State of the Area 2011 – Great Lakes Area

In the year since I last reported to you on the State of the Area, the Great Lakes Alumnae Area has experienced both accomplishment and transition. Beginning with over 20 alumnae gathering for last year’s Region VI Day at Northwood, it has been a busy and productive year. We implemented a few new alumnae awards last year, and we have even more this year. 

Just a week after Region Day, the four Great Lakes Area volunteers had our first opportunity for an entire team meet-up. Since our area had been chosen to participate in the initial alumnae structure pilot program in November of 2009, all four team members were invited to attend the Delta Zeta National Alumnae Leadership Academy in Dallas. The Alumnae Academy brings together alumnae volunteers such as CCDs, RCDs, AADs, National Committee Chairmen, and National Council members for three days of intense Delta Zeta time, and allows us to meet in-person some of the Headquarters staff and fellow alumnae volunteers we work with on a regular basis. The Alumnae Academy was packed with informational sessions and interactive workshops, and we all returned home both motivated and full of ideas about how we could better fulfill our responsibilities as volunteers to the alumnae in our area.  

Last year, I reported to you that the alumnae structure pilot was in the process of being evaluated by the Structure and Governance Committee. I’m happy to report that due to the hard work of our State and Country Alumnae Chairman in the Great Lakes and Southeast Areas, the committee expanded the pilot to the other 8 Alumnae areas in 2011. That phase of the pilot has “officially” ended and we are now in the final evaluation phase. We hope that the new structure will be recommended to the delegation next summer at the 2012 National Convention, and be formally adopted by the membership for permanent implementation. 

The spring brings a busy time for the Great Lakes Alumnae Area, as it includes Region V Day, held last April at Ohio Northern University in Ada; Volunteer Appreciation Week, in which our team writes and sends notes to over 130 alumnae volunteers in our area; and, the annual quest to obtain names of all the graduating seniors in Canada, Michigan, and Ohio. Fifteen of the twenty Region V and VI chapters responded to our request for information, allowing us to gather names and addresses of 215 graduating seniors. We filter these names to the appropriate Alumnae Chapters - be they in the Great Lakes territories of Ohio, Michigan, or Canada or even nationwide and overseas - in the hopes that our chapters can recruit new and energetic alumnae to their groups. This year we also used the lists to identify and follow over 75 of our recent graduates on Twitter, allowing us to keep connected with many of our newest alumnae as they disperse the country and the world to begin new jobs, internships, or graduate programs. My hope is that we will reach 100% participation in the graduating senior campaign from our active chapters in 2012. 

Also in the spring and summer of 2011, Delta Zeta National distributes certificates to all alumnae who are celebrating an anniversary milestone in their initiated membership. This year 10-year members were added to the list of sisters being recognized, and two of our 10-year sisters are present today, Cassie Wilkinson and Kait Mosbauer. I hope receiving your certificate brought a smile to your faces! A total of 588 Great Lakes Alumnae were recognized in 2011, including 238 here in Michigan, and 16 international alumnae. This figure is over double the number of alumnae who were recognized in 2010, and included 280 10-year members, 152 25-year anniversary sisters, 131 Golden Rose or 50-year members, 24 65- year recipients, and 1 Order of the Diamond sister who celebrated 75 years of initiated membership in Delta Zeta in 2011. 

In June, one of THE original SACs, Lindsey Bonner, decided to step down from her position as State Alumnae Chairman for Michigan, and current Alumnae Chairman Diane Cesarz was appointed soon after. Between Lindsey and Diane, I am continually kept on my toes, as the two of them have and continue to work tirelessly to support our alumnae in Michigan. 

While I’m sure I’ll forget something, here are a few other Great Lakes Area accomplishments from the 2010-11 year: 

·        The appointment of six international liaisons for South Asia, East Asia, Australia and the South Pacific, Latin America, Great Britain, and Continental Europe.

·        Identification of dozens of Delta Zeta alumnae to serve as advisors for our collegiate chapters.

·        The re-organization of the Bowling Green-Perrysburg Alumnae Chapter, which is now called the Northwest Ohio Alumnae Chapter.

·        Locating hundreds of lost sisters both within and outside of the Great Lakes Area, thanks primarily to the hard work of Heather and Diane.

·        The establishment of two young alumnae groups form in the Cleveland area.

·        Participation with local Alumnae Panhellenic Associations, including 2 Delta Zeta alumnae who served as President of their Alumnae Panhellenics.

·        The appointment of a number of formal Chapter Association representatives for both open and closed collegiate chapters.

·        Reunions for MANY of our chapters including Zeta Nu’s 50^th, Theta Tau at the University of Findlay, Alpha at Miami University, and many others.

·        Three of our Great Lakes Area Alumnae Chapters were recognized for their contributions to the Delta Zeta Foundation in the National alumnae philanthropy report for participating in philanthropic endeavors over the past year, including collecting school supplies for elementary children and formal dresses for teens who may not be able to afford prom dresses, participating in the Walk4Hearing and Komen Race for the Cure, volunteering at the local food bank, and supporting the Starkey Hearing Foundation and the Painted Turtle Camp.

·        And so much more.

I will end with a request from all of you – and I think all of you will like it since this may be the only time today you’re given permission to do this while someone is up here speaking… but pull out your smartphones.  Open your Twitter app, and search for DZGreatLakes.  If you aren’t already following us, which you should be, follow us now! 

In addition to our Twitter account, you can find us at facebook.com/dzgreatlakes or on Metro via the Great Lakes Alumnae Area group.  I invite you to follow us or any of our Alumnae Chapters via our social media sites, so that even as you graduate and disperse across the country or world, you can remain informed about what’s going on in the Great Lakes Area, and most importantly, with your own chapters. We feature both alumnae and collegiate chapters as often as we can.  

Thanks for humoring me by listening, and thanks to all of our fabulous alumnae volunteers in the Great Lakes Area. I am so proud to be representing all of you as the Area Alumnae Director, and I think I speak for our entire team when I say that we look forward to even bigger and better things from our alumnae in the upcoming year! 

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