Katie Hansen pushes a pin into Boston on a map of where everyone in her grade is going to college. On the map, located in the high school library of her hometown, Saint Charles, Illinois, there are no other pins remotely near hers, which is just the way she wanted it.
“I wanted to go somewhere where I didn’t know anyone,” said Kathryn Hansen, known as Katie, in an interview on Wednesday. “I wanted to start my own thing.” She certainly has done so at Boston University.
Katie (CGS ‘18, COM ‘20) not only runs the social media for the BU Dog Pound, the student fan group for all BU sports, but she is also the president of BU’s chapter of Delta Delta Delta, the Alpha Chapter (aka the first chapter of Tri Delta was founded at BU). Before attending BU, she played soccer for 14 years.
But like many women involved in Greek life at BU, growing up, Katie never pictured herself even joining a sorority, let alone becoming the president of one. With the support of her parents, including her father who was in a fraternity during his days at Carnegie Mellon University, she enrolled in Spring Formal Recruitment her freshman year.
Katie’s main motivation to join a sorority in the first place was essentially to make friends. Since she was in the CGS London Program during her freshman year, she hadn’t even been at college for a month before going through recruitment.
“I wanted to know people when I walked down Comm Ave,” said Katie, who missed the closeness of her family at home in Illinois. “I didn’t feel like I truly belonged anywhere yet.” She found that emotional tie on campus in Tri Delta.
Katie and four other officers at Tri Delta’s annual College Leadership Conference
Now, as the president of Tri Delta, Katie’s attachment to the sorority has completely changed. She went from deciding whether to join a sorority at all to leading one. As president, she’s involved with everything going on in the chapter. Tri Delta chose a natural helper to be their president, as she admitted she feels a little guilty every time she chooses to relax and watch Netflix when she could be doing something more productive. Regarding her personality in general, she said, “My first reaction is to always say, ‘How can I help?’”
Katie also always loves a good challenge, which has channeled into her leadership role. She recalled that when she was slated as president, she evaluated her goals and thought, “The chapter’s already great, but how do I leave my mark on it?”
When asked about how she felt leading the Alpha Chapter, Katie said that she is extremely proud. She is honored by the fact that when she went through recruitment, the sisters wanted her to be a part of this special organization and “to continue the legacy of one of the first all-female groups that could stand on its own.”
Being a Tri Delta sister has impacted Katie on many fronts. Her passion for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Tri Delta’s official philanthropy partner, grew immensely by being a sister and serving on the Philanthropy Committee last semester. And, she found those close friendships she was looking for. “What I got out of it was a room full of incredible sisters who I know I can go to if I need anything,” she said.
Katie and four other officers at Tri Delta’s annual College Leadership Conference
Katie did admit that being Tri Delta president occupies the majority of her time, but she elaborated that it is fun work and she knows she always has her sisters’ support. She receives multiple texts every week from sisters assuring that they have her back.
“Sometimes I don’t have as much sleep as I’d like and I have to drink twice the amount of coffee that I need to in a day but I think it’s totally worth it,” she stressed.
Despite being very busy with her Tri Delta duties, Katie still displays her undying passion for hockey through her involvement with the BU Dog Pound social media. As a public relations major, her dream job is to be the social media manager for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Katie Hansen walked into BU ready to be independent and make a name for herself. Now, over 100 women on campus know and love her as president.
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