Why Volunteer? A young alumna shares how giving back to Alpha Phi has strengthened her connection to the Fraternity and expanded her personal and professional growth.
Benefits of Volunteering
By Elizabeth Liberatore, editor-in-chief
Professional growth
Grace (center with glasses) and her chapter sisters celebrate Bid Day 2021.
Volunteers are the heart of our organization, giving their time, talents and treasures to sustain our sisterhood and ensure its vitality for generations to come. They are mentors. Advisors. Leaders. Confidants. Friends. And they do it all while balancing careers, families and the beautiful chaos of everyday life. No matter who you speak with, almost every volunteer will tell you the same thing: they give back because Alpha Phi has given them so much. One such volunteer is Grace Monteleone (Iota Gamma-University of the Pacific) , who currently serves as a recruitment advisor for her collegiate chapter. Grace shares more about her volunteer journey and why she continues to stay connected to Alpha Phi. When did you start volunteering for Alpha Phi, and what was your motivation? I stepped into my volunteer role in the summer after graduating in 2022. The torch was passed down to me by our previous recruitment advisor, Mindy Marvin Gray (Iota Gamma-University of the Pacific) , when she and her family moved to the East Coast. I was nervous to step into an
advisor role, especially for my own chapter, but I had seen the impact Mindy made over the years, and she always spoke about how much she loved volunteering. What motivated me most was my passion for Alpha Phi. The Fraternity was the single most influential part of my college experience, and I want the women who come after me to have a similar experience and value it as much as I do. How has volunteering influenced your sense of connection, purpose or belonging within Alpha Phi? I was nervous I would lose the connection with Alpha Phi after graduating, but volunteering has kept me close to something I love and allowed me to continue evolving alongside it. I not only get to share what I learned from my own experience, but I also learn something new each year — new approaches, new strategies, new perspectives — from the women themselves.
Lifelong connections
Mentorship
Networking
Stronger ties to Alpha Phi
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