UPDATE: Our event was a huge success! We raised over $2,400 which was well over our goal. Thank you to all who came out, participated, and showed support for AOII.

The fall is a very exciting time of year for all of Greek Life, because all new young men and women pledge to be a part of a lifetime of memories and brother/sisterhood. Alpha Omicron Pi is the newest edition to Kennesaw State’s campus, and is proud to say recruitment is our favorite part of the year.

On behalf of all of the lovely ladies of the Beta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi at Kennesaw State University, we cannot wait to see all of you in August!

The Beta Zeta Chapter is excited about the upcoming semester, where we will be hopefully hosting a Run for the Roses 5k Race and hope to also “Adopt a Mile”.

During the morning initiation, collegiate members from the Delta Delta Chapter (Auburn University), Lambda Sigma Chapter (University of Georgia), and Gamma Sigma Chapter (Georgia State University), as well as area alumnae, traveled to welcome our newest members to our sisterhood and witness the installation of the new chapter. Saturday’s initiation and installation activities concluded with the traditional Rose Banquet later in the evening to honor the ninety-five members of the new chapter at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel in Atlanta, GA.

The guests included members of the Fraternity and Sorority Community as well as family and friends. Other special guests included Brooklynn Parrott, Director of Greek Life; Kathy Alday, Director of Student Life; Barbara Zipperian, AOII International President; Brandi Nunnery, Colony Development Network Director; Aimee Rivera Meyers, Colony Development Network Specialist; Beta Zeta’s Alumnae Advisory Committee and Corporation Board; Beta Zeta’s Installation Committee; Jenna Lutz, AOII Consultant; Stacey Lawrence, Alumnae District Administrator; and Teri Forsythe, Resident Consultant.

Alpha Omicron Pi was founded in 1897 at Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City. AOII has over 141,000 initiated members in 188 collegiate chapters and over 135 alumnae chapters across the United States and Canada. Alpha Omicron Pi is an international women’s fraternity promoting friendship for a lifetime, inspiring academic excellence and lifelong learning, and developing leadership skills through service to the fraternity and community.

The Beta Zeta chapter has elected the following women to serve as leaders of the chapter:

LEADERS’ COUNCIL
Chapter President – Danielle Swilley
Vice President of Administration – Ashley Boyd
Vice President of Academic Development - Traci Perry
Vice President of Chapter Development - Lauren DeVore
Vice President of Communications – Emily McDougald
Vice President of Education – Alex Steinwachs
Vice President of Membership Recruitment – Brittany Cook
Vice President of Standards – Tanya Ardalic
Chapter Treasurer – Gina Perleoni
Corresponding Secretary – Elie Janowiak
New Member Educator – Maggie Bridges
Panhellenic Delegate -
Recording Secretary – Amanda Jarrett

CABINET
Activities Chair – Crystal Webb
Alumnae Relations Chairman – Jaime Loizzo
Assistant Vice President of Membership Recruitment – Katelyn Ingram
Awards Chair - Sarah Murphy
Historian – Jena Stephens
Keeper of the Ritual – Krystal Grau
Marketing Chair – Lauren Smith
Philanthropic Chairman – Melody Lien
Property Manager –
Social Chairman – Maria Pacheco
Songleader – Christina White
To Dragma Reporter - Kelly Dotson

The colony has chosen Beta Zeta as their chapter name.  The name Beta Zeta is in honor of Barb Zipperian, the current International President of Alpha Omicron Pi.  Barb will serve as the installing officer for the Installation of the Beta Zeta chapter and the Initiation of it’s members.  This is a very special honor for Barb, as Beta Zeta will be her first chapter installation during her term as International President.

Most sororities name chapters in sequential order, with the first chapter being Alpha, the second Beta, etc.   Breaking from this tradition, Alpha Omicron Pi allows each colony to select its own chapter name and corresponding sub-motto.

The colony has chosen Live Simply, Love Always as their chapter sub-motto.   Incorporating Alpha Omicron Pi’s focus on simplicity, combined with an emphasis on sisterhood and fraternal love, the sub-motto captures these values in their entirety.

Alpha Omicron Pi was invited by the Panhellenic community to be the fourth NPC sorority to join their KSU Fraternity and Sorority Community.  Growth of the Fraternity and Sorority Community has been rapid over the past several years and interest in joining one of the Greek organizations on campus continues to increase significantly year after year.

The Colonization Service was hosted by Allison Allgier, Vice President of the AOII Executive Board and was assisted in the colonization week by Judy Flessner, Chairman of the Public Relations Committee; Karen Galehan, Vice President of the AOII Executive Board; Katherine Andrews, Vice President of the AOII Properties Board; Julie Anne Walter, Assistant Director of Chapter Services; Tracy Elleard, Membership Recruitment Consultant; Jenna Gregory, AOII Consultant; Lindsay Lundregan, AOII Consultant; Stacey Lawrence, Alumnae District Administrator and Teri Forsythe, Resident Consultant.

Many members of the university’s administration, Inter Fraternity Council, Panhellenic, NPHC and Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life staff attended the event.  The chapter’s Alumnae Advisory Committee participated in the ceremony and celebration.  A coffee and dessert reception followed the service along with many pictures taken in celebration of the newest group of AOII colony members.  They are an active and talented group of women with numerous areas of campus involvement, leadership positions, and committment to academic excellence.  With an average group gpa of 3.15, their gpa is expected to be one of the highest sororities on campus.

The next few months will be filled with fun, learning and work as the colony prepares itself to be installed as the 188th chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi.  Members will participate in weekly education sessions and sisterhood events, as well as socials and philanthropic events.  They are responsible for establishing the chapter’s sub-motto, a name that will typify the chapter’s unique character.