Alpha Delta Pi - Oklahoma State University

2 The Lion's Share Building a Brighter Tomorrow Connie Staff Stiegler '64 Advocates Alumnae Engagement F rom the moment a woman accepts her bid into a sorority, her life changes forever. She will never be alone with sisters stretching from coast to coast. Connie Staff Stiegler '64 was the first woman in her family to pursue Greek life and the expansive sisterhood of Alpha Delta Pi would welcome her in every step of her life. Alpha Omicron was a natural fit for Connie, and it wasn't long before her family embraced her sorority experience. "ADPi was a good fit for me and my family. My parents got involved and were selected as 'outstanding parents' one year," she said. ADPi has been a wonderful point of connection for Connie's family with her daughter, Stephanie Stiegler Neill '90, and sister-in-law, Connie Shullanberger, Texas A&M at Kingsville'68, both following in her footsteps. She is extremely proud of their growth in their own ADPi experiences, and Connie hopes one day her granddaughters will choose to have their own sorority experiences. Embodying the Alpha Delta Pi motto, "We live for each other," Connie's passion of providing her community with the best resources available has been with her since her days at Oklahoma State University. During the early 1960s, the university was restrictive of female students' rights, enforcing an 8 p.m. curfew, and preventing freshmen women from having cars on campus. Connie sought to provide her peers with a fair and equal use of campus, and through her presidency in the Association of Women Students, she was able to extend curfew hours and facilitate programming for women. "None of this would have happened if my ADPi sisters hadn't supported my candidacy." The long-term effects of Connie's initiatives during her undergraduate years have benefited countless women at OSU, including her daughter, Stephanie. "As an undergraduate she took women's studies courses through the honors program," Connie said. "She has grown into a very strong, competent, successful woman who is a wonderful role model for my grandchildren." This dedication to bettering the lives of others extended to Connie's career as a speech and language pathologist. After moving to Virginia for her husband, Jim's, job at the University of Virginia Polytechnic (VPI), she worked for the Radford School City District to develop and lead their speech, language, and hearing program. She enlisted the help of the University of Virginia and local ADPi alumnae to screen every child in the area. As Jim's career continued to relocate them throughout their marriage, Connie taught and volunteered in speech programs wherever she was needed, improving the lives of hundreds of children over the years. Connie credits her membership in Alpha Delta Pi for much of her career and personal success. "ADPi taught me to feel comfortable reaching out and seeking help from sisters," she said. Connie encourages all women to join an alumnae organization to repay their Chapter for what they gained from their experience and to reach out for guidance and networking. "There is sorority life ahead of you and your alumna experience is just beginning," she said. "It is not the time to turn off your involvement, but to open the door." In her alumna life, Connie has worked as an International Officer for Alpha Delta Pi executive office, been a representative for Stillwater Alumnae Panhellenic for 30 years—holding each office three times—and was the first person selected to be inducted to the OSU Greek Hall of Fame in 2011. To her, membership in ADPi "simply means everything." You can contact Connie at j-crose.stiegler@sbcglobal.net. Connie Staff Steigler '64 (left) with her daughter, Stephanie Steigler Neill '90 (right), and family at their vacation home in Colorado. From Undergraduate to Alumna Why Tamara Anderson '84 Stays Connected to Alpha Delta Pi L ong before Tamara Anderson '84 began her successful career in advertising, she was learning important life and professional skills through her time at Alpha Delta Pi. "Being part of Alpha Omicron taught me how to work with others; a skill that has proven valuable in many parts of my life," Tamara said. In her first job after graduation, Tamara worked as an account assistant for an advertising agency in Tulsa. She was later recruited by a national advertising agency based in California to establish and oversee a new office in Phoenix, Arizona. As the office's branch manager, Tamara successfully managed a profitable client base that grew to more than 100 customers in the southwest, and she also worked with the national sales representatives to obtain new clients and create sales presentations. Tamara enjoyed her career, and encourages undergraduates and young alumnae to strive for success in their fields. "Don't be afraid to accept an entry-level position in your chosen field," Tamara said. "Most people in the corporate world did not start at the top. The more knowledge and skills you gather, the more valuable you become as an employee." Now, Tamara stays at home full-time with her children and still manages to stay connected to Alpha Delta Pi. She shares her love of the OSU Cowboys with Dana Leslie-Helton '83, and each fall they meet in Stillwater with their sons to attend a football game. For Tamara, her years at Alpha Omicron were some of the best of her life, and she has many fond memories of her ADPi sisters. "Personally, I enjoy connecting with the Chapter because it brings back wonderful memories of happy times with good friends. It gives you the opportunity to help create an experience for today's students that will hopefully be as meaningful as the ones we had during our time in college." Tamara and her husband, John, have a son (14) and a daughter (12). They live in Collinsville, Connecticut. Tamara dedicates her free time to volunteer work, recently completing a 3-year term on her children's school PTO board. She is a member of the board of education's communication committee, in addition to being a trustee and co-founder of a charitable foundation supporting underserved elementary school-aged children and their families in the public school system. You can contact Tamara at tamaraanderson@okstatealumni.org. Tamara Anderson '84 and Dana Leslie Helton '83 and their sons enjoy their annual trip to Stillwater to cheer on the Cowboys.

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