Alpha Chi Omega Convention 2016 - #AXOSunshine

It might be chilly and fall-like, but we are remembering back to "fun in the sun" with our sisters in Orlando on this #FlashbackFriday.

We didn’t win any awards in 2016, but we still had fun! (Awards from Convention 2012, #AXOattheArch, and Convention 2010). The Beta Eta chapter won the Community Relations Award, and we were thrilled for them! Xi Omega Xi, the alumnae chapter we share with Beta Eta also won TWO awards (many thanks to their president and Beta Eta chapter advisor, Britain!):  Sisterhood Award and Long Distance Collegiate Support Award!

Plan to join us in Austin, TX for Convention 2018. Jenn said, "Will the hashtag be #KeepAXOWeird?" (love it!)

A photo montage from our treasurer JSBH to share “What’s Convention Like? …” Answer:  AMAZING!

We were so fortunate to enjoy the company of five current collegians at Convention!
Anna, Mckayla, Whitney, Gianna, Mindy

Convention 2014 - What to Wear you ask?

We love that Headquarters uses all outlets to reach our collegians and alumnae. Who doesn't have fun perusing Pinterest? And Alpha Chi Omega started a Convention 2014 board - yay!

Our Awards from #AXO Convention 2012 #TBT

We're playing catch-up and decided October (our founding month) was a great opportunity to reflect on our blessings from Convention 2012 in St. Louis, MO.

ETE worked SUPER HARD between Convention 2010 and 2012 and we were rewarded with FOUR alumnae chapter awards!

If you follow our tweets (@AXOETE) you might have caught us winning the awards back in July.


The box arrived; the excitement built!

We won the following:

• Domestic Violence Outreach
• Collegiate Chapter Support - Local
• PACE
• Fine Arts

We will use the neat Alpha Chi-themed awards as prizes for our sisterhood events!

Want to Wear Your Lyre Badge More?

Did you know you can make your badge into a pendant?

Some of our alumnae were asking about this option when they saw other sisters wearing their badges as pendants at Convention.

Isn't it neat for us to have a "wear your badge every day option"?

Something to add to your list to Santa! It's from Herff Jones.

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.

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!

COCA - Art in the Airport with AXO

You never know where you will find an Alpha Chi Omega!

Our president Amy Z (Zeta Upsilon) and treasurer JSBH (Theta Lambda) were traveling back to Tallahassee from the fabulous 2012 Alpha Chi Omega Convention in St. Louis with three Beta Eta collegians when they discovered Amanda (Alpha Upsilon) setting up a new exhibition in the Tallahassee ArtPort!

Annie Harris, local artist in residence at the Tallahassee Airport - reception is Friday, July 20, 2012

How many times have you walked past the ArtPort art gallery at the Tallahassee airport and wondered about it? We had many of our questions answered Tuesday. Amanda helps bring the fine arts to our community through her job at COCA (Council on Culture & Arts) including curating the exhibitions at ArtPort!

ArtPort exhibits feature local (within 100 miles of Tallahassee) artists. All works shown are available for purchase by contacting the artist. As the article above shows, the exhibition opens this week with a reception at the airport Friday, July 27th from 6pm - 7:30pm, and highlights the work of local artist Annie Harris.

"Annie S. Harris's paintings are an homage to what is good and strong in all of us. She has a deep respect for people, from all walks of life, and their unique ability to rise above adversity."

Her work will be on display from July 18th - September 10th, 2012 at ArtPort. You can also visit ASH Gallery, 438 West Georgia Street from 9am - 4pm on Saturdays to see more of her artwork.

Cards and Nibbles for AXO Convention

just one of our cute notecards!

Drop by Jenn's house on Sunday July 8th from 1-4pm and help us prepare for Alpha Chi Omega Convention (July 13-16). You can get crafty if you want OR you can help fold, stuff, and package - easy peasy.

We sell AXO cards at Convention (like the one pictured at left) and it is a super easy and painless way to help ETE make money. (We took the photos ourselves and Amy made the cards - so fun, see more of the designs at http://amyz.shutterfly.com/37.) We use the money raised to support Beta Eta at twice-yearly Hall of Commitment, recruitment, Refuge House initiatives and our local sisters endeavors!

As always, we'll have drinks and snacks - just stop by to say, "Hey" even if you can't stay :)

Thank you Jenn for hosting us! If you are in town and free on Sunday, please join us! Address and more details are posted at http://www.facebook.com/events/331276426955456/.

Lyre Preview/Convention Recap

Epsilon Tau Epsilon member Britain Dwyre (Beta Eta, FSU) served as a Convention reporter at Alpha Chi Omega's National Convention in July, and as such, she'll appear in the next issue of The Lyre magazine. Pretty exciting! A separate article that she wrote appeared on the Alpha Chi Omega blog, and in case you didn't see it, here is a link and an excerpt:

Alpha Chi Omega Convention 2010, In My Words

by Britain Dwyre
(Beta Eta, Florida State University)

According to Webster’s dictionary a Convention is a large meeting or conference, esp. of members of particular profession. While this definition works, I argue that Alpha Chi Omega Convention is SO much more. Convention to me is five days to reconnect with sisters and friends and a time to make new connections! It is a time to celebrate, to learn, and to shop. Convention is a time to stay up late and wake up early, and to do as much in between the prior as possible. Convention is the most fun you will have with 800+ of your sisters, that only happens every two years.

In the weeks leading up to convention many emails, tweets, and Facebook messages are sent coordinating meetings, presentations and reunions. Packings lists are made, analyzed and amended. Blog posts are done sharing past conventions, offering wardrobe advice and showing support for the Star Booth. Pre-Convention shopping takes place for: reunion night dinner decorations, Stars honoring those Alpha Chis who have impacted us, last minutes wardrobe “essentials” for convention, etc. After all of this is complete I had a suitcase weighing 49.5 pounds (*sigh* I am under the Delta imposed limit). I am ready for convention.

Read the rest (and see a photo) here!

AXO Convention

Alpha Chi Omega will hold the 56th Biennial National Convention July 9-12th in Washington, D.C. Convention is full of memorable moments, Alpha Chi Omega business, and opportunities to make new friends and visit with sisters from around the country. See the full Convention schedule here.

At Epsilon Tau Epsilon, we're excited that many of our members will be able to participate in this great event. Thank you to Jennifer (Theta Lambda, Clemson) for being our voting delegate. Also attending from Tallahassee: alumnae Amy (Zeta Upsilon, CWRU), Britain (BH, FSU) and Jennifer O. (Iota Psi, Elon)... and collegians from Beta Eta - BH President and voting delegate Liz (of Coral Springs, FL) and VP-Education Vaneese (of St. Petersburg, FL).

We will post photos and a recap here after we all get back home and recover!