Anchored to Something Great

In Fall of 2016 I jumped home to my new home, Alpha Sigma Tau. The beginning of my time in AST was as a new member, where I spent six weeks learning the traditions and history of the chapter. These six weeks were challenging balancing my school work and the added responsibilities of the new member period. But I can easily say my time in Alpha Sigma Tau has been completely worth the stress of those six weeks.

On November 11, 2016 I was initiated into the Beta chapter of Alpha Sigma Tau. Being initiated fully emerged me into the sisterhood of the chapter. Everyone was very welcoming since bid day, the day I jumped home to AST, but once I was initiated I truly felt at home with the chapter.

Alpha Sigma Tau has been so influential during my highs and lows of freshman year.  My sisters have been my best friends and have allowed me to create more connections on campus. They have also been my home when I felt unsure of where I belonged. The women of Alpha Sigma Tau have made an everlasting impact on my life in only my first year of membership.

I was elected Parliamentarian within the chapter, which meant I am responsible for keeping order at meeting and I am the Student Government Association Representative. SGA was a second involvement on campus which allowed me to learn about all the different groups and people I share campus with. As a member of SGA, I was a part of the crafting and promotion of legislature to improve Central Michigan University.

Each sorority has a philanthropy organization which they are continually promoting and donating to. Alpha Sigma Tau’s philanthropy is Pine Mountain Settlement School in Harlan, Kentucky. Over each spring break, sisters travel to PMSS for a week of service. I volunteered to be a part of this trip to learn more about the philanthropy, my sisters, and my chapter. During this trip I created closer relationships with my sisters, which allowed me to feel more connected to my sisterhood. Along with this, I learned why a chapter in Mount Pleasant Michigan cared so much about an organization in a small, poor community in Kentucky. Pine Mountain demonstrates all the values we uphold in Alpha Sigma Tau: Active, Self-Reliant, and Trustworthy. We, and the people at Pine Mountain are active in our pursuit of making ourselves, and others, better. We are both self-reliant, we work hard and do not depend on others to create success for us. We hold ourselves to high standards and understand the idea of being accountable. And trustworthy. We demonstrate we can be accountable not only to ourselves but others. We are continually serving our community and our sisters. My experiences at Pine Mountain solidified my decision to be a part of Alpha Sigma Tau.

As the year comes to an end, I am excited and eager for my time to come as a member of Alpha Sigma Tau. I look forward to continue to grow my bonds with sisters and the values of the chapter. I am confident that being a part of this sorority is one of the best decision I have made during my time thus far at Central Michigan University, and it will continue to be throughout not only these 4 years, but the rest of my life.