2017 Flint Service Trip

In 2017, I had a really bad year mentally, socially, and academically. Toward the end of the year, I received an email that stated that my LEAD Team got shut down and if I didn’t attend a Flint Service Trip then I would be on probation for my scholarship. After everything else I had going on, I’m going to be honest, I went into this with a really negative attitude. I had to take a day out of my busy schedule to attend a service trip that had no prior planning or knowledge of. During the trip, it was very unorganized and the leaders were in the dark on everything by the organizers. I tried to turn my attitude around and it wasn’t until we finally began volunteering I realized that my small issues and annoyances were so miniscule compared to the conditions and challenges that face everyday people of Flint. The water crisis is still happening, homelessness is increasing, crime is evident, and there wasn’t much being done to help. Prior to this trip, I knew that I would be interning in Flint for the summer but I never have been there before. It opened my mindset to what exactly I would be working in. Since I was working with law enforcement, I knew that I had to be out in the field and now I have a preface of what type of atmosphere I would be working in. I learned that I need to keep a positive mindset even in the darkest of times and think of everyday as a fresh start. It turned out to be exactly what I needed at that time in my life. 

Community Relations

As VP of Administration and EVP of the Panhellenic Council, I got the opportunity to sit on a group of people who consisted of students and community members to talk about issues that we have with the Mt. Pleasant community and how students are hindering or helping them. I got to represent the Greek Community during these talks and inputted in matters that concerned us. With the growing dislike of Greek Life all around the nation, this was a challenging task. We discussed and identified the miscommunications and the expectations that were of Greeks. Later in meetings we tried to create events to attempt to mend our two sides. We met with city officers, Greeks, and law enforcement and decided that the first step would to create community service opportunities and events that could bring us together on a good note. We planned on continuing our Greeks Clean the Streets with once a year celebrations that included the community and students to improve relations. We also have been sending students to city commission meetings and we have been in the works of creating a welcome back to school celebration downtown and inviting community members.

Senior Year of AST

In October 2014, I joined Alpha Sigma Tau. As older post read, I have had many memories and experiences with this organization. I have held a number of leadership positions and have served on executive board twice. After eight semesters in a chapter that feels like home, there hasn’t been a day that I regret joining this chapter and community. It has pushed me to hold many roles in the Greek Community and around campus. I have met so many amazing sisters who have encouraged me to be my unapologetic self and I am very thankful for that. In my time in AST, we have done so many amazing things as a chapter that I am so proud to be apart of. We have held the highest sorority cumulative GPA since I have joined, won Greek Week twice, raised about $4,000 a year for Pine Mountain Settlement school, sent a group of sisters to volunteer at our national philanthropy every year, have every sister involved in at least one other RSO on campus, had the highest volunteer hours per sister in a long time, and improved member retention. I have been so proud of the accomplishments we have has. My learning experiences in this chapter has been beyond what has been in any other organization.  I have learned how to be self motivated to balance my social life, academics, and school involvements. I have learned time management to balance my involvements with my personal life. I have learned confidence from the affirmation of succeeding in my positions and following in the footsteps of our older members. Overall, this organization has given me so much and I’m glad I  have gotten the opportunity to give back to it.

 

Safari: Take Four

As said in previous blogs, I have been involved in a program called Leadership Safari at my university. During my first year, I came in as a freshman and was a participant. My sophomore and junior year, I have been a guide for incoming students. This year was the most special year for me. I got to serve as a ranger guide for this program. With that title, it meant that I have had experience with this program and I would be an assistant to the core guide for guide training and selection. I was placed on a team called Bubba Gump Shrimp Pink…which sounds just as goofy as it was. I got the opportunity to be paired with my best friend as my core guide and some of my closest friends has been from this group. I thought as a 3rd year guide, I didn’t have much more to learn from the program, but I was definitely wrong. I learned more from my group of participants this year than I ever thought I would. More than ever, I learned how to be patient with a group of people in a different way than being patient for a group such as my sisters. After growing my self confidence and comfort within groups throughout my college experience, I forgot how it felt to be an incoming freshman new to this environment. There were many instances where we went off curriculum and I had to make things up as I went. This group of students challenged how I think about social issues and how I follow the rules. By the end of the week, I knew that this was something I valued so much within my college career.

Pre LAS in the D

Detroit is a place I grew up being scared of. My parents always made me never leave their side and hold their hand when we went to Tigers games. I know that Detroit used to be a place of opportunity. Now it is struggling to get back to where it once was. Although there are many poor areas, there are many areas that Michigan are proud of in the city. I learned about these issues through school, museums, and educators. Somethings are stereotypes, but most information I’ve learned has been very impactful.

This weekend I will be going on a service trip to Detroit with my Leader Advancement Cohort. I feel as the Leadership Institute’s purpose connects with this trip because we want to reach out all over Michigan to the leaders here. We want to make a difference on not only our campus, but in our state. I feel as our vision connects with this trip because we are working hands on with other leaders in the state. Leadership, positivity, and hard work will create a domino effect that will go into different areas of society.

This trip will help me grow as an individual because it will give me experience. I have not done much in Detroit and I’ve always wanted to do something to help. This city has a ton of potential to improve and I want to play my part to help. I will gain the experience of Detroit and really learn what it has to offer.

Pine Mountain Settlement School

I am currently a member of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority. Our National Philanthropy is Pine Mountain Settlement School in Harlan, Kentucky. It is a school for the community to come and learn about the area, participate in events, and attend day camps.

Over my spring break, I had the amazing opportunity to go there and volunteer my time. I spent five days there. Those five days changed my life and grew my love for Alpha Sigma Tau. I got to work with their archival work and learn more about the school, paint a farm house to host more visitors, and talk to adults who spent their lives at the amazing place.

The view and people were amazing. I cannot explain how thankful I am that I got to volunteer and experience that amazing place. Now I am counting down the days until I get to go back.

First Semester Volunteer Experience

Packing food with Leadership Safari

During my Leadership Safari experience, my group got to package non perishable food to send to a food bank. It was fun to have our group work together for a great cause.

Orientation Volunteer

During Safari, I got the chance to volunteer to swipe cards and guide traffic into the Freshmen Orientation pt 2. It was cool that I got that opportunity right from Safari and as a bonus I got a free t-shirt!

Crop Walk

As a part of Barnes and Robbinson Hall Council, I got to go door to door in each dorm collecting money to donate to Isabella County’s Crop Walk. I didn’t raise a ton because I only had the chance to go to college residents, but it’s better than nothing! Plus, I got to meet many residents around the community.

Spooktacular

As a part of Resident Hall Assembly’s Sober in October events, I got to volunteer with the Spooktacular in Robbinson’s Residential Dining Hall. I managed games that were played to win prizes, helped decorate, and helped clean up after the event.

K-12 Facilitation

This has been by far my most favorite volunteer experience that I have ever done. Two different times, I got to connect with students from high school’s around Michigan and facilitate leadership challenge activities. I got to watch the students grow from not communicating to laughing and having inside jokes. It was such an amazing experience to watch and be apart of. These students inspire me to be better everyday.

Tutoring

A lot of people don’t like algebra but I have a love for it…what else can I say? I have had the chance to get to know friends of friends who have needed extra one-on-one help with their MTH 105 and MTH 107 classes. Not only did I get to help them, it reinforced the basic algebra skills in my head so I could apply them more often in my calculus class.