Delta Zeta: Making History Every Day

Five years ago – & a short time after Memorial Day – I took the three-hour trip to Oxford, Ohio (which is a short hop & skip across the Indiana state line) & visited the Delta Zeta National Historical Museum. Not only did I have the time of my life during my visit – I also developed a more insightful & much stronger appreciation of Delta Zeta’s rich, enduring & steadfast heritage as well.

Whether it’s taking a virtual tour or actually planning a road trip to Oxford, a visit to the Delta Zeta National Historical Museum is an experience unlike any other. It’s insightful. It’s meaningful. It’s rewarding. It’s exciting. It’s wonderful. And most of all, it’s one of the most enriching experiences you’ll ever have.

Located at the corner of East Church Street & North Campus Avenue – & just two blocks away from Miami University – the brick-red building has plenty of stories to tell its visitors, yours truly included:

It’s a reminder to others that Delta Zeta was founded here.
It’s a reminder to others that Oxford, Ohio is & will always be home to Delta Zeta.
It’s a reminder to others that this beautiful building is part of something even more special: a truly beautiful Sorority of women who are making history.
It’s a testimonial to Delta Zeta’s enduring & steadfast history & heritage – over 111 years of amazingness!!
It’s a testimonial to how Delta Zeta became the enriching Sorority it is today (& continues to be).
It’s a testimonial to how Delta Zeta continues to make history, even now.
It’s a look back into not only where Delta Zeta was founded, but also how & why Delta Zeta was founded.
It’s a look back into the circumstances which led to the founding of Delta Zeta.
It’s a look back into Delta Zeta’s rich history; at the same time, it’s a look forward into Delta Zeta’s present & future.
Last but not least, it’s a reminder to others about how much Delta Zeta has achieved over the years while enriching the lives of others along the way.

If there is one thing I learned from my visit to the Delta Zeta National Historical Museum – almost five years later, as a matter of fact – it’s that Delta Zeta’s undergraduate & alumnae members are women who truly believe in promoting their values & enriching the world. And like that brick-red building which the DZ Museum calls home, Delta Zetas are making history every day!!

Delta Zeta: A Thing Or Two Which I Love About Turtle Tugs

“To those whom my life may touch in slight measure, may I give graciously of what is mine…” – Dorothy Mumford Williams

For Delta Zeta’s undergraduates & alumnae, philanthropy isn’t only an amazing experience. It’s also rewarding. It’s exciting. It’s inspiring. It’s about making a positive difference where it truly matters. It’s about giving selflessly. And above all, it’s enriching for everybody.

Whether they host fundraising events which support the Sorority’s national philanthropies (speech and hearing, The Painted Turtle Camp) or whether Delta Zeta’s undergraduate take part in other Greek-sponsored philanthropies, one thing always is for certain: Delta Zetas know how to make a heartfelt – & again, enriching – impact for their colleges/universities, their fellow Greeks, their local communities & the world.

Philanthropy is one of many ways in which Delta Zetas articulate to others who their Sorority truly is, what their Sorority truly does, the values, ideals & principles which their Sorority stand for & what their Sorority is truly all about. Having said that, this brings yours truly to one of his favorite philanthropic events – & one of the many amazing ways which Delta Zetas are truly committed to enriching the lives of others through service & philanthropy – Turtle Tugs.

What makes yours truly love Turtle Tugs as much as he does?

First of all, it’s a great event to support & benefit The Painted Turtle Camp, a medical camp for children who are chronically ill.

Second, it’s a great event which supports a great cause. The Painted Turtle Camp truly inspires & encourages children who have serious/life-threatening illnesses to become more self-confident & self-reliant. If that’s not enough good news already, The Painted Turtle Camp gives these children (40% of whom come from low-income families) a gift which lasts a lifetime: a gift of laughter, fun & personal growth which they otherwise wouldn’t be experiencing!!

Third, the proceeds from Turtle Tugs go to The Painted Turtle as well as to local & national speech and hearing organizations.

Fourth, Turtle Tugs is one of many ways in which Delta Zeta’s undergraduate members make a positive & enriching impact for their colleges/universities, their fellow Greeks, the local community & beyond.

Fifth, Turtle Tugs is a perfect way for Delta Zetas to show that they truly believe in enriching the lives of children with serious/life-threatening illnesses & people who have speech and hearing problems/impediments. (Now that’s a win-win.)

Last but not least, Turtle Tugs is one more reason why yours truly can say that he’s proud to be Greek, proud to be supporting such great causes like The Painted Turtle Camp & proud to be supporting such an amazing Sorority!!

Sorority Life: The Opportunity Of A Lifetime

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you’ve not only found a place to call home for the next four/five years of your life. You have also become part of an organization which will always be home even after you’ve graduated.

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you’ve become part of an organization which isn’t strictly for college days alone.

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you not only find new friends. You’ll also make connections which you otherwise wouldn’t have made.

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you get the opportunity to set – & live!! – higher standards & expectations for yourself, your sisters & others around you.

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you get the opportunity to live, articulate & stay truly committed to the values, ideals & principles of your organization.

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you’ll discover new opportunities (as well as resources) to become stronger, more confident, more assured & more empowered leaders, contributors, difference-makers & team players.

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you become part of something special & truly more-than-amazing: however many years of inspiring, wonderful & steadfast sisterhood!!

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you’ll discover that learning isn’t just something that you do in the classroom. Learning is something that also takes place outside the classroom as well.

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you’ll discover how important each of these things truly are: academics, philanthropy, service, leadership & sisterhood.

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you’ll discover new opportunities to shine & help make your chapter stand out on campus, for your fellow Greeks, in the local community & beyond.

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you’ll discover that you haven’t simply “arrived”/”made it” into the organization of your choice. The moment you accept your bid is also the very moment your journey as a sorority woman truly begins.

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you’ll discover shared, insightful & relevant experiences that empower, impact & inspire your life in a positive & truly genuine way.

When you join a Sorority/Fraternity, you have the opportunity of a lifetime to step out, make a difference & do something good for your chapter, for your Greek community, for your college/university, for the local community, for the world & above all, for others around you.

Sorority life is an experience unlike any other. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime which you shouldn’t pass up.

Sorority Recruitment: All About The Bigger Picture

During Formal Recruitment, we shouldn’t just showcase certain things which make our chapters – & to a much greater degree, our Sororities/Fraternities – so amazing & awesome in the first place. Likewise, we shouldn’t focus solely on the more glowing & superlative aspects of sorority life. Nor should we showcase only one thing which our chapters excel at doing the best/most often.

Here’s the thing: Formal Recruitment is about giving the potential new members a well-rounded, accurate & genuine look into all of the above:

who our chapters (& Sororities/Fraternities) are,

what our chapters (& Sororities/Fraternities) do on campus, for our fellow Greeks, in the local community & beyond,

the values, ideals & principles which we boldly strive to live by day in & day out,

the values, ideals & principles which we in turn reflect back to others in all that we do,

& last but not least, what our chapters (& Sororities/Fraternities) are truly all about.

At the same time, Formal Recruitment is about revealing the bigger picture about our chapters (& Sororities/Fraternities) & all the things which make our organizations so unique, amazing, special & outstanding:

It’s about academics/scholarship & inspiring/encouraging/empowering women to set high standards & expectations in academic achievement/excellence.

It’s about leadership development & inspiring/encouraging/empowering women to become better, more confident & stronger leaders, contributors & difference-makers.

It’s about leadership opportunities & inspiring/encouraging/empowering women to realize their true strengths as leaders, contributors & difference-makers.

It’s about making a positive, genuine, heartfelt difference in the local community & beyond through service, as well as inspiring/encouraging/empowering women to do the same.

It’s about making a positive, genuine, heartfelt difference on campus, for our fellow Greeks, in the local community & beyond through philanthropy, as well as inspiring/encouraging/empowering women to do the same.

It’s about the sisterhood & being there for one another through the best & worst of times.

It’s about finding new friends & discovering new connections along the way.

It’s about providing women with a genuine & honest sisterhood experience.

It’s about providing women with genuine, relevant & life-changing experiences not just as new members, but also as actives.

It’s about living the ideals, values & principles on which our Sororities/Fraternities were founded.

It’s about inspiring/encouraging/empowering women to be everything that they aspire to be.

It’s about inspiring/encouraging/empowering women to realize their goals, aspirations, visions & dreams.

It’s about inspiring/encouraging/empowering women to step up & stand out in a positive & beneficial way.

It’s about telling & showing women how our Sororities/Fraternities have changed our own lives for the better.

It’s about telling & showing potential new members how our Sororities/Fraternities have made us into the women we are today.

To make a long story short, it’s all of the above.

When it comes to showing potential new members a truly well-rounded portrayal of our chapters/Sororities/Fraternities, going halfway isn’t enough. Showcasing certain things about our chapters that are truly outstanding while omitting others just won’t cut it. To truly win the hearts of the potential new members – & to really convince these amazing ladies to go Greek – we should show them all of the things which make our chapters/Sororities/Fraternities so outstanding, amazing, awesome, unique & wonderful.

Sorority Recruitment: Telling The Whole Truth About Community Service

When it comes to providing potential new members a well-rounded & truly complete discussion about community service during Formal Recruitment, here are some things to keep in mind:

Don’t just tell the potential new members that our chapters do community service. Also make it a point to explain WHY our chapters do community service. Simply telling these amazing ladies that we do community service isn’t enough – they also want to know WHY our Sororities/Fraternities do community service!!

Show these amazing women how important community service is to our chapters & what community service truly means.

Let the potential new members know that community service (as well as philanthropy) can be – & is – a rewarding, exciting, enriching & amazing experience.

Show the potential new members how community service has enriched & made a positive impact in your own lives.

Don’t just tell the PNMs that we do community service. Tell these amazing women about the various community service events/projects which our chapters participate in over the course of the school year.

Don’t present community service to the potential new members as something that’s a buzzkill/inconvenience. Seriously, just don’t. If we do, then the new members will see community service as something that’s a thankless task/something that they begrudgingly “have to do.” (Not only that, but such a mindset also goes completely against the values/ideals/principles on which our Sororities/Fraternities were founded.) To reiterate what I said earlier, community service can be – & is – a rewarding, amazing, enriching, exciting (& also life-changing) experience, so present community service in a beneficial, positive & enriching light!!

Show the potential new members that community service is one of many things which defines who our Sororities/Fraternities are, what our Sororities/Fraternities do, what our Sororities/Fraternities stand for & what our Sororities/Fraternities are all about.

Show the potential new members that community service is also one of many things which makes our chapters stand out on campus, for our fellow Greeks & in the local community in a positive & beneficial way. If that’s not enough good news, it showcases some of the more-than-amazing things that our chapters do to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Last but not least, show the potential new members how community service not only enriches & personally impacts our own lives – it also enriches & personally makes a positive impact in the lives of others. (That’s one more way in which our Sororities/Fraternities believe in bringing about change for the better.)