Zeta Tau Alpha Is Giving Back

In the first few weeks of the Month of October the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha were busy giving back. October is known as National Breast Cancer Awareness and Education month and Zeta Tau Alpha at Virginia Tech took it in to their own hands to spread awareness. The sisters also participated in Greeks Giving Back and helped out those in the community.

Greeks Giving Back was an event put on by the Greek community at Virginia Tech. The sisters were given different locations where they would have to do a task to help make someone else’s life a little easier. Some sisters helped plant trees at Smithfield Plantation, while others traveled around Blacksburg assisting with yard work and fall time cleaning. We all enjoyed meeting the residents of the wonderful community of Blacksburg!

As October went into full swing, the sisters started getting involved in our philanthropy, that deals with Breast Cancer Awareness and Education. Frosty Parrot has held a fundraiser night every Thursday of October and will continue to donate to Breast Cancer Awareness every Thursday until the end of the month. We had our first annual Grand Zlam, a four-day philanthropy event that fraternities and sororities were able to participate in. This was our first time switching from our regular springtime philanthropy.We started off with passing out ribbons at three different locations on campus. By the end of the four days almost everybody on campus had a pink ribbon!

The other parts of Grand Zlam included a letter writing campaign, a fundraising night at D.P Dough’s, and a kickball game. Fraternities came out to compete in a childhood game of kickball and to support our cause for Breast Cancer Awareness. With some funny outfits and intense games, the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha had a great time raising awareness and money for our philanthropy!

    Sisters at Greeks Giving Back

One of the booths Zeta Tau Alpha had to raise awareness and money for Breast Cancer

Zeta Tau Alpha Prepares for a Busy Semester

With an exciting summer of studying abroad, summer jobs and internships, and relaxing vacations, the sisters of the Eta Xi chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha are ready to get back to work! As the fall semester has finally started, the sisters prepare for their new philanthropy, cheer on the Hokies in Lane Stadium and at away games, and search for their missing T.

      Sisters Traveled to Pittsburg for the game.

 At the end of the year the Zeta Tau Alpha sisters decided it made sense to switch our philanthropy to the month of October, the national month for Breast Cancer Awareness. The sisters traditionally pass out ribbons on campus however the chapter is stepping up their game with a 3-day philanthropy event called Grand Zlam. The sisters will be collecting Yoplait lids, have booths around campus to collect donations, have a DP Dough fundraiser, and a kickball tournament!

It’s everyone’s favorite time of year: football season! The Zeta sisters have enjoyed getting together and tailgating with friends and family. Recently a large group of sisters traveled up to Pittsburg to support our Hokies. Although the team did not come home with a win, the girls came home with a lot of fun stories and great memories.

On the early morning of September 3, the Zeta sisters who live in the house woke up to find something array. The T on the front of the house was missing, leaving the house with only a Z and an A. After a few other T’s went missing on campus, the campus police have concluded it may have been Georgia Tech fans, who had been in town for the game that night. The sisters were not upset for too long; they are already planning on creating a new set of letters to fit our chapter’s personality better!

         The Eta Xi Chapter Searches for our T!

Zeta Day

Every year, the sisters of ZTA attend Zeta Day.  This year, Zeta Day was in Norfolk, VA.  A total of 8 Virginia chapters were there along with numerous advisors and alumni.  Most girls from the chapter left on Friday and enjoyed time on the beach, shopping, and just relaxing with their sisters! On Friday night, everyone headed to a sister, Lindsay Velline's beach house for a cookout.  

Zeta Day was on Saturday and the Eta Xi chapter of Virginia Tech accepted one award after another.  We received Most Improved GPA, Outstanding Recruitment, Outstanding Service, and Best Website. 

Everyone broke out into discussion groups to get to know one another and more about the various campus chapters.  This was a great opportunity to share ideas with one another.

A very special sister shout out to Emily Smalling, our nomination for being best all-around Zeta for her involvement with the chapter and campus. 

Zeta Day every year is a great experience and opportunity.  We feel so proud to not only represent our accomplishments but to be able to  show just how wonderful the Virginia Tech Panhellenic community is. 

We are so proud of our chapter and for each and every member who has made the past year so successful! Already looking forward to what next year's Zeta Day will bring.

Big Sister Reveal

After weeks and weeks of anticipation, big and little reveal was finally here! Just before everyone departed for Spring Break the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha had their big little sister reveal.  Throughout the weeks after recruitment, girls wishing to take a little sister had crown sisters each week.  Crown sisters were basically just their buddies for the week to show them around ZTA, get lunches, dinners, ice cream and so much more. It is such an exciting time to get to know the newest additions to our chapter! After four weeks of crown sisters, the time came for big and little matching.  Girls’ taking little’s received the much anticipated phone call on Sunday night.  As girls were told who their little was there were cheers and screams in excitement heard all across Blacksburg! The next week could possibly be deemed the longest week of the semester for the newest girls of ZTA waiting to find out who their big sister will be! The week is known by many as “clue week” in which the big sisters give tremendous baskets and gifts with clues to their little’s. Although sometimes the clues can be a little tricky! After a week full of gifts and clues, Friday night is the reveal ceremony.  This is a very special ceremony to the sisters of ZTA and held very close to all of our hearts.  

The bond you share with your big sister is truly one of a kind! 

Drafting the Best Since 1898

For the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha, most would exclaim that it is the best time of the year! And no, we are not talking about the holiday season, we mean that Formal Recruitment 2012 has recently come to an end and every sorority has welcomed their new pledge class of 2012!  ZTA has been extremely busy with recruitment and now partaking in endless activities to welcome and get to know the wonderful new women!

On bid day this year, the new girls approached the ZTA house to find the “Team” of ZTA’s anxiously awaiting the girls we just “drafted” with this years Bid Day theme of “ZTA Drafting the Best Since 1898”.  Celebrating the newest members of the chapter everyone enjoyed fun games, great food and endless pictures celebrating the day to kick off this exciting spring season!

After spending some time at the house, ZTA traveled to the Manor to have a few more celebrations with the new pledge class! The newest girls received their “crown sisters” for the week to show them around ZTA, have dinners, movie nights, and meet their newest sisters!

Throughout the past few weeks since recruitment, the new girls have been attending weekly meetings and ZTA has been busy with pizza parties, ice cream socials, movie nights at the house, and overall enjoying this exciting time getting to know the new beautiful ZTA’s! This past Friday night, the newest pledge class had their new girl sleepover at the house! Frosty Parrot (a local frozen yogurt shop) delivered delicious frozen yogurt for the girls as they enjoyed getting to know one another! They played games, did rejuvenating face-masks, and relaxed in the Chapter room for a movie before spending the night together!

Within the next few weeks ZTA has so much to look forward to. We have been busy practicing for the much-anticipated Delta Gamma Anchorsplash talent show coming up, girls will be getting new big and little sisters, and our very first date party of 2012 is in two weeks!

Happy Spring to everyone from the sisters of ZTA and be sure to check back soon for more exciting updates!

'Tis the Season

As the semester comes to an end, everybody knows that the Holiday season is quickly approaching which means that the much anticipated winter break is just around the corner.  But with break approaching, that also means that final exams are here too.  In order to take a break from the stresses that exams and the end of the semester bring and to get into the Holiday spirit, the sisters of ZTA came together to celebrate. This was a busy weekend for the sisters of ZTA as many took off to Charlotte to cheer on the Hokies and our newest Executive Council had officer training in Northern Virginia. So last night, everybody came together for holiday cookie decorating, a movie night, and some sisterly fun before final exams and girls start to head home for the Holidays!  

As one last surprise before the semester comes to an end, the sisters of ZTA will have a "Grab-a-date".  Executive council surprised the sisters with one last date function in which the sisters only had one week to "grab their dates"! The date party will be Holiday themed on Tuesday, December 6th in order to get into the spirit and enjoy one last time together before departing for Winter Break.


From the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha, we wish everyone great luck with the end of the semester and a wonderful and safe winter break. 

ZTA "Tackles" Fiji Diamond Bowl

This past week the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha teamed up to participate in Fiji's annual Diamond Bowl to support the JimmyV Foundation for cancer research. ZTA has been preparing for weeks for this exciting philanthropy to support such a wonderful cause.  The philanthropic week consisted of various events around campus and "tackling" of Fiji men to earn points.  Monday night was the Coach's Auction at Awful Arthur's in Blacksburg.  Everybody came out to the Auction for some good laughs and to kick off a great week. Wednesday through Friday we collected as much money as possible to donate at the booths.  Throughout the week the brothers of Fiji were consistently "tackled" by all of the organizations participating to prepare for the big football tournament on Sunday.  We all teamed up to find Fiji brothers in classrooms, dining halls, and walking around campus to get as many tackles as possible! To finish off the week, there is nothing like fall weather and Sunday football to raise money and support for cancer research.  The games were played at the fields behind a local apartment complex in the heart of Blacksburg and all of the Fiji men and other organizations lined the field to watch a full day of competitive flag football. A total of four games and eight organizations participated.  I think it is safe to say ZTA made Hokie football proud! After a great week and hard work put in by all of us and two great wins on the football field, the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha really “Tackled” Fiji Diamond Bowl this year!

Keep Calm and Fight On

The sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha have successfully completed the annual “Think Pink” week to support Breast Cancer Awareness and Education. Starting at 10 am Monday through Wednesday, the women of ZTA took their places at booths located around campus to start passing out ribbons, information cards, and collecting donations to support such a great cause.  The booths were open until 4 each day and a total of 20,000 ribbons were passed out throughout the week.  Ribbons can be seen pinned to shirts and backpacks campus wide. Every Hokie needs a little pink to go with that maroon and orange!

 In addition to the booths around campus, this past Thursday night was the Breast Cancer Awareness and Education pancake dinner.  A little rain and some cold weather didn’t stop these women from selling pancakes outside of DX and Squires from 10 at night until 2 in the morning.  A total of 2,000 pancakes were sold and a total of $1,800 was raised throughout the week. 

It does not stop there.  This coming weekend, the Virginia Tech Hokies take on Boston College.  Not only is it the Homecoming game, this weekend will be the annual “Think Pink” football game.  Zeta Tau Alpha has another 30,000 ribbons to distribute and will also be selling “Think Pink” wristbands for $1.00 at the game.  What does ZTA have to say about the game this weekend? “Keep Calm and Fight on” Hokies to support breast cancer awareness and education! 

Be sure to cheer on the Hokies and get your ribbons and wristbands this weekend!

THINK PINK! with Zeta Tau Alpha

This week will be Zeta Tau Alpha’s annual Think Pink week to support our philanthropy, Breast Cancer Awareness and Education.  The sisters of ZTA have been working very hard over the past few weeks in preparation for this exciting week that coincides with the national October Breast Cancer Awareness and Education month.  There will be booths Monday-Wednesday this week around campus located at Squires, Mcbryde, and West End dining hall.  Be sure to keep an eye out for the girls handing out Think Pink ribbons, information cards for awareness and prevention, as well as donation boxes at the booths.  In addition to the booths around campus, the sisters of ZTA will be having a pancake dinner next week, October 13 from 10-2.  All you can eat pancakes will be served outside of DX and Squires for only five dollars.  The sisters of ZTA could not be more excited about the week ahead.  The girls have been working so hard this week and look forward to raising money and spreading awareness about such an important cause that is close to all of our hearts.  Be sure to check back after this week to see how Zeta Tau Alpha’s Think Pink week went and some pictures of the sisters working toward such a great cause!

Remember to THINK PINK with ZTA!