How to Have a Successful Conference Experience

Guest Blogger – Dan Wrona, RISE Partnerships


Many of you just returned from a regional conference, and you may be debating whether to attend another one this summer. These events are naturally a valuable experience, but there is a difference between those who show up and those who step up. Here are three steps you can take toward a more meaningful conference.

If you are returning from a winter conference, it’s not too late. Review all the materials you brought home and complete these exercises in retrospect.

Focus
Why are you attending the conference? The typical response is:

• They required someone from my chapter to show up.
• As the advisor, it is important to the organization that I attend.
• I like seeing friends from other areas and other chapters.

I appreciate each one of these reasons, but they are also very passive. Since you are investing so much time, energy and money into the event, you may want to have a more intentional objective. Take a moment to reflect on what would make your time worthwhile, set a goal and be specific. You should end up with something like this:

• Learn everything I can to solve our chapter’s problem with [sisterhood, academics, finances, involvement, etc.].
• Get involved in crafting the organization’s new [anti-discrimination policy, chapter operations protocol, philanthropic project, etc.].
• Get information, support and involvement for a new initiative within the organization.
• Learn about new developments and job opportunities from people in my field.

After the conference, review your materials for opportunities to translate your takeaways into action.

Connect
If this is one of your first times at a conference, it is tempting to act like a clinger. Clingers find a new conference friend and stick with them during every program, meal and activity. They feel more comfortable seeing the same people repeatedly than meeting new friends.

Don’t be a clinger. Work hard to reach out, put yourself in different spaces and connect with new people. Attend sessions on a variety of topics. Sit in a new area of the room during every program. Find people from regions or chapters that are different from yours. If you’re an undergraduate, sit with the alumnae and vice versa. Arrive early and be prepared to meet the people near you. Keep a list of everyone you met and send them an email following the conference.

Learn
Attend every session and go to every activity possible. The historic tour may not be interesting, but the people taking it might be! Even if you have attended all the sessions before, you do not know everything. When you burn out on talking about the Sorority, pick a personal development session and show up with your major, career, volunteer or personal life in mind.

Revisit your goals for attending the conference and, if possible, select all the sessions you want to attend in advance. Keep a notepad with you at all times and record three lists: people you met, information you need to use later and anything you need to do after the conference. When you return, contact the facilitators of any sessions you wanted to attend and ask for resources.

Use these three steps to make this conference meaningful. Will this be the time your chapter overcame a major challenge? Will it be the time when you found an internship that changed your life? Will it be the time you met Michelle Albrecht Smith or Norma Minch Andrisek. If you’re only attending because you have to or because it’s fun, these opportunities are left to chance.

Annual Awards Due April 1

Would you like your chapter to be recognize at Convention this summer? Submit Annual Awards! Award submissions are due this Sunday, April 1.

Individual award applications and submission guidelines are available on Delta Zeta Metro > College Officer Resources > Collegiate Chapter Annual Awards.

A few submission tips (more tips available on Metro):

• Submit project samples as supporting material. Digital files and photos are appreciated whenever possible.
• If including a link to a website that is password protected, be sure to include log-in instructions.
• If sending a multimedia item, please be sure to also send a copy of the script used.

Be sure that your chapter does not miss out on being recognized for outstanding achievements! Direct your questions to (513) 523-7597 or DZAward@dzshq.com.

National Deaf History Month

Guest Blogger - Matthew Gilsbach, Coordinator of Campus Programs, University of Vermont; Friend of Delta Zeta


What is National Deaf History Month?

National Deaf History Month is observed each year from March 13 – April 15. It straddles two months to highlight three major events in Deaf History.

• March 13, 1988: The culmination of the Deaf President Now (DPN) movement at Gallaudet University resulted in the successful appointment of the first deaf president of Gallaudet University, Dr. I. King Jordan.
• April 8, 1864: President Abraham Lincoln signed the charter for Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. Gallaudet University is the world's only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students.
• April 15, 1817: The first permanent public school for the deaf, the American School for the Deaf (ASD) opened in Hartford, Connecticut.

Why is it important to recognize these dates?

The Deaf community has a rich history of culture, language, successes and struggles. The Deaf community is similar to other culturally marginalized groups and these events help recognize the successes that allowed us to continue to enhance our own cultural heritage. Deaf people have their own language, history, shared values and community.

In fact, did you know that American Sign Language (ASL) is the 4th most popular and used language in America and ASL is widely sought after to learn at the collegiate level. An interesting fact, people who are visual learners and tend to use their right side of the brain discover that ASL is the good language option for them to learn in lieu of spoken languages.


Why is this important to Delta Zeta members to know?

Delta Zeta’s mission states “The purpose of this sorority shall be to unite its members in the bonds of sincere and lasting friendship, to stimulate one another in the pursuit of knowledge, to promote the moral and social culture of its members, and to develop plans for guidance and unity in action; objects worthy of the highest aim and purpose of associated effort. Also, Delta Zeta's philanthropy is to support Deaf, hard of hearing and speech programs including Gallaudet University.

As a member of Delta Zeta, it is important to understand and be knowledgeable about your values and the organizations you support. As a proud Friend of Delta Zeta (FODZ), supporter of the values of Delta Zeta, and a Deaf community member, I believe it is important to know the community that you strive to support, be an ally for and help represent on a international level.


References:
http://www.gallaudet.edu/Gallaudet_University/About_Gallaudet/Fast_Facts.html
http://deafness.about.com/cs/events/p/historymonth.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sign_Language

Empowering Healthy Relationships

March is National Women's History Month. The 2012 theme is Women's Education - Women's Empowerment. Perhaps one way to celebrate women this month is to take a look at ways we can empower young women to recognize the signs they are in unhealthy romantic relationships. Dating related violence affects more than 1.5 million high school students and girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence - almost triple the national average (http://www.loveisrespect.org/is-this-abuse/dating-violence-statistics). According to LoveIsRespect.com, young people who are victims of domestic violence are at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior and further domestic violence.


As members of a women's organization with a large college-aged population, Delta Zeta members are poised to be able to educate our youngest members about the characteristics of a healthy relationship. Though any relationship, whether it be with a parent, roommate or friend, can become unhealthy, romantic relationships can be especially hard for young women to identify as abusive. Maybe they don't think the behavior is harmful, or perhaps they are caught up in the cycle of power and control (http://www.breakthecycle.org/dating-violence-101) Whatever the reason, here are some signs from LoveIsRespect.com that a relationship has become unhealthy:

• Checking your cell phone or email without permission
• Constantly putting you down
• Extreme jealousy or insecurity
• Explosive temper
• Isolating you from family or friends
• Making false accusations
• Mood swings
• Physically hurting you in any way
• Possessiveness
• Telling you what to do

We encourage our chapters or members to contact someone from your campus counseling department for more information on healthy relationships. It is important to help break the cycle of dating violence and you are in the position to educate not only the women in your chapter, but those around you.

 

 

http://www.loveisrespect.org/

http://www.k-state.edu/counseling/topics/relationships/relatn.html

http://www.breakthecycle.org/

My Experience in Washington

Guest Blogger Lauren Steier - Educational Leadership Consultant

 

The first time I had the opportunity to represent Delta Zeta on a national level was two years ago on Capitol Hill. In April of 2010, as a junior in college, I was selected to lobby members of Congress to support the Collegiate Housing Infrastructure Act (CHIA). Some readers may think, ‘oh politics, I’m not into that,’ however this piece of legislation could impact many Delta Zeta chapters around the country.

As tax law currently stands, monetary donations given to universities and colleges for improvements to dorm buildings or other student facilities are tax deductible. Donations to improve the structures or facilities of sorority and fraternity housing, however, are not tax deductible. CHIA would help level the playing field and allow sorority and fraternity donors to give tax-exempt donations to help improve the safety and living conditions of organization housing. The fraternity/sorority community is asking for nothing more than for the same tax status that universities already receive for their student infrastructures.

When I arrived in Washington DC, I did not know what to expect. What I came across though, was a group of influential interfraternal leaders from across the country that hoped to change a piece of tax code for the better. After two days of learning about the legislation and how to lobby, hundreds of fraternity/sorority students and alumni hit Capitol Hill to gain support for this bill.

While dozens more co-sponsors were added to the list, the legislation is still at a standstill. Members of Greek-letter organizations across the country  are still working hard each day to see CHIA pass in order to help improve fraternity/sorority student housing.   

To find out more information on The Collegiate Housing Infrastructure Act or to get involved, please visit the Capitol Fraternal Caucus’ Website at: http://www.fraternalcaucus.org.

Do you have a Delta Zeta website?

Delta Zeta Alumnae and Collegiate Chapters, as well as Alumnae Areas, have the ability to enrich their online experience with a chapter website available through the national organization.

Delta Zeta has created a Website Tool which will enable chapters and areas to increase their local marketing and communications. Your website will allow you to bring the Delta Zeta enriching brand to life in your communities.

Our Websites offer the flexibility of a custom web site while maintaining a consistent Delta Zeta experience.

• Chapter web sites allow a flexible page layout within several style choices
• Delta Zeta chapter web sites bring the authenticity of the official Delta Zeta identity to your chapter content
• Chapter web sites are equipped to communicate with Twitter and Facebook accounts
• Chapter web sites integrate seamlessly with the Delta Zeta National Facebook Fan Page
• Chapter web sites encourage member participation through features like Our Chapter, Photo Gallery, Contact Us, Member Spotlight and Calendars

Creating your chapter’s website is simple!
Delta Zeta has created a new officer position for webmaster for both alumnae and collegiate chapters. Simply add a member using Chapter Inc.’s Operations Action – Update Chapter Officers to the webmaster position to allow her to start editing your site. Chapter Presidents and CCDs also have access to the website editor tools.

Officers with access to the website tool can access their chapter’s site by logging into Delta Zeta Metro and clicking on the Chapter Website Tools link found in the Chapter Officer Resources Container.

Review the Chapter Website Tools Guide (attached here and also found in Metro -> Chapter Officer Resources -> Chapter Websites -> DZ Website User Guide.

Your unique URL will be http://chapters.deltazeta.org/ChapterName where chapter name will be the Greek letter name of the collegiate chapter or the name of your alumnae chapter.

The website edit tool is simple to use. After you log in, you will see your site, but in edit mode. Edit your site by using the toolbar to the left and also clicking on containers to edit the text within.

If you have questions on the Chapter Website Tools, please ask! You can e-mail questions to DZMetro@dzshq.com

Collegiate Chapter Annual Reports

Delta Zeta collegiate chapter officers submit their Annual Reports each year by May 1st. This year we are excited to unveil the Annual Report Filing Cabinet which can be found on DZ Metro's pink Chapter Inc. container. All volunteers and officers that have access to Chapter Inc. now have a link to submit and view their Annual Reports in that same container.

Officers can download copies of their reports from Delta Zeta Metro’s Chapter Officer Resources Container in the link marked Collegiate Chapter Annual Reports. All reports are word documents. Each officer should complete her report and upload it via the Annual Reports submission link by May 1st.

Your Annual Report Filing Cabinet allows you to submit a report by officer topic and academic year. Volunteers who work with multiple chapters will have a drop-down menu to scroll between chapters to view their submissions. To submit a report, click the “Submit an Annual Report” link at the bottom of the filing cabinet page. Your filing cabinet defaults to your chapter.

Select the academic year from the drop down menu. And for each officer submission, find the file you would like to upload on your computer using the browse button. Please click “Submit” to send your report to Delta Zeta. You may upload multiple files at once, or one at a time.

After you upload a report, you can read it from the main filing cabinet page. After clicking on the link, you will see a screen which tells you who uploaded the report, the report itself, and a box for comments. Comments can be viewed by all officers and volunteers who are associated with your chapter.



If you have any questions on this new feature, please contact us at DZMetro@dzshq.com.