Judith Resnik, Alpha Epsilon Phi

To celebrate Women’s History Month, the NPC blog will spotlight Panhellenic women who have been influential historical figures. The second featured Panhellenic woman is Judith Resnik, a member of Alpha Epsilon Phi at Carnegie Mellon. Resnik was an American engineer and a NASA astronaut. She was the second female astronaut in the United States, logging over 140 hours in orbit.  

Resnik was born in Akron, Ohio. While in high school, she achieved a perfect SAT and went on to study electrical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. After graduating in 1970, Resnik earned her Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland.

After graduating, Resnik worked with Xerox Corporation as a systems engineer, was affiliated with the National Institutes of Health as a biomedical engineer, and was employed by RCA as a design engineer. In 1978, she was recruited to the astronaut program. Her first space flight was in 1984 as a mission specialist on the maiden voyage of Discovery. She was the first American Jewish astronaut in space and the first Jewish woman in the world in space. During her first flight, she caused notoriety for her acrobatics and sense of humor, as many viewers were accustomed to seeing only men in space.

In 1986, she boarded her the Space Shuttle Challenger for her second mission. She tragically died in the launch disaster. Resnik received multiple awards after her death, including landmarks and buildings that carry her name. A dormitory at Carnegie Mellon and an engineering lecture hall at the University of Maryland are both named after Resnik. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) Judith Resnik Award is presented each year to teams or individuals with outstanding contributions to space engineering. She was also one of ten finalists in 2010 to represent Ohio in the National Statuary Hall located in Washington. 

Mary Ritter Beard, Kappa Alpha Theta

To celebrate Women’s History Month, the NPC blog will spotlight Panhellenic women who have been influential historical figures. The first featured Panhellenic woman is Mary Ritter Beard, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta at DePauw University. Beard was an American historian and activist who played an important role in the women’s suffrage movement. She was born in Indianapolis and was the fourth of seven children.

While studying at DePauw University in 1897, Beard was influenced by two of her sorority sisters who were not satisfied with limiting themselves to the conventional roles and courses of women. After graduating from DePauw, Beard worked as a German teacher in Greencastle, Ind. She married Charles Austin Beard in 1900, and they had two children born in 1901 and 1907. They moved to New York City where they both attended graduate school at Colombia University for Sociology.

Beard became involved with the suffrage movement through her work for the Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL). Through this organization, she hoped to improve labor conditions for women and believed that suffrage would speed up governmental regulation of economic conditions which would improve the lives of the working class. In addition to her role in WTUL, Beard was a leader in the New York City Suffrage Party (NYCSP), and an editor for their publication “The Woman Voter.” In 1913, she left NYCSP to join the Congressional Union (CU), where she became an executive member of the board and editor of its weekly magazine “The Suffragist.” On multiple occasions, Beard helped organize, strategize, lecture, participate in demonstrations and write articles — she even testified before House and Senate committees on suffrage.

Later in her life, Beard concentrated more on her writings. Through the written word, she sought to educate women about their history and value to society. In 1935, she founded the World Center for Women’s Archives (WCWA), which collected women’s published and unpublished records. The center also established an educational institution for women. This center was endorsed by Eleanor Roosevelt and generated a huge interest in women’s history.

Feature Friday Staff Profile: Jason Davis, Educational Support Intern

The National Panhellenic Conference has five full-time staff members and interns who work daily to advance the sorority experience. Here we will introduce each staff member and let them tell you who they are and what they do in the office. 

Jason Davis is the spring 2015 educational support intern. He assists Jenny Greyerbiehl, training and curriculum design coordinator, with the creation of learning objectives and assessment tests for NPC educational programs. He also helps develop and design various presentations and comes up with new ways to deliver them.

About Jason: Jason is from Richmond, Va., and graduated from The University of Richmond in 2013 with a degree in psychology. He is currently a graduate student at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), working toward his masters in higher education and student affairs. Along with interning at NPC, he also serves as the graduate assistant for Health and Wellness Promotion at IUPUI. 

Fun Fact: I like washing dishes after a meal. It is meditative and gives me a sense of finality and closure to the meal.

Q&A:

1. What do you most enjoy about working at NPC? Working at NPC is simultaneously providing me with experience in fraternity and sorority life as well as experience working at a place that is not a college or university. Also, I really like the office culture! 
2. What are you most passionate about? Self-care and educating 
3. How would your friends and family describe you? Understanding, gentle and calm
4. What is your biggest pet peeve? Being late
5. What have you gained by being a member of a fraternity? Fraternity membership has given me an understanding of basic leadership skills, positive values and principles that guide my work and behavior. In addition I have a lifelong network of friends and brothers. 

Top 10 Campus Resources for NPC Scholars

1. Library

Though Google may give you the answer, try heading to your institution's library for a wealth of resources.

2. Career Center

The career center is a great resource for resume and interview advice, as well as, a place to learn about available internships and job openings.

3. Academic Advisor

Your academic advisor is not just there to make sure you get the classes you need, they are also there to help you throughout the term with anything course related.

4. Speaking / Writing Center

The speaking and writing centers are great resources if you get nervous before presentations or have trouble with writing assignments. These are often student led groups so you get to support from your peers.

5. Study Abroad Office

The study abroad office offers year-long, term-long and short opportunities to learn in other countries. 

6. Learning Resource Center

Not everyone is a great test taker. Others can have problems with studying. Whatever your problem is, your campuses Learning Resource Center is there to help make you the best student possible.

7. Professors

While your professor probably doesn’t have real magical powers, they can still be pretty magical people. Talking to a professor can make all the difference when you are struggling in a class. You might be surprised how much they are willing to help if you reach out to them.

8. Sisters in your major

Everyone’s favorite lawyer Elle Woods wouldn’t have gotten into law school without her sisters. Find one in your major to help you with concepts and classes, chances are they can help or know someone who can.

9. Online Learning Portal

While technology isn’t always our friend, most schools have an online portal where you can upload assignments, take quizzes and keep up to date on your classes. 

10. Health Center

Exercise and sleep can be used to help keep stress levels down and keep you from getting sick.

Feature Friday Staff Profile: Julia (Jules) Schenk, Marketing and Events Manager

The National Panhellenic Conference has five full-time staff members and interns who work daily to advance the sorority experience. Here we will introduce each staff member and let them tell you who they are and what they do in the office. 

Jules is the marketing and events manager for NPC. She works with the committee chairmen and editorial team to review all publications and documents going out from NPC, oversees social media, works to ensure the brand is consistent, assists the public relations firm, plans all our meetings and trainings, writes for newsletters, supervises the marketing and communications interns and The Sorority Life brand, and handles other duties as assigned. It sounds like a lot, but most important is that she says, "It’s a lot of fun!" She is also the veteran in the office, having worked for NPC for just over seven years starting as the communications and programs coordinator.

About Jules: 

I grew up in Evansville, Ind., and my parents are still there. I have a younger brother, Joe, who is better known in the NPC office as #KappaBroJoe. He is a physical therapist with a specialty in orthopedics and works for OrthoIndy. We actually share a condo, which some people think is weird, but he’s paying off student loans and I share my living space to help out. It may be cheesy, but he is my best friend. Our little family of four is really close, and there are no three people I’d rather spend my time with.

A proud graduate of Butler University, I have a bachelor’s degree in journalism. My focus was on integrated communications, which is advertising and public relations. I chose this area of focus after my journalism and yearbook classes in high school. I love to write, which lends itself to journalism, and I was the first-ever advertising manager of our yearbook. When I went to college, I thought I wanted to work at an ad agency. I have also attended Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), where I’m one internship short of completing a certificate in event management. An internship I had my senior year at Butler helped me find my love of planning events.

The choice to go through recruitment was one of the best I ever made. With encouragement from my new roommate I decided at the last minute to participate. She told me, “Let’s just do it. We’ll meet some new people, and we don’t have to join.” Famous last words that led to a life of volunteering for Kappa Kappa Gamma and working to support the sorority movement! I served Mu chapter at Butler University in various advisor roles for six years, and I currently serve Kappa as the province director of chapters for Delta South Province: Indiana University, DePauw University, Butler University and Purdue University.

Fun fact: A nursing class was in the room watching when I was born.

Q & A:

1. What do you most enjoy about working at NPC? I love that each day is different. I’m not stuck doing the same thing day in and day out. After all, variety is the spice of life.
2. What is something you do every day? I drink at least one Diet Dr. Pepper every day. No one wants to be around me if I don’t have one.
3. What are you most passionate about? I’m passionate about sharing my time and talents, whether that is with my family, through my work or as a volunteer. It’s important to be a good steward of the gifts you’ve been given, so I try my best to share what has been given to me with others.
4. What is your favorite band? My favorite band is New Kids on the Block, even though they certainly aren’t kids anymore. People may laugh at me, but I loved them when I was six and I love them now. In fact, they were my very first concert. The tickets were a present from my aunt for my eighth birthday.
5. What have you gained by being a member of a sorority? Sorority membership has taught me many things throughout the years. I’ve learned to work with people I don’t necessarily like. I’ve learned that your best friends can be women you thought you’d never get along with, as long as you have shared values. I’ve learned that age is just a number, and your closest friend could be 15 years older than you. I’ve learned the importance of mentoring and how mentorship becomes deep friendship. I’ve learned to “stumble up the back steps, and walk gracefully out the front door.”

Top 10 Tips to Achieve a 4.0

         1. Plan a schedule of balanced activities.

Do not overbook your life. You want to make sure that you have flexibility in your schedule for surprises.


2. Go to every class prepared.





Read assigned material in advance so you can participate in discussion.


3. Sit in the front of the class.





Sitting in the front of the class gives you less distractions so you can concentrate on what is being taught.


4. Review notes ASAP after class.







By reviewing notes right after class, you are able to highlight the areas that were most important and keep it fresh in your mind.


5. Study at the same time each day.





By studying at the same time and in the same space you maximize your efforts. Also, the earlier in the day you study, the better your comprehension.


6. Spend no more than two hours studying one subject.





Taking breaks and changing topics will maximize your effectiveness and enhance efficiency.


7. Do justice to each class.





Keep distractions to a minimum while studying and put in the same effort for each class.


8. Take care of yourself.





Eating properly and sleeping 7-10 hours a night is a big factor in being able to function at your highest level.


9. Trade time – do not steal it.





Always keep a “to do” list so you can make sure that you get everything done that you need to.


10. Reward yourself.





When you meet a study goal, make sure to reward yourself for a job well done.

Meet the #Academy15 Team - Facilitators

College Panhellenic Academy is days away, and we cannot wait to greet hundreds of Panhellenic women in Indianapolis for the big event. A team of experts in sorority is ready to facilitate and guide our attendees to be the best sorority women they can be. We asked these facilitators a few questions about their own sorority experience and what they are most looking forward to at #Academy15.

Sharrell Hassell-Goodman
Director of Sorority and Fraternity Life at The Ohio State University

What do you think is most important for a Panhellenic officer to keep in mind at the beginning of her term?

“An important consideration for a Panhellenic officer to keep in mind at the beginning of her term is: ‘How will I leave the position better than I found it, considering the current state of the community?’ Often, women in leadership positions have the best intention of making the most of their leadership experience, but end up letting what others think about them influence their leadership. Panhellenic officers must learn how to balance relationships with other women, while also maintaining assertive leadership characteristics, in order to make the most of their term as an officer. I have observed women in student leadership positions judged harshly for holding their members to higher standards and as a result, they are left feeling guilty for practicing their values. It is imperative to remember why you chose to serve in this position and what your members trusted you to do when they elected you.”

Julie Johnson
NPC Panhellenics Chairman and & former National President of Kappa Delta Sorority 

What most excites you about this, the inaugural, College Panhellenic Academy?

“I am proud we have been able to create this type of learning environment for College Panhellenic leaders to come together and learn from some of the best leaders within the Panhellenic world. What an incredible opportunity it will be for women to come together and learn about Panhellenic leadership, operations and execution.”

What is your favorite moment or a highlight from your own fraternal experience thus far?

“The proudest personal moment ever was the day my daughter was initiated into Kappa Delta, and I was able to participate in her initiation and pin her with the same badge that was given to me when I was installed on our National Council. Something I will never forget!”

Courtney McKenna
Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at Quinnipiac University

If someone asked you "Why sorority?” what would be your answer?

“Sorority can truly be the one-stop-shop that will help a woman with all she needs to be successful in college and beyond. In a sorority, a woman will find true support and friendship, prioritization of academics, opportunities to give back to the university and greater community and numerous opportunities for personal and leadership development. While these are things that one may find if they joined several other organizations – there are few other involvement areas that she can find them all in one place.”

How has NPC/Panhellenic been a part of your life and profession?

“I have met so many amazing women through my involvement with NPC. These women have become incredible friends, advisors, confidants, teachers and cheerleaders. The term Panhellenic sister is one that is not lost on me and is something I truly believe in. As women, we can achieve so much more together than apart – I have experienced this both on my campus as a fraternity/sorority advisor and personally as my relationships with various Panhellenic women have grown.”

Nicki Meneley
NPC Executive Director

What most excites you about this, the inaugural, College Panhellenic Academy?

“The chance to interact with engaged, passionate collegiate and alumnae members. There is unlimited potential for our industry when we work together from a place of understanding and collaboration.”

What do you think is most important for a Panhellenic officer to keep in mind at the beginning of her term?

“You are one person, and you can only do one thing – maybe two – at a time, so lean on your support network: your fellow officers, volunteers, sorority sisters. Together we can do anything; you are not alone.”

Kyle Pendleton
Director of Harm Reduction & Education at Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity

How has NPC/Panhellenic been a part of your life and profession?

“When I was a young professional, I cannot imagine having not used the resources that were afforded to me through NPC. Still today, almost 20 years later, many of my professional “go to” people are NPC leaders.”

What is your favorite moment or a highlight from your own fraternal experience thus far?

“My chapter at Ohio State was closed several years after I graduated. When the chapter was recolonized in 2011, I served as the chapter advisor and oversaw the first initiation of the new chapter members and advised the group through the chartering. Last year, the chapter was one of five that received the Pyramid of Excellence, the highest collegiate chapter award in Delta Sigma Phi. This is the first Pyramid in the chapter’s history. Additionally, the two-term chapter president received the NIC Award of Distinction; the first Ohio State undergraduate and only second Delta Sig to be recognized with this honor. I am so lucky to have gotten to work with them.”

Corre Stegall
NPC Alternate Delegate & former National President of Kappa Delta Sorority

If someone asked you "Why sorority?” what would be your answer?

“It’s made all the difference in my life by providing me with the opportunity as a young woman to develop my leadership skills and to strive to achieve my best with the support and encouragement of those who share my ideals and principles. Friendship among those with shared values is a powerful thing that lasts forever, and through these friendships, I continue to learn and grow, each day realizing the endless value of service and love of those both within and without the bonds of sisterhood.”

 What is your favorite moment or a highlight from your own fraternal experience thus far?

“Each year, my sorority honors its most outstanding collegiate leaders, and I have the honor of presenting those awards. At each presentation, I’m overwhelmed by the abilities, talents, and dedication of young women today and their accomplishments and infinite potential. It’s a highlight that gets brighter every year!”