Dear readers,
We hope youâre loving these president spotlights as much as we are! Next up is Alpha Phi President Emily Ramos, who is a Journalism major and Business minor in PC â23. The Friendswood, Texas native leads a chapter of 320 and works with 10 girls on the executive board. Outside of APhi, Emily is involved in Best Buddies and within Moody.
Blog Editors: What inspired you to serve as president in your chapter?
Emily: I served as Vice President of New Member Education before President, and I loved being able to create an experience that other girls could fall in love with APhi through. I fell in love with that experience of giving back to the chapter and creating an experience that's all-encompassing of what Alpha Phi is, and President felt like the next step in that; I can do what I did last year but on a bigger scale, seeing over everything and making sure everyone is having a good experience within our chapter.
Blog Editors: What goals do you have for your presidency, and what legacy do you want to leave on your chapter?
Emily: I definitely want to set our chapter up for success for years to come, and fine-tune what we already have. So on the back end, making sure everything is super up-to-date, and setting up the chapter for success long-term, past my time at UT.
Blog Editors: Whatâs the most rewarding thing thatâs come out of your term?
Emily: My relationships with the girls in Alpha Phi have really blossomed; I feel like I can be that resource for women in the chapter if they need someone to talk to, or need someone to listen, both as a friend and as a mentor. It's been a newer experience for me that I'm really enjoying and savoring.
Blog Editors: How would you describe an APhi in 3 words?
Emily: Fun, Easygoing, Giving.
Blog Editors: What is your favorite tradition?
Emily: On Bid Day, all of our seniors put on a âSeniorâ henley and jump in the fountain and all hold hands. It's a thing like, âAlpha Phis, don't get in the fountain until your senior year on bid day,â so I'm really looking forward to doing that this year. It's one of those things that you watch when you run home on Bid Day, and then you literally blink, and it's your turn.
Blog Editors: Whatâs your âmust-seeâ when you have visitors in Austin?
Emily: My âmust-seeâ of a day in Austin, I would definitely start at Barton Springsâyou can't go wrong, especially if they've never been here before. Go home, get ready, and go to Matt's for dinner. I always get the Asadero Tacos and the Bob, of course.
Blog Editors: What is the best thing APhi has given you?
Emily: My best friends in the entire world. Honestly, sometimes I feel like I'm an Alpha Phi success story, because I have made the most wonderful friends ever and have the most wonderful group of girls around me. If I see them out and about, I know I'll always have a friend in them, and that's true even after we graduate. We can't even talk about graduating because we all get so emo about itâwe've shared the most incredible experiences together these years. I know that I found girls I will be friends with for life, and I just love them so much.
Blog Editors: What is your favorite activity to do with your sorority sisters?
Emily: We are big on trying new restaurants, so me and my friend group love to go try new places. Before date events we'll do a PC dinner and then go to the date event together, and that's one of the things I feel has brought our PC so close.
Blog Editors: Whatâs one thing you wish you knew about UT?
Emily: I wish I knew how much I would be into the sports here. I've always been a big sports girl, but it's a different kind of love with UT sports. I wish I would have known to definitely buy the âBig Ticketâ and really make use of it. Go to every kind of game possibleâbaseball games, volleyball games, basketball games. Obviously, we'll be fans for life, but when you're in college, and everyone's doing well, it means more.
Blog Editors: Whatâs one thing you wish you knew about recruitment as a PNM?
Emily: It obviously is one of the most unique and (kind of) terrifying experiences, but every girl is so happy to see your face. Everyone wants you to be there and is coming from a really genuine place of wanting to get to know you and seeing how you embody what it means to be a woman in Panhellenic.
Blog Editors: Any general advice you have for girls on the fence about going Greek?
Emily: On a personal (note), going Greek was one of the best things I did for myself. When going to UT, I was a girl that was really on the fence; I was constantly looking at TikToks and trying to convince myself through other people's experiences, but at the end of the day, was like, âI'm just gonna go for it, because the worst that can happen is that I don't like it.â I remember going to my first house, talking to my first girl and falling in love with it. It's definitely a scary experience coming in, but everyone is really genuinely wanting for you to find a place within Panhellenic, wherever that may be.
Thank you for reading! See you back here soon for our next post.
All my love,
Shreya :)