Sister Jenn Coates wins Panhell Scholarship to attend SEPC

Congratulations to sister Jenn Coates for receiving a FSU Panhellenic Scholarship to attend SEPC.

SEPC is short for the South Eastern Panhellenic Conference. The conference will be held March 26-29, 2015, in Atlanta, GA. Alpha Chi Omega will have 4 delegates attending the conference including Jenn. 
History of SEPC
On February 25, 1955, the Panhellenic Councils of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, now Auburn University, and the University of Alabama entertained the first Southeastern Panhellenic Conference. The gathering of representatives from various Panhellenic Councils in the Southeast was an idea of the Auburn Panhellenic Council. The response at the first meeting was overwhelming, especially to the Auburn Panhellenic members who were particularly excited when the conference delegates voted to make the meeting an annual affair.
nvitations to the conference were sent to all schools in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee. Representatives were sent from:

Birmingham Southern
Florida State
Howard University
LA Polytechnic Institute
Mercer University
Mississippi Southern College
Southwestern at Memphis
University of Alabama
University of Chattanooga
University of Georgia
University of Miami

The conference began with registration on Friday afternoon, a buffet supper for the conference delegates and Auburn Panhellenic Council members, and a business session immediately following the supper. After dinner, the women of Kappa Delta at an Open House provided entertainment for their National President.
Lucy Roy, Treasurer of the Auburn Panhellenic Council, acted as chairperson of the conference, while Beth Calovitz, President of the Auburn Panhellenic Council, presided at all business sessions. Workshops were held on campus service projects, formal rushing, Panhellenic training programs for chapter officers, sorority relationships to college and other groups, open rush and pledge quotas, Panhellenic Workshops, and Greek Weeks. The keynote speaker of the conference was Mrs. Julia Ober, Kappa Delta’s National President, who gave her presentation to approximately 300 sorority members at a luncheon on Saturday.
The conference was a student-conceived, student-executed project. The efforts to educate women and share ideas and concerns continued annually at various campuses. In 1975, members voted to divide the conference participants into large and small school divisions. However, the following year, they replaced this vote, deciding to favor one large group rather than two smaller ones. In the following years, the number of participating women and schools continued to grow and is still growing, with several different schools hosting the conference over the years. In 1993, members voted to stop housing conference attendees in host chapter’s houses and to establish a central meeting place for all future conferences large enough to accommodate the continuously growing number of attendees. The place named was the Sheraton Colony Square Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, where the conference is still being held today. In 1998, delegates voted to omit the host school and elect a conference committee consisting of one delegate from each state.
In an effort to plan strategically for the future of SEPC, a thorough review of the Constitution was conducted. Through this review, the Constitution was updated and the following decisions were made at the 2005 Annual Conference Business Meeting:

  1. Removed state delineations and enabled all those who pay dues to participate in a Conference Committee application selection process.
  2. Enabled all those who pay dues to participate as a voting member of the Conference.
  3. Differentiated the Southeastern Panhellenic Conference as the annual meeting of the Southeastern Panhellenic Association.

The name change of the conference from the Southeastern Panhellenic Conference (SEPC) to the Southeastern Panhellenic Association (SEPA) allowed for the organization to become an association and continue to grow and offer additional services and experiences for members.

2010 marked a new initiative for SEPA with the addition of the Southeastern Greek Leadership Summit (SEGLS).  SEGLS exists to create awareness regarding prevalent realities existing within culturally based Greek organizations nationwide.  SEGLS is an auxiliary program of SEPA and therefore stands as an independent organization.  Additional information is available at http://www.segls.com.

learn more about SEPC by clicking here SEPC

Our Amazing 2014 New Members! There’s Always Sunny Skies with Alpha Chi by Your Side

Katy Alexander, Plantation
Sara Anderson, Orlando
Kylie Ariotti, Jupiter
Kristi Babb, Saint Johns
Sari Babkes, Plantation
Hope Baisley, Fuquay Varina
Erica Baranski, Lakeland
Stephanie Bernal, Miami
Katie Blumenthal, Fort Lauderdale
Alex Bretz, Jupiter
Kaitlyn Brown, Palm City
Megan Brownell, Northville
Lauren Burkhart, Coral Springs (L – mom – Gamma Iota)
Katie Campbell, Rockledge
Rachel Cantelou, Melbourne
Mia Carastro, Tampa
Brittany Casciano, Fairport
Colleen Chatfield, Pembroke Pines
Kayla Copley, Coral Springs
Alexa Copperstone, East Williston
Taylor Dake, Jacksonville Beach
Hannah Dawkins, Saint Petersburg
Cori Day, Gulf Breeze
Adriana Diaz-Granados, Boca Raton
Mindy Do, St. Petersburg
Taylor Dowling, Saint James
Hailey Edwards, Chester
Alicia Ferrari, Miami
Jessica Gehring, Palm Beach Gardens
Emily Gibson, Jupiter
Celia Gisleson, Upper Saint Clair
Lexi Goldberg, Cape Coral
Corinne Gorant, Boynton Beach
Jordan Greene, Viera
Stephanie Haley, Jensen Beach
Carrie Hall, Largo
Mia Harding, Sarasota
Ashley Hartford, Milton
Chelsea Hauck, Ocean Ridge
Sarah Hoffman, Harrisburg
Danielle Hogan, Ocoee
Cory Hohler , Bradenton (L – mom & aunt – Alpha Omicron)
Alexa Huffman, Lake Mary
Erin Kahle, Coral Springs
Gabrielle Kilker, Jacksonville
Rebecca Koontz, Weston
Sari Kossoff, Orlando
Kyla McAuliffe, Palm City
Kayla McNulty, Bradenton
Megan Miller, Jacksonville
Michelle Moore, Hillsborough
Mackenzie Murray, Ft. Lauderdale
Shannon Nichols, Lutherville
Sarah Pedersen, Simsbury
Skye Pennebaker, Miami
Abby Pruitt, Jupiter
Michelle Reese, Coral Springs
Delaney Riggins, Bradenton
Yahira Rodriguez, Coral Springs
Carly Roman, Doylestown
Madison Schiefelbein, Lake Mary
Lauren Schwerdt, Highlands Ranch (L – gmom – Sigma)
Monica Shevock, Boca Raton
Andreia Silva, Westfield
Sarah Smith, Caldwell
Violet Soliz, Springfield
Morgan Stuckert, Naples
Kadi Swiniarski, Naples
Rachel Taspek, Sarasota
Alyssa Tencza, Fort Lauderdale
Gianna Traylor, Bradenton
Makenzie Wirth, Orlando

MC14 – The Famous New Member Retreat!

Just a few photos from the fantastic time our new members had with some of our seniors and New Member Education Committee at Camp Indian Springs, Crawfordville, FL.

(part of) Our devoted NME committee! Molly – Orientation Retreat Chair; Heidi – Mystagogue Coor.; Emma – Asst VP-NME; Nicole – the head chica – VP-NME
some did yoga …
while some went paintballing!

New Member Love! MC14 at BidDay 2014 with @FSUPanhellenic

We were so excited to welcome home 87 new members from 2014 Recruitment at Florida State University! We love them all and can’t wait to highlight them on our blog.

We have 62 freshman, 21 sophomores and 4 juniors. Three of our freshman are legacies! MC14 comes from cities as close as Gulf Breeze, FL and as far as Highlands Ranch, CO.

Here are a few amazing things these Real. Strong. Women. accomplished:

Varsity Swim Team

Varsity Field Hockey Team

Travel Softball

Competitive Cheerleading

Peer to Peer Counselor
Mission trip to Jamaica

Mission trip to Haiti

Torch Night at FSU

FSU Garnet and Gold Key

Christian Campus Fellowship

TEDxFSU

Cotillion

Cross Country Team

Mu Alpha Theta

National Honor Society

Varsity Soccer Team

Florida Travel Soccer Team

National Art Honor Society

DECA

FBLA

HOSA

Flag Football

Master Musician

Relay for Life

Orchestra Student Board

National Physics Honor Society

Dance Team and Competitions

We can’t wait to see what all they do for Alpha Chi Omega and The Florida State University!

#Ritual #reblog from @AlphaChiOmegaHQ & @LizRagland (@OCUAChiO)

This fabulous blog post is perfect as we enjoy our first, regular chapter meeting of 2014!
Thank you Liz (OCU, Gamma Tau) and our Alpha Chi Omega Ritual Specialists.
Let us Seek the Heights in 2014-2015 and keep our lives in tune with the world around us!

8 Reasons Why I Love Lyres, Red Carnations and Lyrebirds (and why you should too)

#TBT #FSU National Championship Game 2013 – alumna perspecitve


Thanks to young alumna Danielle Sandoz-Osmus (’05) for this fun recap of her and her (now) finance’s trip to the National Championship game and the celebration in Tallahassee!
Best Wishes Danielle on your nuptials!


Tailgating reunion at a home game (preparing for championship!) with besties BH alumnae: Carly (’06), Danielle, Christy (’06), Monique (’06) and Jenna (’07)

Jacksonville, FL to Charlotte, NC, Charlotte, NC to Los Angeles, CA.  That is the path my boyfriend, Adam Mason, and I took to travel to Pasadena, CA to see the undefeated 2013 Florida State Seminoles play the number two Auburn Tigers.  Adam and I made a mini vacation out of this trip, and got to meet many interesting Seminoles along the way.  We saw tons of garnet and gold as we traveled the Doak to Dena path.  From the man on our first flight who wore his full head-dress with two foot long feathers in first class the entire way to Los Angeles, to the numerous other fans in the airport wearing their Seminole gear as they boarded their planes to Pasadena, there was garnet and gold everywhere we turned.  An excitement seemed to fill the airport, from terminal to terminal, plane to plane.  Seminoles everywhere were getting ready to take over the city of Pasadena, California. 


Adam and I were both so excited to travel to this game, as we had not missed a 2013 home game leading up to the national championship game, and had traveled to several away games as well (Clemson, Gainesville).  We are both die-hard FSU fans, and we both bleed garnet and gold.  Our passion for FSU goes so deep, it lies in our bone marrow. 

When we got to Pasadena, we immediately put our FSU flags on our rental car and tried to share our pride with the city.  The city was filled with FSU fans, and unfortunately Auburn fans too.  When it was game time, we cheered the loudest we had ever cheered.  We screamed the loudest we had ever screamed.  Our blood pressure sky rocketed, and then it would settle.  Our veins were bursting, and then they would return to normal.  During the last two minutes of the game, Adam and I stood there, quiet as a mouse, watching and waiting for Fameis Jameis to do what he does best.  I cannot even begin to describe in words the joy and happiness that came over me when we beat the Tigers.  Singing “We Are The Champions” with thousands of other Seminole Fans brought tears to my eyes.  The game was such a memorable roller-coaster of an experience, and one that I will remember for a lifetime. 

At the game – waiting for their big t.v. moment!



My boyfriend Adam and I traveled over from Jacksonville the morning of the celebration, flying our BCS National Champions flags  on our car the entire duration on I-10.  When we arrived in Tallahassee, there was a feeling of pure excitement in the air.  

We visited the new Indoor Practice Facility (IPF).  What a great facility Jimbo has built.  And to think, Jimbo won a national championship the first year he had this facility built, now that is just remarkable.  We walked by the sod cemetery as well.  What a funny site to see, we had actual small coffins built for all of the sod we collected this year.  There the poor, poor little pieces of sod sat in the coffins.  The actual set of a funeral had been set up, fake sod, chairs and a tent sat outside the plots of the newly rested pieces of sod.  

at the Doak for the celebration in Tallahassee!

The actual celebration ceremony was quite remarkable.  There were fireworks, the band, the cheerleaders, the new championship football team, President Barron and numerous other people that had come to celebrate with us.  It was later announced that over 20,000 Seminoles had come to the celebration.  Can you believe it?  That is a quarter of our stadium that can hold 82,300 people!  During the ceremony, highlights were played from the game, and this sent chills down Adam’s and my spine, as Adam and I were able to relive the moments we shared in Pasadena, right there in Doak Campbell Stadium.  They also showed a video of various other people around the country watching the game, and the same emotions during the game were felt by Seminoles everywhere. 

 After the celebration was over, we were allowed to go on the field and meet the players.  We definitely did not let this opportunity pass us up.  We did not get to meet Jameis, for he had to leave early for baseball practice, but we got to meet numerous other players and congratulate them on such a wonderful season.  I even took a selfie with Timmy Jernigan, who I got so close to for an autograph, but he got pulled away in another direction and I didn’t get to get his signature.  I cannot wait to do this all again next year!!  What an exciting time it is to be a Seminole!  The National Championship Celebration with the Seminoles was an experience I will certainly never forget.

First Day of School, Fall 2014 with Beta Eta of Alpha Chi Omega

We are starting the year off with a flashback to our magazine The Lyre when they highlighted Caryn Beck-Dudley (Beta Xi, Utah State). Caryn is the Dean of the College of Business, an attorney, our school advisor and the mother of our Beta Eta sister and young alumna, Stacia Dudley. We are so proud to call her our sister and thankful for all she does to advance FSU.

#TBT Recruitment in the 1960’s at @AXO_FSU

This fabulous photograph was shared by one of our chapter’s most devoted and FUN alumnae:  Linda Sanford. Linda moved to California years ago, but loves visiting Tallahassee often for football and sisterhood. She stayed involved with alumnae chapters and advised at collegiate chapters (SDSU, Gamma Nu) in the San Diego area, and of course Xi Omega Xi!

Of this photo Linda wrote, “Thinking of [recruitment] reminds me of the “ice water teas” on the first 2 days.  We wore long white formals, long gloves, & red & green sashes in the 60’s.  That’s me in the photo.”

Keeping Up with AXO

We could not be prouder of our AXO sister, Sara Zeng, for winning the overall Top Talent award and  placing 4th runner-up overall in the Miss Maryland beauty pageant! 

She competed, winning the local title of  Miss Frostburg, which leads to Miss Maryland.



Every competition consists of 5 parts:  

  • interview
  • lifestyle/fitness (swimsuit)
  • evening gown
  • on-stage question
  • talent 

WE LOVE YOU SARA!

“All throughout the week my AXO sisters were sending me good luck texts and writing posts about how much they believed in me! They all gave me so much support and love and it gives me so much confidence to know that my friends truly believe in my talents and encourage me to be the best person that I can be!!”

      With her Top Overall Talent Award


“My favorite part of competition is definitely the talent portion in which I play the piano. Piano is my passion and I incorporate it into my personal service platform, Excellence in Education through Music.”












“Miss Maryland week was both really exciting and tiring. It was such a great learning experience and I was happy to place 4th runner-up overall and win a talent preliminary award and the overall top talent award!”


Where in the World is AXO?

~AXO ABROAD~

@ Cape St. Vincent

Marisa Mallon and Allie Smith spent the summer abroad in Spain taking courses about food, society, business communication, and multinational business opporations.

One of the best days we had was when we went on a catamaran in Javea Spain. It was sponsored by FSU and we spent the day in the sun on the boat and then went cliff diving near the beach.

Another great thing was when we had a pot luck dinner with a group of other Panhellenic women. We went to the market and then we all made something and ate dinner out in the “riverbed,” a park in front of the study center.

It was so fun having Marisa with me! We were friends before but now I consider her one of my really close friends and an even closer sister. It was so nice having someone there that I knew I could rely on and have a good time with. She is one of the sweetest, most kindhearted people I have ever met. I had a blast with her!! 

                                                                              -Allie 

My summer studying abroad in Valencia, Spain was an unforgettable, life changing experience. I took Financial Management of the Firm and Multinational Business Operations with amazing professors that ensured I enjoyed my experience not only in the classroom, but outside of the classroom on our numerous field trips.

It’s hard to pick just one favorite experience from my studying abroad trip… I woke up everyday and walked past a beautiful basillica, cathedral, riverbed, markets and so much more. I tried my best everyday to do as the Spaniards do… Including indulging in their daily “siesta” in the afternoon!


While I was abroad, I had the opportunity to travel to many places, including: Barcelona, Xativa, Javea, Prague, Lagos, Palma de Mallorca and Paris. Out of all of these places I travelled to, Prague was my favorite. Prague was absolutely beautiful with the traditional red roofs on each building, the St. Charles Bridge and the castle always somewhere sight.

The friends that I met on the study abroad program were what made the experience all the better. I opened myself up to new friends and adventures and I was lucky enough to have a sister by my side through it all. Being abroad and traveling with Allie was amazing because I had the opportunity to get to know her that much better! Allie and I were always together, whether we were studying at a cafe, shopping, exploring or going out on the town. I am so lucky to be able to share the memories of Europe with not only my great friend, but sister!!

                                                   -Marisa 

@ Castell De Xativa