Third-year Alpha Mu members, Carley Morrelli, junior, and Chloe Nelson VanMiddlesworth, senior, attended the Sigma Alpha Sorority National Conclave in Lexington, Kentucky this summer. Hop into the shoes of the two attendees and hear how Carley describes their adventures.
“Sigma Alpha’s National Conclave 2024 was the highlight of my whole summer! Spending the weekend in Lexington, Kentucky, Chloe and I got to know so many wonderful sisters from other universities and alumnae from the National Sorority Board. We attended many workshops, all involving the fundamental four pillars of Sigma Alpha: Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Fellowship.
With a short five-hour drive and a few coffee shop stops, the weekend started in Lexington, Kentucky. After checking into the hotel, the National Sigma Alpha Committee arranged a tour of Mill Ridge Farm, a horse nursery that raises racehorses for people all over the world. The over 900 continuous acres of lush green pastures are filled with mares and their babies. The Queen of England even had two racehorses kept at Mill Ridge! This amazing tour gave us insight into not only the heart and soul of what makes Kentucky the racing powerhouse of the nation but also gave us a way to connect with other sisters about agriculture. This simple tour brought out our backgrounds and love for agriculture.
The next day, Saturday, consisted of the main events! Chapter Delegates and Alternates attended different workshops and pillar committee meetings. Chloe took part in the leadership committee meeting, while I attended a social media and professional development workshop.
Chloe learned all about the different ways and activities that other chapters do to incorporate leadership. Talking to sisters and bouncing ideas off each other helped give a new perspective on what events could be planned for the future of Alpha Mu. Later, each committee gave a summary of how each pillar is represented in their chapters and presented it in front of the National Sorority Board. Chloe also learned how the voting process works on a national level.
Meanwhile, I sat in other workshops. The very first workshop was all about social media tips and tricks. The guest speakers shared the importance of aesthetically pleasing, consistent, and interactive posts. I learned about the different fun tactics other chapters use to increase engagement during and after recruitment through social media. The second workshop was about promoting professional development within our chapter. We shared ideas for hosting etiquette dinners, community events, professional panels, resume tips, and so much more!
To wrap up the amazing weekend, Chloe and I were guests at the yearly Sigma Alpha Emerald Banquet. We were able to recap the eventful weekend and share contact information with sisters during our Cocktails and Conversations function. We were also encouraged to visit chapter consultants and National Sorority Board members to get future guidance and advice to bring excellence back to our chapters.
Our chapter, Alpha Mu, was announced as the winner of the pillars of Leadership and Service in Region 5! Such an achievement for our hardworking members!
This weekend was a blast, and I encourage any sister who has the opportunity to attend a National Conclave, Convention, or Leadership Seminar to go! I learned so much about the sorority on a national level and why Sigma Alpha is the best sorority to join! Even though there were girls representing more than 80 chapters nationwide, the sisterhood and bonds that will last a lifetime were formed. We cannot wait for the Sigma Alpha National Convention 2025! See you all in Norfolk, Virginia, next summer!!! :)”
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