Mentorship comes in many forms. A teacher, a coach, or in my case, my big. I met Kami on the first day of recruitment. She was a Rho Gamma—an active member of a Panhellenic sorority, who temporarily disaffiliates to provide unbiased guidance to potential new members (PNMs) through the formal recruitment process—and was lining us up outside the Zeta house for our first rush party of the week, complete with her trusty clipboard, bullhorn, and double French braids.
All week long, Kami cracked jokes and told stories to ease our nerves. She was also the queen of zapping those pesky lovebugs that swarm east Texas in the summertime. Although she wasn’t my Rho Gam, I was so drawn to her bright, warm energy that I often sought her out of the crowd to talk through the recruitment process.
After opening our bid cards and running to our new homes for the first time, it was now the Rho Gammas’ turn to run back home and reaffiliate. I was full of anticipation; I had no idea what house Kami was a member of. As I was standing surrounded by my new Chi Omega sisters, Kami came through the front door and ran straight to me with a big smile on her face. I knew right then and there that our friendship was going to carry me through college and beyond.
Although seniors don’t usually pick up littles, Kami and I had other plans: We became a perfectly matched pair in the Chi O house. She led me through every transition, lesson, and celebration that freshman year brings. And watching her graduate at the end of the year was bittersweet. (And eight years later, that same feeling of warmth and community returned as I stood beside her on her wedding day.)
Kami was a core friend throughout college. There were many calls, FaceTimes, Snapchat rants, homecoming weekend plans, and holiday break reunions. She guided me through discovering a new community in Chi O after all of my senior friends graduated. She taught me how to find my voice among a group, how to be my authentic self, how to remain open to new opportunities and perspectives, and even how to make balloon animals!
Kami’s mentorship helped me find unwavering confidence, self-assurance, and the foundation to become a mentor in my own right. Although I had never served the chapter in a prominent role, it became a priority for me to ensure inclusivity in our chapter that reflected the larger communities around us. After looking to those closest to me for guidance, Kami encouraged me to follow the passions that were so clearly tugging at my heart, like becoming our chapter’s first diversity, equity and inclusion chair.
