Member of the Week: Meet Alicia Frazier!

Hey Y’all,

My name is Alicia Frazier and I am a Senior Communication Studies major from Petal, Mississippi. I am a member of the 2011 pledge class for Chi Omega here at Southern Miss and currently I am serving the chapter as Secretary.

Though Chi Omega has provided so many leadership and service opportunities to me while being a student here at Southern Miss, it has not limited my involvement in other areas. Just this past year I was the Secretary for Eagle Connection, the student recruitment team, and was an officer for the Eagle Ambassadors football recruiting organization. I also had the distinct privilege of serving as a Southern Style Ambassador for 2013. Other areas where I am and have been involved on campus are the Luckyday Scholarship program, Campus Crusade for Christ, and the Diamond Darlings. One of my other favorite involvements was Freshman Associates for 2011-2012.This year, I will be an executive board member for Golden Eagle Welcome Week, or better known as GEWW. In addition to my campus involvement, I have also had two jobs here at Southern Miss, one in the Office of Admissions as a student tour guide, and another as a Summer Conference Ambassador.

Now before any of this involvement was ever a thought in my imagination, I had to make a simple choice. I chose to “Go Greek.” Sorority recruitment and joining the Greek community singlehandedly opened the door for me, a clueless freshman, to get involved and be a leader here at Southern Miss. The deep friendships and connections that Greek life encourages is what makes the experience unlike any other on the university scale.

It is truly difficult to pin down one favorite memory/experience/spot on campus that I would claim as my own. To be honest, this entire campus would have to be my favorite and I could not say that I have ever had a bad experience. To choose one thing though would have to be the Southern Miss Founders and Awards day every spring. This is a time for alumni and current students to be together as the Golden Eagle family and celebrate the history and growth of our beloved university. Southern Miss has worked hard to get to where we are today; nothing was given to us or handed over on a silver platter. This lesson in hard work and dedication is something that any student can take away, but Greek life teaches its members that and so much more.

Fun Facts:

Describe yourself in one word: 

-Industrious
What is your favorite hobby? 

-Yoga
What is your weirdest talent?

-I am surprisingly good at remembering people’s names after I meet them one time. It might be a little creepy. 
What is your idea of happiness? 

-All of my Pinterest boards coming to life at my home, in my closet, in my refrigerator, etc…
If you had to choose one food to eat every day for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

-It would have to be the tomato basil soup from The Depot in downtown Hattiesburg.

Xoxo, 
Alicia Frazier & the Epsilon Delta Chapter of Chi Omega

Member of the Week: Meet Taylor Crenshaw!

           My name is Taylor Crenshaw and I am a senior music education major with a minor in Spanish. I am a member of the PC’13 of Chi Omega. As a senior, I am very involved on and off campus. I have been on the Dean’s List for 6 semesters, and have served as a volunteer tutor at local elementary schools. Along with academics, I am very passionate about my major, music. My favorite hobby is playing piano. I am a member of the USM Pride of Mississippi Marching Band, USM Basketball Pepband, and USM Symphonic Winds. I have participated in the USM Orchestra, USM Wind Ensemble, and the USM Trumpet Ensemble.

Not only am I very involved in my major, but I am also a Luckyday. Being a Luckyday Scholar has provided me with multiple opportunities. Through Luckyday, I received the study abroad scholarship and will be spending this summer in Spain. Southern Miss has been my home for three years, and the best decision I ever made was joining Greek Life. Chi Omega has brought me so may opportunities as well as friendships I could never replace. Looking into the audience and seeing a sister during a concert brings a huge smile to my face and sharing my talents and interests with my sisters lights up my world. My favorite memory of my years thus far at USM has been the opportunity to perform in Songfest. Playing my trumpet and using my abilities to benefit Make-A-Wish was an amazing experience that I will never forget.

            Happiness, to me, is leaving something or someone better than you found them. In relation to my definition of happiness, if I had to describe myself in one word, it would be dedicated. Dedication is more than half the battle of success.

Xoxo,
Taylor Crenshaw & the Epsilon Delta Chapter of Chi Omega

           

Member of the Week: Meet Sueb!

Hello! My name is Susan Walley, but I am known as Sueb. I am a sophomore at USM and a member of PC ’13. In Chi Omega, I am a member of our Cardinal Cabinet board. On USM’s campus, I am involved with Diamond Darlings and the Polymer Science Association.  

That's me! (And my sweet Biggie, Rachel!)

Diamond Darlings is a group of women who love baseball and loving helping out the USM baseball team! Through Diamond Darlings, I was able to meet other Greek women from several different chapters and make a lot of new friends while enjoying watching baseball. In the PSA, I am able to represent Greek Life among my peers, while also representing my studious side.  
Some of my favorite memories from USM so far have been spending time at the Chi Omega house and building friendships with people I did not necessarily know very well. I have also loved spending time in the Polymer Science building, where I work in the lab. I love my job and I love my coworkers. I have found my home in both of those places.  
I am pretty easy going, but I love organization. I like to have things in an organized manner. I am typically happy no matter where I am, as long as I am with the people I love.

My main hobby is Netflix, but what college student’s isn’t? However, I find myself very invested in the shows that I watch and I tend to care about the characters a little too much sometimes. Recently, I started running so maybe that will become a hobby…? If I had to pick a restaurant, I would choose Raising Cane’s, but basically I just really love French Fries (I don’t think that choice needs to be explained because it’s pretty obvious that French Fries are the best).  Through joining Greek Life, I have been able to be a part of a whole new world of experiences and I know that freshman year was only the beginning! At Southern Miss, I have found my niche and I could not be happier.

Xoxo,
Sueb Walley & the Epsilon Delta Chapter of Chi Omega

Member of the Week

This summer, Epsilon Delta has decided to start a member spotlight called "Member of the Week" as a way to showcase some of the amazing members of our sorority who are dedicated not only to Chi Omega, but to our university as well! Being a Chi Omega at Southern Miss is about loving USM just as much as we all love owls. Which is a fair amount. To kick things off, our first Member of the Week is Charley Powell! Let's see what Charley has to say about life as a Chi Omega and a Southern Miss Student.

I am Charley Powell and a senior Mathematics Licensure major, meaning I want to be a math teacher. I pledged Chi Omega my freshman year, and I am proud to say that I am a member of PC ’11, meaning pledge class of 2011.

So I guess to tell you a little bit about myself… here we go! If I had to describe myself in one word, it would have to be ‘southern’. Being raised in a small town right outside of Mobile, southern traditions are what run through my veins. I bet you thought that was blood. Nope, it’s southern traditions. My family even owns a blueberry farm, so beginning in June, blueberries will be everywhere at my house. One of my favorite hobbies is playing the piano, especially classical pieces. When life begins to become stressful, the piano is where I find myself.  One of the things I hope for in my life is that one day I will have a job that does not feel like I am at work. I want to wake up in the morning with a smile and enjoy the day. I want to experience happiness. Lastly, one of my favorite foods is pepperoni pizza. If I was only able to eat one food for the rest of my life, pizza would be it (another plus: there’s always pizza at social functions).

This past January I began serving as treasurer for our chapter of Chi Omega. This position comes with many responsibilities. In March as part of my duties I was able to create the new budget for the next school year which allowed me to put all of my math skills to use. Who knew that money could be so much fun?

Other than Chi Omega, I am very involved on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi through many organizations such as Eagle Connection, Eagles Ambassadors, and Summer Conference. Recruiting future students is a passion of mine, and these organizations allow me to do just that.

As a member of Eagle Connection, I have the opportunity to give campus tours to prospective students, and in October I was able to attend a college fair in Mobile, Alabama. That was so much fun because I was able to share my love for Southern Miss with thousands of high school juniors and seniors. Eagle Ambassadors allows me to help recruit future Golden Eagle Football players through football games in the fall and official visits in the spring. This summer I am working for Summer Conference. On a daily basis I will have the chance to meet students in high school and middle school who are attending some type of summer camp at USM. I cannot wait to see what all that holds.

Besides these three activities, I work for First Year Initiative branch of the Student Success Center as a mathematics tutor, and I also work in the library as a student assistant for iTech.  Being a member of Chi Omega and involved in Greek Life in general is what has allowed me to become a part of all of these organizations. As a freshman, I had no idea what Eagle Ambassadors was until another member of Chi Omega told me about it because she believed I would enjoy it.  Before interviewing for Summer Conference, it was a fellow member of Greek Life who helped me prepare for my interview. Greek Life is a support system that opens so many doors. The decision to go through recruitment was the best decision I have made. Well, the second best because choosing Southern Miss was the first! 

XOXO,

Charley and the Epsilon Delta chapter of Chi Omega

Springtime in Chi Omega Land

            This certainly has been a full semester for the Chi Omega ladies of Epsilon Delta. From taking all of the philanthropies by storm, to making a difference on campus as well as in the community, Chi Omega has been extremely active in not only our chapter but outside as well.

            February started up with the annual Sigma Chi Derby Days. The ladies of Chi Omega participated in the week’s festivities and were awarded silver at the last event with an energetic Mardi Gras themed dance. The Derby Days week ended by a show of support for Sigma Chi’s philanthropy with a charity night at DeRe LaRouge.

The following weekend was Chi Omega’s formal at Southern Oaks, where all of the brand new initiates were recognized. February continued with Chi Omega and Pi Kappa Phi returning to their roots with a “high school cliques” themed mixer. Chi Omega also participated Delta Gamma’s philanthropy, Anchor Splash, which was sadly cut short this year by tornado warnings. However, Chi Omega was the special entertainment, and managed to wow the audience with a Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana tribute performance before the tornado sirens began.

Apart from just participating in philanthropy events, Chi Omega had a chapter wide community service event to end the month of February that included participation with Southern Pines Animal Shelter, the Salvation Army, the Hattiesburg ARC, and a 5k benefitting some local businesses. To wrap up a super busy February, the last week of the month was spent with the ladies of Chi Omega taking first overall in Pi Kappa Phi’s Petal for Push philanthropy week.

            For Spring Break, many of the Chi Omega ladies spent their spring break in Destin, while others went hiking in the mountains of Gatlinburg, or found amusement in Disney World.  The return to school promised a large amount of sisterhood bonding.  The Chi Omega and Sigma Phi Epsilon mixer allowed everyone to show his or her true style with a CMT vs. MTV theme.

  After Spring Break, the ladies hosted the 2nd Annual Chi O Cupcakes fundraiser, benefitting the Make A Wish Foundation. Raising nearly $4000, we declared it to be a sweet success!

 

 

Later that week, the entire chapter attended a sisterhood sleepover at ACE gym in Oak Grove, where everyone was able to reconnect and socialize with lots of fun and exercise. The next morning, the girls had to wake up bright and early to give back to their community, because Chi Omega had several teams involved in the Big Event, hosted by USM’s Student Government Association.

Chi Omega took second place in Delta Delta Delta’s Triple Play cheer competition, but unfortunately the softball game scheduled for the weekend was rained out. Chi Omega’s busy spring thus far was brought to a close by a Mother/Daughter tea, where the Chi Omega ladies were able to spend quality time with their mothers at the Camellia House.  Chapter members were able to have lunch and work on beautiful artwork sponsored by Hattiesburg’s local business, Painting With a Twist.

 

Chi Omega has had a wonderful 2014 so far and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for us!

LICO,

Epsilon Delta

Initiation

          

  Epsilon Delta started off this New Year with great excitement by welcoming every single member of PC’13 into the Chi Omega sisterhood. January 16-19 marked the dates of much sisterly bonding including the initiation of its 45 new members. All of the active chapter members showed tons of support throughout the entire week/weekend and of course this is always a great time to reconnect with alumni and see their continuous support. 

PC '13 gathers for first picture as official
Chi Omega sisters of the Epsilon Delta Chapter

           

 Sueb Walley, a Chi Omega Epsilon Delta legacy, was elected by the active members of the Epsilon Delta chapter as PC’13’s model initiate. She was chosen by overall recognition of her active representation of a Chi Omega lady. Epsilon Delta could not be happier to have initiated this amazing group of young women into the chapter this past weekend. Congratulations to PC’13!

Yours Forever

Following the excitement of recruitment, Bid Day, and the semester’s first swap in September, the Epsilon Deltas tackled October’s ever-hectic homecoming week and gained campus-wide recognition. This year’s homecoming chair oversaw the week’s copious obligations. Homecoming week began on Monday, October 21, when seven teams comprised of one sorority, one fraternity, and one campus involvement group each assembled for a cheer competition. Throughout the week, other attendance and spirit-based competitions were held, including a late-night event at the Fresh Food Company, a Golden Eagle Olympic games at the Payne Center, a dance competition at Reed Green Coliseum, and a fountain sit in Shoemaker Square. Additionally, Homecoming social media challenge kept all the teams on their toes throughout the week. Teams were encouraged to tweet and post pictures involving Southern Miss and its students, and those with the highest number of posts at the end of each day were given extra homecoming points. Throughout the week, Chi O’s were busy “pomping” their team’s lawn decoration and painting the homecoming float. The Epsilon Deltas finished the week strong, with first place in the Golden Eagle Olympics, third in the float competition, second in the lawn decoration competition, and second overall. The Chi Omegas hosted an open house for alumni, actives, new members, and their families on Saturday, October 26. They also had a sprawling tailgate tent in the District. This year’s Homecoming week was one of the most successful to date 

New Member Retreat

In addition to Homecoming festivities, October was full of sisterhood, social community service, and fund-raising events. On October 4 and 5, Pledge Class 2013 participated in a New Member Retreat at the Phillips’ camp, where it has been held for the past several years. The girls bonded as a pledge class by eating snacks, staying up, and learning more about Chi Omega and each other. Freshman Chloe Sanders substantially benefited from the retreat. “New member retreat was such a great opportunity to become closer to my pledge class and to be able to have conservations beyond the typical, ‘Hey, what’s your name? Where’re you from? What’s your major?’” Sanders said.

Date Party

On October 5, several Epsilon Deltas volunteered for the annual Breakfast With Seymour to raise money for the Make a Wish foundation.

        The semester’s first date party, which was rock-and-roll themed, was held on Friday, October 11. The girls accessorized their date party shirts with bandanas, punk jewelry, and big hair. Epsilon Deltas competed in Phi Kappa Tau’s Silly Olympics philanthropy event on October 12, placing in several categories.

        One of the first fundraising events of the semester (and certainly the first of its kind in Epsilon Delta history) was the profit share with Click boutique held on Thursday, October 24. The community was invited to the boutique for an afternoon of shopping, refreshments, and philanthropy, and the event’s turnout was generous. A portion of all sales that afternoon were donated to the Make a Wish foundation in honor of Epsilon Delta.

        As a whole, October signaled the beginning of what will surely be a busy, productive academic year for the Chi Omegas at Southern Miss. Stay tuned to see how the chapter continues to uphold its distinguished values and timeless Symphony.