From making sure every event is organized to running chapter, being the president of a sorority is a big job. Kathy Benson, the president of Alpha Epsilon Phi, tells of her experience in this important role thus far. Joining this sisterhood created a place for her to find everlasting friendships and a home away from home. With her term having recently begun, Kathy has high hopes for the upcoming year for Alpha Epsilon Phi and looks forward to what lies ahead.
HerCampus UCF (HCUCF):Â What’s your name, grade, and major?
Kathy Benson (KB):Â My name is Kathy Benson. I am a junior, and I am majoring in hospitality and event management.
HCUCF:Â What made you want to run for president of Alpha Epsilon Phi?
KB:Â Well, last year I was the vice president of philanthropy, so I was on the executive board already. Doing that made me feel like I wasn’t done yet and there was just so much more I could still do. Throughout my college life I’ve been all about AEPhi. It has made me who I am today, and I want to give back to it.
HCUCF:Â What’s your biggest goal for the upcoming year?
KB:Â My biggest goal is continuing the success of AEPhi. I think we have been doing really well so far with all of our campus involvement and philanthropies, and I think that we have become very well-known on campus. I want to make sure we continue that and keep growing as a chapter.
HCUCF:Â What advice would you give to someone going through spring recruitment?
KB:Â Keep an open mind because with everything going on, it can get overwhelming and sometimes confusing. You’ll just feel it when you find the place you are meant to be. You want to be where you want to go, not where someone else wants you to go.
HCUCF:Â Personally, what was it about AEPhi that you knew made it your home?
KB:Â I felt very comfortable. I didn’t feel like I needed to fake myself or anything like that. I just felt comfortable talking to all of the girls, and I had a feeling that made me know it was for me.
HCUCF:Â So what is your favorite thing about AEPhi?
KB:Â I love our work we do with philanthropy. I love our philanthropies, EGPAF (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation) and Sharsharet. I worked a lot with them last year, so that’s why I love it so much. Just all of the things we do, like being the top fundraiser for Knight-Thon, is what I love about AEPhi.
HCUCF:Â What do you think has brought this success to the chapter?
KB:Â We have had so many girls who have been on leadership roles with Knight-Thon or other things on campus. We want to support our sisters, and at the same time, we get to show the chapter what that results in, by showing a miracle child, for example. The chapter forms a personal connection when hearing the stories, and this really makes everyone want to support the organizations.
HCUCF:Â Although your term has recently started, what has been your biggest challenge thus far?
KB:Â Since this is so new and it is not just me going into a new role but the entire executive board, we all have to make sure we are getting comfortable in our positions and working cohesively. It’s been going along really well because we all knew each other already.
HCUCF:Â What advice would you give to younger sisters looking to have leadership positions in the future?
KB:Â Definitely get involved. Not just even within AEPhi and those chair positions under executive board members. It’s good to be involved on campus to get that experience under your belt, and that way you can move on to greater things in your future.
HCUCF:Â What’s your dream job?
KB:Â I either want to be a wedding planner or a non-profit event planner. They are two very different things, but I definitely want to do event planning.
HCUCF:Â Do you have any message you would like to give to your sisters?
KB:Â LML XOXO Pres
Photos provided by Kathy Benson