Sister Spotlight + Why ADPi

Emily Daly + Emily Bryant, Alpha Class ‘17

Emily Bryant + Emily Daly, Alpha Class ‘17

Merchandise Co-Chairs

I can honestly say that Clemson ADPi has truly been one of the biggest blessings of my life. Because of the experiences, friendships made, and opportunities given due to ADPi, I have had the greatest two years - and the best is yet to come! There truly are no words that could encompass how thankful I am for all that this sorority has given me.

Coming to Clemson from a very small high school in a very small town in North Carolina was a big transition. Not knowing anyone at Clemson or what to expect was a little bit intimidating. I never even thought about Clemson as a college option until my senior year of high school when I came for a visit on a whim - and let me tell you, when they say, “there’s something in these hills,” they mean it. he second I stepped on campus I knew that there was no comparison to this school. One of the first experiences I had once I got to campus that August as a student was Recruitment. Of course going through the Recruitment process can be scary because of the unknown but it is SO worth it and I encourage every girl to try it for themselves. For me, going ADPi was an easy decision. Here were girls who were friendly, kind, and genuinely interested in me. There was a feeling of belonging that overcame me when I went into the ADPi round every single day and I knew that was what I wanted to feel for the rest of my college experience.

Being a part of this sisterhood made my adjustment to college so much easier and helped me acclimate to the changes I faced. The support system that my sisters provide is priceless. There’s always a listening ear when I’m stressed about a Nursing test and always someone ready and willing to go eat at Frutta (or Chipotle or Chick-fil-a or anywhere really) or just hangout on Barnett Hall. ADPi has also given me a strong sense of community and an awesome platform to get involved with other Greek organizations, the student body, and the town of Clemson. have loved every visit to the Ronald McDonald House of Greenville with my sisters, which is something I wouldn’t be able to do without ADPi. Being Merchandise Co-Chair this year (with my bestie Emily D) has allowed me to be so much more involved in our chapter. I am a Nursing major so as you can guess, there isn’t much art and design incorporated into my class schedule so this position was such an awesome way to incorporate what I am passionate about into my time here. Working with Emily D has been such a blessing and has only strengthened our bond. I’ve met so many people through ADPi that have made my first two years at Clemson so great.

This summer has been a blast but dang I am looking forward to being back in Clemson with my sisters! In May, my parents and I traveled to Germany. We spent the majority of our time in Berlin, but also visited Frankfurt, Dresden, and Pirna. It was truly the trip of a lifetime. Experiencing a different culture is definitely something that everyone should try to do at least once because it’s eye opening. I am headed to Cape Cod, MA in a few weeks which I am super excited about because I have never been to that part of the US and I am always looking to visit new places! To avoid my Girl Gang (shoutout Emma Gray, Caroline, Abby, and Emily) withdrawals, I have also been making trips to see all my sisters and we always have the BEST time together! It is so crazy to me to think that these girls would not be a part of my life without Clemson ADPi. These are my ride or dies and I know these friendships will last forever (hello bridesmaids!). I always leave Clemson or their trips? being so sad but having a countdown of how many days until we are all back together. I am so excited to see what Junior year holds. What I’ve gained from being in ADPi is difficult to put into words but making lifelong friends, incredible opportunities and memories to last a lifetime would be a good place to start.

— Emily Bryant

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to study abroad through the Clemson Political Science Department in the Western Balkans (it’s okay, no one else knows where that is either). Through the program, we visited six countries and had the chance to meet with high-level government officials, non-governmental organizations, and human rights groups to study post-conflict societies and learn more about ethnic reconciliation. The constant travel was thrilling as well as exhausting, and I was able to experience and learn more in six weeks than I ever believed possible. I only knew one out of the other thirteen people going on the trip, and she happened to one of my sisters. Kendall Alford and I both picked the program without knowing the other one had done so, giving us the chance to share this once-in-a-lifetime journey together. Getting to share multiple tiny hotel rooms, packing our clothes together in one suitcase together for our 3-week road trip, and drinking more cappuccinos than I believed was humanly possible has shown me a unique and personal side of a girl who I was just “friendly” with before we left in May. Her infectious joy and huge heart helped me to grow so much more as a person, friend, and student in Europe, and I can honestly say I could not have done it without her. (Love u Kenny!) Now, I am back home for the remainder of the summer interning for Congressman Rice (SC-7) on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.! I am also working part time at lululemon this summer. Getting to spend the entirety of my days in my favorite city has been a dream come true and much more fun than work. Navigating my way through the real world would not have been possible without the support system I have found through ADPi.

Making the leap from a Business major to a Political Science major after completing my freshman year terrified me at first. I had no idea where I wanted to go from there or what I wanted to do once I graduated, I just knew studying political science was something I enjoyed much more than accounting. But the overwhelming support I received from my friends, especially my people that I found in ADPi, has been nothing short of a blessing. Girls in ADPi can be found in organizations all across campus and in basically every major Clemson offers – something that truly floors me. I have never found myself surrounded by more driven or motivated people. The once strangers who I now call my sisters pursue their passions with full force and inspire me in ways I never thought I could be.

This year, I have been blessed to serve with Emily Bryant as Merchandise Co-Chairs. We are in charge of designing t-shirts for all ADPi events, game day buttons, and PR merchandise for our sisters to wear around campus. Em & I came from two completely different places – her from a small town in the middle of North Carolina, me from a suburb right outside of Washington, D.C. Since we were both out-of-state students, the adjustment to Clemson was more difficult than we had imagined. We both knew one or two other people coming to a campus so unlike anything we were used to, but ended up finding our home together in ADPi. The shy, sweet girl I met on Bid Day, who barely spoke above a whisper, became one of my best friends after spending this past year as neighbors in Barnett Hall. Emily’s selfless nature and goofy personality kept me sane, especially this past year. Serving our chapter together has been such a blast!

Girls like Emily and Kendall – the kind who make you feel so loved and comfortable in your own skin – are the reason I chose ADPi back in August 2017, and I haven’t looked back since. Our chapter has given me so much more than I could have ever dreamed. The positive influence ADPi has had in all aspects of my life has surpassed anything I had ever dreamed about before joining a sorority. I am so lucky to call myself an ADPi and to share my time at Clemson with a group of confident and ambitious girls who challenge me in all the best ways possible.

— Emily Daly

Welcome to our Why ADPi series for this summer! Make sure to keep up with us on Instagram, VSCO, and Facebook to see more of our sweet sisterhood and to know when our next blog post is up!