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