I spent the past few days with Pi Phis at our first College Weekend. It’s an off convention year. A Leadership Academy for chapter officers took place in February and an Alumnae Leadership Summit was held last month. The College Weekend was an opportunity for young leaders to be immersed in one of four “college” learning tracks, each devoted to a topic – finances, recruitment, risk management and new member development. Shawn Eagleburger, a member of FarmHouse, serves as Pi Phi’s Member Services and Programming Director. He and his staff did a marvelous job!
Among the things I learned is the fact the some of today’s college women aren’t well versed in history. One young woman looked puzzled when I mentioned Carrie Chapman Catt; I flat out asked with a smile, “You don’t have a clue who Carrie Chapman Catt is, do you?” She sheepishly nodded and then she heard the short version of Catt’s life, whether she wanted to or not.
Later, I was talking to one of the headquarters employees, a Sigma Delta Tau, I mentioned Dr. Joyce Brothers, another Sigma Delta Tau. Again, I saw that quizzical look. A woman who parlayed an appearance on a 1950s quiz show into a life-long career and fame is one smart cookie. It’s a story every Sigma Delta Tau should be proud to tell.
***
Congratulations are also in order for three of my fellow GLO historians/archivists. Each was honored at their respective conventions this summer. Bob McCully, Sigma Nu, was named to the Sigma Nu Hall of Honor. Mike McCoy, Phi Kappa Psi, was given its highest award, the Medal of Honor. Zeta Tau Alpha Patti Cords Levitte left convention with a piece of jewelry she did not have when she arrived, an honor ring.
I know all too well the work involved in making an organization’s history come alive to its members. I applaud your efforts and I am grateful that we are kindred spirits trying to get today’s members of our respective organizations to understand that it was a different time and place when our organizations were founded. A hearty round of applause for my GLO friends, please.
***
I offer my sincere condolences to the women of Zeta Tau Alpha on the loss of their beloved Executive Director Deb Ensor. The outpouring of love from the other Greek groups was evident on Friday’s twitter feed (#DebStrong).
***
This weekend also marks the 45th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon. I didn’t know that his Phi Delta Theta badge made the journey with him, too. Armstrong was an initiate of the Purdue University chapter. Here’s a link to a wonderful article about Armstrong’s Phi Delta Theta connection http://bit.ly/1nZJUDv.
© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2014. All rights reserved. If you enjoyed this post, please sign up for updates. Also follow me on twitter @GLOHistory and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/glohistory/
