Collegiate Times

Hello Hokie Family!

If you told me I would be on VT’s Homecoming Court when I stepped into my Slusher 12th floor penthouse room freshman year, I would’ve told you that you’re crazy. I was a girl without a major, without a club I belonged to, and without a clue about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

Shortly after joining Chi Delta Alpha, all of those things were decided for me.

Chi Delta Alpha is a non-Greek service organization whose acronym spells “Always Dedicated to the Community” backward. Our around 50 members collectively complete more than 2,000 hours each semester, and last semester, we exceeded 3,000 hours working solely in the New River Valley.

To read the rest of Emily’s column, go online to collegiatetimes.com.

Some of my favorite projects that I have been a part of over the last few years have been Special Olympics Swimming, Roanoke Rescue Mission (feeding meals to the homeless), Project Linus (making blankets for children in local hospitals and hospice care), Pilot Street Program/Coalition for Refugee Resettlement (I got to teach a U.S. Citizenship class to African refugees), and working in four different local elementary schools.

Chi Delta Alpha has a local service project for every day of the week, every week of the year.

Ut Prosim, to me, does not just mean “That I May Serve,” it means to unselfishly serve, to be the small piece in someone’s life that they consistently rely on, to better the community that you are a part of no matter where it is.

It is that passion that Chi Delta Alpha has sparked that has driven me to change my major, plan course request around when I have weekly projects, dedicate hundreds of hours a year to the people I work with, and to hopefully have a career centered around serving others.

On campus, many people know me through my involvement in the Student Government Association serving as VT’s student body vice president, which has definitely helped me grow during my time here so far.

To me though, it has been my experiences off campus in the community that have really shaped who I am and who I want to become.

I am blessed to be a part of Virginia Tech’s 85th Homecoming Court, and I would be honored if I earned your vote. There is no place on the face of this earth like Tech, and if I were to serve as your queen, I would try to further engage our Hokie Nation in our surrounding community.

If you would like to get involved with any of the service projects we volunteer with, please let me know!

One fish, Two fish, Orange fish, Maroon fish.

Of all the fish in the sea, VOTE FOR EMILY!

A version of this article appeared in the Oct 18 issue of the Collegiate Times.