Meet Trustee Vicki Ryan, Zeta Pi
During this summer’s virtual Foundation Business Session, three new members joined the Foundation Board of Trustees and we’re excited for you to get to know them better. Wrapping up our #TrusteeTuesday series to showcase these fantastic leaders is Trustee Vicki Ryan!
There are many incredible organizations that are worthy of your time and talents. Why is it important to you to serve on the Phi Mu Foundation Board of Trustees?
I’m very grateful to Phi Mu and the Foundation for its hand in my education with a graduate counselor scholarship and for early leadership opportunities to serve in Fraternity and Foundation Board offices. I want to support the Foundation’s grant work to fund leadership programs and women speakers that teach Phi Mus about building self-confidence and developing the courage to speak up in work settings. We need more women at the table, making decisions in career fields and it’s critical to develop the leadership skills that empower women to express their voices.
What is your favorite Phi Mu Foundation fundraising campaign and why?
The annual Day of Giving or as I like to think of it ’18 Hours and 52 Minutes’ of fun! It’s so interesting to see the different Challenge Gifts that are created. Tuesday, October 27th will be the fourth year for this program and the Challenge Gifts get more creative each year. I like that the program targets one day with lots of advanced communication for us to get ready, then fun social media reminders during the event, followed by the successful results of the day which are known immediately!
On top of many Phi Mu accomplishments, each of you has also experienced remarkable professional success. Tell us more about your career and how experiences from Phi Mu and your professional life have overlapped.
As a Chapter President and Greek leader on my university campus, I learned how to plan projects, motivate others, manage budgets, interact with university officials, and have a voice. Every one of those experiences was put to use as I grew my career in marketing and product management in a large technology corporation. In particular, forming connections with Phi Mus and building friendships with a variety of people were the groundwork for learning how to network and build partnerships in the working world.
Picture this: you’re on the TV show Shark Tank and have the opportunity to pitch the millionaire panel for 30 seconds on why they should invest in Phi Mu Foundation. What do you say?
If you are not yet contributing to a nonprofit Foundation that empowers the women in your life you are missing the boat. If you are looking for a well-established philanthropy that supports your sister or daughter or granddaughter to learn lifelong leadership skills, you should look no further. Through Foundation grants to Phi Mu Fraternity, the women in your life will become educated for the real world about what it takes to be a leader and even have a chance to experience those opportunities at an early age. And those lessons become the first step towards successful careers!
What do you hope will be the headline for the Foundation’s progress for 2020-21?
Phi Mu Foundation Breaks a Record for the Number of New Donors to our Giving Programs!
