This past school year, I was elected and served as the Director of Philanthropy for my sorority, Tri Delta at Centre College in Danville, KY. Being the director of philanthropy was the most rewarding experience, and it has truly challenged me to reconsider my personal and professionally-driven definition of being good. The Tri Delta national philanthropy is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital located in Memphis, Tennessee. 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. Worldwide, every 3 minutes a family hears the devastating words that their child or their sibling will have to battle cancer. St. Jude was started more than 70 years ago because of their motive and mission that “no child should die in the dawn of life."

Tri Delta's relationship with St. Jude is truly special. What makes St. Jude unique is its commitment to ensuring that no patient ever has to pay for treatment, housing, groceries, or schooling. This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to visit St. Jude alongside one of my sorority sisters, Parker Reily. On our visit, we celebrated a remarkable achievement—Tri Delta reaching the milestone of $100 million raised for St. Jude since our partnership began in 1999, toured the hospital facilities, Tri Delta Place, and networked with St. Jude staff and Tri Deltas from across the nation.

One of the most meaningful stops on our campus tour was Tri Delta Place, a hotel that provides completely free accommodations for the families of St. Jude patients, an incredible initiative fully funded by Tri Delta. Chapters host events and fundraisers throughout the school year with donations given straight to St. Jude. Seeing the direct impact of our fundraising efforts was truly humbling and so very rewarding, reinforcing the significance of our commitment to this life-changing cause. 

Centre College Tri Delta is truly so passionate and driven by the impressive tradition of supporting St. Jude. This year, we surpassed a total of $500,000 raised for St. Jude since 2001 and ended this fundraising year with over $32,000 raised for St. Jude. We are ranked as the second highest fundraising chapter of our size across the nation and the highest fundraising Greek organization at Centre. As you can tell, philanthropy is at the core of our chapter. One thing is for certain—it's always for the kids.

Being involved in our St. Jude initiatives as a chapter member was encouraging and inspiring, but serving as our Director of Philanthropy allowed me to dig deeper and go beyond surface-level involvement. I have a newfound appreciation for fighting for what I believe in, being involved in what I am passionate about, and actively striving to make a difference on our campus and in the world.

I am forever in debt to our Tri Delta chapter for allowing me to serve as our Director of Philanthropy and truly see the impact of doing good and being good. 

Do Good is one of the Awesome Inc four core values, and easily my favorite of the four. My experience with our sorority philanthropy has set the foundation for my passion for philanthropy and being on the frontline of creating meaningful change.

It has taught me that "doing good" isn't just about showing up or being a part of something, but it's about showing up with purpose, empathy, and consistency. It's about recognizing the needs around you and using your time, talents, and heart to meet them. I feel lucky to have been given an opportunity to find a deeper purpose and passion that truly fuels me. 

This role helped me develop valuable skills—like communication, leadership, strategic planning, and community engagement—that I will carry with me into every future endeavor. But more importantly, it instilled in me a deep sense of purpose. I now know that I thrive when I am serving others, when I am part of a team working toward something meaningful, and when I can see the real-world impact of that work.

As I continue to grow personally and professionally, I carry this value with me, striving to lead with compassion, serve with integrity, and always advocate for causes that matter. Tri Delta and our partnership with St. Jude has not only shaped who I am today but has sparked a lifelong dedication to making the world a better place.