Guest Blog: Grace Northcutt, Kentucky-Epsilon Alumna

Hi Ladies! Here is another great guest blog from Grace Northcutt, a Kentucky-Epsilon alumna and chair of the Epsilon Alumnae Association!

My Phi Rho History


I am a proud member of the Epsilon Chapter’s Eta class. I pledged in Fall of 2003 with 3 other girls back when our University of Kentucky chapter was quite small. I loved the friendship and support of Phi Rho. The love and support of the ladies I went through school with was unparalleled by that from any other organization I participated in. While Active, I served as Social Chair, Risk Management, Engineering Student Council (ESC) and Society of Women Engineers representatives, and most importantly for me, Vice President. As VP, I worked on revamping the Epsilon Chapter By-Laws. Our chapter founders did a wonderful job of laying the ground work but some of the bylaws didn’t work with the way the chapter actually functioned. For me, having accurate by-laws that worked to support the growth and leadership of the chapter while still protecting members was of the upmost importance. Yes, I know that sounds like a drag but it needed to be done.

What does Phi Rho Mean to Me

In college, Phi Rho was fun and the foundation for my closest college friendships. Since that time, I have come to appreciate more of the fundamentals I learned in Phi Rho.

• Friendship – College would have been impossible with out my Phi Rho Sisters! I learned the importance of amazing friends and work everyday to build solid friendships and support my friends since I know the true value of a friendship. I love getting to see my sisters whenever possible and support the Active chapter.
• Scholarship – Never stop learning!! I am working on my LEED Associate right now and will start prepping for the PE next year. Learning never stops. Know more than the person and how to use that information is a key element to being your best and excelling at everything you do.
• Encouragement – People need hugs. Whether it’s a bad day, week, or month, there is something about a hug that makes the day just a little easier. I work in construction with a bunch of tough guys. No place for hugs in my line of work – get real. Because of the rarity of a kind word or hug, my daring to step out there is an even bigger gesture.
• Committees –I’m on committees everywhere! At church, NAWIC, ASCE, and at work, it seems like everything is decided by committee. Through Phi Rho, I learned a lot about balancing people’s feelings and wants while still getting a final decision that the committee can support.
• Robert’s Rule of Order – Knowing how to navigate RRoO has been fantastic for board meetings and other official meetings. I always look like I know what I’m doing and people think I’m smarter than I am just because I can throw out a “Point of Information” and correctly make a motion. It also helps me move my agenda to the forefront while other people are trying to figure out how to ask the question.

My Career

I am a project engineer with a regional construction firm. I have been with this company for 2.5 years. My first 9 months were spent doing on-site document control which included submittals, proposal requests, change orders, requests for information, architect special instructions, as-builts, and operation & maintenance manuals. The next 4 months were on a different project where I worked on quality assurance through interior construction punch lists. I then spent the next year in the company’s estimating department working on several projects across the company. For the last 6 months, I have been back in the field as the lead project engineer on a project. I work daily with subcontractors and suppliers to facilitate the construction of a zero-energy school.

Where does this road lead me?

“I have a plan”. If this is your response to any question about the future and someone laughs, it’s because they too once had a plan and it blew up in to a million pieces. I had a plan when I graduated college. I was going to be a project manager in 3 years and senior project manager in another 3. I was going to run straight up that ladder with a force no one had ever seen. Turns out my career path would look nothing like that and I have treasured all the experiences I’ve had even though none of them have led straight to anywhere. My next career step? I don’t have a clue. I am more focused on learning what I like to do and what I don’t like to do and how do whatever I’m doing well. That ladder thing – eh, whatever.

I also thought I would be Miss Independent and that no man would ever fall in love with a stubborn, self-sufficient engineer. I was going to work in my hometown forever and grow old here. That went out the window as well and I am now engaged to a fellow engineer and thrilled to start a new life in a new town.

Final Thoughts

• Take responsibility for everything you are involved in. Even if you are not the lead person, own what you do and what you are involved in. Your work is your credibility.
• Be on time. On time is 10 minutes earlier than your boss.
• Never be afraid to go for something because you might screw up. You will screw up but you can learn to fix it and the next time, you will do even better.
• Everyone you meet has something going on in her life you don’t know about. Take a deep breath when dealing with difficult people and try to remember the other person is only human as well.
• Love yourself.

Guest Blog: Elishka Jackson, Washington-Mu Alumna

Here is our next installment in the guest blog series from one of our alumnae, Elishka Jackson, from the Washington-Mu chapter!


When I was asked to write a guest entry for the PSR blog, I thought about what to write. Should I talk about my experiences with Phi Sigma Rho? Or where Phi Rho will be in the future? Or a variety of other topics that went through my mind? Nothing struck a chord with me, so I mulled it over for a bit. Actually, to be precise, my brain has been churning for a few months.







However, inspiration finally struck me! As I was at work the other day, I realized that my four-year work anniversary is quickly sneaking up on me. And it dawned on me what to write about. I am in that point of my career where I’ve been around enough to understand the working world, but still new enough out of school to remember what it’s like at your first real engineering job. I thought some of my experiences and observations might help those of you that have just graduated and are entering the business world. These might not apply to every situation, but from talking to my fellow graduates I think they’re fairly common across engineering companies.






(Just some background on myself so you know where I’m coming from with all this: I graduated in 2006 from the University of Washington with a BS in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering. Since then, I’ve worked at Raytheon in Tucson, Arizona as a systems engineer in the guidance, navigation and controls department. In my time here, I’ve been lucky enough to have worked on a whole variety of different projects, with an array of different people. Currently, I’m also a student as well, working on my MS in Astronautical Engineering through USC’s Distance Education Program. In between work and school, I keep pretty busy planning my wedding for next May and attempting to teach some doggie manners to a couple of goofy basset hounds.)






The “Real World” isn’t School: I know you’re thinking “well duh, Elishka,” but I think it’s important to remember that distinction. Besides the obvious getting-paid-to-do-work instead of paying-to-do-work thing, there are a whole mess of other differences you’ll need to adapt to. Behavior, attitudes and appearances that were acceptable for the classroom environment won’t cut it in the professional world. Again, you probably think I’m stating the obvious – I remember my professors and advisors telling us the same thing as we were graduation, but you would be surprised by what some people do. I recently attended a meeting with some very high individuals in our business unit of the company. A recent hire was sitting two seats down from me, and spent the entire meeting doing sudoku puzzles in her notebook. I wasn’t the only person in the room to notice, I saw several others frowning her way. Now, as an undergrad, I remember passing many spacecraft design classes with the New York Times crossword puzzle being passed around the back of the room – we’ve all been there. But it’s not really the best way to make a first impression, especially when you’re starting out. Don’t give someone the opportunity to make a snap judgment about you before you even have a chance to impress them with your job skills.






Keep a Positive Attitude: When I first started, I met several fellow new hires that seriously thought that someone was going to hand them a design project their first day, and just let them go. At least at larger companies (which is what I can speak to from my experience), this is far from the case. A lot of times, especially when you’re just starting out, you’ll be given tasks and projects that might seem mundane, or like “grunt work”. Well guess what, that’s pretty much what it is! Try to approach these duties with a positive attitude – look at them as an opportunity to show your supervisor your talents and skills. You won’t be low man (or woman) on the totem pole forever, but this is a period where you can at least show your management that you’re motivated to get the job done, even the unpleasant ones.






Be Flexible and Always Ready to Learn: You may, depending on your work situation, at some time be asked to work on something outside your experience base. Unless it’s something you really don’t feel comfortable working with (and don’t feel bad speaking up about your strengths and weakness, we all have them – I am horrible at anything related to structural engineering and have made that abundantly clear), look at this as a chance to improve your knowledge base. Just because you’ve left the college campus doesn’t mean you get to stop learning. There will always be new things to learn, and ways to improve oneself. Be open to them and it will show your dedication to the job.






Find Work-Life Balance: I’ve been known to say that “All work and no play makes Elishka crazy,” and it’s true (just ask my fiancé about that one). I know it’s difficult coming off of school, where it seems like life is sitting in classes, homework and exams, but remember that the professional world isn’t school (see, I’m tying that back to the first tip. Fancy, I know). Don’t work every hour of every day; otherwise, you’ll burn out. It’s true that every now and then you may work some extra hour here or there, or have to work a weekend or off day to meet a deadline, but don’t make a habit of it. Your company doesn’t want you to burn out either.






One word that kept popping up when I was writing this blog was “opportunity”. Always be on the lookout for opportunities, and ways to showcase your knowledge, skills, talents and abilities. Not to be cliché, but you own your career. You can look to others for guidance and direction, but in the end, you have to seize opportunities and be willing to take charge of your work situation so you end up where you want to be!

Guest Blog: Mary McWilliams, Ohio State-Beta Alumna

Enjoy the latest installment in the guest blog series from Mary McWilliams, a Beta Alumna!

I was so surprised to receive an email from Sara DaSilva requesting a blog post from me. It is nice when others think about you.  Well, the Beta chapter of Phi Sigma Rho has certainly changed since 1988.  I am really blessed and grateful to see the sorority and prosper after all these years.  It seems like it was only yesterday when I was part of the chartering process instead of 22 years ago.  There were the four of us, trying to get to know each other, establishing a cause that was bigger than any one of us individually.  Looking back, we were all from different backgrounds—having nothing in common than the fact that we were women engineering students.  Actually, I did not know the other young women before we journeyed on this path together.  But, look at the legacy we have in place today!  I am so excited about the future and longevity of Phi Sigma Rho’s Beta chapter. 

What I would like to see in the future would be that we continue to reach out to other engineering women and share with them the sisterhood of Phi Sigma Rho.  That is really the only way we can grow, evolve and learn from each other.  Actually, we have more in common than our physical differences. At some point, hopefully, we will all face the life’s transition of becoming a mother, wife and technical professional.  I am going to challenge each active sister to approach a potential sister about Phi Sigma Rho, but that young woman cannot look like them; I think everyone knows what I mean. 

To have sisters my choice and not by blood is an experience I totally enjoy.  Being the “senior” and founding sister in the room when I meet with the Beta chapter is a totally awesome experience. It is funny too, because I am able to show them what mid-40s look like!  And from where I sit, it looks good! I also learned how to play corn hole this year.  When I asked what that was, they were amazed that I didn’t know what that game was!  Well, they taught me how to play corn hole and we had fun laughing at each other.  They learn from me and I learn from them—and that in itself is what makes Phi Rho rewarding to me.


I look forward to seeing how we meet this challenge.  I will be watching and cheering you on from the sidelines!

Mary J. McWilliams
Phi Sigma Rho, Beta Chapter
Alpha Class

Guest Blog: Melissa Misko, Case-Omicron Alumna

Here is a guest blog from Melissa Misko, an Alpha class member of the Case Western-Omicron chapter. 

Accidentally in Love…with Phi Sigma Rho!

Upon matriculation into Case Western Reserve University in the Fall of
1999, joining a sorority was the last thought on my mind.  However, as
I discovered more about Greek Life, and as a female engineer at a
predominantly male university, I was impressed with the strong
friendships and female support provided by sororities.  There was only
one problem, none of the available sororities seemed like a good fit.
When an email circulated in Fall 2002 looking for female engineers
interested in starting a chapter of Phi Sigma Rho, I was intrigued.
No, strike that.  I was more than intrigued – I was ecstatic.
Finally, I felt like Cinderella – this shoe might fit!  I enlisted the
help of my roommate, fellow engineer, and friend, Kathy (Beck) Johnson
and a colony was formed.  After months of hard work, we officially
became a chapter on Dec 6, 2003.

Looking back over the last 7+ years, I am eternally grateful for the
amazing women I have met through Phi Sigma Rho.  I would not be who I
am, or where I am, without my extraordinary sisters.  I have been
supported through a career change from engineer to optometrist,
through a cross country move from Cleveland to Chicago and finally Ft.
Lauderdale.  We have celebrated promotions, engagements, and weddings
together.  I have been challenged emotionally, intellectually and
physically by these women I call sisters and friends.  To sum it all
up (and end my ramblings! :) ), I am reminded of a recruitment t-shirt
we made with the slogan, “Accidentally in love…I never expected to
join a sorority.”

To all my Phi Rho sisters, thank you for your
unconditional love, limitless support, and timeless friendship – PRL
forever, Melissa

Guest Blog: Christa Ferguson, Ohio State-Beta Alumna

We continue our alumnae guest blog series with a note from Christa Ferguson, an Ohio State-Beta alumna.


Thirtysomething Sorority Girl Woman


As an undergraduate, I speculated, Alumnae must have an empty life to remain so active w/the sorority....I realize now, as an Alumna, how empty my life would be without it.

Thanks to a very dear friend and sister, who excels at bringing people together, a group of Betas from the late 90's meet annually for a sorority reunion weekend. The weekend usually consists of an event (sightseeing, spa day, activity), lots of catching up, a nice dinner and of course, one night to relive our youth (read: intoxication). Over the years, the trips had varying participants due to money, time, babies, travel, etc but there is one constant and that is trust & integrity. This is the group you can be open and honest with sans judgement. If you are having a challenge in your life, chances are, someone in the group has had or is having the same challenge. During this year's trip, one women noted how easily our sisters from different generations, classes, chapters just seem to "fit in" with us upon arrival. That is a testament to the character of the women of Phi Sigma Rho.

A woman of Phi Sigma Rho, is a woman of intelligence & integrity. She seeks to navigate the challenges of her daily life in the same overachieving manner she tackled her degree with... but doesn't always have the answers to family and work questions like she did to engineering problems. Having other successful, like minded, women to discuss these challenges with, knowing without question they want you to succeed as much as you do, is the kind of support many people (even people who joined those other sororities in college) yearn for. Knowing these women always have my back, through bad boyfriends, stupid career decisions, life's little mishaps, means the world to me. I am closer to some more than others but I know I can call any one of them in a time of need...because they can always call on me.

As I sit here in China (on a business trip), sipping hot water w/flowers floating in it ("tea"), I once again, count these women, whose love I can feel literally halfway around the world, as one of the greatest gifts life has given me. Without them in my life to share my experiences with hard boiled egg facials, chicken foot soup and strange tea - my life would be quite empty.


Much PRL,

Christa :)

Guest Blog: Ada Barlatt, Rutgers-Xi Alumna

Hello everyone. We continue our guest blog series with a note from Ada Barlatt, a Rutgers-Xi Alpha class founder.

Hi Phi Rhos!

It was a pleasant surprise to be invited to give a guest blog. I have
many fond memories of Phi Sigma Rho at Rutgers. I am very proud to be
a member of this Sorority - it is amazing how much Xi Chapter has
grown and how the Sorority has expanded across the United States!

At first I was uncertain what I should include in my blog message, but
when I received the message below I knew I had to share it with all of
you! On April 27, the National Girls Collaborative Project will be
hosting a webcast titled: "Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics". I think that this webcast discusses a
topic that is relevant to each one of us -- both for the future of our
profession, but also for the future of Phi Sigma Rho.

I encourage each one of you learn more about the nation-wide
conversation regarding Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM), perhaps you could attend the webcast or read the
report. With our perspective as female professionals and students in
STEM fields we are uniquely positioned to express our views and share
our experiences. There are many perspectives on this topic, some I
agree with, some I do not. Nevertheless, I am sure that the Sisters of
Phi Sigma Rho will continue to play a significant role in encouraging
more women to pursue careers in engineering and the engineering
profession will be better because of it.

Keep up the good work!

PRL always!
Ada Barlatt
Rutgers-Xi Alpha Class


National Girls Collaborative Project April Webcast: Why So Few? Women
in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Tuesday, April 27, 2010, 2:00 - 3:00 Eastern Standard Time.

In an era when women are increasingly prominent in medicine, law and
business, why are so few women in science and engineering fields? A
new research report by AAUW (the American Association of University
Women) funded by the National Science Foundation, presents compelling
evidence that can help to explain this question. Join us to hear a
presentation of eight recent research findings profiled in Why So Few?
Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics that point
to important environmental and social barriers - including
stereotypes, gender bias and the climate of science and engineering
departments in colleges and universities- that continue to block
women's participation and progress in science, technology,
engineering, and math. The presentation will include ideas for what
each of us can do to open scientific and engineering fields more fully
to girls and women.

A free copy of the report is available for download at:
http://www.aauw.org/learn/research/whysofew.cfm.


The goal of the National Girls Collaborative Project is to maximize
access to shared resources within projects and with public and private
sector organizations and institutions interested in expanding girls'
participation in STEM. Webcasts are offered throughout the year
addressing research-based strategies in informal learning and
evaluation and assessment. Webcasts and resources are archived and
available for viewing.

Guest Blog: Sarah Fisk, Florida-Tau Alumna

We continue our series of guest blogs from alumnae and other special guests with this note from Sarah Fisk, a founder of the Florida-Tau chapter. Enjoy!



I had a dream I started an engineering sorority -



People always laugh when I start this story. Maybe they think I'm kidding? Or maybe they think I'm a little crazy? That might not be too far from the truth...



I remember parts of the dream clearly. When I decided to start the sorority, I was driven by an overreaching urgency. I was at a gathering and the rain poured down outside. But I just had to go start it: NOW.



When I woke up, the urgency hadn't faded. I called my two best friends and the rest, as they say, is history. (I remember the first thing Katrina said to me when I told her: "But, Sarah... we don't like sororities." I simply said, "This is different." And it is different. It's important to remember that. Phi Sigma Rho is an alternative for socially-minded young women who place a high priority on their education. It's not Tri-Delt and it's not SWE. It's somewhere in the middle.)



As time has passed, very few people ask me why we started our chapter of Phi Sigma Rho, but I think the why is the most important part of the story. Getting an engineering degree isn't easy. It's just not. Anyone who tells you differently is delusional.



It's sad to say, but as women, we usually aren't as accepted into the informal support groups in engineering – and there are times when you need a support group. I looked around, but couldn't find an official group that used friendship as its guiding principle. When I read the Phi Sigma Rho description on their website, I knew I had found what I was looking for.



Friendship. Scholarship. Encouragement.



As we move through the operations and administrative challenges of the sorority, it's so easy to lose sight of those three principles. But if I could ask just one thing of all Phi Rhos, it's to cling tight to these ideas. Every time you talk to another Sister, vote on something at chapter, or tell someone about Phi Rho, ask yourself this question: Am I letting the principles of Friendship, Scholarship, and Encouragement lead me?



If yes, carry on.



PRL,

Sarah N. Fisk

http://sarahnfisk.blogspot.com

Guest Blog: Stephanie Gagliardi, UConn-Theta Alumna

We continue our series of guest blogs from our sisters with this note from Stephanie Gagliardi, a UConn-Theta Alumna!

As a May 2009 graduate, the last ten and a half months have been extremely eye opening. After four years of knowing exactly which classes to take, which professors to avoid, where to get the best dining hall food, and exactly what time I needed to be at the bus stop to catch the Blue Line back to my dorm, suddenly the opportunities beyond college seemed endless. In true engineering fashion, I weighed the pros and cons of each possibility available to me after graduation in May. Grad school didn't seem like it was for me, though it would've been the easy solution given the uncertain job market. I spent hours on Monster.com applying to any position that seemed relevant, and spent a solid few weeks interviewing with potential employers.

I ultimately took advantage of the networking I had done throughout my undergraduate career and was hired by a fellow Phi Rho alumna within a month of graduation. As a result, I have spent the last nine months working professionally in the aerospace industry. In a time when the economy seemed to be at its worst, I was fortunate enough to successfully begin my career because of a connection I had made during my freshman year of college. When I rushed Phi Sigma Rho in the Spring of 2006, I had no idea just how much that decision would impact my life.

I recently received a promotion to a Team Lead position, seven months after being hired. I attribute much of the success I've found in my career to the skills I developed as an active sister of Phi Sigma Rho at UConn. Participating on committees, eventually leading the Scholarship committee, and serving on the Executive Board, allowed me to build strong teamwork, communication, and leadership skills. Balancing school, work, clubs, and Phi Rho provided with me valuable time management and multi-tasking experience.

Its easy for all of us to realize the benefits of belonging to a sisterhood: Lifelong friends, a support system, perhaps meeting the women who will be the bridesmaids in your wedding, among other things. The bond we share as sisters is often indescribable. But I think we often forget how much the sorority has helped each of us to grow as people and become the women we are today. Looking back, you may realize, as I have, that learning to compromise with other organizations during Greek Week, the hours spent participating in service projects and philanthropies, and even simple attendance at chapter meetings, have taught us life lessons, that may be even more relevant to life beyond active sisterhood, than the equations and graphs we studied to earn our degrees.

Phi Rho Love,

Stephanie Gagliardi

UConn Theta Chapter – Kappa Class Alumna

Guest Blog Post: Beth Holloway (Alpha), Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

After Beth Holloway was recognized in 2009 for being Phi Sigma Rho's first Lifetime Achievement Award winner, I asked her to write something for our blog. Here is what Beth wanted to share with us!

Sara DaSilva
National VP of Alumnae Affairs

"When Sara asked me to be a guest blogger, I wondered what on earth I would blog about.  It seemed too cliché to write about Phi Sigma Rho and what it meant to me while I was in school.  I could write about my reactions to being the first Phi Rho Lifetime Achievement Award winner, I’m not sure anyone would want to read such an emotional post about how I was humbled and honored and really not sure if I was the really the best pick given the amazing accomplishments of many of my sisters.

So it took me awhile to decide what to write.  And while I was thinking about all this, I was having a conversation with my husband about renovating our kitchen, and what that would mean.  I was sitting there trying very hard to picture what it might look like when it was done.  Then I thought of the many other remodeling projects I’d been through, and how it was hard to remember what the room looked like in the before state.  And it occurred to me that Phi Sigma Rho is a bit like that remodeled house.  I would never presume to describe what being a Phi Rho at Purdue was like for the founders and the first few pledge classes.  But I suspect that it was different than it was for me, as a member of the Eta pledge class (6^th class if my counting is correct).   As it is now different for the current members of the Purdue chapter, which is currently going through a remodeling of sorts.  

As someone who is so comfortable with my memories of Phi Sigma Rho, it’s hard for me to envision a new, refashioned Phi Rho.  One with a house in the Acres where all the sisters live, and so much like the other, traditional Panhellenic sororities.  And yet, that was the vision we had all along.  Someday, our Phi Rho sisters will look back and wonder what the sorority was like before the house.  And Phi Sigma Rho will be forever changed.  But a common thread weaves us all together, creating a beautiful tapestry that respects our history, celebrates our present, and leaves space for our future, and that thread is sisterhood.  To the current actives – you have the luck to be living through the “mess” of the remodeling process; try to enjoy it and don’t mind the dust too much!  And to all my sisters, past, present, and future, Phi Rho Love forever."

Beth (Reesman) Holloway

Purdue Alpha, Eta class