"Do Good"

Our Founders, Mary Comfort Leonard, Eva Webb Dodd, and Anna Boyd Ellington chose the two Greek letters Delta and Gamma because of their strong desire to "Do Good." This eventually turned into our motto and remains today a driving force in all that we do. Here is what Sophomore Haley Knight had to say about our motto and what it means to live it out every single day:

"As my sweet friend Caroline, our director of rituals asked me to sit down and write something for rituals week, I was so amazed at how I didn't even have to contemplate what I would write about. To be a Delta Gamma is to want to live your life to “Do Good.” Our motto is such a simple seeming concept, yet that simplicity is what gives it this eloquence and sophistication that resonates in my heart. Doing good seems like this obvious, inherit goal for everyone, and yet there are so many times in our lives when we forget. We become selfish, wrapped up only within ourselves, and only worry about “doing well.”

Wearing my letters reminds me that if I’m not on this earth doing good for not only myself but others around me, then what am I doing? I think I’m wasting my time. Everyone wants to leave this legacy behind, whether it is in a career, a family, etc. Too often I think we forget the little legacies we leave behind every day. When you go out of your way to smile at someone frowning or open the door for that stranger carrying to many things; that is an important legacy too. Delta Gamma reminds me that I am not just here for myself. I am here to put good into this world, and to implement that good not just in just grand extravagant gestures once a year or something but through the eloquent sophistication of the simplicity of every day."

Jennifer Tuohy serves as UIFI Intern

Jen Tuohy, vp: member education from Mandeville, Louisiana, spent one week in Bloomington, Indiana working as a Undergraduate Interfraternity Institue intern. UIFI is a leadership institute for fraternity and sorority members. UIFI allows participants to explore, define, and and enhance their leadership skills, personal integrity, fraternity and sorority commitment, and grow to expect values based action from themselves and those they lead.

Of the 160 applicants, only 20 intern positions were available. Congratulations on landing a spot, Jen!

Jen attended UIFI last summer. She applied to be an intern because she loved her experience and wanted to help others understand what it truly means to be Greek.

“I wanted to give back to something that gave me so much,” she said. "Being Greek is more than just wearing your letters. It's understanding the values and commitment those letters stand for. It's living out your ritual everyday and continuing the mission your founders set for you."

 Interns were responsible for all behind-the-scenes duties, from running errands to making posters, they contributed to sessions running smoothly. Tasks completed helped ensure the participants had everything they needed to grow as Greek members. Interns work for one session during the summer.

“This experience taught me that that a group of motivated people can make a positive change in the Greek community,” said Jen. “Having gone through the UIFI experience twice, this experience gives me such pride to be Greek and inspires me to always do good! Last summer as a participant, I began to understand what it means to be a selfless leader. I came back from UIFI wanting to create a change in our chapter that would start a trend in our Greek community. Now having served as an intern, I am even more confident in the Greek life experience. Being an intern showed me nothing great comes without a lot of work.”

Attending UIFI the previous summer as a participant allowed Jen to bring back an understanding of ritual, allowing her to portray that to new members as director of new members. Understanding Delta Gamma's values allowed her to teach them to a new member class.

“Gamma Zeta made me into the woman I am today. Having gone through recruitment as a sophomore, I know what my life looks like without Delta Gamma. This chapter has inspired and motivated me to become more than I ever thought I could be."

Written by Maddie Duhon