It’s Never Too Late: How I Finally Became a Delta Gamma
By Paula Heiser Hurlbert, Pi-Montana
My journey in Delta Gamma started in college. I pledged Delta Gamma with my friends and joined the new member class at Montana State University. However, when it came time for Initiation in the spring, my parents explained that they simply couldn’t afford the additional money to help pay for the sorority dues and fees. My parents had two children in college and another one a year away from starting. They had only planned on sending one child to college, their son. Sending both their girls to college hadn’t been in their plans. My mom went to work, and we all worked to help pay for our college, but there wasn’t much extra to go around.
I still maintained my friendships with the women I met through Delta Gamma. I hung out at the chapter house, attended their events and went to all the dances as the date of whoever didn’t have a date. Even after college, I kept in touch with many of those women, and one of them is still my best friend and sister to this day.
In 2011, my husband and I moved back to Bozeman, Montana, where we both went to college. He was in a fraternity in college and started working with them to get their charter reestablished at the university and a chapter house up and running. At an event the night before with alumni and national staff in attendance, a woman who is an alumna of another sorority asked me what my story was. I shared my story and told her that I didn’t have many regrets in life, but not being able to join Delta Gamma was one. She told me that it was possible to join as an alumna initiate. She grabbed my best friend, told her what needed to be done and gave me a big hug. I saw her a year later, and she asked if my dream had come true. I said, sadly, no. I didn’t want to pressure my friend and had no idea how to do it myself. She said, I will call your friend and check back with you in six months. If they haven’t done anything, you will become an Alpha Omicron Pi with me.
My friend spoke with Marianne Liebmann, Gamma Delta-Montana State, Nancy Hopkins, Gamma Delta-Montana State and members of the Bozeman area alumnae association, who guided me through the process. Several of them traveled with me to Missoula, Montana, to Pi chapter, where I was initiated as an alumnae initiate in November 2017.
I have always believed in the importance of volunteering and philanthropy. I like to credit it to my parents and my time spent in college with the women of Delta Gamma and the values they instilled.
Is there someone in your life who would be a good fit for our sisterhood? Who shares our passion for philanthropy and desire to do good? Share our Alumnae Initiate Program Handout with them! Reach out to alumnaedept@deltagamma.org with any questions you have.