Where is she now?: Lauren Stitzlein

Lauren Stitzlein, lovingly nicknamed "Stitz," graduated from our Alpha Lambda chapter in 2013.  During her time as a Tri Delta at Carolina, she served as the Risk Management Chair and Vice President of Chapter Development.  Lauren was (and still is) one of our most well-respected and adored members; she conducts herself so gracefully and is always genuinely concerned with helping those around her.  When I caught up with Lauren to talk about writing this post, I was so thankful to see that she is still the same happy-go-lucky, beautifully spirited young woman who mentored me (and so many others) through my first few years of college.  Her passions for Tri Delta and people in general are unprecedented.  It's truly no surprise that she was selected to be a field consultant for Delta Delta Delta nationally.  Lauren is the perfect example of how sisterhood lasts far beyond just the college years, and I cannot wait to share her story with you!

Lauren, third from the left, and some of her sisters on Graduation Day

“It's funny what can happen in a just a year! I remember March 2013, I was flying back to Columbia from a short weekend trip to Tri Delta's Executive Office in Arlington, Texas that I was only bold enough to tell a handful of sisters about. About a month after that weekend trip for the Field Consultant Interview Weekend, I found out I would have the opportunity to serve on Tri Delta's 2013-2014 Field Consultant team and joyfully shared the news with…everyone! Then we (there are six on the team) were trained over the summer to be ready to hit the road for recruitment visits in the first week of August!

So a year later, with my entire closet packed in two suitcases  and all the paperwork/equipment of an office stashed in my purse, where am I now?

I could tell you, but it will probably be different tomorrow and again a few days after that! For now though, I’m in Cleveland, Mississippi at Delta State University.

I spend about 90% of my time traveling the Fraternity's South Central Region, which includes Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas. The other 10% I go out of my region to chapters in Maryland, Nebraska, Indiana, Ohio and the Carolinas. My purpose is to be a liaison between the Fraternity and each of our collegiate chapters, an ambassador to the colleges and universities where we have established chapters and a resource for chapter officers and advisors to develop their leadership and chapter management.

To date this has amounted to about 35,000 miles traveled, 36 chapter visits on 27 different campuses, over 900 officer and advisor meetings and too many memories to count! The best part by far has been all of the incredible sisters I’ve had the privilege to meet across the country.

Regardless of the differences between chapters, the greatest thing is knowing that immediately coming from South Carolina and Nebraska or Maryland and Mississippi, whether our signature philanthropy event is Game Day or Delta Desserts, and even when I what I call a 'mixer' she calls a 'swap,' we can immediately connect around the Ritual we know, the values we share and the Purpose we've promised to pursue.

Another thing I've learned is that Tri Delta is so much larger than any individual chapter, but our 'DDD world' is also smaller than one would think! It's been exciting to see some familiar faces to Alpha Lambda on the road!

Hailey Salito and Caroline Williams were initiated at Alpha Lambda in 2011,
and both are in the Alpha Sigma chapter at UNC now, where Hailey serves as VP/F!

Sara Dronet is an alumna of the Phi Nu chapter at UL Lafayette and served as the
2012-13 Field Consultant to Alpha Lambda.  She's also my "big" in the FC program!

Mary Merkel was initiated at the Alpha Lambda chapter in 2011,
and she is now in the Chi chapter at Ole Miss!

So far this year has been--as all Executive Office Staff and past FCs said it would be--the ride of my life! I'm so thankful for this adventure and opportunity, but visits do get challenging and this lifestyle does get draining! For those moments, it all goes back to the 'why' of our organization. There's an amazing quote Sarah Ida Shaw wrote to some Fraternity staff in 1938--our 50th anniversary--that I keep on my desktop background as a reminder:

'[Your chapters] have been given a goal, and you want them to press forward toward that mark, because, by so doing, they will develop into the kind of chapter you want them to be, especially able to train the membership into the kind of women our Sorority is pledged to produce, - the kind that will be quick to see clearly, quick to act wisely, quick to serve steadfastly, with fervor ablaze, with zeal afire, with heart aglow, according to their God-given capacities, faculties and talents, for, after learning to love one another, they will just normally and naturally love ALL others...'

With that, no matter where I travel or which chapter I’m visiting, the approach can always be 'clear eyes, full heart, can't lose'--just the way Tri Delta started back in 1888!

DL,

Stitz"