Alpha Delta Pi - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

STAR The newsletter for alumnae and friends of Sigma Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign sigmaofadpi.com A Letter from the Outgoing House Corporation President Hello sisters! Back in 2001, I was a relatively new mom who elected to leave my career. As I settled into life with a baby, there came a time when I realized I needed a little something else to do. I was five years past graduation and it felt only natural to turn back to ADPi. I received a call from someone and they asked me if I'd step in as the recruitment advisor at the Zeta Theta Chapter at Illinois State University. Without hesitation, I said "yes." (And then I had to explain to my husband what I'd just done!) This theme of saying "yes" when it would have made much more sense to say "no" has really been the story of my life as an ADPi. I didn't join the chapter until my junior year of college, at a time when that was far from the norm. As a junior, I didn't have the "need" for a sorority that most col- lege students may have in terms of making friends and finding a place on a large campus. But I had watched my sorority friends wistfully from the sidelines for two years, and I saw the deeper value in being part of a sisterhood. And as luck would have it, I benefitted from a brand new "quota plus" system in the fall of my junior year that allowed sororities to accept juniors without giving up a slot in their quota. And though it didn't make much sense, ADPi and I both said "yes." Since that call in 2001, I have spent more time than not volunteering with ADPi in some capacity. In terms of alumnae involvement, I have covered the spectrum of possibilities from chapter advising to the district team to the housing corporation. I've been to District Leadership Conferences, two Grand Conventions, and even a Leadership Summit one summer. The extent of my alumnae involvement has far exceeded that of my collegiate experience and I am so blessed because of it. Last fall, I made the decision to step back from ADPi once again. We all know how hectic our lives can be and how easily we can begin to feel overwhelmed. That baby I had in 2001 is now 17 and will be graduating high school next year. I have three other children as well, along with two jobs and a few other volunteer responsibilities in my hometown. I felt myself being spread too thin. I'll bet we've all been there. I know that my time with ADPi is not done. Someday, the right need and opportu- nity will come along again. And it might make more sense to say "no," but I will say "yes." I wonder, have you thought about getting involved with ADPi? There is always a need for alumnae involvement, and in many ways, I think the need is greater today than ever. The collegiate sorority experience has changed so much in the past two decades, and more than ever, our chapters need us. They NEED us. They need to see the embodiment of our motto in action, to know that we mean it when we say, "We live for each other." There are endless ways you can give back and benefit. Attend Founder's Day for a start. Maybe come to the alumnae work weekend this summer. Are you close enough to help with recruitment? The path of least resistance is to say no. But the path to extraordinary experiences starts with "yes." I hope you'll take that first step. Love and Violets, Shannon Tebben-Sandoval '94 Outgoing House Corporation President Spring 2018 SIGMA Hello sisters! First, an introduction. My name is Anna Miller, I am the new president of the housing corporation for the Sigma Chapter. I came home to Alpha Delta Pi at Epsilon Omicron, Murray State University. I was involved with this chapter's housing corporation for nearly three years. It was a big learning curve for me, as my chapter did not have a house. I have loved getting to know the ins and outs of the house. There is so much life and excitement surrounded in those walls, and this home's history never ceases to leave me in awe! My favorite part of being on the board thus far is hearing stories from the women that have lived in the house. You all have put a lot of spirit into that building! I just returned from our District Leadership Conference in Rosemont, Illinois. We are currently seeing a trend across the country of women desiring to live in campus housing or private apartments. At the core of housing corporation, we want to turn the tides on this! We want to provide an environment that is safe, inviting, and warm for our members to enjoy. The balance between historic and modern updates is difficult, but we are striving toward it. Some of the updates over the past year include several new windows, which in our custom-built house is more difficult than many may think! We are preparing for a new boiler to be installed this summer, which is our big project for the summer. The major project and a big focus for 2017 was rolling out a brand new meal plan and system for the house. This allows more flexibility for the women living out of house to have various meals in the home and at a more cost efficient system for both the women and housing corporation. College Chefs, the company that From the Desk of House Corporation President Anna Miller (Continued on page 2)

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