I have always had a heart for others and a desire to make a difference in the world. I grew up being involved in organizations that focused on community service, but I think that up until college I had a clouded view on the types of people that I could serve and the ways in which I could make a difference in the world. I thought that the only people who I could serve were the ones who were visibly struggling; those in my community who were homeless or hungry or battered, or those in a third world country without clean water and the opportunity for education. I thought that the ways that I could make a difference were by doing grand gestures for the betterment of humanity such as working as a medical professional in a country with poor health infrastructure or physically building wells for people to gather clean water. I am sure that lots of this came from my upbringing in the church and frequently hearing stories of missionaries, but nonetheless, my perception was that these were the only ways I could make a difference.
Once I got to college and joined Kappa Delta, these perceptions were shattered and my life goals definitely changed. As a freshman, I found myself being served by older members of the chapter. These women showed me how to be a good member of our chapter, encouraged me in my duties as an Appointed Officer, and were always there to listen to my troubles and offer advice. I quickly learned that if my life and my college experiences were being changed by the way that these women served me every day, maybe I could do the same for others. I now know that I have the opportunity to serve every person that I come into contact with, and that service looks different for everyone.
I can serve the women in this chapter by being available for assistance, encouraging them in their duties, and being a model of how to be involved in our chapter and on our college campus. I can serve my roommates by ordering DoorDash for dinner during a rough week, cheering them on at their swim meets, or being a listening ear while we get ready in the mornings. I can serve my classmates and professors by coming to class prepared and participating in lectures and discussions. I can even serve my friends who go to college in different states by sending them a nice text during their midterm week or picking them up from the airport if they have to fly home. It is so relieving for me to know that I don’t have to go out of my way to serve people because the truth is that service can often be found in the mundane and everyone deserves to be served. On top of the new ways I found to serve people, I also found that it does not take a grand gesture to change the world. Many of these acts of service can help better the lives of the people that you do them for, and we each may play our own part in changing the world because of those who served us and poured into us. No matter what your final occupation is, you have the capacity to change a small part of the world.
My pledge sisters have been really integral in helping me figure out what I want to do with my life (s/o to you guys pc ’17). Like I said earlier, I used to think I was called to work in the medical field in another country because I wanted to make a difference, but my passion is not so much for providing medical care for people in a specific country as it is for making sure that everyone has access to healthcare. I started talking to them about things I learned in my classes for my public health distinction and (not to get political but…) how many flaws I have discovered exist in the United States’ healthcare system. They have encouraged me to get my Master’s Degree in Public Health and hopefully one day I will be working for a company that gets to fight against injustices in healthcare. When I say that these girls have supported every dream that I could ever dream, I am not exaggerating. Taylor and McLean have even tried to convince me to run for President of the United States…I think that dream might be a little out of reach right now…but who knows where the future will take me. (If it ever does happen to, get ready for pledge class parties in the White House!!!)
This support exists in Kappa Delta chapters all across the country. My best friend Jordan is a Kappa Delta at another school and she is probably the coolest person I know. As a college student, she is an entrepreneur, photographer, and influencer. Whenever I ask her about her motivation or how she handles all of her responsibilities, she tells me that the girls in her chapter really keep her going by encouraging her, recognizing her for her work, and believing in her dreams. How special it is to be a part of a sisterhood that inspires action and supports the dreams of its sisters across the nation.
I truly have Kappa Delta to thank for making me who I am. All of the action that it has inspired in me is action that would have never taken place if it weren’t for my sisters. I think what I love most about Kappa Delta (besides the people) is that it inspires everyone in a unique way. It supports big dreams and small dreams, and it teaches people that you don’t have to have a big dream (like being a surgeon or CEO) to be considered "important" in this life.
AOT,
Tanna
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