Petra Hensley (Delta Beta-East Texas A&M), recipient of the New Member of the Year Award.
Delta Beta-East Texas A&M
A New Member Leaves Her Mark Meet Petra Hensley , a theatre education major at East Texas A&M University and a member of Alpha Phi’s Delta Beta Chapter. From the moment Petra stepped onto campus, she was determined to find a community that would help her grow both as a person and leader. During primary recruitment in fall 2024, she found exactly that, and more, in Alpha Phi. “I could immediately tell that this chapter wasn’t just about social events but sisterhood, personal growth and building meaningful connections that last far beyond college,” Petra shares. “I was drawn to the fact that Alpha Phi offers so many opportunities to give back through service projects, leadership roles and scholarship opportunities.” Petra dove headfirst into Alpha Phi. In her first year, she attended as many events as she could, stepped into leadership opportunities when they came up and supported both her sisters and members of other Greek organizations on campus. “I tried to stay engaged and make a positive impact whenever I could,” she says. For her outstanding efforts, Petra was nominated by her peers for the New Member of the Year Award, presented by the College Panhellenic Council at East Texas A&M. On April 14, 2025, at the Blue and Gold Award Ceremony, Petra’s name was announced as this year’s recipient in front of the university’s Greek life community and fellow student leaders. “I was completely shocked when my name was called,” she laughs. “Looking at the list of nominees, I truly didn’t expect to win, and it made it even more meaningful to represent Alpha Phi as I walked across the stage to accept the award.” While the glass award is a nice, tangible reminder of her efforts over the past year, Petra sees its meaning as much deeper. “Winning this award meant so much to me, not just because of the title, but because of what it represents. As a new member, it can be easy to feel overlooked or like you’re still finding your place within a larger community. Sometimes people assume you need to be around for years before you can make an impact, but this experience reminded me that anyone, no matter how new, can leave their mark.” She’s certainly proof of that. With one year behind her and a lifetime of sisterhood ahead, Petra is only just beginning to leave her indelible mark on Alpha Phi.
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