Pi Phi Summer Days; Jesse

Following in the footsteps of our former VPC (snaps for Kashka) we're bringing back, and if you already read the title you must know, Pi Phi Summer Days!

Once (or twice if I'll feeling devious) a week I'll update with posts featuring all the amazing things our Pi Phi sisters are doing. From Vogue to digs in Rome, our sisters are bringing their Hopkins smarts and Pi Phi values to their jobs and internships around the world!

For our first installment, I bring you Jesse. Jesse is a rising sophomore and a fellow writing seminars major. She loves her pham, long walks on the beach, spelunking, and more recently, interning in Washington, D.C.in the office of Congressman Mark Takano.

Just look at that pretty face, soon she'll be dominating capitol hill!

 "As an intern in the office I basically just help keep the office running smoothly--I deliver letters/notes to other congressional offices, give our district's constituents tours when they visit, answer constituent correspondence, and do anything the staff in my office need me to do. I also attend special lectures/courses held by the Congress just for interns--last week I heard Congressman Gregg Harper and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance Gainer speak, and that was just my first week on the job!" 

Jesse is interning through the Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL) and their Political Internship Program (PIP). While there she is focusing her efforts on the Advocacy Project, a program tradition started in 2004. This year's project focuses on immigration, because of the extensive immigration reform efforts currently going on. 

"I had the idea of starting a tumblr that collects submissions from Asian Pacific American immigrants/children of immigrants all across the country who want to share their immigration story, because lots of times Asian Pacific American people don't see immigration as a priority, but in reality they make up at least 10% of the people affected by the new bill. We'll be using this Tumblr... to advocate and lobby for the immigration reform bill in various Congresspeople's offices." 

Even though Jesse does not see herself going into politics anytime soon, she enjoys taking her skills and applying them in philanthropic services (an important Pi Phi value).

"I'm not exactly interested in being in politics, per se, but I love being involved in changing my community for the better, and I felt like doing this internship could really teach me a lot, not only about my community and about how the US legislative system works, but also about how to make an impact on others and what I can do to make a change."

We wish you the best of luck for your internship and see you in the Fall!

PPL & M,
Gaby

Got a Diploma- left a legacy

 It is a simple concept, twenty-three women graduate today. What they did and who they are, however, is something way more elaborate than anyone could have thought. They are the last remnants of the MD Gamma Charter Class. Any words I will type out will never accurately illustrate the dedication and amazing feat that the Charter Class accomplished. What they did laid the foundation for hundreds of Hopkins women to follow. It was epic. It was awesome. And try as I might, I don't think I'll do them justice. Today Pi Phi loses some amazing women and on behalf of MD Gamma, I can only say, "Thank you."

(Check out the very first photo of MD Gamma!)

Three years ago a group of young women gathered at Johns Hopkins University to colonize Pi Beta Phi as the fourth sorority on campus. These strong and courageous women made up the charter class of MD Gamma for Pi Beta Phi. Since they colonized, they created the foundation for an amazing group of individuals who have dominated campus from the moment they gathered. Two weeks after they colonized they proved everyone wrong and won both Powderpuff and Greek week. 

The next year they did it again. 

I highly doubt that when the charter class gathered in a room in Charles Commons, they could have realized the lasting effects of what they accomplished. They went from around seventy to over one hundred and fifty strong and intellectual women. They pushed against every person who said they couldn't do it and proved them wrong again and again. 

Our latest class on Bid Night!

It's hard to believe that they went from that small class to a recruiting class of SIXTY women (our most recent class from Spring Recruitment 2013) in only three years. 

While not all of our graduating seniors where in the charter class, a large portion of the twenty-three women leaving were. And, of course, a farewell was in order. Two sundays ago, these women expressed their love and memories from their years as a Pi Phi and, in turn, had their littles (or closest sister) profess their love right back at them. Many tears where shed- I believe we all collectively used up several tissue boxes- and they were presented with their paddles, painted by their Pi Phi Family. 

Several matriarchs of their respective"Phamilies" gather for a picture! 

The Mission statement of Pi Beta Phi, as a Fraternity for Women, is to promote friendship, develop women of intellect and integrity, cultivate leadership potential and enrich lives through community service.

And I'll be darned if they didn't do just that.

Charter Class Out.

Reppin' Pi Phi at JHU

The last couple weeks have been crazy busy for MD Gamma. Spring semester always brings two major events: Spring Fair and Homecoming. During these weekends we show our spirit for both Pi Phi but also as students at Johns Hopkins. Whether we wear our letters while at a lacrosse game or while in line for deep fried oreos at Spring Fair (yes, they are as good as they sound), MD Gamma always shows how much we love what brought us all together.

During Spring Fair we promote our philanthropy Read. Lead. Achieve. through an event used around the world by Pi Phi chapters, Pie A Pi Phi. Just as the event sounds like, spectators have the chance to pie a Pi Phi sister through a donation made to Read. Lead. Achieve. We brought in professors and other JHU sorority and fraternity members to also be pied!

Homecoming put Pi Phi sisters front and center for the last home game with the Hopkins Men Lacrosse team! We cheered loud and proud for them while they faced another great Baltimore team, Loyola!


Let's find some Pi Phi's showing their support:

Spring Fair brings the whole Pham together!

Pi Phi's show their support for the home team!

MD Gamma says, "Go Hop!"

Cori has just been pied- wonder if she liked it?

Nothing says sisterly love like a pie to the face!

Additionally, there were many other events where Pi Phi represented. We hosted a wing challenge for our philanthropy- where we worked closely with a campus hang out to create the HOTTEST wings ever! And Dance Marathon, an all night dance festival in order to raise money for the JHU children's center, had many sisters attend.

Our Philanthropy chair, Shari, hangs out with the winner, Camille-also a Pi Phi!

A terrific showing at Dance Marathon!

Whether we're in different clubs or teams, Pi Phi's always come together to show their support for what they love the most: Pi Beta Phi and Johns Hopkins. So whenever there's an opportunity to celebrate both, you know there will be many Pi Phi's just around the corner. 

PPL & M,
Gaby

Life outside of Hopkins??

Contrary to popular belief, students at Johns Hopkins do have a life outside of the Homewood campus. Our sisters frequently represent Pi Phi outside of our chapter, sometimes as close as Washington D.C. or as far away as Rome!

A phrase that we love to tell our new members, because of its ties to one of our values "lifelong commitment", is that joining Pi Phi is not just four years but it's for life! Therefore when our sisters leave for the scary "real world", getting a job or continuing their education they carry what they learned through their experiences with Pi Phi with them.

Let's see our Pi Phi's represent around the world:

Studying in France is nothing for Clea!

These charter class sisters spent Spring Break in the Bahamas! 

Emily Markert makes some new friends while in London!

The DC Nike Half-Marathon was nothing for these Pi Phi Sisters!

Allison Borko does as the Romans do in beautiful Rome!

Even while hiking, MD Gamma sisters stick together!

To running a half marathon together or something as simple as meeting up while abroad, Pi Phi's show their pride wherever they go!


PPL & M,
Gaby

Happy Founders Day!

On a perfect sunny day, one hundred and twenty girls gathered with several Pi Phi alumni from the Baltimore area to celebrate the origins of Pi Beta Phi. 

Every April, Pi Phi chapters all over the world honor the work of our twelve founding members for the work that they did in creating Pi Beta Phi. MD Gamma, being no different, celebrated in style last week at the Inn at the Colonnade.

We listened to the chair of surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Julie A. Freischlag (a proud Pi Phi alumnae), completed our signature Ring Ching song, handed out senior awards, and honored our founders with the Founders' Day Candle Lighting Ceremony!


Here are a couple photos of the great day:

Komal Desai, Zoe Kaye and Maddie Goodman enjoy their first Founders Day as newly initiated members! 

The food was great and Maritza Nicole seems to have agreed!

The weather was perfect and helped everyone look their Sunday best!

(from left to right: Amanda Coren, Frankie Svidler, Ellen Waddell, Callie Rogers, Megan Morrow and Emily Glickman)

These couple of hours with MD Gamma's many Pi Phi sisters were special in that they helped us to remember the pledge we all took and the promises we made to ourselves and to each other when we joined Pi Phi and only helped to cement our excitement for next year's Founders Day!

Playing Catchup

After such a busy semester so far, it's a little tough to play catch up. But, just to keep you updated, here's a quick rundown since you last heard from us. 

Senior Farewell

Back in December, we said goodbye to some beloved seniors who were graduating a semester early. Though we're sad to see them go, we look forward to hear about all of their adventures out in "the real world."

Marcella Lunn and Hannah Weinberg-Wolf say goodbye to Dia Hazra!

Deanna Cotsalas says goodbye to Aishwarya Rajagopalan!

Formal Recruitment

In January, we started preparing for the trials and triumphs of participating in Johns Hopkins's Formal Recruitment Process. With an overwhelming amount of girls signed up to go through recruitment, we were a little worried about making it through, but we managed to survive and find a great group of girls.

Getting ready for Ice Water Round!

(from left to right: Ellen Brait, Divya Kernik, Taylor Lam, Jenna McLaughlin)

The whole chapter at our Wizard of Oz Theme Round!

Seniors at Pref Round!

(top row, left to right: Nicole Coscolluella, Natasha Peavy, Amelia Vallenilla, Emily Daggett, Brittany Tusing, Hannah Cohen, Emily Kashka, Yejin Kim; bottom row, left to right: Marina Palma Lima, Steph Dalwin, Anna Huang, Devon Macera, Natalie Copeland, Julianne Payne)

New Members

After intiation, the girls of MD Gamma were absolutely thrilled to welcome 60 (you read that right! SIXTY!) new baby angels! We had a great time at our Western Themed Bid Night, our night of Duck Pin Bowling and Karaoke, and the ensuing weeks chockfull of get to meet all the new girls!

 The (new!) whole chapter on Bid Night!

Elizabeth Sherwood gets her jam on at karaoke!

Secret Week and Reveal

Everyone was so excited for secret week, but no one more than the littles. After a week of being showered with love, affection, and - most importantly - presents, the littles finally got to see their bigs in person at Reveal. 

Bigs wait for their littles to arrive for reveal!

(from left to right: Gaby Iturralde, Ellen Waddell, Ann Mendoza, Camille Tambunting, Lindsey Sanborn, Chelsea Duff, Emily Glickman, Megan Morrow, Erica Zehnder)

Two excited littles hug their bigs for the first time as family!

(from left to right: Camille Tambunting, Cori Michibata, Sahini Pothireddy)

Pink Party and Initiation 

After weeks of New Member meetings, hours of Greek Life Edu, and one trying New Member test, the babies were finally ready to be initiated! We wore our whites for prep, our pinks for Pink Party, and more white for Initiation and, finally, the pictures that come after it (the best pictures you'll get all year!). 

Newly Initiated Members!

(back row, left to right: Lauren Evans, Komal Desai, Jessica Chung, Jesse Chen, Adithi Rajagopalan, Emily Marley, Devany Diamond, Jordana Meisel, Alice Jiang; middle row, left to right: Sato Kakihara, Victoria Laney, Hayley Kallfelz, Michelle Pargament, Cori Michibata, Dani Dinstein, Paige Persky, Kelly Seeger; front row, left to right: Ashley Foreman, Cecilia Freeman, Julia Deutsch, Carrie Resnick, Olivia Seideman)

Ann Mendoza proudly shows off her pink for Pink Party!

And that's what you missed with MD Gamma. See you next time!

Champions are Readers!

This semester Maryland Gamma has been busy with our philanthropic efforts, including the literacy program CAR (which stands for Champions are Readers). The program takes place at Govans Elementary School, located close to campus. Read about it through the eyes of sophomore Emily G.

VP Philanthropy Marcella Lunn
showing off some of the program's books

"For me, being in a sorority is much more than hanging out with friends, meeting new people, and getting t-shirts. Being a part of Pi Phi means I get to give back to the community, which is especially important going to school in Baltimore. One way our chapter gets to give back is through a month-long literacy program called CAR (Champions Are Readers). Each week we go to Govans Elementary school, not far from campus, and engage with two different classes on reading and word exercises.
I’ve been working with a few other Pi Phis in a third grade classroom. Each week we read aloud from a book – we’ve been doing Magic Treehouse! – and then use the Pi Beta Phi First Book workbook to fill out sentence structure, vocabulary, and other worksheets. CAR’s main purpose is to encourage students to read at least fifteen minutes a day. Our purpose, as volunteers, is to show them that reading can be fun, too!
At the end of the program, each child gets a book to bring home. We have one week left – and I’m so excited to see the looks on their faces when they choose their new book! The students have been incredibly animated when they take turns reading aloud and working together on the activities. One kid liked it so much that he wouldn’t let me take the book back! It’s been extremely rewarding watching the kids come out of their shells more and more each week. I’ll be sad when the program ends, but who knows? Maybe I’ll end up coming back and volunteering again. And there’s always another CAR next fall!"

Chapter members