I rushed Sigma Alpha the fall of my sophomore year essentially because my friends asked me to come to recruitment week. I had entered college with a very firm perception of what sororities – rather, sorority girls – were like. I had ZERO interest in drama, catty or petty behavior. My friends assured me this wasn’t the case with Sigma Alpha because it was a professional sorority.
This intrigued me. Of all the pillars of Sigma Alpha, I considered myself already as a leader, scholar, a person of sound character and integrity, who valued and embodied service to their community. But professional? I’d never thought of myself in that way. Recognizing an opportunity for growth in my personhood, I signed up.
In what ways has Sigma Alpha fostered my professional growth and development?
1) Modeling professional behavior and attire in meetings.
Once a month, we held our professional business meetings. Professional business attire was required. No one was fined for being inappropriate; we learned appropriate attire by watching those more experienced. One of the key aspects of learning is practice. One doesn’t learn how to dress professionally by watching a fashion-show; that is simply an introduction. One learns it by doing it, repeatedly…and growing more and more comfortable. One thing I found was that as I grew more comfortable in the dress, my conduct followed. It’s an interesting thing how our attire influences our conduct.
Because I practiced this for 3 years, I was ready for conferences, board meetings, and meetings with elected officials once I became a professional. I am grateful that because of Sigma Alpha, I understood and knew how to dress and conduct myself professionally.
2) Conducting a proper business meeting
While I had conducted meetings through 4-H and learned parliamentary procedure through FFA, Sigma Alpha taught me the importance of setting an agenda and communicating effectively with members before and after, discussing business matters during the meeting – not before or after. Most importantly, though, the idea that the purpose of a meeting is to INVOLVE your members in the conduct of business not simply talk at them in report after report.
3) Realizing what professional opportunities existed for women in agriculture and what life was really like “in the real world”
At each business meeting, we began with a presentation from someone in the ag industry about a topic related to professional development, as well as their professional journey. Topics ranged from resumes, interviewing, negotiating, budgeting, managing others. Honestly, I’d never considered what it might be like to have a career. I assumed that my path would follow my mom’s – that’d I’d go to college, meet my husband, get married, move to his farm, start a family…and be a professional volunteer. That wasn’t what my path has been AT ALL (and God is still good)…and those lessons presented to me have proven even more valuable. I didn’t know then how much I needed to see that life existed along other pathways.
4) Conducting the work of an organization through regularly held committee meetings
This is one of the aspects that really set Sigma Alpha apart from other organizations I’d belonged to. Our business meetings were always the 1st Monday of the month and on the 3rd Monday, we had our committee meetings. Every member was part of a committee, assigned after each individual chose their top 3 areas of interest. Every committee met each month during our assigned time. We met for 45 minutes and then held a short session following with each committee giving an oral committee report (and later submitting a written one).
The benefits were several. 1) The work of the organization was conducted by each member – not a select few. The burden of planning, promoting, implementing, and evaluating was carried by all – not a select few. As a result, we all felt part of each event. That our work mattered to the organization – that WE were the organization and not the work. (This is the most important in my opinion; it is so much easier to value the work and not the person – but in valuing the person we exercise our humanity.)
2) We learned to rely on each other. I did not need to possess all the strengths and abilities; I could use my strengths to support the work while relying on others gifted in the areas I wasn’t as strong in. We both could do what we were best at, while learning to value the gifts others bring. This has taught me to truly value the opportunities that come with working with others.
3) It was fun. Working alongside my sisters helped me get to know them in ways that sitting next to them in a meeting room never would provide. The belief that work should be fun and involve your friends has always been a priority to me. From my first experiences with 4-H, learning with my friends and from older members – work – organizations – have always been about the people to me. This has carried with me into each of my workspaces.
My first job at Iowa State refined my professionalism learned while in Sigma Alpha. Mentors modeled the way for me. My elders modeled behavior. When needed, they also corrected me. I learned how to listen and respect authority. I learned to receive correction with a teachable heart.
At the University of Arizona, professional attire was expected. The environment here was more formal than I’d expected, and at times felt stifling. At times, individual expression of our gifts and talents were not honored or celebrated. At Iowa State, I was one of a team of 5; my opinion mattered; I was consulted. Here, I was low on the totem pole. Appreciation and support from those higher up was not present. These were the hardest years of my professional journey.
At Michigan State, the journey hasn’t been easy, either…but I work alongside some of my best friends. We support each other. We cheer each other on. We are working together toward a common goal. And it’s fun – even though it can be exhausting and straining. In my courses, I’ve been able to introduce some of those benefits my Sigma Alpha opportunity provided me to my students. They connect with professionals; they learn about writing professionally; they learn (a little) about integrating their whole self into the world of work. This is a gift.
And now, I am the advisor for Sigma Alpha. I do not take this opportunity lightly. I believe wholeheartedly in the mission of Sigma Alpha to develop women into professionals in agriculture. I believe in the opportunities Sigma Alpha affords to develop the bonds of sisterhood. I know the importance of those bonds and ideals.
At the age of 16, in a moment of inspiration, my life mission came to me: to help others realize their potential by positively impacting their lives.
Through exchange with others, mutual service and dialogue with his brethren, man develops his potential (1879);
A society is a group of persons bound together organically by a principle of unity that goes beyond each one of them. It endures through time by gathering the past and preparing for the future. Each community is defined by its purpose, but the human person is the principle: the subject and end of all its efforts. (1880)
The natural human tendency to associate for the sake of attaining objectives that exceed individual capacity develops the qualities of a person, especially initiative and responsibility. (1882)
Hearing these passages from the Cathecism of the Catholic Church this week drove home the significance that Sigma Alpha provides to us. Our work should always be focused on how to best allow our members to discover their potential and calling, taking initiative and responsibility for greater love and service for others.
We do that by providing them opportunities to lead with each other; to decide the work and to carry it out.
