#WHYTRID

Gwyneth Millican

Why Tri Delta? When reflecting on recruitment, I believe that the time spent with this chapter could be best described as fleeting. Somehow, the women of Tri Delta found a way to make a 10-minute break-out room feel like mere seconds, and 14-hour blocks between rounds feel like a lifetime. Throughout the rounds, Tri Delta always left me wanting more- one more break-out room, one more sister testimony, one more exhilarating conversation. I didn’t really understand why I felt this way; the rounds technically got longer as you progressed, so it made no sense for me to feel just as sad about the end of a 5-minute conversation as I was at the end of a 5-second conversation. But when entering the last Zoom call, I knew I was not alone in my feelings.

Gwyneth Millican, PC ‘20, from Nashville, TN.

Looking around at all of the seniors jam-packed in their living rooms, laughing and crying and clutching whoever was nearest to them, I knew they felt the same fleeting feeling like me- wishing for one more semester, one more recruitment workshop, one more sleepover on Norris Hall. At that moment, I knew that Tri Delta was something I wanted to be a part of, and making that decision has continued to be one of the best and most rewarding choices I have ever made. And now, with freshmen year coming to a close, I find myself harboring some of the same feelings I experienced during recruitment so many months ago- wishing for one more Douthit dinner, one more New Member meeting, one more night in Manning. They say time flies when you’re having fun, and I can confidently say that I have found the women that make my time fly in Tri Delta 💛

Gwyneth Millican, PC ‘20

$24K IN 1 DAY!

Below, sophomore Maya Joglekar describes the 24-hour social media challenge we held last Wednesday to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

As Tri Delta women, St. Jude holds a special place in our hearts. Not only is it our goal to raise as much money as possible for St. Jude, but we also try to raise awareness of their mission to end childhood cancer. St. Jude doesn’t just take care of patients and their families during treatment, but they also provide an environment that feels welcoming and safe to everyone there. Families never have to worry about any costs, all they have to focus on is giving their child all the love and support to get better. And, when they do get better and finish their chemotherapy treatment, friends, family, and staff come together to throw a No More Chemo Party!

Our goal for the 24-hour social media challenge is to raise $24,000 in 24 hours by throwing our own virtual party! We use graphics and continuously post them to our Instagram and Facebook to encourage friends and family to donate. It is always so much fun and this year we added a little bit of ~spice~ with some chapter challenges! One of the challenges was to pie Leah, our Chapter President, when we raised $13k! And if we reached our goal of $24,000, a group of seniors would jump into the reflection pond on campus. We also presented other fundraising methods like raffles and reaching out to other groups on campus to hit our goal.

Sydney, our Director of Philanthropy, and I were absolutely blown away when we woke up the morning of the event because our chapter raised $17,000 just overnight. At this point, we were already making huge progress in getting to our goal! We kept refreshing the total all day and the fundraising never slowed down. When it was all said and done, we raised a total of $36,156.27 in only 24 hours!!! We were amazed because we never even dreamed that we could raise this much. It was a blast getting to come together as a chapter and campaign for St. Jude. And, because we SURPASSED the goal, Sydney and I ended the night by watching some of the seniors jump into the reflection pond to celebrate.

DLAM, Maya

SINCERELY YOURS 2021

What a better way to re-start the blog than with a highlight of Sincerely Yours 2021?? Sincerely Yours is our letter campaign Tri Delta does to ask for donations for St. Jude. While this year has been one of the unexpected, we are incredibly grateful to our Director of Philanthropy, Sydney Jarecki, for putting on such a great event. As a chapter, we came in different shifts, with masks, and social distancing to stamp and seal our letters. Below we have junior, Reagan Castles, describe her experience of the stamping party.

Hey y’all! My name is Reagan Castles and I am a Junior in PC ‘19. Our philanthropy, St. Jude Children's Hospital, is one of the many reasons I ran home to Tri Delta. In the fall of 2019, I had the opportunity to visit St. Jude in Memphis with some of the girls in our chapter. It was so rewarding to see the impact we make on the lives of every patient and their families firsthand! I now serve on the internal philanthropy committee and on February 24th, we launched our largest fundraising campaign of the year with our Sincerely Yours Stamping Party.

This year, our theme for the stamping party was NO MORE CHEMO! This mirrors a celebration St. Jude patients have when they beat cancer and end chemotherapy. We had super cute backdrops and tons of confetti and balloons!

To kick off our celebration, Gigi Chambers shared her story of her battle through childhood cancer. She did an AMAZING job, and helped remind everyone that all of our hard work put into fundraising is so worth it! Girls were decked out in their best DDD shirts and hats to stamp and decorate the letters to send out to family and friends. This was super awesome because we were able to have an event with our sisters (finally!!!) and finish up our letters!

I absolutely love being a part of this chapter and serving our philanthropy, and I cannot wait to see the progress we make with our fundraising!!!

Donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital here !!!

Letter Writing 2020

Hi! My name is Sydney Jarecki and I am a Freshman in PC ‘19. One of the main reasons I chose Tri-Delta was because of the philanthropy, St. Jude Children’s Hospital. St. Jude holds an extremely special place in my family’s heart as my older sister, Sarah Grace Jarecki, was diagnosed with a brain tumor at just seven years old. She beat cancer and is THRIVING, but as kids we spent a lot of time in hospitals, and while none of them were St. Jude, we know first hand the stress a family goes through when someone is battling cancer. Because of this connection, as soon as I joined our chapter, I knew I wanted to get involved in our philanthropy. I jumped at the opportunity to visit St. Jude in Memphis during the fall and absolutely fell in love with it.

Now, I serve on the internal philanthropy committee where on February 17th, we put on our Letter Writing Party to launch our largest fundraising campaign of the year. Our whole chapter gathered in our favorite DDD shirts to pack and decorate our letters to send to friends and family while hanging out with our sisters. I loved all of it! For the first time ever, a mother of a current patient at St. Jude came and shared her testimony with us. She was AMAZING, strong, and inspiring. Much of her story resonates closely to my own family’s story which was really special to me. It was so beneficial for our chapter to have the opportunity to listen to a first hand story--her positive presence made everyone so excited about all of the amazing things our hard work was going towards. 

My family has a unique connection to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and it fuels my passion to serve our philanthropy even more. St. Jude continues to change the lives of not only their patients, but also their families. I am so thankful to be surrounded by girls who support me and share my love for St. Jude in this sweet sorority I have found, Delta Delta Delta, and I cannot wait to see our future fundraising progress!!

☆Here’s the link to our donations page☆ https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR;jsessionid=00000000.app20047b?fr_id=118949&pg=entry&NONCE_TOKEN=C7B27EFA3A7E3EF20871E476ABA85171

Stars and Crescent Formal 2020

Hey y’all! My name is Clare Maloney and I am a sophomore Tri Delta in PC ‘18! On Friday night, February 7th, we had our formal which is our biggest and most exciting function of the year! From start to finish, the night was so much fun; the band, food, and good company ensured there was never a dull moment.

The thing that I loved most about formal this year was not only being able to spend the night with my best friends, but also getting ready on the hall -- everyone kept their doors open, blasting music, and trying on dresses with each other. After getting ready, our whole pledge class got together for a full-blown photoshoot on the quad; we looked like we came right off the Revolve runway. One of the best parts about this function was being able to see how beautiful each and every one of my sister’s looked and see everyone’s confidence grow throughout the night. I also think it was so cool to see how much closer we have all gotten since formal last year. From taking pictures with complete strangers at the very first functions last year to dying laughing with each other at every function this year, it has been such an amazing second year growing such special friendships and working on being the most intentional friends we can.

Clemson Tri Delta has brought me the most genuine friendships, and being able to spend such a memorable night with them was just such a great way to beat the mid-semester slump. I am already looking forward to formal next year, I know people are already looking for their dresses!

Why Tri Delta #31

Hi everyone! My name is Porter Johnson and I am a junior majoring in Sociology from Memphis, Tennessee. This past year I was able to serve our chapter as Internal Philanthropy Chair, and I am beyond honored to move into this next year as President. I want to take this opportunity to share with you all what Clemson Tri Delta has meant to me over these past three years.

My journey began at the beginning of my freshman year at Clemson where I pretty much knew no one. Coming from an all-girls school where I had spent the last fifteen years, I knew I wanted to join a sorority which I assumed would be of a similar welcoming and home-like environment. Therefore, I began sorority recruitment, and I can honestly say that I was impressed by every single chapter. Each of them embody incredible values and are made up of talented and driven women, but I ultimately found my perfect home in Tri Delta. What made my decision wasn’t necessarily the people I talked to, the videos that were played, or what the girls talked about, but it was the love and respect each of the members had for one another. It was a place that I felt I was not only going to be accepted despite my flaws, but loved for them. A place where I could be appreciated on my good days, and inspired at my low points. A place where I feel completely supported, allowing me to challenge myself. 

Yes, I found this to be true during recruitment, but I have also felt this support and acceptance every single day since joining Tri Delta. Every single member of our chapter has made me feel loved and at-home on my best and worst days, and I have found friends that have truly become my family. However, the aspect of this chapter that I am most surprised by on a daily basis is how much it inspires and pushes me. Being surrounded by around 250 involved, passionate, intelligent, and driven women encourages you daily to do something outside of your comfort zone. Never before joining Tri Delta did I foresee myself becoming a Philanthropy Chair, much less President, but that is what being a part of this community does to you. It accepts you for who you are while also challenging you to be the leader you know you can become. 

These past three years have marked some of the happiest times and largest accomplishments of my life thanks to Tri Delta. I met my person, Avery Erickson. I was able to spend a spring break with my entire pledge class, and someone named “Bobo.” I got the most amazing little sister, Leah Tompkins, who was later followed by the best grand littles (Ellis Turner and Dottie Rickenbaker). I was able to help our chapter raise over $140,000 for the children of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital this past year with Taylor Petrucci. I danced the night away at every single function. I stood alongside my best friends as Clemson won the National Championship. I was able to live with thirty of my sisters on the Tri Delta hall. I got to witness one fine marriage in the lovely Gatlinburg, Tennessee with my pledge class. I got to watch two of my closest friends (soon to be three) see the world. But, all of these memories are just scratching the surface, and I cannot wait to see what 2020 holds for us all. With that said, thank you Clemson Tri Delta and all of its members for a lifetime of memories and love.

Delta Love and Mine, 

Porter, your new sister pres :)

Semi: Thrift Store to Couture 2019

Written by Grace Anne Brown and Holly Buxton (PC’19)

Night One: Thrift Store, from Grace Anne Brown’s perspective

On Thursday night, since the theme was “thrift store”, everyone was dressed in their best and tackiest dresses. And let me tell you, there were a variety...there were super-sparkly ones, crazy printed ones, and even old and out of style bridesmaids dresses. I would definitely say that night one was WAY more casual than night two. It was held downtown at a place where we have had a lot of our other mixers and functions. I had so much fun on this night because I was dancing with my sisters the entire time. I made my way around to different groups to dance with them. It was also SO much fun to see everyone’s craziest and best thrift store attire. The DJ was good and played a lot of fun songs and had a good mix. I had such a good time with my sisters at this function because everyone was so excited and the theme was so fun, and I feel like it was definitely a favorite for everyone. Altogether semi was my favorite function I have had as a Tri Delta. This may be because I know more people so much better now, but the atmosphere was so happy and positive, which is exactly what I love being a part of. I hate that semi is over already, but it makes me even more excited for next year!

Night Two: Couture, from Holly Buxton’s perspective

With an older sister in Tri Delta, I have always heard fun stories about “semi”. After just joining Tri Delta this year, I have been looking forward to semi and to finally have my own fun stories to tell. My expectations were high, but the event exceeded all! From getting dressed up with all my new sisters, to meeting our dates in front of Manning, the night was so fun! The bus ride was full of laughs and nothing but energy! There was not one single person who wasn’t having a blast. The venue was perfect, and the band made everyone dance full out with little worry of how weird they may look (speaking about myself mainly). My favorite part of the whole night was just being with my friends dancing in a circle in front of the band. Being with my sister in such a fun atmosphere with the best girls I've ever met, I realized exactly why I joined Tri Delta. I will never forget freshman year semi and the memories I made with my new sisters!!

Visit to St. Jude 2019

Written by: Gloria Grace Murray (PC ‘19)

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to travel to Memphis with some of my new Tri Delta sisters to tour St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It was an amazing opportunity to see what our philanthropy was all about and to see first-hand how we impact the lives of every patient who walks through the door!

Right when I walked into the lobby of St. Jude, I was overwhelmed with emotion. We toured the entire hospital with the absolute best tour guide, who was actually a patient for most of his childhood. He currently is in college and plans to get a degree in nursing so he can become a nurse at St. Jude. He wants to give back for all the time and love St. Jude put into him. To me, this story reflects the mission of St. Jude Children’s Hospital. I saw kids running around, riding in red wagons, and laughing like they heard the funniest joke in the world. Kids with dark eyes, frail bodies, and bald heads from chemotherapy were laughing. My sadness turned into so much joy, seeing the joy these children had. It was so infectious and real, I almost forgot that they were even sick. In that moment, I truly understood why our philanthropy is so important. We continually support and donate to a hospital that leaves the diseases it treats at the at the door. St. Jude makes sure that your sickness does not define you in your time there. Whether it’s the artwork along the hallways or the Tri Delta emblem on the floor, everything in the hospital is put there with a purpose. St. Jude’s mission is to bring something good out of something so bad. Patients and families are able to feel hopeful for a lifetime that they can spend together.

 The town of Memphis and St. Jude will forever be engraved in my mind.  So much good came from my experience there. Not only did we get to visit St. Jude, but we also got to explore the city and form stronger bonds with all of the girls on the trip, across pledge classes and grades. I am so grateful to be a part of a sorority that plays such a huge role in furthering the mission of St. Jude and ending childhood cancer once and for all. After seeing how all of our hard work pays off, I now know better what an honor it is to wear our letters. 

Recruitment 2019: Sisterhood Round

Another round down! We had such an amazing day telling everyone how special it is to be a sister in Tri Delta. From speeches to videos, we hoped you saw our personality shine through.

Today our round kicked off with introductions from our Vice President of Recruitment, Harper McCabe, and Membership Coordinator, Nancy Welch Graf. After that, we heard a hilarious speech from Breland Land and Leah Tompkins, two sophomore girls who became best friends their first year here at Clemson, all because of Tri Delta. They talked about some of their favorite moments from their freshman year, and how experiencing them with each other made them so much better.

After their speech, our 2019 Recruitment Video finally dropped! We were so excited to get to give people such a fun glimpse into who we are and why we love Tri Delta. From a slip n slide Delta’s Only, to our favorite function FYSAM, every moment in the video was real, unique, and pretty hilarious.

After the video, we had amazing conversations with the women coming through about why they wanted a sisterhood, and how it could positively impact them, and they, it. Sisterhood is essential to create bonds that last a lifetime, and we are so thankful we had the opportunity to share how special ours is!

Tomorrow is Pref Round, and we are so excited to continue the conversation of #WhyTriDelta!

Recruitment 2019: Philanthropy Round

 We were SO happy to have people come through our philanthropy round today as we discuss St. Jude and why it is so special to us.  We hope you enjoyed the round as much as we did!

 Taylor Petrucci, our Assistant Internal Philanthropy chairman, started out the round with introductions and discussing her personal connection to St. Jude.  We then watched a video of a patient named Gracie, a young girl with leukemia who is being treated at St. Jude.  She was so vibrant despite her disease, showing us how powerful St. Jude’s mission of not just treatment but enjoyment of life is. 

Gracie’s video is linked below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXrHHDpAM6k

After the video of sweet Gracie, Porter Johnson, our Internal Philanthropy chair, got up to discuss some of our various philanthropy events, and what we have done as a chapter.  In case you missed it, we’ve raised $137,816 dollars for St. Jude, landing us at the 7th spot for Best Fundraising chapters in the nation.  We are so incredibly proud of that and thankful for the impact it has at St. Jude. 

The rest of the round was spent talking with various girls about their St. Jude experiences.  A lot of them probably told you about their passion and excitement, and how special each and every minute is when we are working for St. Jude.  We are so thankful to be a chapter that truly goes above and beyond FTK!

 We hope you had a great round today and enjoy Sisterhood round tomorrow!

Delta Love!

Why Tri Delta #30

Harper McCabe (PC’16), our Vice President of Recruitment, tells us #WhyTriDelta made her feel different than any other sorority….

As an incoming freshman, I was beyond excited but also SO nervous for the recruitment process. I knew I was looking for that home away from home, a life long sisterhood. Throughout recruitment, I was blown away by all the amazing women in the Greek community. But as the process wound down, I was so confused on where I thought I should end up, but one feeling stuck out to me: I felt like I belonged.

Every time I went into Tri Delta I felt welcomed and appreciated. I was assured that I didn’t have to put up a front or be anyone other than myself. I felt as though I didn’t have to fit a mold, but instead I could be my most authentic self and be truly loved for who I am. As I talked to the women in Tri Delta, I knew that these were the people that would be there for me in my happiest, saddest, and even weirdest moments! While my decision to ultimately pick Tri Delta was a difficult one, looking back I know it was the best decision of my college career. Everyday spent with my Tri Delta sisters shows me how valued I am for being me. There is truly no one type of woman in Tri Delta, and because of that I am able to embody Tri Delta’s motto “Bring You” to the fullest. Because of this motto, I have grown into the most authentic version of myself. I am more confident in who I am and that flows over into all aspects of my life. I am so grateful for the incredible experience Tri Delta has given me and I can’t believe I have to leave these people and this community at the end of the school year, but I know because I am surrounded by such fun-loving, authentic women, my senior year will be the best one yet! 

Having the opportunity to serve as Tri Delta’s VP of Membership has been so rewarding. Through it all, my hope is to help others find the same feeling of belonging that I found in Tri Delta. My bit of advice for potential new members going through recruitment is to remember to Bring You! The recruitment process is all about you and where you find you can be your best and brightest self. Although you may be nervous (I was too), do your best to enjoy the recruitment process, the conversations that you have and all the wonderful people you meet! Good luck with everything; you’re gonna kill it! Go Tigers, Go Greek, and most importantly -- Go Tri Delta!

DLAM,

Harper M.

Why Tri Delta #29

Taylor Petrucci tells us #WhyTriDelta felt like home, even a thousand miles away from her own…..

A normal day in my hometown of Boston, MA includes a meal of lobster and/or clam chowder, the fandom that surrounds the Red Sox, and lots and lots of snow. While I know that my decision to come to Clemson three years ago was a risky one, my decision to join Tri Delta was anything but. 

As someone who didn’t know a single soul entering college, I was so shy coming into the school year. When I joined my Pi Chi group at the beginning of recruitment, I quickly made fast friends. We bonded over our nerves about things like what clothes to wear for each round, or if we would say something strange while talking to someone. I remember hearing some girls in my group talk about how their moms were in “X” sorority, and their sisters were too, so they wanted to do the same. But for me it was different. The whole concept of a sorority was new to me. For some crazy reason, I decided that I wanted to join one of these groups that I had heard about. Back at home, the only mention of sororities came from the movies or the news. Part of me feels like my mom pushed me to recruitment as a way to make friends, since I am an out-of-state student, but regardless, I had a really good feeling about it. 

On the first day of recruitment, in the very first round, when those curtains opened up and girls were chanting -- I almost cried. The whole experience was so foreign and unlike anything else that I was used to. I wanted to just quit right then and there. Luckily I didn’t and the decision to stick with it was one of the best things I ever did for myself. 

The first thing I remember about Tri Delta during recruitment was my conversation with a senior at the time named Joanna. While most girls asked me about topics like my hometown, my family, and what I like to do for fun, Joanna didn’t. She and I talked about the most random things, and for the first time, I felt a real connection. This was it. That magic, authentic moment your Pi Chi talks about. Where it all falls into place for you and you get the feeling that you belong. As recruitment progressed, rounds of sisterhood and philanthropy strengthened my feelings for Tri Delta. My decision became an easy one. 

I will never forget what it felt like to open my bid on the Quad that day. My heart was racing from the excitement. I was afraid I was going to cry, scream, or be sick all at the same time. I tore open my envelope as quickly as I could. While I knew which sorority name I wanted to see on my bid card, I wasn’t sure if it was going to come true. As soon as I saw the words “Delta Delta Delta” on my card, I let out a huge sigh of relief. Tri Delta wanted me too. 

Running down the hill on Bowman alongside my new sorority sisters was both scary and thrilling. Yet again, I made fast friends with the girls closest to me. Running right by my side: Hanna. Little did I know, Hanna would become one of my best friends. Crazy enough,  I posted an instagram that day with a random girl named Stewart. Fast forward three years later, and I can’t imagine Clemson without her. Although I didn’t realize it back then, these two girls from Houston, TX and Columbia, SC were so different from me, but my college experience would not be half as fun without them. Tri Delta has become my home away from home. It brought me best friends from Texas, Florida, New Jersey, the Carolinas, and even Tennessee. I remember being so nervous to be that weird northern girl at a southern school, but I realize now how silly that all sounds now, because my friends and I are from all over. 

So, I would like to thank you Tri Delta. Thank you for my rock, Alex, and my study buddies, Audrey, Ashlea, and Emma. Thank you for my “therapist” Avery, and the 24/7 entertainment provided by Kathleen and Hanna. Thank you for giving me my role models, Porter and Caroline, my amazing roommate, Foster, and my own personal cheerleader, Stewart. These girls (and so many more) have become my home 1,000 miles away from home, and I owe it all to Tri Delta. 

DLAM,

Taylor P.

Why Tri Delta #28

Molly Langella (PC’18) tells us #WhyTriDelta and the people who make it up have given her an amazing first year at Clemson!

Hey y’all! My name is Molly Langella and I am going to be a sophomore next year at Clemson (what!?). Literally, I just had to rewrite that sentence because I truly feel like I was just running down Bowman on Bid Day as a little freshman. I’m from Atlanta, GA, so not many people from my hometown went to Clemson. Because of that, I constantly get the question “Why Tri Delta?” every time I come home. For me, the answer is plain and simple: the people. 

From the moment I stepped into Tri Delta’s round during rush, I was amazed at how welcomed I felt and how it truly feels like home. The older girls that talked to me during rush did not just ask questions to ask them, they asked me meaningful questions that showed how they truly wanted to get to know me. From that moment, I felt like I could find my place in Tri Delta. It was actually the end of this year when I was cleaning out my room in Manning Hall (best place ever) that I came across my notebook from rush. During rush, I was very diligent about writing down every detail from my rounds so that I could go back later and look at them. As I was flipping through my pages, I discovered my notes on Tri Delta. I almost started laughing as I was reading them because it was crazy that the names of the girls that I talked to during rush (who I ADORED) are some of my closest friends today and people I genuinely look up to. 

Tri Delta has given me so many different opportunities that I am incredibly thankful for. Not only do they encourage us in everything we do, but there are also girls in Tri Delta involved everywhere on campus who truly care about you and want you to get plugged into your perfect niche. For me, Tri Delta was the perfect place. I loved how I didn’t have to try to be anyone but myself. Conversations were easy, being with everyone was fun, and my heart was genuinely happy and at peace. This is because of the girls in Tri Delta. 

Their leadership.

Their kindness.

Their creativity and spunkiness. 

And most importantly, how much they cared about their sisters. 

Tri Delta has not just given me a “sorority” but a home. A sisterhood that I know will continue to be present even when I’m out of college. I am forever thankful for Clemson Tri Delta for giving me my best friends and the most amazing community. All the Delta Love!

XOXO,

Molly Langella

Tri Delta X St. Jude Celebration

Avery Erickson (PC’17) talks to us about her experience at Tri Delta X St. Jude Celebration.

There are an infinite amount of words I could use to describe St. Jude. 

This children’s hospital brings feelings of comfort, joy, courage and most importantly, hope. 

Upon arrival at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, one thing was very obvious. While this may be a hospital, it looked anything but. The one aspect that really affects your understanding of St. Jude isn’t the hospital itself. It’s not Tri Delta Place, or Kay Cafe, it’s not even the doctors finding cures. What influences your viewpoint of St. Jude are the patients. 

We had the absolute privilege of getting to hear patient after patient, past and present, recount their journey. On Saturday night, we heard from a panel of three patients from St. Jude: Emily, Ally & Madeline. These girls represent what it means to be a Tri Delta. They are brave, bold and kind, and I am so fortunate to call them my sisters. I could tell you about what they lost at St. Jude, trading in their healthy, normal lives for endless rounds of chemo and blood transfusions. Instead though, I want to tell you what they gained from St. Jude. These girls gained something we as Tri Delta’s value most....friendship. 

During Emily and Ally’s time at St. Jude, they both found themselves hearing all about each other. The two met and describe their friendship as an instant connection. Another connection they formed together was their friendship with a girl named Lauren. 

When Emily spoke about her St. Jude journey she said, “I can’t tell you my journey if I don’t tell you Lauren’s”. Even though Lauren wasn’t physically present on stage, you could see the influence she had amongst the girls she left behind. 

As you can imagine, Lauren’s passing wrecked these two girls, Emily and Ally, and would continue to do so. But, these girls on stage, they weren’t sobbing for their late friend, they were rejoicing in her memory. Emily commented that not soon after Lauren had passed, she texted in their group message asking her friends, “What do we do now? What would Lauren do?” Ally’s response came easily, “makeup.” 

So that day, and several other days, weeks, and even years later, the girls take the time to go all out with their makeup. Taking photos and posting them all over social media with the hashtag, #LooksForLauren. 

After a heart felt and honest depiction of the situations these girls endured, Ally got rather emotional for the first time. She mentioned that her cancer is so unique, she’s the only one who has it. 

By the way, she’s working on convincing the doctors to name it after her. 

She mentioned that she had lost her short-term memory.  So when on stage, in front of hundreds of people, she couldn’t remember the phrase “tweedle dee and tweedle dumb,” I cried. 

Finally, Ally asked for our help. 

When I looked up at this girl, I saw confidence, bravery, and a lightness that could have easily turned to darkness.  And she was asking for our help. I couldn’t figure it out. 

Turns out the tumor in Ally’s brain is back. 

Her cancer is known for being one of the fastest growing cancers. Once it starts growing, rarely does it stop. 

Ally needs our help. So, I set a reminder. 

Friday, August 2nd, “Ally’s Scans.” 

I ask all of you to be thinking of Ally during this time, and be as hopeful as she is about the outcome. 

I want to thank Clemson Tri Delta for giving me the opportunity to attend St. Jude’s Celebration of the twenty-year partnership they’ve had with all of the Tri Delta chapters across the nation. I also want to thank St. Jude, for giving us a cause so worthy of our passion.  And lastly, I want to thank the patients of St. Jude, for reliving their pain in hopes of ending the pain of others. 

This year at the conference, Beta Theta chapter was honored to receive an award for “Most Passionate Chapter” for our work towards St. Jude. While we may not be the biggest chapter, this year we exceeded expectations and raised $137,816.25 for St. Jude!! We are so excited to have been named 7th Largest Fundraising Tri Delta chapter in the country! 

I want to end this on an important note, though.

Based off the many hard to understand events from this summer, in both Memphis, and in Clemson, I would like to put into words what the weekend at St. Jude taught me. 

Life is precious. It can be given as easily as taken. You only have one life to live. Laugh when you can, cry when you need to, and most importantly treat others the way you want to be treated. Kindness counts. 
I’ll end with a quote by the founder of St. Jude, Danny Thomas: 

“Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.” 

DLAM

Avery Erickson 

PC ‘17

Why Tri Delta #26

Sydney Bryan (PC’16) tells us #WhyTriDelta matters out of all of the things college has to offer!

College is one of the best times of your life. Yes, that’s so cliche and everyone has been telling you that, but believe me and everyone else when they tell you that because it is SO true. It’s a chance to find yourself, to make new memories, to form amazing friendships, to learn how to be on your own, and to experience EVERYTHING — the highest highs and the lowest lows. You have so many choices ahead of you that have the opportunity to shape your life forever. All of a sudden you’ll have people asking you what you want to study, what you want your career to be, and who you want to become. And to top it all off, you have to decide what you want to do outside of class, so that you’ll have a life outside of Cooper Library.  It is all so overwhelming, but you know what?

It will

all.

be.

okay. 

As a rising senior (cue the tears) and a member of Tri Delta, I have been faced with so many hard decisions during my time at Clemson. It hasn’t always been easy, but the best advice that I could give you is to experience everything, and I mean absolutely everything. Take a deep breath, and look around. If you decide to rush (you really should), make friends with the girls in your Pi Chi group, enjoy the conversations, talk to people with an open mind, and relax. Life is so, so short and so is your time at Clemson University. Live your life to the fullest and take every chance to grow and learn, whether it is joining a sorority, changing your major, going abroad, or much more.

The women in Tri Delta have taught me so much, and it has been such an amazing journey. From meeting older sisters who inspire you to grow up to be like them, to talking to sisters about their life experiences, to helping your sisters when they need a hand…this is what Tri Delta is about. It is about being yourself, taking chances, and finding somewhere you will call home for the next four years. I’ve had so many Panhellenic women show me so much love over my last few years at Clemson and it's so amazing to see the love grow each year with the new members that each sorority acquires. These next four years will be the best time of your life and I promise, if you take every opportunity and cherish your time at Clemson, you will not be disappointed. We want you to BRING YOU!

Go Tigers and Go Tri Delta!

XOXO,

Sydney

Why Tri Delta #24

Sydney Howell (PC ‘18) tells us #WhyTriDelta has been such an integral part of her freshman year here at Clemson!

A year ago today I registered for rush at Clemson University.  Never in a million years did I think that I would meet some of my best friends with the brightest smiles and kindest hearts.  A year ago today I sat nervously at my computer picturing what sorority I would join, if I would like it, if I would meet new friends.  

And today I can say with 100% confidence: I am happier than I have ever been.

Tri Delta has shown me the most confident, strong, happy, kind girls I have ever met in my life.  I felt welcomed from the first time I stepped into their room during rush. First round of rush was incredibly nerve racking, but it was also comforting knowing that everyone was in the same boat. Walking into the Tri Delta round of recruitment each day felt like such a relief. I knew I would have genuine, interesting conversations with people who were very similar, yet very different than me.  The conversations were always very engaging and intriguing. Not only that, but the girls in Tri Delta were unapologetically themselves. It made it so easy to be comfortable and truly myself when talking with them.

The night before Bid Day I could barely sleep.  I was so anxious about what was on the inside of the bid card, but I hoped with every ounce of me that it would be Tri Delta.  When the time came to finally open our bids on the Greek Quad, I jumped and yelled with excitement. I was going to be a Tri Delta with the girls who had made me laugh, reduced my nerves, and made me feel my most comfortable self during that long week of rush.  We all got to run down Bowman hill and meet our new sisters, and little did I know, I was also meeting my future best friends.

Tri Delta has made my Clemson experience and freshman year the very best it could have been.  This past year exceeded all of my expectations, and I owe it to Tri Delta.

This group of girls is like no other.  

I was constantly surrounded by confidence, uniqueness, kindness, and positivity. I wouldn't change freshman year for anything, and I have Tri Delta to thank for all of the great friends and memories.  I cannot wait for more to come.

Love,

Sydney

Why Tri Delta #23

Chandler Freeman (PC ‘15/Alumna) tells us #WhyTriDelta was the place for her in undergrad, and still is post-grad.

If you’re reading this, well, my apologies. I was asked to write a paragraph or two, but if you know me, you know I have WAY too much to say to keep within that.

My name is Chandler Freeman and I’m now a graduate (cue the tears) of Clemson University. I was a Marketing major from Raleigh, NC, and I come from a family, a Clemson family that is, that all the women were in Greek Life. My mom and aunt were in sororities here, my cousin was in one when I came through, and my sister was in one at NC State. I personally came to Clemson knowing for sure that I wanted to be in a sorority because of the experiences my family shared over the years and the many friendships from Greek Life that they still hold dear from back in their days.

If you’re in a place where you’re wondering “Do I want to go through recruitment or not?” let me be the one to tell you that being in a sorority is your choice and your choice only.  There are a million organizations on this campus to be involved with all filled with amazing people if you don’t feel that Greek Life is your thing. However, let me just tell you that being in a sorority is one of the best things I have been able to be a part of on this campus. The women that I have met and built relationships with over the past 4 years within the Panhellenic community are some of the most motivating, encouraging, supporting, kind, and smart, women I’ve ever come across, and the memories and experiences that being in a sorority have given me are something that I’ll carry with me forever.

Let me get into a little about recruitment: hello long days, hello lost voices, and helllllooo exhaustion- but also hello to one of the most fun weeks ever. Pack the band aids for blisters, pack the water (you’ll need it), pack the positive attitude...AND GET SLEEP. So you’re given this group of girls called your Pi Chi group, along with an older girl called a Pi Chi (hard to guess that) who has disaffiliated from her sorority for the duration of recruitment- AKA she has been in your shoes and she’s here to guide you through it. She’s going to encourage you to be yourself, to not be nervous, and to just have fun with it. Y’all. She’s so right. Now did I listen to my Pi Chi about not being nervous? Absolutely not. I was the girl who was standing in line waiting to enter her first round who almost stepped out because she was on the verge of peeing her pants from nerves. Honestly, that would’ve been a funny story to tell if that had actually happened, but I’m glad it didn’t because that first round happened to be Tri Delta (guess it was meant to be).

When you’re in these lines waiting to go into your rounds, talk to the girls outside. Trust me, the girls in front of you and behind you are just as nervous, but also just excited as you are. I can honestly say that 4 years later I’m still friends with girls that I met talking to in a line waiting for a round to start. And hey- if you’re going into the same round, you may even be sorority sisters at the end of it. Also on that note, befriend the girls in your Pi Chi group, how lucky will you be if you get to call girls friends who all end up in different sororities on campus??

Know this when you go into rounds: the girls in these sororities that you’ll talk to *WANT* to get to know you!!! Literally they want to know you for you and only you. Yes, the conversations start out surface level, (of course since you’re just meeting each other) but it’s how much that you open up and connect with the girls that is the most important and makes you the most memorable to her. Try your best to not answer just “yes” and “no’s” to their questions because that gets the conversation nowhere, and like I said before, they want to know you so tell them about yourself.  There are so many ways to keep a conversation flowing and have it change into another subject. (I 100% had that conversation with someone and that may sound dumb, but your quirks and your interests are important to them- again, it lets them know you for you.) You’d be surprised how small the world is and how many commonalities you may have. Just be yourself, be you, and no one else. After rounds, your Pi Chi will tell you to write everything down that you remember from your conversations and I can’t stress enough how important this is! I think I’m good at remembering things, but you go through two rounds and all of a sudden you’ve forgotten not only what you talked about, but who you talked to, and how you felt about it. Being able to come back to your notes to refresh yourself is something you will need when it comes time for you to choose the sororities in which you felt more yourself than others.

Another thing that you’ll hear over and over is that it all works out and where you end up is where you’re supposed to be. You can listen to that and be all yes of course!! Or question it of...what? But really, it truly all does work out. You chose the sorority you did for a reason and they chose you back. You both saw something in each other just like you chose Clemson and Clemson chose you. Have some peace of mind with that.

Now that that’s all out, how did I end up being so lucky? Because I chose Tri Delta and they chose me back. Honestly, I cried the last night of recruitment because my heart told me Tri Delta, but my head was telling me elsewhere and I questioned myself. A decision that’s going to effect your next 4 years isn’t to be taken lightly. (This may happen to you, but honestly, just go with your heart. It won’t mislead you.) Fast forward to bid day and wow, did my heart lead me correctly. There is no other group of girls that leads me, supports me, encourages me, and loves on me like my girls of Delta Delta Delta do. They laugh with me, sometimes at me, listen to the same stories I’ve told one too many times, they let me drag them to the dikes for sunsets, go on road trips, have brunches on gamedays, are the last ones to leave a function with me, sing way too loud to throwbacks in the showers on the quad...just, everything. They’ve been there for it all. There are few memories I have at Clemson that doesn’t have at least one of my girls with me in it and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Tri Delta has this national phrase that says “Bring You,” and really, that’s all that’s ever been expected of me and it was the greatest thing I could’ve ever asked for and I’ll forever be grateful.

So to the girl choosing to go through recruitment, have the absolute best time, I’d give anything to be in your shoes again and I’d make my same choice again and again. I wish you all the best and enjoy Clemson with all you’ve got, the day you have to call yourself an alum comes faster than you think.

With all the Delta Love I have left,

Chandler Freeman

Why Tri Delta #22

Clare Maloney (PC ‘18) shares her experience with recruitment, and #WhyTriDelta was the only place for her!

It is hard to believe that it was almost a year ago that I met my absolute best friends in the world.

As I am thinking back to my experience with recruitment, I realize that it was so different than most people’s that it’s almost ironic. The first day of recruitment, I did not know what to expect whatsoever. I entered each round with an obnoxiously big smile and butterflies in my stomach, trying to pre-select my answers to questions, in an effort to avoid any potential awkward silence. We were told by our Pi Chis to take notes after each round to help us remember what we liked and did not like about each sorority. It was great advice, and I did for the first few hours, until I attended my first round in Tri Delta. I am not exaggerating when I say that before I even got placed in my correct spot in line, I just knew that I was in the right place — I was a little too excited and had to tell myself to calm down (kind of embarrassing)! Everything from then on out was pretty much decided for me. When the curtains opened, and I started walking into the room, I was literally singing along to their chants without even realizing it. I still remember every single conversation that I had during the first round of recruitment. More importantly, though, I remember being dragged out dead last because I just did not want to leave these girls (that I had known for only a solid 30 minutes, of course). I stopped taking notes from then on out because I didn’t need to know anything else, I knew that these were absolutely my people.

Some of the seniors would joke around with me the following weeks after bid day because I kept screaming “this is the best day of my life!!!” an obnoxious number of times, to the point where people knew it was me in the crowd of 200 girls. Opening my card on bid day and seeing that I had gotten a bid wasn’t the best feeling of the entire process, though. The best feeling was when I pushed my way to the very front of the line (sorry guys) so that I could run down the hill first, running (and kind of jumping) so fast that I actually thought that I was about to bust it in front of the entire sorority on Bowman field. There were so many girls that I had never seen before in my life that I was embracing as if they were my long lost family members who I thought I would never see again. After that day, I didn’t feel awkward or scared around anyone in the sorority anymore because I knew that we had a bond through Tri Delta. It’s hard to explain, but awesome to feel. I know that sounds cliche, but it is beyond true — there is not one girl in the entire sorority that I do not love.

The friendships that I have developed through Tri Delta have made me into the person that I am today. Because of Tri Delta, I have found girls that aren’t afraid to tell me like it is, who will be there to laugh at/with me in absolutely any scenario, who will push me harder not just in school but as a person, who will share anything and everything with you, and who will always make me feel so loved no matter what the occasion. I am so thankful to have found the people that I get to share the rest of my college experience with through Tri Delta, because they get to be my lifelong best friends AND sisters, something that I will never take for granted.

So much Delta Love,

Clare

Why Tri Delta #21

Blair Wilson (PC ‘16) describes #WhyTriDelta is such an amazing space for her to grow as a leader and friend!

If you had told me that three years ago that I would be serving as a leader of a group of two hundred and fifty unique women by the time I was a senior in college, I would have probably laughed in your face and continued onward with my summer. However, I have come to learn that a lot can change in three years and life is a beautiful path of unknowingness and growth. My college path has been shaped tremendously by the wonderful experiences that Tri Delta has provided for me over these past couple of years. 

Growing up I was constantly surrounded by my two loving younger sisters, and so when the time came to be separated from them I knew I wanted to find a sorority that would help me have that sisterhood still throughout college. I sought out the one that made me feel the most comfortable and at home, and Tri Delta just so happened to be the place for me! It feels like yesterday that I was moving into my Freshman Year dorm saying goodbye to my parents and adjusting to making new friends with my hall mates. It turns out that one of the first girls I met on move-in day just so happened to be holding my hand running down the hill a week later to greet the remainder of our sorority for the very first time, and now one of my dearest friends.

This group of women has exposed me to more than I could have ever imagined. Thanks to the wonderful influences I have around me each and every day, I was able to expand my leadership abilities by traveling to two leadership conferences in beautiful cities, step out of my comfort zone by serving as a contestant in the Miss Clemson University Pageant, and find friends that will drop everything they are doing to accompany me to the doctor when I am feeling under the weather. Thanks to Tri Delta, I have found friends that I have had the opportunity to travel the world with, celebrate birthdays with, and hold each other’s hands through the challenges that college presents. I have been able to grow stronger in my relationships that will only continue to grow in the years to come. 

I cannot wait to see what else Tri Delta has in store for me in this remaining year. This sorority has allowed me to develop memories I will cherish forever, strive to academic achievements, reached new heights in my confidence, and given me opportunities to laugh harder than I ever thought possible. I am so thankful for everything, and I cannot wait to see where this strong group of girls will continue to guide me next.

GO TRI DELTA! 

Blair

Why Tri Delta #20

Foster Willey (PC ‘17) tells us how she knew #WhyTriDelta…hint: trust your gut!

As I get ready for my junior year at Clemson, I look back on my past two years as a Tri Delta and continue to be blown away by all of the opportunities, memories, and friendships that Beta Theta has brought me. During recruitment, I wanted to be a Tri Delta right off the bat. Out of all of the parties I attended first round, my conversations in Tri Delta were the most authentic and meaningful. Each girl I spoke to was wholeheartedly interested in me and made me feel extremely special. I remember going through the rest of recruitment feeling a unique sense of excitement whenever I was in line to enter Tri Delta. The night before Bid Day, I could not sleep in anticipation and nervousness for what the next 24 hours would hold. All I wanted was to run down Bowman into the arms of all of the amazing girls I had spoken to in Tri Delta.

Two years later, I can honestly say that opening my bid on the Greek Quad and becoming a member of Tri Delta was one of the best things that could have possibly happened to me. On my first night as a member of PC ’17, I huddled up in nervousness with three girls, Ashlea, Audrey, and Hanna. Little did I know, these three would instantly become some of my best friends to this day. Like my friendships with these girls, most of my strongest friendships within Tri Delta happened so unexpectedly, and I am so thankful for that. Never in a million years did I think I would find the amount of love, kindness, strength, and support in a group of college women. Every single member of the Beta Theta chapter is unique in her own way, and that is what makes all of us mesh so well together. 99% of the time, we’re goofing around or laughing about something, but these girls will be there for you in a heartbeat if you need a late-night heart-to-heart, a drive around campus with the windows down blaring Soundcloud remixes, or an enormous meal at Blue Heron in your pajamas (oops).

As I sit on a train in the middle of Europe next to two of my Tri Delta sisters, I feel an enormous surge of gratefulness for this chapter and these girls. All of us have had so many memories together: from Avery getting food poisoning on our new member retreat freshman year, to spring break in Punta Cana, to losing terribly in the Viking Week boat race with Kathleen, to touring St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, to traveling to Santa Clara together to watch the Tigers kill the Tide, to forcing Audrey and Emma into skydiving with me over the Swiss Alps this morning... I could go on and on. All of the moments, both big and small, that I spend with these girls remind me why I chose to be a Tri Delta.

Being a PNM can be an extremely overwhelming, nerve-racking, and important time in your life. My advice to those of you going through recruitment this fall is to be open to every single opportunity that presents itself and choose the chapter that makes you feel the most comfortable and loved. Don’t choose a sorority because all of your friends from home are in it, because your sisters were in it, or because you think it’s “cool”. Choose a sorority based on the way YOU feel. I promise you it will be the best decision you will make in your 4 years at Clemson and you will find your people…..I know I sure did.

XOXO,

Foster