On this episode, Kelly is joined by the collegiate services team: Tess Tedrick, Theta Gamma, Assistant Director of Collegiate Services; Jen Akright, HH, Collegiate Recruitment Coordinator; and, Sarah Morrison, EE, Collegiate Experience Coordinator.
On this episode, Kelly is joined by the collegiate services team: Tess Tedrick, Theta Gamma, Assistant Director of Collegiate Services; Jen Akright, HH, Collegiate Recruitment Coordinator; and, Sarah Morrison, EE, Collegiate Experience Coordinator.
Disclaimer: This transcript was developed with an automated transcription program, spelling and grammar errors may occur.
Kelly
Welcome to the Alpha Connect sisterhood series podcast. I'm your host Kelly McGinnis Beck, national president. This podcast is all about sharing the stories of our members and our connection through Alpha Sigma Alpha. Thank you for joining us today. Welcome to the podcast Sarah, Jen and Tess.
Tess
Hello. Thanks for having us.
Kelly
So I'm excited to continue our national headquarters series, everybody gets a chance to learn a little bit more about our staff. So I'm gonna have each of you introduce yourself, say who you are, what your title is, and how long you've been on staff and then we'll dive in. So Tess, you want to start?
Tess
Alright, so my name is Tess Tedrick. I am the assistant director of collegiate services for Alpha Sigma Alpha. I have been on staff since January 2019. But I was also a leadership consultant from 2016 to 2017.
Kelly
All right.
Jen
I'm Jen. I'm the collegiate recruitment coordinator. I joined staff as a leadership consultant in 2016. And I've been here ever since I moved more full time onto staff in 2018. After a year and a half traveling.
Kelly
You traveled and then came immediately on staff?
Jen
Yep, a year and a half. So I started my second year and then ended up moving to Indy staff at that time.
Kelly
Got it. And Tess, you started and took a job and then came back?
Tess
And then came back, yes.
Kelly
And Sarah is our newest member.
Sarah
Yes, the newest employee. I'm Sarah Morrison, the collegiate experience coordinator. I just joined staff March 1 of this year, so I just passed my 90 days.
Kelly
Nothing like joining in the middle of COVID.
Sarah
Yeah. And moving in the middle of COVID.
Kelly
That's true, too. All right. Um, so why don't we start like we do for everybody, I'm gonna have each of you tell your Alpha Sigma Alpha story, how did you become a member, make sure you share your chapter name and school. So who wants to start?
Jen
I don't mind. Um, so this. So I actually had a pretty traditional joining. I attended school at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. That's our Eta Eta chapter. And I actually joined through formal recruitment of my freshman year. I wasn't quite sure about joining a sorority or not, none of my family was a part of the fraternal world. And I just kind of went into it with open eyes, I had a roommate who had a sister who was in a sorority at another school. And so that was kind of the, let's try it out. I've always been one to just sort of try things out and see how it goes. And the idea of meeting new people was definitely fun and staying involved was something that I always did throughout high school and things like that. So that's kind of why I chose to go through recruitment. Going through recruitment was tough. Formal recruitment, that was tough. But I felt every single time that I went to mi Alpha Sigma Alpha, I felt very welcomed and very at home, and it was, it was very much a homey feeling. At Pittsburg State. We have sorority houses, but they're like single family homes. So it feels definitely like you're sitting in someone's living room when you're sitting in the formal room. So I think, yeah, everyone was just super welcoming. And it felt real and natural. And yeah, I chose to join Alpha Sigma Alpha. So then I was a member for five years in college. I come from a family with three sisters, three biological sisters. So coming to college, I lived in the dorms my freshman year, and then I moved into the sorority house immediately. And I lived there for four years. So for years, I've always been surrounded by women my whole life. And so it just felt really normal and natural again, like this is my normal state, I guess, Yeah.
Kelly
So you knew about sorority coming into college?
Jen
Yes. through others. Not really directly.
Kelly
Okay, but then if I remember correctly at Pittsburg, they do formal recruitment before school starts.
Jen
Yes, yeah. So you have to you have to move to Pittsburg a week early before school starts. And then you're doing that, um, it was definitely really tough. My freshman year of college I didn't have a car. Pittsburg pretty small but not too small. So there were definitely some times where they were like, oh, we're all gonna go out to eat at this place for you know, our new our potential new member group. And I was just like, I don't even know where that is. And they were like, Okay, if you see this, you've gone too far. And then like, growing like learning Pittsburg, I realized it was like 10 miles away and it's like, I'm not walking that. So that was, yeah. Going Down early was definitely tough because you kind of go down, you don't know a ton of people, you're kind of you kind of have this thing of like, we're all friends now, because we kind of have to be because none of us really have friends. But it's still it's still a little weird. Still a little nervous to ask people for rides and places and things like that. But eventually, eventually, I got over that and definitely found, found my core group.
Kelly
Cool. Who wants to go next?
Sarah
I can go next because my chapter is actually not too far from Jen's. I am from the Epsilon Epsilon chapter at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas. I was a member there from 2010 through 2014. So my story of joining, actually transferred to Emporia from a community college so I was really wanting to get involved, just because as a community college student, you know, it's mostly like a commuter school. It's just go to class, go home. And so at Emporia State, there was actually a Lead Institute in July, sometime before the school year started, that I went down for, and I met a bunch of people and a lot of the small group facilitators were women from sororities. And so I was able to kind of make bonds with them before recruitment. And a lot of them were from Alpha Sigma Alpha. And so then, when it came time for formal recruitment, which was actually during the first week of school, which was very hectic,
Kelly
So you were alrady at school? So Jen went a week before school started, you went first week of school?
Sarah
Yeah, so it was like go to class all day, and then go to round one next day, go to class go to round two. But it was really awesome, because I got to walk in and like people recognize me from that Lead Institute. And they were like, Oh, it's Sarah, you know. And so I felt very much at home, like they had remembered my name, they were excited to see me again. And so it just kind of clicked with me that those were the people that I really felt like I belonged with. And so that's why I joined Alpha Sigma Alpha.
Kelly
Awesome. So Tess did you also go through formal recruitment?
Tess
I did, but I did it twice.
Kelly
Oh, do tell!
Tess
I did. So um, I went to Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia, they have deferred recruitment. So that spring semester, during that time, my first freshman year I went through pretty much right up until preference, and then I lost my voice. And so during that process, I felt like I couldn't communicate very well and during that last round, I was like, You know what, I can't feel like I can't communicate to the women, it's that maybe best for me to take a step back and try again. So after that time, all my friends coincidentally went to Alpha Sigma Alpha my freshman year, so that was kind of funny how that worked out. So take two, my spring, sophomore year I went through again, at that point in time, I kind of had a feeling that I really got along with a lot of the women in Alpha Sigma Alpha. But I think something that really like sealed the deal for me with the women of Theta Gamma was it was the very first round of recruitment and I found myself dancing with the person I was talking to you just very, like casually, very fun, cool song came on. And it just felt very right and natural. For people who knew me maybe like before that time, I was very shy, very reserved, still kind of am. But for me realizing that in that space, even though I didn't know everybody, I felt comfortable enough to be my authentic self. That was a big realization from me. I can learn here I can grow here. And I feel comfortable in this space in this sisterhood. So after that, it just, everything fell into place and I joined Alpha Sigma Alpha
Kelly
So you liked formal recruitment so much you did it twice.
Tess
It was a process, that's for sure. But definitely worked out for the better.
Kelly
Oh, awesome. What fun stories. So let's talk a little bit about what it's like to work at national headquarters. Tell everybody a little bit about you know, what is what is your each of your jobs entail? Like what is it that you're doing day in and day out? Who wants to start?
Tess
Sure, so I can go ahead and kick it off. So as the assistant director of collegiate services, I oversee our extension efforts. So that is growth for new campuses, as well as new chapters. So that kind of ebbs and flows with the school year and kind of depending on what opportunities are available. I also oversee our leadership consultant program so I get to work with our leadership consult. So from hiring to training to kind of running the program throughout the school year by one on one calls or just like team huddles, things along those lines. Another piece that I do in my job is I serve as our Chief Panhellenic. Officer. So what that really means for Alpha Sigma Alpha, is I liaison with the other NPC sororities and kind of represent Alpha Sigma Alpha to kind of other staff typically, in regards to collegiate services, so kind of always constantly communicating with them, building relationships, and a lot of liaising.
Kelly
A lot of dealing with campus issues, al lthose fun things.
Tess
All the sex of things. Yeah. So pretty much day to day it's meetings, connecting with other people and working towards common goals or projects.
Kelly
And so what was it that drew you to wanting to come back to Indianapolis from Virginia and work at headquarters?
Tess
Sure. So, I originally before I was assistant director of collegiate services, I served as a collegiate recruitment coordinator. And so in that role it's very focused on extension. I love growth, I think it's really cool. Especially at Christopher Newport University, I saw a lot of growth as a college student, we had two IFC groups came on, two NPC groups and two NPHC groups that came on.
Kelly
Oh you had a lot of growth.
Tess
We had a lot on that campus. And so that always like sparked my interest in the process. And seeing it is different for each organization and kind of seeing that and watching that unfold in my undergrad experience definitely led me to have that interest professionally.
Kelly
And made you, you loved it enough that you came and moved to Indianapolis?
Tess
Yes. Absolutely.
Kelly
Awesome. Jen, how about you?
Tess
Yeah, so as the collegiate recruitment coordinator, I do a lot of things collegiate recruitment. That's really what it is, collegiate recruitment, a little bit of retention, a little bit of marketing, that's sort of what we're diving into now. Um, so for the most part, I do a lot of education support. So any of the big growth focus programs that we have for our collegiate students, that's sort of what I'm heading up. I also do chapter support. So specifically with our chapters who are needing a little bit more one on one attention, or have that growth potential there, I do a lot of work with those chapters individually. So I get to actually be on like, zoom calls with chapters and officers and recruitment committees and things like that. I also manage a lot of volunteers, so any of our volunteers who are related to recruitment, that is me. So I do all of their onboarding and continued training, and just continued support overall. That's sort of the synopsis of my job, I like to tell, because I do a lot of recruitment education. I like to tell strangers that my job is teaching college women how to make friends. That's what I found is the best wayto sort of sum it up.
Jen
Definitely. Well, and I assume since you traveled as a consultant, you know, you're already familiar with Indy, and you just kept it ongoing.
Jen
Oh, yes, love, love Indy. So I'm originally from Kansas City, and Indianapolis is very similar, very comparable. So it just, it just seemed to make sense. Really love to the area loved working for the sorority and being involved in all of this, in college sorority was my favorite thing. And so that's kind of why I wanted to make it a part, more a larger part of my life with exploring a job.
Kelly
Awesome. This is Sarah, the newest member. So tell us your role. And you've come from Kansas. Did you move from Kansas?
Sarah
Yes, I'm from Kansas, close from where Jen was from we actually went to the same high school.
Kelly
You didn't go to like cross paths in the hallway?
Jen
Yeah, we're a few years different and our high school was like 15 to 1500 to 2000 students. So there's definitely a lot of people that you go to school with that you don't really know. But yeah, never really crossed paths. But that's fun fact.
Sarah
It was a nice though, because I was able to talk to Jen before I moved here about what the area was like. And she was able to kind of conceptualize it for me compared to where we came from. So like this area where you're going to live is really similar to this area in Kansas. And so it made me a little bit less scared.
Kelly
Tell us about your role. What are you focused on?
Sarah
Yes. So as collegiate experience coordinator, I have a lot of different things. I provide chapter support in the areas of academics, as well as service and giving. And then I also deal with discipline chapters. So that takes up a large part of my day or my week is if we get reports from universities or members saying potential issues at chapters, then I'll have to kind of do some digging, make some phone calls, see what's going on, and then figure out how national headquarters can best support that chapter moving forward to make sure that they are doing everything right.
Kelly
Giving you some love. Yes, nudging. Now, if I remember correctly, you worked on a college campus before this?
Sarah
No, I was actually an advisor for the Theta Omicron Chapter at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Prior to that I was actually in law school.
Kelly
So thinking about that component, so law school brought you to Alpha Sigma Alpha.
Sarah
Yes, in a weird way, I guess I'm similar to Jen, when I was in college, the sorority was kind of my favorite thing. I served as the housing chairman and the president during that time. And I just absolutely loved it, I made my lifelong friends still to this day are from the chapter. And then I kind of took a break to go to law school, I didn't really participate as an alum or do anything like that. But then, towards the end of law school, I got interested in volunteering. And so that's kind of what brought me to being the social responsibility advisor at Theta Omicron Chapter.
Kelly
Got it.
Sarah
And I was during that time searching for a job, kind of in the legal area. But I would always tell my dad, like, I wish I could just get paid to be an advisor for this chapter, I love being able to just kind of work with the collegiate members, and bond with them and kind of help them to grow and develop as young women, young professionals, was just a huge passion of mine. So when I saw that this job was open, I applied for it. And I just still feel really lucky that I got the position. And I'm really excited to be able to continue my work with collegiate members all across the nation, so.
Kelly
Awesome. So Tess, you kind of you know, you left from being a consultant and then came back on staff, what did you do in that period of time?
Tess
Yeah. So I moved back home to Fairfax, Virginia, and I worked at George Mason University.
Kelly
You're the one I'm thinking of!
Tess
Yeah, so I worked at George Mason University for a little bit, I worked in on the department level in the Department of Economics. I oversaw, I was a grad program assistant. So I helped with marketing and I also advised our like, accelerated masters students.
Kelly
Got it. I knew somewhere there was somebody that was on a college campus couldn't remember. So what's the most interesting part of your day? And I realize every day probably looks different. But if you had to think about like, what is the, what are the things that are the most fun or the most interesting and unique that somebody would be interested in, in milling about? basting here, very pensive, and thinking,
Jen
I, like I said, I describe my job is teaching college aged women how to make friends. And so I get to take advantage of a lot of resources for individuals. And not only do I get to, like, get that for myself, but I also get to get it for my job, right. So I'm like, especially right now, with webinars being such a big thing in the virtual world. I feel like I'm always on webinars about like, how to make friends, how to connect with people how to connect deeper, things like that. So I think learning like the psychology behind connection and things like that, that's probably one of my favorite pieces. And like how women connect and why women connect and all that good stuff.
Kelly
And then you layer on it a global pandemic, where you can't do it in person. That's a whole other layer of figuring out how to connect.
Jen
Yeah, fun story with that, actually, I have a cousin who went to, did recruitment during the pandemic at Central Florida I believe so. Central Florida, and she, we were kind of calling every night and she was telling me about recruitment and how it was going. And I was kind of trying to give her advice from the professional side of it. Um, and she kept saying, like, I don't know, it's just so hard to like, meet people because everyone's like, in their rooms and so I like right in that moment, tried to run through a few different ideas of what she could do to kind of like, meet the other women going through recruitment and in her dorm room and things like things like that. And that next morning, I actually came in and created a resource of how to meet people in the COVID-19 world for recruitment, reimagined. And yeah, so a lot of those people conversations that I have do really translate over to my job. I
Kelly
t's funny because I say the opposite. Like the interactions I have from sorority and especially serving on national council of the board, I often bring them back with me into the workplace, because I'll see that correlation go backwards as well as forwards and I'll be like, Oh, yeah, we talked about this at the board meeting. I was like, we aren't talking about this at work and how this works and that everything is kind of interwoven.
Jen
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
Kelly
Sara, what about you?
Sarah
I think the most interesting thing is just kind of learning how every chapter is unique and different in its own way. That at Epsilon Epsilon Chapter, we had a house that was able to fit all of our chapter members. And so that experience was very different than a lot of our chapters that don't have houses or have smaller houses. And so just kind of, and not only that, but learning about the current collegiate members, I have to remind myself that I'm no longer college age. Being able to kind of see their experience through their eyes, and maybe why they're doing the things that they're doing so that I can provide the best support for them has been really, I think, interesting. And something that I've enjoyed so far.
Kelly
Cool. Tess, what about you?
Tess
I would have to say I, the most interesting thing about my job is the collaboration piece, I think, like ultimately, we have an end goal of developing women of poise and purpose. And there's a lot of ways to get there. So whenever we have a challenge, come up, it's involving those different stakeholders, finding a creative solution to kind of get to that end goal. And I really love that about my job. And I think it's so interesting how all the pieces fit together and able to be a part of that solution and that growth.
Kelly
Definitely talk a little bit about what, what NPC is like, from your lens.
Tess
Yes, so I, from my lens about NPC, I think it's cool, because we're all these different member organizations, and we become familiar with how our own organization is run. But everybody does things a little bit differently. But it's really cool to be able to have common experiences because like I said, like our goal, developing women poise and purpose, but other member, other member organizations have other goals that they're working for similar a lot of membership growth, you know, personal growth, professional growth, things along those lines, but all working towards those goals. And then collectively, together, we're able to meet, collaborate with each other, have good conversations about the future of sorority and what that's going to look like and what kind of membership experience we want to give current college students.
Kelly
And then I imagine all of you are in some level interacting with fraternity sorority advisors on our campuses, as well as our own Alpha Sigma Alpha advisors as well to kind of guide those chapters.
Sarah
Yes, definitely.
Jen
It's kind of funny, because the fraternity sorority world professionally is rather small, in a way, you know, everyone seems to know, everyone, there's, there's always connections to be made. And so each time that you get to speak to a fraternity sorority advisor, or another campus professional, you, you often see them the next year at a conference or something like that so or know someone who went to graduate school with them or something like that. So it's a fun way to to connect with people, professionally, also to talk to fraternity sorority advisors,
Kelly
And get their take, you know, from their perspective of being on a campus and seeing not just our chapter, but all the other chapters on that campus. And it's interesting to see kind of, I think, to your point, like every chapter of ours is different, but every campus culture is different, right? And what works on one doesn't necessarily work on another. And so figuring out what those look like has to be an interesting part of all of your jobs, I imagine.
Sarah
Yeah, I think in my role, something that I always ask is, if a chapter is potentially struggling, maybe with like, partying, for example, ask, well, what's the university atmosphere like? Because a lot of the times, it'll be that the entire sorority fraternity system is maybe struggling with the same thing. And so I have to talk with that fraternity sorority advisor to gauge at that particular campus, what's going on, and then how I can best help that chapter, knowing what that atmosphere is like,
Kelly
Yeah, because, you know, in college, peer pressure is a real thing. Right? And you want to fit in. And so figuring your way through all of that tends to I think, also be a challenge and some of our chapters are in very remote areas. So finding things to do sometimes can be a challenge. So what has been one of the most surprising things to each of you as you came on to staff and has been working at the headquarters office? I stumped them.
Tess
That's a good question. I think,
Kelly
Was it everything you expect? Or is there something surprising?
Tess
I think as a leadership consultant, I came in with a very open mind knowing that like my experience is going to be very different from any other chapter I visit or work with just because that's the nature of a national organization. So I can't say anything like surprised to me. I think it's interesting learning about different chapter cultures and how that all fits into the piece of our greater identity. And I think that's really cool. But nothing terribly surprising. I would say, I don't know about you guys.
Jen
I think there's a certain level that I don't think everyone expects of, it is still a job, you know, where the, where many of us are still a part of this member organization, or you know, a similar one, it is still a job that we have to do. So it's not necessarily like being a chapter president or something like that. And I think that's something that not everyone sees that way, necessarily, or understands, really, that it is that way. I think that is something that it just kind of throws everyone for a loop at first. Because Yeah, there's there's like a strange mix of this is a job and oh, we are a part of the same member organization.
Kelly
Right, like, you're a member, You're also you work on staff. And so sometimes you have to separate those two identities, which is not easy to do.
Jen
Yeah, definitely. Definitely.
Kelly
Yeah, absolutely.
Sarah
I would say I've been most surprised just by like the passion of our volunteers and being able to rely on them when I need their support for chapters. I've already met so many amazing people and gotten to speak with them via zoom, since it's COVID. But just knowing how many people are out there, that are just as passionate about the organization, as I am has just been amazing. And to be able to make those connections and know that all of our chapters have such amazing support out there has been really awesome.
Kelly
What is the first thing you're looking forward to when we start having events? Again, like in person events, like the academy or convention next summer? Or what is like, what are you looking forward to when those start to come back?
Jen
The last convention that I went to, was the last convention that we had in person, Phoenix. And that was really cool. I was I was on staff. And I saw a lot of people who I haven't seen in a very long time. And it was a really good excuse to get together with people that you haven't seen in a really long time. Or, you know, oh, we have this, we have this group from back when and then this group, and then this group. And so throughout your life, the different or throughout your Alpha Sigma Alpha experience, you get to interact with different groups of women. And so seeing a bunch of them come together all at once is really cool, too. And to be able to see everyone that you haven't seen in three years or something like that,
Kelly
Oh my gosh, yeah.
Sarah
Yeah, I think for me, it's just gonna be interesting to see how the event is being on the staff side now. So I've been to two national conventions as a collegiate member and I participated in district days, is what it was called at the time, and Leadership Development Institute. So I think it'll just be interesting to kind of be on that other side of things.
Kelly
So I'm sure they will tell you, you'll have lots of early mornings. Lots of behind the scenes stuff. It's a very different experience to be at convention as a staff member than it is to be as a collegian or a volunteer.
Jen
It is a job.
Kelly
The job kicks in, right, like that's really hard. Like, you just can't go hang out with that person. Cuz you're like, I have to go set this room up for the next event. I'll come see you later.
Kelly
Tess what about you?
Tess
I would have to say just the general excitement around it. I think getting together is just very exciting. We've, in general, even before COVID, right? But now, more so than ever. From just like like kind of Jen mentioned rekindling those friendships or even, I'm thinking back to LDI dance parties. Putting Lizzo up on the speakers with Tina, you know, I just enjoying that and enjoying time with each other. And just that general excitement.
Kelly
It would be good to be in person again soon, certainly. Alright, so before we get to our rapid fire questions, I've got one more as you think about, you know, our collegiate women are home for the summer. We're gonna get you know, you guys get a little bit of a break. I say that a little bit. It's not like you don't still have work, but you certainly don't have the volume that you have when our collegiate students are on campus. What are some like what is your one hope or goal for the next school year? Don't you wish I would have told you these in advance, but you know, it just popped in my head.
Sarah
I think for The Collegiate members to have a good transition from a COVID year to a non COVID year and to take advantage of whatever that means, but in a safe and responsible manner, and not to just go crazy now that they're able to do everything again, but also not to continue kind of isolating the same way that they were during COVID, I think would be really nice to see just a smooth transition.
Kelly
Yeah, it'll be interesting to see how they transition back to campus. That's a good point.
Tess
Yeah, I was actually talking to one of the vendors that we work with frequently, Tina Vansteenbergen. And one of the things that we were talking about was, how in this last year and a half with the pandemic, and all of that nonsense, small talk has become way less of a thing. When we're gathering we're gathering with, usually a defined purpose. And that's kind of how we've also guided our chapters is that if you are gathering, make sure everyone knows why and what what you're doing there. So you're not just there. And that has cut out a lot of small talk and allowed us to get much deeper with one another. And so I really hope that we continue that not just with our sorority women, but man the world in general, like, let's let Yeah, yeah, let's quit with the small talk and actually get to the deep stuff.
Kelly
Okay, good.
Tess
I think my hope for this coming school year was, would be to, like, continue to have this culture of change. So this last year, man, did we recreate what sorority looked like, right?
Kelly
Yeah, you all recreated everything,
Tess
Like from virtual recruitment? Who would have dreamed of that before? Right. And I think we saw some really good pieces of, of what came out of what happened last year. And we were able to reimagine what sorority looks like to create a better experience. And I think that's what I'm excited for next year is to continue to see that change. And to see just that continual improvement and making things better.
Kelly
Yeah, I mean, what an experience to go through a formal recruitment process virtually. Right? Like, just something, I think no one ever thought of Yeah,
Jen
It's definitely we definitely saw a lot of benefits with it. I mean, benefits from COVID-19 are few and far between. But one of the big ones that we saw was, the chapters who were really themselves did a way better job because it wasn't about the frills or the songs or anything like that. It was about who we are as people, and the chapters that really embrace that did a really, really great job with recruitment. Yeah, so you've definitely made recruitment better.
Kelly
Yeah. And to your point earlier, you got past kind of the superficial, What's your major? Where are you from and had to move really quickly into deeper conversations to figure out like, is this am I gonna have a connection? And I got to figure out if I have that connection over a computer screen? Which is different. I mean, at least we have a computer screen. You know, I'm not sure you could do it exclusively by telephone or FaceTime, or anything like that.
Jen
Yeah, we're lucky The world is where it's at Tech, technology wise. That definitely helped us out this last year.
Kelly
That digital piece certainly helps. Well, fun. All right. Well, I've got some rapid fire questions for you guys. Some of them require, you know, a minute or two of thought we're looking for first thing that comes to mind. So these are ones that we did with National Council. So just a fun way for people to get to know some other fun facts about each of you. So you ready to start?
Sarah
Are we all gonna answer the same one at the same time?
Kelly
No, not at the same time. Everybody, but yes, I'd love for all three of you.
Kelly
So first question, you can go whoever wants to go first can go window or aisle seat?
Sarah
Window.
Tess
Window
Jen
Window.
Jen
All right. Well, good. I will sit next to all of you on the airplane because I like the aisle. What's the song you know all the words to?
Sarah
Every Sam Smith song?
Tess
Every Taylor Swift song.
Jen
You spin me right round.
Kelly
What is something most people don't know about you?
Sarah
My go to answer is that I got bit by a Copperhead snake. Yes, during Habitat for Humanity. I went to Alabama to build houses and on our day off we went to the botanical gardens and as sorority girls, we thought we should go off the beaten path because there was a canoe and we needed to take a picture with it. Because that's what sorority girls do. And I was the fortunate one to get bit by a Copperhead snake.
Kelly
Rushed to the hospital?
Sarah
Yes, yes. antivenom and everything so that will be an experience I will never forget.
Kelly
No kidding. Wow. Can you follow that?
Tess
No.
Jen
I really I mean to kind of going on the last one I really love old music I listened to like 70s and like disco all the time.
Kelly
I now feel old.
Jen
Sorry.
Kelly
I'm sure there are a lot older than I am who will feel even older.
Tess
I think an interesting thing about me is I met my fiance in Alpha Sigma Alpha's mailroom.
Jen
This is true, I was there, this is true.
Tess
Jen was present, yep. So he was a consultant for Lambda Chi Alpha. And we're together.
Jen
We had a we had a leadership consultant barbecue. So all of the leadership consultants from the other organizations were invited and a lot of headquarters are here in Indy.
Tess
And so we were giving tours and then I met him in the mailroom
Kelly
So I just assumed you had known him in college. So you met him as a consultant. You guys moved to Virginia, and then you moved back to Indy.
Tess
Yes, it's been a wild ride.
Kelly
Wow. Fascinating. All right. This one's easier, salty, or sweet?
Tess
Sweet.
Jen
Salty.
Sarah
I mean, when you're like eating something sweet, then you're like, I need some salty now.
Kelly
I'm the other way around if I eat it, salt, salty then I need something Sweet. Alright, what's your biggest pet peeve?
Jen
Oh, my goodness. I've got the greatest one. Okay, as a leadership consultant. During non COVID times, We were traveling a lot, you know, airport every week. And one of my biggest pet peeves is the people that stand like touching the luggage carousel. It's like, if everyone took two steps back, you would all get your luggage all at the same time. But no we gotta be so selfish, and stand right there to the point where knees are touching it. It's that's my biggest pet peeve. Absolutely. I just got real heated.
Sarah
Good things we're not having any events soon.
Tess
Um, I would have to say one of my biggest pet peeves is as a quality time person. I hate when people are on their phones when we're spending time together. That is a big pet peeve of mine. I want to be present in the moment. So let's get off technology.
Kelly
Yeah. becomes more and more today. My goodness.
Sarah
I would say mine is being rushed. I do not like that. Because then I get frazzled and I start sweating. And then it's just going to take me longer in the end.
Kelly
All right. What is your favorite season?
Sarah
Fall.
Jen
Fall.
Tess
Fall.
Kelly
Alright. What is your favorite holiday?
Sarah
Christmas.
Jen
Halloween.
Kelly
The second Halloween one.
Jen
It's so fun. It's candy and costumes.
Tess
I'd have to say Easter.
Kelly
Oh, that's a different one.
Tess
Spring time, right? Start of spring time.
Kelly
Everything's new again. All right. What is your favorite word?
Sarah
If you were to ask other people, they would probably say my favorite word was literally because I use that.
Kelly
You're the second person to say that. Rob Lowe has a whole podcast called literally.
Sarah
I did not know that.
Kelly
He does. what it's called,
Jen
um, whenever anyone asked me how I am my my dad has this thing where if you asked him how he is he goes peachy and like the most like sarcastic tone. And I guess I kind of pick that up because when people ask me I go fabulous. Fabulous is probably my word.
Tess
I think I have to land on Bella, which is my dog's name.
Kelly
All right, what is your favorite type of flower?
Jen
Peonies.
Kelly
Okay.
Jen
I've been going to the Farmers Market lately and there's, every every week there's bundles of peonies.
Sarah
I actually don't like flowers. Okay, I like the look of poppies. I'm gonna say that's my favorite flower to look at like not in person. Like on my shower curtain I have poppies.
Sarah
But not to run through a field like in The Wizard of Oz.
Sarah
No for some reason, I should have said that. My pet peeve is the smell of flowers. I absolutely cannot stand them. I don't know why. Like, I don't think my family likes me very much because my sister got flowers one time or something. And I was like, Can we take them out of the house like it just irriates me I don't know what it is. So don't buy me flowers ever. Cupcakes, cakes...
Kelly
Cupcakes in the shape of flowers are okay?
Sarah
Totally fine with that. Yes.
Kelly
Edible flowers?
Sarah
Yes.
Tess
I would have to say just like general wildflowers have some grown in a small little garden back in the backyard and it's just nice. See what kind of pops up you know.
Kelly
There you go, as long as they don't take over everything. Alright, last three are easy. Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts?
Jen
Starbucks
Tess
Starbucks
Sarah
Starbucks.
Kelly
My people. Beach or mountains?
Sarah
Beach.
Tess
Yeah, I'm an East Coast gal. So beach.
Jen
I'm from Kansas. Both are foreign.
Kelly
I was gonna say it's pretty flat in Kansas.
Jen
Yeah, definitely. I saw a hill in Texas. and I said is that a mountain and everyone lost it. Probably beach.
Kelly
And last one heels or sneakers?
Sarah
Sneakers all the way.
Tess
Yeah, sneakers.
Jen
Yeah. But you know those times when you just got to dress up. It makes it makes it feel you feel real good. I'm excited for my first like, dress up event after COVID because all of my heels had been sitting collecting dust for the last year and a half.
Kelly
I met a friend for dinner one night and I was like, Oh my god, I got dressed up. Like I was like, I couldn't even remember what she's wearing my closet. I've been wearing flip flops and slippers and sneakers. Yeah. And that's what I lived in. And I was like, Hey, I can put on real shoes. And it was exciting to me. I like heels but I'm also short so
Sarah
I've never been a heel person. My like dressed up shoes are loafers. I think you can get some really cool loafers. And that's the lawyer in me, I guess.
Kelly
Well, ladies, this was fun. Thank you for sharing your stories and sharing your time with us. And for our listeners, until next time.