By Jen Wetzel, Pi Beta Phi, NPC marketing and communications
Intern
Advisor
Appreciation Month is a time to reflect on those who go above and beyond to
play a positive role in the lives of others, simply because they care. I have
been fortunate to have these people surrounding me since I went through primary
recruitment in January of my freshman year.
As a
freshman, I could never have anticipated the impact that belonging to a
sorority would have on so many aspects of my life. It has given me the
confidence to be a leader, the patience and understanding to belong to a
sisterhood of very different personalities and the drive to pursue all of my
goals head-on. A lot of this confidence grew out of my position on Pi Phi’s
executive council as the vice president of administration (VPA).
In my
chapter, the VPA is considered the “rules person.” Not exactly the most
fun-loving position for someone who typically approaches situations with humor.
The position required me to adjust and stand out as a leader much more than I
ever had in the past. During that time, I had several alumnae advisors who were
there for me without fail -- there to answer email, stop by the chapter house on a
minute’s notice, take midnight phone calls and be there as constant confidants.
Two advisors, Kristi Geiger and Gretchen Foran, became my friends.
What makes
advisors so special is that they are volunteers. They choose to use their own
time to help further your goals and ideals, because they want to see you
succeed. During some of the tougher moments of my term as VPA, I recall
receiving hand-written and email notes from my alumna counterpart, just
dropping in to say I was doing a great job. These moments of reassurance and
kindness helped build my confidence as a leader while showing me the support
that I had not only as a sorority member but also as a person.