Tri Sigma Foundation

We are preparing for our focus on character and compassion during the month of October.  Here are a few things to share with your chapter:

Character Essay Contest

2017 Theme:  Our world and communities are in need of character, compassion, and kindness now more than ever.  How are you putting one of the pillars of character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship) into action within your community?  How are you changing your corner of the world for the better? Please be specific in your narrative.

Prizes:

1^st Place:  $1000

2^nd Place:  $500

3^rd Place:  $250

Criteria:

• All collegiate entrants must be women enrolled full time at a College or University and in good standing.
• All submitted essays become the property of Sigma Sigma Sigma and may be published in any chosen venue.

The Panhellenic community of the 1st place winner will receive a Sigma Sigma Sigma Woman of Character Retreat facilitated by Sigma Sigma Sigma staff and volunteers.

30 Day Compassion Challenge

We invite you to join us to celebrate character by taking part in a challenge to encourage people to “compassion it” every day during the month of October.  To learn more and to join, click here.

Mallory McConathy, a junior biology major at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, has been named has been named a student member-at-large on Alpha Lambda Delta’s National Council.

Alpha Lambda Delta is a national honor society that recognizes students in their first year at a college/university for academic success.

“I am extremely excited about my position, and how much of a positive figure I get to be among college students,” said Mallory, who also serves as Alpha Zeta’s Vice President of New Member Education.

Read more about Mallory’s appointment to the ALD National Council here.

As part of our focus on sisterhood and safety this month, Tri Sigma is gearing up to support National Hazing Prevention Week on September 18-22, 2017.

To kick off the week, Tri Sigma will be hosting a prevention webinar on September 17 at 5:30 p.m. EST. Click here to register. Join Lorin Phillips, Assistant Executive Director, and the Prevention Specialists to learn more about Tri Sigma’s prevention initiatives, how we use the GreekLife.Edu data, and what is next.

Empower yourself throughout the week by checking out our images on Facebook and Instagram that will communicate important messages about empowering our members to stand up against hazing. Submit your strong statements against hazing to us here for your chance to be featured!

Click here for more information on how you and your chapter can show your support during National Hazing Prevention Week, including chapter programming, participating in our twibbon campaign and even requesting to take over the National Snapchat!

With the fall semester starting, you’re probably focused on recruitment and welcoming new members into your chapter. We talk with our new sisters during their new member education about our zero-tolerance policy on hazing, but how often do we share this message with our campus and Greek community?

National Hazing Prevention Week (“NHPW”) provides the perfect opportunity to highlight your chapter’s anti-hazing efforts. This year, National Hazing Prevention Week is September 18-22. You can find information and resources on Sigma Connect in the Hazing Prevention toolkit! and here.

Looking for a way to get involved on an individual level? Here are some great ways to participate in the week!

• Nationally, Tri Sigma will be posting on the national Instagram account throughout NHPW. Share what your chapter is doing by submitting your photo and information here. You might see your photo on Instagram!
• Join the Twibbon campaign.
• Add a Facebook profile photo frame to your profile photo.
• Participate in the Prevention Webinar.
• Use #WOCDontHaze during the week to spread empowering anti-hazing messages.

The fall semester is an exciting time for our collegiate members from entering their first semester of college to beginning another year closer to graduation. While this semester is filled with fun and new experiences, we know that this is also a high risk time for our members and students.

Together, we want to ensure that we support each other, our sisters and friends, to ensure their safety. From August to September, we are committed to promoting Sisterhood & Safety. We encourage our members to engage in dialog about prevention and education. Have conversations with you chapter about identifying risks and being an upstander.

Below are links to information resources and fliers for staying safe and getting assistance:

• Staying Safe on Campus
• Upstander
• Sexual Assault Fact Sheet
• Strategies for Effective Helping
• Student Activism
• Take Action Against Abuse – For Young Adults
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Anti-Hazing Hotline: (888) NOT-HAZE

Looking for additional ways to promote Sisterhood & Safety? Below are some upcoming programs and social media campaigns:

• World Suicide Prevention Day September 10 – Follow us on Instagram as we share how you can help us #StopSuicide.
• National Hazing Prevention Week September 18-22 – Follow us on social media or learn more ways to get involved here.
• CHARACTER COUNTS! Week October 15-21 – Click here for the essay contest and other ways to get involved.

2018 Service Immersion Applications NOW OPEN! from Tri Sigma on Vimeo.

Applications for Tri Sigma’s service immersion trips are now being accepted! Alumnae and collegiate members looking to put our values into action are encouraged to apply to attend one of our 2018 trips.

May 20-25, 2018: We’ll partner with The Shack Community Center in Pursglove, WV. During this trip, you’ll play games with children in their before and after school program, share character education activities, and make updates to the community center facilities while the children are at school. The cost for this trip is $410 per person plus flight to/from Pittsburgh International Airport and extra spending money. Participants within reasonable driving distance of either the Pittsburgh International Airport or Pursglove, WV may drive directly to either of these sites. Click here to apply!

June 9-16, 2018: We’ll travel to two different regions in Jamaica: Negril and Treasure Beach. For this trip, you’ll be updating school building structures, spend time with school children on their lunch breaks, and engage in cultural experiences unique to each locale. The cost for this trip is $950.00 per person plus flight to/from Montego Bay Airport and extra spending money. You must have a passport. Click here to apply!

Applicants must be a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma and in good standing with their local chapter and the Sorority. Please note the timeline below and that application does not guarantee a spot on either trip. All participants must make a non-refundable deposit upon notification of acceptance into the program to secure their space on the trip. You will be responsible for your own travel expenses as well as securing a passport, if needed.

Application Deadline: September 28, 2017
Notification of selection: October 13, 2017
Deposit of 1/2 trip cost: December 15, 2017
Final payment: February 22, 2018

For more information, email Melissa Kolb, Associate Director of Education and Leadership. Please consider this opportunity for yourself or share with another sister who may be interested in serving.

There are few pleasures in life more satisfying than a good cup of coffee and a long conversation with a friend! It is with that thought in mind and the collective desire to open a new communication channel for Tri Sigma that I, on behalf of the Executive Council, warmly welcome you to the inaugural edition of Conversations with Council.

Inspiration for this opportunity peaked when we found ourselves individually having thought provoking, inspiring, humorous, and sometimes even challenging conversations with Tri Sigma members and Greek partners. We asked ourselves, “What could we do to bring these conversations about important topics to an entirely new level?”  With the help of volunteers and staff, a plan has been created to promote respectful open dialogue, engage our members, and educate women on topics affecting the greater, collective fraternal community.

Executive Council plans to comment on and bring forth new topics of interest within the “News and Events” section of trisigma.org.  Our sincerest hope is that these topics will evoke in you the desire to have your voice heard by your Executive Council, the supreme governing body of Tri Sigma.  It will also be a chance to connect with new and old friends alike, and to have spirited, yet positive conversations with all Sisters of Tri Sigma.  This isn’t a blog; it’s an extended hand, a warm heart, and listening ears… It’s a coffee date! We’ll even help you get started on this journey by sending our first three Conversations with Council gifts to Sisters who embody the true spirit of a Tri Sigma and share in our excitement of this new communication channel.

The fireworks have soared in honor of the Fourth of July and its National Ice Cream Month! With celebrations and summertime fun underway, we couldn’t think of a more perfect time to kick off Conversations with Council! As we continually celebrate Tri Sigma and honor all of the achievements of women and intentionally continue to move women’s empowerment ever forward, we encourage you to bring our values to life this month by calling your mentor, reaching out to Executive Council, participating on social media, or even (clutch my pearls!) dare to have a face-to-face conversation with a Sister.  Get together for coffee, have a cool, refreshing lemonade or even share an ice cream and have a lil’ summertime sisterhood fun!

So, as we eagerly await our first “coffee date,” what shall we talk about? Council has been making a list of things that we are excited to discuss with you and seek your input, and we would like for you to share with us those Sigma related questions that have popped into your mind as well. Right now, we’re simply looking forward to hearing from you! Since we’re all in the midst of enjoying a bit of summertime fun, let’s share those moments. What’s happening and what’s exciting for you this summer? Are you traveling? Working? Venturing abroad for studies or service work? Vacationing? Taking care of someone in need of care? Enjoying time with family and friends? Changing the world? Let us know by sending an email to cwc@trisigma.org.

As I reflect on my summer events thus far, thoughts of friendship, sisterhood and fun certainly come to mind, which always makes me smile! Our Tri Sigma connections make us extra special and a great way to partake in the sisterhood experience this time of year is to share your summertime stories! Here we go…

Sunshine and Sigma smiles to each of you!

Natalie

p.s. Please do not forget to send us your topics of interest for conversation. Email all members of Executive Council directly at cwc@trisigma.org.

Tri Sigma stands with the National Panhellenic Conference in supporting the REACH Act to fight hazing on college campuses. Read NPC’s press release by clicking here. To view a press release on Congressman Meehan’s website click here.

“Tri Sigma stands with NPC and supports the REACH Act (Report and Educate about Campus Hazing). To ensure the safety of our members and all students, it is imperative for us to be proactive in the prevention of hazing. Hazing is not an issue exclusive to the Greek community and while it is not on every campus or within every organization, hazing on college campuses is a problem and it cannot be ignored. This Act aligns with Tri Sigma’s zero tolerance hazing policy and will provide us with critical information in ensuring the safety of our members and all students.” – Natalie Averette, Gamma Beta, National President

“We invite women to join Tri Sigma for friendship, academic attainment/lifelong learning, and shared service to others; hazing has no place within our organization and does not support our vision of providing exceptional experiences that will empower women to change the world.” – Laura Sweet, Alpha Sigma, National Panhellenic Delegate