The Eta Zeta chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha was awarded the Sherry Server Tilley Leadership Award, its second consecutive Crown Chapter Award, and recognition in the Founder’s Club at the $75,000 level.
In the summer of 2024, the Eta Zeta chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha at Elon University received major accolades at the 46th International Zeta Tau Alpha Convention for the 2022-2024 biennium.
Zeta Tau Alpha was founded in 1898 by nine young women at the Virginia State Female Normal School—now Longwood University, in Farmville, Virginia. The Eta Zeta chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha was installed in 1971. This close sisterhood is full of driven and supportive women. Zeta Tau Alpha’s mission is to make a difference in the lives of their membership by developing the potential of each individual through innovative programming which emphasizes leadership development, service to others, academic achievement and continued personal growth for women, with a commitment to friendship and the future based on the sisterhood, values and traditions of the past.
Two members of the organization attended and represented the chapter at the national convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 17-21, 2024. Gabi Carlson ’26, prior vice president of harm reduction and now incoming vice president of philanthropy and service, found this experience to be refreshing and motivational. Carlson shared her favorite memory from the Zeta Convention, which was attending the workshops and small group discussions with women from chapters across the country.
“It was an amazing opportunity to work through issues we were all facing and brainstorm new ideas to bring back to our chapters,” Carlson said. She returned to her chapter with greater admiration for ZTA and excitement to share what she had learned, determined to help Eta Zeta continue the momentum of excellence after receiving the Sherry Server Tilley Award at the convention. Carlson also built friendships with members from different collegiate and alumni chapters. These connections inspired her to strengthen alumni connections that will foster new growth for the chapter.
During the fourth day of the convention, Eta Zeta members attended the recognition banquet, where the chapter was honored with the Crown Chapter Award, Sherry Server Tilley Leadership Award and Founder’s Club for the $75,000 level. The Crown Chapter Award is presented to a well-rounded chapter that displays excellence in areas of membership, operations, programming and leadership.
Reflecting on the chapter’s success, 2024 chapter president Mia Vernasco ’25 recalled the moment the chapter first won the Crown Chapter Award in 2023 at Zeta’s biennial leadership conference called ELA (Emerging Leaders Academy).
“Hearing our chapter be called and our general advisor, Erica Jordan, giving me a big hug, as an incoming junior, I realized the time and effort it has taken over many years to grow our chapter to become exceptional. Our dedicated executive boards have paved the way for me to lead a successful chapter full of hardworking women,” Vernasco said.
Building on this legacy, Eta Zeta worked hard to receive the Crown Chapter Award for another year. With help from the executive board, the Eta Zeta chapter successfully achieved this goal.
In addition to the Crown Chapter Award, Eta Zeta strived to receive the Silver Award in 2024, which honors collegiate and alumnae chapters for outstanding achievement in leadership, service, academic success, programming and other areas. Throughout the academic year, the chapter created goals aligned with this award category, ultimately earning the Sherry Server Tilley Leadership Award. This award highlights a chapter that has developed or shown sustained excellence in leadership training. The Eta Zeta chapter was recognized for its commitment to providing ongoing motivational opportunities for its members and celebrating outstanding leadership performance. Examples of the chapter’s performance included collaborations with on-campus organizations focusing on academic and career success, civic engagement and philanthropy. Receiving this award reflected the chapter’s accomplishments over the past two years, as the Silver Award requires earning the Crown Chapter distinction the previous year—an achievement Eta Zeta secured for two consecutive years.
“This award has been a goal of mine to work towards since the beginning of my term on our Executive Committee, and it was such an honor to have a role in pushing our chapter to reach such a high standard of excellence”, said Celia Hearn ’26, vice president of programming.
Eta Zeta’s commitment to philanthropy also earned the chapter a spot within the $75,000 level of the Founder’s Club, a recognition given to chapters that raise more than $75,000 in two years towards Zeta Tau Alpha’s foundation. The foundation supports the organization’s national philanthropy, Breast Cancer Education and Awareness, among other initiatives. Between 2023 and 2024, the chapter raised $28,517 and $31,498, respectively, during their largest philanthropic event, Big Man on Campus. Combined with other efforts, Eta Zeta raised a total of $81,000 over two years.
With dedicated leaders and members, the organization was able to expand to a bigger space to increase attendance and raise more money. Moving forward, Carlson plans to increase engagement before the event and reach for new accomplishments.
The dedication of the Eta Zeta chapter will allow members to make great strides in their achievements for years to come. The work of the Eta Zeta chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha and similar organizations creates an enriching, collaborative and purposeful environment for college women. This unique opportunity allows members to grow into impressive leaders and excel during their post-graduate careers.