Faith, Hope, and Love. But the Greatest of These is Love. -Cristina Ciaravalli

Before joining Kappa Alpha Theta, my favorite activities were serving as a Resident Adviser and being a Wake Forest Cheerleader. I was proud to wear my apparel from Residence Life & Housing and it was cool to get free Nike clothing; however, I still felt like I needed more out of my college experience. I had started these two positions because I was told, “Res Life is such a great community” and “the cheerleaders are great teammates.” While both of those statements were true, I was still missing something. I was missing sisterhood.

Being a Kappa Alpha Theta, I have learned why we are not just members, but we are truly sisters. Everyone Theta at Wake Forest joined this organization knowing that it wouldn’t be easy, but like Joni said, “It would be worth it.” We are united in the fact that we are bold and courageous young women, and I couldn’t be prouder to associate myself with such adventurous pioneers. While we have only been in Theta a short time, I have already seen the sisterhood impacting me in ways I never thought imaginable. Thetas lift each other up when they are down. Thetas reach out to others to start new relationships. Thetas serve the community and world as a whole. Thetas surround each other with those who will lift us higher. And we don’t just wear the shirts that say we do it—but we actually do it.

Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity prides itself on being an organization that encompasses the ideals of scholarship, leadership, friendship, service, and personal excellence. While that all sounds really impressive on paper, I wasn’t initially convinced that sororities always translate their values into their lifestyles. I knew many other organizations that claimed to hold certain values yet would act in a contradictory manner. Theta instantly debunked that myth. From the minute I met Joni and Alyssa in Benson to the dinner I just had with my little in the pit—it’s clear—Thetas stand behind our principles and we take them to heart. We have faith in each other, we never lose hope, and most importantly, we love each other dearly.

Thank you for letting me be a part of the Theta love. It has truly been an incredible experience and this organization means more to me than you will know. While I still enjoy cheer and RA, it has been the Theta committee meetings, Theta philanthropy events, Theta sisterhood, and even Theta colony meetings that were the highlights of this semester. During busy weeks of schoolwork that seemed like they would never end, I found myself highlighting any sort of Theta event in my planner as the “light at the end of the tunnel.” Theta has been just that—a light. Each sister has inspired me to be the best version of myself, to never give up, and to love unconditionally. And because of that, we have grown stronger than a team and closer than a community, and I am proud to call myself your sister. I cannot wait to continue to light up this campus with you. And when we graduate Wake Forest, we will take this love we share and light up the world. We are beautiful, talented, confident young women and I am certain these bonds will stay with us forever. After all, Theta is for a lifetime.