Sister Circle✔️

16. Leaders Lead

Lark POV

"Greetings Dean Big Sister Supersonic! Thank you for taking time out of your day, to help build our minds, to learn the great things of Mu Alpha Chi Sorority, Incorporated!" both Lark and Essence recited while they stood in front of the three MAX ladies.

They always greeted their Dean of Pledges first, as a who of respect. Then they greeted the President, Sherry, and then Zavrina. After they greeted their Big Sisters, they performed the Greek Alphabet song that they created themselves. Lark was happy Essence remembered it, stayed on the beat, and did the dance moves. It was hard coming up with since neither were musically inclined or could dance that much.

"Give us some history," Jill said to them.

"Mu Alpha Chi Sorority, Incorporated was founded on the campus of Illinois State University on April 13th, 1998, thus began Alpha Chapter. Six determined women wanted to build a network of leaders. All six founders were presidents of student organizations on campus. This was the first time six Black women held that much power on campus. They would meet weekly and discuss issues they faced with each of their organizations. Those meetings were called Sister Circles."

"They decided they could help each other and other women develop their leadership skills, so they came up with the idea of a sorority. MAX, for maximum leadership, women only."

"Recite the Founders," Jill stated to them.

"Briana Harris Kennard, Stephanie Thompson, Lisa Nicole Kennard, Alexis Marie-Washington, Alanna Marie-Brown, and Jossie DeCosta-Smith."

Lark wanted to smile, but she held it in. This was the first time that Essence got through everything without a stumble. Long nights paid off.

"Sounding good ladies, have a seat."

They sat in their chairs in front of the big sisters. They had been on line for two weeks, but it felt like two months. So far they did nothing crazy, just learn history every night and recite it back to them. Lark was happy she had done her research before going on line because most of the things she knew already. Essence was coming in with fresh eyes. She did not know things. She did not know how they were founded, she did not know about the founders, nor did she know any of their programs.

She was smart, so she caught on fast, but she was always nervous when she was in front of the Big Sisters.

"Today we will learn more about the Sister Circle meetings that started when the Founders were just women with an idea," Sherry explained to them, holding her tablet in front of her. "You can take notes lady.

They were allowed to write and type out the notes, so she pulled out her laptop while Essence's hand wrote notes. Then after the session, they would review together and make sure they got everything and combine their notes and type it all up.

"The first Sister Circle was before the Founders created the sorority. They were meeting and decided to have a forum for other ladies on campus in leadership roles or striving to be leaders. They met at the Student Union and thirty-six young ladies attended. They discussed the struggles of getting into leadership roles, how to be taken seriously on campus, and how to develop leadership skills. Some of those ladies that were in the first Sister Circle meeting went on to become leaders in their organizations, including seven of those ladies that became the second line of MAX."

Sherry paused to make sure they were keeping up. Essence nodded to her that they were.

"So now we will go over some of the points that the Founders laid down on what makes a great leader. Would either of you like to begin to tell us what those qualities maybe?"