Sigma Alpha Iota

PERPETUATING FRATERNITY LIFE started to become a reality. Our petition Colony of the University of Massachusetts was accepted, and on October 4th and 5th Amherst held its first meeting on November 20, 2009. our post colonization visit was held. During The start of the Spring 2010 semester this visit the Colony conducted a business brought about some unexpected changes meeting and performed a musicale for a Phi for the Colony. Less than two weeks prior B Province Officer, Amber Womack. to the required elections after becoming Ms. Womack was shown around campus, a colony the Colony's vice president and met with faculty members, and observed editor left the group. This was shocking, music classes. but also became the driving force behind On October 29, the members of the the determination of members. Elections colony officially became Sigma Alpha were held on February 19, 2010. There is Iota Members-in-Training. Our Pledging a six month colonization period before Ceremony took place with the help of many From left, Patroness Member Christy Walker, SAI being eligible to submit a petition to sisters including the Eta Mu Chapter from National President Elizabeth Nordling, Johanna become a chapter. During this time the Wolf, and Epsilon Theta alumna Cindy Chastang at the Hartt School, and our faculty advisor and Colony established four committees– a SAI alumna Dr. Lisa Lehmberg. the Lambda Omega installation at North Carolina service committee, a finance and fundraising State University in March. As official Members-in-Training we committee, a music committee, and a social now began the training process. This process and recruitment committee. can be from four to eight weeks in length. Our The Colony also set up a bank account in Vice President Membership worked with our order to continue their fundraising efforts. advisor to educate the Colony. We took the During the colonization period, the Colony national exams Dec. 10. Then on January 16, also worked to establish themselves within the 2011 the Lambda Phi Chapter was installed music department. They assisted with a number and the Members-in-Training were initiated of projects and festivals including Double Reed as sisters of Sigma Alpha Iota. The Lambda Day, Five College New Music Festival, and Five Phi Chapter would like to thank all those who College Opera Project. They worked to organize helped us along our journey and welcomed us the wind band library and set up a recital into this wonderful sisterhood. Words cannot reception assistance project for students on the thank you enough. day of their recitals. The Colony also reached out to the community through teaching lessons [Chartering] the Lambda Phi Chapter was weekly at a local middle school and participating a long and challenging process. The Lambda in the Five College Relay for Life. Unfortunately, Phi Chapter took almost two years to this began to wear down some members, and establish. At times the politics and business the group lost five members throughout the of writing the petition, bylaws and fund semester. raising [were] frustrating. Working that hard Johanna Wolf, However, the determined Colony pushed for that long is especially tough before you secretary of the Raleigh Durham forward, doubling their recruitment efforts, and become a sister, because you don't really get Alumnae Interest Group began focusing on growing closer together in a full sense of what it is all about. Because love and friendship. Members began spending of this, one of the hardest struggles for us friendship that had been lacking. time at the end of meetings participating in was maintaining membership. Having been The Colony finished the semester in a team building activities and arranged several there myself, I can say in the long run it is great upward swing. The Colony had worked social activities. One particularly memorable worth every bit of frustration. I have only tirelessly on creating their bylaws and creating meeting involved an activity in which members been a sister since January, but I can already their petition to become a chapter. The Colony designed a poster with their name at the top. see that founding Lambda Phi and joining petition required research about the university, These were passed around the group, and each SAI is one of the best decisions I will make the music department, the faculty of the music member wrote positive affirmations about the in my life. department and much more. The petition also member whose name was on the poster. At the —Meghan Fuller, Lambda Phi President included our Colony history, biographies of each end of the meeting, the posters were returned to member and meeting minutes. A number of each member, with permission to look at their Sigma Alpha Iota Collegiate Chapter recommendations were also to be included with poster only after the Colony had all dispersed. Extension Guidelines are available from the petition. For the Colony, that activity proved to be a The Fall of 2010 was when the dream of turning point, uniting all members by a bond of EXTENSION continued on page 16 becoming a chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota really Active alumnae participation is the key to giving back to the fraternity that has given so much to its members. College only lasts four years which dims in comparison to the years you could spend as an active alumnae member. sai-national.org SPRING 2011 PAN PIPES 15

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