Our Time to Shine – Delta Zeta’s National Convention

The 2014 National Convention will be held July 9-13 at the JW Starr Pass Resort in Tucson, Arizona. This year’s event will be the 51st Delta Zeta Convention. More than 600 delegates and visitors will attend. Did you know that Delta Zeta Constitution, Article IV, Section 1 defines the National Convention is the supreme legislative body of our Sorority? The voting delegates will make decisions for Delta Zeta as outlined in our Constitution which affect the operations of the Sorority for the next two years.

But, where does this tradition start? We have to travel back to 1907, the year that no Delta Zeta Founders were enrolled at Miami University. At that time, Delta Zeta almost did not exist. After a failed attempt to join with another sorority on campus in hopes of becoming a national sorority, 19 alumnae met that summer to lay the plans for Delta Zeta as a national sorority. Our “first” Convention was led and directed by Elizabeth Coulter at the Algonquin Hotel in Dayton, Ohio. That meeting set the groundwork for how Delta Zeta continues to operate today. At that meeting, Alfa Lloyd was made Constitution Chairman, Mary Collins was charged with revitalizing the chapter at Miami and Elizabeth Coulter was named Extension Director. And when the business of Delta Zeta concluded, all involved left with a “feeling of confidence and unity” (Delta Zeta Sorority 1902-1982).

Delta Zeta continues to operate in such a similar way as we did with that very first Convention. Members of the sorority continue to take important roles to help move Delta Zeta forward. And all those in attendance will leave the 51st National Convention ready to shine!

For more information on Delta Zeta’s National Convention, please visit our website. Or, follow us on Twitter @DeltaZetaNatl or Facebook and look for the #DZ2014 hashtag.