By Katie Beattie, '12, Gamma Phi BetaThe Gamma Phi Beta Convention was held this summer in Orlando, Florida. Over 850 collegiate members, alumni and advisors gathered in Disney World to reconnect, participate in ritual and business sessions, and share best practices to bring back to their respective chapters. I attended the convention in the company of Kate McCarthy, our Financial Vice President. We both found the days to be informative, helpful and an interesting insight into the international aspects of Gamma Phi Beta.
During Convention, we elected the new International Council members and conducted the business of the sorority. Every International Council member went through their officer reports, detailing the news in their respective departments over the past two years. Kate and I also had the opportunity to attend workshops during the afternoons; the collegiate workshops covered everything from recruitment advice, standards board procedures and positive public relations practices. We are excited to bring this information back to Lehigh and start the academic year on the right foot. This was the first year that the Delta Kappa chapter had applied for awards at an International Convention; though we didn’t win anything, we were proud of our accomplishments over the past few years and took note of the impressive things other chapters were doing on their campuses.
Gamma Phi Beta Convention was also a wonderful opportunity to connect with sisters from around the country and our alumni base. Kate and I traveled with Denise Vollert-Parrotto, our chapter’s long-standing Financial Advisor and Debra Dalrymple-Kleinfeldt, a new addition to our House Corporation Board. It was great to spend time with Gamma Phi alumni who contribute a great deal to our chapter. The Gamma Phi Beta Convention was a fulfilling experience and a great leadership opportunity for all who attended.