Being a traveling consultant taught me self- reliance, confidence, and critical reasoning skills. Those are not things they teach you in college but have been critical to my success. Alpha Chi taught me what it means to be a Real. Strong. Woman. I learned through the alumnae I was exposed to, the national leadership I worked with while on staff, and the alumnae experience I am having now. Alpha Chi Omega is well respected in the fraternal industry and that is because of the outstanding women working at our national office and other alumnae who volunteer their time and talent to give back to our great organization in hopes that other women will have similar opportunities." Nicki and her husband, MJ, live in Indianapolis, Indiana, and have twin sons, PJ and Reas. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. You can contact Nicki at nmeneley@gmail.com. ACW for Life: Nicki Reas Meneley '97 Strengthens Sorority at National Level S ara Bursch Cobb '77 came to Purdue with established friendships. Many of the women she knew from high school were Greek, and many of those women were in Alpha Chi Omega. That made her decision to join much simpler, and while those bonds strengthened, new ones formed, opportunities for leadership arose, and the belief in the purpose and mission of the sorority became abundantly clear: developing Real. Strong. Women. Alpha Chi gave Sara significant leadership experience, allowing her to meet with and learn from some of the sorority's greatest leaders. After graduating with degrees in political science and public relations from Purdue, as well as graduating from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Sara worked for nearly five years at Procter & Gamble Co., as well as its corporate fund, before working for the Indiana University Foundation. She was also involved in Junior League. Sara now serves as vice president, education for Lilly Endowment, a private family foundation founded in 1937 by three members of the founding family of Eli Lilly & Co. "My interest in philanthropy grew out of my passion to connect interests and desire of those providing funding with profound needs and opportunities." Sara's life is filled with profound opportunities, many of which can be traced to Alpha Chi Omega. "Alpha Chi gives alumnae the chance to help shape the future. Bright, talented women are needed in our nation; ACW can be the training ground for them. We can give young women the hope and confidence they need to be Real. Strong. Women. for tomorrow. Alpha Chi pushed us to be the best people we could be. It gave us courage, perseverance, and persistence. The result is inner strength that surprises us all." In summer 2014, Sara was presented with the Alpha Chi Omega Award of Achievement at Convention. "It is an honor by which I am overwhelmed. It also carries significant responsibility: To whom much has been given, much is expected. Accordingly, having received the award, I ask of myself one of my favorite questions, What are the next steps? There are ten: 1. Serve as a role model to young Alpha Chis as a Real. Strong. Woman. 2. Serve with my time in ways that will be helpful to Alpha Chi Omega. 3. Serve with my financial resources in ways that will be helpful to Alpha Chi Omega. 4. Praise publically the role Alpha Chi Omega has played in my life. 5. Be attentive to issues of relevance and importance to Alpha Chi Omega and its place in higher education, for women and through leadership. 6. Lead others to better understand Alpha Chi Omega and its important place in our society. 7. Continue to step outside my comfort zone in ways that will serve and advance Alpha Chi Omega. 8. Support through encouragement and participation of those associated with Alpha Chi Omega the incredible efforts of our sisterhood. 9. Pause regularly to reflect on what Alpha Chi Omega means to me and has done for me – the doors it has opened, the friendships it has fostered, the strength it has instilled. So many. 10. Live each day according to the values and high standards of our founders – "Together Let Us Seek the Heights." Sara Busche Cobb '77 Paves the Way for Generations of Real. Strong. Women. (Continued on page 4)

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