Alpha Chi Omega volunteers are the heartbeat of the Fraternity. From building connections with members to mentoring fellow alumnae to creating everlasting experiences, our volunteers are doing life-changing work.
One of our largest groups of volunteers is made up of those who support collegiate chapters as advisors. We have more than 1,600 alumnae serving nationwide on advisory boards (and we are always recruiting more!). They serve in various roles, such as chapter advisor, philanthropy advisor and finance advisor, to name a few. There is truly a role to match any skills or interests you may have.
One long-term Alpha Chi Omega volunteer who has given countless hours to the Fraternity is Liz Smith (Pi, University of California, Berkeley). Liz serves as Pi’s co-chapter advisor, recruitment and recruitment information advisor, and as a National Panhellenic Conference release figure method specialist. We asked Liz to share with us about her volunteer experience and how it has impacted her life. You can also see Liz’s experience highlighted in the winter edition of The Lyre.
What does Alpha Chi Omega mean to you? why do you choose to remain involved with the organization?
Alpha Chi means the world to me. It captured my heart from the first day of recruitment in 1983 and has remained there ever since. Alpha Chi means my best friends. Alpha Chi means leadership opportunities (for life). Alpha Chi means a sisterhood that stretches across time and across the country. Alpha Chi means caring and love and resources to help every collegiate Alpha Chi become the very best version of herself – in a safe, supportive environment.
Joining Alpha Chi Omega put me on a journey that not only fulfilled my desire for meaningful friendships and leadership opportunities but also allowed me to grow personally, academically and socially. It enriched my college experience in immeasurable ways. (Shout out to my Back Five Besties and to the member class of 1983!) The leadership experiences I had and skills I honed leading 150 fellow Alpha Chis through recruitment and as chapter president were invaluable in my career success from the start.
Through my continued volunteer involvement, Alpha Chi has introduced me to so many new, amazing, real, strong women – collegians and alumnae alike – many of whom are now cherished friends and many of whom helped me to continue to stay curious and to learn and grow throughout my life.
Today, Alpha Chi means more than what it has done for me and what it has brought to my life. It means everything it has done for the women I have had the pleasure to mentor and advise over decades. Their growth, strength, confidence, innovation, empowerment – that they will carry forward into their futures, with their sisters by their side.
What have you learned from your experience serving as a chapter advisor?
I have learned so much over the years – and continue to learn every day. I have learned that mentorship is needed and appreciated by young women. Having someone to reach out to who will listen, empower, collaborate, offer a resource or just cheer them on is so valuable to our young collegians, even if they don’t know how to ask for help.
I’ve learned that advising isn’t one size fits all. There are different ways to be a mentor, and all are valid. My approach changes with each vice president I work with. I look to encourage their strengths and then help complement those strengths with growth in other leadership areas. It brings me great joy to see a new officer blossom into a confident, well-rounded leader.
How did you become involved as an Alpha Chi Omega volunteer?
The beloved Jo Sicking Hurley (Phi ’57) was my chapter advisor when I was president of Pi chapter in 1986. Barbara Cattolica (Pi ’67) was retiring as Pi’s long-standing recruitment advisor two years after I graduated. Barbara was Pi’s very own computer, before PCs existed. She calculated recruitment statistics in her head to help the recruitment team focus on meaningful membership discussions. She was a powerhouse, and every recruitment team felt lucky to have her in their corner. Jo Hurley called me and said that I needed to be Pi’s new recruitment advisor, and there is no saying no to Jo!
I jumped at the chance to be the advisor that those advisors had been to me. To be a trusted resource, a mentor, a champion for young women. To be there to listen, to encourage, to empower, to help young leaders polish their leadership skills, strengthen their emotional intelligence and help Pi thrive. And I have enjoyed doing just that for decades.
I am also grateful that Alpha Chi Omega staff have called over the years to tap me for new opportunities to support Alpha Chi in national volunteer roles and with NPC. I’ve helped with chapter establishments and on recruitment task forces. And most recently, I became an RFM specialist with NPC, where I have the pleasure of working alongside three other Alpha Chi specialists as well as women from all 26 NPC organizations.
What is your favorite part of serving as a collegiate advisor? What feels the most challenging?
My favorite part is working directly with young collegiate leaders. I have always been a champion for young women – in high school, through Alpha Chi in college, and in my advertising and marketing career. Year after year, as an advisor, I get to watch young leaders grow into their roles, figure out solutions to tough issues, and drive success for the chapter. I get to watch as their skill levels grow, as their confidence grows, as they grow as humans. I appreciate being challenged by the new thinking they bring, the new approaches to old and new problems they undertake. I appreciate that they keep me young – in thought and spirit. To get to play a part in their development and provide vital support that helps them stay resilient through the long process of recruitment planning, training and execution is one of the great joys in my life.
The most challenging but necessary part is adapting to new vice presidents, making sure to understand their goals, where their skill level is and how to be most helpful to them in the new year. I try to make sure to stop and have that conversation at the start of the year, before jumping into annual planning.
What advice would you give to an alumna who is ready to volunteer for the first time?
I would say “Dive in!” Volunteering with Alpha Chi is so rewarding. Think about what you are passionate about, how much time you have, how you’d like to make an impact, and if you’d rather work with collegians or alumnae. Once you’ve defined some of the parameters of how you’d like to volunteer, check out the volunteer information on the Alpha Chi Omega website. Reach out and share your name for consideration and to find out more. There are certain roles that take more time, and others that take less time. You can choose a role that best suits you to start.
How do you balance your volunteer roles and other competing priorities?
That’s a great question. I tend to be an all-in kind of person but do balance volunteering with work and personal life. I find that is doable as I ensure I carve out time in the weeks recruitment will be busy. I can set boundaries with collegians on when I can be most responsive and other times that I will be less accessible. I stay up to speed and make use of resources and subject matter experts provided by Alpha Chi Omega. My friends and family also know that the end of August is recruitment time. (My appendix, however, did not get that memo this year!)
Which skills do you think are most important to utilize in your role as chapter advisor?
So many important everyday skills to use and flex as an advisor. These include good listening skills, relationship-building skills, patience, resilience, teaching rather than doing, empowering, asking good questions, being a strong role model, being authentic and honest, being appreciative of all the hard work collegian leaders give to the chapter and truly caring.
Why should alumnae become volunteers for Alpha Chi Omega?
Alpha Chi Omega made my collegiate experience at University of California, Berkeley so much richer and more fulfilling. (While I majored in English, my Alpha Chi friends will tell you I minored in sorority.) Becoming an alumna volunteer has continued to enrich my life in many ways. It teaches me new skills and new ways of thinking. It’s introduced me to so many Alpha Chis I would not have met in the normal course of my life. It’s allowed me to make a positive impact on the lives of other Alpha Chis and especially the women of Pi chapter.
Getting involved as a volunteer can bring you this further enrichment as well, and introduce you to women – younger and older – who will make you proud to call yourself an Alpha Chi.
raise your hand to volunteer!
Did learning more about Liz’s volunteer experience inspire you to get involved? There are numerous roles across the country where we are actively seeking alumnae to serve! Raise your hand and share your volunteer interest by logging in to My Alpha Chi, selecting “Profile” and then the “Volunteer Interest” tab. Fill out the Volunteer Interest Form to get started! Need additional help getting started? Email the volunteer inbox.
