BY Melissa Gerrior
"It's important to give back to the things that have helped shape who you are," said Chanda Glover, MSE 05, one of the many alumnae who attended the 20th anniversary celebration of Omega Phi Alpha, Nu Chapter at Georgia Tech.
In a weekend celebration April 18–20, alumnae and pledges joined the sorority sisters to celebrate the 20 years of friendship, leadership and service at Tech.
In honor of the chapter's founding in April 1988, there was an '80s-themed party as well as service projects, an anniversary banquet and a workshop focusing on the past, present and future of Nu Chapter.
Omega Phi Alpha has four concentrations of service: the university community, the community at large, the members of the sorority and the nations of the world. During the anniversary weekend, one group comprised of alumnae and collegiate members volunteered at MedShare, a nonprofit organization that collects donated surplus medical supplies and equipment and distributes them to clinics in economically developing countries around the world.
Another group went to Underwood Hills, a nearby park, to plant flowers, pick up trash and pull weeds. The sorority conducts a service project at the park at least once a semester.
Molly Epstein, a member of the Underwood Hills Neighborhood Association, said the sorority "has been absolutely instrumental in making the park" a place parents and their children can enjoy.
Alumna Chelsea Navo, CS 04, said that she enjoys coming back to Nu Chapter functions to "see what the leaders of today are doing" and to see how the organization has grown.
Over the past 20 years, more than 300 women have become members of Nu Chapter and dedicated themselves to community service. This year alone the chapter has volunteered more than 2,000 hours of service.
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