That One Time When No One Knew What Hallie was Doing

Hello!! And welcome to my new blog! For those of you who are not aware, I have recently started a new job as an ELC for my sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi. This new job allows me the opportunity to travel the United States, visiting new cities and universities on a weekly basis. With being away so often, it can be difficult to keep everyone updated on what’s new in my life. So, I have decided to document my travels and (mis)adventures on this blog. Since this is the first (of hopefully many) posts, I wanted to start out by answering some of the questions I get asked most frequently about my job and this new chapter in my life:

What is an ELC?

ELC stands for Educational Leadership Consultant. And what that job title means

is that I am employed to travel from university to university to consult and assist with the

administrative operations of AOII collegiate chapters. I work, in essence, as a liaison

between collegiate chapters and the professional staff at Alpha Omicron Pi International

Headquarters to connect members with chapter resources and inform them of best

chapter practices.

Currently, 10 women work along side me in this role. Although we each travel to

different universities, their insights and support are invaluable as I embark on my visits

across the United States. More information about the other wonderful woman on my

team can be found here.

You can work for a sorority or fraternity?

Yes, you can, actually, work for a sorority or fraternity. There are many individuals

who dedicate their professional talents to the Greek Life world after college. Here is

the professional staff of amazing woman who assist in ensuring the success of Alpha

Omicron Pi on a daily basis.

Where are you traveling?

Each semester I am provided with a new schedule of cities and universities to visit.

This semester I will be visiting universities in Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, North

Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Michigan. The exact campuses I will be visiting are as

follows:

East Carolina University

Eastern Kentucky University

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Texas Woman’s University

University of Texas San Antonio

Appalachian State University

Troy University

Northern Kentucky University

Texas A&M University

University of Michigan

Samford University

East Tennessee University

Where do you live?

Since I travel to a new university every week, I do not currently have a place of my own.

While visiting the AOII chapters, I will either stay at the chapter house or with the

members in their own homes. Not having my own place can be difficult at times, but I am

forever indebted to the incredible hospitality of my sisters, and the graciousness shown

by my mother to allow me to use her basement as my own personal storage unit.

Why would you want to do this?

Upon embarking on my first year at Ball State University, four years ago, I found

myself 500 miles away from home and staring down, eye to eye, the challenges of

freshman year and discovering how to make Indiana somewhere I could call home. In

time, joining AOII helped me make Ball State my home. I can look back in confidence

and say that my transition into college and into life in Indiana was made successful by

the connections I made in the organization and the confidence I found in myself through

those relationships.

When senior year came, and graduation was fast approaching, I sought out help

with my transition into adult and professional life from the same organization that had

helped me three years previously. I turned to AOII to look for opportunities that would

provide me direction and purpose in my new chapter of life. And I am incredibly pleased

to say that I have found just that in my position as an ELC and in the relationships I have

created with my team, the professional staff at headquarters and the women I meet

throughout my travels.

So there you go! This is my most current, crazy, wonderful, inspiring adventure. I have been so blessed by all my experiences in this position so far and I look forward to all that is to come. Thank you to everyone who read through this whole post. More updates are sure to come!

All my love,

Hallie