Graduation Photos

My parents and I outside the Quad

Lexi and I with Barbara, our mentor at the Honors College Commencement

Shelley and I in our graduation dresses after the Honors Ceremony!

Some of the Phi Mu J-School graduates 

me, Gabrielle, Lindsay and Krystin- all Twainers who graduated in three years

J-School Graduation- Brian Brooks' retirement photo

My parents and I with the diploma

My MOJO team 

Sherman, Shaina, me and Andrew

Emily and I outside of Memorial Union, by Kathryn Jankowski

Graduation photo by Alyssa Goodman

By Alyssa Goodman

Sorority Experience

As the end of the school year approached, one tradition common in most Greek chapters is that the upcoming graduates are given an opportunity to say one last goodbye before receiving their alumni status. Phi Mu holds a ceremony for this, typically at our last chapter meeting, and it is always very emotional. You reflect upon your memories, sorority leadership experiences and what your membership has taught you over the years. 

The Phi Mu seniors before our ceremony

The week this happened, one of my friends in another sorority said something very meaningful about this transition. She explained, “The person you were freshman year when you joined the sorority is completely different than who you are now.” After hearing this, the statement constantly ran through my head as I thought of how I and my friends had changed since Bid Day the Saturday before freshman year of college. It was so accurate- I AM a totally different and developed individual than I was in August of 2009. 

Some friends and I before my last Phi Mu formal

Then, I thought I would graduate in four years. Everyone in my pledge class's potential had yet to be measured, and leadership opportunities were free reign. Where one would go, what she would pursue and what direction it would take her in was all up for question. Who your core "group" of friends would be within the sisterhood had yet to be determined. And three years later, with these speeches, it all comes together.

You wish your friends the best in their transitions, reflect on accomplishments and head in new directions. I can leave Phi Mu knowing how I can help serve in the future, knowing who I want to stay in touch with and having an amazing pledge family I never would have thought I would be blessed with. I can walk around the house confidently, happily take photos by the mantle and sit in the dining room without hesitation of not knowing the name of the girl next to me. I am the one answering younger members' questions and not asking. I can talk about my experiences serving on dozens of committees and working as public relations chair, vice president and sisterhood relations chairman in job interviews and explain how much I learned about work ethic and more. 

me, Alex and Emily smiling in the Formal Living Room

As you progress through your years in a sorority or Greek chapter, or any organization for that matter, think about how you've changed since Day 1. Did you accomplish what you set out to? Gain what you wanted from your membership? Did you fulfill the organization's mission and represent the group well? If not, go do it. You'll only have limited time before your active years go away and alumni status begins :).   

Moving churches

One of the biggest pieces of news for me this semester is that my dad and therefore, family are transferring parishes within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Chicago. Instead of serving at Saints Peter & Paul in Glenview, he will be the head priest at Annunciation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

When my sisters and I were younger, we were used to moving every three years. Until 5th grade, we had moved homes, states or schools just about every three years and moving was normal. The move to Chicago became the foundation for where we would stay, graduate high school and never have to worry about leaving friends or parishes. Our family has lived in Northbrook and attended Ss. Peter & Paul (SSPP) for 11 years now--pretty much half of my life and the longest time we have been anywhere. 

So the strangest thing about this news is that it should not really have an effect on my sisters and I as individuals. We grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, had a solid foundation at a Greek Orthodox church of friends, youth group and somewhere to attend services, and now as all of us are in college. It's time for us to move on, right? What makes things upsetting is our PK (priest's kid) status--the constant flow of nosy questions, others' opinions and complaints that become part of a transition. 

The first takeaway from this move is to appreciate the religious environment where I grew up. It's been incredibly comforting to have a second family at SSPP every time I come back into town from college, and worth thanking all of the people that have contributed to this experience. My sisters and I have all met some of our best friends and "Greek friends" through Sunday school, youth group and young adult get-togethers. We have so many stories from over the years that we spent over an hour before the Anastasi service during Holy Week walking to every room in the church hall and telling our favorite stories from it. 

Some of the younger SSPP crew on Pascha

Although the social aspect of church has been great, this move has been incremental in teaching people that going to church is about going to church. The intentions are to celebrate a service, learn about the gospels and saints, pray to God and grow in your faith. Throughout college, I have attended a Greek Orthodox church in Columbia by myself for the past three years. It's the only parish in mid-Missouri, and people of all jurisdictions come from up to two hours away to attend the service. They don't all come to hear a specific sermon, participate in an archdiocese event or be social--they're there for church. The move means that regardless of where my Dad is serving, I should go to church to go to church. Sure, being with family is a huge part of one's religious development, especially as a child. But once you have graduated high school, you are old enough to decide how you want your faith to progress. If I want to attend a church where my family is, I can go to Milwaukee and see them after the service. If I want to meet up with friends from Chicago after church, I can encourage them to go to lunch after church. But no one's decisions or parish assignments should influence whether or not I am celebrating the prayers and service. 

Our family goodbye

The last service I watched my Dad serve in at SSPP

Hence, thank you to anyone who has taken part in my positive experience at SSPP. We look forward to meeting new people in Milwaukee, and will see where we want to celebrate the service each week. People will keep in touch and relationships will progress, and they will grow in their faith doing so. 

I'm baaaaaaack!

It's been a long time since I have blogged and quite a lot has happened in the past few months. Look forward to some posts over the next few days for updates on graduation, Project Mexico and lessons from the end of my undergraduate career!

Relay For Life

This year, I was one of three event chairs for Mizzou’s Relay For Life benefiting American Cancer Society. I got involved on this committee freshman year of college, after participating in Relay For Life since freshman year of high school. Relay by definition is a 12-hour walk to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost and fight back against cancer. One of the most important things I’ve learned over the years is that Relay For Life is more than an event—it’s an experience. The experience of staying up all night to watch the various ceremonies, concerts and activities representing the cancer journey. Participating in the on-site fundraisers, bake sales and games to help reach monetary goals. Walking, talking and bonding with friends and classmates.

Working hard since last April to form a committee, solicit donations, spread the word and recruit survivors and participants, seeing Relay For Life come together alone has been an incredibly meaningful experience with the day of being another in my book. I have become acquainted with 50+ committee members who have shared my common goal of making Relay a success. I’ve overcome obstacles with the various challenges we were faced with throughout the planning stages. Most of all, I grew as a person and a leader helping to bring the whole thing together.

The 2012 Relay committee

Needless to say, Relay For Life ran very smoothly and we raised over $80,000 with 1,300 participants and over 80 teams. 

Opening Ceremonies at the Rec Center

Teams set up their campsites in Brewer, the back gyms of the Rec. Each team got really into its on-site fundraiser and raised over $12,000 the night of Relay. Bake sales, cupcakes, pushups, karaoke and tattoos galore- people always have very unique ways of raising money. 

Relay starts off with a ceremonial survivor lap- where participants cheer on cancer survivors as they kick off the night providing hope for curing cancer and fundraising for American Cancer Society.

The biggest ceremony is Luminaria around 9 p.m. Lit up candle/tea bags with the names of those who have fought, died from or survived cancer are purchased and line the track, and all of the names are read. It's a very emotional ceremony and a time for participants to commemorate friends and family members who have battled the disease. It was the best luminaria ceremony I've seen at a Relay and ran incredibly well.

Some of my friends joined a team called "Just one of Katie's many teams," and it was great to have them at Relay hanging out!

The event chairs- Charlie, Bret and I with Truman the Tiger, who came to break the world record for Most people dancing to "Don't Stop Believin'!" We have an awesome video of this happening and had over 200 people singing and dancing along. Bret, Charlie and I each oversaw five subcommittees to bring the event together. Congratulations guys!

Having a place called home

Sophomore year Thanksgiving break, I flew to Boston with some friends from Mizzou to reunite with some friends from Project Mexico and fellow Greek Orthodox people! I left my car at school and naturally, always try booking the most affordable flight accommodations. In that situation, the best way to get to Boston was to connect through Chicago’s Midway airport. After a 6 a.m. flight out of St. Louis, I restlessly arrived at Midway early in the morning, but I was confused.

It was in that moment where I realized how meaningful your hometown is. I emotionally couldn’t handle the fact that while I was “home,” I wasn’t leaving Midway airport and going HOME. My mind couldn't grasp that I was even still flying to Boston, and I just wanted to walk out then and there. From there on out, I have never booked a connecting flight and hope to never plan on connecting through Chicago when avoidable.

Over a year and a half later, this week, I flew back from spring break and landed into Kansas City. And I was confused yet again. I looked out the window for the Chicago skyline. I ignored the fact that I had to go get my car from the airport parking lot, and that my mom or dad weren't coming to pick me up. Although Missouri is has been my temporary home for college, I still wasn't home when I flew into KC. Obviously, arriving on campus in Columbia felt home-like, but I haven't traveled enough on planes to feel at home in another Missouri city. 


All of this not only taught me the meaning of having a city to call home, but made me excited to head back to Chicago for Easter this month!

Spring Break!

Here is a tale in photos of some of my spring break adventures!

Stacey and I started off arriving into LaGuardia Airport, taking entirely public transit into Times Square as to keep costs down, and took the Subway to the 9-11 Memorial. In the memorial area, they have two large fountains (one pictured above) with the names of victims throughout. A whole plaza of new buildings are being constructed and the 9-11 Museum is almost complete. It was a powerful thing to see!

After some New York Pizza, we bought tickets and took a boat to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. Thankfully, it was a really nice day out so we got to walk around the island. I even saw a kid with a GBN sweatshirt on and he happened to be in Eleni's peer group at Glenbrook North! Small world, right? 

Stacey and I posing by the skyline...but incompetent people taking photos don't understand that you want the skyline in the photo and not the bricks on the ground!

We met Maria and her friend Angie at Shake Shack for dinner, which had excellent milkshakes and hamburgers! After, Stacey and I went to Dave & Buster's happy hour in Times Square and took the Subway to Brooklyn to stay with family for the night.

Saturday morning, we woke up early and walked New York with Maria. We probably walked over four miles, heading to the SOHO area, West Village, meatpacking district and Chelsea Market to get some gelato and walk on the high end. Maria and I posed there above since it was another nice day, and then we visited Eleni's godsister Marie hostessing at the restaurant she works at!

Saturday night, Stacey and I saw Evita- one of the reasons for the trip. Ricky Martin stole the show as Che, and it was an amazing brought-back-to-Broadway production. Highly recommended!

Times Square at night! What would it be without advertisements and brands?

Maria and her Fordham friends took us out to a club in the city where we soon learned the business of club promoters.  Great music and it reminded us a lot of Argentina!

Sunday morning, we ate at a diner and headed to the Greek Independence Day Parade, as it was March 25!  I got to see Thea Stephanie and her New Jersey church, and a lot of Greeks reuniting in the street! Definitely a sight. Even Mayor Bloomberg was there! 

Walking Central Park on Sunday afternoon! Stacey and I also saw Rockafeller Center, more of Times Square and shopped a little bit.

That evening, we met up for a sushi dinner with our roommate from Argentina Elizabeth, and a few of her friends! They took us out again and we spent the night at their hotel which was close to our bus station for DC the next morning. 

Our first stop in Washington D.C. after our $15 Megabus ride was walking from Union Station to the Newseum, a journalism museum. This place is seriously heaven. I went with Kara two years ago and have looked forward to going back ever since. It brings our Communications Law and History of American Journalism classes to life, as well as talking about a lot of interesting cases in the news. It even has a piece of the antenna from the North tower of the World Trade Center!

Posing by the Capitol, Stacey and I showcased our colored pants which are a very popular trend on the East coast.

All of these cases discussing Amendment rights were also discussed in Comm Law at Mizzou! Yay for a great journalism education!

The World War II Memorial is my favorite, and Monday we did that, the Lincoln Memorial and glimpsed at the Vietnam Memorial. Instead of taking the Metro from being so worn out from walking, a rickshaw bike took us all the way from the mall back to Georgetown to stay at Kara's house for the night! He only charged us $10, and gave us a beautiful ride on the Potomac River.

It's cherry blossom time in Washington D.C., which were a gift one hundred years ago from the Japanese government! They are beautiful, and I'm sure would have been more beautiful if they all blossomed at the same time. But because of weather issues, they moved the festival a week early and not all of them were up. Kara, Stacey and I went to the FDR Memorial, JFK Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial (that one's new!), and after lunch, hit up the Newseum again (2 day pass!) and the American History Smithsonian. Productive day! We took a bus and Metro train back to Fordham and stayed the night at Maria's dorm. 

Wednesday morning, Stacey flew out and Mom flew in to NYC! That night we met up with Thea Stephanie, Kira and Sophia in New Jersey for dinner.

Mom and I had frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity on Thursday and walked a lot of Central Park! We also spent time in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Friday, Mom and I went to the New York Botanical Garden and saw the Orchid Show, which was beautiful! Thankfully, it didn't rain until Saturday so we spent a lot of time sightseeing and shopping. Saturday, Maria took us for pizza and cannoli around Arthur Avenue at Fordham and overall, it was a great break!