This past week VP DEI, Anna hosted a Honey Pot Painting event at the chapter house where ladies of Alpha Chi Omega were joined by members of FSU Hillel. The event was held in the week leading up to Rosh Hashanah, Rosh HaShanah is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah. It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days, that occur in the late summer/early autumn of the Northern Hemisphere.
Why honey posts? On the first night of Rosh Hashanah, after eating challah (for Rosh Hashanah it is baked in a round shape, denoting the cyclical nature of life and blessings without end.) dipped in honey, it is customary to eat several foods that symbolize desire for a sweet year, starting with a slice of apple dipped in honey.
For the event and for the Friday of Rosh Hashanah the chapters’ chefs made honey butter and provided apples for chapter members.
The ladies of Alpha Chi Omega returned to campus two weeks prior to to the start of school to engage in pre-recruitment and recruitment. The recruitment leadership team -Zoe- VP Recruitment, Ella -Asst Recruitment, Maddy -VP Recruitment Information, Amelia – Asst Recruitment Information and Leah – Chapter President meet weekly starting in spring to plan the two weeks!
Pre-recruitment is a time first and foremost for sister bonding and fun. After a semester apart the chapter is always ready to each other and engage in themed days. You can see the themes below Hometown ThrowDown, Growing Old with you, Mardi Gras, Denim Day, Perfect Pair, Letter, Ski you Soon, Denim, and Honey I’m Home. A great excuse to dress up and have some fun!
The week while fun is also educational and allows the women to gain valuable skills in networking, recruiting, public speaking, and conversation. The leadership team works to create daily programming that meets the women where they are while elevating their recruitment skills! The chapter also hosts OFSL for an Ethics and Values presentation. Hosts two Panhellenic chapters for mock recruitment and hosts a diversity in recruitment presentation along with Risk Management and Belonging Presentations (more on those in another post! While the week is jam packed with content sisters walk away empowered to not only participate in formal recruitment but will skills that will aid them in standing out at future job fairs, interviews and networking events.
One of the long-standing traditions at the Beta Eta Chapter of Alpha Chi Omega is the mystagogue program. Members are provided opportunities to grow, lead, connect and serve and have opportunities to make connections with many sisters through the chapter’s mystagogue program.
Following Bid day for the following six weeks, members are paired with a mystatgouge (“Chi”, “Omega”, Guardian”, “big” etc) strategically based on shared interests, majors, hometowns, etc. Prior to receiving a new member pairing the older sisters attended weekly trainings and signed a mystagogue contract. Starting on Bid day New member are given a bid day buddy – An, “Alpha” who meets them and welcomes them to the chapter house, last week they received a Chi! This week Omega!!! Each of the Mystagogue reveals comes with a fun activity and AXΩ “Swag” item.
This week the MC ’23 received their Omega! They found their pairing by singing the lyric of a popular song and then their “older sister” pair responded by finishing the lyric. The ladies also received a custom AXΩ Scarf! Following the fun night, the education committee works to ensure that new members and older sisters are engaging with each other through planned events throughout the week!
Fun fact the recruitment leadership team worked to design the custom scarf above. They found inspiration from the two below scarves and then worked with a local company Full Press to design and create a custom AXΩ Scarf ..
Most members tie on their backpacks, wear in their hair, or tie on their purses! it is a great way to promote Alpha Chi and recognize each other on campus!
This September marks 15 years of the Hazing Prevention Network’s commitment to ending hazing. As a proud partner, Alpha Chi Omega recognizes National Hazing Prevention Week (NHPW) each year to continue to advocate, educate and promote ways to prevent hazing within our organization and our chapter.
EMPOWERED TO PREVENT HAZING
The theme for this year’s NHPW is “Empowered to prevent hazing,” inspired by the Hazing Prevention Network’s mission to educate people about the dangers of hazing, advocate for change and engage the community in strategies to prevent hazing. It is a call to action to every member that we each have a responsibility to make healthy choices that exemplify our values and standards. As real, strong women, we can create connection rooted in dignity and respect for one another. Learn how you can empower members of Alpha Chi Omega to build belonging in a hazing-free environment.
EMPOWERED TO LEARN
This year our chapter was up for the challenge? We encouraged members to take part in the annual NHPW challenge by completing the “Speak Up for a Sister” hazing prevention training; by logging AXΩ’s The Heights Learning Center and utilizing an interactive, self-guided module designed to educate our members about the problem of hazing, its negative impact on others and ways to prevent it from occurring within our sisterhood.
We also provided members of our chapter with the opportunity the “REAL, STRONG WOMEN DON’T HAZE WEBINAR” for a conversation led by Alpha Chi Omega headquarters staff about ways to prevent hazing before it occurs. On the webinar we discussed the power dynamics involved in sorority-hazing culture, strived to understand the hazing tolerance results of the Sisterhood Survey and explore strategies for empowering our members to take action against hazing.
EMPOWERED TO EDUCATE
Hazing is often primarily viewed as a men’s fraternity issue. However, research shows women’s organizations haze at the same rate as men’s groups, but in different ways that can have a lasting, negative impact. The VP Risk Management, Marge, VP Membership Programming, Emma & Chi Connections Chair Adrianna utilized one of Alpha Chi Omega HQ’s new “PROGRAM WITH PURPOSE” “Empowered Women Prevent Hazing” to educate our members to learn how to prevent hazing as real, strong women and develop healthy belonging in Alpha Chi Omega.
The chapter’s leadership also attended Alpha Chi Omega’s Real. Strong. Women/ Don’t Haze webinar! thank you to Emily Rose and Rachel from HQ for putting on such an informational session!
EMPOWERED TO SHARE
The chapter participated in a nation wide social media awareness campaign .. See images shared to our social below!
We encourage everyone reading this blog post to use your voice and network to end hazing! Increase awareness about the issue of hazing by sharing the Alpha Chi Omega printable resources and NHPW brand assets utilized in this post. When you share how you are empowered to end hazing using the hashtag #RSWDontHaze when posting. Also be sure to tag Alpha Chi Omega headquarters (@AlphaChiOmegaHQ) and FSU Alpha Chi Omega (@FSUAlphaChiOmega)
As part of our continued commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, Alpha Chi Omega recognizes annual heritage and identity months as we celebrate and learn about the real, strong women who make up our sisterhood.
From September 15 to October 15, Alpha Chi Omega celebrates and honors Hispanic Heritage Month and the contributions of Hispanic and Latino American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. Members are encouraged to educate themselves about topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion and to join Alpha Chi Omega in taking part in change. Below you’ll find a list of resources to support members and blog readers in development; we’ve included just a few of the many resources available to us as sisters
Sisters braved the elements to make it to FSU Compass. Compass is designed to give students the opportunity to leave the campus and engage with a diverse group of future leaders. Through self-discovery, honest dialogue, and thought-provoking activities, participants will create friendships and strengthen their leadership skills. This years Compass had sessions for Chapter President, VP Philanthropy, VP Programming, VP Risk, Panhellenic Delegate, VP New Member Education and Social Chair! We are thankful for a greek community that allows us to grow and learn as leaders together!
This is a time to acknowledge healing and promote awareness in seeking support when our mental health may need it most. The chapter worked to facilitate the Chords of Harmony: More Than a Bad Day lesson with the chapter to start an authentic conversation about emotional health and learn about the early warning signs of more serious mental health challenges.
All members were encouraged to also take a mental health screening during this week as part of their mental wellness check-up!
October is recognized as Mental Health Screening Month. We encourage our members and readers to take time for their mental health this month and complete a screening as part of their self-care routine.
Through Alpha Chi Omega’s new partnership with MindWise Innovations, members can access 13 different anonymous and confidential mental health screenings.
Join us in celebrating World Mental Health Day on October 10. We will be facilitating one of Alpha Chi Omega’s lessons from the new Chords of Harmony program. Created in partnership with Active Minds, Chords of Harmony is an interactive mental health curriculum focused on building awareness of emotional health and creating a culture of care.
The ID Committee led by VP ID Hannah, hosts three days with study hours at the house each week during this time members are encouraged to study in the informal, formal or study room. Members of the ID committee are available to help with calendar planning, discuss resources such as tutors or study tips, etc. and all members who attend are giving positive points.
FSU Alpha Chi Omega 