Get Out There and Happen to Things!

Council Connections – May 2016

By National Vice President Jamie Jones Miller, Psi

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
– Leonardo da Vinci

I picked up a note card with this quote on it when I was traveling for Alpha Sigma Tau this spring, because I knew that someone in my circle of friends and family was bound to do something extraordinary and I’d have just the right card to send. The idea that you should go out and happen to things instead of waiting for things to happen to you or regretting missed opportunities really struck a chord with me.

This idea, of happening to things, is what Alpha Sigma Tau strives to instill in our members – we empower women to excel in life. We are investing in women by instilling in them the skills necessary to successfully navigate life, and are inspiring our members to enrich their own lives and the lives of others. I aspire to do this every day.

It is one thing to see Alpha Sigma Tau’s mission and vision in writing and another to see it in practice. I heard how this vision resonates with our members, our campus partners, and with parents at Dalton State College, where we recently installed our newest chapter, Epsilon Upsilon. Parents and members alike said that they were proud that they were part of an organization that was striving for excellence. The Fraternity/Sorority Advisor at Dalton State touched on it in her remarks at the Installation Banquet when she said that one of the reasons Alpha Sigma Tau was selected was that our mission is in alignment with theirs: “Dalton State College seeks to prepare and inspire its students to be active members within their professions and communities.” Of course we are a natural fit for Dalton State College!

Our members are defining excellence in our chapters, on our campuses, in our communities, and throughout our careers. Not every woman who is defining excellence has a position or a title behind them, nor does she need one. You can lead from where you are.

As we come together this summer for our 41st National Convention, I hope that those who travel to Jacksonville and those who engage virtually will take what you learn and what you are inspired by back to your chapter, your campus, your volunteer role, or your job. Use it to make a positive impact. Get out there and happen to things!