Alyssa Vah killed it in college, not only as a member of Pi Beta Phi but as a student here at University of Cincinnati. During her 5 years as member of Ohio Kappa, she held multiple positions, such as Relay for Life Chair, VP of Membership and Chapter President. She was a member of the Arrowboard committee as well as New Member committee. Outside of Ohio Kappa, she was on the Relay for Life Planning committee, Cincinnati Dance Marathon Executive Board and served as a Rho Gamma. She was a member of multiple organizations, such as Rho Lambda, Order of Omega, GlobalMed, RallyCats and University Honors Program. She graduated with a major in Nursing and now works in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at the Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical center. She is also a skincare consultant for Rodan+Fields!! Now, here’s a little more about Alyssa and how Ohio Kappa affected her.
Favorite Event in Pi Phi:
I
think my favorite events were always our musical sisterhoods and training for
Greek Week. The Sisterhoods literally put everyone in the same room and it was
also so much fun to get dressed up and take over the Aronoff! The actors would
always take pictures with us afterwards in the lobby! And training for Greek
Week was pure blood, sweat, and tears but always worth it in the end! Plus it’s
extra time you get to hang out with your amazing sisters.
Best Memory in Pi Phi:
Winning #1 in Variety Show for Greek Week my senior year! It was one of the
greatest nights of my life! I also really enjoyed initiating all the new
members when I was Chapter President; it seems like it would get boring and
tedious but I seriously LOVED it. Every girl had a different reaction and it
was always a new experience. I would initiate everyone for the rest of forever
if I could!
Tell us a little about yourself!
I love to READ. (Hello Pi Phi philanthropy!) I could spend every
cent I ever make on books. I have a dog named Tank, he’s a golden retriever and
he’s six. I adore him! I am super into baking ever since I got my kitchenaid
mixer for Christmas! I started making gourmet cupcakes and have way too many
cookbooks for my own good. I love to hike and be outside! I take Tankers hiking
all the time; it’s one of our favorite things to do! I volunteer for the
Make-A-Wish Foundation and love kids in general!
What made Pi Phi stick out to you throughout recruitment? How did being a member of Pi Phi make a difference in your time at UC?
I joined Pi Phi the year it was colonized, Spring 2010. I liked
it because it wasn’t a sorority with a bunch of history or traditions on
campus; I could help form it into what I thought a sorority experience should
be like in college. Pi Phi completely changed my life! I blossomed in Pi Phi
and grew into a woman I didn’t even know existed! It is such a large part of
who I am and I honestly can’t imagine what I would have spent five years doing
if I wouldn’t have joined!
As an Alum, how has Pi Phi helped you in your life outside of college? How did it help you grow as a person?
Pi Phi has helped me be more comfortable talking to new people
and getting outside of my comfort zone. It has helped me to go with the flow
and LISTEN. I think that people underestimate the power of active listening and
Pi Phi has made me into someone who HAS to do that (thank you Chapter
President). Pi Phi opened up a world of connections and a family that I will
have no matter where my future takes me!
Any advice to those of us still making our way through the wonderful college years?
BE YOU. Don’t change for other people or adjust how you are to
satisfy someone else. Be true to yourself. Be weird. Be funny. Be awkward. Just
be whatever makes you happy.
And KEEP GOING. Push yourself beyond what you think you are
capable of.
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” —Neale Donald
Walsch
(FAVORITE QUOTE OF ALL TIME!)
