Through Notes of Belonging, Alpha Chi Omega is highlighting the women and chapters that make up our sisterhood, sharing moments they championed change and embraced their unique identities. Together, we grow in our learning and foster inclusive environments where all members feel a sense of belonging.
That sense of belonging is an inherent part of the Beta Sigma (University of Georgia) chapter experience. The chapter’s vice president diversity, equity and inclusion, Cayce Carmichael Sherer, explains, “We value every voice within our chapter and celebrate differences daily. We invest in each of our members and celebrate their differences from the first day they walk into our doors.”
Beta Sigma chapter members know that intentional efforts are needed to create that environment. Cayce says those efforts begin during the recruitment process, impacting both current members and potential new members. She plans to follow in the footsteps of the previous VP DEI in giving presentations during pre-recruitment activities and focusing on the university’s promotion of a values-based recruitment.
“Throughout our pre-recruitment process and recruitment process, we are very diligent to focus on the heart, personality and ambition of the potential new members,” Cayce says. “This is why I felt an immediate connection to Beta Sigma [during recruitment], because I could tell that the members were not judging me on my outfit or the way that I appeared; they were focused on what I had to say, and why I wanted to say it.”
Beta Sigma continues DEI initiatives throughout the member experience. Some examples have included a presentation and discussion forum about LGBTQ+ topics and experiences, a traditional dance class during Hispanic Heritage Month, and hands-on learning and engagement with the diverse community of Athens, Georgia.
The chapter also recently participated in Kaleidoscope, an Alpha Chi Omega rotational program that focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion, including discussions of unconscious bias, microaggressions, privilege and power. As part of the program, chapter members participate in the chapter perspectives activity, where they hold a mock chapter committee meeting with fictional “sister profiles” that represent different identities and experiences. Together members explore how their chapter can continue to create an inclusive and welcoming experience for all members. Cayce says, “There was a strong sense of appreciation of initiatives that we’ve already enacted because, as a group, we were able to recognize specific situations in which we could enact, morph and specialize some of our current initiatives to be more inclusive for every sister profile.”
Cayce explains that Beta Sigma members appreciate the diverse identities of their sisters, being intentional not to tokenize them. Ultimately, this appreciation allows the chapter to focus on an experience rooted in Alpha Chi Omega’s membership standards and sisterhood. “I have found that this offers the chance to appreciate and celebrate the unique identities and experiences that are found in this chapter,” Cayce says, “rather than focusing on and being divided by the differences in our chapter.”
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