Sister Spotlight + Why ADPi

Emory DeVolder, Executive Vice President, AC '16

Wow, junior year begins in just a couple weeks. That is a crazy thought. Was it not yesterday my family packed up just two whole cars of all the necessities I had to bring to college and made the 15 hour drive from Boston to Clemson? I knew I was going to have the time of my life and learn so much at Clemson. What I did not realize was the amount of incredible people I would meet and the amazing experiences I would have that have made these last two years go by in an instant.

Before junior year can begin though, I am finishing my last weeks of studying abroad at the University of Oxford, about an hour and a half outside of London. Oxford is full of beautiful, historic buildings, brilliant people that push you to think outside your comfort zone, and more cafés than I can count. This makes for some very fun days. I feel so fortunate to have spent part of the summer here. On the weekends, I have gotten to explore amazing cities like Barcelona, Paris, and Amsterdam. I love the high energy and fast pace of cities and that they are each so different but all equally fascinating. An added bonus is that there has not been a place that disappoints with their coffee and pastries, which just so happen to be two of my favorite things. Although I am sad I only have a few more weeks at Oxford, I keep reminding myself that it means I will soon be reunited with my sisters for a semester of late nights at Cooper Library and the best functions, making a difference at the Ronald McDonald House, and never-ending sleepovers at our apartments.

Alpha Delta Pi has played a huge part in making my Clemson experience as special as it is. Coming from the Boston area, I knew a grand total of one person coming to school here, so of course I signed up for sorority recruitment as soon as it went live. I had wanted to go through recruitment for as long as I can remember, thinking it was a great way to make friends and fill my calendar. It is both of those things, but I quickly learned it is also so much more. My mom reminded me constantly before and during recruitment that this process was about finding where I felt comfortable and where I would be supported to become the best version of myself. I was nervous that this would not be possible from just a few days. Stepping into the ADPi room changed that. I could hear their energy from before I even stepped through the door and then found girls who were kind, driven, and positive on the other side of it. In my conversations, I could tell this was a chapter of girls who would truly be there for pep talks and motivation on tough days but also be ready to break it down on the dance floor at any given moment. My love for this chapter is the reason I chose to serve as a Homecoming Chair with my friend Lauren and now as the Executive Vice President. My expectations for this chapter have been exceeded; I am so lucky to have the friends ADPi has brought into my life.

Living on the hall with everyone was something I will never forget. There is nothing like living with almost your entire pledge class. My best friends in the world were right there for every pre-function spray tan, trip to Greenville, and drive to do nothing but get iced tea and bop to our favorite songs. They were there to pack up and explore New York together for spring break. We had the best time seeing the musical Chicago, shopping on every street, and eating at the types of restaurants New York is known for like Beauty & Essex and Serendipity. They pushed me to go back to my love for music by taking voice lessons and showed up with the biggest smiles on their faces at my first performance. They are there for every 9Round and Clemson Fitness Company workout. They motivated me to run my first 10K this summer at Wachusett Mountain where it was a whole new thought to run up to the summit instead of skiing down. They encouraged me to work as a PAL leader and now as a tutor with Athletic Academic Services. I will never be able to express how thankful I am to be surrounded by so many driven people who push each other to be the best they can be every single day.

And the coolest thing? That is what this chapter is all about. We are all different people with different dreams who support each other to pursue whatever our personal dreams are. That is why I love my sisters and everything this chapter has done for each of us. I am so proud to call myself a Clemson ADPi because of all the current members, advisors, and alumnae who have worked to make this chapter incredible.

That's it for our ninth Sister Spotlight / Why ADPi of the summer! Make sure to keep up with us on Instagram, VSCO, and Facebook to see more of our sisterhood and to know when our next blog post is up!