Newly elected sorority president is busy day and night

At first glance, Kate Bond might look like an average URI sophomore. What is not obvious, however, are her time management skills -- which have become crucial because she just was elected president of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.

Kate Bond in her sorority- house room

Besides taking on all the responsibilities that position entails, Bond also works part time at Sunkissed Tanning Salon, serves are the New Member Educator on the Panhellenic Council and is a member of the Student Senate, for which she recently was named treasurer. And of course she is also a full-time student. How does she manage all these commitments?

"I was just elected president about a month ago, so jumping right into a huge responsibility was definitely hard, but I love being busy. It's just hard sometimes to keep everything from overlapping or affecting my school work."

Even though Bond has yet to experience all the aspects of being a sorority president, she's already trying to keep the 82-member sorority organized. On this afternoon, between working from 4 to 6 o'clock, then coming home to eat a quick dinner before rushing off to a senate meeting, Bond's day already seemed packed with activities.

Her night was far from over, however. After the senate meeting she had to race back to the chapter house on Route 138, in order to round up all the sisters for The Dance Contest, a Greek Week event.

After the contest, Bond returned to the house and before getting ready to go out herself and have some fun, she organized the Sober Sister program. This program consists of a few sorority sisters agreeing to stay sober for a night when all the members decide to go out.

The Sober Sisters drive the others out and home when the time comes. The members rotate who drives, and Bond makes sure the rules are enforced. "It's an important program to have in a sorority; none of us wants anyone to get hurt, so we all look out for one another when we go out."

Although this afternoon was a busy one for Bond, all her afternoons seem filled. On a weekly basis, Bond is responsible for planning chapter meetings, holding group and individual meetings with executive officers, and attending Panhellenic meetings. Throughout the semester she also must act as host or co-host to all Alpha Chi Omega events, and she is responsible for the completion of all paperwork to be submitted to national headquarters or to Panhel.

Even with all these duties, Bond explained, the biggest obstacle isn't written into her job description.

"The hardest thing that I face is dealing with the unexpected," she said. "I represent the chapter, so when something goes wrong, no matter who's fault it is, it falls on me, and people look to me for a solution."

With her term just beginning and all her other commitments in full swing, Bond tries not to worry too much. "I've managed to keep extremely good grades, so I hope I can continue to do that throughout the next year."

As far as dealing with stress in her new position as president, Bond said, "This can definitely become stressful, because you never know what the day is going to bring. But I love all my girls, so it's worth it."

-- Laura Markowski