It’s That Time Again: Fall 2026 Rush

                                       I can’t believe it’s that time again—Fall 2026 Rush is here!

As everyone settles back into school life after almost a month on campus, I’m sure many schools have already hosted their Back-to-School celebrations, Yard Shows, Meet the Greeks, and other campus events. If you’re a freshman, I highly recommend attending as many of these events as possible. This is your opportunity to get to know your classmates, meet people from different organizations, and learn more about the culture and community on your campus.

But don’t just attend events—get involved!

Join Student Government. Check out the Black Student Union. Write for the student newspaper or yearbook. Volunteer. Attend campus programs. Find organizations that align with your interests and passions.

You want to make connections, build relationships, and get your name out there. More importantly, you want to find ways to contribute to the campus community.

If you’re a sophomore, junior, or senior, you should already be thinking about how you can become even more involved. And if there’s a cause you’re passionate about but your school doesn’t have an organization dedicated to it, this could be the perfect opportunity to start one.

Be the voice of change.

Make Your Voice Heard

This is also an important time to remember the power of our voices through civic engagement. Consider getting involved with a voter-registration drive or other nonpartisan civic-engagement efforts on your campus.

So many of the organizations we become involved with are centered around making our voices heard, serving our communities, and advocating for social justice. Your campus is a place where you can put those values into action.

Don’t wait for someone else to create the opportunity. Sometimes, you have to be willing to step up and create it yourself.

Behind the Lens

This past year, I had the honor of serving as the Midwest and Far West Regional Conference Photographer. I have truly enjoyed attending these conferences, meeting so many incredible people, and hearing about the wonderful work my organization is doing in the areas of social justice and community service.

One of the greatest blessings for me has been being able to capture my sorors doing the work through my lens.

There is something incredibly special about being behind the camera and watching people dedicate their time, energy, and talents to making a difference. Every photograph tells a story, but the stories behind those photographs—the service, sacrifice, advocacy, and commitment are what mean the most to me.

And it isn’t just my organization making a difference. Every organization, every student, every volunteer, every advocate, and every person who decides to use their voice and talents to help others has the ability to create change.

Flashback FW Regional Conference

To Those Pursuing Membership in D9

To everyone who is pursuing membership in the Divine Nine this Fall, I wish you nothing but the best during this season.

Remember that there is so much more to campus life than simply being interested in joining an organization. Take this time to learn, grow, serve, and build genuine relationships.

If I could leave you with one piece of advice, it would be this:

The best way to get noticed is to get involved.

Make your voice heard.
Make a difference.
Serve your community.
Build meaningful relationships.
Be a leader.
And, of course, study and keep those grades up!

Your academic success should always remain a priority.

Whether you’re a freshman just finding your way around campus or an upperclassman preparing for your next chapter, use this school year to make an impact. Get involved in the things that matter to you. Find your purpose. Stand for something. And never underestimate the difference you can make when you decide to show up.

Wishing everyone pursuing membership the very best during Fall 2026 Rush season!

Now go out there, get involved, make your voice heard, and be the change you want to see.

How are ya'll out there?

Hey Everyone!!!!! 💙

I can't believe we're already approaching the end of summer. Seriously, where has the time gone? In just a couple of weeks, I'll be heading back into the classroom and preparing for another school year.  I first spent the first part of my summer going home to visit my family in Chicago. During my visit, I was blessed go to the Obama Center. It was amazing!

How has everyone's summer been so far? For my neophytes, how has life been since crossing those sands? Have any of you attended your first Regional Conference, Conclave, Convention, Boule, Leadership Seminar, or other national event? Do you have any upcoming conferences or events on your calendar for the next few weeks or months?

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to serve as the official photographer for the Mighty Midwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. during their regional conference in Detroit—and what an amazing experience it was! Although I stayed busy capturing the many events, I truly enjoyed every moment. The energy, sisterhood, and memories created throughout the conference were simply unforgettable. Here is a snippet of my different comfy outfits I captured during the conference. 

I'm also excited to share that I'll be photographing the Fabulous Far Western Regional Conference in Utah this September. If you'll be attending, I would absolutely love to meet you in person, so please don't hesitate to say hello!

I want to extend a heartfelt congratulations to the Zealous Ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, on a successful Boule a few weeks ago. Congratulations as well on welcoming your newest honorary members. What an exciting and historic occasion!

 To my Pretty Ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha who is currently wrapping up their Boule in Via Las Vegas. My timeline has been filled with Pink and Green all week.  Congrats to your Honorary Members...what a LIST!!!! 

To my Pretty Poodles of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., wishing you all the best as you are prepared to paint Tampa Florida Blue and Gold.

Wishing everyone a wonderful remainder of the summer, and I look forward to hearing about all the amazing things you've been up to! Drop a line or two and share how your summer has been so far. To the neos, how has your 1st summer been in Greekland? To my prospects out there, how are you preparing for upcoming Fall and Spring Rush? I would love to hear from you ALL!  💙

Ciao,

V

Spring Rush 2026

It’s that time again!!!!! I hope you all are ready for this season. Remember, if it’s your time, IT’S YOUR TIME! A few things to keep in mind:

1. If you need a letter of recommendation from a financial member of the organization you want to join, make sure you provide them with all the details well in advance.

2. Meet ALL deadlines. There will be hundreds of prospects vying for a spot, so make sure everything is submitted on time and in order.

3. If you need a copy of your transcript, request it now rather than later. You don’t want that to be the reason you’re held up.

4. Funds matter. Hopefully, you’ve been saving! It would be unfortunate to be selected and then unable to continue due to a lack of funds.

5. Have someone you trust—and preferably a member of the organization—review your packet. They can help guide you and ensure everything is complete and correct.

6. Ask questions! Rush is not only a time to receive information but also to ask questions. You should be well-informed about the process and expectations.

7. Review your application multiple times. Make sure everything is filled out correctly. If something doesn’t apply to you, write N/A instead of leaving it blank.

8. Stay busy! Once your application is submitted, keep yourself occupied while you wait to hear back. It’s easier said than done, but it truly helps.

9. Don’t HATE. I get it—you may feel your packet was perfect, yet still wasn’t chosen for whatever reason. Remember, most organizations don’t rely solely on your packet; members also vote on who they want in their chapter. If it’s not your time, don’t give up. Keep pushing forward. Many people who’ve followed my blog for years didn’t make it until their 3rd or 4th try. Go back and read the comments—you’ll see. They didn’t quit, and neither should you.

10. GOOD LUCK! Wishing you all the best as you apply to the organization of your dreams.
    

Fall Rush 2025

 

Well, it's that time again!. I would love to hear from you all to see how your semester is going. Fall Rush/Information is probably going on as well. I hope my past posts were helpful in terms of the do's and don'ts to prepare you all for it.

If the chapter of your choice does NOT have membership intake this year, I strongly recommend that you continue connecting with the chapter by attending various events. Volunteer for multiple programs, and more importantly, get to know the members.  Remember, there's always Spring Rush!!!!

Wishing everyone all the best as they are waiting patiently to get the "call" to membership

CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO D9

 

Hey Everyone,

It’s been such a productive (and busy!) summer for me, and I just realized I never made a post congratulating all of you who became proud members of the Divine 9. So, let me take a moment to say—CONGRATULATIONS!!!! 🎉

I hope crossing over has been everything you imagined and more. Hopefully, some of you have already had the chance to attend your organization’s conferences, national conventions, Boules, Conclaves, and more. But as I’ve said before (and I’ll say it again)—NOW the real work begins.

Chapter meetings. Committee meetings. Community service. Fundraisers. The list goes on. To a neophyte, it may feel overwhelming at first, but here’s my best advice for your first year:

1. Get involved early. Hit the ground running by getting to know your chapter. Learn the tools available to you—bylaws, code of conduct, and how your chapter runs its meetings.

2. Find your lane. Identify a committee that speaks to your passion and jump in.

3. Pace yourself. Don’t overextend by joining everything at once. Your excitement is wonderful, but balance is key to avoiding burnout.

4. Attend a conference or retreat. Whether regional, leadership, or national, these experiences broaden your perspective and help you understand how your organization functions on a larger scale.

5. Remember: this is for life. Your commitment doesn’t end after initiation, which is why pacing yourself is so important.

There’s so much more I could add, but I’ll leave it here for now. Once again, congratulations, and welcome to the other side!

A Fall Rush 2025 thread will be posted soon.......

Ciao for now,

"V"

2025 Rush

 Hi Everyone,

It's been a LONNNNG time coming but it's HERE! Happy 2025 Rush! I know some of you may be feeling a lot of different emotions as rush season is now here. You probably feel nervous, anxious, scared, thrilled, happy, excited, etc....and that's all normal. My advice? Take it all in and  don't allow your emotions to take over. Just think some of the people in that room could possibly be your future line sisters and/or line brothers. The best advice I can give you is, do your best, come prepared, get to know not only the members in the room, but other people in the room as well. This takes a lot of effort on your part. Remember that although you want to stand out, you don't want to seem TOO aggressive. So, I would say READ THE ROOM! 

I can't believe that nearly TWENTY-FIVE (25) years ago, I was in your shoes. WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?????? 25 years ago I was roaming on my college campus and I see it. I froze. I smile. Then I get nervous. The flyer was posted in the Union building that the chapter is having an informational. (We didn't call it rushes, but informationals). I was SO nervous. I remember running back to my dorm room, and calling one of my girlfriend's who was at Howard at the time telling her that the time has come. I was BEYOND excited. I also knew that it was time to get all my ducks in a row (pun intended).   I made a few phone calls to make sure my Delta mentor was still active and financial so I could have her on standby to write my letter, I called back home to ALL the places I volunteered in Chicago to make sure they could write me a letter of recommendation. I reached out to a few of my professors to make sure they could write me a letter of reference. Let's just say, ya girl was PREPARED! I did not want to wait until the last minute to try to gather these things since I heard that there could be a deadline for all of these things. Mind you I gathered ALL of these things no less than 24 hours AFTER seeing the flyer. Now mind you, I didn't get these things until AFTER the rush, however I wanted to make everyone aware that I would need these letters soon. 

I can't believe that was I will be celebrating my 25th year in my organization and I have never been so happy to be a part of what I feel is the greatest sorority on earth. But I am sure ALL of my fellow greek sistas' feel the same way about their org. If you don't then something is wrong with you! LOL!!!! 

So good luck to everyone out there. I truly hope you have a wonderful time a rush, and as much as I want to tell you to not  be nervous, and take it in, as someone who has been there before I just won't. Just take it all in and enjoy the process. 

Ciao for now and good luck to all of you! 

Happy 2025 Everyone!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

I know it's been a while, but ya gal has been REALLY busy! I can't believe it's 2025 already! Wow, where has the time gone? I don't know about you, but I am thrilled to see all that 2025 will offer. I have always treasured each new year because it means new beginnings. A fresh start. 2024 has been a trying year for me due to unexpected health challenges,,,,but GOD!

 I have so many goals this year. Now that my health is back in check, (Thank you Lord), I am able to work out again. I use to be a gym rat, and I am looking forward to getting back to that. So far, I have worked out every day this year thus far which is a first for me in almost 2 years. I finally got the clearance from my doctor and I am beyond grateful that I am back where I need to be in terms of my health.

It's only the 28th of January, and I have already shot 4 weddings. I am beyond blessed because some of my fellow photography friends are struggling with booking clients. I am beyond thankful to be booked and busy because  capturing love behind my lens has been truly a joy for me.  

I went home to celebrate Christmas with my family which was a joy. While I was there, I was able to catch up with my High School besties, De Anna and Milauna. They are both EXCELLENT actors and writers in the industry, so meeting up with them was one of thee BEST highlights of my trip. We all went Curie Metropolitan High School of Performing Arts and I thankfully ALL of us is still in the arts perfecting our crafts. 

Here is a throwback from when we were still in High School, I'm in the middle! :) 

We had an amazing time together, and I am SO grateful for their love, support and more importantly their friendship. Speaking of which Milauna (on the left) was just in the film The Triple Six Eight and if you haven't check it out PLEASE DO! She played Captain Campbell, (Kerry Washington's right-hand woman). I am SO proud of her and all of her MANY accomplishments! My Girl De Anna is killing the game right now and is currently in Raisin in the Sun in Chicago. I am just glad we ALL are doing our thang in terms of still staying true to ourselves and remaining in the Arts. 

Because of my busy schedule with school, performances, shooting weddings and events, I have been waaaay behind with blogging. I know rush season is now upon us, and my next post will be all about rush. Speaking of which, how are the neophytes doing out there? I would love to hear from you now that you are on the other side. Was it everything you want and more, or not? It's one thing to be on one side and it's completely different when you cross over you get to see the "other" side of things. As I stated before now the REAL work begins. And it's a LOT of work. TRUST ME! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy every bit of it. 

Well that's all for now. 

My next post will be about 2025 Rush, so stay tuned!