All chapter related questions were answered by Paige Gordon, Chapter President.
1. You went above and beyond what was expected of you to fundraise for Autism Speaks this past year. Tell us more about your chapter’s AmaXIng Challenge and any other events you host to shine a light on our philanthropic partnership with Autism Speaks.
"Our main event was The AmaXing Challenge Step it Up 5k raised $26,895 with an overall registration of over 700 people. Our event was led by our philanthropy chair and her 15 committees of over 200 volunteers. Along with our annual 5k, Sisters participate in many events to raise awareness for Autism Speaks. Some of our favorite events are the Autism Speaks Georgia 5K & Walk and the Coaches Powering Forward for Autism Basketball Game at Georgia Tech. Our favorite time of year is Autism Awareness month; we light up our house blue and table on our campus with puzzle shaped cookies to raise awareness for Autism Speaks."
2. The Alpha Xi Delta Foundation is dedicated to creating opportunities for members to realize their potential. How does your chapter educate its members on the benefits of donating to The Foundation and the importance of realizing one’s potential?
"Every month we share the Foundation 5 (sent to us from the Foundation) with the chapter either via a chapter-wide email or announced/shown in chapter. Our new member class participates in the Undergraduate Giving Challenge every fall and the chapter is kept up to date about the Foundation’s periodic fundraising campaigns, such as Cora’s birthday."
3. Positive panhellenic and fraternal relations are important in maintaining a strong campus image. How does your chapter foster and maintain these relationships?
"We encourage attendance from our chapter at biweekly Collegiate Panhellenic Council meetings, participate in other chapters philanthropy events, and hold sorority mixers or sisterhood events with another chapter each semester to promote panhellenic friendship."
4. Sisterhood is one of the four pillars of Alpha Xi Delta. How does your chapter promote Sisterhood in college and beyond?
"Our Sisterhood Activities Chair plans at least one Sisterhood event a semester. This year we will be going to a pumpkin patch and making s’mores, while in years past we’ve gone tubing down the Chattahoochee River or attended dinner and ice skating in Atlantic Station. We also have an all-chapter retreat that gives Sisters and new members a great opportunity to meet each one another and help the new members get acclimated to chapter life. Around the holidays and around Valentine’s Day, we host Secret Sister/Secret Cupid. We place a $2 limit on the gift exchange to ensure our Sisters can all participate! The gifts are often more heartfelt and meaningful; some examples include a painted canvas, a nice note or card, a craft of sorts, a CD of favorite songs, etc."
5. As a Xi Achievement Chapter, it is also important to recognize the time and talent your Chapter Advisor, Tammy Purves, has dedicated to the success of Gamma Eta Chapter. Please take a moment and write a summary of how this Sister has impacted your chapter. This note will be a surprise to her as she reads your spotlight!
"Tammy Purves is the supportive sister of the century. She is a valuable resource to all of the Sisters of the Gamma Eta chapter and is especially imperative to the Executive Board. Tammy always knows what the right decision is and what the best choice for the chapter is. She always keeps Alpha Xi Delta’s best interest at heart and is extremely dedicated; she comes to every Exec meeting and helps us execute the actions necessary to maintain and improve our sorority. Tammy is very instrumental in communicating with our housing corporation to make improvements to our house, and she constantly puts us in contact with alumnae who offer to come speak in chapter or who have family members or family friends that are coming to Georgia Tech and may be interested in joining a sorority. We don’t know what we would do without Tammy."
The following question was answered by Tammy Purves, Chapter Advisor.
Why did you choose to volunteer for Alpha Xi Delta and what have you found to be most rewarding about this experience?
"Alpha Xi Delta was so important to me as a collegiate and impacted my life in so many positive ways that I wanted to give back where I could. My dear friend and mentor – and founding member of the Gamma Eta chapter – Shirley Mewborn encouraged me to become the chapter’s advisor. I couldn’t say no to Shirley. And more than 20 years later, I’m still here.
While the collegiate members definitely help keep me young at heart, I’m most rewarded when I know I’ve helped a member develop in some way – get a scholarship, land that internship or a job, get into medical school. I enjoy being able to celebrate those wins with them. I also hope I’m helping our chapter officers develop their leadership skills. Being a chapter advisor is more than making sure they are following policies; it’s helping the chapter leadership see the ramifications of their decisions on others in the chapter, showing them the need for consistent application of processes, developing communication skills and coaching them through crisis management. These are skills that will help them in their future careers."
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