Alpha Epsilon Phi - University of Illinois

alpha Epsilon phi 3 A ccording to holly scheeringa Umland '05, it was chance that she answered Mu Chapter's call for a new house director. However, after nine years in the role, it seems more like destiny; so much so that Mu Chapter made her an alumna initiate. It was the summer of 2006, and Holly had just returned from working in Australia to resume a deferred enrollment in a graduate social work program. She needed a job and a place to live for the fall semester. As fate would have it, she saw the ad for house director in the local newspaper and applied. "I am so happy I did too," she said, "as this positon has been an amazing experience for me and my family." As house director, Holly's day usually consists of checking in with the house staff and live-in members, prepping and straightening up the house for the day, examining the structure for issues, and assisting with house clerical work. But even with a general routine, there is always room for surprises. "One of the aspects I enjoy about this position is that no two days are ever the same," Holly said. "With a 17,000-square- foot house that is almost 90 years old and has 50-plus people in it, one can never tell when an issue will pop up!" Through her nine years as house director, Holly is proud of the many things she has learned. These include improving her patience, learning about home repairs and maintenance, and developing her flexibility and adaptability. "I've learned that the phrase, 'Now I've seen it all,' is just that, a phrase, and not reality. Every year, new situations arise that I never anticipated happening." After six years on the job, Holly took a two- year break to enjoy married life. Holly and her husband, Brock, then had a son, Jackson, who is now 3 years old and helps his mom as she does her job at the chapter house. As Holly grew her family outside of the house, Mu members invited her to officially become a part of their family. Thus, she became an alumna initiate of Mu Chapter. "It was mix of pride, excitement, and nervousness," Holly said about the opportunity. "I was the only one being initiated and felt I was going to say or do something wrong." She never considered Greek life as an undergraduate, but now that she is a member of Mu Chapter, she gained a deeper connection and feels that she can do her job with a better sense of purpose. Holly wants to thank Mu Chapter for the last 10 years in the wonderful position and also wants to recognize the staff who has been with her and the chapter for all this time. For the future, she plans to keep finding projects big and small to continually make the house a better place for the women. She also hopes to see formal dinners and their traditions brought back to the chapter. If you have any information about these traditions, the dinner blessing, or have any questions, you can reach Holly by e-mail at aephihouse@gmail.com. still has not seen it all after nine years House Director and Alumna Initiate Reflects on Past and Looks Toward Future "I've learned that the phrase, 'Now I've seen it all,' is just that, a phrase, and not reality. Every year, new situations arise that I never anticipated happening!" Holly Scheeringa Umland '05 with her son, Jackson, and husband, Brock. M u Chapter sisters, I could not be happier with how the fall semester has progressed so far. From a successful recruitment, to our sisters taking on various leadership roles on campus, to the various social, alumnae, and philanthropic events we have hosted, our beloved AEPhi is going strong. recrUitMeNt ANd iNitiAtiON I first want to recognize danielle gordon '14 and Niki Nesnidal '14 for the wonderful work they did during formal recruitment. On September 12, we welcomed a fantastic group of new members, and they received their Big Sisters on October 14. After a fun and meaningful new member period, the new members were initiated into our sisterhood on October 23. I look forward to where their hard work and passion for Mu Chapter takes them and the chapter. PhilANthrOPy ANd cOMMUNity service I am proud of our chapter's dedication to service and philanthropy. So far, our sisters have participated in various giving back initiatives either on their own or as a group. On September 24, a team of our sisters participated in the University of Illinois iHelp event. This is a campus-wide day of service that brings together students, their surrounding community, and university alumni in an organized effort to create a culture of mu chAPter growing strong through recruitment AnD PhilAnthroPY Mu sisters ready to welcome the new members on Bid Day. (Continued on page 4) Mu Chapter undergraduates invited alumnae back for Homecoming.

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