Trustee Tuesday: Meet Trustee Danita Morgan, Gamma Lambda
In this week’s edition of Trustee Tuesday, we’d like to introduce you to Trustee Danita Morgan, Gamma Lambda. Danita was elected to serve on the Board of Trustees last summer at the 2018 National Convention. Danita is currently president of the Gamma Lambda Chapter Association and a member of the board of directors of the Gamma Lambda House Corporation. She is very active in supporting the chapter at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Danita brings a wealth of professional experience to the Board of Trustees as a lifelong development professional. She lives in Raleigh with her husband, Chris White, and their rescue dog and cat. She is a Director of Development, Major Gifts for UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Danita’s ties to Phi Mu run deep, especially with a strong connection to her chapter and the lifelong friendships she made there. She still keeps in touch with many of her Gamma Lambda sisters, including a special sister who introduced her to the man who is now her husband.
“My decision to pledge Phi Mu was one of the most important decisions of my life, and I am devoted to my chapter and all of my sisters. It is important for me to serve on the Foundation Board of Trustees to give back on a national level to the sisterhood that has influenced my life in myriad positive ways.”
After college graduation, Danita began a successful career in nonprofit leadership and gives back to her alma mater as a mentor to media and journalism students at UNC-Chapel Hill. Over the years, two of her favorite programs have intersected more than a few times, and she’s had the opportunity to help Gamma Lambda women who are pursuing a career in media and journalism. In fact, she’s even hired a few of her Phi Mu mentees!
“I enjoy mentoring students on their journey to realizing what the future holds for them. It’s such an incredible time in their lives when they are learning and growing every day, and helping to guide them through these formative years is an exceptional experience.”
Danita is passionate about educating Phi Mu members about all of the ways they can give back, and feels like there is truly a way for everyone to make a difference. There’s a common misconception that if you can’t make a major gift, then you can’t make an impact, and that’s simply not true. With four annual giving programs and efforts like the M3 Campaign and 18 Hours & 52 Minutes of Giving, there are a variety of gift options for every member to support the Foundation.
“In my opinion, one of the best ways for everyone to give back to Phi Mu is by making a planned gift to the Foundation. There are multiple planned giving options, and the Foundation staff can assist you in making the best choice for you and your family. A planned gift leaves a beautiful legacy that contributes to the ongoing success of all our Phi Mu sisters.”
Members who document a planned gift with the Foundation become members of the esteemed Fidelity Society and are honored on the Foundation website and each year in the Foundation’s Annual Report. In addition to being a member of the 1852 Society annual giving program, Danita is also a Fidelity Society member.
Over the next biennium, Danita is striving for the Foundation to not only meet all of its fundraising goals but also to elevate Phi Mu Foundation Scholarship Recipients so that our members can learn how their contributions are helping these women change the world through the work they’re doing in their communities.
If you would like to read a few of the Phi Mu Foundation Scholarship Recipient testimonials shared at last year’s convention, you can read them here: Dr. Jennifer Rhatigan, Charlene Collazo Goldfield.