Service, Friendship and Leadership. These three cardinal principles of Omega Phi Alpha National Service Sorority are what convinced me to move forward with one of the best decisions of my college career.
I pledged Alpha Alpha Chapter at Norther Arizona University in my freshman fall semester. When I was going through the recruitment process, I was so excited to meet sisters who were real, unique, genuinely kind to me and one another, and excited to serve others. They all shared this single purpose of serving the community and each other—building up the goals, dreams, and leadership qualities of one another.
I wanted to be a part of that.
When I decided to go through with interviews and accept the bid, from then on my life has changed. I developed leadership qualities through various local executive board positions, including pledge class president, active district officer, and service director. I learned how to be a sister and a mentor to my two amazing little sisters. They constantly challenged me to become a better version of myself. I gained best friends, who I would not have met without OPhiA.
Most importantly, I learned the value of my time and energy to those around me in the community. Whether it was handing out compliments to students on campus, dancing with the athletes of the Special Olympics, or helping a sister through a hard time, Omega Phi Alpha has given me skills that I’m taking into my career as a journalist. This has made me a better version of myself.
These last (almost) four years have been some of the most formative, fun and enjoyable years of my life.
I can’t thank my sisters enough for the opportunity to be their sister.
Colleen Sikora (Alpha Alpha), Northern Arizona University
Reprinted with permission from the chapter’s blog