Sisterhood, connections attract sorority presidents

This will be the first in a series of articles by The East Texan showcasing the presidents of the Greek organizations on the campus of A&M-Commerce. The following are the presidents of the four well-known Panhellenic sororities on campus: Gamma Phi Beta, Chi Omega, Kappa Delta and Alpha Phi.

Gamma Phi Beta

Senior English and second education major Kayla Morgan has been in Gamma Phi Beta for more than two years and now serves as its president.

Morgan was attracted to Gamma Phi Beta because she knew that it was a place to be all that she could be.

"Gamma Phi felt like home," Morgan said. "I walked in and I fell in love with the girls, especially Jennifer Wanka, who was one of the most amazing and beautiful women I had ever met. She made me want to be like her. I wanted to be a part of something that helped to shape women into being the best versions of themselves, and that was Gamma Phi."

According to Morgan, one thing she really likes about Gamma Phi Beta is the members themselves.

"My sisters are the best part of my sorority," she said. "I have the most amazing sisters in the entire world. They are so real and honest, and I love that who they are when I met them is who they have continued to be."

Morgan hopes that she and her sisters are making the founders of this chapter of Gamma Phi Beta proud.

"I think that our founders would be proud of the women we are and how far we have come from where we were when I joined," she said. "We had 8 members when I joined and it was a rough time. We now have a chapter of 42 and we are going strong. That type of dedication and hard work makes me proud to be a Gamma Phi from the Gamma Zeta chapter."

Next semester, Morgan will be student teaching and plans to graduate in May. After that, she hopes to be chosen for the Collegiate Leadership Consultant Program, in which she will be able to stay involved with Gamma Phi Beta by traveling around the country and working with her Gamma Phi's.

Chi Omega

This will mark the third year of Chi Omega presidency for senior business administration and accounting major Megan Hendrix.

Hendrix was attracted to Chi Omega more by the sorority itself and less by the people in the sorority. However, the members of the sorority didn't make the decision a difficult one.

"I went through formal recruitment during fall 2007 and what attracted me to Chi Omega was their national reputation, their known campus attitude of always being womanly and classy, and their presentation," Hendrix said. "TAMU's chapter is full of women who want to reach higher goals and express class in their everyday lives."

Despite her approaching graduation at the end of this semester, Hendrix is certain that the benefits of being a Chi Omega will stretch well beyond commencement.

"The best part of being a Chi Omega is the sisterhood and connections," Hendrix said. "Half of my bridesmaids are chi omega sisters and the girls I've met here will be lifelong friends. The connections and networking Chi Omega offers to each member is huge and opens up so many opportunities during and after college."

Hendrix will be starting her graduate work next semester. After that, she hopes to go to work for a corporation in the budgeting field and eventually try to work her way up the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Kappa Delta

The president for the Kappa Delta sorority is senior general business major Jewell Malick.

Malick said that one of the things that attracted her to Kappa Delta was the idea of finding sisterhood.

"The thing that attracted me to KD was the sisterhood and the connection I felt right away," Malick said. "I felt comfortable and felt like I had found a place that I could call home."

Malick's desire to give back to others also drew her to Kappa Delta.

"I was really interested in the philanthropies that we worked with, such as the Girl Scouts and Prevent Child Abuse America and knew that I could make a difference by being a part of an organization that stood for so much," she said.

Malick is confident that being a member of Kappa Delta, especially as president, is preparing her for life after college in various ways.

"The best part about being a KD is knowing that I have my sisters by my side and knowing that it will prepare me for life out of college," she said. "I have learned so much being in a leadership position that I know will carry on into my life after college."

After she graduates from A&M-Commerce, Malick plans to go to law school to study constitutional law.

Alpha Phi

Junior art major Ashley Thornton has been president of Alpha Phi for the past year.

Thornton got involved with the sorority through friends and said she found a home away from home.

"I really knew the girls really well before joining," she said. "I joined in the spring through informal recruitment. I was really looking for a place to belong and Alpha Phi was that place for me."

Besides growing close to her new sisters, being in Alpha Phi has allowed Thornton to grow closer to her actual sister.

"This past semester my sister Heather joined Alpha Phi and it was so exciting getting to share my experiences, this sisterhood and all the secrets with her," she said.

Thornton is currently working on her all-level certification in art and plans to teach art once she leaves A&M-Commerce.