Shining the Spotlight On...

Juliana DeBattista

 Get excited Squirrels, because this semester we will be welcoming back our beloved sister, Juliana DeBattista!  Our sweet squirrel pledged in Fall 2011 and will be going into her Sophomore year at Sonoma State.   In light of her return, she says, “I cannot describe in words how eager I am to be back at school with my friends and surrounded by my amazing sisters! I have had a rough time being away for so long and want nothing more than to just be back at school and apart of the AGD fam again!” She is ecstatic and simply cannot wait.

Juliana (Center) with her Big, Ali Moody, and God-Big, Allyssa Perez

Over the last year, Juliana spent her time off back at home in Belmont, CA and told the Spotlight Squirrel a little about what she has been up to:

“On my year away, as most of you know, I was in intensive treatment for about the first five months and I was home focusing on my recovery. I also enrolled in online classes at a local community college while in treatment so I wouldn’t get so far behind, despite what my doctors wanted me to do, which was nothing except to get better! I have a hard time doing that haha. The larger part of the year has, and continues, to be recovery focused and ensuring that I have a strong foundation to return to school! Other than recovery and doctors appointments my days consisted of a lot of movies on the couch, Fifty Shades of Grey, sun bathing, and getting out doing something with someone whenever I could! Pretty much I have been cooped up and I am ready to spread my wings and live life again!”

Juliana says her favorite part about Alpha Gamma Delta is the people she has met and the memories she has made!  This year she will be living with three fellow Pledge Sisters, Sammi Balliet, Madi Burton, and Amymarie Tomaino in the Emerald Pointe Apartment Complex!  Looking towards the upcoming year, she says, “I am excited just to be back period! I am excited to participate in Recruitment, and get a Little hopefully! I more than anything just want to feel apart of AGD again and be with you guys! I also am excited to live off campus with three amazing girls and be single. YAY!”

Roomie lovin with Sammi, Madi, Juliana & Amy

Although Juliana’s major is currently Undeclared, she plans to major in Kinesiology, with a concentration in Exercise Science, also known as Pre-Physical Therapy.   In this pursuit, she received an amazing opportunity this summer "to shadow a physical therapist in the Pediatrics Child Development Clinic at Lucille Packard Childrens Hospital”, which she will begin in the upcoming week.

Way to go Juliana! We are so happy you will be coming back to us this year, and we look forward to an amazing semester!  Can’t wait to see you in a few weeks!

Juliana with her new sisters on Fall Bid Day 2011

 xoxo

Reliving the Glory Years!

 A Message from the Alum

Amber Streiff

Alpha Gam Alum, Amber Streiff, pledged in Fall ’07 and served as Website Coordinator, Public Relations on Panhellenic, Panhellenic President, and Vice President Campus Relations during her sorority years!  After 4.5 glorious years at Sonoma State, Amber graduated in December of 2012 and since then she has become the Marketing Assistant for Sonoma Tilemakers.  Amber says, “I never imagined working in the tile field, but it is a great company and I am learning a lot.”  Passing on the wisdom she's gained, she tells us that "after college, building foundation and skills for your career are important, especially if you want to move up in your field.”

Life after Graduation for Amber is “not all that its cracked up to be” as she states “I no longer get to spend my summer lounging around the Beauj pool, sleeping in until 12, or taking spontaneous road trips.  I live for the weekends!”  She tells us, Monday through Friday, from 8-430pm, you can find her in the office behind a computer, but she says, “Don’t get me wrong, the money isn’t a bad bonus!”

When looking back on college, Amber misses sorority the most.  One of her favorite Alpha Gam memories “was the wedding mixer we had with Alpha Psi" where she got to be the Reverend and "marry Jessica Xavier and some Psi boy. They exchanged vows and the whole 9 yards. It was absolutely hilarious.”  

 

  Amber fondly looks back and says "110% I will never forget the AMAZING four years that Alpha Gamma Delta gave me. I miss walking around campus and seeing sisters everywhere. There is no other sisterhood like ours!"

Amber with her little Amanda Gordon at the Jelly Belly Factory Sisterhood!

 Advice to current Alpha Gams:  

"GO TO EVERYTHING! GET INVOLVED. They are not lying when they say the more you put into it the more you get out. I was highly involved and it was the most amazing experience of my life. Also, branch out and go on sister dates with girls you don’t really know. You will be surprised how much you have in common."

"The friendships I made will last me a lifetime! My bridesmaids will all be Alpha Gams, no joke!"

xo

Alpha Gams on the Prowl

Allison Carfano

This week we would like to shine the Spotlight on our sister Allison Carfano who will be diving into her Senior year at Sonoma State this Fall.   Allison recently became involved with a company called EF College Break, “a travel made easy program for any one ages 18-26 who are interested in traveling!”  In her own words, “its fun, easy, and affordable, especially if you book a trip with me because I have a special little code that offers discounts!”

Just another reason to pay attention in sorority meetings because she scored this job after learning about the opportunity to travel the world on one lovely Sunday evening when the previous Campus Manager for EF College Break presented this “awesome program” to our chapter.  A company where you could “travel abroad without the overwhelming hassle of figuring out how to go about it, what to do, where to go, etc.” was an opportunity too good to pass up!  After the meeting, Allison approached the speaker, who helped her and one of our sisters, Katie Lyman, book a trip together!

On this trip, the girls traveled to London, Paris and Rome for 12 days in June. Allison says “it was absolutely amazing! We were welcomed with dinner and drinks in authentic restaurants in each country, we saw all the can't-miss sights, plus had tons of free time to do our own thing.  Our hotels were all centrally located and planned for through EF so it was completely stress free.”

Allison & Katie in France

Since then, Allison has become the new Campus Manager for Sonoma State, which she is very excited about “because its a program that every one should know about”.  She comments, “I really want to get the word out there, it's perfect for any one who has ever been interested in traveling! There are New Years, Spring break, and Summer trips and you can go alone or with friends...either way you will have an experience of a lifetime and meet great people!”

To learn more about the company visit efcollegebreak.com online and talk to our new Campus Manager, Allison, for the best deals!  And congrats to you, Allison, on the new position! You Go Glen Coco!

xo

Reliving the Glory Years!

 A Message from the Alum

Katie Medlicott

Alpha Gam Alum, Katie Medlicott, graduated from Sonoma State in the Spring of 2010 and now resides in beautiful San Francisco.  And what does Katie miss most about college life? Yep, you guessed it… sorority!  During her years in AGD she held the positions of Sunshine Coordinator, Vice President Operations, and Vice President Scholarship.  Katie was a Communications major and minored in Business, and she now works for Kraft Foods in sales.

For Katie, graduated life is a lot worse than college life, as she comments “I ask my dad monthly to pay my rent and he replies laughing at me.   Although “working is awful”, she says “I am lucky because I live in SF where a lot of SSU Greeks move post college, however I miss my sorority sisters who live in Socal and other places.”

Her favorite memory in Alpha Gam is going to Doddville, Haley Dodd’s house on Clearlake.  She says “we had Sister Retreat there and it was so fun being in bathing suits and jumping in the lake with all best friends!” 

Katie feels lucky to "have found the best friends in the world through AGD” and she says “I just miss hanging out with my friends at all times of the day and just cuddling with them.”  As she reminisces, she adds,  “I just miss them all so much. It’s like even when I’m with them I miss them.” She wants all of our sisters to remember to “love each other so much where it physically hurts, cause you hold them so tight.”

Katie embraced by best friends and alumnae Gillian Huggins & Audrey Kennedy

Advice to current AGDs:

“My advice would be to cherish these college moments because you will not always be lucky enough to live in such close proximity to the ones you love the most, and its so very heart breaking. But once you do graduate make sure to take frequent girls trips so you can stay in touch always!"

 

xo

International Convention 2012

For the Love of All that is Alpha Gam…

The Inside Scoop on International Convention 2012:

Taking place every 2 years, squirrels from across the US and Canada get together at the one and only International Convention to indulge in the exchanging of ideas and to delight in the very sacred and special traditions known only to those who call themselves Alpha Gams.  As Katryn Bowdle the III once said, International Convention is an event  where "Alpha Gams young and old come from all over the world to share accomplishments, get tips, and bask in all that is AGD over the pay biennium.”  Beautifully put Sister President, simply beautiful. 

Each chapter sends a delegate to this glorious occasion, and this year Delta Rho had the honor of sending our President, Kate Bowdle, our VP of Finance, Brooke Abel, and our advisor, Sarah Weinroth, to set off and explore the city of St. Louis, Missouri where convention was taking place.  From attending different workshops and bonding with sisters, to sharing ideas and experiences amongst our chapters, these squirrels had a very busy and rewarding weekend.  Brooke cherished the moment of “meeting our International President, Jackie Brannon Stuts” and she very much enjoyed talking to sisters from other chapters.

     Below: Kate & Brooke with our International President 

 

Our sisters had the glory of walking in a Defeat Diabetes Walk and raising over $5,000 for our philanthropy, as well as celebrating our Foundation’s 50^th anniversary!   Between all the excitement, they also had a chance to explore the city, go sight-seeing and walk to the top of the famous Arch.  

 

In light of bringing home the hardware, Delta Rho was awarded Most Improved Financial Support Over the Biennium and Best Financial Support Over the Biennium from the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation.  One of Kate’s favorite parts of the trip was “accepting the multiple awards we received on behalf of Delta Rho”, an accomplishment that took Brooke by surprise as she realized “we were recognized across the country by many other chapters, and for LIP JAM especially.”

Reflecting back on the weekend, Kate noted that she didn’t expect to have so much in common with every woman she met and loved how relatable the women of International Council were. She said, “they would joke around and truly looked like they were having a good time, it was so inspirational. We really all are sisters first.”

Both Brooke and Kate had a wonderful experience and felt that this was a great opportunity.  Kate left feeling absolutely  "honored to have had the chance to represent our wonderful chapter!" 

xo

Wishing the happiest of birthdays to our newly 21 year olds, Hannah Williams & Erica Fosse!!  Cheers to you ladies! 21 has never looked so good!

xo

HOPE YOU ARE HAVING A FUN SUMMER! WE SURE ARE!

xoxo SS