Learn & Give to Chi Omega

In celebration of Chi Omega’s 126th Anniversary…

Kim Siebers Cornetet, Chi | Transylvania, is calling for at least

1,895 donors of $10 or more to unlock her gift of $126,000.

Join Kim in showing our Sisters we are here for them when it matters most!

More About Kim

Kim Siebers Cornetet has served Chi Omega in many ways since initiating at Chi | Transylvania University. Kim is a former National Leadership Consultant as well as former Director of Extension opening new Chi Omega chapters. Kim then pursued a career in sales and initiated the formation of an alumnae group in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and another in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Additionally, she has led as President of the Western Michigan Alumnae and Sarasota-Manatee Alumnae groups. Kim served as a Trustee of the Chi Omega Foundation and is a current member of the Ever at Heart Campaign National Steering Committee. You may have met Kim as she chaired the Convention 2016 Owl Tree. Kim’s generosity for sharing her time and treasure is lifelong. Kim is a member of The 1895 Society as well as The Margaret Hyde Heritage Society.

Kim and her husband James have four children and own the decorative fabric distributors Greenhouse Fabrics and Anna Elisabeth. Kim and James live in Sarasota, Florida as well as Ada, Michigan.

Kim tells us why she feels it is important to support Chi Omega:

“Women supporting Women. Chi Omega Sisterhood has been doing just that for 126 years. As individual instruments in a symphony we came to college from different backgrounds and experiences. Individuals uniting to make beautiful music together that we call Sisterhood that lasts a lifetime.

During critical development years of my life, I was shown and taught leadership, problem solving, compromise, team building, manners, acceptance, diplomacy, loyalty, humility, grace, courage, and respect by my Sisters. Chi Omega’s purposes and values have held lifelong meaning for me to lead a purposeful life. I have found great joy in the instant connection I have when meeting new Sisters everywhere I have traveled and lived.

As a result, Chi Omega has always been a priority in my giving, knowing that young women will have the opportunity to learn and experience what I did. I encourage you to make it a priority in yours.”

Susan Ruhne, Iota Delta/San Jose State

San Francisco alumna Susan Ruhne has served Chi Omega in many capacities. From Chapter Advisor at Mu | Cal Berkeley to President of the San Francisco Alumnae Chapter or serving as National Volunteer, Susan is truly a Sister on purpose.

“Chi Omega has been a part of my life since I joined in 1985 at San Jose State,” Susan says. “For me, many times in my varied career I’ve had bosses look at me and ask, ‘How do you know how to do that?’ and my answer is always Chi Omega! I still have close friends from college, but also have made amazing friendships with women I’ve met through alumnae groups and national participation. These Sisters and friends are there no matter what life throws at me.”

As an employee of Salesforce in San Francisco, Susan was one of just 100 top employees who fulfill a rigorous volunteer schedule to be awarded a $10,000 grant from Salesforce to share with the non-profit of her choice. We are so grateful that Susan chose the Chi Omega Foundation for this honor. When asked why she chooses to give back to Chi Omega, Susan has a simple response – “because Chi Omega keeps giving back to me.”

Susan encourages all Chi Omegas to check and see if your employer has a matching program.

Message from Foundation President, Letitia Fulkerson

In a year of monumental change, I am especially grateful for my Chi Omega Sisters. We may be physically separated, but we can—and we must—support one another. Your gift today will provide vital resources our Sisters need to help them stay connected and lead with strength and resilience.

“Chi Omega is a beacon of positivity to me. It tells me it’s okay to be a different person every time I enter that red door; because I know that with Chi Omega, I’m becoming a better, more purposeful person. So, this fall while I’m sure we all want to forget Corona, and forget the time we spent quarantined and bored. I say instead, we take all of those bits with us and embrace the changed people Corona shaped us into.”

Rachel Loring, Gamma | Florida State wrote as a reflection on change, resilience and Sisterhood

Your gifts to the Chi Omega Annual Fund support:

• Leadership – Provide access to premier leadership opportunities for Sisters of all ages, including The Nancy Walton Laurie Leadership Institute of Chi Omega.

• Decision Making and Risk Management – Help members navigate the challenges facing all young women today with knowledge and confidence to make informed and safe decisions.

• Member Development and Education – Support training for key chapter leaders through national meetings and volunteer-led teams.

• Sustaining the Fraternity through Strategic Needs – Fund the immediate needs of the Fraternity. These dollars allow for a swift response to maintain a high degree of excellence for our membership.

Loyally,

Letitia Fulkerson, Foundation President

The 125th Anniversary Challenge is Live!

Let the countdown begin! Celebrate Chi Omega and our five Founders by supporting our biggest fundraising challenge in Chi Omega history or of any sorority!

We are challenging 5,000 Sisters to give a gift of $10 or more to Chi Omega. If we meet this challenge from Susan Miller Bush, Pi | Tennessee, Chi Omega will receive $125,000 from this generous Sister.

Your gifts to the Annual Fund will go directly to supporting your Sisters NOW, ensuring they have the resources and training they need to succeed.

Be a change-maker. Be a leader. Be a role model. Be there for your Sisters when it matters.

Click here to join our 125th Anniversary Challenge!

About our 125th Challenge Donor

Susan Miller Bush, Pi | Tennessee, previously worked as a Chancery Court Clerk, then for Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead, The Trust Company of Tennessee, and the Bush Brothers & Company. Susan is on the Bush Family Senate. Her husband, Jay, is with Bush Brothers and Company serving as the Brand Ambassador. Jay also serves on the JonnyPops Board and the York Industries Board.

Susan has spent many years serving Chi Omega as Chapter Historian and Rush Chairman; previous Member Advisor and Fraternity Regional Alumnae Director for the Midwest: currently State Recruitment Information Chairman; and serves on the National Foundation Scholarship Selection Committee and Donor Relations Committee.

Susan and her husband Jay have two children, Ian Laseter Bush, 28, of Nashville and James “Cameron” Bush, 25, of Denver. Susan enjoys travel, music, reading, and cheering on her Vols and Green Bay Packers.

“I am grateful every day for the friendships I have made and continue to make in Chi Omega. I volunteer and donate to Chi Omega in honor of my mom and dad, their friends, alumnae, and women in the chapter who mentored and guided me throughout college. I want to pay it forward by providing the resources to protect our collegiate Sisters and help them make wise choices.”

Letter from Foundation President

Sisters,

As we celebrate 125 years of Chi Omega, our collegiate Sisters continue to seek more from every opportunity, harnessing their individual potential while finding strength in the shared values of our Fraternity. Not only are our Sisters creating meaningful friendships, they continue to lift each other up and challenge one another to be their best selves.

Here are a few points of pride to celebrate with Sisters across the country.
Chi Omega Sisters across the country.

• Chi Omega Sisters across the country celebrated a GPA of 3.38 for Fall of 2018! This average is of our 26,000+ collegians! Way to go Sisters!

• Your gifts enabled Chi Omega to award over $214,000 in scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year.

• All 181 Chi Omega chapters received tailored leadership training from our National Leadership Consultants.

Your support is more important than ever, as it helps encourage and educate our Sisters. Our collegians will leave college prepared to lead, work earnestly, and make a substantive difference in the world…just as you did. Your investment in Sisters across the globe will help Chi Omegas reach their fullest potential while cultivating a lifetime of purpose.

Loyally,

Letitia Fulkerson
Foundation President

P.S. Make sure to mark your calendar for April 5, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. CST for a virtual Eleusinia with surprises you won’t want to miss!

Thank You to the 2019 Founders’ Day Challenge Donors!

Sisters, thanks to you we had 3,031 donors who contributed to the 2019 Founders’ Day Challenge! With your help, we were able to unlock the $125,000 gift courtesy of Lynnie Goss, Lambda Alpha/University of Kentucky, and collectively raise $357,159 for the Chi Omega Foundation which will be used to directly impact the Fraternity! See a full list of those who donated here!

Your gifts are at work!

Your gifts to the Chi Omega Annual Fund support:

Leadership – Provide access to premier leadership opportunities for Sisters of all ages, including the Nancy Walton Laurie Leadership Institute of Chi Omega.

Decision Making and Risk Management – Help members navigate the challenges facing all young women today with knowledge and confidence to make informed and safe decisions.

Member Development and Education – Support training for key chapter leaders through national meetings and volunteer-led teams.

Sustaining the Fraternity through Strategic Needs – Fund the immediate needs of the Fraternity. These dollars allow for a swift response to maintain a high degree of excellence for our membership.

Your gifts to the Annual Fund allow the Fraternity to provide engaging, thought-provoking content, ultimately helping our members make wise choices during college and beyond.

Chi Omega has almost 125 years of Sisterhood to celebrate, and the hallmark of our beloved Fraternity has been and is our commitment to helping each other cultivate a lifetime of purpose.

Founders’ Day 2019

Chi Omega’s 2019 Founders’ Day Challenge is official live! We need your help to reach 3,000 gifts of $18.95 in order to unlock a $125,000 gift from Lynnie Goss, Lambda Alpha/Kentucky. You can help the Chi Omega Foundation reach our goal of 3,000 gifts by giving now!

Special thanks to our 2019 Founders’ Day Challenge Donors!

Lynnie worked for 20 years as a retail manager for The Acorn, Polo Ralph Lauren, Levi’s, and a family-owned fine jewelry store, The Diamond Cellar, in Columbus, Ohio. She retired early and has been enjoying life ever since.

She has invested her time volunteering for Big Brothers Big Sisters and Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. Lynnie lives in Upper Arlington, a suburb of Columbus, with her little dog, Roxie. She is recruitment advisor for Zeta Alpha/The Ohio State University and was the Owl Tree chairman for Convention 2018. In addition, she supports Lambda Alpha/University of Kentucky, The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and The David and Andria Goss Endowment for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Lynnie enjoys gardening, baking, traveling, Ohio State football and spending lots of quality time with her dear friends and family.

Lynnie currently resides in Columbus, Ohio and is the 2019 challenge donor for the Founders’ Day Challenge.

Dorothy served as corporate Vice President and Secretary to the Board of Directors of The Prudential Insurance Company, as well as Chair of the Prudential Foundation and head of their social investment portfolio.

She has volunteered in numerous capacities, including serving as Chair of Milkweed Editions, a non-profit book publishing company in Minneapolis and serving as President of the Monmouth Ocean Development Council in New Jersey. She is co-author of the book “Into the Boardroom: How to Get Your First Seat on a Corporate Board.”

She was married to Ernest Light for 57 years and welcomed four children in less than four years. Dorothy now enjoys spending time with her twelve wonderful grandchildren. In her free time, Dorothy has been an avid snow skier, tennis player and runner before an injury. She now enjoys walking and practicing yoga.

Dorothy states, “I came from a town of 70 residents in Franklin County Iowa. I am giving back to Chi Omega because my Psi Beta Sisters taught me many lessons. The friendship, fellowship, and fun I had as a Chi Omega will always be treasured.”

Dorothy currently resides in Parker, Colorado and is challenging her Psi Beta Sisters to support their Psi Beta Scholarship this Founders’ Day 2019.

Thank You to the 2018 Founders’ Day Challenge Donors

As this year’s Founders’ Day Challenge quickly approaches, we want to thank all who donated to the 2018 Founders’ Day Challenge. With your support the Chi Omega Foundation is able to provide philanthropic support for the Chi Omega Fraternity, strategically ensuring the needs of our collegians and alumnae are met. See a full list of those who donated here!

Online Alcohol Education

Below, read from current collegians about the effectiveness of the online alcohol education each and every Chi Omega collegian receives on an annual basis.