Trustee Tuesday: Meet Trustee Jennifer Jardine, Beta Tau
We’re back after the holiday break and excited to pick up where we left off with our Trustee Tuesday series! To kick off the New Year, we’re introducing Trustee Jennifer Jardine, Beta Tau. Jennifer is a member of the 1852 Society and has a long-standing history on the Board of Trustees, first being appointed to the board in 2014 while she was a member of National Council, and later elected to serve on the board in 2016. Prior to her roles on National Council and the Board of Trustees, Jennifer volunteered as a Chapter Adviser, Area Membership Coordinator and has been active in many leadership roles with the Tidewater Alumnae Chapter.
Jennifer joined Phi Mu at Drexel University where she was one of just a handful of women pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. Being a member in Phi Mu provided her with the opportunity to meet and become friends with other women on campus and share a common bond of sisterhood.
“Being a member of Phi Mu has provided me with so many opportunities. The friendships I have made with Phi Mus in my own chapter and from other chapters around the country have been wonderful and are life long!”
Following in the footsteps of her own chapter adviser Nancy Campbell, Beta Phi, Jennifer has mentored many collegiate women during her time in Phi Mu. Connecting with collegians and helping them to recognize their full potential is one of the reasons Jennifer enjoys the Foundation’s annual M3 Campaign. In her role as a Trustee, Jennifer travels to collegiate chapters along the East Coast prior to the campaign’s kickoff in March to meet with various collegiate chapters and educate them on the importance of giving back to Phi Mu.
“Investing in Phi Mu Foundation is like investing in yourself. With each dollar we raise, we’re empowering Phi Mu women through the Fraternity’s leadership programs, providing undergraduate and graduate scholarships, and granting emergency funds for members who need it the most. I want to make sure that when I visit with collegiate chapters to talk about participating in the M3 Campaign, that they understand that they are making a huge impact on their fellow members with the funds they raise.”
Through her career as an Electrical Engineer for the Department of Navy, Jennifer has come to rely on much of what she’s learned in Phi Mu – using her voice and leading others and leveraging her strong facilitation skills – to work on some of the Navy’s most groundbreaking projects like their newest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford. Throughout her career, Jennifer has traveled the world, visiting different countries and meeting up with Phi Mu sisters in places like Bahrain and Japan.
“One of my favorite pastimes is linking up with Phi Mu sisters in all of the incredible places I get to travel to for my job. The most amazing part of ‘life after college’ in Phi Mu is that through volunteering, I’ve met so many sisters who I would have never crossed paths with otherwise. Now I have friends all over the country – and all over the world – and we all have one thing in common: Phi Mu sisterhood.”
With her demanding career and busy travel schedule, there are many reasons Jennifer could find that would keep her from volunteering with Phi Mu, but she says there is nothing more rewarding than investing in her Phi Mu sisters. When we come together for the 2020 National Convention in Orlando, Jennifer wants the headline of the Foundation Business Session to read that the Foundation is touching the lives of Phi Mu women each and every day!
