Delta Zeta Blog - Ten Months In

The Delta Zeta blog is kicking off its tenth month and we are looking to finish strong in its first full year. The blog is designed to educate collegiate chapters, officers and advisors on operational items as well as encourage all of us to think outside of the box. It’s important as we wrap up this year to think about how to most effectively use the blog. A couple things come to mind:

• Join the conversation – The blog features the ability to comment via Facebook to any blog entry. Share your thoughts on our posts with Delta Zeta through your Facebook network. Engage in conversation with fellow Delta Zetas across the country.
• Share the posts – If you think a post would be of particular interest to a chapter sister or advisor, be sure to send it her way.
• Think critically about the topics - What can we all be doing to help advance the mission of Delta Zeta? What are some best practices that I can learn from my sisters? What are the books I should be checking out? Would learning more about this topic help me be a more effective leader?

In the upcoming weeks, expect blog posts on the following topics:

• Community Service Ideas from the Field
• Convention
• From the President
• Effective Chapter Retreats
• Academic Tips for Starting the Term Off Right

If you have questions, or suggestions for future blog posts, please send them to Webmaster@dzshq.com.

Stars in Our Service Flag

This Memorial Day, Delta Zeta salutes its members who have previously or currently serve in the armed forces.

We especially honor those we have lost during their time of service.

Staying Connected Over the Summer

School’s out for the summer! Well, for some of us. Many sisters are lucky enough to be geographically close to each other during the summer which makes staying connected easier. But for others, our chapter sisters may spread far and wide for internships, vacations or returning back home. Whether you are 2 miles or 1500 miles apart, here are some ways to stay connected with each other this summer:

• Social Media – Are you following your sisters on Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest? If not, find them! Then, find fun ways to connect over those mediums. Create a dinner party via Pinterest - you can each make a different course and post a review. Start a book club over Twitter. Review each other’s listing on LinkedIn and provide recommendations that will help with their job search next year.
• Facebook – Make sure to keep updating your chapter’s Facebook page. This can be a two-way street. You can provide information about the chapter as well as inviting chapter sisters to share their adventures over the summer. What did they learn in their internship? What are they most excited about for when they return to school? Where did their summer travels take them? 
• Snail Mail – Who doesn’t love getting something in the mail! Send your sisters a postcard from wherever you land this summer. Local museums and festivals often have great postcards that can help tell your story from this summer. 
• Meet-Up – If you are lucky enough to be near each other, be sure to meet up with sisters for dinner. Visit a museum together. Volunteer for a local animal shelter.
  Phone – Sometimes a good old-fashioned phone call is the best way to catch up. So no matter how easy it is to text, consider dialing! Hearing a good friend’s voice can make the distance between you feel smaller.

Convention Tips

 

Delta Zeta’s 50th National Convention will be held July 3-6 at the Grand Hyatt in San Antonio, Texas. For many of you coming, this may be your first Delta Zeta Convention. We know that you might be nervous and not know what to expect. Let us be the first to put your mind at ease! As anyone who has attended a Convention in the past can tell you, it is one of the most amazing sisterhood experiences that you may have.

If you haven’t surfed the 50th Convention Pages on the Delta Zeta National website, be sure to take a few minutes and read up on the event. The agenda was recently posted and the Convention Committee will be adding information to it in the weeks to come. A real highlight will be our Convention Speakers. Ginny Carroll, the CEO of inGiNuity, will kick us off on Tuesday night while Pete Smithhisler, the CEO of the North-American Interfraternity Conference will be The Carolyn Barnes Gullatt Symposium speaker on Thursday morning. And all attendees will get to have a little Panhellenic fun when we enjoy a night out with Phi Mu, also holding their Convention in San Antonio that week.

Worried about what to wear? We’ve got that covered. Check out the photos in the General Information section on the website. Not sure about transportation? We’ve got that too! Interested in writing for the Lampkin staff? Make sure to tell us when you complete your registration.

Registration will be open until May 31st. You can register online here. If you have any questions at all – please let us know by dropping us a note at DZConvention@dzshq.com.

Honoring our Delta Zeta Mothers

Delta Zeta has a long history of mother-daughter legacy connections. In 1923, Epsilon Chapter at Indiana University pledged Delta Zeta’s first daughter legacy, Edith Cummings, daughter of Lois Crowther Cummings, who was initiated into Epsilon Chapter in 1910 as an alumna. Some Delta Zeta sisterly connections are made when a daughter is initiated at Convention. In 1933, Founder Julia Bishop Coleman’s eldest daughter, Mary, was the Convention Initiate at the gathering in Chicago. Delta Zeta moms and daughters share a special bond to this day. We wanted to highlight some in honor of Mother’s Day. Whether you are a biological mother, adopted daughter, or have a special relationship with someone you consider a close as family, we honor you.

Leslie Miller Stoehr, University of South Carolina - Beta Delta 2001, and daughter Stella Reese, 6 months

When I discovered I was pregnant with my first child in early 2011, I dreamed about what my sweet child would look like, what he or she would think of my husband and I and all the memories we would share. Like any new mom, holding Stella for the first time was such a breathtaking moment and I realized my life would never be the same. In a way, these same feelings as a mom hold true for me when I became a Delta Zeta: not knowing what the future holds but grateful because it has changed me for the better. I know no matter what happens, holding the titles of mom and sister will always be a constant in my life.

I'm thankful that my daughter has so many loving, influential women in her life that share our sisterhood because it will shape her as she grows into a beautiful young lady. Of course I would love to make Delta Zeta a legacy in our family because of how it's positively affected my life... what a remarkable bond to share with your daughter! Stella will make many decisions that will impact her future - which college to attend, personal relationships, being involved in Greek Life and yes, even possibly becoming a Delta Zeta - and I look forward to watching her make these choices. 

Janie Sue Williamson Stoutenburg, University of Iowa - Iota 1969, and mother Hazel Klein Williamson University of Iowa - Iota 1927

Both my mother, Hazel Kline Williamson, and I joined the Iota chapter at the University of Iowa. My mother helped move into the first chapter house on campus. Over the years the house changed locations several times, including the one when I pledged, but the chapter has now returned to that very same house.  Mom helped establish a very active Quad-Cities alumni chapter
that helped Iota for many decades. She lived long enough to be a Golden Rose, a Pearl, and a Diamond member.

I have been active with the very wonderful sisters of The Surfing Sisters of Delta Zeta. They are such a fantastic, supportive group of women of all ages, interests, occupations, and beliefs who provide caring, interesting, and challenging ideas and feedback. Although Delta Zeta was fantastic in college, it has come to mean so much more to me as I have grown and matured over the years, finding very necessary guidance in our creed and goals. Hopefully I have made Delta Zeta at least a small part as proud of me, and my accomplishments, as I am of YOU!

Frances Boudreaux, Louisiana State University - Sigma 2010 and mother Susan Boudreaux, Louisiana Tech University - Theta Epsilon 1985

Joining my mother's sisterhood was something I'd always dreamt of. I vividly remember reading her copies of The LAMP throughout my childhood and imagining what it would be like to be in a sorority. While going through recruitment at Louisiana State University, my mom encouraged me to go through the process with an open mind and was incredibly supportive of each choice that I made. She was incredibly excited when I joined Delta Zeta and I believe it meant more to her than I will ever know. After joining Delta Zeta, she isn't just my mother, she's also now my sister. Becoming a part of her sisterhood has definitely brought us much closer together and I will forever be grateful for that.

Jean Funck Person, University of New Orleans - Theta Kappa 1974 and daughters Meghan Person Walsh, Miami University -  Alpha 2003 and Maura Person, Miami University - Alpha 2005

I never presumed that my daughters would become Delta Zetas; we attended different schools. I just wanted them to be happy, and have positive college and Greek experiences. I was thrilled when they pledged and it was a joy to share initiation with them. At Meghan’s wedding, my sisters (their Delta Zeta “aunts”) joined her sisters and we had a great time transcending the generations. That’s what it’s all about!

Melissa Miller, University of Illinois - Alpha Beta 2001, and mother Shelia Crowley Miller – University of Illinois -  Alpha Beta 1972

I actually went through recruitment thinking that I didn't want to join the same chapter as my mom. However, once I went through Preference, I knew it was the place for me. I learned a lot when she would visit and tell me how it was different and about her experience. I feel lucky and got to know my mom better being in the same chapter as her. 

Lifetime membership: Connecting with Delta Zeta in New Hampshire

We all hear that membership in Delta Zeta is for a lifetime. But what does that mean once you leave campus? How does Delta Zeta sisterhood continue into our "grown up" lives? A group of alumnae in New Hampshire connected last night and continued the DZ experience though conversation, laughter, food and fun.

Delta Zeta alumnae from as far away as Zeta Nu (Ferris State) in Michigan and from the Granite State's Kappa Epsilon (Plymouth State) and Theta Gamma (New Hampshire) shared stories and recalled their experiences as collegiate members. One alumnae shared that she reconnected with Delta Zeta and updated her email address simply to provide a friend's daughter a recommendation for recruitment. Another pair of big and little sisters were in attendance and connected with sisters from their chapter who were a few years behind them. And a group of alumnae from the Boston area are already making plans for dinner in the near future.

Director of Development, Chris Kern, Director of Member Services, Mandi Wise Evans, and Director of Educational Technologies, Allison St. Germain gave updates about what Delta Zeta is doing nationally and the Regional Collegiate Director, Andrea Johnson Rogers, spoke glowingly about our collegiate chapters in the area.

No matter how long you've been away from college, Delta Zeta still has ways to connect with sisters. Whether you log on and use the life skills app, Delta Zeta Crib Sheet, or provide mentoring support to a chapter officer in your region, there are multiple ways, both big and small you enrich your live and the lives of other sisters through Delta Zeta.

To connect with Delta Zeta - find us on line at www.deltazeta.org, like us on Facebook, follow along on Twitter,or find a new idea on Pinterest. 

Update your collegiate chapter roster this spring

Each semester/quarter, the Chapter Secretary or Treasurer is required to update the chapter’s roster in Chapter Inc. with those members who will be or have graduated that term or those that have left school. These actions are the only way that members are removed from your roster in Billhighway, which also removes them from the Delta Zeta billing cycle. If you do not update your roster, your chapter will continue to be billed for the members. All graduating seniors and members who are leaving school should be removed from your roster by June 30, 2012

To update your Chapter Inc. roster, access the site via the pink container on your Metro page. Once in Chapter Inc., select the Membership menu > Actions > Manage Members. The first page provides you the instructions you need to be aware of while completing the action. Please click continue to move to the second step. The second page of the action provides a list of your chapter members. Select the members who you are removing from your roster by clicking the box next to their name. Then click continue to move to the additional information page. On the additional information page, you will select “member graduates” or “left school” from the drop-down menu, and put the effective date of the membership change for each member. The date defaults to the day you are entering the action. Click continue to move to the validation page where you will review your changes and electronically sign the action form. The last step is the receipt page which confirms the change has been sent to National Headquarters. All membership changes take up to an hour to appear on Chapter Inc.

To review the action itself, you can download the Membership Actions Guide on DZ Metro here or you can view a video that will walk you through the steps here. If you have questions on the Manage Members Action on Chapter Inc., please contact technical support at ChapterInc@dzshq.com.

Stay Connected with Delta Zeta

Many of our chapters will be graduating members in the next few weeks. You might be one of those members. With all the excitement of finishing your four, maybe more, years on campus, it might seem overwhelming to think about how to stay connected with the organization that has meant so much to your collegiate experience. Maintaining your connection with Delta Zeta is easy and we've created some fun ways to make the most of your transition to alumnae member.

First - log onto Delta Zeta's private social network, Metro, and make sure your profile is up to date. You can change your address, email and phone number to make sure we have the most up to date information.

Second - surf to Delta Zeta JobBound in Metro and take advantage of the free job advice found in the Job Guide and video series.

Finally - download Delta Zeta's mobile life skills app, Crib Sheet, for iPhone and iPad, Android, and Blackberry. You can find out more at http://www.mycribsheet.com/deltazeta/ if you are visiting from your desktop

Tell us how you will stay connected with Delta Zeta even as you leave prepare to leave campus. Leave a comment below or email us at webmaster@dzshq.com.