The Golden Lion

The Diamond Awards Banquet was held this evening. Everyone knows that the Golden Lion is the most coveted of all awards distributed during Grand Convention. This award indicates the highest level of performance and efficiency for collegiate chapters of Alpha Delta Pi. Tonight, 13 chapters took home that top honor, including three chapters who have never before been inducted into the Golden Lion Hall of Fame.


1. Beta Eta, Michigan
2. Delta Phi, University of Missouri-Kansas City
3. Gamma Theta, University of Mt. Union
4. Zeta Nu, Clemson
5. Beta Epsilon, University of South Carolina
6. Eta Lambda, Albright College
7. Epsilon Nu, Ashland University
8. Gamma Phi, East Tennessee State University
9. Beta Tau, University of Akron
10. Kappa, Samford
11. Zeta Psi, UNC Greensboro (new inductee)
12. Beta Sigma, Mercer University (new inductee)
13. Alpha Iota, University of Pittsburgh (new inductee)


The evening concluded with the installation of our new Grand Council members, and a farewell to those sisters whose term on Grand Council has come to an end. Special thanks to Ann Charnock and Rosalyn Doze Williams. A special video presentation was made to celebrate the four years that Claire Brown Gwaltney has led our organization. What a wonderful and inspirational leader she has been! Here are some photos from the evening. 

International Vice President of Alumnae Membership Renee Bailey Iacona 

and International President Tammie Pinkston

Ms. Pinkston's Lion Purse

Former and Current Finance Ladies!

 Mrs. Gwaltney, Past International President, and her husband. 

Current and past Presidents of ADPi

Congrats to Zeta Psi on achieving Golden Lion status for the first time!
Convention has been a blast. Will have many recap updates and highlights that we missed during our busy schedule in the days ahead.

Bringing it All Back to 1851

I have to quickly tell you about what happened this morning. It was the most profound experience I've had thus far during my membership in Alpha Delta Pi. Today we initiated the great-great-granddaughter of one of the founding members of The Adelphean Society. Elizabeth Williams Mitchell, whose portrait we unveiled this week, holds a very special place in the heart of every Alpha Delta Pi member. 

It is from her legacy that we all descend as Alpha Delta Pi sisters. Today we welcomed her great-great-granddaughter into our sisterhood, as an alumnae initiate. I could not help but tear up as I caught eyes with Renee Bailey Iacona during the ceremony. To think. This woman is a direct descendant of one of our founders, and here we are today initiating her into Alpha Delta Pi. What must she have been thinking, knowing the legacy that she joins because of her relative? Chills! What are you doing to leave your legacy in Alpha Delta Pi?

Diamonds Are Forever: Old Timer's Dinner

Those diamonds were shining bright under the Phoenix sun, as sisters brought some crazy bling to the Old Timer's Dinner! Here are a few shots...

 Forget Hammer Time, We've got Marshall Time! 

Check out Sister Rita Wade Marshall's (Epsilon Delta) jacket!

Delaurah Minzenberger, Beta Psi, brings the bling 

with her many rings! Hey, that rhymes!

 D2 sisters

D2 International Officers, Every time we come around the district bling bling...

Candace from Beta Psi in her real beauty pageant bling! 

 District II, the future is so bright with all that bling! 

 Sisters Dawn Victor-Herring and Tracy Garner came with tiaras and boas

 Renee Bailey Iacona, International Vice President of Alumnae Membership, 

our lovely MC for the night in her diamond ADPi tiara

Pat Evans during the 50 year ceremony

50 year ceremony

International Secretary Sydnee Jack leads the Convention Song

Sisters still standing after many decades of Convention attendance during the famous Convention Song

Current International President Claire Gwaltney (right), Beta Omega, with 

newly elected International President Tammie Pinkston (left), Zeta Nu/Gamma Phi

At this dinner we honored many alumnae who have given back, both to their professions, their communities, and to Alpha Delta Pi. Here are the recipients of the Joan Perry Boatright Loyalty Award, by district:

District I: Betty Hillburn

Betty lives in Macon and frequently gives tours of Rose Hill Cemetery, where Eugenia Tucker Fitzgerald is buried. Upon receiving her award she said, "College girls, I want you to know that it is not just four years. Get ready. When you get outta' school, find your sisters wherever you are."

District II: Diane Letson

Joan Boatright was her scholarship advisor in college. How cool is that?!  Upon receiving her award she said, "Find a mentor. In turn, be a mentor to someone else. The greatest investment I've ever made has been repaid to me many times because of you."

District III: Ann Parker Davis

Ann mentioned that she was mentored by Mary Van Akin. "Once you knew Mrs. VA, you knew alpha Delta Pi was for a lifetime. I can't imagine what it would be like to not have had Alpha Delta Pi in my life everyday. Find reasons to stay involved forever and make Alpha Delta Pi for a lifetime."

District IV: Betty Pitzer

You may have read the post that mentioned Ms. Pitzer and her passing earlier this week. If not, here is a link. She was 99 years old when she passed this week, and had been a member of Alpha Delta Pi for 80 years. 

District V: Charlotte Mann

"It's been said that we have five really pivotal people in our lives who help us move from one stage to another. I think it's more like 500, and 499 of them are Alpha Delta Pi's. The most important decision I ever made was writing only Alpha Delta Pi and Alpha Delta Pi on my preference card, and by George I matched! With that decision what doors I've opened and what adventures I've had. My association with Alpha Delta Pi has enriched my life, knowing that we are measured not by what we receive, but by what we give."

District VI: Linda Allen

"I think this goes all the way back to having a strong advisor, Sally Dozier. Whenever she saw me she wanted to know what I was doing for ADPi. Through the yeas I've worked with amazing sisters and I appreciate working with the collegians. I moved to Arizona not knowing a soul. I looked at the back of The Adelphean and called the local alumnae association. My life has been very fulfilled since then."

Mary Bull Mason Outstanding Contribution to Community Award:

Kay Weed

Outstanding Alumnae Achievement Award for Contribution to Profession: Connie Lewis

This is Convention number 27 for Virginia "Ginny" Stafford, former Grand President, who was the last sister standing during the Convention song. Ginny said that the first convention that she attended was in 1946. Grand Convention in 1946 was held at The Hotel Stanley in Estes Park, Colorado. Talk about Alpha Delta Pi for a lifetime!

We also honored Convention Photographer, Charles E. Walton IV, who celebrated his 30th Convention with Alpha Delta Pi. We love you Charles, oh yes we do! Speaking of Charles, Convention photos will be available on GreekYearbook.com in a couple of weeks. 

A good time was had by all:)

Housing Update

By: Laura Leigh Majernik

What a beautiful Saturday here in Phoenix! I enjoyed the Biltmore's jogging trail this morning and my time on the trail helped me put my thoughts together on yesterday's business meetings.

First of all, we elected some AMAZING sisters to our Grand Council! Tammie Pinkston will lead a fantastic team as our International President. 

Our bylaws are now revised to reflect accuracies in terminology and better outline Sorority practices. Voting on these changes made for a long day, but our Sisterhood is stronger as a result.

Finally, the adoption of an exciting resolution submitted by our Housing Directors promotes innovation and provides security for the future of Alpha Delta Pi. The delegates adopted a resolution to call for a Committee to Form regarding the possible formation of an International Housing Corporation. If such a body is recommended, Alpha Delta Pi will be on the vanguard of organizational management for NPC groups. This Committee to Form will investigate the best way to move Alpha Delta Pi housing forward in a manner that strengthens our Sorority and lives out our open motto, "We Live for Each Other." My role as a delegate gave me the opportunity to make a positive mark on my Sisterhood and I am pleased I was able to serve.

Grand Convention Top Ten

By: Samantha Hockenberry

So we have this tradition at Gamma Iota- Univ. of Florida, where we have Top 10’s during our Chapter elections.  You know, anything ranging from “Top 10 reasons to live in the ADPi house” to “Top 10 reasons to be on Exec”.   Essentially, anything that makes the time go by faster.

Today at Grand Convention we had our Bylaw revisions and International Officer elections.  Let me first say congratulations to everyone who was elected today! Watching history in the making was pretty darn cool.  On the down side- the meeting was 7 hours long (with a nice lunch break :)).  Being that this meeting went for 1 too many hours, my darling sisters and I decided to bring a little Gamma Iota tradition to the International level and create “Top 10’s of ADPi Grand Convention”.  Here it goes…

Top 10’s of ADPi Grand Convention

10.  Britney Spears and back up dancers spotted at the Biltmore Hotel!
How sweet would that have been to get a Pi Love pic with Britney!?  Hello Recruitment video!

9.  Dessert served at every meal
Mhmm mmm. Enough said.

8.  Electronic Voting – no more waiting to count paper
7 hours of voting today WITH electronic clickers.  I can only imagine how they did it in past Grand Conventions. THANK YOU technology!

7.  The fact that #ADPiGC2011 is basically trending on Twitter
But really.

6.  Hanging out with our Advisor (shout out Mrs. Balloon)
Talk about quality time with one of the most influential person I know… and we couldn’t have asked for a better venue then the Desert.

5.  Amount of Lion jewelry being spotted on ADPi alum and collegiates
I am absolutely floored by the amount of lion/violets/diamond jewelry I have seen on some of these sisters.  Earrings, pendants, bracelets, scarves, rings, you name it, someone is probably wearing it.  I can only imagine what tonight’s dinner is going to be like when they really bust out the “Bling”.

4.  Winning a Diamond 4-Point Award!
Nothing is cooler than having your Chapter’s name being called for an award.  Sweet satisfaction for a job well done.  Congrats ladies.

3.  SPOTTED: Mrs. Gwaltney square dancing during the LC skit
Cute little southern bell Mrs. Claire Gwaltney, International President of Alpha Delta Pi, square dancing on stage! 

2.  The revealing of the RMH Philanthropy video
Talk about tears.  If this RMH video didn’t touch your heart last night then I don’t know what will.  This video was just a reminder that ADPi’s all across this nation (and in Canada!) truly are doing something amazing.  REALLY amazing.  I can’t wait to go back and show this video to my Chapter.

1.  Meeting ADPi’s from all across the country and sharing idea

Pi love you all!

The Results are in!

By: Logan Sparks

For all you ladies who weren't able to attend Grand Convention this year, you might be be wondering just we are actually doing out here in Phoenix. Maybe much to your disbelief, it isn't all fun and games. While we are most definitely having a blast, we have also been getting down to very serious business. However, if you could see all the tasty meals they have been serving us or the beautiful Biltmore hotel, you might not think so.

But still, through business meetings and bylaw revisions, your chapter delegates have been working very hard to make decisions that are best for members and the international organization as a whole. In addition to bylaw revisions, elections are also being held. This is an exciting time for Alpha Delta Pi as our new international President and the rest of Grand Council will be leading us into the future. It is through these processes that we remember that ADPi is so much bigger than our individual chapters and the campuses we represent; we are a group of sorority women from all over the country (and Canada) who strive to live by the same creed of values and ideas. 

So. For everyone out there who thinks we're just vacationing here in sorority-land, you are mistaken! Look forward to hearing about all of our official ADPi business from your chapter representatives in the fall! 

And...the drum roll please...our newly elected Grand Council members!

International President: Tammy Pinkston, Zeta Nu/Gamma Phi

International Vice President of Collegiate Membership: Stacy DeMartini Bruton, Delta Sigma

                                                                                                  Susan Swicord Mathews, Epsilon Pi

International Vice President of Alumnae Membership: Renee Bailey Iacona, Delta Upsilon

International Vice President of Finance: Emily Erkel, Zeta Chi

International Secretary: Sydnee Jack, Alpha Omicron

International Vice President of Organizational Relations: Sandy McDonald Davis, Xi

Pay it Forward

By: Anna Kate Sumler

On my first day at Grand Convention, I had the great pleasure of having a very special training session with former Grand Council member (among her many titles) – Lindy Lutz Cash.

            Today at the Foundation Luncheon Mrs. Cash was the Keynote Speaker and focused on the leadership tagline of the Alpha Delta Pi Foundation’s belief system of “Educate. Lead. Serve.”  Mrs. Cash began her speech by quoting the words of our Creed,

“I believe that my sorority is more than a ritual or symbol,

that it is a way of life.”

            Anyone that has been fortunate enough to meet Mrs. Cash knows what an exceptional person and outstanding Alpha Delta Pi sister she is.  During her speech she says that she owes her many successes in life to the foundation of skills that she developed in Alpha Delta Pi and especially because of her time as a President at Chi chapter.

            You might be familiar with the quote,

“There are four kinds of people in the world –

People who make things happen.

People who watch things happen.

People who wonder what happened.

And people who don’t know anything happened.”

Mrs. Cash closes ends her speech by saying, “Learn, grow, and thrive from your leadership experience in Alpha Delta Pi.  My foundation in Alpha Delta Pi has taught me that I am someone who makes things happens.”

What kind of person are you?