There once was a cowboy walking alone around the desert when he came upon a genie lamp and hoping for three wishes of good fortune, instead, the genie said he had advice for him.

The genie said, “I have something more valuable than wishes for you. I have advice that will make you the happiest person in the world and the saddest person in the world at the same time.” The cowboy listened intently, and the genie continued, “As you wander through the desert I want you to pick up every stone that you see. Big ones, small ones, shiny ones, and dull ones. Pick them all up and put them in your pack. If you do this, the next day you will wake up and with the most joy you have ever felt, followed by deep regret.” Then the genie disappeared. He thought: “What do I have to lose?” Then he picked up his first stone and put it in his pack. As the day went on, he picked up stones and placed them in his pack. He kept moving, and hour after hour, his pack kept getting heavier and heavier. He stopped adding to the heavy burden and went to sleep. When he woke up in the morning he checked his pack. The cowboy couldn’t believe his eyes! All of the rocks he had picked up and lugged through the desert had turned to beautiful jewels, diamonds, rubies, emeralds! He was so excited and happy. He was rich! But then all of the sudden … a wave of sorrow came over him. “What if I had picked up one more rock?” he thought. The cowboy knew it would have been worth its weight in gold.

My collegiate time in Phi Mu parallels this story in so many ways. Throughout the years, I had the opportunity to pick up so many stones that have turned into my greatest gems. From friendships that have turned into my fondest treasures, to stones of leadership positions waiting to be unturned. I, maybe like some of you, did not expect to gain as much from this organization as I did. I underestimated how much I would gain and how invaluable this organization would become to me. I never would have thought of myself as a sorority woman, and now it is one of my biggest points of pride. Why do you ask? It is all about women helping women… sisters helping sisters. This is precisely what a Phi Mu Foundation does and why it has me forever grateful.

The stone that began it all for me, the one that to this day remains the brightest gem in my collection is the Phi Mu Leadership Institute. In June 2017, I was poured into more than I ever thought possible by sisters from across the country. This was a pivotal moment in my leadership journey and when I first began to realize the power my voice had. We discussed how to become confident women in society today and ways to lift one another up. We became self-reflexive and used introspection to discover our own life values and the mission we wanted for our own lives. I gained support from mentors and sisters alike and was given the opportunity to reciprocate that. I learned that Phi Mu is so much more than just my chapter, but a connection of women across the country who share the same Creed and Bond as me. I can still vividly recall one of my favorite memories that have the power to bring me back to this moment: reciting the Creed with hundreds of sisters who had just met moments before. The beauty of our shared Bond continues to baffle me and humble my heart as I reflect on the magnitude of what sisterhood really means.

The Phi Mu Leadership Institute gave me the confidence in myself to do brave, bold things. After this experience, I went on to pick up many different stones and pebbles. Becoming Chapter President was my biggest, heaviest gem that I am still reaping the benefits from. In this role, I witnessed sisters first-hand receiving benefits from the Foundation through scholarships and support that has had such a positive impact on their collegiate experience. The meaning of “sisters helping sisters” is not one that I take lightly. When I thought my pack was beginning to get too heavy, I had the most miraculous thing happen to me. My sisters helped me carry my load, the shared the weight and encouraged me to keep moving.

As my collegiate years end, I will continue to pick up stones and empower others to do the same during my time as a Chapter Consultant, thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Phi Mu Foundation that help to support this program. My greatest hope and wish for you, no matter where you are on your Phi Mu journey— whether you are a provisional member, collegiate active member, or an alumna— is that you continue to pick up rocks, stones, and pebbles along your way. You never know the value that you may gain and the opportunities to help other sisters that you may get. Investing in Phi Mu Foundation for me is the next gem I have my eye on picking up, and I cannot wait to begin to see the ripple effects to come.

Marisa Kahnt is an alumna of the Rho Eta Chapter at Grand Valley State University, a member of the 2018-19 Collegiate Leadership Council and a 2019-20 Phi Mu Chapter Consultant.

Across the nation, and across generations, individual Phi Mu chapters have impacted the lives of women, particularly during their college years. My own chapter has introduced me to my lifelong best friends and given me opportunities to be a leader within our group as well as on campus. Beyond this support system that I found in Phi Mu at the University of Tennessee, I have also experienced the support of our national fraternity by working with Phi Mu Foundation.

This past school year, I served on the Foundation’s Collegiate Leadership Council. Alongside Phi Mu women from different chapters, I learned more about Phi Mu Foundation’s mission and history as the philanthropic branch of the fraternity. Serving on this board granted me the opportunity to work with the Foundation staff during the 2018 National Convention in Las Vegas. Here, I met women from a variety of stages in life: fellow collegians, newly graduated alumnae, and even a woman honored as the Phi Mu who has attended the most national conventions over the past four or so decades. Regardless of age, these women had so much to share about their lives and experience through Phi Mu.

My mentor through the Collegiate Leadership Council, Delicia Arnold, serves on the Foundation Board of Trustees. Delicia is a passionate, hard-working, and dedicated wife, mother, and attorney. She shows a commitment to excellence by devoting her time to an organization that has done so much for its members on top of these demanding roles. Her passion for giving back to Phi Mu is clearly evident through her generous support as a compassionate and inspiring mentor.

At this point in my life, I have personally benefitted from receiving a scholarship from Phi Mu Foundation. It has contributed to me graduating debt-free, which will allow me to have a great deal more financial freedom once I start working after college without the burden of student loans. A significant percentage of college graduates do not enter the real world with such fortunate circumstances; the average student graduates with $37,172 in loans. Just as generous donors have supported my education, I hope to contribute to the education of future Phi Mu women.

Besides the monetary support of my education, the mentorship and leadership opportunities have allowed me to grow and develop a useful interpersonal skill set. My Phi Mu experience has truly set me up for success as I pursue my goal of obtaining a Master’s of Accountancy degree and becoming a Certified Public Accountant. More than this, I plan to show my appreciation for the women before me by continuing to support the Foundation as best I can just as they have for me and for so many other Phi Mu women, across the nation and across generations.

Tori Heavey is a member of the Kappa Chapter at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and a member of the 2018-19 Collegiate Leadership Council.

Being part of Phi Mu Foundation Collegiate Leadership Council has opened my eyes to how important Phi Mu Foundation is to our sisterhood. Before being selected to the CLC, I was aware of the basics about Phi Mu Foundation, but now I know so much more about how the Foundation allows for sisters to help and encourage other sisters.

Being part of the CLC has given me so many great opportunities to connect with sisters from around the country, as well as alumnae. One of my favorite aspects of the CLC is the Trustee mentor program. I was fortunate enough to be paired with Jen Wu as my Trustee mentor, and I always looked forward to our chats, emails, and texts. It was amazing to me that she would take time out of her busy schedule to make time to see how I was doing, in life and in Phi Mu. She encouraged me to run for Philanthropy chair and I knew if I ever needed her for anything, she would always be willing to help.

Thanks to the CLC, I have women like Jen to aspire to be more like as I continue my Phi Mu journey. I am so grateful for the way Jen has helped me along in my CLC experience. My Trustee mentor made me realize how important it is for Phi Mu women to continue to invest in the future generations of Phi Mu. I hope to one day be able to impact a future Phi Mu, the way Jen impacted me.

Caroline Freeman is a member of the Kappa Omicron Chapter at Georgia Southern University-Armstrong Campus and a member of the 2018-19 Collegiate Leadership Council.

When I first started at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I was looking for my place on campus. I am from a small town in Virginia—I had just graduated high school with people I’d known since kindergarten.

I had always known I wanted to go through the Panhellenic recruitment process, but I wasn’t sure where I’d fit. It was through recruitment that I found the Gamma Lambda chapter of Phi Mu, and it felt like home. I found a house full of sisters who supported me, and they have been there for me through all of life’s moments since the start of college.

Phi Mu has inspired me to pursue various leadership positions. During my sophomore year, I was on my chapter’s exec board. In my junior year, I’ve had the honor of serving on the Collegiate Leadership Council for Phi Mu Foundation. I was also encouraged by my sisters to become my college’s Panhellenic President!

Serving as a member of the CLC has allowed me to work with my Trustee mentor, Danita Morgan. She is an alumna of my chapter, and she’s also one of my mom’s sorority sisters! I am a legacy of the Gamma Lambda chapter, and Danita and my mom were members at the same time. This opportunity has shown me the strength of the bonds within Phi Mu.

Phi Mu Foundation creates opportunities like these for women across the country. I am proud to be a member of a chapter that has 100% participation in the yearly M3 campaign, as the Phi Mu Foundation has such an impact in so many women’s lives. Giving back to the Foundation allows for this impact to continue. I simply could not imagine my college experience without Phi Mu, and I look forward to continuing my involvement with the Phi Mu Foundation when I become an alumna.

Hayley Boland is an alumna member of the Gamma Lambda Chapter at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a member of the 2018-19 Phi Mu Foundation Collegiate Leadership Council.