Domestic Violence Awareness- "Secondhand Serenade- Why"

Beta Eta Celebrates Founders Day

Yesterday the Beta Eta chapter celebrated Founders day, by inviting our local Alumnae Chapter Epsilon Tau Epsilon to Founders Day dinner. We were so pleased that so many local Alumnae joined us..

 collegians enjoying dinner with two of our servers.

 collegians at dinner

 collegians at dinner

 

collegians at dinner

After dinner, we were able to celebrate with alumnae as they preformed the 25 year pin ceremony

 Group of Alumnae in attendace

 Congrats on 25 years, as an Alpha Chi Omega (you all look to young )

 

Alumnae enjoying dinner at the chapter house!

And a big thank you to the ladies of the XOX Virtual Alumnae Chapter for donating $82.00 to Foundation in honor of Beta Eta's 82 years on Florida States Campus!

Watch Beta Eta, Marice Leo, on Rachael Ray Thursday, 3/31!

Last week the Seminole Boosters contacted fellow Beta Eta Alumna, Marice Leo, and let her know they had given her name to the Rachael Ray Show. The show interviewed fans from all of the Sweet 16 teams and she was chosen as one of the four finalists for the "Final Fork" cooking competition. She will represent Florida State with Seminole Sliders – a Pork Parmesan Cutlets dish. Her culinary creation went up against University of Kentucky, BYU and Marquette... she was filmed yesterday and will be on tomorrow's show!

(To all Seminole friends: It pays to be a Seminole Booster! If you're not a Seminole Booster you should be!)

The show is the Rachael Ray Show on regular TV not the foodtv network.
CLICK HERE for the time and network the show is on in your area.


Marice with Beta Eta Alumnae at recent FSU Football Games!

Happy 82nd Founders' Day, Beta Eta!!!

Today, we celebrate 82 years of Sisterhood within the Beta Eta Chapter of Alpha Chi Omega at Florida State University!

***
The Founding of Beta Eta Chapter of Alpha Chi Omega

On March 24th, 1926 a group of women organized themselves into a local sorority, selecting for its name Delta Phi. After receiving recognition from the Faculty Committee on Student Affairs, Delta Phi was admitted into the Panhellenic Association of the Florida State College for Women, at the regular Panhellenic meeting on May 21, 1926. This organization was formed with the view of petitioning for the establishment of a chapter of Alpha Chi Omega at this college. Its aims were to promote a closer friendship amount its members; to maintain a high scholastic standing; to encourage interest in fine arts, and to make the sorority of the highest ideals. The first petition of Alpha Chi Omega was sent May 1926.

The petition read as follows:

The members of Delta Phi have shown much interest in many fields of campus activities and have held various offices. The governing factor on the campus is the College Government Association conducted by the students in cooperation with the faculty. The offices held by members of Delta Phi are: President of Judiciary, Freshman Commission of C.F.E, Class Representative to Senate, Auditing Committee, House President, Vice-House President, Nominating Committee of College elections, and Delegate to various College Government Committees.
The Y.M.C.A. is a very important organization on this campus. All girls of Delta Phi have identified themselves as active members and some have held offices of: President of Y.W.C.A., Freshman Cabinet, Large Cabinet, Y.W.C.A. Committees and delegates to various Y.W.C.A. conventions.
Delta Phis have attained recognition in athletics by playing on class, odd and even, and varsity teams; also by being class athletic mangers; members of the F club (those making varsity) and of the Life Saving Corps.
The amount of honorary fraternities and organizations at F.S.C.W. Delta Phi has been represented in are the following: Phi Kappa Phi, Chi Delta Phi, Alpha Chi Alpha, Beta Phi Theta, Phi Alpha Theta, Torch Bearers (petitioning Motor Board), Scientific Society, and Orchestra.
Prominent positions on the Flambeau (college paper) Flastcowom (college annual) and Press Association have been held by Delta Phis; many have also taken part in various college festivals.

The above petition along with a formal petition book that included Florida State College for Women statistics and history, and pictures and stats on each of the Delta Phi women and pledges was sent to Alpha Chi Omega for review.

In January of 1928, the news came that the formal petition had been accepted and twenty-eight Delta Phis shouted with joy! On March 29, 1929 the formal chapter installation was held, and Beta Eta became the 52nd chapter of Alpha Chi Omega
***

Sharing LITB throughout the years...


1955 - Moving into the New House!











1960s - Going to Formal



















1970s - Dinner at the House



















1970s - Homecoming















1983 - Bid Day










1983 - Hayride










1980s - Sisterhood















1994 - Social












1998 - Semiformal













2002 - Bid Day










2008 - Chrismukkah













2010 - Bid Day















Alumnae Celebrating at Beta Eta's 75th!











Past Presidents at Beta Eta's 80th!











Beta Etas Celebrating Weddings together!













Beta Etas Celebrating Weddings together (plus a legacy)!











Our 1st Annual Beta Eta Reunion with our Virtual Alumnae Chapter, Xi Omega Xi, at Homecoming '10








Let's keep Beta Eta thriving!!!

1. Donate to the Beta Eta Love and Loyalty Fund (BELLF) - and make sure to indicate you want your donation to go to BELLF.

2. Join our Virtual Alumnae Chapter for Beta Etas, Xi Omega Xi.

3. Follow Beta Eta on Twitter @axo_fsu.

4. Support Beta Eta in Par-Tee.


LITB,
Jessica Harwood Bouwsma
'97 Beta Eta
President, Xi Omega Xi
Alpha Chi Omega

It's Time to Par-Tee

It's time for our PHILANTHROPY- PAR TEE! Benefiting the Women's Refuge House, a shelter for victims of Domestic Violence Awareness..

The date is APRIL 9th so keep that weekend open.

This year we are hosting events/activities all week leading up to the big event. The schedule to date is:
Tues 4/5-Walk a Mile in her shoes @ 5pm ending at a spaghetti dinner at the house
               -This will be a walk around campus(by the sorority houses) to gain attention and  
                 awareness for DVA.
      
Wed 4/6- Wear DVA shirts!

Thurs 4/7- DVA Vigil at the house after dinner
              
Fri 4/8 -Golfers invited to lunch
        
Sat 4/9- PAR TEE Registration begins at 9
            -Shot Gun start at 11
There will also be a tea time event on Saturday at Killearn for all moms, dads alumn, ect who want to come up but our not golfers and this wilk only be $10. It will start at 12 and hopefully be a great chance for more parents to come visit!
          
Sun 4/10- PAR TEA Brunch for participants. Tournament winners and contest winners will be announced and golfers are encouraged to attend 10-12!

***If anyone has any items for the silent auction
OR
***If anyone is able to get sponsors (ask your work, parents work, etc)

please let me know,-email me  
     KMS07G@FSU.EDU

Educational Video regarding Hazing

makes you think....

Retreat...

a great video that makes you think.. 

In Defense of Fraternities: The Neglected Positive Qualities

Originally posted in The Tripod, on March 8, 2011. and written by Alex Champoux.. 

In the last two issues of the Tripod, there have been articles dealing with a recent incident at Cleo - a party with a questionable title - and their message seems to be pretty straightforward. Both articles voice a disapproval of the Greek system here at Trinity College, accusing it of fostering an environment where sexism, classism, and racism can flourish. Further, in their article, the faculty questions, "What do Cleo and the rest of the fraternities want to contribute to the culture of our campus?" Especially on the tail of articles like Ben Schacht's ('05) letter (9/22/09) calling for the abolition of fraternities (tying them to hate speech and homophobia), and multiple other such condemnations of Greek life, the faculty's letter (citing 30 years of attempted abolition of the Greeks) has more power as a condemnation of Greek life and feels more like an attack than kindly parental "advice." In short, the articles in the Tripod of late have been highly critical of the Greeks on campus, and have leveled the accusation that Greeks "add nothing to campus life except for perpetual mess and incidents ranging from drunken hijinks to sexual assault." This is patently false, based on outdated ideas, popular culture portrayals, and intolerant, inflexible opponents of Greek organizations. Not only do we contribute to the campus, but we are the contributor, the fount of campus leadership, the bastion of social change.

One of the simplest and easiest ways to show that Greek organizations on campus give back to the college and surrounding community is through each organization's devotion to volunteering and fundraising. Each Greek organization on campus participates in Do-It-Day, Habitrot for Humanity, Halloween on Vernon, Take Back the Night, and Relay for Life. Kappa Kappa Gamma works with ACES (Annual Community Events Staff), Achieve Hartford!, OPMAD (Organized Parents Make A Difference), and Making Strides. Alpha Delta Phi raised over $3,000 at the last Relay for Life and helps with after-school programs like Game Night in the Hartford public school system. Pi Kappa Alpha turned in 534 hours of volunteering last semester alone. The chair of Campus Climate and Campus Outreach are both Sigma Nu brothers. Zeta Omega Eta hosts a Young Women's Leadership Forum for middle-school aged girls, and has started its own program, "Fairy Godmother" to help clothe underprivileged girls. Psi Upsilon donates the proceeds of its annual "Tropical" party to deserving charities, and donated $2,500 to the Craig Hospital Foundation last year. The Ivy Society additionally participates in National Gordie Day and often dedicates its parties to specific causes - this Halloween's party proceeds went to the Susan G. Komen Breast Foundation. Cleo also participates in ACES and Campus Climate, like other organizations, but also has affiliations with Dream Camp and ConnPIRG. Theta Delta Sigma volunteers 15-20 hours a week at the Boys and Girls Club and is involved with Zeta in the formation of the Fairy Godmother Project.
As far as campus involvement goes, members of our college's Greek organizations represent a vast majority of those in leadership positions. We have dozens of mentors, TAs, RAs, and Pride leaders. There are five Greeks on SGA, including the President, and almost a third of the people on Honor Council are Greek members. Hillel, the Interfaith House, iHouse, the Fred, Praxis, the Tripod, AASA, WRTC, EROS, ACES, Habitat for Humanity, the Writing Center, Latin Dance Team, LVL, AMSA, the Mill, TCERT, and Commserv (encompassing other groups) all have Greek members (usually multiple per group). Our members participate in every athletic activity (many are captains) and we work in student jobs all over campus - we check out your library books, we fix your computers, we serve you your coffee, we help you with your homework, we sell you your tickets at Cinestudio.

In terms of making the campus a safer, more inclusive, more tolerant place, we all try to do our part. Almost every door in Cleo has a "Safe Zone" sticker on it, welcoming the campus to the safety of its zero-intolerance house. Pi Kappa Alpha brothers are required to go to the WAGRAC for a session on gender sensitivity and language awareness before they can join (and are encouraged to continue to go back), and the Pi Kappa Alpha house enforces a zero tolerance policy on hate speech. Theta Delta Sigma is founded on the tenets of raising diversity and cultural awareness, and Zeta Omega Eta is founded to pursue activist causes and promote feminist goals.

Our organizations also provide a forum for the College to participate in things that it would not normally be able. Greek organizations are often vilified for their role in the promotion of parties, but this ability to throw parties gives us a closer connection with the campus. Because of our unique position on the edge, a position that we suffer for, we are ideal for events like Conversation Over Cocktails - a safe and fun forum (the only one I know of) where students and faculty can get together in an organized way. We host the Senior class before its various dances, host parties for other organizations like Hillel and Praxis (Pi Kappa Alpha is planning a fundraiser party with Praxis to raise money for Christmas gifts for Hartford families), and host events like Halloween on Vernon. And we host parties. As the major party centers on campus, we provide a supervised place for parties to take place. At Pi Kappa Alpha, we require five to six sober monitors at every party to ensure the safety of our students, a policy that other Greeks, like Sigma Nu, are planning to adopt. Pi Kappa Alpha also requires that people drink exclusively from our own clear cups - therefore lessening the possibility of people using date-rape drugs or of people bringing in highly alcoholic beverages like grain alcohol. Every Greek organization controls the flow of alcohol in its house, eventually cutting people off, in an attempt to protect the student body from dangerous levels of intoxication.

The professors who lodge these complaints against the fraternities and sororities of Trinity College are not looking to have their perceptions of the Greeks changed - to them, a frat is a frat, a center for misogyny and racism, for classism and elitism, for drinking and drug use. The faculty doesn't want to acknowledge the good things that our Greeks do, doesn't want to admit that the TAs and mentors that they work with every day are Greek members. Because of past anti-Greek movements by the faculty, Pi Kappa Alpha, Zeta Omega Eta, and Theta Delta Sigma are all not recognized by the school despite their activism, and probably never will achieve affiliation, not to mention the multiple African-American fraternities and sororities that have been completely forced underground. The faculty has consistently shown that it does not want to get to know the Greek organizations better, and has consistently shown that it does not know them in the first place - evidenced clearly when they said, of Cleo (50/50 male/female), "boys will be boys." When it comes down to dialogue, to using the Greeks as the invaluable resource that they are, the faculty is ready to categorically refuse collaboration because of their own prejudices, and to ignore the potential benefits of cooperation.

Our Greek organizations all require a certain standard of their members, and require that we expect more of ourselves than other students. We support each other and push each other to excel, creating an environment that encourages civic-mindedness and leadership. We instill in our members a sense of wrong and right, of tolerance, and of friendship. Nonetheless, stereotypes still plague our every foray into the public scene, and public opinion of Greek life has forced us, in past years and in the present, to begin to revolutionize the way we operate. We are forced not only to disprove the stereotypes, but to be proactive and actively make a difference - both by public opinion and our own compulsion to act upon our high ideals. We are there, day in and day out, volunteering and being active on campus, leading in the classroom, on the sports field, and around Hartford. If only the faculty could claim as much involvement...

Break the Silence of Domestic Violence..

 

 

Are you a Beta Eta blogger, Please join us in writing a post on your blog this upcoming Thursday about a Victim of domestic violence, Domestic Violence Awareness, etc..  If possible please include links to programs and services that can help the victims and their families.... 

If you are able to do so comment on this post and let us know you blogged and we will include your links in our DVA post next Thursday, 3/24

Collegaite Update

This week the chapter will be participating in Sigma Chi Derby Days. Each day sisters will search for the hidden "derbys" in hopes of bringing them to Sigma Chi for points.. Below is a photo the house director snapped of ladies retrieving derby's out of the trees in front of the chapter house. 

Do you have any fun Sigma Chi Derby days memories or photos that you would like to share... 

feel free to send them to axofloridastate {at} gmail {dot} com

Develop Positive Sorority Relationships

originally posted The Fraternity Advisor.com

There is no doubt that building a positive image for sororities is a huge plus for a fraternity. Most membership levels in sororities dwarf those of fraternities. It is so difficult to get in good with a sorority that it would be foolish to take that relationship for granted. However, you would be surprised at how easy it is to kill years of goodwill with just one negative interaction.

For example, a brother in my fraternity was dating a girl from a sorority. The sorority was having their once-a-year formal event, and some of the girls needed dates. My fraternity had always been on good terms with the sorority, so the girlfriend asked my brother if any of the other brothers wanted to go to the formal. Three accepted the offer.

Before the event, the four brothers were pre-gaming with the sorority sisters. Everything was going fine and everyone was having a good time. One of the brothers seemed to be drinking a little too heavy, but no one seemed to notice.

Anyway, the formal was a great time for everyone. The four couples went back to one of the sister’s apartments to conclude the evening. That is when a long night of drinking hit my fraternity brother. He ended up puking on her bedroom floor and pulled a light fixture off the wall. Needless to say, a night filled with promise did not end well.

After that night relations with the sorority were never the same. Our fraternity did everything they could do try to fix the damage done, but to no avail.

This goes to show how fragile relationships can be with sororities, and how it is essential every brother realizes it and acts accordingly.

Great article that makes both collegiate and alumnae members realize that one night of actions be it at a greek function or not can be something the reflect upon your organization for years... 

Featured DVA blog.. Hope Blog

The Hope Blog is a great blog is a blog  all about the outreach programs and activities of Hope for Healing.Org. Be sure to check for the latest updates on how they are offering help for sexual or domestic violence survivors, train clergy, work with restorative justice kids and where we'll be setting up sexual or domestic violence displays next. View updates for our Blog Talk Radio program Voices of Hope. Always lots going on here..

One of their latest posts.....

People are always asking us about domestic violence awareness ribbons. Every cause has a ribbon these days. Purple is the color for domestic violence awareness ribbons.

Once upon a time this was a simple piece of fabric ribbon folded into a loop and secured with either a straight or safety pin. Now, the awareness ribbons come in all sorts of materials from magnetic ones that can go on your car to jewelry. The popular Purple Silicone Bracelets that can be purchased in bulk to be used in a variety of ways. Of course, the simple fabric ribbon is still popular too.

The material it is made from is less important the cause that the domestic violence awareness ribbon represents.

Purple ribbon necklace

When you wear a purple domestic violence awareness ribbon you are making a statement. You are telling the world that you won't stand for relationship abuse in any form. As people ask what the ribbon represents you are given the opportunity to educate and inform. Most importantly you are helping survivors feel supported.

Is Vision the Most Overrated Leadership Skill?

  Great article from the Fraternal Thoughts blog.... 

I could use your help here.  I think I've got this one figured out, but I could be totally wrong.

Like many of you reading this, I’ve long held the belief that being visionary is one of the defining characteristics of a good leader. It’s become such conventional wisdom that it’s the rare person who doesn’t begin his/her definition of a leader with vision.

I don’t know if age brings wisdom, but it does bring many opportunities to change one’s mind. At this point in my life, I believe that vision is overrated.

I’m not saying that vision is not important. It certainly can be. I just don’t see it (as some do) as the most important thing a leader does, or really a pre-requisite for leadership at all. In fact, there may be close to a dozen things I would encourage emerging leaders to develop before vision.

Vision is the sexy side of leadership. It’s usually represented as the big, dramatic moment. That’s probably why it gets so much play and too much hype. We can’t often recall history’s doers or implementers, but we certainly remember the visionaries. The problem here is that we begin to treat leaders as the singular heroes who can move mountains with words.

But, you may be wondering, what about Martin Luther King, Jr.? Isn’t he considered one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century, and isn’t that based upon his vision as described in the “I have a dream” speech? There is a reason that the MLK example is used over and over again. It was special. It was rare and one of a kind. Yes, MLK had a vision. But, it wasn’t his vision alone.

By the time he spoke, his vision had been talked about for decades: all people should be treated equal. He just found a different way to say it. So was it his ability to vision or his ability to communicate that really mattered?

Based on this example, I would encourage leaders to develop the ability to write poetically and speak emphatically before focusing on vision.

And – by invoking MLK only when we talk about visionary leadership, we are selling him short. That speech didn’t create the change he wanted. It was each moment when he, and thousands of his supporters, rolled up their sleeves and worked toward the vision that really mattered.

Isn’t visioning fairly easy as well? For something to be considered the most vital of leadership abilities, I think it needs to be more of a challenge than vision appears to be. At its core, it’s imagining an ideal future. We all do that every day. I can do it right now: “I want a world where every child has two parents devoted to his/her well-being.” It took me 5 seconds to come up with that. Does imagining that make me a leader? Of course not.

Any person can stand in a place and see a far distant destination. Isn’t the person that devises a way to get there more important?

Another problem with our love-affair with vision is that it gives our leaders far too easy a pathway to create radical change. As I grow older, I’m starting to observe that there are very few organizations that actually need radical change. What they need is discipline to their mission and their core values. Discipline is a much greater and much more challenging leadership skill than vision. All types of internal and external forces act against an organization, and it’s the disciplined leader that keeps the group focused on what counts.

Vision also tends to be very personal, and leadership is not. Vision is great for that individual who has the luxury to make an organization into whatever he or she wants it to be. What if that’s not your call? What if you lead a fraternity that has been around for over a century and has core values and purpose? Are you serving that organization best by being a visionary leader or by being a disciplined steward?

In addition, you have others working alongside you. You will likely need to build a collective vision with them. And so again, visioning is not the skill needed here - facilitation skills are.

So – for the educators – perhaps we need to stop asking our fraternity or sorority leaders questions like “what is your vision for your chapter” or “how would your chapter be if you could have it any way you wanted it?” Instead, maybe we should ask “how will you help your chapter fulfill its intended purpose?”

If leaders don’t need vision necessarily, what do they need? As opposed to vision, here are the types of things I would encourage the youngest of leaders to try and develop:

Strategic Thinking. This is the ability to take a big idea and consider all the factors acting in favor or in opposition to the idea. Then, it’s devising implementation strategies – steps to take – that will make the idea happen.

Communication Skills. As I mentioned above in reference to MLK, learn how to write both creatively and concisely. Learn also how to speak and listen in engaging ways.  While you do not need to be an extrovert to be a good leader, you do need to communicate well.

Relationship- Building. Have you ever experienced a leader who was big on ideas but couldn’t remember your name? Or someone who was better speaking from a podium than in one-on-one conversations? Did you want to follow those people? Learn how to develop authentic relationships with people long before you learn how to vision.

Critical Thinking. As you grow further as a leader and begin to get involved with complex organizations, you’ll find that instead of being called upon to create a vision, you’ll be more likely called upon to sort through an onslaught of visions and prioritize the most important ones. 

The list could go on and on. Listening skills, emotional intelligence, planning skills, negotiation, etc. I’m not sure how far it would take me to get to vision, but it would take a while.

What are your thoughts? Do we put too great an emphasis on vision for leaders?

Spotlight on A DVA Survivor..

Be sure to check out orangeblossomwishes  a blog  that

"Will inspire and teach others that even in the midst of anguish and distress, the future holds an abundance of joy and peace, if we are willing to release the past to go there.

Carolyn S. Hennecy is the author of ORANGE BLOSSOM WISHES: Child Molested, Woman Abused – Her Victorious Journey to Freedom. Publication date was October 2008, released in conjunction with National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. OBW has since then been recommended by mental health counselors, rape crisis interventionists, pastors and others working with victims of child molestation/abuse or domestic violence.

This is Carolyn’s memoir, it is her life’s story of battling and overcoming molestation as a little girl, from the age of 7 until nearly 15, the trauma of domestic violence in a long-term abusive marriage, confronting a bigamous marriage and a murder attempt. Her goal was not to write another religious work or “self-improvement” piece. Rather than seeing her readers as just another statistic, Carolyn enables them to quickly recognize her as a fellow traveler who has been down the same road of victimization. She found the light at the end of that tunnel of trauma and pain leads to a future of victory, joy and healing. Her passion is now to inspire, motivate and encourage others who have been abused or  molested, helping them find their own way of escape of both victimization and the victim mentality, walking into a better and brighter life, as she readily displays in both her written works and public presentations.

This autobiography is peppered with humor and southern charm, as Carolyn puts the positive twist on the path to becoming victorious, rather than remaining a victim, and shares the messages of hope, faith and restoration. "