Why Tri Sigma State Days?
What and Why
Submitted by Jackie King, Alpha Phi
If you have never attended a Tri Sigma State Day event, you have probably asked, what is this, and why in my busy life would I want to participate? The answer to the first part of this question is simple. State Day is an event for ALL Tri Sigmas living within a particular state or region that is planned by an alumna committee, with the sole purpose of connecting to and celebrating our national sisterhood.
Why attend? We take pride in being members of a National Panhellenic sorority, yet we rarely gather as a g. roupConvention is as close as we get to this, but it usually involves only voting delegates, volunteers, and national officers. A State Day event allows for the membership of entire collegiate and alumnae chapters to share in this experience, along with unaffiliated alumnae.
Fellowship is the focus for these occasions, with an emphasis on responsibility to self, service, and Sigma. The program includes entertaining speakers and activities for attendees. Those in attendance participate in a local service project, that may be as simple as collecting children’s books for a shelter, or making fleece blankets for a local children’s hospital. Representatives from Executive Council and the Tri Sigma Foundation may be on hand to update everyone on the state of our sorority, and explain the impact our Foundation is having through our donations.
Having served on a State Day planning committee, I can attest to the satisfaction of working with sisters from other chapters to create a special experience that extends beyond our local community and that allows us to see the scope of our sorority.
When asked how attending a State Day event positively affected her, Rachel Cane, Omicron, shared,
“I moved from Michigan to North Carolina for law school after finishing my undergraduate. I didn’t know anyone when I moved to NC but was able to connect with Sigma sisters at State Day and joined the Piedmont Triad Alumnae Chapter shortly after!”
Brenda Christie, Alpha Iota, replied,
“My first State Day was back in the eighties in Oklahoma. It was my first experience and opportunity to understand that we truly are a national sisterhood. The chance to meet one to one with women from all over my state was amazing.”
State Day events are being planned for sisters in Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s event will take place April 8, 2017, in Madison, WI; the rest are to be announced so stay tuned.
If there is no event planned for your state and you are interested in forming a planning committee, please contact me (Jackie King) at jacqulynking@gmail.com