When I decided to pledge to a Greek organization, I remember hearing about all the great benefits of membership that I would encounter upon joining, such as career networking and leadership training. As a new member, I did not care so much about these; rather, I was far more interested in making new friends and attending socials. As I am now approaching graduation, however, I am finding that these membership benefits are serving me well. In my junior year, as I was nearing the end of my time in Kappa Delta leadership, I began to look for a job in the health care setting in order to gain work experience for my major and future career. I applied for a job at the esteemed Mayo Clinic, and as a student, was simply hoping to get my foot in the door so that my name would be recognizable in coming years.

I turned in a résumé, completed a phone interview and was beyond surprised when I was called back less than an hour later from my potential supervisor! He told me how impressed he was with my interviewing skills and resume and asked if I could come in that day. I did, and during that time, I was not asked about my GPA, nor was I asked about my past work experience. Instead, I was asked about my involvement with Kappa Delta and the larger Greek community. He was far more interested in my history of leadership, my communication skills and my ability to work in teams-all of which he attributed to my Greek affiliation.

Now that I am applying for internships, I am finding that the same is true of my future employers: they value the professional skills and character development opportunities that are instilled through Greek organizations more so than impressive GPAs and fancy résumés. My experience is not unique, but I hope it encourages others to take advantage of the many opportunities for growth and to capitalize on their Greek involvement as I was able to do.

Heather Johnson - Kappa Delta

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At first, I was hesitant to give greek life a shot and allowed my anxiety to keep me from going through recruitment as a freshmen. About half way though spring term a friend and I decided to sign up for fall's recruitment, and I'm definately glad that I did. The friends that I've made and the people that I've met along the way have all helped me to become a better and stronger person. The overall image of greeks seems to be lost to certian people, but I'm proud of our campus and the philanthropies that each chapter supports. I've found my home away from home, and I'm amazed at how quickly the bonds of friendship have evolved and grown stronger from our time as new members to becoming initiated sisters. I'm looking forward to experiencing the other side of recruitment and encourage everyone to go greek!

Lauren O'Connell - DG PC '06!

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Going greek has been a life changing experience for me. My first year at UNF I wasn't sure if greek life was for me. No one in my family had ever been apart of the greek system. Through my job as a freshman and through the summer before my sophomore year I was able to meet some people who were greek. So my sophomore year I decided to rush and see what this "Greek life" was all about. Going greek was the best decision I have made at UNF so far, other than to go here that is. As soon as I joined Pi Kappa Phi I was immediately catapulted into getting involved on campus. We had homecoming and socials, community service projects and philanthropy. After becoming president of Pi Kapp I had met so many great people. This "network" led to my job as Director of Club Alliance, in which I dealt with all of the student clubs on campus. I am now currently involved in Student Government as a senator, and I am a member of the UNF Swoop Squad, in which I do new student orientations and give campus tours. I have made personal friendships with faculty and administrators of student and greek life. I believe that going greek helped me accomplish all of this and I will be sad to leave UNF when I graduate in the Fall.

Jamie O'Brian - Pi Kappa Phi

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Once Upon a Time... There was a girl who came to UNF for no particular reason at all. Let's call this girl... Chel. One day way back before there was even a Kappa Delta, a neighbor knocked on Chel's door. The neighbor asked, wait, no, begged Chel to keep her company at a certain sorority interview session she was attending. After much hesitation and whining, Chel gracefully agreed to attend- but ONLY to keep the other girl company. Chel never thought she would join a sorority. She in fact made fun of sorority girls on a regular basis. Chel attended the interview and found herself surrounded with amazing women. After the interview things began to go so fast, there were phone calls, photos, and of course key lime pie- which she was the only one in the room to finish all on her plate!

She was surprised at times by the sisters she had just acquired... they made her laugh with jokes, and made her cry with songs. These girls cared about their grades and these girls looked cute yet still could carry on intelligent conversations. A new side of Chel began to emerge, she found her self planning formals as the KD social chair, she had her own SET group full of amazing girls, afterward she lead a pledge class as Vice President and later she found herself boosting moral as the Kappa Delta Chaplain.

On June 6th however, Chel's life would change forever. Her life became threatened due to illness that could only take time to fix. She was devastated because her perfect health had suddenly been taken right from under her nose. She would spend hours crying in bed only to have tears evaporate off her face because of high fevers. Chel was at the lowest point she had ever been.  She spent days alone in a hospital on the other side of the world (Australia) and then was emergency evacuated back to the US. Chel was completely out of it and at this point saw no end in sight to the agony and discomfort she was experiencing.
However, after arriving back to the US little sparks of light started to occur... sisters drove four hours to spend the day with her, knowing that Chel was on so much medicine that she might not even remember their presence. Sisters wrote cards and e-mails each day to encourage Chel to get better. Sisters bought flowers and even sent cookies. These so called "sisters" seriously acted like real sisters. They loved on Chel and cared for Chel in a way that no other friend had done.

Chel was devastated when doctors told her that she should not return to UNF in the fall. Chel did not know how to tell her sisters this. Therefore, she told no one. Chel had grown in her confidence and she decided that she would get better and return to her sisters no matter what! Remarkably, antibiotics that should have taken months to become effective in Chel's blood stream took only weeks. Doctors did not understand Chel's drive to return back to Jacksonville . On March 26th this year, nine months after Chel first contracted blood poisoning she was completely cleared in blood test results. She was healthy again. She owes her fast recovery to her sisters. Without her sisters Chel would still be in bed, with tears evaporating off her fevered cheeks.

My sisters mean the world to me- Thank you girls for seriously saving my life. You got me out of that bed. I owe you my whole college experience.
So for all of you thinking about the sorority life... I must tell you, these girls, these good looking girls in letters around campus... these girls are the REAL DEAL! They are the total package they are everything and more that they claim to be. These girls are my amazing Kappa Delta Ladies. I will love these girls forever, and I can only hope that you too will find love as true as the love I share with my sisters.
I will leave you on this thought... Life is unpredictable, you never know what it might bring, but make sure you have quality people beside you. These girls though, they are better than quality... they are priceless.
 
Chelsea Coleman - Kappa Delta

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