Sisters of the UW's Alpha Chapter of Chi Omega pass the baton in more ways than one.
A dozen current sorority members were inspired by sisters before them to pursue their undergraduate studies in public and environmental health.
"We place an emphasis on mentorship within our sorority, and the upperclassmen do a great job inspiring the underclassmen to explore public health," says senior Sydney Russell, of the public health major. “Our members are passionate about making a difference in Seattle and around the world.”
Current members include (Top row L-R) Emily McLellan, Zoe Whidden, Marina Martinez, Emily Crommett, Siena Helland, (Bottom row L-R) Alyssa Stokes, Rachel Siegel, Sydney Russell, Savannah Sargent and Tala Mahmoud, all in the Public Health Major. Courtney Holland, also studying public health, and Ali Everhart, from the Environmental Health Major, are not pictured. Whidden is a pre-major who hopes to join the undergraduate program in public health in the fall.
Members say the seed was planted by alumnae Isabella Stokes, Makenzie Rivera, Melissa Robles, Rachel Lee, Leslie Rojas and Taylor Caulk, who all graduated from the Public Health Major in Spring 2017 and Winter 2018.
“Every year when the application deadlines approach, Chi Omega has a handful of women apply to join the School of Public Health,” Russell says. “As the major continues to grow in popularity, our hope is that more and more members of the Greek Community join SPH and spread their passion for helping vulnerable populations.”