All BARK, No BITE... Homecoming 2011

This year, we paired up with the boys of Sigma Nu for Homecoming 2011 as we prepared for the game against the University of Washington Huskies. We kicked off the week on Monday with an Anything Goes competition in the Quad.

On Tuesday, we decorated our golf cart float for the Homecoming Parade across campus.

On Wednesday, we decorated our lawn. On Thursday, we went to the Homecoming Pep Rally and took home the 3^rd Place Prize for Float Decorating!

On Friday, which happened to be 11/11/11, we had a “Make a Wish” themed Exchange, where we danced the night away at a cool venue in Santa Monica. Everyone came dressed up as their own wishes like to be Harry Potter characters, super heroes, Miss America, or even at Disneyland. Others came dressed up as funny ways to make wishes like shooting stars, candles, a genie, a Magic 8 ball, or an eyelash!

Of course, we ended the week with the Homecoming football game where we BEAT the HUSKIES! 

Presents

Presents 2011

For Trojan Family Weekend, we opened up the Pi Palace to show off what this sisterhood thing is all about! On Friday night, the Parents Club planned a nice dinner at The Jonathan Club downtown for girls and their families. Then, before the game on Saturday, we had a whole tailgate BBQ on our lawn. On Sunday, we honored all of our newly initiated members with a Presents Ceremony. All the new members wear long, white dresses and are escorted by their fathers or brothers or uncles as they are presented to the Row. We recently found some old pictures of this USC tradition...

Alpha Psi New Members at Presents 1957

Alpha Psi Chapter 1959

We're On a Boat... Semiformal!

For our first social event of year, our Social Chair, Dana, planned a semiformal invite on a YACHT! Girls and their dates went out to dinner all around town, then set sail for a night of dancing under the stars. As always, all of our new members wore black dresses so we could honor them for the night! Looking forward to a fun semester of social events!

New Members dining on a rooftop in Downtown LA

Ready to board the yacht!

Fire Up the Grill for a Philanthropy BBQ

For one last end of summer celebration, we invited the whole USC community over for a good old fashioned BBQ to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities! We asked everyone to donate $5 for all you can eat hamburgers and sides! We also set up games on the lawn like volleyball, badminton, bocce ball, and cornhole beanbag toss. It was great hanging out with friends while supporting an amazing cause! Up next… we’re going to the local Los Angeles Ronald McDonald for a Happy Meal, where we prepare dinner for the families! 

You're the One that ADPi Wants... BID NIGHT 2011

After a crazy, fun week of formal recruitment, we welcomed home all of our new Alphas to a 1950s, Grease-themed BID NIGHT! Our New Member Coordinator, Niki, planned a fun-filled night of dancing and hanging out with cotton candy, popcorn, root beer floats, ice cream sundaes, a photobooth, and a Ferris Wheel to show our new members “you’re the one that ADPi wants!” We paired all of our new Alphas with girls in the house as ‘Violet Buds’ to help introduce them to ADPi before they meet their Diamond Sister, or big sis. I’m still singin’ “we go together like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong…”

Lions and Diamonds and Violets, Oh My!

Every ADPi girl knows her symbols... the woodland violet is our official flower, the diamond is our badge shape, and Alphie the Lion is our mascot. We ADPis have been known to seek out our most beloved Alphie all across the globe. This past spring, 25 members of the Alpha Psi chapter traveled around the world for study abroad programs. They went to countries like France, England, Germany, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Finland, Australia, Singapore, and even Thailand! 

Molly found Alphie in Little India, Singapore

Alphie turned up in a Paris fountain where Miranda was studying

Johnni and Taylor caught Alphie on the London stage production of The Lion King

ADPis continued traveling to destinations all over the map this summer!

Laura found Alphie is Israel

Guess who showed up while Emily was in Africa?

Alphie even made his way to Capitol Hill where Peggy found him

And, Niki spotted Alphie hidden in the mountains of Vail 

No matter where those ADPis go, finding Alphie always makes them feel closer to home! Thankfully, it'll be move-in time at the Pi Palace in just a few days!

ADPi Grand Convention 2011

By: Lauren, Recruitment Vice President

With our lovely advisors before the Diamond Awards Banquet

Last weekend, Mackenzie, Chapter President, and I went to Phoenix for the 160th Anniversary Alpha Delta Pi Grand Convention. As the first secret society for women, ADPi is the first to celebrate 160 years of excellence. The weekend was filled with business meetings, awards, and sit-down lunches and dinners, and some fun in the HOT HOT HOT Arizona sun (try 110°F hot!). But, it was so cool to meet all these women who have spent decades dedicating their lives to this sisterhood of ours. There were over 500 ADPis gathered at the Arizona Biltmore, ranging from collegians to newly graduated Leadership Consultants to advisors to district officers to Grand Council members (basically, the board that oversees all of ADPi's international operations). There was one woman in particular who received an award for all her philanthropic efforts to the Alpha Delta Pi Foundation, which supports our international philanthropy, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and at age 99, she has been an ADPi for 80 years!  For another woman, this was her 27th Grand Convention! She attended her first in 1946!  What was also pretty incredible was hearing the brief biographies highlighting the astounding careers each of these women have had, outside their voluntary involvement in ADPi. While my sisters at the Alpha Psi chapter at USC never cease to amaze me with all their incredible achievements, I felt so proud to see this level of excellence transcends states and generations, we ADPis have always been the finest.

All ADPis in attendance dressed in white for our convention picture

The main purpose of Grand Convention is to elect new Grand Council members, vote on certain bylaws for the international organization to follow, and also commend all the individual chapters for their efforts over the last two years. This year, we elected Ms. Tammie S. Pinkston to the International President Position. Our chapter was fortunate enough to meet Mrs. Pinkston when she paid us a visit as a representative from Executive Office for the USC Panhellenic Something of Value alcohol awareness program. Mrs. Pinkston previously held the office of International Vice President of Finance, and she also works as a financial consultant. Needless to say, we are very proud of her and all the women elected to Grand Council, and we wish them all the best during their terms!

Doin' diamonds with newly elected International President, Mrs. Tammie S. Pinkston

Now, for the awards... the Alpha Psi chapter has worked tirelessly across three Executive Boards to strengthen all aspects of our sisterhood including membership education, recruitment and retention, philanthropy efforts, scholarship finances, Panhellenic spirit, and general operations, while creating friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. Here's all the awards we received over the course of the weekend...

• Chapter Excellence
• Diamond 4-Point
• Philanthropy Excellence
• Scholarship Excellence
• Recruitment Excellence
• Panhellenic Excellence
• Harris Finance Excellence
• Legacy 
• Total Member Education Achievement
• Alpha Education Achievement
• Adelphean Achievement
• Alpha Delta Pi Foundation Donor
• Alpha Delta Pi Foundation Philanthropy Contributor
• Alpha Delta Pi Abigail Davis Emergency Grant Fund Contributor
• Alpha Delta Pi Van Akin Chapter Leadership Development Fund Contributor
• Greek Licensing

...and one of our members received the Ruth Pretty Palmer Panhellenic Award for all her service to the USC Panhellenic Council over the last two years! Congrats Alpha Psi! And Congratulations to all the other amazing ADPi chapters across the globe on all your hard work! Thanks for proving once again why Alpha Delta Pi is "First. Finest. Forever. Since 1851." See you in two years in DALLAS! 

Holding the Chapter Excellence Award (did we tell ya we were in the desert?)

We Love You, Seniors, Oh Yes We Do!

... And when you're not with us, we're blue, oh seniors, we'll miss YOU!

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES!

To all of our seniors who graduated this past May, we wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors! Thank you for sharing all your amazing talents with us, guiding this chapter and sharing lots of laughs along the way. You are each so incredible and have done so much for this chapter and at USC, and we are so proud to call you ADPis and our sisters. From bid nights to Monday Night Dinners to Invites and Exchanges to football games to lazy days on the Landing watching Law and Order or Criminal Minds, you have truly touched each of us. You have been leaders and role models, and we'll never forget the memories we have shared.

But, before our seniors could leave us, we CELEBRATED with SENIOR WEEK!

Senior Week is planned every year by our Membership Education Vice President to honor our graduates. This year, we kicked off Senior Week with a final Monday Night Dinner, during which some underclassmen wrote a medley of songs for our seniors, who in turn shared all their favorite words of wisdom with the chapter. Then, we had Senior Wills, where seniors could unload their stacks of ADPi shirts, sweatshirts, shorts, and other items on the underclassmen. On Wednesday night, we had some fun activities with our senior sisters, where underclassmen are paired up with a graduating senior to shower her with fun gifts and keepsakes. On Thursday, the seniors gathered to watch a slideshow of pictures and words of encouragement submitted by their parents, which were pretty funny to say the least! Afterward, the seniors all go out to dinner together for one final hurrah before... DIAMOND BALL! Every year, Diamond Ball is our final social event of the semester. Girls get dolled up and don their prettiest dresses, grab a date, and dance the night away! And then it's Good Luck on Finals and Have a Great Summer! Seniors, you will definitely be missed, but we cannot wait to hear about all the remarkable things you will go out and accomplish! To all of our returning members, have fun and stay safe this summer! Can't wait to hear about all your adventures in August!

Greek Awards!

Every spring, the Greek honor society Order of Omega hosts the Annual Greek Awards to honor all the chapters from the six Greek councils for all their achievements. This year, ADPi showed up and seized award after award. Altogether, we were recognized for Membership Recruitment (two years in a row!), Excellence in Community Service, Interfraternal Panhellenic Spirit, and Campus Involvement! Additionally, two of our members, Miranda and Monique, won Panhellenic Scholarships. Way to go ladies, keep up the great work, and keep making ADPi proud!

Spring Alumnae Event: Walk for Kids

This spring, the sisters of Alpha Psi invited all local alumnae to join us for a Founders Day celebration featuring the Walk for Kids. This annual event raises money for the local Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House. This year, the event took place at Exposition Park, right around the Coliseum, and the USC Alpha Delta Pi Team raised over $4300!! After the walk, everyone gathered back at the Pi Palace for breakfast and to catch up with old friends and meet some new sisters. Many thanks to all the alumnae who supported our national philanthropy, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and to all those who came out for the event. We cannot wait to see you at our Alumnae Tea in the fall!

Row Cup 2011

On March 25th, teams from all the fraternities on the Row came out for our annual philanthropy soccer tournament, supporting Ronald McDonald House and the Alpha Delta Pi Foundation. All week, we sold t-shirts and raffle tickets for gift cards and other cool prizes on campus. Our girls got to be captains for their favorite fraternity and psych up their team for the tournament and cheer them on to victory. From t-shrit and raffle ticket sales to pop tab collections to actually playing in the tournament, the guys fought hard for the grand prize, a portable hot tub. At the end of the event, the men of Zeta Beta Tau took home the title of Row Cup Champions and the prize. Ultimately, the competition raised over $5000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities. This year, we held the event right on our lawn in the middle of 28th Street and one our members, Katie, actually showed off her DJ-ing skills and kept the crowd pumped up through to the final game. Overall, the event was a great success, and lots of fun to put on, and we can’t wait until next year!