Women Who Lead taps FHSU sorority for next generation of philanthropy

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Women Who Lead nonprofit has partnered with a Fort Hays State University sorority to involve more young women in leadership and philanthropy.

Members of Delta Zeta sorority have joined the Women Who Lead group in Ellis County.

Since the groups joined forces, they have partnered on two food drives for the FHSU food pantry and a women's self-defense class.

The groups connected when Delta Zeta asked Ruth Ruder, Women Who Lead president, and Nancy Jeter, a Women Who Lead founder, to speak to students during a Women's Day event.

Some sorority members and their mothers were so excited about Women Who Lead that they joined that day.

Ella Burrows, president of Delta Zeta, said joining Women Who Lead has allowed her to make connections outside of campus.

"We get to see how a thoughtful and well-planned out organization operates, which has been really helpful for our girls to see in another organization outside of our own operate," Burrows said.

Burrows was impressed by Women Who Lead's community partnerships and hoped to use some of the same strategies in the sorority's fundraisers.

Delta Zeta's philanthropy efforts are focused on hearing and speech. They are partnered with the Herndon Clinic at FHSU, Starkey Hearing Foundation and American Society for Deaf Children.

The sorority has "Dodge for a Cause," a dodgeball tournament set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 22 at Cunningham Hall. Its annual male beauty pageant, "Big Man on Campus," is set for April 25 at Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center.

Women Who Lead has offered to help promote both of the upcoming events.

Jeter said it's powerful to involve partners in projects.

"So many of our projects start with a spark and an idea, and then it just grows, and then all of a sudden, we have a committee or a group of people who are making it happen," she said.

The Delta Zeta members are also giving back as members of Women Who Lead. Multiple sorority members have joined Women Who Lead committees, and Burrows has joined the Women Who Lead board.

Sophia Baumbach, recent FHSU graduate and former Delta Zeta social chairwoman, said Women Who Lead has been like a mother-daughter relationship. She said it's been comforting for her to have female support.

"It's like I lead, you watch, and one day you lead," she said.

Ruder said she felt the same.

"I feel like they are my adopted kids," she said. "I feel like I have to take care of them and nurture them into everything I know they can be. It's inspiring to see what they've already learned."

Jeter said Women Who Lead's membership tended to skew older before Delta Zeta became involved, and the partnership has been a way to involve younger women in the organization.

She said the Delta Zeta members bring life, passion and exuberance into the organization.

Ruder said Women Who Lead needed to bring in a younger generation.

"When we're in a nursing home, who's going to feed those people? Who's going to do Jesus' work? It has to be that generation that steps up," Ruder said.

Burrows, a senior in political science, and Baumbach said they hope they are creating the groundwork so future sorority members can continue the partnership with Women Who Lead.

In the future, Jeter said she could see a subgroup of Women Who Lead for FHSU students.

Not only would Women Who Lead like to continue growing its membership among students, but it has also created an Innovation Committee for women ages 30 to 40.

"We need to impact those women so everyone has a structure, and everyone has a place in Women Who Lead," Ruder said. "I think that is the big thing these girls helped us see. They fed off of us, and we fed off of them."

To learn more about Women Who Lead, visit the group's website at womenwholead.org or follow it on Facebook.

Editor's note: Cristina Janney is a member of Women Who Lead.