Zetas in Wonderland
 ZTAs from all over the state - and a few from outside - joined together at IUPUI to celebrate sisterhood and share accomplishments at Zeta Day 2012. This year's theme was Zetas in Wonderland, complete with afternoon tea and flower-filled hats as centerpieces.
The state was pleased to welcome Kate Harmon to her very first Zeta Day...and she brought her mom along, as well! Kelley Snow Harmon is the national Vice President Collegiate for our area. Mrs. Harmon offered warm greetings on behalf of National Council and took the stage after lunch for a keynote to Indiana's collegiate members. In honor of her years of service to the Fraternity and in light of her upcoming retirement from Council, Mrs. Harmon was presented with a bracelet featuring mascot charms and the colors of each Indiana chapter.
Awards are always a highlight of Zeta Day, and this year was no exception. All 6 Indiana chapters walked away with Quota/Total Awards, an accomplishment of which to be proud. Alpha Xi earned the highest average chapter GPA while Courtney Williams (AT), Vasundhara Bhargava (AX), Allison Steele (BT), Briana Zmikly (GC), Brett Enneking (ZA), and Brianna Hunter (LE) took home honors for the highest senior averaged.
The Anne Winnes Redmond Service Award went to Alpha Theta and Purdue member Taryn Gerson accepted the Helen Winton Jenkins Collegiate Service Award for her work in founding Breaststroke 4 Hope. Beta Theta earned the Outstanding New Member Programming Award and Gamma Chi was honored with the Outstanding Chapter Programming Award. Karil Sommers, the General Advisor of Alpha Theta, was named Outstanding Collegiate Advisor and Susannah Hallgarth accepted the Sherry Server Tilley Zeta is Forever Award from the Past National President, herself. The final collegiate award was a state-level silver award: The Spirit of Indiana. Zeta Alpha chapter earned the award for making great strides in all areas.
It is a great time to be an Indiana Zeta, and Zeta Day 2012 was a fitting celebration of our sisterhood!
Taking PWOT to the Next Level
 Collegiate leaders from 12 chapters in 4 states converged on Purdue University on December 3 for a huge, regional officer training. Around 120 collegiate Executive Council members were led in a variety of sessions by ZTA National Officers and Chapter Advisors.
The day began with a chapter roll call including a picture and a chapter brag. Chapter representatives divided and conquered during two different topic breakout sessions with their choice of six topics. A significant amount of time was spent in individual officer sessions with plenty of brainstorming. The day also included a large group session on risk reduction.
As our new chapter leaders begin their duties in the spring, we hope that our day at Purdue encourages them to create positive change in their chapters!
XIV-A Helps Colonize at University of Louisville
 Again, collegiate members from across Indiana answered the call to assist the ZTA Extension team. Just a year after learning the Extension ropes with the Installation of Lambda Epsilon at IUPUI, XIV-A was asked to lend a hand just across the river to assist with the colonization at University of Louisville.
Chapter members from IU assisted with colonization events and Ritual teams from Franklin and Evansville operated rooms for Formal Pledging. The culmination was Initiation and Installation on the weekend of November 11. The Ritual team from Franklin joined a team from Ohio with a team including members from IU and IUPUI to Initiate nearly 90 members. It was a fabulous opportunity that I know that the chapter members involved respected and enjoyed.
ZTA and Colts Pair Up for a Crucial Catch
 Members from all 6 Indiana collegiate chapters converged on downtown Indianapolis for the October 9 Indianapolis Colts game. Collegians and alumnae worked on Saturday and Sunday morning to place signs in every one of Lucas Oil Stadium's seats. Those volunteering on Sunday were able to have their pictures taken on the field and with the Lombardi Trophy! Sisters then took to the streets surrounding the stadium to hand out 70,000 pink ribbons to those in attendance.
Thanks to Kerri Kinker for this picture of Beta Theta members on the field. For more pictures from the ribbon event, see Province Pics!
TWO XIV-A ZTAs Serve as Indianapolis 500 Festival Princesses
Alpha Xi Lauren Ratcliff and Beta Theta Brooke Gilbert were named Indianapolis 500 Festival Princesses this spring. The women were among the 33 Princesses selected from a pool of nearly 300 applicants based on poise, communication, academics, and community involvement. The fabled Month of May was obviously a busy month of appearances on and off the track, but the women's service continues throughout the year as Princesses chair a variety of volunteer efforts around the state.
Below are a few pictures provided by Brooke. Congratulations to both of our ZTA Princesses!
Create the Change
 Thirteen collegiate delegates and a number of alumnae National Officers and advisors from Indiana congregated on the west side of Indianapolis for a week of sisterhood and learning at Zeta Tau Alpha's National Leadership Conference.
This year's programming centered around the theme "Create the Change." Alumnae participated in training sessions and the collegiate leaders studied as a whole and in inter-chapter small groups. Topics addressed included the Mission, Values, and Purpose of ZTA; leadership styles; and encountering resistance. The program allowed members to reflect on what their chapters are doing well, and ponder areas that could use significant improvement. ZTA will be taking a big step toward powerful change this fall with the release of two new chapter officer guides (more on that to come).
The culminating event of the conference was the Crown Chapter Dinner. Awards were also handed out for other achievements throughout the week. The list is below. Please not that scholarship recipients not in attendance will be notified by mail in the near future.
Quota/Total Award: Alpha Theta, Alpha Xi, Beta Theta, Gamma Chi, Zeta Alpha
Helping Hands Award: Alpha Theta, Alpha Xi, Beta Theta, Gamma Chi, Zeta Alpha
Major Donor: Alpha Theta, Alpha Xi, Beta Theta, Gamma Chi, Zeta Alpha, Lambda Epsilon
ZTAF Scholarships: Tyla Warner (Beta Theta), Morgan Winters (Gamma Chi), Emma Friday (Lambda Epsilon)
Crown Chapter: Alpha Theta, Alpha Xi, Gamma Chi, Zeta Alpha
Congratulations to all of our XIV-A chapters and we look forward to each of you Creating the Change this year!
ZTA & Co.
 Zetas from around the state gathered in Fort Wayne on April 2 to celebrate their sisterhood at Indiana Zeta Day. The day started with a breakfast with some chit chat and singing. The main program of the day featured several educational sessions on topics ranging from the jewelry of Zeta Tau Alpha (facilitated by Indiana's own Archives Committee Co-Chair Patti Levitte) to women's health (in a twist that reunited the speaker with her big sister, Past President Sherry Tilley). Many pitched in to provide pajamas to the Pajama Program, and one session allowed sisters to deliver some of those items to local children in need. Vice President Alumnae Diane Keegan offered well-wishes on behalf of National Council. A great number of women were awarded their White Violet pins and the state was able to honor their first 75-year attendee in recent history. The chapter seniors were transitioned officially into the alumnae world in a beautiful ceremony. The day closed with an address on fashion and philanthropy by two Vice Presidents of Vera Bradley...and the claiming of silent auction items. It was a well-attended and eventful day.
Not the least of the events was the collegiate awards portion. Here is the list:
Achieving Panhellenic Quota & Total: Alpha Theta, Alpha Xi, Beta Theta, Gamma Chi, Zeta Alpha
Achieving Panhellenic Total: Lambda Epsilon
Chapter Academic Achievement: Alpha Xi (3.31)
Anne Winnes Redmond Chapter Service Award: Beta Theta
Outstanding New Member Programming: Zeta Alpha
Outstanding Chapter Programming: Alpha Theta
Helen Winton Jenkins Service Award: Lauren Ratcliff, Alpha Xi
Senior Academic Achivement: Dana Benedetti, Alpha Theta, 3.97; Brittnee Singco, Beta Theta, 9.963; Briana Zmikly, Gamma Chi, 3.77; Lauren Wahl, Zeta Alpha, 3.99; Christina Bleeke, Lambda Epsilon, 3.52
The Spirit of Indiana: Gamma Chi
Outstanding Advisor: Heather Matthews Kirk, GA/MA of Gamma Chi
Sherry Server Tilley Zeta is Forever Volunteer Award: Patti Levitte and Mary Miller, nominated by Zeta Alpha
To learn more by reading the script for the awards, click on the "Read More" link.
XIV-A Announces Dean's/President's List Sisters
We congratulate our academic leaders! Way to go, sisters!
ISU and Franklin Zetas Score Big at Homecoming 2010
 photo credit: Heather Matthews Kirk Gamma Chi chapter members at Indiana State University have a stack of fresh accolades after an outstanding Homecoming weekend in Terre Haute. ZTA claimed the following awards:
9th place poster
5th place in Sycamore Sync
4th place in float
4th place in Trike qualifications
3rd place dance unit
3rd place overall sorority
2nd place overall in pairing with Pi Kappa Phi
AND a repeat CHAMPIONSHIP in Trike!
 photo credit: Heather Matthews Kirk In addition, ZTA had a tent in Tent Town where alumnae and collegiate members could reconnect and share stories and sisterhood during this special time together. This was a favored hangout as sisters of all ages demonstrated that Zeta IS forever.
 photo credit: Minta Dolph Rather The spirit at Beta Theta chapter at Franklin College is nothing to shake a stick at, either. Franklin Zetas were awarded the Homecoming Spirit Stick for their demonstration of pep at the annual pep session and privy burning. (Yes....the Grizzlies burn an outhouse. If you really want to know the story, let me know. I'll blog it.)
Of course, with a burn ban in place for Johnson County, no privy was actually burned this year. Fear not, traditionalists! A few years ago the campus added a "mini-privy" decoration contest. Take a look at the ZTA entry...which is a little scary in its resemblance to the suite exterior.
Congratulations to our winning chapters and best wishes to those whose Homecomings are still ahead!
Central Indiana ZTAs Serve the NFL
 photo credit: Heather Matthews Kirk Zeta collegians and alumnae from central Indiana helped turn Lucas Oil Stadium pink this weekend. Women from Indianapolis Alumnae, Indiana State University, Franklin College, and IUPUI gathered at the home of the Colts to place pink signs on each seat of the stadium. Prior to kickoff, fans stood and cheered while holding the signs, turning the sizable arena pink in support of breast cancer awareness.
Thank you, sisters, for giving of your time to make a huge impact!
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