Gamma Phi Beta - University of Nebraska-Lincoln

I f you were to ask Brianne Steffensmier '11 if she was going to join a sorority when she got to college, her answer would have been no. A few misconstrued notions set Brianne against the idea of going Greek, but with the help of her coworker, Caitlin Drummy '10, one summer at the Papio Bay Aquatic Center, Brianne began to see things differently. "Caitlin was a woman of integrity, hard work, and kindness," she says. "She was the one who encouraged me to go through formal recruitment that fall when I got to UNL. I knew that if someone like her was in a sorority, then someone like me could also be accepted into one and that they must have deeper values than that of a scene in something like Animal House." Gamma Phi Beta was the first chapter that Brianne visited during formal recruitment, and she quickly realized that was where she was supposed to be. In fact, Caitlin was the first person she talked to and there was no longer any doubt about going Greek. "Without the support of Gamma Phi, I wouldn't have done nearly as well throughout college," Brianne says. "It was through Pi that I got so involved on campus, maybe a little too involved, and pushed myself academically. I met all of my best and lifelong friends in this home, but I was pushed to be my best self—inside and outside the classroom and in my community. It was in Pi that I found myself." Now, Brianne is a Corps Member of Teach for America in Oklahoma City. She teaches ninth grade environmental science at Capitol Hill High School. But she would not be where she is now if it was not for Gamma Phi Beta and her sisters, Marisa Braddock '11, Jessica Bullington '11, Courtney Jarosz '11, and Maggie Schneider '12. Each of these women hold a special meaning to Brianne and have always been there to push and support her. "I am doing an emotionally exhausting and stressful job that I love with Teach for America, but it wouldn't be something that I would be totally surviving if I didn't have these women by my side," Brianne says. "The high expectations that Gamma Phi held for us, as well as friendship, really prepared me for this type of job and life situation." Staying connected to her sisters and to Pi Chapter is important to Brianne. She has group messages with about 12 sisters and is even in Courtney Jaroez's wedding next June. They all are planning a trip to see one another since they are spread out across six states. "Gamma Phi did so much for us while we were there, it is only right that we stay in touch with our sisters and with Pi Chapter in general to help benefit the new members that are there now," Brianne says. "There was so much value in listening to alumnae talk to us about their careers and how Gamma Phi shaped them to get to where they are today. It's important that we encourage the new women in our chapter to keep the same expectations and drive that we had while we were there to make Pi Chapter as successful and wonderful as ever." Brianne stays busy with Teach for America, but in her free time she likes to spend time with her roommates rowing and kayaking on the white water rapid Olympic training centers, rock climbing, reading, blogging, and watching Netflix. She encourages undergraduate sisters to take advantage of their time at the chapter house and not take for granted their time together. Brianne can be reached at briesteffy@gmail.com. A Slice of Pi page 2 W e are truly grateful to the dedicated alumnae who donated to Pi Chapter 's annual campaign so far in 2015. Your generosity is greatly appreciated as we focus on reducing our mortgage debt and providing educational resources to our undergraduate members. Dorothy Koser Matson '37 Lois Hanson '42 Margaret Neumann Dietz '43 Patricia Toof Clow '45 Jean Shapland Lones '45 Eileen Hepperly Arpke '46 Marion Campen Mahone '46 Barbara Johnson Bock-Mavis '47 Jane MacCuaig Cory '48 Marylou Luther Imparato '48 Elizabeth Roessler Griffin '49 Mary Pitterman Barnhart '50 JoAnn O'Brien Cordell '50 Joan Hanson Perry '50 Patricia Bechan Rosenquist '50 Jo Berry Schleiger '51 Agnes Anderson Olson '52 Kathleen Boettner Murphy '55 Norma Bossard Pearson '55 Carole Kauffman McVaney '60 Carol Bieck Bogardus, M.D. '62 Jean Pittman Cederburg '62 Katherine Carstens Safris '62 Jo Anne Armstrong Bettenhausen '64 Margaret Nutzman Brown '64 Sue Ellen Thompson Wall '64 Garrie Weber Gillaspie '65 Linda Parker Cumming '66 Linda Irving Felber '66 Joan Wagoner Kopf '66 Linda Lewis Shanahan '69 Donna Kuenning Hutchens '70 Marijane Look Hancock '71 Karen Martinson Higgins, M.D. '71 Jennifer Fix Reck '72 Kim Chace Dunklau '75 Piper Lowe Keating '75 Tamara Heinson Fowler '76 Tammy Novotny Oleszczak '76 Jean Straub '77 Mary Schanbacher Davey '78 Julie Dannehl Doolittle '78 Renee Wessels '78 Linda Wiater '78 Robin Younger Drvol '79 Susan Roddy Olson '79 Julie Lancaster Goodman '80 Kathryn Falk Dean '82 Tiffany McCreary '82 Lori Fuglsang Belford '83 Brenda Fernau Schimenti '83 Doreen Davis Schelkopf '85 Andrea Young '87 Shannon Smith '92 Laura Lessley Heirigs '95 Dr. Katrina Tomsen '95 Micaela Brandt Hopkins '97 Sarah Kippenbrock Lyons, M.D. '98 Kristin Kruse Tyler '98 Sally Steele Fullenkamp '99 Kelsey Hohlen '06 Caitlin Drummy '10 Thank You, Loyal Alumnae, for Your Contributions Pi's Mortgage At-a-Glance Original Note: $1,362,160 Balance: $183,126 Goal: Debt free by May 2016 Pi Chapter Pushes Brianne Steffensmier '11 to Reach Her Full Potential Brianne Steffensmier '11, Jessica Bullington '11, Marisa Braddock '11, and Courtney Jarosz '11. "It's important that we encourage the new women in our chapter to keep the same expectations and drive that we had while we were there to make Pi Chapter as successful and wonderful as ever."

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