I’ve always pictured that my years as a Theta sister would end when I walked the lawn at graduation in 2018, but recently I’ve come to realize that Theta service can extend far beyond our time at UVA. There is no better example of a sister’s lifelong commitment to service than in our Delta Chi advisors. This week, I asked our advisors to reflect on their experiences both as UVA students and as alumni mentors.
Tricia McDaniel was a Delta Chi advisor and head of the alumni newsletter for five years after her daughter’s initiation in 2009 inspired her to get more involved as an alumnus. The job was not only a great way to connect with her daughter, but also an opportunity to look back on the four years she spent at UVA and give back to an organization that gave her great friends and great memories. Theta, she says, is the source of many strong friendships that persist today, and cites her favorite memories as those made in her third year when she lived in the house. She also praised the continuing relationship with CASA, and although she no longer heads the communications division of the advisory board, she looks back fondly on this work just as she does her time at UVA.
Tricia is a perfect example of theta’s enduring influence on our lives far beyond our four college years. And although some aspects of Kappa Alpha Theta here at UVA have changed (she cites fraternity socials as a popular practice that no longer exists today), it seems that the overall atmosphere and bonds forged in the house have stayed the same.
Tess Conciatori, ‘18