By Claire Creighton (Iota Rho, Loyola University Chicago)
No one understands you quite like your sisters. Sisterhood is a shared experience driven by common values and mutual understanding of goals. As a traveling chapter consultant for Alpha Chi Omega, you are part of a unique sisterhood. Only the women who have been in your shoes and who are running alongside you understand what it means to be a chapter consultant. Your fellow consultants understand the excitement of traveling to a new place, the thrill of recruitment, and the pride and overwhelming joy you feel again and again on Bid Day. The sisterhood of the traveling consultants is special – one where you have the space to learn and grow independently and where you are never alone.
Sisterhood is not confined to your collegiate years. On the contrary, sisterhood is just blossoming in your collegiate years and flourishes after graduation as you are able to see the vast reach of Alpha Chi Omega. I felt instant comfort and connection knowing I was not beginning my first chapter after graduation alone. As a chapter consultant, I have deepened and expanded my bonds of sisterhood. The extensive network of real, strong women means I am never far from a place to do laundry or get a home-cooked meal. The relationships I’ve formed during my time as a consultant will last well beyond my time on the team. The opportunity to be a chapter consultant is fleeting, but the memories will last a lifetime.
I did not know I would find myself working for Alpha Chi Omega less than a year after completing my collegiate experience. I enjoyed my time in my chapter, and it was bittersweet to leave the people I had called home for the last three and a half years. My time as a collegian shaped me and is the reason I can confidently say I am a real, strong woman today. I knew I wanted other young women with the qualities of an Alpha Chi Omega to experience our empowering sisterhood. I never imagined I could impact the lives of hundreds of women in such a short period of time. The chapter consultant role allowed me to do just that. I can still remember the exact moment I knew I would call Alpha Chi Omega home, and I now get to experience that moment alongside the thousands of new members we welcome each year.
The experience of serving as a chapter consultant is like no other. It fosters independence, creativity, awareness and responsibility. Being a chapter consultant drives personal and professional growth and has helped me to refine my interpersonal skills. This role has allowed me to strengthen my communication skills and practice patience and adaptability. While on the road, many factors are out of my control, but this experience has honed my leadership skills and the things I can control. And a sister to lean on is only a phone call away.
Here is just a little glimpse into the experience of a traveling chapter consultant:
Suitcase in tow and nametag pinned tight,
I stand facing the door, the shade of red is just right.
I ring the bell and admire the house,
A structure I never had, but the feeling of home I always felt.
Unfamiliar faces welcome me at the door,
But they’re not strangers, they’re sisters, for now and forever more.
As I’m greeted by smiles and hugs and waves,
I take it all in, although it’s just another day,
Another day in the life of a traveling chapter consultant,
New faces and new places, but the same 10 outfits.
My time with a chapter may be long or quick,
But the memories and meals shared are sure to stick.
I thought sisterhood was what I experienced in my four years,
I didn’t know these same songs could still elicit joyful tears.
Just like my collegiate days, consulting will come to an end,
But I’ve gained so much more than 15 new friends.
I’ve traveled, I’ve learned, I’ve experienced so much.
This opportunity has taught me I will always be enough.
I am forever grateful for the seven women who paved the way,
And the chapter consultants who visited me, even for just a day.
Sisterhood is redefined in each phase of your lifelong Alpha Chi Omega experience, and that’s the beauty of it. In the chapter consultant role, the definition of sisterhood as I knew it was expanded beyond my imagination. Although I may be traveling independently, I am far from alone. Alongside the professional skills I have gained, I have added hundreds more sisters to my personal bond book. Not only have I maintained the strong relationships from my collegiate years, I have cultivated new ones with my fellow consultants and the sisters I meet on the road each day.
It has been personally rewarding to be a crucial part of Alpha Chi Omega’s collegiate experience and chapter growth. The opportunity to share in the sisterhood of the chapter consultants only comes once in a lifetime. Consider applying to join our team of chapter consultants and experience all that this role and our sisterhood have to offer.