Scholarship Among Sisterhood
Author: Hannah C. / Editor: Ariana W. / Photos: Chapter Provided
At the Gamma Beta chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta (Alpha Gam), a commitment to scholarship enriches their loving, leading, and lasting sisterhood. Through various initiatives designed to encourage academic engagement, their sisters strive for scholastic achievement.
Although each Alpha Gam sister is individually committed to scholarship, Lena K., Alpha Gam’s Vice President of Academic Excellence is significant in encouraging and holding her sisters accountable to their individual academic successes. Throughout the tenure of her membership, her dedication to scholarship and sisterhood remains evident. “Last year, I served on the Academic Excellence committee, where I was the Director of Academic Enrichment,” Lena shares. “I got to celebrate and reward my sisters for their academic success, but I wanted to do more to influence our chapter.”
As the Director of Academic Achievement and academic committee member, Mallory V. is also passionate about scholarship. “Personally, academics have always been important to me. When joining a sorority, I was scared to balance school and sorority life,” Mallory shares. Despite her initial concerns, she quickly realized that Alpha Gam encouraged her academic success. As a member of the academic committee, Mallory dedicates herself to continuing that encouragement and making sisters “feel recognized and seen.”
“We’re all students, but we’re all Alpha Gams,” says Mallory. “By trying to merge the two worlds, I can help others balance academics and sorority life.”
Lena, Mallory, and everyone on the committee works tirelessly to bolster their commitment to academics and their chapter, showcased by the chapter’s biweekly academic events and scholarly initiatives. Local businesses, such as the Frother’s Daughter coffee truck, partnered with Alpha Gam to establish a coffee tab for members. Through utilizing free coffee as an incentive, Alpha Gam members are encouraged to study together, while Frother’s Daughter receives greater business and outreach.
In addition, new members can engage with the academic committee’s efforts. Upon their acceptance of a bid, new members are placed into small groups with their “Gamma Sister.” “We group new members by major and pair them with an older member,” Lena explains. “For example, a group of STEM majors will be paired with an active member who majors in Biology.” Through this initiative, Alpha Gam’s new members gain friendships, mentorship, study groups and motivation to seek current and future academic success.
Many sisters use the skills they learn from Gamma Sisters and academic events to succeed in their courses. In turn, the Academic Excellence Committee encouraged the academic success of her sisters, the Academic Excellence committee developed several engaging and continuous initiatives. Each week, the academic committee chooses to recognize a “Scholarly Sister.” Members submit their weekly academic accomplishments, and the committee chooses an achievement to recognize a chapter meeting and awards the chosen sister with a prize. In addition, to honor their Chapter Founders’ commitment to scholarly success, Alpha Gam hosts a semesterly “Marguerite Shepard” dinner for sisters who have reached their academic goals and achieved a high GPA. Not only does this initiative honor their Founders, but celebrates the successes of current collegiate members. At this dinner, sisters are inducted into the Alpha Gamma Delta honor societies: Red, Buff, and Green to celebrate sisters who achieved a high GPA. The Academic Excellence team also recognizes individual sisters, such as the New Member with the highest GPA, at the celebratory dinner.
Academic excellence is a cornerstone of sorority membership; however, commitment to one’s scholarly achievement can directly impact their connection to a sisterhood. Whether sisters get coffee together or sit down to study at lunch, Alpha Gam sisters use their academic engagement to engage with one another. Through their dedication to academic interest, Alpha Gamma Delta establishes themselves as inspiring sisters who will impact the world.