Summer Series: Molly Harris

Today is a great day!  I am so excited to reveal a new segment of The Delta Diaries--the "summer series!"  Summer is an exciting time for us Alpha Lambdas because it allows us to take a break from school and spend time doing things about which we are extremely passionate.  On the other hand, though, summer can be a difficult time because we risk falling out of touch with our sisters for a few months.  Thus, the "summer series" will serve to check in on our sisters who have just returned from studying abroad or are busy making their dreams come true at summer internships.  The first post is by rising senior Tri Delta, Molly Harris, who picked up from her life in South Carolina to intern with "Lovely Bride" in New York City!

"When I tell most people that I want to work in the Bridal Industry, I typically get one of two responses. If it’s a guy, they immediately run for the hills, and if it’s a girl, it goes something like “Oh, like ‘Say Yes to the Dress?’” I guess it isn’t what most people think of when choosing a career, but hey, someone has to do it!

Although my internship with Lovely Bride in New York City only began a few weeks ago, I already feel like part of the Lovely family. Lovely Bride has three other stores in the U.S. in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia, with another one opening soon in San Francisco. The company strives itself on being the not-so-typical bridal salon. We are more casual than most places, because we like to make people feel comfortable even if they have an unusual style or smaller budget. We also carry more exclusive designers, so that when brides come here, they are getting a truly unique experience. 

Moving to New York was of course a shock within itself, and I started working the day after I moved into my little NYU dorm with 3 roommates I did not know. The first week was probably the most tired I’ve ever been in my entire life, but it is entirely worth it. I get to come to work in such a beautiful place every single day, and a lot of the things I get to do are actually fun and exciting.

After only two days at work, I was put in charge of a project. We had just had a Sample Sale, where we can sell brides dresses right off the rack at a discounted price, instead of ordering a new one for them. My job was to take pictures of every single dress we didn’t sell (about 80) on a mannequin, create a collage for each one, edit the collage with information about the dress such as designer, price, and size, and then upload them all onto our Pinterest. So you can check out my project on our page! http://www.pinterest.com/lovelybridal/

Trunk Shows are also something I have been and will be a part of through out the summer. Almost every weekend, we have a Trunk Show where a particular designer will send dresses that we do not normally have in the store, so that brides can have even more options to choose from. Sometimes the designers come to the shows to help brides with any questions or concerns they may have about a particular dress. We have already had a show for Watters and Leanne Marshall, and soon we will be having them for Rue De Seine, and Claire La Faye. You can check out all of our designers on our website, lovelybride.com. 

Molly with the camera crew, carrying the dress during a shoot

One of my favorite things that I do on a somewhat daily basis is take or pick-up dresses to and from the local designers here in New York City. It’s amazing to see where all the beautiful dresses are designed and made. My absolutely favorite thing I’ve had the privilege of doing so far, was getting to help with the photo shoot for our brand new Lovely collection. Lovely Bride will now have its own line of dresses for our brides.

Molly with her manager, Erica, at a photo shoot

Despite having to get up at 3:30 in the morning, I could not have imagined a better workday. My manager, Erica, and I met with the photographer, Emily Soto, her husband, her assistant, the make-up artist, and the model, Ella Petrushko in a beautiful park, where we spent the day taking the photographs for the ads that will run in bridal magazines all over the country! Most of the pictures here are from that day, where I helped make accessories used in the pictures, for instance, the flower crowns, helped Ella with all her outfit changes, and assisted the photographers. I am sure that I will get to do many more exciting things through out the summer, and I simply cannot wait! 

Molly accessorizing model Ella Petrushko

I am so thrilled to be able to come back to South Carolina and share this experience with my sisters!

Love and miss you all!

-Molly Harris"

Going to the Chapel!

There is a quote common among sorority women:

"I didn't come to college to find my husband, I came to find my bridesmaids."

Today, we see firsthand the truth behind that statement as we celebrate the wedding of an alumna of our Alpha Lambda chapter.

Michelle Faucett graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2013.  From her time here, she is most fondly remembered as Tri Delta's chaplain and an ambassador for Greek Impact.

None of the chapter members will ever forget the day we found out about the proposal, and we've been looking forward to seeing all aspects of the wedding ever since!

On May 25, 2014, Michelle Faucett married Kevin Ertel back home in Colorado.  Three of her Alpha Lambda sisters were bridesmaids in her wedding, and plenty more attended.

On behalf of the whole chapter, congratulations to you, Michelle!  We wish you a lifetime of love and happiness.

Distinguished Deltas

As the semester comes to a close, we want to take the chance to commend some individual members of our chapter who have been recognized for their extraordinary commitment to everything from scholarship and leadership to philanthropy and involvement. 

Carolinian Creed Champion Award

Hayley Geis

The Carolinian Creed Champion Award was created to recognize individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the Carolina community while embodying the University's Carolinian Creed.

Silver Nickel/Remembrance Fund Scholarship Winner

Ryann Spurrier

The Silver Nickel/Remembrance Fund scholarship is given to deserving fraternity and sorority members who have significantly contributed to the education of character in their chapters.

Eve Woods Riley UIFI Scholarship Winner

Hannah Stroud

UIFI is a five-day conference hosted by Delta Delta Delta nationals every summer.  The scholarship winners will attend to the conference to expand their leadership skills and commitment to their chapters.

USC Sorority Woman of the Month

Sara Carota

The Sorority Woman of the Month is chosen by the University's Sorority Council and is given to women who embody the values of sorority life as well as extraordinary dedication to their chapters and the Greek community as a whole.

Julie Johns Award

Ashley Claussen

The Julie Johns Award is unique to Tri Delta and is given to the senior who best embodied Tri Delta's values of truth, self-sacrifice and friendship throughout her time at Carolina.

Order of Omega Greek Honor Society Members

Kellie McKinney, Julia Morgan, Molly Nickel,
Alex Hall, Alex Breazeale, Megan Early

Order of Omega is the top Greek leadership honor society for juniors and seniors who have committed to high standards in scholarship, leadership and involvement.

Greek Emerging Leaders Program Participants

Catherine McElveen, Laura Cornette,
Courtney Erickson, Katie Kennedy

The GELP is for freshman and sophomore fraternity and sorority members who are seeking to expand their leadership skills and increase their involvement within their own chapters, the Greek community and beyond.

Relay for Life Greek Relations Chair

Brooks Burdette

The Relay for Life Greek Relations Chair coordinates University-wide Relay for Life initiatives with all of the chapters and Relay participants in the Greek community.

Tri Delta Body Image Ambassador

[Name removed for Pi Chi]

The Tri Delta Body Image Ambassadors are a new, select group of Tri Deltas from all over the country who are formally trained in the sorority's BodyImage3D program and serve as leaders of the program's initiatives in their communities.

Many of our new members were also recognized for receiving 4.0s for the fall 2013 semester.  We had the most new members with 4.0s of ANY chapter of Delta Delta Delta in the history of the Fraternity!

As a whole, our chapter received the Silver Chapter of Excellence Award for the past year with exceptional achievement in scholarship and philanthropy.  We are currently on track to receive the "gold" distinction for next year and are excited to continue our commitment to excellence in all aspects of sorority life!

Senior Farewell

Today's blog post is a tribute to the seniors written by Ellen Fox.  A senior herself, Ellen has dedicated her four college years to living out Tri Delta's purpose.  She is the perfect example of someone who came in unsure, but is leaving certain that Tri Delta has impacted her life for the better.  To Ellen and the rest of the seniors, thank you for your influence, support and guidance during your time here.  You were the original "best *darn* pledge class," and you will all be sincerely missed.  We love you!

"The very first impression I had of Tri Delta came from my mother. She grew up in California, so the SEC was like a foreign country to her. I’m also an only child, so we haven’t had an older sibling or family member come through rush, to navigate the unchartered waters. It was just me, basically coming in blind, and we were both slightly ambivalent about the entire process. Well, my mom more than me. But she did have one piece of rush advice that she imparted as we hugged goodbye through the car window in front of the Capstone dorm. This is what she told me:

“Ellen, just…. Don’t be a Tri Delta.”

Recruitment began and I was awe struck, like most, by the cheering, singing and noise. Yet I returned to this house round after round, because something intangible continued to pull me back, like a powerful magnet. I felt guilty the whole way along, of course, as I disobeyed my mom. So many guilt trips.  And on Bid Day, when I called her to break the news she sounded a little astonished at first. By the end of the call however, she respected my decision and trusted me, just like I trusted my own gut.

The senior class on their pledge retreat as freshmen in 2010

Fast forward to now: four years under my belt and about to graduate.  That intangible feeling of belonging carried me through pledging. But there was something deeper behind it, something that took me a while, but I have finally been able to put my finger on. Ironically enough, it was my mother who helped me articulate precisely how I feel about this… thing. This sisterhood, the bond.

North Carolina is my home state, born and raised. My mom introduced me to our state motto, “Esse quam videri.” In case your Latin is a little rusty, that translates into “To be, rather than to seem.” If I could bequeath this chapter a new slogan, that would be it. Because what you see when you spend time with Tri Deltas is what you get. And I’m honestly not sure I could say that about every campus organization.

Sure, everyone says they care about philanthropy. We all participate in incredible fundraisers and send our well-deserving causes the benefits of those events. But for my sisters and me, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is more than just a check in the mail. Caring from afar isn’t enough. It’s a privilege to take the ten-hour road trip to Memphis with your best friends. To steal a glimpse of a place that gives you goosebumps around every corner. To meet people who make cancer seem like the magical ticket to a hospital-version of Disney World. A place that consoles the inconsolable and comforts the continuously restless. We don’t “seem” like philanthropists, we are philanthropists.

Last January I travelled to London to study abroad for a semester. I left behind everyone I loved and everything that was familiar to jet off to a city I had never set a foot in before. I was less anxious about what I was getting myself into and more nervous about what I was leaving behind. It would “seem” like my friends would keep me in the loop about functions, about what I was missing. I’m so blessed to have friends who are better than that. I never had to wait to get homesick before they caught me up on everything that was going on here in Columbia. It was a constant system of support that never said, “You should have been here.” Instead, they wanted to know what I was doing, what new friends I made, my own adventures. When Skyping wasn’t enough, I received letters full of pictures and encouragement. And when letters weren’t enough, I actually got to hug one.

With no hesitation, a plane ticket was bought for Spring Break and my best friend was by my side once again. I don’t think she’ll ever know how much that visit meant to me, though maybe now she will a little bit. The women in this sorority may seem like the friends you had in high school, at summer camps or played sports with. But they are something completely different. They watch you turn into the person you’re supposed to be, they become your family when your family is back at home. And I’m so fortunate I’ve had these people to be that family for me.

Between recruitment and our media portrayal, many sororities feel this enormous pressure to convince people that these families are flawless. Not in this house, though. We know we aren’t perfect. In fact, if anyone started taking themselves too seriously, they would immediately get called out. I can guarantee that. I saw it happen more times than I can count. Because that’s what real families do. I also won’t stand up here and have you believe that our family is all smiles, all the time, because we aren’t.

This may come as a shock, but we don’t actually break out into synchronized song and dance every time we’re all together. We are composed of so many women from so many various backgrounds and we act like it.  Which means we butt heads sometimes, we may hurt each other’s feelings, and we’ll play tug of war on the big issues and the ones that won’t matter two hours later. But that’s what makes a family real and strong. At the end of the day, we’d rather disagree with each other than anyone else. We steadfastly love one another through those challenging times, and we move on. We move on to laughter, to eating embarrassing amounts of queso, to watch Bridesmaids for the eighteenth time and to love each other, like true sisters do.

My mom’s initial advice to not be a Tri Delta was all based upon what this sorority “seemed” like at her school. Today, she’s the one who helped me write this. You see, even my mom has been transformed by this sorority. But to fully understand it, you have to be in it. And once you’re in it, you really have to commit. That magnet that kept pulling me back when I was just a wide-eyed, clueless freshman was pure authenticity radiating through all of the people I met here. And it doesn’t stop after Bid Day. Here I am about to graduate college as a true testament to the long-term promise being a Tri Delta gives.

You all have defined what it means to be “sisters.”  To always be different, but always be loved.  I am so thankful for the time I’ve spent with each and every one of you.

Here’s to us.

DL,
Ellen Fox"

An Honorary Delta

Two years ago, the arrival of a woman named Erin Wilson blessed the Alpha Lambda chapter.  We were in need of a house director, and coming off of a year of adversity, we needed a good one.  Erin was unlike any of the house directors the chapter ever had.  As she was never Greek herself, her choice to become our house director was initially because she needed a place to live and wanted to try something new.  That being said, we could have never guessed the impact Erin would have on our chapter.  She challenged even our most routine events, constantly trying to make things easier and better for all of us. Truly, she completely revolutionized what it meant to be a house director by actively striving to help the chapter in whatever way she could.  Even though she is young and was not particularly fond of the term "house mom," we can't help but think of her that way.  In that sense, she was definitely a "cool mom," the kind that only reprimands because they know what's best for you, sometimes even better than you do.  The kind that genuinely cares when she asks you about your day, but the kind you don't feel like you have to censor yourself around.  The kind that you can never repay, no matter how appreciative you are.

Today's blog post features a letter Erin wrote to the chapter last year before a huge skydiving trip, soon after she found out her time as our house director was coming to an end.  When the letter was read to the chapter, there was hardly a dry eye in the room.  Erin, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for all that you've done.  Your impact on our chapter will resonate long after you're gone.  

Erin, you are an incredible pirate-loving, marathon-running, irreplaceable individual who has truly been nothing short of a blessing for us.  We will always consider you an "honorary Delta," and are so thankful to have gotten to know you.  We miss you already!

"To my delightful Tri Deltas,

Y'all... I don't even know where to start.  The pile of you are incredibly amazing, and I am so very, very thankful for it.

Last Friday's function didn't go as planned, and while we were all frustrated, everyone took it in stride and rolled with the punches.  I am so proud of the growth I have seen in y'all since last year.  No one yelled at me or berated me.  You vented to me, and it made my night a million times better, despite all of the stress.  You ladies are a class act, and I still can't believe how lucky I was to end up with you!  The hugs and smiles and kind words give my heart a boost every time.

Please know that while I can't be at the house as much as I would like, you can always come see me, text, call or email me whenever you need anything.  I will miss hearing your life updates, silly shenanigans and on occasion, your poor life choices (that you always learn from!)

When I graduated from high school, I got my first tattoo: a blue crescent moon on my right foot.  It's the first step I take every day, the foot I start my runs with, and the first step on my journey to y'all.  You ladies are the sisterhood I never knew I was looking for, and I'm so very glad I found y'all.

You make my life three times better, with just one letter. :)

Love, 
Erin"