Alumna of the Month: Jordan Younger

Our Alumna of the Month for August is Jordan Younger! Jordan just graduated from LMU this past spring and is currently attending The New School in Manhattan and pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing. While at LMU she held the position of Director of Fraternity Education (Pledge Mom) and Director of Health and Fitness.

When asked how has her experience in Alpha Phi influenced other aspects of her life Jordan tells us, "Experiencing recruitment four years in a row greatly prepared me to interact with just about anyone. It taught me to hold a conversation and find a point of connection with whoever I am talking to, and that has served me well in the professional world."

Jordan also tells us, "Alpha Phi was such a positive experience for me. The girls I met through Alpha Phi changed my life forever, and I will look back on all of our memories fondly. The girls two years below me will always be dear to my heart, as I was their pledge mom and I have loved watching them grow into beautiful, smart, amazing young women."

Jordan is also an avid blogger on her food blog, The Blonde Vegan. No doubt her experience as Director of Health and Fitness while in Alpha Phi laid the groundwork for this new venture :)

Sister Spotlight: International Sister Beatrice Verhoeven

Today's guest blog post is brought to you by one of our international sisters, Beatrice Verhoeven!

“Being from Germany, I had no idea what a sorority was. All I knew was that Elle Woods was a member of one in the movie “Legally Blonde.” Moving to the United States by myself after having lived in Germany for 18 years proved to be a drastic change for me, and I didn’t really know how to handle it. I was extremely homesick, and I was ready to transfer back to Europe. That’s when my best friend, Hannah Comstock, urged me to rush. And at the first Alpha Phi Open house, I met two of my best friends and life-long friends, Elise Fornaca and Jenna Reynolds. These two girls would be my big and pseudo-big in the years to come.

Then I rushed, and I soon found myself in the comfort of Alpha Phi. I knew that I could be myself around all the girls in this chapter, and I didn’t have to pretend like everything was okay when it actually wasn’t. My big would take me out to lunches and keep my mind off the fact that I was 5,000 miles away from home. Attending chapter meetings and going to exchanges made me forget why I was sad in the first place. And every single girl in Alpha Phi, whether it was a senior or a girl in my pledge class, helped me through this rough time.

Now, graduation is almost upon us and I find myself sad to be leaving not only LMU, where I have made great friends and memories, but I realize that I’m sadder to leave the girls of Alpha Phi. Dispersing all over the country, we won’t have Monday’s chapter to look forward to or formals to wear fancy dresses to. But Alpha Phi has been so much more to me than just something to occupy my time with. Alpha Phi gave me girls to look up to, and girls that I wanted to be friends with no matter what--I’ve made friends that I will keep for a lifetime. Some of my best friends are in this chapter, and I truly believe that Alpha Phi has brought us together. I know that leaving LMU will not change the relationships I’ve built, and my heart will always lie with Alpha Phi."

Alumna of the Month: Jenna Reynolds

This month we honor Jenna Reynolds as Alumna of the Month!

While in the chapter Jenna held the positions of Recording Secretary and President. She graduated in 2012. She tells us that "Alpha Phi has helped me immensely as a teacher because it helped prepare me for the organization and management that is required to be in charge of 26 first graders' education. I learned how to plan ahead, how to interact with all types of personalities and how to be a team player. If it weren't for Alpha Phi, I do not think I would be as immune to the pressures of deadlines or ready to deal with all varieties of personalities."

Jenna says, "I love Alpha Phi from the bottom of my heart-- the members of this sorority were there when I needed them the most and the experiences I had helped me shape the person I am today. I learned how to be a leader, a sister and a friend through Alpha Phi. I am forever grateful for all they have given me-- especially my best friend Elise."

Jenna works as a first grade teacher at Friendship Academy of the Arts in Minneapolis, MN. She teaches math, language arts, science and social studies. She also teaches dance for the whole school. Check out her amazing performance as Kelly Kapowski during Alpha Phi's Lip Sync 2011 :) 

We love seeing Alumna working in their community doing what the love! Congrats Jenna!

 Jenna and her class

Jenna at APHIASCO 2012

Spotlight: Director of Social Events Marissa Slavinsky

Today's blog post is brought to you by our Director of Social Events, sophomore Marissa Slavinsky!

Since I was little, the lure of event planning has been present in my life. Whether I was planning the small-scale wedding of Barbie & Ken or making some big plans for my next birthday party at the bowling alley, nothing sounded better to me than the idea of bringing a group of people together to celebrate and having the pleasure of knowing they had an enjoyable time while doing it. 

As someone who loves helping others, I wanted to be surrounded by a group of young women who would help me in return and support me in the decisions I made. I found everything I was looking for in Alpha Phi and decided to run for Social Chair my sophomore year. This was the perfect chance for me to give back to the sorority that has already given me so much, as well as explore something I would hopefully be doing long-term in the future. 

Our first exchange this semester with Lambda Chi Alpha was one for the books, some saying it was “the best exchange they’ve ever been to!” With my first event successfully behind me, I decided to be creative with Alpha Phi’s next event, coming up this Friday, March 15. Date Night is an exciting night for everyone, especially the new initiates, as it is their first experience asking dates to attend a sorority event. I decided to twist the concept of Date Night and bring some off-campus ideas right here to our Zeta Beta chapter by having our first “Date Dash.” The Alpha Phis know exactly who they are taking, where as the dates have NO idea which Alpha Phi is taking them! Themed “The Perfect Match”, each date was given a specific accessory that they are to wear to the Date Reveal to discover which Alpha Phi will be matching their accessory and taking them to the event. It all goes down Friday night, and we are SO excited!!

Although the position has its stressful moments, as any job does, it has been an awesome experience so far, and has convinced me that this is exactly what I want to do in the future. Seeing everyone, Alpha Phi’s and others, getting excited for our events and having everyone cooperating with me as I try new things is such a rewarding feeling in itself! I try my hardest to keep the girls on their toes, improving what I can improve upon, and making them a part of the process just as much as I am. I am genuinely so excited to see what the future holds for this position and for the sorority as a whole! 

AOE,

Marissa Slavinsky

Class of 2015

Alumna of the Year 2013: Holly Schoenke

We were proud to present the inagural award for Alumna of the Year at our recent Aphiasco event. The Zeta Beta chapter was founded at Loyola Marymount University in 1976. In the past 35 years we have produced many amazing alumni. The alumna we honored this year was no exception. 

Holly Schoenke graduaded from LMU in 2007. While a student at LMU she held the position of director of publicity. She remains active in the Alpha Phi organization by volunteering as Philanthropy adviser at Cal State Long Beach. When asked how Alpha Phi has influenced Holly she says that "Alpha Phi really gave me the conficence to help build my leadership skills, Alpha Phi has really helped me grow into my self and feel like I could always be me". Holly currently owns a wedding an event planning company called Simply Sweet Weddings & Events and is a wedding and event coordinator based in Orange County. 

Holly is currently being featured in Orange County's Locale Magazine. A fun fact about Holly is that she has attended every Aphiasco since her graduation from LMU. Holly, thank you for all of your support to the Alpha Phi organization and we are so proud to call you a sister. 

E-Board Spotlight: VP Marketing Leilani Mahoney

This week's E-Board Spotlight comes from our VP Marketing, Leilani Mahoney!

As a sophomore, I was uncertain about running for an executive board position but received a lot of great support and encouragement from my sisters. I've always loved the social media and apparel aspects of Alpha Phi, and ever since I became VP Marketing I have had the best time making shirts and using facebook, instagram, and twitter to document all of our fun events!

So far this semester we have had an amazing recruitment where our members received agendas with all of our events, Alpha Phi backpacks, and a new twist of slouchy sweatshirts as bid night shirts! Everyone loved their new Alpha Phi swag, especially our bid night sweatshirt designed by our awesome New Member Educator. Spring is filled with so many events such as Big Little Reveals, Date Night, Exchanges that we are hoping to get some unique apparel for!

I have learned so much already from my position and gained a lot of experience with marketing for the future. Please look forward to all of the fun photos, apparel, and updates on all of our social media!

Alpha Phi Love & Mine,
Leilani Mahoney
Class of 2015

Alumna of the Month: Michele Nasreen Askari

This month we are featuring one of our chapter's first members as Alumni of the Month. Michele Nasreen Askari graduated from LMU in 1980 and was one of our first presidents. 

Tell us about a memorable experience while at LMU
I traveled with the LMU Men's Basketball Team as a color commentator on KXLU Radio- it was quite an experience! Women in sportscasting roles were still quite rare in that era.

Tell us about being one of the first Alpha Phi's at LMU
Sororities were still brand new, but fraternities on campus were very supportive in helping us get established. We relied on great advisors who came from USC and Long Beach State, and interacted with the chapters at USC and UCLA. My initiation took place at the USC Alpha Phi house. I worked at a restaurant in the Marina which is now the Cheesecake Factory. Several of the guys who worked at "Chuck's Steak House" were (cute!) UCLA frat boys, so I used them as resources for date nights and exchanges.

Did any of your experiences in Alpha Phi help you in professional life?
I am a Director of Strategic Accounts for the corporate office of Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, and yes, juggling classes, a part-time job, an internship and sorority life taught me how to time-manage and prioritize deadlines, which I apply daily in my life. Recruitment was training ground for my role today when I need to meet strangers and make immediate favorable impressions. In sales we all have what is referred to as our "elevator speech"- if you were to only have the length of an elevator ride to explain to someone what it is you do, sell, endorse, what are the KEY items you would include.

Any additional information you would like to share about Alpha Phi?
One does not realize when in school how wonderful it is to have Alpha Phi sisterhood for a lifetime of connections! I am affiliated with the Chicago Alumnae Chapter and have met a great network of women of all ages here in the city. It is also fun in the workplace to discover when someone you work with is a sister, as well as connecting with sisters via Facebook.

Michele was gracious enough to share these pictures with us. We love seeing Alpha Phis in the past! 

Michele with her brother's family

Alumna of the Month: Alana (Williams) Cooper

One of the most dedicated Alumnae to the Zeta Beta chapter over the past 10 years is Alana (Williams) Cooper. While Alana was a collegiate at LMU she held the positions of Director of Member Education and Vice President of Chapter Operations. Since her graduation in 2004 she has held the volunteer positions of on-campus advisor, chapter advisor, and operations advisor. In addition to volunteering with the Zeta Beta chapter directly she has also spent time volunteering with Alpha Phi regionally and nationally. She is a judge for the undergraduate scholarships through the Alpha Phi Foundation, a programming specialist for Team Sooner (Oklahoma) and a human resources coordinator for the Southwest Region.

"Alpha Phi has made me a more well rounded individual and has prepared me for many of life's challenges. I have learned patience and how to see things from various perspectives.  The 2 am emergency phone calls prepared me for having a newborn baby!" says Alana.

Alana currently works as a High School Counselor working with at-risk students helping them stay on track for graduation and encouraging them to go on to college.

"When I was initiated in 2001 at LMU I have never thought I would still be involved with this organization 10 years later," says Alana, "Now I can't imagine not being involved. Volunteering and meeting women from around the country has been a blessing and an incredible experience. I would really like to encourage anyone that has any interest to explore all the possibilities and take advantage of what Alpha Phi has to offer."

Thank you Alana for all that you do for Alpha Phi!

Alana and her beautiful family

Alpha Phi Elections 2012

Like everyone else we've been following the national elections but this week we were also busy with elections of our own. Congratulations to our newly elected officers!

President- Breezy Bruns

VP Risk Management- Alicia Lundgren

VP Operations- Quincy Felipe

VP Programming and Education- Renee Kozikowski

VP Recruitment- Liz Way

VP Marketing- Leilani Mahoney

VP Campus Affairs- Alex MacDonald

Director of New Member Education- Charlotte Laven

Director of Finance- Christina Ventoza

Director of Administration- Mary Del Mundo

Greek Council Delegate- Alex Petosa

Director of Fraternity Education- Shannon Hearne

Director of Formal Recruitment- Jenna Hoover

Director of Aphiasco- Gabbie Littlejohn

Director of MAP/COB- Katie DiTomaso

Director of Sisterhood- Whitney Dahlgren

Director of Service- Sarah Davidson

Director of Media- Lisa Alexander

Director of Publicity- Marila Lombrozo

Director of Chapter Events- Marissa Slavinsky

Director of Watchcare- Katie Altobello

Director of Scholarship- Bianka Bubic

Director of Sr/Alumni/Parent Relations- Jordan Stetson

Chaplain- Brooke Ellias

Director of Capture Aphi- Mackenzie Menotti

Historian- Nicole Joens

Director of Family Events- Caitlin Jordan

Director of Health and Fitness- Isabella Cunningham

Director of Music Caroline Paulson

Happy Founders' Day! 140 Years!

HAPPY FOUNDERS' DAY! 140 years ago 10 women at Syracuse University imagined boldly and took that first brave step that set us on our path to be outstanding women supporting one another in lifelong achievement. Today we honor those women.

The Founders of Alpha Phi Fraternity:

Clara Bradley Burdette

Florence Chidester Lukens

Martha Foote Crow

Ida Gilbert Houghton

Jane Higham

Kate Hogoboom Gilbert

Elizabeth Hubbell Shults

Rena Michael Atchison

Louise Shepard Hancock

Clara Sittser Williams

Alpha Phi was the first sorority founded at Loyola Marymount University 36 years ago. We are very thankful for our LMU founding sisters as well!

In honor of our 140th Anniversary, please enjoy this video...and watch until the end for a "lovely" surprise!

PHI-nominal Phi: Breezy Bruns

Here is our latest guest post by our PHI-nominal Phi, Breezy Bruns. She was recently featured on LMU's website here.  

"Last week I was given the opportunity to intern with CNN at the Republican National Convention. Being a political science major, this internship was a dream come true. I was able to work directly with the politicians I study on a day to day basis and watch the political process that I have devoted a large part of my studies to, first hand. It was the perfect immersion into American politics before I head off to my fellowship at the London School of Economics and internship within British parliament. 

During my time in Tampa, I was able to utilize skills I developed as a member of Alpha Phi's executive board. I was forced to keep an open mind and listen to varying perspectives, an important tool when helping to make decisions that will affect your fellow sisters. In addition, I was able to be flexible when necessary, as large scale events rarely go as planned. These internships are helping to further develop my leadership abilities, and I hope to utilize what I am learning as a leader in Alpha Phi when I return home!"

Love and AOE,

Breezy Bruns 

Class of 2014 

After the convention, Breezy will travel to London as a Hansard Fellow with LMU’s Institute for Leadership Studies.

Alumna of the Month: Adrianna Weingold

Adrianna Weingold is our Alumna of the Month for September!

Adrianna, class of 2005, is currently living in Palm Desert, California working as a reporter for NBC News. After graduating from LMU she continued onto grad school at USC and received her Master of Arts in Broadcast Journalism. Six short weeks after graduating she landed her first job as a Video Journalist at the NBC affiliate in Palm Springs, KMIR-TV. Not only does Adrianna report the news, but she also shoots the news, writes and edits the articles and much more. For the past 2 years Adrianna has been enjoying this exciting job; she explains that there is never a dull moment. “My favorite days I get called in early for breaking news, and the rest of the day is non-stop action. Whether on-scene at a fire, bomb threat, or reunion of marines with their service dogs, my days are rarely, if ever, boring.”

Alpha Phi plays a big role in Adrianna’s everyday life. Adrianna developed important skills from her sisters such as learning to stand up for herself and be a strong confident woman all while setting a good example by helping those around her. In Adrianna’s busy life she’s found it inspirational to remember this quote, “We often base perceptions on exceptions and not the rule.” This reminds Adrianna not to fall victim to living a life with the “fear of missing out.” Adrianna also leaves us with this idea: “Don’t compare your life to others, do what you think is right and stand behind your decisions.” At the end of the day, Adrianna has worked hard to achieve success. Whether it be her wise words of wisdom, her down to earth personality or silly character, she is a wonderful example for Alpha Phi’s everywhere.

-Michelle Beetham
Class of 2013
Director of Alumni Relations

Alpha Phi Convention 2012

          

"I arrived in Phoenix, Arizona for The Alpha Phi International Convention to 115 degree weather, 400 Alpha Phi sisters from all over the country and not much idea as to what I was about to embark upon. I soon found out just how empowering of an experience I was going to have, and it started with entering the hotel. Even though I didn't know anyone I saw, everyone was friendly and smiling, knowing we were all Alpha Phis. I was sharing a room with the delegate from UCLA named Ashley and she and I immediately hit it off. After settling in I met up with a couple other Presidents that I knew from Regional Conference and threw myself into the comfort and unique bond that is shared between girls who have been elected as the president of their sororities. While all of our Chapters are different, we are bound together by the same foundation of our ritual; and there is an innate sense of friendship shared between all of us simply because of our shared membership. The next five days flew by in a whirlwind of meetings, shared meals and informational sessions- all of which made me more and more excited to get back to my own chapter and implement the changes and strategies that we were taught. 

One day we had the awards ceremony where the Collegiate Chapters were recognized for the work they put in every semester. Our chapter was honored with the award for "Best Recruitment Video" and a runner up for the award in "Best Service". I was extremely proud to be representing the Zeta Beta Chapter and all that we had accomplished in the past two years. My favorite night was the Red Dress Gala Dinner in which we gained many ideas for our own Red Dress Gala, we were entertained by the phi-nominal performances by Alpha Phi sisters and raised money for the Alpha Phi Foundation. The second night after dinner an initiation ceremony was held where members could initiate alumnae women who were not Greek in college but possessed the unique qualities of an Alpha Phi. One of our advisors initiated her mother and it was an incredible experience to witness, with so many other women bonded together through our shared sisterhood. On our last night, more awards were give out and our Advisors were honored with the award for the most outstanding Advisory Board, and award which they so vehemently deserved. We have been blessed with 5 amazing advisors who always have our best interests at heart and have helped the Zeta Beta Chapter be the best that we can be. By the end of my 5 days at Convention I left with a renewed sense of leadership and a fervent desire to continue to strengthen and shape our chapter in my next three months as President as well as during my last semester in College. I forged bonds with other Presidents and collegiate delegates and was able to enjoy the company, advice and insight of so many other girls who all shared a common goal, passion and bond through Alpha Phi." 

-Megan MacDonell

 Chapter President

Myself with our chapter banner showing the year we were founded at LMU

Alpha Phi Sisters from the Southwest Region

Check out the video recap of the Alpha Phi Convention 2012

PHI-nominal Phi: Leilani Mahoney

"The Emerging Leaders Institute (ELI) is a five day intensive opportunity for freshman and sophomore Alpha Phi women to better define their voice, identify their leadership skills and abilities. My experience at the Emerging Leadership Institute (ELI) was an amazing not only as a member of Alpha Phi, but it also shaped me as a person.  It was definitely an adventure going to Indianapolis for five days without knowing anyone else. Comforting was the fact that I was going to be meeting new sisters from across the country. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly everyone clicked with one another, and how I could see the Alpha Phi qualities in each girl I met. The leadership conference was all expenses paid by the Alpha Phi Foundation, providing myself and other women of Alpha Phi the chance to develop a better connection the sorority and how to truly become a leader. I stayed at the Alpha Phi house at Butler University which was also very exciting for me since we do not have sorority houses at Loyola Marymount.

The five days included several activities that kept all the girls busy and helped us form friendships that will last a lifetime. In our down time, the girls chatted about their different events, traded their favorite Alpha Phi shirts, and already started planning visits to see one another. My favorite activity was the zip-lining and ropes course where I learned about risk taking, trust, and the power one has to take initiative. While learning about Alpha Phi in terms of the sacred values and importance of ritual, I also began to realize my place in the sorority goes beyond just being a member. It definitely deepened my love for Alpha Phi and has motivated me to become even more involved to make a difference for the Zeta Beta chapter.

I have nothing but pure appreciation for the Alpha Phi Foundation for offering this opportunity to our chapter and highly recommend that more of my sisters should attend ELI in the future. It was an enriching and life changing experience that had a positive impact on my views towards Alpha Phi and my capabilities as a person and leader!"

Alpha Phi Love & Mine,
Leilani Mahoney
Class of 2015