Happy Holidays from Gamma Zeta!

Meet our VP of Programming, Taylor Schaal!

Get to know our VP of Programming!

Taylor Elizabeth Schaal

Born: February 22, 1991 

From: Metairie, Louisiana

Major: Communication Disorders

Dream Job: Speech Therapist for Autistic and Special Education Children

Favorite Food: Pasta, I love any kind of pasta (or really any kind of carb)

Favorite Vacation: The mountains in the winter and the beach in the summer.  I love snowboarding and the beach is so relaxing.

Favorite Greek Event: DG Chapter Retreat and Recruitment (does that make me a total nerd?)

Favorite Quote: "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return" Moulin Rouge

I ran for vp Programming because after Social Standards it was a nice change of pace. I wanted to see the chapter in a different light and give back more to the chapter.  I do a lot of work behind the scenes and with the help of my two directors (director of sisterhood and director of senior programming) to program the chapter and pledge classes.  I also spearhead calendar planning and make sure we meet all criteria that EO asked us to do.  And another main part of my job is to make sure the new members complete Greek Life Edu. before their initiation.

My hope with this semester is that the chapter feels well programmed, but not over programmed.  I came into the office hoping to make more events multipurpose and I think that we have started to move in that direction. I also hope that though our events chapter members experience the sisterhood in new and fun ways that are not stressful or forced.

I would hope someone would want to run for the position because you truly want to do what it asks, not for the title.  Anyone can do the a job, but it takes someone who really appreciates it to make it all it's worth.  Running for a position, especially one on CMT, is not something you can do for yourself solely; but rather you need to do it for the chapter and because you love it.  Do not get caught up in trying to "fix" the chapter, why fix what isn't broken?  Instead strive to work in your position to your fullest potential and make what is already great better.  And always, always, always make sure you have enough time before committing yourself to an officer position.

ITB,

Taylor

World Sight Day 2012

Happy World Sight Day - the international day of awareness for the global issue of avoidable blindness and visual impairment. 285 million people are visually impaired. 80 percent don't have to be. Every 5 seconds someone in the world goes blind. Every minute a child goes blind. Delta Gamma Fraternity is "doing good" with our work to help fight blindness. Learn more and spread the word! DO GOOD.

Check out some videos and links provided by TOMS who are also joining the movement to help raise awareness. So what are you waiting for? Join the movement now!

http://www.toms.com/world-sight-day/

When In Rome...Gabi and Lauren take on Italy!

Here is our second post on our DG study abroad/internship series.

Junior, Gabi Audagnotti and Senior, Lauren Messonnier describe their exciting experience in Rome, Italy. Enjoy!

Gabi and I both independently decided to study abroad this summer in Rome for five weeks. I was thrilled when I learned another Delta Gamma was going, and we decided to live together for the duration of the program. Gabi and I didn’t know each other very well going into the summer, but we became good friends through the culture shock, adventure and food that Italy had to offer.

We stayed in apartments in Rome, and we took two courses while abroad: photography and introduction to Italian. We were in class most of the day Monday through Thursday, but we tried to make it downtown to Rome whenever we could! By the end of the trip, we even had a little café that knew us and knew our standard order: due cappicini e due paste. We became experts at shopping and eating all of the delish pasta meals, our favorite of which is “caccio e peppe.”

The highlight of my trip was our weekend adventure to Interlaken, Switzerland. We survived an overnight train, border control and the language barrier and made it by early Friday morning. Interlaken is known for their outdoor adventure, and Gabi and I had been having panic attacks all week for the activity we had signed up for: canyon jumping. We were to jump off a 270-foot cliff connected to a rope and swing through a canyon. After a lot of panic, we both managed to jump off and have the time of our lives. The picture depicts the adrenaline rush that we felt post jump. It was truly a surreal experience. We continued the adventure weekend by canyoning (in freezing water) and bike riding around the beautiful town. 

- Lauren

Junior Sarah Bair takes on Australia!

Here's our first installment on our DG study abroad/internship series.
Below, Gamma Zeta Junior Sarah Bair describes her incredible experience in Australia this summer. Enjoy!

G’ Day Mates! This summer I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Australia! I am Athletic Training major at LSU and was able to find Sports Travel Academy and travel with James Madison University students to study Australian Sports Medicine.  It was hands down the most incredible experience of my life! The things I accomplished, saw and did in just 3 weeks I never thought I were possible in a lifetime. 

I met some incredible people along the way that have really impacted my life and will forever hold a special place in my heart. One thing that bonded me to other people instantly was being Greek! I met some other girls and guys in sororities and fraternities from across the country. 

We traveled all around Australia. We spent 4 nights in Melbourne, 5 nights in Sydney, 6 nights in Cairns and 4 nights in Surfer’s Paradise on the Gold Coast. Each place was extremely unique and had so many fun things to do! In Melbourne we focused a lot on sports and were able to see some Aussie Rules Football games and tour many of the amazing sporting facilities. We went to the Melbourne Cricket Grounds where the main site for the 1956 summer Olympics were held and the Rod Laver arena where the Australian Tennis Open is held. We also took a day trip and drove the entire 151 miles of Great Ocean Road along the bottom coast of Australia. The sites were breathtaking! 

In Sydney we took a harbor cruise where we saw the Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge. We visited the Aquarium where we were able to see some of the unique aquatic life of Australia. We also went to a few famous beaches that boarder Sydney. Cairns was my favorite stop of the trip. While in Cairns we were able to play with Kangaroos, hold a Koala, ride the longest skyrail in the world across the Australian Rainforest, learn to throw a boomerang from an Australian Aboriginal, scuba dive and snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, take a 200 person outdoor Zumba class on the beach during sunset, go skydiving and many more bucket list worthy adventures! Surfer’s Paradise was our last stop and I bet you can guess what we did there…surfing! We took a surfing class and were able to catch some Australian waves! 

These are just a few of the extraordinary things we did while studying abroad. This entire experience was such an adventure and opened me up to the world! I can’t wait to see where my next journey will take me. I encourage everyone to get out and travel! You will come away feeling like a changed person!  Cheers!

  - Sarah Bair

              

Sweet Home Delta Gamma! Bid Day 2012!

We had a very successful recruitment class this year thanks to many! Here is the official list of all 96 new members (name, high school, hometown), including 17 legacies! We are so excited for this year and so thrilled with each of our new members! Look out for more pictures and a blog post about bid day coming soon!

Zoe Aguillard - Sumrall High School - Hattiesburg, MS

Jenna Anders - St. Michael - Baton Rouge, LA

Kaitlin Anderson - Captain Shreve - Shreveport, LA

Macy Andre' - University High School - Bloomington, IL

Jenna Baker - DeRidder High School - DeRidder, LA

Sara Bell - St. Jospehs Academy (SJA) - Baton Rouge, LA

Karah Bergeron - Mount Carmel - New Orleans, LA

Jessie Boylan - Mount Carmel - New Orleans, LA

Waverly Broekstra - Cy-Fair Senior High - Cypress, TX (Legacy)

Paige Browning - Parkview Baptist - Baton Rouge, LA

Libby Cassisa - SJA - Baton Rouge, LA

Victoria Chustz - Denham Spring High School - Denham Springs, LA (Legacy)

Laura Claycomb - Pope John Paul - Slidell, LA (Legacy)

Erin Colvin - Mount Carmel - New Orleans, LA 

Kayla Compton - Northshore High School - Slidell, LA

Natalie Cox  - St. Frederick - Monroe, LA

Courtney David - SJA - Baton Rouge, LA

Gabrielle Dazet - Mount Carmel - New Orleans, LA

Katherina Dugas  - SJA - Baton Rouge, LA

Caroline Enright - Dominican - New Orleans, LA

Adrienne Erbesti - James River High School - Midlothian, VA (Legacy)

Megan Erwin  - SJA - Baton Rouge, LA (Legacy)

Lauren Fontenot  - St. Agnes Academy - Houston, TX

Alex Gaudin - SJA - Baton Rouge, LA

Megan Glahn  - Mount Carmel - New Orleans, LA (Legacy)

Julie Gondek - Seven Lakes High School - Katy, TX

Ciera Gray - Mount Carmel - New Orleans, LA (Legacy)

Emily Guidroz  - STM – Lafayette, LA

Mairin Guidry - Sacred Heart, New Orleans, LA

Emily Gundlach - Sacred Heart, New Orelans, LA

Gabrielle Hall - Parkview Baptist, Baton Rouge, LA

McKenzie Hall - Frank W. Cox High School, Virginia Beach, VA

Lexie Hendley - Hickman High School – Columbia, MO (Legacy)

Emily Huynh - Dominican – River Edge, LA (Legacy)

Alec Hymel - Dominican – New Orleans, LA

Sarah Jackson - Lafayette High School – Lafayette, LA

Katlyn Jonas - Stephen F. Austin – Sugarland, TX

Ashley Judice - STM – Lafayete, LA

Courtney Keller - Ursuline Academy – New Orleans, LA (Legacy)

Danielle LeBlanc - STM – Lafayette, LA (Legacy)

Merritt Luneau - Bolton High School – Alexandria, LA

Geena Marano  - Bishop Gorman High School – Las Vegas, NV (Legacy

Brindan Martin  - Coppell High School – Coppell, TX

Katie Matirne   - Acadiana High School – Lafayette, LA

Kelly Mayfield  - Fountainebleu High School – Mandeville, LA

Meredith McDonald  - Duchtown High School – Duchtown, LA

Nina McMicken  - Beau Chene High School – Leonvile, LA

Cody Miller  - Mount Carmel – New Olreans, LA (Legacy)

Gabby Moulis - Dominican – New Orleans, LA (Legacy)

Michele Mutter - Dominican – New Orleans, LA

Scarlett Myers  - W.E. Boswell High School – Fort Worth, TX

Abby Neck - SJA – Baton Rouge, LA

Liza Nicholas - Thomas S. Wooton High – Rockville, mD

Chloe Nicolosi - Dominican – New Orleans, LA

Kaitlyn Nixon - Barbe High School – Lake Charles, LA

Aimee Noto - Clear Creek High School – League City, TX

Emily Nunn - SJA – Baton Rouge, LA

Kristin Oglesby - Mount Saint Mary Academy – Little Rock, AR

Jamie Owens - Mount Carmel – New Orleans, LA

Sarah Patterson - Epis School of Jacksonville – Jacksonville, FL

Catherina Pettus  - Dominican – New Orleans, LA

Paige Pocorello - SJA – Baton Rouge, LA

Kaylin Quinn  - Barbe High School – Lake Charles, LA

Brittany Quirk - STM – Lafayette, LA

Megan Reynolds - Mount Carmel – River Ridge, LA

Emily Robb - SJA – Baton Rouge, LA

Peyton Robb - SJA – Baton Rouge, LA

Victoria Roberts - Dominican – New Orleans, LA

Alex Rosen - STM – Lafayette, LA

Alyssa Russo - Mooresville Senior High School – Mooresville, NC

Katie Schoennagel - Dominican – New Orleans, LA

Morgan Schuetz - Parkview Baptist – Baton Rouge, LA

Kaitlin Sepulveda - Mandeville High School – Mandeville, LA

Kristen Shaw - St. Frederick – Monroe, LA

Kaitlyn Simpson - Lamar Consolidated High School – Rosenberg, TX

Laura Catherine Smith – SJA – Baton Rouge, LA

Rachel Smythe - Clear Creek High School – League City, TX

Whitney Sprague - Mount Carmel - New Orleans, LA

Mary Catherine Srofe  - Slidell High School – Slidell, LA

Cadie St. Romain - St. Louis Catholic – Lake Charles, LA

Sara Stinson - Lakeshore High School – Mandeville, LA

Becca Stoddard  - Trinity School of Texas – Longview, TX

Claire Stuart - Simsburry High School – Simsburry, CT

Emma Suderman - Niceville High School – Niceville, FL

Rachel Thomas - Lafayette High School – Lafayette, LA

Caroline Thriffiley - Mount Carmel – Chalmette, LA

Stacy Titone - Hemphill High School – Lancaster, PA (Legacy)

Natalie Travis - Covington High School – Covington, LA (Legacy)

Sarah Treadaway - Ursuline Academy – New Orleans, LA

Jeannie Vicari - SJA – Baton Rouge, LA

Nikki Vu - SJA – Baton Rouge, LA

Victoria Waguespack - Dominican – New Orleans, LA

Steph Webber - Clear Lake High School – Houston, TX

Emily Wheeler - Gulf Breeze High School – Pensacola, FL

Claire Wingerter - Lakeshore High School – Mandeville, LA

Once again, we had such a successful recruitment, and can’t wait for another amazing year!

ITB

- GZ

Delta Gamma Convention: Part 2

Kicking off Part 2 of the Gamma Zeta three part series on DG Convention is a past Gamma Zeta chapter president and 2012-2013 Delta Gamma Collegiate Development Consultant, Courtney Lanaux. Enjoy!

(Elaine Vidrine, Kelsey Hyde, & Courtney Lanaux at DG Convention)

Amanda Truman, a Gamma Zeta alumna, and Director of Events for Delta Gamma Fraternity, asked me to name my favorite part of Convention this morning in training at Executive Offices. I thought for a moment before answering. Was my favorite part listening to Michael Hingson speak on behalf of Delta Gamma’s Lectureship series? Was it the Panhellenic luncheon where nearly all 26 NPC sororities came together as one sisterhood? Was it the archives display or the opening entertainment from Out of the Dog House?

Although I truly enjoyed all of these events, I have to say that my absolute favorite part of Convention is meeting Delta Gammas from coast to coast, hearing their story, feeling their passion to “do good” and being inspired by their story. It’s an indescribable feeling to be a part of something so spectacular. My favorite part of Convention is being in a room with 900 women and reciting DG's ritual as one. Many of these women, I don’t know and some I’ll never know, but there will always be that one thing that unifies us and that is Delta Gamma. Convention, for me, was when I saw the “big picture” of Delta Gamma. It’s when you realize that there is so much more to Delta Gamma beyond the four collegiate years. Convention is when you realize that Delta Gamma is for life.

(Gamma Zeta alumnae from various states at DG Convention)

I often wonder what our three founders, Mary Comfort Leonard, Eva Webb Dodd, and Anna Boyd Ellington, would think of Delta Gamma today. If only they could see firsthand how far Delta Gamma has grown throughout these past years. As I sat in the back of the room for Initiation at Convention, I couldn’t help but recall our Founders and their mission to start this “secret club” on the values of friendship, loyalty, and hope. Today, more than 200,000 women share those same values and wear the golden anchor badge to symbolize what was once started in 1873 at the Lewis School for Girls.

The 2012 Delta Gamma Convention was a milestone for me. It marked the first few days of my new job as a Collegiate Development Consultant. I had the opportunity to meet many women whom I will be working closely with this year as I am out in the field, traveling from coast to coast and “doing good” for the Fraternity. Convention was a great way to start my year as a CDC and the theme “Setting the Pace” truly represents the beginning of an adventure that will change my life forever.

(Courtney Lanaux, Kate Gremillion, & Kati Fratesi - Region 3 CDCs at DG Convention)

(2012-2013 CDCs at DG Convention Awards Banquet)

(Courtney Lanaux, Kate Gremillion, & Lane Harris)

Delta Gamma Convention: Part 1

If you talk to anyone who has attended a Delta Gamma Convention, they will tell you it's a life changing experience! So, Gamma Zeta wanted to share with you the experience of our members who attended the 65th Biennial Convention from their three different perspectives in a three part series.

Part 1 comes from our Advisory Team Chairman, Emily Burris Hester. Enjoy!



As a regular on the Delta Gamma Convention circuit, I had high hopes for Convention 2012 in Indianapolis and it did not disappoint! This was a milestone Convention for me as I was honored with my Silver Anchor Pin for my 5^th Convention. With 4 previous Conventions under my belt, I was excited and full of anticipation of what our Fraternity’s 65^th Biennial Convention would have to offer.

(Emily Hester & Kelsey Hyde at the Foundation Banquet)

Some of my personal highlights from Convention 2012 include:

·         Watching Courtney Lanaux, past Gamma Zeta chapter president, thrive in her Collegiate Development Consultant (CDC) environment and be named the Baynard Consultant which visits and leads DG’s newest colony.

·         Being challenged to share our proudest moment as a sorority woman and as a Delta Gamma with people we meet.

·         Re-framing the way that I think of HOPE in Delta Gamma. A fabulous speaker, Ginny Carroll, really put it into words when she gave a great history lesson of what Mary, Eva, and Anna would have been facing at the time that they founded our dear DG. Theirs was a hope for the future, for equality for women in higher education. We have a slightly different hope for our future as time passes but never straying from that focus on our original purpose. It really put things into perspective!

·        Cheering on my special new Psi Women, Rebecca Lemoine and Rachel Favaloro both of whom are Gamma Zeta’s and my “balance buddy” from my year as a CDC, Sara Owen Solem. Learn more about the Delta Gamma Psi Woman Challenge!

·         Celebrating a job well done by my mentor and Delta Gamma Fraternity President, Beth Searcy, as she retired from the Delta Gamma Council after 8 years of service.

·         And finally…hearing Gamma Zeta’s name called out, TWICE, at the big awards ceremony and for the most meaningful awards in my opinion. First, as the Founders Award Runner Up which recognizes a collegiate chapter that reaches levels of excellence in meeting the objectives in Article II of the Fraternity's Constitution: to foster high ideals of friendship among college women; to promote their educational and cultural interests; to create in them a true sense of social responsibility; and to develop in them the best qualities of character" and then as the Outstanding Chapter Runner Up which is the biggest honor the Fraternity awards.

(Courtney Lanaux, Kate Gremillion, & Emily Hester,
past and present DG CDCs)

(Rebecca Lemoine, Emily Hester, & Rachel Favoloro,
Gamma Zeta Psi Women recipients)

Each Delta Gamma Convention fills my heart to continue to devote my time and passion to DG. It gives me the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and smile so much my face hurts! My advice…if you have a DG Bucket List, put Convention on it! It’s among the most impactful, life altering experiences that will open your eyes to the big picture of Delta Gamma. And, you’ll see a whole lot of ANCHORS!