DG Parent Newsletter: Spring 2016
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Transcript of DG Parent Newsletter: Spring 2016
ΔΓ Parent Newsletter
WHAT IS DELTA GAMMA?
Sororities are surrounded by stereotypes. Sarah Coleman,
junior Elementary Education student, & Carly Ruehl, junior
Nursing student, explained how Delta Gamma transcends
the stereotypes.
“I knew I had to focus on nursing and I didn’t want to get
involved with all the drama that came with Greek Life,”
Ruehl said. She originally did not go through recruitment,
but she changed her mind about sorority life when she met
Coleman.
“Sarah is the whole reason why I chose DG,” Ruehl said.
“She asked if I wanted to hang out with DGs one night at an
informal recruitment event.” Ruehl explained that Delta
Gamma was genuine and comfortable. “I felt like they were
curious about the real me.”
Delta Gee is one of many Greek organizations on Indiana
State’s campus. There are nine total sororities and 13
fraternities. With so many organizations, it is often a difficult
process choosing which sorority will be the best for
someone.
“Delta gamma is diverse,” Ruehl said. “I think that’s what
makes us different from other Greek organizations on
campus. We don’t have a certain ‘look’ to our chapter & we
recruit women who we think are going to live our values
instead of how they look.”
Since joining, both women have held multiple positions.
While each position has its own amount of commitment, all
positions take effort
and passion to
succeed in. Coleman
is currently the
President of Delta
Gee. Ruehl is the
Director of Social
Events.
DG and sorority life
are much more than
sisters hanging out
with each other.
“Sorority life is the
opportunity for women to be a part of something bigger than
themselves,” Coleman said. “It’s a community that
encourages leaders, philanthropists, and strong women to
emerge and gives them the skills and opportunities to be
the very best versions of themselves.”
Women get up to four years as a collegiate member of DG
which leaves the rest of their lives as alumna where they
live out the values they fostered throughout college.
“I think Delta Gamma is really good at encouraging our
women to be their authentic selves,” Coleman said. “I love
Delta Gamma because we recruit all different types of
women, and they create a space where they can be
themselves without feeling judged.
ΔΓ Parent Newsletter
Spring 2016
GOOD LUCK TO OUR SENIOR CLASS OF 2016
Carly (right) & Sarah (left) at the
sisterhood retreat on April 23,
2016.
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MEET OUR ANCHORMEN
Mikey Shepherd, junior Political Science
student, and Dylan Campbell, junior Recreation
and Parks student, were recently chosen as our
Anchormen.
DG women elect Anchormen to assist and
support our chapter and proudly wear our
letters. Shepherd is a member of ΛΧΑ
fraternity. Campbell is a member of ΠΚΑ
fraternity.
“While it’s only the beginning of my term as
Anchorman, I know I will grow so much through
the experiences and times I begin to share with
these women, just as I hope to do the same for
them,” Shepherd said.
Campbell is now in his second term as
Anchorman for Delta Gamma.
“These ladies are each individually special to me and
tend to go over any beyond expectations by being faithful
and true to their values and standards,” Campbell said. “I
hope to follow in their footsteps and learn more about the
organization as my journey continues.”
WHAT ARE DG’S VALUES?
Each Greek organization has a set of values that their
members are to live by in order to maintain the purpose of
the organization. Delta Gamma’s values are defined in
Article II of our Constitution as:
“The objects of this Fraternity
shall be to foster high ideals of
friendship among women, to
promote their educational
and cultural interests, to
create in them a true sense of
social responsibility and to
develop in them the best
qualities of character.”
Bria Goodman, a sophomore Elementary Education
student, connects most with the value of education and
cultural interests.
and
cultural
interests.
“I think it’s important to soak up the diversity that we
welcome in our fraternity because it helps us to be better
and more well-rounded women,” Goodman said.
Erika Smith, a junior Environmental Science major with a
minor in Spanish, also favors the value of fostering
education and cultural interests.
“As a science and language student, this is the most
important value to me because we are working hard as a
chapter to foster intelligent and open-minded young ladies
that can go out into the world and share their knowledge
and understanding with others,” Smith said.
By living life in line with DG’s values, members are able to
grow as women.
“It is fairly simple and easy to live out our values as long as
your heart is in the right place,” Smith said.
As members work daily to understand their values, the
women are able to grow in their friendships, interests,
responsibility, and character.
“We, as Delta Gammas, give friendship a good name in the
way we treat one another with respect and dignity,”
Goodman said.
DG
Quick Fact:
Our
original
symbol
was the
letter
“H” for
hope,
but in
1877, the
anchor
became
our
official
symbol.
Dylan (right) & Mikey (Left) accept their ΔΓ
blocks at the Golden Anchor Ball on April 9,
2016.
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SENIORS SAY GOODBYE
A common phrase in Greek Life is “Not for four years, but for life.” If you’re lucky, you get four full years of Delta Gamma. Many women join later in college and have shorter collegiate experiences, but one woman was lucky enough to spend eight years with our chapter.
Melissa Parrett, a graduating English major, could never image how much DG would mean eight years ago.
“For most DG women, they have four years of being [a collegiate] DG, and that’s true for me too except I was lucky enough to have an older sister who was a DG four years before me,” Parrett said. “The majority of my best friends are sisters who weren’t even in the chapter with me, but they always came around to support my collegiate years.”
After eight years, Parrett promises she is not done yet.
“My #1 promise to my sisters is to come back and support, even when I move out of Terre Haute,” Parrett said. “I was such an involved collegiate member, that I can’t just move on & say goodbye. I still have tons to experience [and] brand new sisters to meet for years to come.”
Parrett plans to work in the Terre Haute City Clerk’s Office until she finds the right library job for her.
Courtney Rowe, graduating
Psychology student, originally did not
join Greek Life.
“My first year at ISU, I didn’t join, and
it was an awful decision,” Rowe said.
“I went down a very dark path and
knew I needed something to be my
life-saver. Luckily, DG was there to
help me get back to being myself.”
Every senior wishes they had more
time, and Rowe is no exception.
“I wish my years didn’t go as fast as
they did, but that’s life,” Rowe said. “I
wish I could start over as a new
member all over again because my
sisters mean more to me than
anything and I’m definitely not ready
to leave them.”
Rowe recently had her “a-ha” moment
of how much DG means to her.
“I was walking towards the library to
go to class & I looked over to see big,
gold Delta Gamma letters shining and
in plain sight,” Rowe said. “All of the
sudden I started tearing up, realizing
how much this fraternity has done for
me & where I might be without DG.”
After graduating, Rowe plans to move back to her
hometown of Carmel, Indiana. She is currently weighing
offers for different marketing and management positions in
Indianapolis.
Courtney (left) & Melissa (right) have both
left their mark on the Gamma Omicron
chapter.
Delta Gamma Facts
Our
mascot is
the
Hannah
Doll.
Our
flower
is the
Cream-
Colored
Rose.
Only
initiated
members
know the
meaning
behind the
symbols on
the crest.
ΔΓ Parent Newsletter P a g e | 4
ONE LAST WEEKEND
Delta Gamma’s sisterhood retreat was on April 23 at the
Sycamore Outdoor Center in Brazil, Indiana. Sisters
camped out for the night after playing sisterhood-building
games, canoeing, hiking, and hanging out.
Meghan Jacobson, a junior Elementary and Special
Education student, is the Vice President of Programming
for DG. She organized the entire weekend so that
sisters could spend some time together before finals and
summer break.
“Retreats are about getting to know your sisters better
and just spend real time with one another,” Jacobson
said. “Since this year’s retreat was right before study
week, it provided the girls with the opportunity to get off
campus and have some fun before the stressful two
weeks ahead.”
For Bailey Bryant, a freshman Criminal Justice student, this
was a new experience for her as it is her first year in DG.
“My favorite thing about the retreat was being able to be
outside and enjoy beautiful weather with my sisters,” Bryant
said. “I also enjoyed canoeing and talking to others I don’t
normally talk to.”
On Sunday morning, the members performed a ceremony
for our seniors because the retreat was their last event as
collegiate members.
Jessica Richman, a graduating senior Health Science
student, stepped into a new chapter of her life at the retreat.
“[At the retreat], I felt like I had all of my sadness about
graduating under control right up until the [senior]
ceremony,” Richman said. “That was the moment where I
went from a collegian to alum in a matter of minutes. It was
overwhelming and almost heart breaking that this was it.”
Through all of the tears and hugs from sisters, sisters were
able to grow closer.
“Girls were able to become closer to their sisters and learn
more about sisters they do not know as well,” Jacobson
said. “Seeing how happy and appreciative my sisters were
made all of the planning worth it.”
ANCHOR SPLASH
Anchor Splash is the largest event that Delta Gammas put on to raise money for Service for Sight. Anchor Splash is a swimming competition in which campus organizations compete in different relays.
Jessica Bicknell, graduating senior Marketing student, was the Director of Anchor Splash 2016. DG typically hosts Anchor Splash as a one-night event, but that changed this year.
“We made Anchor Splash into a week-long event,” Bicknell said.
Changing Anchor Splash to a week-long event helped to increase participation and donations because there were more opportunities to get involved.
Micaela Kamps, senior Psychology and Counseling student, enjoys that Anchor Splash brings the Greek community together.
“Anchor Splash brings me closer to my sister because we all work together as a team in a positive environment,” Kamps said. “On the day of Anchor
Splash, everyone is so excited and optimistic that it is almost impossible to have a bad time.”
Jessica (left), Alyssa McNeal (middle), & Emily Mathyer
(right) “throwing the Gamma” at the sisterhood retreat on
April 23, ’16.
From left to right, Alexis Wilson, Shelby Zagorski,
Sydney Allen, Erin Ray, Emily Spitsta, and Katie
Hilton at Anchor Splash on February 19, 2016.
Delta Gamma raised $4,335.67 for Service for Sight.
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THREE GENERATIONS
Maybe it was destiny, maybe it was a coincidence. One woman, Kara Johnson, was predisposed to love Delta Gamma. Johnson, a sophomore Elementary Education student, has a family filled with Delta Gam women including her grandmother, Marilyn Harbison, great aunt, Nancy Olmstead, aunt Marci Smith, and cousin Kylie Smith. “Having went through my new member period and initiation made me more confident in knowing that this was right for me,” Johnson said. Johnson has been learning about Delta Gee since she was young because of the women in her family. “My grandma was talking DG up to my cousin and I since before we were in middle school,” Johnson said. “We knew all about sororities and DG. She even sang Delta Gamma songs to us before bed when we were younger.” The goal of DG is to shape women into their best selves. “[My grandma and my aunt] are both hardworking, selfless people,” Johnson said. “My grandma is always ready to lend a hand to someone in need whenever she can. My aunt is always helping others through her job as well. I see the DG values a lot more [in my family] now that I know the values.”
The values have set Johnson’s family up for success. The DG values of friendship is seen in Johnson’s grandmother. “Delta Gamma goes a long way,” Johnson said. “My grandma is still friends with people from her pledge class, and they come to family gatherings sometimes. They have kept in touch and that is so inspiring to me.”
From left to right, Alyssa Hess, Kylee Lloyd, Megan Massey,
and Kara Johnson.
THE GAMMA OMICRON CHAPTER OF DELTA
GAMMA THANKS YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND
SUPPORT.