By Melinda Price, Communications Intern
I have spent the past few months of my final semester at Miami University interning for Phi Delta Theta and loved every minute of it.
I originally applied for the internship at Phi Delt because it seemed like a great way to gain experience in the nonprofit sector and because of my passion for the Greek community. Through my experiences at GHQ, I learned much more about what it means to have a life-long commitment and have adopted some of the cardinal principles into my daily life. The messages represented by Phi Delta Theta are certainly noble, as are the individuals who call themselves Brothers.
As an active member of Alpha Chi Omega on my campus, I had a little insight into how individual chapters are run. However, those inner workings have nothing on the infrastructure of Phi Delta Theta’s General Headquarters and what the staff does on a day-to-day basis.
If you haven’t already visited their General Headquarters–I suggest you do. From the first time I walked through the doors of GHQ to report for my internship, I have seen how much of a family the staff really is and how much they believe in Phi Delta Theta. The sheer amount of emails that are sent back and forth about what is going on in the office, at chapters, on the alumni circuit, and in each other’s lives is a testament to that alone. Everyone in the building has always made me feel welcome and like I was truly contributing to the efforts of the Fraternity.
As the communications coordinator for the Fraternity, I have created and disseminated many of the communications that have been sent out under the Phi Delta Theta brand. One of my favorite aspects of interning at GHQ was that the messages were ones I was passionate about, since many of the projects I worked on were to gain awareness and participation for the philanthropy opportunities and upcoming events for members. I also had the unique opportunity to reach out to some of the many Famous Phis, which attests to the influence of the Fraternity.
I was ultimately impressed by the passion behind many of the collegiate members and alumni of Phi Delta Theta. Not only do the Brothers believe in the three founding principles, but they also live them out on their campuses and in the community. As one of my duties, I frequently monitored the social media platforms for the Fraternity and watched the interactions that took place from Phis across the continent. Every day I saw a new post about a brother’s success, support from other Phis, or members representing Phi Delta Theta through photos and service. This not only reasserted my own values gained through my experience in a sorority, but also in the power of the Greek community as a whole.
Interning at Phi Delta Theta and seeing the interactions between the members has not only heightened my passion and conviction toward the Greek community, but also reminded me how much being in a fraternity or sorority has to offer for an individual. Not because of the tangible benefits, but because of the support from individuals in this community and the values I’ve gained, and are still gaining, from Phi Delta Theta, my sorority, and other Greek organizations.
I have never been more proud to be a part of the Greek community, and I will never forget my experience with Phi Delta Theta.
Melinda Price was the communications coordinator for Phi Delta Theta during the 2012 Spring semester. She will be graduating from Miami University in May with a degree in mass communication and a minor in marketing. After leaving Oxford, Melinda will be pursuing a career in creative marketing. You can follow her pursuits on Twitter @MelindaPrice.
