Wednesday, August 29, 2012

FSU Recruitment 2012 Recap

New Member Class 2012!
Our Alpha Chi Omega chapter at FSU enjoyed a successful Recruitment last week! On Sunday, they welcomed 74 New Members. Many thanks to all the alumnae who provided recommendations for Potential New Members, to all who attended Recruitment Preview, and especially to those who helped at parties and/or stayed up late helping at tally. You are appreciated!!

Congratulations also to our sisters at Gamma Iota chapter at the University of Florida on their excellent Recruitment. Our UF sisters welcomed 68 New Members last week!

The FSU AXO VP-Public Relations and Marketing created this wonderful video recapping their Bid Day:

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Beta Etas Abroad

The Beta Eta sisters enjoyed study abroad opportunities in abundance during 2011, and then they popped up throughout the 2012 Florida State University Study Abroad booklet - how fun is that?

Follow the blue arrows and enjoy!

Cassy (legacy of AXO and KROM Coordinator)








Catalina (VP of PR and M) - she had two internships in the communications field this summer - she is on fire!





















Corine (VP of ID) - she swam with sharks this summer in a marine biology lab










Ashley C (Tallahassee native and 2006 President) - she is a PR professional in Chicago now!


Saturday, August 25, 2012

Melissa d'Arabian is An Alpha Chi Omega

We enjoyed hearing sister and fellow alumna Melissa d'Arabian (Alpha Iota, U of VT) speak at Convention 2012 (see a recap of her talk on Amy's blog).

She vibrated behind the podium:  She's a high-powered CEO and your bestie all tied up in scarlet and olive ribbons! She talked about her ties to Alpha Chi and how her sisters helped her when she heard about her mother's suicide.

It was so fun to open the Tallahassee Democrat and see her face, so we had to share.


Saturday, August 18, 2012

Inspired: #AXOattheArch feel the WDA today!

So our ever clever president Amy had a fantastic idea after Convention 2012. She asked guest posters to contribute a series entitled "Inspired by Alpha Chi Omega Convention." on her blog.

We complied a few snipets here. Need a boost for your day? Want to rekindle a little ritual today? Yearning for some WDA to brighten you? Want to remember why Alpha Chi Omega's brand is Real. Strong. Women? Check it out ....

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Inspired by Convention: #YOLO – What Is Your Legacy?


Welcome to the eighth post in the "Inspired by Alpha Chi Omega Convention" series! Thank you, Jill Moran, for sharing the moments at Convention that most inspired her!


2012 has marked my 4th Alpha Chi Omega Convention (I’m officially an Olympian, it takes attending 4 conventions to qualify), my 12th year as a member of Alpha Chi Omega, my 5th wedding anniversary (which was celebrated at Convention the night of 7/14/12) and I turned 31.

With all these milestones I took time throughout the weekend to do some much needed internal reflection at the 2012 Alpha Chi Omega Convention. One word was the catalyst for said reflection, Legacy. I heard it over and over throughout the weekend. ...
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Inspired by Convention: Wisdom, Devotion, Achievement Part 3


Welcome to the seventh post in the "Inspired by Alpha Chi Omega Convention" series. Thank you, Jessica Mace, for her generosity in providing a three-part series, themed Wisdom, Devotion, Achievement, including part three today: Achievement.

If you spend any amount of time with me, you find out very quickly that I’m a fan of lists. I love lists, folders, goal setting… all of it! It makes me happy, gives me purpose, and stops me from watching Dance Moms marathons every day.

Well, about two years ago, I had this really neat idea. What if we gathered all of the Alpha Chi’s who have connections to the military and make a virtual alumnae group? Wouldn’t that be amazing?! I thought so, and started sharing with a few people. Minus a few naysayers (They thought we wouldn’t get enough people… HA! 40+members and counting!), everyone was on board. I was even featured as a Real. Strong. Woman of the Month on the Alpha Chi Omega website. National Headquarters provided me as much exposure as they could…but for whatever reason we just couldn’t reach the right people. So the idea was tabled for awhile, but it stayed on my list of goals. ...


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Inspired by Convention: Wisdom, Devotion, Achievement Part 2


Welcome to the sixth post in the "Inspired by Alpha Chi Omega Convention" series. Thank you, Jessica Mace, for her generosity in providing a three-part series, themed Wisdom, Devotion, Achievement, including part two today: Devotion.


Right after I graduated from college, I moved to a small town in North Carolina that didn't have an alumnae chapter. The closest one was a little over an hour way, so it wasn’t really in the cards to do much with it right away. As I slowly went batty from lack of things to do (did I mention that my husband deployed as soon as we got here?!), I went on the Alpha Chi website and looked for volunteer opportunities. I saw one that seemed intriguing—Volunteer Placement Coordinator. I immediately applied and was delighted to receive the position. I figured I’d do a little bit to help, and that’d be it. I had no idea the opportunities I'd be given to grow, connect, and develop.

One such opportunity came up this spring: My very first convention, and I was asked to present a session called Volun-Tour with my counterpart, Laura Sanders, the Training and Recognition Coordinator. Our goal was to give people a look into what volunteering is like-both at the national and local level. ...


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Inspired by Alpha Chi Omega Convention: Alumnae Initiation

Leslie and Jennifer both chose the Alumnae Initiation ceremony Friday evening as their most inspirational event of the 2012 Alpha Chi Omega Convention.


"Seeing the joy on the faces of these three women made me realize what an incredible experience it has been for them already - and just how much more joy they will get out of Alpha Chi Omega. I actually was so moved that I cried." - Leslie

Through the Alumna Initiate program, women who have not had a sorority experience during their college years can apply or be recommended for membership in Alpha Chi Omega. Once accepted for membership, each candidate receives an Alumna Educator who works with her to prepare her for the Initiation Ceremony, sharing our history and heritage as well as our values and expectations. [Read more about the experience of being an Alumna Educator in this post.] Alumnae chapters and collegiate chapters both initiate alumnae members; at Convention, Sigma Sigma alumnae chapter hosted the ceremony.


Visit Amy's blog for more delights to inspire you!
















Tuesday, August 14, 2012

A Legacy who has all 5 Criteria

We are so proud of and amazed at our local legacy Hanna! Hanna's mom Amy K is a Beta Eta (FSU) and Tallahassee business woman, http://akconsultinggroup.org/Who.html. Hanna's family raised her with Wisdom Devotion and Achievement in mind and she is already a true Real. Strong. Woman. representative.

She's already been in the Tallahassee Democrat at least three times, She sits on the Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and (of course) she was in the 2011-2012 Class 8 for Youth Leadership Tallahassee! Her recent accomplishment was winning a Freedom Scholarship from the law firm of  Brooks, LeBoeuf, Bennett, Foster & Gwartney.

We cannot wait for Hanna to continue *WOW*ing us when she heads off to college next year. With women like Hanna stepping out and stepping up, the world WILL be a better place.

2012 Freedom Scholarship winner announced, 11:35 AM, Jul 27, 2012
Hanna Karimipour is the 12th recipient the annual freedom scholarship essay contest.
Hanna Karimipour is the 12th recipient the annual freedom scholarship essay contest. / Special to the Chronicle
The law firm of Brooks, LeBoeuf, Bennett, Foster & Gwartney is pleased to announce that Hanna Karimipour, who will be a senior at Lawton Chiles High School this fall, has become the 12th recipient our firm’s annual freedom scholarship essay contest.


Each year, our essay contest has grown more popular with students throughout Leon, Wakulla, Gadsden and Jefferson Counties. In an effort to promote education and awareness of American liberties, we invite high school juniors and seniors to submit essays on “The Bill of Rights: What they mean to me as an American.” The winning contestant, chosen by a celebrity panel of judges, is awarded $2,500 to assist with their future educational expenses.

Our esteemed judges this year included Leon County Circuit Court Judges Kevin J. Carroll, and James O. Shelfer, and Leon County Judge Robert R. Wheeler. The judges selected Hanna Karimipour as the winner of the 2012 Freedom Scholarship. Hanna is the daughter of Masoud and Amy Karimipour. Since most of Hanna’s family is from Iran, she has had the firsthand opportunity to truly appreciate how different her life would be without the Bill of Rights. Fully appreciating how fortunate Americans are to have freedom of speech, Hanna really gets involved in public policy issues.

She started “The Do Something Club” which is involved in International Human Rights and Poverty. She is Chairman of the Florida Youth Commission, and serves on the Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. She started the Youth Advisory Board of the Florida Commission Against Domestic Violence, and she has been chosen by Ann Taylor to travel to Washington where she will learn more about women’s issues. After high school graduation, Hanna will study International Studies and economics in college. She then plans to obtain a law degree and work in the field of Public Policy. After meeting Hanna and her family, we have no doubt that she has a very bright future ahead of her.

Applications for our 2013 Freedom Scholarship essay will be available on our website early next year. If you would like more information about the scholarship, please visit www.TallahasseeAttorneys.com.

----------------------------------------------   Education in the Justice System: Are Teens Left Behind?

Is skipping class okay if you're behind bars? Across the country, teen delinquents are being placed in jails for adults, instead of the juvenile detention centers that are geared towards teens. These adult detention centers do not have the proper resources necessary for teens, including education and counseling.

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 16-year-old Wayne Treacy is suing the Broward County school board claiming he has not been given a proper education while awaiting his trial in an adult jail. He asserts that he has only been getting five hours of instruction a week at the adult facility. Before he was transferred there, he was at a juvenile facility, receiving twenty-five hours of schooling a week.

Although the adult facilities are generally not appropriate for teens, it can be argued that the adult facilities are better equipped for teens who have committed harsher crimes. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, many states house youth in these adult facilities because “the juvenile justice system may be ill equipped to handle youth charged with serious crimes and that the juvenile court may be too lenient in its punishment and control of such youth.” Despite the fact that the adult facilities may deal better with serious teen criminals, the educational or counseling programs offered to these teens are basically the same offered to adults, providing insufficient preparation for teens that are eventually released.

Juvenile detention centers, on the other hand, are created for youth, and ensure educational instruction, as well as rehabilitation options, preparing teen offenders for life after release from jail. The main goal of juvenile detention centers is to guide youths towards their release, providing at least twenty five hours of education a week and other counseling and rehabilitation programs.

As horrible as some crimes committed by teens may be, eventually most of the teens imprisoned will be released. The majority of youth in jail will not be in jail forever, and will eventually have to become contributing members of society. Because of this, it is important that these teens receive proper counseling and education while serving time, which is found in the Juvenile Justice System.

What can you do?

Connect ex-offenders with employment like this project did.
Donate books to detention facilities.
Tutor at-risk peers and students younger than you.

--submitted by Field Reporter Hanna Karimipour



Saturday, August 11, 2012

Peacocks and Painting on Monday the 13th!


Remember our super fun event planned to kick off the 2012 - 2013 year:

Painting with a Twist!

To tie in a little ritual fun, we'll be painting this peacock:


Call Amy Z or JennSueB if you have any questions!

Can't wait to see you there.

Link to our event on ETE's Facebook page:  http://bit.ly/Nfm8TD

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

MyJourney - Alpha Chi Omega's amazing program for collegians

Jennifer (Theta Lambda, Clemson) our treasurer and a member of the Beta Eta and Gamma Iota advisory boards CANNOT CONTAIN HER EXCITEMENT about Alpha Chi Omega's launch of MyJourney.


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