by Lizett Huerta

The following is the third in a series about Alpha Chi Omega’s collegiate experience volunteer (CEV) team.  The purpose of these blogs is two-fold: to increase awareness of the work of the collegiate experience team as well as recruit new members to our specialist teams. To request CEV support for a collegiate chapter, please visit the Resource Center at alphachiomega.org; if you are interested in serving as a specialist, please email Jennifer Crotty.

When I decided to go through recruitment at the University of Utah, I did it for social reasons. I thought it would be a great way to meet new people, have things to do, and get involved. I didn’t think of it as a way of life; to me it was just going to be something to do.

My bid day changed all that. I remember opening my bid and going to the Alpha Chi Omega house. The second I walked up, I was greeted with hugs and a feeling that these girls were a part of Alpha Chi Omega for a lot more reasons than just having something to do.  They shared their stories and ended the night by giving me our scarlet and olive green ribbons. I wore them every single day to show how devoted I was.

As the semester went on I learned everything I needed for the Initiation test. But, I was still nervous as to what Ritual was and what would be expected of me; I really had no clue what it would entail or whether it was a positive or negative thing. I just kept telling myself that from what I had learned about Alpha Chi and my sisters, they would never let Ritual be anything negative.

To my delight, Initiation was the moment I learned our Ritual – that is, I learned what it is to be an Alpha Chi Omega. The Ritual not only taught me how to be a good sister, it stressed the importance of being a good person. There in those words was the key to living a life filled with success, compassion, and life-changing relationships.

Every semester for four years, my sisters and I got together to perform Initiation and reconnect with the Ritual, which united the entire chapter. And, every semester, I learned something that made me think, “Yes, that’s what I should be doing.” Every ceremony, regardless of how small the class of initiates was, taught me something about Alpha Chi and life.

Now that I am an alumna, I still hold Ritual as a guide to my life. When I moved to Colorado, the first people I called were the women of the Delta Epsilon Delta alumnae group. Meeting all these women was more proof of how Ritual is the essence of Alpha Chi Omega. No matter how different our chapters, Ritual is the one thing we all do the same.

But, I wanted to do more.  So, one day, I was looking around the Alpha Chi website for possible volunteer positions. Colorado Springs does not have a collegiate chapter, and I wanted a position that would let me feel like I was helping with something that shapes the Alpha Chi experience for life.  I was excited to see that there were Ritual specialist volunteers, and although there were Ritual specialist positions for alumnae and marketing/social media, I decided to become a collegiate Ritual specialist.

As a collegiate Ritual specialist, I am given the opportunity to work with our collegiate chapters and help them with anything regarding our Ritual.  After a collegiate chapter requests assistance, I then do my best to find out what the chapter needs help with and ways for them to improve their knowledge of our Ritual. I do this through emails, phone calls and Skype, and I don’t have to do this alone. The entire team of Ritual Specialists helps each other and works to develop ideas and tools to help the chapters develop strong Ritual programs.

This position really allows me to be involved in my favorite part of our sisterhood. I love having our Ritual material to look over and continuing to learn from its words. I love the idea of teaching that Ritual is not just about doing the motions and speaking the same words every week or once a semester.  As a Ritual specialist, I get to teach our collegians that Ritual is about life and help every woman who is lucky enough to know our Ritual be the best person she can be.

by Je’nell Griffin

The following is the second in a series about Alpha Chi Omega’s collegiate experience volunteer (CEV) team.  The purpose of these blogs is two-fold: to increase awareness of the work of the collegiate experience team as well as recruit new members to our specialist teams. To request CEV support for a collegiate chapter, please visit the Resource Center at alphachiomega.org; if you are interested in serving as a specialist, please email Jennifer Crotty.

As I approach the 10th year since I joined Alpha Chi Omega one thing still remains the same; I will never be able to sing the correct lyrics to “I Will Survive”, “Can’t Hurry Love”, and “I Love Rock & Roll”.  As a collegiate at Gamma Nu (San Diego State), we sang and danced to those songs for potential new members (PNMs) about the tough decisions you make during recruitment, our sisterhood, and how much fun we have as members of Alpha Chi Omega. Sure at times, recruitment can seem silly when you are learning songs and determining colors but, those were not the things that keep me engaged as a collegian.  I will never forget how the chapter members welcomed me during recruitment or the conversations my best friends and I STILL have to this day reminiscing about the house on 5816 Montezuma Road. I know now that those days spent prior to and during recruitment with the chapter members have had a major impact on my ability to network in any setting, execute a well thought-out plan, and most importantly, convey a message I’m passionate about.

Besides my love for all things recruitment, I was specifically drawn to the role as a recruitment specialist for the sheer fact that we have a direct role in the legacy of Alpha Chi Omega. Working with chapter recruitment teams throughout the year shows me the impact that Alpha Chi is still having on the lives of women today.  To be a part of the team that provides a glimpse of what Alpha Chi Omega is about to PNMs, for me, is my investment back to the organization that has given me so much.  The additional support I provide to the chapters I’m assigned to, take on different roles. Sometimes I’m the trainer, the coach, or a sounding board to share ideas I’ve seen over the years. Together, we determine workshop plans and share marketing ideas to maximize the chapters’ opportunities during formal and informal recruitment periods. I find joy in working with chapter members to set goals, create action plans, and celebrate the hard work and dedication of their team. To see the growth and confidence in the women I work with as they lead their chapter to a success, is truly rewarding.

Working with a chapter one on one, is just one layer of how our team works. The recruitment specialist team brings together women from varied chapter experiences, geographic locations, and professional backgrounds to gather best practices and trends related to recruitment. The team is like as a centralized hub and collectively works to share information and experiences with chapters across the country. We then provide workshops, share information via Skype or conference call with vice presidents of recruitment. The best part of working on the team is making sure Alpha Chi Omega remains relevant to PNMs and that our collegiate members have the skills to communicate what it means to be a real, strong woman.  I am really excited to be working on a team of women who are some of the most dedicated and creative people I know. It is in our monthly conference calls where we get to share these ideas and celebrate chapter successes. Yes, we talk about some of the frills that come along with recruitment, but just like those long days before recruitment I spent with my chapter, those are not the reasons why I stay engaged as an alumna. Recruitment is not just a time and place, a song, a dance, a round or a party. It is and will always be an opportunity to welcome women into a sisterhood. A sisterhood at its core taught me to seek and appreciate the wisdom of others, devote my time to people and causes I’m passionate about, and as always, continue to seek the heights and achieve the imaginable.

Throughout two fantastic years of traveling as a chapter consultant, there are a few things that I have noted as the more common questions that arise from chapter members regarding the consultant position. There is a full description of the chapter consultant position on the headquarters webpage, but I think that a “Spark Notes” version might be helpful as well!

In a Nutshell, Your Chapter Consultant….

• works for Headquarters, not ‘National or Nationals’.
• visits different chapters across the country. She might come for a recruitment visit, an initiation visit, a pre-recruitment visit, or a chapter management visit. She will meet with chapter officers, chapter advisors, chapter members and university staff.
• travels for about 5-6 weeks at a time.

Accommodations. If you wouldn’t want to sleep/work there, don’t ask her to stay there! Make sure that everything is clean – sheets, towels, etc. If there is a comforter on the bed, make sure that it has been freshly laundered. Remember, she is traveling for weeks at a time, so a comfortable bed is a remarkable amenity!

House Tour. When she arrives, give her a thorough house tour, especially if she is staying at the house. Tell her about meal times, snack availability, and give her a key to her room.

Food. Remember that she needs to eat! Make sure that you arrange for someone to eat with her during meals, be that in the chapter house or at a restaurant. It’s always nice to have some of her favorite snacks (from her bio in her email to chapters) waiting for her at the chapter house. If she is staying in a hotel without a car, make sure someone accompanies her to meals.

Food 2.0. Her bio will name a few types of food that she likes to eat to give you some ideas. To clear this up ahead of time, no, she doesn’t want fast food. When consultants travel, they typically have to eat fast food in airports (every 4-5 days) so consultants like to eat healthier food once they are at a chapter.

Directions. She’ll probably have GPS but it’s always helpful if you can send her maps of the area and ideas for neat places for her to visit during her free time.

Schedule. Add all required officer meetings into the schedule that she sends you. Leave some time each day for her to do work (especially in the evening), but if you notice large gaps in the schedule mid-day, plan to take her out somewhere in town to famous restaurants, shops, or landmarks of interest. If she needs to do some work or take a conference call, she’ll let you know.

Campus Tour. Escort her to campus offices, such as the Greek Affairs office for her meeting with the Panhellenic/Greek Advisor. Show her around campus and point out the exciting things that your campus is known for.

Unique. Each chapter consultant is unique, even though they have received the same training. Try not to compare her to past visitors or use any preconceived notions against her. Give her a chance!

Conversations. Feel free to ask her about herself. Be sure to tell her about any concerns that you have and ask as many questions as you can about your chapter. Be up front and honest with her. She is not interested in getting the chapter into trouble and she is trained to help you solve different problems.

Most importantly: Tell the rest of your chapter she is coming and ask them to be warm and inviting!

by Jennifer Crotty

The following is the first in a series about Alpha Chi Omega’s collegiate experience volunteer (CEV) team. Over the next few weeks, members of the CRS, recruitment, ritual and finance specialist teams will share their experiences from their CEV service. The purpose of these blogs is two-fold: to increase awareness of the work of the collegiate experience team as well as recruit new members to our specialist teams. To request CEV support for a collegiate chapter, please visit the Resource Center at alphachiomega.org; if you are interested in serving as a specialist, please email Jennifer Crotty.

In 2009, I was asked to lead one of the branches of Alpha Chi Omega’s new volunteer structure, the Volunteer Engagement: Collegiate Team. As that I was nearing the end of my term as province collegiate chair for MA, NH, RI, VT and ME, I was excited to take on the challenge of building a new structure which would provide additional operational support to our collegiate chapters, as well as attempt to relieve some of the workload from our hard working staff, province collegiate chairs and chapter advisors.

Three years later, after one name change and with an enhanced and redirected vision, the collegiate experience volunteer team is firmly established and working hard to support Alpha Chi Omega’s collegiate chapters. The team is comprised of four separate specialist teams dedicated to the specific topic areas of CRS, recruitment, ritual, and finance; in exciting news, we will be adding a fifth team dedicated to risk management in the summer of 2012, for which we are currently recruiting! Each specialist team consists of a lead specialist (or in the case of the recruitment team, two), who is responsible for the team’s training and administration, and 10-15 regional specialists.

Each of these teams is charged with two primary responsibilities: working with collegiate chapters and resource development. Work with collegiate chapters comes at the request of the chapter (chapter members, advisors, or province collegiate chairs may make requests on behalf of the chapter) or by assignment from headquarters’ collegiate experience staff.  The partnership between the volunteers and chapters can range from short-term tasks such answering of questions via email, to longer-term assignments such as working with a chapter on the development and implementation of a topic-specific strategic plan. In terms of the development of resources in their respective areas, the lead specialists and I work in conjunction with the collegiate experience staff, as well as the directors of other volunteer teams such as chapter advancement, chapter development and the province collegiate chairs, to identify areas of need. Once the desired resources are determined, the specialist teams will work to develop these materials, typically in work groups according to their areas of experience or interest.

It’s a very exciting time to be part of the collegiate experience volunteer team; we are starting to see the work that we have been doing come to fruition and have a tangible effect on chapters.  In the coming weeks, my CEV colleagues will be blogging about that work, as well as their experiences serving on the team. I am truly honored to work with these women, and I hope you enjoy hearing from them and learning more about who we are and what we do!

by Marsha King Grady, National President

One of the things I love most about being an Alpha Chi Omega is knowing I have more than 150,000 sisters out there waiting for me to meet them! When I joined Alpha Chi Omega, I really wasn’t concerned about any sisters other than the 150 in my Alpha Upsilon chapter—then I went to state day and met sisters from Auburn and Birmingham Southern, then I moved to Austin, Texas and became an advisor to the Alpha Phi chapter, and then I moved to Iowa City, Iowa where I was “adopted” by my Sigma chapter sisters.

In my years as a volunteer, my circle of Alpha Chi Omega friends continued to grow. As I’ve traveled to leadership academies, province days, reunions and conventions, I’ve met sisters of all ages from different chapters and different parts of the country. They’ve become my friends.

For folks who haven’t experienced the phenomenon of lifetime membership in a national sorority, it’s hard to describe this network of friends—some I’ve met only once and others I see only once every two years at conventions—with whom I share this strong bond of sisterhood.

With the advent of social media, I’ve been able to turn what used to be single or occasional connections with sisters into ongoing relationships. I can keep up with awards, graduations, marriages, careers, children and grandchildren—“participating” in their daily lives as well as major milestones. I’ve loved how social media have helped me maintain and enhance these special relationships.

As those who are my Facebook friends or who follow me on Twitter know, I’ve embraced social media for all of their positives. I love the ability to easily share a message with many and to develop and maintain connections with people and organizations I care about.

But social media can have downsides. If I didn’t know it intuitively, I’ve certainly heard it and read it— what you send into the cloud of social media is there for the world to see. Even if you limit your audience, it’s still your world, and it all influences how others view you. A branding consultant friend reminds me regularly that my presence in social media is part of my “personal brand.”

For many reasons, I have tried to ensure my online persona is one of which I can be proud. After all, I represent Alpha Chi Omega and my employer (my local school district’s foundation) when I’m on social media. But I also know that my teenage children see what I post, as do my favorite aunt and my pastor. My status updates, tweets, linked articles and photos are noticed and remarked on by others, and they reflect on me. So, I’m careful what I share online—with occasional exceptions related to my passion for Alabama football!

I am constantly amazed at what many of my online friends of all ages choose to share—unflattering or embarrassing photos; tales of their latest drinking binges; criticisms of their boss (or professors, former friends, their child’s coach or teacher); off-color or insensitive jokes; unnecessary profanity (my grandmother would have pointed out that all profanity is unnecessary); all of the details of their latest gastrointestinal difficulties; and the good and bad points of their latest date. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for the First Amendment, but really, people, does the world need to know all this? And while you certainly have the right to say these things, why would you want to share them with the world?

These things reflect on you! They help define how people see you—your personal brand.

When Alpha Chi Omega launched its “Real. Strong. Women.” brand a few years ago, that’s what we were looking for—a universal way to describe Alpha Chi Omega as an organization, but also as individual members. It’s not just something we say, it describes who we are. That’s one reason I’m very careful about my online persona. I want my personal brand to reflect Alpha Chi Omega’s brand—every day in every way, even when I’m not wearing my badge. I want “Real. Strong. Women.” To be my brand inspiration. By the way I live my life, I hope to create my own version of a real, strong woman based on Alpha Chi Omega’s values of wisdom, devotion and achievement.

In a 1997 Fast Company article entitled “The Brand Called You,” management guru Tom Peters reminded us that “the important thing to remember about your personal visibility campaign is: it all matters. When you’re promoting brand you, everything you do—and everything you choose not to do—communicates the value and character of your brand.”

It’s simple. You are a brand, and your brand is you. Peters wrote, “The brand is a promise of the value you’ll deliver.” What value do you bring to the world around you? Is your brand representing this value? My suggestion: aspire to be a real, strong woman and your brand will follow.

The T-shirt (and Other Miscellaneous Products of Interest) Approval Process

You’re in charge. You’ve been selected to chair the committee planning your chapter’s annual domestic violence awareness event. And, of course, you want this year’s event to be better than ever! You quickly discover that planning an event of this magnitude is no small task. You delegate as much as you can, like volunteer management, refreshment provisions, university permissions, and publicizing your event to attract participants and attendees.

Everything is going smoothly. Decorations have been ordered, the menu is set. Participant rules have been developed and the entertainment confirmed. You are feeling great. As soon as the T-shirts are delivered, everything will be good to go! And just as you are giving yourself a much-deserved pat on the back for a job well done it happens. You get the call.

The vendor creating your T-shirt informs you that Alpha Chi Omega headquarters will not approve the design you painstakingly thought out to match your theme in a fun and enticing way. Your palms start to sweat, the room grows smaller and breathing becomes more difficult as the only thought you can think right now is “What!?!”

You immediately begin to imagine the middle-aged group of very serious, very uncool women, women who have obviously forgotten what it was like to be in college, sitting around a table at headquarters squinting their eyes and banging a gavel every time someone comes up with a great idea to squash a little fun.

The reality is…sometimes T-shirt designs are not approved. But while the reasons vary and each instance is considered individually, one reason you will never hear is that the design is “too fun.”

The Approval Process

Here’s how it works. When you contact a licensed vendor to create a T-shirt for your event, they will either help you develop a design or use the design you provide to create your shirts. Licensed vendors have a contractual obligation to abide by the branding guidelines and design regulations that Alpha Chi Omega deems appropriate. Vendors submit their designs for approval to Affinity Marketing Consultants, Inc. (AMC). If there is a question whether a design is acceptable, it is forwarded to the marketing and communications department at headquarters.

If the question at hand merely pertains to logo usage, colors or brand alignment, it will be approved or denied at this point and AMC will communicate the answer to the vendor, who will in turn communicate to the chapter.

However, even when branding guidelines are met, if there is any question whether the design of the T-shirt or theme of the event carries any risk management concerns, the approval will be shifted to the collegiate experience department.

Unapproved Items

Many designs forwarded to headquarters for approval have one of three characteristics:

1. sexual innuendos
2. alcohol and/or drug references
3. manipulation of Alpha Chi Omega insignia

While each case is carefully considered, it is highly unlikely that your design will be approved if it contains any of these traits. This is pretty straightforward and simple to understand. But, sometimes that’s not the case.

Every once in a while, a design comes to headquarters that is not so obvious. The following examples may help you when brainstorming design ideas:

Is the Alpha Chi Omega insignia placed in an appropriate area on the product?

Some sororities do not allow having letters on the butt of sweatpants. Alpha Chi Omega is not one of them. In most instances this will be approved. However, if you want to put the Alpha Chi Omega crest on pants, you may be disappointed to note this is not allowed. The crest is a significant symbol and should be treated with respect. The crest may only be reproduced in black and white or full color, with very few exceptions made.

Does the design and/or wording have a negative connotation?

For example, “Pretty Little Lyres” is not an acceptable association with Alpha Chi Omega. While the phrase may sound catchy, the fact is it is based on a television show about murder, sex, “mean girls” and dishonesty. Song lyrics often fall under this guideline as well.

Does the design represent something campus or community specific?

A citizen of Indiana, or student at Indiana University, is considered a hoosier. In other parts of the country, this term is derogatory in nature. So, what may be approved at one chapter, may not be approved at another based on the local culture, news or other extenuating circumstances.

Does the design and/or wording condone hazing tendencies?

Any term that can be construed as demeaning, subservient or ostracizing will not be approved. This includes terms such as pledge, pledge class, babies or angels.

Greek Licensed Vendors

Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity, Inc. owns the exclusive right to utilize its trademarked insignia. This means that in order to reproduce any piece of merchandise using the Alpha Chi Omega name, letters, crest, logo or other insignia a vendor must obtain permission from an appropriate headquarters representative. There are currently over 300 licensed vendors who may sell Alpha Chi Omega merchandise ensuring a wide variety of options when a chapter Is looking for creative ideas.

Alpha Chi Omega has partnered with AMC to manage the licensed vendor program and protect the integrity of the Alpha Chi Omega experience. Since 2000, AMC has worked to ensure Alpha Chi Omega is presented in the best light possible. Vendors who do not have a license to sell Alpha Chi Omega merchandise but do so anyway are breaking the law. Chapters who utilize non-licensed vendors are violating the Policies of Alpha Chi Omega.

When you use a licensed vendor and produce merchandise that is deemed inappropriate, the chapter is protected by the contract the vendor has with headquarters. If a vendor fails to seek approval and a design is revoked, the shirts will be confiscated, and the vendor will be required to issue a refund if the chapter has already paid. If the chapter uses an unlicensed vendor, the shirts will be confiscated and the chapter will not receive any reimbursements for monies paid out.

Alpha Chi Omega Pride

Although it may seem like just a T-shirt or a simple party favor, the products and memorabilia Alpha Chi Omegas of all ages wear and display really are so much more. Alpha Chi strives to create a healthy environment that cultivates real, strong women. To do this, it is each member’s responsibility to make fit individual choices. Wearing a T-shirt that displays suggestive language or explicit graphics does not promote human dignity; it does quite the opposite. Carrying a bag that is racially or culturally insensitive does not promote acceptance and respect; it promotes intolerance and aggression.

Take pride in your sisterhood, and help Alpha Chi Omega maintain its strong reputation among women’s organizations. A T-shirt today can do a lot for tomorrow!

FAQs

Why doesn’t someone at Alpha Chi Omega contact the chapter directly to explain why a design is not approved?

You may, at any time, contact headquarters for further explanation regarding why your design and/or wording was not approved. There are, however, multiple reasons why we don’t contact you directly, including:

• Because approval is sought from the vendor, we often don’t know which chapter is associated with a design.
• Most vendors work on a very tight schedule and a quick answer is necessary to allow time for design adjustments as necessary.
• Most of the time, the approval process is easy and quick. We do not feel that opening a dialogue in every instance (and there are many in an academic year) is the most efficient use of time. However, a chapter is always welcome to initiate the conversation and seek further explanation.

Is there an appeals process if a design is rejected?

If you feel that your design and/or language was misinterpreted, you may absolutely feel free to send further explanation via email to Janine Grover, Marketing and Communications Director, or Darcey Nance, Assistant Director-Risk Management in the collegiate experience department.

It’s just a T-shirt. The event theme is everywhere else so why can’t it be on the T-shirt?

While there are contractual obligations for our vendors to seek approval on merchandise, chapters are obligated to carefully choose event themes that adhere to the standards of the organization. If your theme is contrary to the standards of Alpha Chi Omega, your chapter may face disciplinary action.

Why should I use a licensed vendor if an unlicensed vendor can make my T-shirt without going through the approval process?

Unlicensed vendors are breaking the law. Only Alpha Chi Omega headquarters has the right to decide who may use the trademarks that belong to the organization. The Policies of Alpha Chi Omega includes the following:

NF8.1 Licensed Vendors
Chapters are required to use vendors that have been approved by the National Fraternity for items bearing the trademarked insignia (the coat of arms, the words “Alpha Chi Omega” and the Greek letters “ΑΧΩ”), such as T-shirts, party favors, stationery, etc. A list of the approved vendors is available at the National Fraternity Headquarters or on the website.

Will you approve language adapted from a song or television show if it doesn’t have a negative connotation?

In most cases, song title and television show titles are trademarked, which means that to use them, even if they are changed slightly, is violating someone else’s trademark. Just as we expect others to respect our trademarks, it is important that we respect those of others. For example, “Pretty Little Liars” is a trademark owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. When a chapter uses a phrase like “Pretty Little Lyres” it is a violation of that trademark because it is meant to sound the same and it is being used because of the popularity of the television show. Likewise, although “Alpha Chi Omega” is our trademarked name, we are protected when people use the phrase “Alpha Chi” as a reference to or in conjunction with the sorority.

Why, why, why must this be such a big deal when it’s all in the name of fun?

Although it may seem like it, the headquarters staff is not trying to diminish your fun. It is possible to have a great time and still adhere to the Alpha Chi Omega brand and standards; many chapters do it every day and do it well. If you are having a problem developing a design or a theme you think would be approved, give us a call and we’ll help you in the creative process or connect you with other chapters who have had similar events and have been successful.

How to Extend Your Philanthropic Legacy

by Polly J. Dobbs
(Gamma Mu, Ball State University)

When many women hear about planned giving they think, “Oh, that’s not for me.” You may think it’s for someone older or richer, or perhaps you don’t know what planned giving is. Your biggest concern may be making sure you leave enough money for your family after you’re gone. Perhaps you’re overwhelmed at the thought of which charity to choose, and you would prefer to let someone else make the decision after you’re gone. Planned giving can play an important role in every woman’s life. Alpha Chi Omega women are strong, and many of us control the purse strings of our family’s wealth. We need to be comfortable taking charge of our charitable giving decisions for the benefit of future generations. Here, we’ll examine some common objections to planned giving and how to move beyond those misconceptions into a place where you understand how planned giving can be an integral part of your overall estate plan.

“I don’t know what planned giving is.”

In the simplest terms, planned giving is any method of charitable giving other than getting out your checkbook and writing an immediate check with no restrictions attached. Planned giving techniques should balance your financial, personal and charitable objectives. It can be put in place during your lifetime or after your death and can take a variety of different forms.

“I’m too young to plan that far out.”

None of us know when we’ll die. Charitable giving should be a part of every young woman’s life. Start small. You should have a charitable giving plan that fits your lifestyle and goals today, and dust it off every five years or so and make sure it’s still a good fit. Ideally, an Alpha Chi has been writing small checks to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation and other charities each year since graduating and securing that first job. Planned giving is the next step toward leaving a philanthropic legacy. As a member of the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation’s Planned Giving Subcommittee, my goal is for every young Alpha Chi to name the Foundation as at least a 1-percent beneficiary of that first 401(k) plan she vests in after joining the work force. That small first step will be a reminder of the importance of our sisterhood and philanthropy as the years go by and jobs change, spouses and children come along, beneficiary designations are updated, and those retirement assets are rolled over and moved around.

“I don’t have enough money.”

This might mean a planned gift is a great option for you. If money is tight now, you don’t have to say no to your favorite charity—you can just give in a different way. Leaving a percentage of your assets or a set dollar amount to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation and/or other chosen charities is easy to do through the beneficiary designation on your retirement plan, life insurance, annuity or in your will or trust. Even a small planned gift will be welcomed. For example, just imagine the impact if every sister left $100 to the Foundation at her passing—the results would be remarkable!

“I want my family to have enough after I’m gone.”

Estate plans can be written so that a charitable bequest is only made after certain other requirements have been met. Using flexible language in a will can address this concern; here’s a great example: “I give the lesser of $50,000 or 5 percent of my net taxable estate to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation upon my death.” A contingent bequest to charity can also help with this issue. Many of my clients include their favorite charities in their “wipe-out clause”—this clause states what happens to their assets if they and their children are “wiped out” in a common tragedy. Rather than having all their assets distributed to distant relatives, most clients would like to provide for some amount to go to charity. Once the idea of a charitable bequest at death gets into their head, they often move a charity “up in line” to receive some amount at the second spouse’s death, or even at the first spouse’s death. Including a charity in your estate plan can help you leave more than just money to your family; you can leave an example of philanthropy and a commitment to benefit an organization that was important to you during your lifetime. This is a way for you to teach, from beyond the grave, that giving back is an important family value.

“I’ll let someone else make the decision.”

Some may think it’s best to set aside an amount for charity and let family members decide which nonprofit organizations will receive the benefit. I encourage you to own the choice; it is yours to make. Without specific instructions, your charitable gift might not go where you intended. For example, we all know the positive difference Alpha Chi Omega can make in a woman’s life, and financial support of our Foundation ensures that future generations will receive the benefits we have received, but do your family members know? Only you can decide what charity values and benefits are important to you.

Planned giving as a part of an overall plan created with your attorney.

Planned giving must be considered as a part of an overall estate plan. The estate-planning process involves exploration of your desires, goals and your personal and financial circumstances. Your estate plan should be designed to conserve property before and after death, to provide for your care and lifestyle before death, to minimize death taxes, to provide sufficient liquidity at death, and to provide financially for family and/or others (including charity) in an appropriate manner before and/or after your death. Even very straightforward planned-giving techniques should fall into the “big picture” of your comprehensive estate plan.

Considering a planned gift expands your options for charitable giving. A planned gift may allow you to make a larger charitable gift than you thought possible. It also could provide a source of income for you, your spouse, your children or your grandchildren, while helping protect assets and ultimately providing for a charity. A planned gift may achieve specific charitable purposes (possibly for generations to come), and may reduce income taxes and/or estate and gift taxes.

If you make a planned gift to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation or any nonprofit entity, collaboration between you and the charity is crucial. Planned giving is not likely to be productive or rewarding if approached in isolation. For example, you may designate a cash contribution to your favorite charity and specify that such amount is to be added to your favorite charity’s scholarship fund, but if your favorite charity does not have a scholarship fund, that plan will fail. You should explore your desires and goals and also learn about the programs and tools already available within your favorite charity to make sure your planned gift is a success. While the professionals who work for various charities can provide you with valuable information about the methods of planned giving and the benefits of each, it is important for you to involve your own legal advisors in the process so that there is no conflict of interest and all aspects of the transaction can be appropriately considered.

It’s not (just) about the taxes.

A desire to minimize estate taxes may help motivate you to consider a planned gift, but avoiding estate taxes should not be the only reason to make a planned gift. Likewise, if your only goal is to maximize the amount of money going to your family members and minimize the amount of taxes paid to the government, then planned giving may not work for you. You need to have true charitable intentions to gain the most benefit from a planned gift.

Since Dec. 17, 2010, our federal laws have provided a maximum exemption level (i.e., the maximum amount a person may give away without incurring tax) of $5 million, indexed annually for inflation, for estate tax, gift tax and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax. The gift and estate tax exemption are unified so that $5 million (indexed) may be given away during one’s life gift-tax-free. The maximum tax rate for estate, gift and GST taxes is currently 35 percent. Because of the “indexing,” for 2012, up to $5.12 million of an estate will be exempt from the current 35-percent estate tax. These provisions are only in effect until Dec. 31, 2012. Unless Congress and the President take further action before then, after Jan. 1, 2013, estates worth as little as $1 million will be subject to estate tax, the government will take 41 cents on the first dollar in excess of that $1 million, and tax rates will steadily increase from 41 percent to 60 percent on larger amounts.

This notorious fluctuating federal law has moved the exemption level all over the map from the low point of $600,000 to the current high point of $5 million. In light of this larger federal estate-tax exemption, you may feel that “enough is enough” in terms of the amount of money you wish to leave to family. Many of my clients feel that the amounts in excess of the estate-tax exemption should be left to charity.

Unrestricted vs. designated gifts to charity.

An unrestricted gift to a charity has no strings attached. Charities love these gifts! These are important to a charity’s daily operation and help them keep the lights on, buy paper and pay employee salaries. Some donors embrace this unrestricted type of giving, understanding that these essentials are necessary to provide for the charity’s basic needs.

However, in order to further a particular charitable interest or desire, planned gifts often involve “restricted” or “designated” gifts, which can be used only for a specific purpose. Again, collaboration between the donor’s legal advisors and the charity is crucial to make the donor’s intent clear and ensure that the charity is capable of complying with the restrictions in order to achieve the donor’s goals. When a charity accepts your gift, it accepts any restrictions or designations you placed on that gift and is legally required to fulfill them. I suggest drafting any designated charitable bequest to be made following death in the alternative, to allow the highest possibility for success. For example, a last will and testament could contain a provision such as this: “The lesser of $50,000 or 5 percent of my net taxable estate to [favorite charity] for the purpose of providing scholarships, but if the scholarship program is discontinued in the future, then any remaining funds should be used for [favorite charity’s] then-existing program(s) that benefit children, or if no such programs exist, then any remaining funds may be used for [favorite charity’s] greatest need.”

Another type of designated gift is an endowment. Endowments allow you to give an amount to charity, which is invested, and only the income earned from that investment may be spent for the purposes which you have provided.

Most charities will have a gift-acceptance policy, and a donor should expect to be presented with such a policy to review at the outset of any planned-giving discussions. Also, a planned gift may likely result in a gift agreement that commemorates the assets to be given by the donor and any restrictions the charity agrees to comply with by accepting such a gift.

Different types of assets can be used in planned giving.

The types of assets donated to a charity will influence the planned-giving process, even if the gift is unrestricted. Once you’ve decided that you want to make a planned gift, next you must decide which of your assets you wish to transfer to the charity. Cash is one straightforward option. Marketable securities are easy to transfer to a charity during your lifetime or at death. Stock or other ownership interest in a closely held business may be accepted by a charity, but certain steps must be taken before such a transfer. It’s not as easy as just transferring your Google stock.

Your IRA, 401(k) or other qualified retirement plan assets can easily be left to charity at death. I often suggest these assets as a great way to benefit a charity at death, because they may otherwise be subject to two types of taxes when you die: death taxes on the value of the account at the date of death, and income taxes on each withdrawal made by your named beneficiary after your death. If a charity is the beneficiary of your qualified retirement assets, then such assets are not subject to either death taxes or income taxes because your estate would receive an estate-tax charitable deduction, and the charity would be exempt from income tax when assets are withdrawn. Caution is required when considering lifetime gifts of qualified retirement plans, because income tax and penalties may be triggered when assets are withdrawn from such a plan, even if the ultimate recipient of the withdrawn funds is a charity.

Real estate may be given to a charity, but expect prior approval of the charity’s governing board to be required before such a transfer is made. Not every potential gift will be accepted by a charity. For example, if the real estate is the prior location of a gas station or a factory that used harmful chemicals and there are environmental issues involved, the charity may decline to accept such real estate. It is also likely that a charity would wish to sell the real estate upon receipt, rather than maintain the property, which can be a potential liability. A thorough negotiation and understanding between the donor and the charity resulting in a gift agreement is a good idea when real estate is involved.

Tangible personal property (works of art or antiques, for example) may be donated to a charity. Be aware that certain restrictions on the amount of your income-tax deduction may be imposed if the personal property is not used for the charity’s charitable purpose.

Life insurance also can be used to benefit a charity. Specifically, there may be a charitable-planning opportunity if you purchased life insurance when the federal exemption was lower ($600,000), for the purpose of helping to pay the estate taxes that would have been due upon your death. Now that the federal exemption is higher ($5,120,000), such life insurance proceeds may no longer be required because your estate will not be subject to estate tax. If that’s the case, you can make an easy adjustment to the beneficiary designation of your life insurance policy to have some or all of the death benefit paid to a charity. It also may be possible to benefit a charity by transferring ownership of no-longer-needed life insurance to the charity during your lifetime.

Methods and vehicles used in planned giving.

The nitty-gritty of planned giving covers a large spectrum from simple to complex. Some examples of simple (if unrestricted) deferred gifts are as follows:

• primary or contingent beneficiary designation of a life insurance policy: charity can be a partial beneficiary that receives a set dollar amount or a percentage
• primary or contingent beneficiary designation of an IRA or a qualified plan (remember, these are great assets to leave to charity at death): charity can be a partial beneficiary that receives a set dollar amount or a percentage
• outright bequest in a will or outright distribution from a revocable living trust after a grantor’s death: can be a set dollar amount or a percentage, or a formula that sets a floor and/or ceiling on the amount going to charity

All of the above are “deferred” gifts that may be revoked and/or changed prior to death. Any of the above become more complex if they are “restricted” for a particular purpose.

Some examples of more complex vehicles include:

• charitable gift annuity: a contract (not a trust) under which a charity, in return for a transfer of cash, marketable securities or other assets, agrees to pay a fixed amount of money to one or two individuals for their lifetime. This technique can produce an income-tax deduction and enhances income during retirement years.
• charitable remainder trust: assets transferred to a newly created “split interest” irrevocable trust in which a charity is a remainder beneficiary, but the donor (and perhaps donor’s spouse) retains an annuity (a CRAT) or unitrust (a CRUT) stream of payments for either a term of years or for lifetime. At the end of the specified term or lifetime, the remaining assets are distributed to the charitable beneficiary and the trust terminates.
• charitable lead trust: assets transferred to a newly created “split interest” irrevocable trust where a charity receives the lead interest (for a term of years) with the remainder to pass to non-charitable beneficiaries (the donor’s family or any individual selected by the donor). The charity can receive an annuity (a CLAT), in which a fixed annual distribution is made to charity, or a unitrust amount (a CLUT), in which the charity receives a fluctuating amount equal to a percentage of the CLUT’s value each year.

All of the above, if established during a donor’s lifetime, are irrevocable and may provide income-tax benefits to the donor. If established after death, the above techniques may provide estate-tax benefits.

However, there are potential pitfalls with any technique. Charitable lead and charitable remainder trusts are irrevocable. If circumstances change, they cannot be amended. If the assets owned by a CLAT or CRUT lose value, the benefit to the donor’s family (or other intended remainder beneficiary) will be less. Charitable lead trusts are somewhat of a hot topic these days, because the special interest rate the Internal Revune Service uses to predict how much assets will grow in a split interest trust such as this (the “hurdle rate”) is hovering at an all-time low, increasing the likelihood that assets transferred to a CLAT or a CRUT will appreciate in value over and beyond the hurdle rate, resulting in a discounted gift to the remainder beneficiaries, and achieving gift- and/or estate-tax savings for the donor.

No matter which route you choose, incorporate planned giving into your estate plan.

Planned giving means different things to different people and can fit into each donor’s estate plan in a unique way to achieve her goals. My suggestion: make a planned gift to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation in gratitude of the benefits you’ve received from our sisterhood as a way to pay it forward and extend your philanthropic legacy.

Disclosure Required by Circular 230

This Disclosure may be required by Circular 230 issued by the Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. The federal tax advice contained herein is not intended or written by the practitioner to be used, and it may not be used by any taxpayer, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer. Furthermore, any federal tax advice herein may not be used or referred to in promoting, marketing or recommending a transaction or arrangement to another party. Further information concerning this disclosure, and the reasons for such disclosure, may be obtained upon request from the author.

Wanting to help the underdogs of the world, Corina Testa Elgart began her college career with the strict mindset of becoming a criminal defense attorney. She enjoyed all of her classes and made wonderful contacts—all of which reassured her choice in career. Following graduation, Corina received a prestigious job offer, and a salary to match, from a law firm in Washington D.C. Not only was she rising in her field and at such a young age, but all of her dreams were coming true.

As time passed, Corina continued to climb. Working alongside the D.C. Federal Public Defender, she was a part of high-profile national and international cases such as kidnappings and mass murders. She worked 14-hour days in high-tension arenas, and she was thriving.

In fall 2003, Corina met her husband and thoughts of family began to cross her mind. Her career was booming and she was on a great financial path. Was she willing to give up her success? Was she willing to put off having a family? That winter, her decision was made for her.

Out of Her Control

To help with her father-in-law who had become increasingly ill, she and her husband moved from the fast-paced, big-city life they had created for themselves to a life of Long Island suburbia. The culture change was a shock to not only her profession, but her personal life as well. Although she had grown up in the area and her family was close, her life had been built in Washington D.C. She had no ties to Long Island and, there, she had no individuality. She only saw herself as her husband’s wife.

She began a short-lived position with the Federal Defender’s Office in their Long Island branch, but her life still lacked the passion and excitement she had experienced and had gotten used to while living in Washington D.C. Unmotivated and bored, she needed to do something just for herself.

Trying something brand new, Corina dabbled in small business ownership and began consulting for local bridal needs. She remembers, “I went from being with people on the worst days of their lives to the best day of their lives.”

In December 2005, the birth of her first child, a son named Jasper, began her slow-down. She wanted to be with him more, and subsequently, her work began to lessen. By the birth of her second child in January 2008, a Daughter named Domenica, Corina found that she was staying home more and more. Working was no longer in the schedule.

During her second pregnancy, Corina developed anxiety. Her Doctor suggested that she was showing early signs of postpartum depression. She did not want to rely on medication, so she sought alternative remedies. To her amazement, some flour, eggs, vanilla and sugar seemed to do the trick.

Finding Herself On Her Own Terms

From a strong Italian background, cooking was definitely in her genes. Baking, however, was not. Following videos on YouTube, reading recipes in magazines and replicating online photos, Corina attempted one dessert recipe after another, but creating the perfect tasting vanilla cake was her focus. For months, her husband would come home every night to a lineup of cakes, just for his tasting pleasure, until they found one that topped the rest.

“I loved how exact the baking instructions were. My anxiety was gone. It calmed my Type A personality down to an A- .”

Watching her kids during the day, she began night classes at the local culinary school. She remembers, “When I wasn’t at school, I was practicing at home. I was truly finding myself. Who knew I could bake! I sure didn’t. I loved it, and I was good at it. I found a new passion and something just for me. Not my kids or my husband, just me.”

The Start of Something Big

As her time at the culinary school came to a close, an internship was the last piece before graduation. Disillusioned by the common practices of other area bakeries, Corina took a step back. She was continuously told that the part of baking that made her so happy—the use of fresh, measured ingredients—was not practiced by local bakeries. Using premade and premixed ingredients was how everyone was doing it, but it made her question her own values and standards. She felt it was cheating and left customers misinformed. Was she in this just to make money? No. Was she looking for convenience? No. She knew her passion, and she needed to follow it.

Corina soon opened her own “shop” out of her home and vowed to stay true to her own wants, needs and strengths. She vowed to take no shortcuts, and everything from her cakes and cupcakes to her own hard work was to be done from scratch. Through word-of-mouth, Corina’s home-based business was a local sensation.

“Our entire kitchen transformed into a little bake shop. I can remember me and my husband staying up until 2 a.m. to make fondant bows and Sesame Street figurines. It was all trial and error, but we were getting orders for five, six cakes per week!”

In 2010, Corina finally moved her little business out of her home and to a more permanent facility—a cottage of only 400 square feet in Syossett, New York. Her bake shop was aptly named TASTE: It’s In The Cake.

Battling the Competition and the Public

As TASTE was opening, Corina received the news that any pastry chef would love to hear: she had been cast in a reality show hosted by, none other than the “Cake Boss” himself, Buddy Valastro. Surprised that she would even be considered, questioning her own skills in comparison to the others, excited for the possible business publicity, Corina had no idea what she was getting into. But with her husband’s support, she went for it. That fall, she began filming on TLC’s “Cake Boss: Next Great Baker.”

Her bake shop was closed for three weeks, and she was unable to see her family. Although she was able to call her husband and parents each night, she was incredibly lonely and exhausted. Public opinion did not help matters.

At first her only worries were how she would physically look on television, she had no idea she would be criticized for her character and personality. Although there were many fans for whom Corina inspired, she was also given a spoonful of cyber bullying.

“I got painted as a stereotypical Italian girl from Long Island, hot tempered, nasty and loud…The show was great for my business, but it tested my personal strength. I was exposed to America the way T.V. wanted me to be seen. And let me tell you, America has loud opinions, and they are not afraid to share them. When you’re on national television, viewers believe only what they’re shown. Viewers were harsh and attacked me as a person, questioning my ability to be a mother and a business owner. I got hate-mail and the blogs, Facebook and other social media networks flowed with degrading comments that were brutal and hard to read. Having battled my share of bullies growing, up I knew this feeling all too well; I thought the days of people making me feel badly about myself were over. While the show was airing I felt like I was in middle school all over again.”

Rather than crying and feeling helpless, Corina turned it into something positive. She used her status as a finalist in the competition series to give back. She and her husband had “team Corina” T-shirts made for the final episode and donated 100 percent of the proceeds to “Stomp Out Bullying.” She wanted to take her experience and use it to empower people to be who they are and to be proud of their talents and passions in life. Today she is an anti-bullying advocate and hopes to someday form her own anti-bullying organization locally.

Having It All

Although the route may be a little different than others, at the heart of things, Corina is still a small business owner who just wanted to find herself and be able to set a positive example for her children. Like what so many other women across the country have experienced, what she believed at the age of 18 to be her calling, was just a stepping stone to finding her true passion in life: family and cake.

Today, Corina works five to six days every week, and loves it. And as for her earlier thoughts of having to choose between a career that she loves or having a family: When someone asks, “How do you do it?” She responds, “Do you walk into my husband’s office and ask how he does it? We make it work, we figure it out! If you want something bad enough you’ve gotta fight for it. With heart, drive and passion, you can have it all. Hard work, confidence and determination go a long way.”

Corina Testa Elgart, her husband Keith, and their two children reside in Huntington, New York. For further discussion on starting your own business or for opportunities to speak out against bullying, Corina may be reached through cakesbytaste.com or on Facebook.  Photo provided by Lightful Photography LLC, lightfulphotography.com.

by Jennifer Harrison

When I joined Alpha Chi Omega in the spring of my freshman year, I bought into the idea of sisterhood right away. Having spent my first semester of college mostly alone and unable to tap into the seemingly pre-established social scene, the experience of gaining an instant sisterhood was exactly what I had been looking for. I found myself amongst a group of women who sincerely cared for one another, and automatically cared for me, simply because I wore the same three letters on my t-shirt. As my collegiate experience progressed, I grew stronger in my convictions, and would not stand for anything less than continuous loyalty and love toward my chapter sisters. I firmly believed that no matter what obstacles we were up against, our sisterhood and genuine love for one another would persevere. Ultimately, my strong belief in the power of our sisterhood is what led me to my job as a chapter consultant.

This spring, I’ve had the distinct privilege of helping to grow a sisterhood from scratch. At the beginning, I remember being intimidated by the very idea of this. I had a difficult time wrapping my head around the prospect of creating the same unconditional sisterhood I had joined without an established sisterhood to merge with. These women would literally be grouped together and expected to love one another on the sole premise that they share the same values and possess the potential to develop into real.strong.women—all while learning what it means to be sorority women in the first place. Sounds pretty daunting, doesn’t it?

As colonization approached, I set aside my fears and dove in. Before I knew it, we had more than 100 founding members, each eager to learn and grow as Alpha Chi Omegas. The eight weeks spent educating, guiding, and supporting these women was a whirlwind of excitement and fast-paced activity. At the end of March, the time had finally come. The High Point University colony has now become the Kappa Omicron chapter. The bonds these women have created in such a short amount of time are inspirational, and I am truly proud of the real.strong.women they have already become. Each founding member brings her own individual strengths and passion to the group, creating a beautiful harmony of sisterhood. Although their time as new members is over, the journey of lifetime membership is just beginning, and their sisterhood is still developing.

I feel so fortunate to have been a part of this process, because it has reinforced my faith in our sisterhood. Alpha Chi Omega is truly timeless, and the love binding each sister together extends across time and space. Sisterhood is the constant in our lives as Alpha Chi Omegas, constantly growing to accommodate our own development as individuals. To quote one of my favorite founders,

“Fraternity does not change, it develops. Development is in the living of our ideals. In the heart that is shielded by the emblem of sisterhood. In the head where thoughts are unselfish and pure. By words that are kind. By acts that are sincere. By deeds that are worthy. By faith, hope, and love of Alpha Chi Omega.” ~Olive Burnett Clark, 1885

by Patricia Garrard

My professional career was as an educator, more exactly, a middle school language arts teacher.  Now I find the word “alumna” attached to my volunteer position as an educator.  For most of us, our love for Alpha Chi Omega and a desire to share our sisterhood led us to become Alumna Educators.

At the 2010 Convention, I shared the enthusiasm of the other delegates as we approved a program that would reach out to outstanding women who are post-college, but never joined a sorority.   Alumna initiates have been a part of Alpha Chi Omega since 1886 when the Founders invited some honor initiates to become members.  When I returned home from Convention, I knew that I wanted to volunteer with this initiative.  My Alpha Chi Omega experience has mostly been in the alumnae area, because there is no collegiate chapter nearby.  I had recently moved almost three hours away from the alumnae chapter where I had been a member for thirty years and president for the past decade.  I wanted a new way to experience “lifetime engagement” and this opportunity seemed perfect.

I can truly say the experience has rewarded me ten-fold.  I have enjoyed sharing with the Prospective Alumna Members (“PAMs”) and find myself recharged after each phone call.  Talking about our founding and history has given me greater appreciation and insight for our Alpha Chi Omega legacy.  As I review the five criteria for membership, I can share how the leadership and character which Alpha Chi Omega fostered enhanced my career and personal life. My role allows me to feel that I am repaying in some way the many wonderful gifts that my Alpha Chi Omega sisterhood has given to me.

To learn more about the alumna initiate program, visit our website.