Segue is Alpha Omega's annual publication, detailing the past year in our sisterhood. The 2019 edition of Segue focuses on women in music.
A Letter From the Editor
by Kellie Fahy
Spring 2016
This isn't my first rodeo when it comes to Segue. My sophomore year, during my first year as an active sister I put all of my efforts into revitalizing Alpha Omega's yearly publication, because it had been left on the back burner for several years. My junior year I decided to take a break and pass the torch onto a newer sister. But, with this being my last full year as a sister, I wanted to leave everything on the table, and decided to be the Segue creator and editor one more time.
The communications committee helped establish the theme this year, which is Women in Music. During this edition you'll read about women who have influenced us in music, ensembles that a variety of sisters have taken part of, as well as some of the activities we took part in this past year. All of the articles were written by active sisters of the Alpha Omega chapter, and I hope as you read you feel yourself grow closer to our chapter.
Influential Women in Marching Chiefs
by Angel Purganan
Spring 2018
Coming into college, I was hesitant to stay involved in music as a non-music major. I decided last minute to audition for the Marching Chiefs, nervous to perform a piece on an instrument that I had not touched in two months. Miraculously, I made the cut and met Katherine Olney. She was a third year Chief on staff and majored in psychology. But despite not being a music major, she was extremely proficient in her instrument and even had our section perform a well-made arrangement of 'Come On Eileen.' The following year, she became one of our assistant drum majors. Not only was she the only non-music major conducting our ensemble, but she was also a woman in a leadership position that has been previously dominated by men. Katie Olney has been both a musical inspiration and a role model for me to follow. Without her guidance, I would not have been able to pursue my current roles in the music community at Florida State, or the other roles I have pursued as a student leader.
DLC Media
by Sierra Corby
Fall 2018
As a first semester Sister, I did not know what to expect at DLC, especially because Alpha Omega was hosting it this spring. Being the historian of our chapter, I had the opportunity to become involved with the SED and National social media accounts, something I never even conceived of as I entered the sisterhood.
Throughout this process of creating content, I was able to attend snippets of nearly every workshop because I was taking pictures. This led me to see how brothers and sisters from chapters all over the district interacted with one another, something I've never been able to witness before. Most sisters from our chapter were unable to attend workshops
because they had other duties so DLC would run well, but I was lucky enough to at least be able to witness small portions of the workshops. This experience and the things I learned were truly eye-opening to me. Running three Instagram accounts was overwhelming, especially as a new Sister who had not yet experienced a district event, but it was a great experience.
I was able to learn a lot about what goes on behind-the-scenes at district events, and how to create a social media presence that accurately portrays the great things that we as sisters do every day. To have the opportunity to be nationally recognized for our chapter's social media is something I truly take pride in, and it has truly shown to me that it is an honor to be selected to serve.
Hanging with Our Bros
by Mason Smith
Fall 2017
This semester, one of our brothers, Andrew Ramos, created a new opportunity for unity by organizing an interview-style hangout between members of Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi. This was a really awesome opportunity because I remember while I was a candidate I really wanted to go on interviews with the brothers as well as the sisters, so I would have the opportunity to get to know the brotherhood better. I was able to go on an interview with Emely Gazarov, Isabel Hautmann, Andrew Ramos, and Elisa McKenzie. It was really fun getting to know them, I learned more about each of them as a person and what they want to do in their future in KKPsi and the rest of their lives. We did things like, having a cute date at Chili's, Chick-Fil-A, the Sweet Shop next to campus, and Andrew and I walked around campus until we talked on the bench outside of Chiefs field. I definitely look at each of them in a new light and I have a newfound admiration for each of them. I hope that in the future I can hang out with them more and further strengthen the bond between our organizations!
Stepping into the Semester
by Anneliese Muller
Spring 2017
As one of the Stepmasters of Alpha Omega, a big responsibility is teaching new sisters a lot of information within a few weeks in order to prepare for our first performance at our formal recruitment event each semester. This semester, we had 7 new eager sisters join the step team, alongside 13 returning sisters who were excited to review and learn new parts and routines within the first couple of weeks of the semester.
A big goal that I had going into the semester was to work more with our brothers of the Gamma Nu step team and their Stepmasters, which I?m so proud to say got done! The night before our Formal Recruitment performance, both step teams of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma practiced our own individual routines and performed the routine we have together called Convention. The rehearsal was full of so much hype and it was so exciting and inspiring to see our organizations cheering each other on and supporting each other, even just in a rehearsal setting. This pre-performance step team will hopefully become a long-lasting tradition and one that sparks growth in unity between our organizations in the future to come!
Senior Letter
by Katie Olney
Spring 2016
Dear Alpha Omega,
I remember my first semester as a sister listening to Lauren King, our Vice President and my candidate trainer, all choked up, as she read her letter to the sisterhood reminiscing on the love and memories she shared with her Alpha Omega. Semester to semester, I then sat and listened to my Big Sister, Mia, on her bulky iPad, as well as Alissa, Lauren Dillon, Sharon, and my very own candidate sister Emily all do the same. When some sisters go alumni, they write letters sharing their advice for the future of the sisterhood while others sit in silence. Before I leave, I just wanted to share one thing with the circle:
If there is one thing that I learned throughout my time in TBS it is that TBS is what you make of it. My last semester as a sister, thankfully, was my absolute favorite, and that is all due to the fact that I was the most active during my last semester. Remember that when we walk across that stage and we finally become alumni of Florida State University, we start the transition into a very different life, the rest of our life! A life where we would be lucky to be in the same room as 30 of our best friends again. TBS has given us an opportunity to see 30 to 40 of our best friends every single week, and that simply does not happen anywhere else. I would do anything to sit next to Mia, Alissa, Victoria, and Evann in the same room one last time. Revisit your intentions as to why you came out to recruitment week. We all remember being nervous for the first event - not knowing what to wear, sweating because you really had to sell yourself, all while trying look calm and collected, which we have all learned now to be emotional poise. Find your why again. Take the opportunities you have to sit in the same room every week with your best friends, to go to concerts alongside people who have seen and been there for you during your lowest of lows, reach out to those who you have not talked to since your interview during candidacy, and most importantly, do not wish time away. It is easy to want to bail on requirements and see the light at the end of the tunnel when the end of the semester hits because of no more TBS events, but I promise you, if there is one thing I would have changed about my time in TBS, it is taking the time I had in TBS for granted.
Alpha Omega, you have seen me succeed, you have seen me fail, you have seen me break, and you have seen me thrive. Thank you for embarking on this journey with me of immense growth within these past three and a half years. I am thankful all our individual paths have crossed this one time in our lives, and I hope one day all of our paths will cross once again.
Until then,
Your sister,
Katie Olney
Old Dogs
by Caroline Vaverek
Fall 2018
For most sisters, the journey into sisterhood occurs simultaneously with the journey into adulthood. Whether they are new to college or fresh out of freshman year, the majority of candidates are still teenagers when they go through the process. As an older newcomer to the circle, my experiences were wildly different than those of my candidate class. And I'll be the first to admit it: I was scared. Scared that I was too old, scared that I had already established who I was in college and in band, scared that old dogs can't learn new tricks, scared that the life I had carved out for myself at Florida State would be jeopardized by this decision. Of course, in retrospect, my fears were silly. My fellow candidates were going to love and care for me whether I was 18 or 21. My big sister would be my mentor no matter what our age difference is. People, and students especially, are allowed to reinvent themselves whenever they want to.
My experiences in the sisterhood are unique for a few reasons. I came into the circle with an established sense of what college is like, with a group of friends I had spent two years investing in and fortifying a relationship with. Entering candidacy as a junior, without these
friends by my side, was terrifying. It felt as if everything about my life was about to change, and that feeling was not inaccurate. The candidate process was difficult for me in ways that my fellow candidates couldn't always relate to; it was also meaningful and beautiful in ways specific to this chapter of my college career.
I became a sister exactly a year before my graduation date. Time is my enemy in the sisterhood; it prohibits my ability to do so many things that my heart aches to do. But time is also my friend. Having only two semesters to grow in the bond lights a fire in me. I have the perspective to say every day, "What can I do for my sisters today?" "What difference can I make with my time here?" "What can I do with my numbered days that will leave my chapter better than how I found it?" These are the questions, and I'm working all the time to find the answers.
Influential Women in Music
by Paige Brocker
Fall 2017
Throughout high school, someone I really looked up to was my band director, Ms. Franklin. My freshman year of high school was her second year teaching high school after receiving her Masters Degree, and she was still very new to the position. She was classically trained in viola, and although she was still new to the concept of marching band, she looked forward to the job with excitement every single day. She was willing to learn from us and also eager to teach us everything she knew about music. My band director was someone who was courageous in speaking out for the arts in my high school. She constantly made me excited for band class and allowed marching band practice to be stimulating and fun, even in the hot south Florida sun over the four years I was involved in it. She fostered a love of marching band in my heart and encouraged me to pursue my passion in college. The opportunity to pursue my love of music and marching band with the World Renowned Florida State University Marching Chiefs, was a huge factor in my decision to attend FSU. Overall, she was very influential in my growth as a musician and as a person and for that I am so thankful.
Core Four
by Sarah Boland
Spring 2017
I had the opportunity this semester to take part in a special recital centered on unity in the college bands, the first Four-Way joint recital at Florida State University since 2012! Though I only participated in singing Alpha Omega's Sisterhood songs in the recital this semester, it brought me so much joy to be able to share these songs with the other music organizations at FSU, since they are so significant to me and to my sisters. Tau Beta Sigma, Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Alpha, and Sigma Alpha Iota all share similar ideals and goals and strive to better the college bands as well as the musical community. We all have songs that represent our individual organizations and traditions, and these mean so much to each of us and it was such an honor to share those things with each other and come together, celebrating both our unity and also our differences.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this recital was seeing individual musical groups made up of members of each of the four organizations perform! It was great to see so many diverse musicians from different backgrounds working together to create beautiful musical performances! I look forward to seeing this tradition continue in future semesters, and I am especially excited to see how this and other events between all four music organizations will foster our common bond and impact Tallahassee's music community.
If It Fits It Ships
by Jodi Traster
Fall 2017
Website committee is a huge part of how Alpha Omega gives back to Marching Chiefs. As a
committee, we design new apparel for Marching Chiefs and Marching Chiefs supporters, order and organize the apparel, and ship it out to those who order it. This committee requires creativity to come up with new designs each year, communication skills to reach customers who we don't get see face to face, and organization as we have thousands of pieces of apparel to maintain organization of. We sell our apparel to plenty of Marching Chiefs, who pick their items up on campus, as well as ship items to supporters and alumni across the country. In the fall, we get up to twenty orders a week. This is a great way for our sisters to serve the bands as well as raise money, which goes toward Marching Chiefs. It supports our bands through the pride they share in wearing their apparel around campus, and lets parents cheer on their kids at game days! We also offer stickers, which can be found on laptops and cars all around the Tallahassee area and the nation.
Go Noles and Go Marching Chiefs Apparel!
Rhythm and Dance
by Stephanie Wing
Fall 2017
Being in a music organization that focuses heavily on not just band, but the traditional instruments that make up bands has always been a unique experience for me. As someone who is a part of the band but has never played an instrument, finding my place among the plumes has been much easier through the support of my sisters.
Color guard is an activity that combines rhythm, musicality, and passion just as each section in a band does. Through my time I have faced the feeling of not belonging, as if others see me as less, and as if because we do not read music that we are seen as incompetent.
My sisters have taken the time to appreciate my section and to reaffirm to me that guard is just as important to the band as any other section. They have helped me recognize that neither myself nor anyone else in my section should feel as if they don't belong, or are undeserving to be in the Marching Chiefs. Guard is my life and through it I have found a connection to music and people that has proven to last beyond the seasons and beyond the halftime shows.
Exec Letter: Parliamentarian
by Rebecca Giuli
Spring 2017
This past year I had the honor of being selected to serve as our chapter's Parliamentarian. I have learned so much and gained valuable knowledge that I wouldn't have gotten anywhere else! I spent the summer working with a volunteer Bylaws committee to get ready for the school year. I started the fall semester off strong with a small committee of 4 people! While we had a small number of people, we had many ideas that helped us to create proposals to benefit our sisterhood. We worked on defining responsibilities for our Membership chair, and altering the responsibilities of some of our committees. This spring semester our committee grew to 6 people and we got down to business, focusing on reworking our elections process. In the past, things haven't been as detailed as they could have been and because of that we felt the need to make these improvements! We couldn't have done it without the help of the sisterhood, who contributed immensely.
As for our meetings as a whole, we have really improved our efficiency through our use of Robert's Rules. The key to a productive meeting is making everyone comfortable with using Robert's Rules so there is little confusion. I am proud to see the progress that our sisterhood has made and know that we can only grow from here. I am so excited to have the opportunity to serve as the Parliamentarian of Alpha Omega for the next school year. Thank you and much love in the bond!
Sigma Psi Unity
by Lana Schultz
Fall 2018
Alpha Omega of TBSand Gamma Nu of KKPsi have a particularly strong bond dating back to both of our founding dates, May 14th, 1955. We work very closely with our brothers of Gamma Nu. Both organizations who serve our college of music have created a close bond.
Something special that we do together is Unity Week. Our Unity Week consists of TBS families, KKPsi families, a joint service event, big/little day, and candidate class nights. Through these events we further our relationships and make greater strides serving our bands. As a newer sister, these events have made a large impact on how I go into new relationships and strengthen our bond. Each family night for me personally has reminded me that while my personal family line is usually my closest friends and immediate contacts, I have another fifteen to twenty people that can give me new perspectives, advice and help in my future endeavors.
Each night is meant to re-emphasize the bond that each organization has and our appreciation for each other. Our Unity Week has become a prominent event that I and all of our sisters and brothers look forward to taking part in each semester.
March Madness
by Melissa Tillery
Spring 2018
If I'm honest with you all, I joined Seminole Sound for the travel...JUST KIDDING it has been an awesome musical experience, but really, the travel has been a major bonus. This Spring I was able to support our women's basketball team at the ACC tournament in Greensboro,
North Carolina, and the NCAA tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina. I also traveled with the men's team to Anaheim, California for the Sweet Sixteen. In Greensboro, I indulged in the amazing Biscuitville and had an interesting experience at a pretty mediocre Dave-and-Busters-esque arcade...But that didn't matter so much because my friends made it fun. In Charlotte we took a trip to the U.S. National Whitewater Center where I ziplined, rock climbed, mountain biked, and of course went white water rafting. My friends and I also took a day trip downtown where we rode electrics scooters around for some fun sight-seeing. In Anaheim, our hotel was a short walk away from Downtown Disney, so we took advantage of that on our first night. In the coming days, we went hiking at Crystal Cove, played volleyball on Huntington Beach, tried In-N-Out, and went bowling to ease the pain of our team's loss. Overall, I had a really great experience traveling the country with Seminole Sound and am looking forward to the future of both of our basketball teams! Go Noles!
Musical Mothers
by Aubrey Parrish
Spring 2016
My mom has had such a large impact on my career as a musician. She encouraged me to learn the piano when I was very young. Without her, I never would have become interested in learning music. She pushed me to be the best I could be by setting a timer for thirty minutes an making me practice every day until the timer ran out. At the time, I was annoyed by this, but now I realize that she taught me discipline and the importance of practice. Both of these skills have turned me into the musician that I am today. I'm glad that she encouraged me to follow in her and my dad's footsteps and learn many different instruments throughout my time in school.
Hosting the Women In Music Recital
by Emily Busby
Spring 2018
Women in Music this year was such a success! The recital included lots of men and women from all different organizations. We had multiple people from Alpha Omega perform, but also those that are involved in Sigma Alpha Iota and other ensembles in the college of music. It was so wonderful to see all of the different people coming together to empower women. Through music, we shared instrumental works, choral repertoire, and even a step team! We had lots of women in bands show off their talents, which I thought was incredibly inspiring. As an organization that prides itself for supporting women in music, I'm so grateful and proud that we put together this concert each spring.
Online Shopping
by Molly Whitright
Spring 2018
When I got placed on the website committee, I honestly thought I would be designing a website of some sort. What we actually do is all the work for selling Chief's apparel, so technically there is a website involved. Even though it is not what I initially expected, I've had loads of fun working on the committee.
In the Fall, the main work we have to do is filling orders and tracking inventory. At one point before winter break, we all went to Rachel's house to fill orders for the new Marching Chiefs sweatpants we designed. We worked to fill the last-minute Christmas orders, and then we had to transport all of the sweatpants inventory from Rachel's back to the closet on campus. It was a trip, but I had a lot of fun doing it. Orders begin to slow down in the Spring because football season is over, so now we're focusing on designing a new spirit shirt. I really like collaborating with everyone to come up with a design that everyone will like. I really enjoy working on the website committee and I think more sisters should visit our meetings to see all the fun work we do.
Silent Land
by Kassie Provost
Spring 2018
This past semester I had the opportunity to perform a piece of music that no only moved the audience, but moved the people performing on stage. The piece, called Into the Silent Land, was written in remembrance of the shooting at Sandy Hook. The piece starts off with the timpani sounding like a heartbeat. From the first sound, you are trapped into the captivation mystery of where this piece will take you emotionally. There are moments where you just sit there and you wonder what it would have been like in the moment, and what you could have done to help.
The very end of the piece ended with a poem read by three little kids, and when the first little voice came over the speakers I lost my bearings because the poem was about how they would want to be remembered when they are lost in the silent land. I feel very lucky to have experienced this moment with not only my peers, but the audience. I will forever have this memory and would not want to change that experience for anything in this world.
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
DLC Planning
by Kellie Fahy
Spring 2016
Going into my last full year in the sisterhood I wanted to leave an impression. I wanted to step up to the plate and lay everything out there for my fellow sisters. I decided that I was going to take risks, put myself out there, and take on responsibilities that I would usually be a little nervous about, because I didn't want to leave the sisterhood feeling like I had thrown away the last year I was there. So when our president offered me the chance to be our DLC chair, I took it, knowing it was going to be a lot of work, but also knowing that I would have a lot of pride when I came out of the other side.
As the Alpha Omega chair for DLC I worked with one of our brothers, Reannan Riedy, throughout the fall when we were placing a bid, all the way through the beginning of the spring when DLC actually happened. I didn?t realize the amount of prep work that had to go into events like this. All of the TBS and Psi executive board sat around our computers one morning, staring at the screens, waiting for pages on Google Chrome to refresh so that we could request the rooms we needed. The day prior to DLC, another sister and I loaded my extremely small Mini Cooper to the brim with food and water to have at the event. The event itself was a little stressful at first, places were locked that weren't supposed to be, and AV equipment wasn't in rooms that it needed to be, but it all worked out.
Sadly, FSU is currently remodeling our student union, so there was some construction around the area of the conference, but still, I'm so grateful that I was able to show off how beautiful our campus is to the rest of the Southeast District. People were able to walk through the brilliant oaks of Legacy Walk, and see what we get to see every day. It's been a dream of mine as a sister to host a district event, and I'm so grateful that I was chosen to help spearhead the team that put together our bid, and helped both Alpha Omega and Gamma Nu come together so that DLC could run as smoothly as possible.
An Unlikely Ensemble
by Allison Owen
Fall 2016
What started out as a stressful conflict of schedules turned into one of my favorite experiences in college. As we all know, all active sisters are required to participate in a band ensemble, but with new responsibilities came the inability to do just this. My new role as a band leader at my campus ministry conflicted with weekly campus band classes, leading me to meet with our advisor to try to find some sort of replacement. I joined choir in the fourth grade, moved on to a competitive choir in the sixth grade, and continued on with advanced choirs through my senior year of high school. I was in choir years before picking up my instrument, and long before I fell in love with band. Needless to say, I was excited to return to my choral roots after a three year hiatus, but I gained from it so much more than I
ever imagined. Getting to sing three times a week at the collegiate level quickly became the highlight of my week, and renewed my love of music which had somewhat fallen to the wayside with my studies. It also challenged me to dust off my sigh singing skills and to better myself as a musician, and gave me the opportunity to sing in a concert hall that I never imagined I would perform in. Also, it allowed me to learn from and work with Dr. Thomas, a renowned choral conductor, in his last semester before retirement and sing in his tribute concert. Choral union has truly been a gift in so many ways I never would have expected, and I am so thankful to have had this unique opportunity in my last semester of college.
Exec Letter: Secretary
by Cory Schuman
Spring 2017
Being Alpha Omega's recording secretary for the past year has been nothing but an honor. I personally have found so much growth in this sisterhood and I wouldn?t trade the opportunities I've had for anything.
Many sisters don't really know what I do for the sisterhood, which is understandable. Traditionally, secretary has been a bunch of different jobs thrown together, because in the past we either didn't have the resources within the chapter, or it just seemed like someone on the executive board should be doing it. A goal of mine for this term has been to clean up the position and make my job description accurately reflect what it is that the secretary does, while also changing some responsibilities that would make more sense elsewhere. With the creation of the website committee about two years ago, the secretary no longer
needs to constitutionally be in charge of Marching Chiefs apparel. Senior Ceremony is now organized by the social committee and run by R&R because it just makes more sense for them to do it. Programs Chair--which has undergone many changes in the past few semesters due to the rising importance of Focus on Five at the national level--no longer exists and those duties are now under the secretary's job description. With these changes, I hope to engage more sisters while also making the secretary's role seem less random.
Something I am especially proud of is the implementation of Canvas into our sisterhood. Another goal I had for this term was to increase transparency between the executive board and the sisterhood by figuring out a way to publicly track requirements while also maintaining confidentiality. FSU already utilizes Canvas for all classes, so using it to accomplish this goal was a no-brainer. So far, Canvas has received positive feedback from sisters and our membership candidates and I hope to continue making this system better to fit the needs of our constantly changing sisterhood.
Thank you, Alpha Omega, for making my job so enjoyable. Admittedly, being secretary can be a lot at times, but you all have had so much patience and understanding with me that it really doesn't matter. This experience has contributed so much to my professional development and has made me feel more connected to the sisterhood and I couldn't be more grateful.
Coast to Coast
by Anneliese Muller
Spring 2017
Seminole Sound is the Florida State University pep band which plays at every home basketball game and travels with the men?s and women?s teams to ACC and NCAA tournaments year after year. Because our teams have performed extremely well the past few years, (the Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight is something FSU is now very familiar with) post-season travel has become a very exciting time. As a second year in Sound, I have been racking up points through attendance, substitution, and volunteer events since November of 2017. I was lucky enough this year to have gone on a once in a lifetime trip to Anaheim, California to support the men's team as they competed in the first round of the Sweet Sixteen.
I had never traveled further than the Midwest, let alone to the complete other side of the country before, so this experience was one I knew would be unforgettable. Alongside about eight other sisters of Alpha Omega, as well as some brothers of Gamma Nu, this trip was by far one of my favorite experiences in my three years at Florida State. We stayed only a few minutes walk away from Disneyland and Disney"s California Adventure, where some of us spent our day on rides or just walking around the downtown area to indulge in Dole Whip and other Disney delights. My favorite experience of the whole trip was hiking around the Crystal Cove State Park which overlooked Newport Beach and the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean that many of us had never seen before. It was a gorgeous day and one that ended with tasty burgers at one of California's famous In-N-Outs and playing sand volleyball at Huntington Beach. Cheering on the men"s team during our last night in California, although it was a tough game, was something I'll never forget. Our team fought hard until the very last buzzer and cheering those guys on all season, alongside some life-long friends, was an honor. The entire trip was just an amazing experience and an opportunity that I would have never had, had I not been involved in the unparalleled College of Music and Florida State University Bands.
Chiefs Apparel
by Julia Visser
Fall 2017
I have been a member of the website committee for two semesters and I have learned a lot during my time on this committee! Website committee oversees Marching Chiefs apparel and is very similar to running a small business. We brainstorm ideas for new apparel, fill orders, and ship or deliver those orders to students, alumni, and their families. There is a lot of service involved with this committee because we do inventory, pack orders, and ship orders during our meetings. I enjoy being a part of this committee because I get to see the impact our service has on others. Website has been working hard to run Chiefs apparel as smoothly and effectively as possible for two years now. Being a part of the creative process to make new Chiefs apparel has been such a great experience, and I am very excited to see what this committee does in the future.
An Interview With Julia Baumanis
by Nicole Warren
Spring 2017
One of our sisters, Nicole Warren, a junior who also serves as our chapter VP and was one of the section leaders of Marching Chiefs Flutes this past year sat down with one of Florida
State's Graduate Students, Julia Baumanis, who attended FSU during her undergrad. Julia is an alumna of Alpha Omega, and has helped us a number of times in the past, not only
presenting herself to the chapter and membership candidates, so that we may ask her questions about her time in college and what she has done with music in her life, she has always let us know of service opportunities available in the College of Music. The following is the interview Nicole conducted with her:
Nicole: When did you become a sister?
Julia: Spring 2007! Our class was called "Eleven from Heaven" because the sisterhood opted to not take any candidates during the semester before us.
N: What schools did you attend for your degrees? What degrees?
J: I have all 3 of my degrees from Florida State University. I have a Bachelors of Music Education, a Masters of Music Performance in Conducting, and a PhD in Music Education with an Emphasis on Instrumental Conducting. I also have a Certificate of College Teaching.
N: What grade levels have you taught?
J: I have taught high school orchestra and band, as well as middle school orchestra.
N: What is your dream job?
J: My dream job is to be college band director or conductor. I am happy to announce that I have accepted a position at a University doing just that. I can't officially say where yet, but I will soon ;-)
N: What was your dissertation on?
J: My dissertation was on ways to help beginning conductors develop facial expression control. We think we came up with an effective way to teach facial affect control to fledgling conductors- this is exciting because controlling our facial expressions is one of the hardest things for conductors to do.
N: What are your next steps for life?
J: My next steps are to move to my new job and to teach my new students. While I'll miss the students at FSU, I am excited to have my own students again. I plan on presenting at FMEA this next year, so I hope to see FSU people soon :-)
N: Any advice for women in music?
J: Be the absolute very best at your skill, whatever your skill may be (in or outside of
music). That way, you can lead with your talents and success. If you're "good," people will recognize that you are, regardless of gender. Do not give others an excuse to treat you differently. There are already so many situations that will work against you in life- do not add to these situations by being less than your absolute best. Don't wait for others to let you into their kingdoms - build your own empire.
Women are raised to view other women as competitors. Instead, view them as allies. Raise each other up instead of gossiping and knocking each other down. The world is already unfair to us- don't add to the mess!
Senior Letter
by Kellie Fahy
Spring 2016
Dear Alpha Omega,
I suppose the first thing I would like to do is apologize. If you're old enough you know that my first couple of semesters were really rough, and I don't think I acted in a way that was beneficial to myself or the chapter as a whole. And to those who are new, I'm sure I've done that thing where you get old and grouchy, and complain and say stuff like, "Well back when I was a new sister on the block."
Second off I would like to say thank you. Thank you for always putting up with me, either when I am entirely elated and cannot stop talking about the things in life that bring me joy, like seeing Waitress on Broadway with Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz, or when I am down in the dumps. Thank you for listening to me talk for an entire hour during a turtle time, because I just had not spoken to people in person in so long about my life. Thank you for checking me. For telling me that I was rude, or unkind, or that I could've done something better. I think we all need people in our lives that know how to give good constructive criticism, because we should always be trying to be the best version of ourselves. Thank you for giving me opportunities like Segue, and for reading rough drafts of my stories, so I can better my future.
During speed dating my freshman year someone asked me, "What is the definition of a good friend to you?" And I said, "Someone who helps me and encourages me to become a better person every day, and someone who I am able to inspire the same thing within." I have truly found those people in Alpha Omega and I am hopeful that many of these relationships will last beyond college, and for possibly the rest of my life.
I have a few things to leave you with. Always strive to be kinder. It is the one thing that never fails to keep me up at night. The world could always use more kindness. When people speak, listen. Sometimes they truly have wisdom, and sometimes there is wisdom to be gained because what they're saying should never be said ever again. Spend more time with people. It's okay to put school, or to even put TBS on the back burner sometimes. The time you spend here should be so much more play than work, you'll never get the opportunity to do things at FSU as an undergraduate ever again. Take risks, live life to its fullest as much as you can. You have so many opportunities to flourish here, don't turn them down. Do not settle on things that are important. Do not let people speak to you as if you do not know what you're doing. Refer to above and use kindness, but do not let yourself be walked on. It is a tough skill to learn, especially as a woman, but it will benefit you in the long run. Try to learn from each of your adventures. Candidacy has set you up for great progress in the future if you use the skills it taught you. Chiefs has taught me more than I can even comprehend. There is always something to be learned by our life experiences.
I hope you all know how important you are to me. How much I treasure each of your faces. How I have loved getting to know and interact with you, because I probably never would have without TBS. I have learned something from each of you that I will take with me for the rest of my life, and I know I am leaving the chapter in very capable hands. I wish you all well on your journey.
So Much Love in the Bond,
Kell Bell
Step in Time
by Sarah Boland
Spring 2017
"One, two, three- A.O.!!"
I have been a part of Alpha Omega's step team for two semesters now, and it has been one of my favorite experiences as a Sister. It has allowed me to form new friendships, learn about the history and traditions of our chapter, and to strengthen the bond I share with my sisters. I have always loved the thrill of performing, and the feeling of being able to entertain an audience and get them excited about the show. Stepping with my sisters allows me to continue performing and to foster my musical interests even though I'm not able to be a part of Marching Chiefs color guard anymore.
Much of my interest in music came from visual performance arts such as musical theater, dance, and color guard. While I enjoy the opportunity to play an instrument in TBS, step allows me to continue to express myself through visual music. Even though I have been involved in dance for the past five or six years, I never knew very much about rhythms and had not heard of step before I came to TBS. I found it exciting to learn something new, but similar. One of my favorite things about our step team is the ability, and the encouragement, to advance and to change parts; to learn something new and to be part of a different section of the show, no matter how old or new to the step team you are.
There is never a dull moment in Alpha Omega's step team; it has been one of the most exhilarating parts of my college experience to get in front of an audience and show them how dedicated we are and how much we love our Sisterhood, and that's something that will last for generations of Sisters to come.
"T.B.S., hell yeah!"
Grow as We Go
by Rachel Gebeloff
Fall 2018
Ever since I started playing clarinet, the conductor's baton has captivated me. While fixated on my fingers, my eyes would never stray too long from the steady pulse of the conductor guiding our band. The conductor's ability to help an individual grow from little or nothing to greatness is thrilling, however, the student's experience of performing in an ensemble enables them to enjoy the feeling of creating something bigger than themselves. The first time I experienced playing in an ensemble, I got chills. I felt powerful. Although my beginning band squeaked its way through "Hot Cross Buns", I knew at a young age that music was going to take me on an amazing journey. This past semester, I have had the pleasure of playing in the Florida State University Wind Orchestra. If you would have told me I would be playing "Pictures At An Exhibition" in my fourth grade beginning band class, I would never have believed you. The emotions I get from playing powerful music is a feeling I will spend the rest of my life chasing. Music is eternal and provokes so much within me I am so thankful to have had to opportunity to feel.
Building the Bond
by Connor Werner
Fall 2018
As a newer sister of Tau Beta Sigma, I came into our circle assuming that the brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi and the sister of Tau Beta Sigma were very close; however, I actually found that not everyone was as close as I imagined they would be. I realized that in order to maintain unity between our organizations, we have to actively look for ways to form relationships with members of our mirror organizations. Thankfully, my candidate brother Andrew Ramos took the initiative to set a program in place that allowed us to step out of our comfort zone and get to know different brothers. I have loved being able to have more personal face-to-face interactions with brothers of KKPsi, because I now truly feel a stronger bond with each of the brothers I've had the pleasure of talking to. One brother I got to hang out with was Elizabeth Frickey, who had actually been my section leader in Marching Chiefs my rookie year, and who is a fellow member of the clarinet studio here at FSU. In the past, I would maybe say hello to her in passing, but I never really got to know her personally. Through this experience, I learned about her day-to-day life and her future goals and passions, and now I find myself talking to her all the time! I hope to continue this activity as I spend more time in Tau Beta Sigma, and see unity extend further than it has in the past.
Exec Letter: Membership Chair
by Jazmin Murillo
Spring 2016
Being the Membership Chair for Alpha Omega this past year has been the most rewarding experience of my college career here at THE Florida State University. This position has been one that I have admired since candidacy, and I continued to admire it throughout my time in the sisterhood. I remember going on an interview during my candidacy with my great-grand big and then Membership Chair, EJ Huston. Towards the end of the interview, we started to discuss whether or not I saw myself running for an executive board position for the chapter, and if so, which one? I started by answering that I wasn't sure, but the description of Membership Chair was one that interested me, and that would probably be the one that I would run for. I love this sisterhood so much, and I wanted to immediately be there for all of the sisters who have made such a positive and worthwhile impact in my life.
I have loved every aspect of my job, from being in charge of membership discussions all the way to currently planning the Spring Sister's Retreat. There have been some lows, but I made sure to surround myself with supportive and loving sisters who have encouraged me every step of the way, and I can honestly only clearly remember the highs. To the future Membership Chair, remember to allow yourself to be human, remember to find the rays of light in what seems like only darkness, and remember to find moments that make you smile and laugh. This position can get tough, but it can be so, so rewarding if you allow it to be. To the future sisterhood that will exist beyond me, take advantage of where you are right now. You are in such a unique position that not many get to experience in their college career: you get to work alongside your sisters and make a positive impact in our world, however little you may think it may be.
Thank you for entrusting me with this position, for allowing me to continue to be your friend as well as your exec member, and for inspiring me every day with your words and actions.
With MOTS and lots of love,
Jazmin Murillo, proud member of the Linguine Family
Seminole Pride
by Hannah Siebert
Spring 2018
Traveling with Seminole Sound as a sister has been a very special and rewarding experience. This year I was honored to be selected to trave with the Men's basketball team to Charlotte, NC and to Anaheim, CA for the ACC Championship and the NCAA Sweet Sixteen! However, the most unique trip that I took with Seminole sound was to Brighton, FL, to play at the Seminole Indian Reservation's Spring Festival. The Seminole Tribe of Florida gave FSU the right to use the Seminoles as symbolic representation of our university's spirit. We played some of our favorite tunes both on a stage as well as at a rodeo. This was such an amazing experience because we were able to give back to the group that basically defined the FSU Seminole spirit decades ago. Almost every college has a pep band that travels across the country with the basketball team, and ours has provided me with the most memorable and rewarding experiences of my college career. However, being able to give back to the Seminole Tribe is a unique experience given only to members of Florida State's Athletic Bands. It was truly amazing and makes me so grateful for the opportunity to be in Seminole sound.
Growing Together
by Anneliese Muller
Spring 2017
This semester, one of the brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi at FSU made it possible for over 60 brothers and sisters to get to know each other through optional social events and hang-outs. One of the candidate requirements of Alpha Omega and Gamma Nu are to interview two members of the opposite organization, with one of those members being on the executive board. Other than that requirement and the relationships that grow naturally within families and candidate classes, it gets very difficult to organize social events and bonding experiences that we can all attend and establish new relationships. But with the implementation of these new Sigma Psi Hangouts, it's becoming so much easier for brothers and sisters who otherwise might have never sat down and had a conversation to do just that!
The hangouts are randomly paired, regardless of family, candidate class, section, etc. and the hangouts are alternated every few weeks. Making just a little block of time in my day every other week to spend time with a new brother has been so fulfilling, as well as eye opening. Although our organizations operate similarly and exist for similar purposes, we all have very different experiences, which leads to endless opportunities of learning from one another. Hanging out with our brothers has brought so much more love into our bond and, in such a short amount of time, has truly brought our organizations so much closer together - something I hope we will see even more of in the semesters and years to come!
It Is an Honor to Be Selected to Serve
by Katie Shapiro
Spring 2017
Since Tau Beta Sigma, Kappa Kappa Psi, Sigma Alpha Iota, and Phi Mu Alpha, were founded, we've spent a large amount of that time separated from one another. I think that it was nothing short of extraordinary that we were able to represent these wonderful bonds made through music in a concert this past semester.
A part of music that has always been important to me is who you make it with. That community aspect of music making has driven my passion from middle school to the collegiate level. Additionally, I was able to experiment with my voice and branch out of my musical comfort zone by performing with the joint women's choir. I learned new choral techniques and confidence from my SAI sisters. At the same time, I was able to admire the vast talents of fellow women in music. The choir was organized by Elise McKenzie, a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi, who displayed her talents in education and passion for choir. The beautiful song we sang, "When I think of you," had a beautiful melody, which further beautified the voices of the women of Kappa Kappa Psi, Sigma Alpha Iota, and Tau Beta Sigma. The recital, something that I hope remains a fixed event between the organizations, was a fantastic way to showcase our growing bonds, musical passions, and hidden talents.
Senior Letter
by Rachel Scarboro
Spring 2016
In the final days of my undergraduate career here at FSU, I have had little time to grasp that everything is coming to an end. Between attending induction ceremonies, taking final exams, finishing up presentations and projects, and having graduation photos taken, each day feels hectic to me, and I really haven't sat down and processed it all. That said, I have been thinking a lot about TBS, how it changed me, and how I changed it.
When I first came out to recruitment week in Fall 2015, it was mainly for the free food. But after that magical rookie year in Marching Chiefs, I knew I should join Tau Beta Sigma. I wanted to give back to the organization that had made my freshman year special and I wanted to meet others from outside my own section. I quickly found close friends in my candidate class and on my interviews. I was enjoying candidacy, but at that point I still had no idea what being a sister would be like. The moment that changed my candidacy was when I got to travel to SED at Auburn University and experience the organization on a large-scale, business setting. I left that convention ready to hit the ground running and be as involved in TBS as possible.
A few months later, I was at Florida Day in Orlando and heard that no one had put in interest to be the Ways and Means committee chair for the fall semester. I thought there was no way I was qualified as a brand new sister, but if no one else wanted to do it I would give it a shot! I don't know whether the executive board saw potential in me or if I was literally their only option, but I am so thankful for that first opportunity to be a leader in TBS.
That fall, the Ways and Means committee worked hard. We saw a huge success in our Penny Wars fundraiser and increased the scholarship amount for our Wava Banes Turner scholarship. We set our sights on an even bigger project - we wanted to create an apparel website so that anyone could order our items and show their support for the Marching Chiefs! However, this task proved too much for the committee to handle during the busy spring semester. We didn't want to give up on the idea though, so we decided to create a summer committee comprised of volunteers to launch the site before Chiefs started again.
I think being on the ad hoc Summer Website Committee might have been my favorite time in TBS. I got to Skype with sisters each week and keep in touch over the summer. We joked and laughed but made serious progress with each meeting. Everyone on the committee had something to contribute and we were all passionate about the project. Leading that committee, I learned how rewarding it is to see different talents come together and form an amazing product. And I couldn't be prouder of where we are today.
And of course, I can't forget to talk about being Treasurer of TBS. While it was not without stress, I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve. I loved getting to help my sisters out on different projects - from Chiefs banquets to Sister?s Retreats to Joint Recitals to Spring Formals to water bottles to DLC. I loved to stare at spreadsheets of uniform cleaning fees all day, trying to learn as many names as possible. Seeing the smile of a Marching Chief when I recognized them and helped them out is one of the very small ways I found satisfaction in the job.
While it is sad to be leaving Alpha Omega after the last three years, I think I can say that I took advantage of just about every opportunity I had while I was here. TBS gave me lifelong friends, a greater appreciation of music, a dedication to service, and invaluable leadership experience. I am proud to leave my mark on TBS and it certainly left its mark on me. It was truly an honor to be selected to serve.
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