Could you handle a schedule that was jampacked full of meetings with not only your organization, but the body who governs all of the organizations on campus? While also maintaining a suitable GPA? And having to handle, and knowing how to handle, any and every problem that arises within your group? This huge position of responsibility seems like a big task to take on.
Not many can handle it, but there are a select few that are equipped to take on biggest leadership role around. In this case, I'm talking about holding the position of president in a sorority. There's no denying that this job takes time, passion, and commitment. There are those who don’t place much value on sorority life and the things you can learn from it, and that’s fine; They’re allowed to think that. However, if you join an organization and take an active role in it, you’ll learn that there is so much that goes into Greek life. You become an event planner, a counselor, and a CEO.
I am not my sorority's president. I can't speak from experience about everything that this role entails. I do know, however, how much work our president puts into everything she does. Not only does she meet with the nine other executive council members in our chapter, but she meets with the other presidents from all chapters on campus. She works to better our chapter as well as the Greek community as a whole. She coordinates meetings with advisors, visitors from Nationals, and so much more. And those are just a few of the logistical things she deals with.
She can seem like the “big brother” to members of the chapter when she has to cancel this event or that, but truly she is doing it for the sake of the chapter. She values her chapter more than anything negative that others may have to say about her. She is a calming force in the most chaotic of times; She is a burst of excitement when the chapter receives an esteemed award. She celebrates the small victories and takes the missteps in stride, vowing to learn from them.
Who do you think takes care of any issue, large or small, that may pose a threat to the chapter or to Greek life in general? The role of responsibility that your president takes on has deep roots. She is equipped with the knowledge of how to solve most of any problem that you throw at her. And if she doesn’t know how to solve it immediately, she utilizes her quick thinking skills to find a solution. This job fine tunes her critical thinking skills as she plays a bigger role in holding the chapter together.
Like I said, I am not a chapter president. It isn’t quite the job for me, nor would I be the best person for the chapter in that position. The girl that does take on this role, though, is a fabulous, hard working, passionate role model who deserves endless thanks. She puts the team on her back with every decision she makes--clearly this could mean a lot of pressure for her. However, chapter presidents know how to handle it.
To the previous presidents of my chapter: thank you for all that you contributed to our organization. Where would we be without the years you gave to us? You've helped us build a better pledge classes, raised our sorority GPA, gotten us involved in more campus philanthropy events, and much more. To the future presidents of my chapter: good luck! You have big shoes to fill, but you can do it. Hone in on the skills that you've been working to perfect throughout your previous term on council. I have all the faith that you will lead the chapter in a positive direction.
To the girls who do it all for us, thank you.
