Hello Spring!

There’s nothing quite like the sunshine and sparkle of early spring. You know what that means, another week to highlight sisters who are blooming right where they’re planted and growing into the women they strive to be.

Grace Pouch

Grace Pouch embodies our motto “We Live For Each Other” as she serves our chapter as Co-Chaplain and seeks to bring community through Christ into our all of our lives.

“Emily Gaskins and I were interested in running for Co-Chaplains together so that we could find a way to better serve and love on our chapter as a whole. We saw this as an opportunity to give back and best pray and encourage the girls of ADPi to know that they are known and loved by their Father. Out of that place of love from the Lord, we hope that girls would better love their sisters, friends, family and Clemson as a whole.

ADPi has created a sense of community here at Clemson for me. It has given me all kinds of love and support from friends that I know will push me to be my best but more importantly continue to point me back to the Father along the way.” - Grace Pouch, AC ‘17

Fun Facts about Grace:

- Where is your happy place? Jinja, Uganda, a place full of people that are so close to my heart

- Who is your biggest role model? My role model is my dad, Andy, a man who has overcome so much persecution and hardship but has maintained such a joyful spirit through it all. He has taught me the value of hard work and service to others and for that I am so grateful.

- If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Super knowledge!! It would save so much studying time ;) and give me more time to spend with the people I love.

Abby Martin

As the end of the year quickly approaches, it’s time for another group of our sisters to “pi-out” and take on the real world. Abby Martin, who has called the town of Clemson home for her entire life, pauses to reflect on her past four years and what it is that makes TigerTown oh so special.

“My senior year in one word would be people. I have come to realize that what I will take away from college are the relationships and the lifelong connections I have made. Yes, the lessons in the classroom will get you to the next stage in life, that dream job, or that professional school. But when it comes down to it, the important things in life are not the lines on your resume, the organizations you are in, or the tasks you are able to check off; it’s the people in your life that make the small moments special and who will be there for you always. Many of the relationships I am confident will last many years after college I made on bid day when I ran down the hill to ADPi. Clemson alumni always say, “We spend four years trying to get out of here and a lifetime trying to get back.” But again, take the people out of this place, and it would lose its meaning. It’s because of those around you, those that came before you, and those that will come after you that make Clemson so special.

My favorite Clemson moment was actually my first day of being a Clemson student, move-in day. Out of all of the wonderful memories, I chose this one because I had my four full years in front of me. I moved in with my now best friend, Layna, and we actually ended up both going ADPi. We then lived on the hall together the year after as well. Every moment since move-in day has been full of growth, excitement, lessons, memories, and friendship. It is impossible to leave this place the same person, and I look back at my four years from that day forward fondly.

ADPi is far more than just a sorority for me. It’s far more than a group of 240 girls wearing the same letters. It is a lifelong bond that extends beyond the four years we walk this campus. ADPi is my support system. When I have fallen down, my sisters are there to pick me up, and they challenge me to be better than the woman I was yesterday. Two phrases that define ADPi for me are “everlasting community” and “servant leaders.” I cannot wait to continue the beach trips and Clemson tailgates for years to come, and I could never thank my sisters enough for the way they have served me, served beside me, and taught me how to better serve others during my time at Clemson.

Over the past four years, I’ve learned: (1) Life is a gift. Do not take those around you for granted because tomorrow with them is not promised. (2) Don’t get too caught up in grades or meetings for organizations. When you’re a senior looking back you’ll wish you could turn back the clock to spend more time with the friends that are about to scatter all across the United States after graduation. (3) I have never felt more uncertain about my future than during my college years, and outside pressures add to the pressure you already put on yourself to constantly know what’s next. Trust in the bigger plan and know that the Lord is guiding you no matter how lost and in the dark you might feel.

My advice to freshmen would be to not get caught up in the number of organizations you are involved in. Seek your passions above all else, and everything will fall into place. Spend every moment you can with your friends because the little moments with them will be what makes college such a sweet time in your life.” - Abby Martin, AC ‘15

Fun Facts about Abby:

- Weirdest food you’ve ever eaten? A zebra burger in South Africa!

- Funny story? I believed in Santa Clause until the 8th grade when my teacher gave us a writing prompt to write about the time when we found out Santa Clause wasn’t real.

- Favorite quote? "At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent." - Barbara Bush

Victoria Entsuah

Victoria is turning into quite the business-savvy sister through her role as a brand ambassador for Bumble, an online dating and networking site where women are required to make the first move, shifting traditional power dynamics and encouraging equality from the start.

“I think Bumble is very different compared to many online dating apps. First of all, we aren’t just limited to the dating scene, we also have “Bumble Bff” and “Bumble Bizz” modes as well. Bumble’s app is very versatile in what it has to offer to its users. If you have a boyfriend or girlfriend - Great! We have the BumbleBFF mode so you can find some cool friends near you! If you feel like you already have cool friends, but your professional life is lacking - awesome, BumbleBizz is for you! We’ve got it all in ONE app. There is honestly no reason to not download Bumble; they have a growing presence and I thought it would be cool to represent such an influential company.

My responsibilities as a Bumble ambassador are to grow Bumble’s presence on Clemson’s campus in terms of brand awareness while spreading their mission of equality and kindness and grow personally and professionally as an ambassador within the program and gain transferable skills that are applicable to all areas of life. I feel like working as Bumble ambassador has allowed me to market for the company on my own platform. I am a marketing major, so I would love to pursue a career in the marketing field. Being an ambassador is like being a remote marketing representative for the brand. This gives me a little more insight into the marketing field and a cool experience to put on my resume! I have learned how to market for a larger company in my own way which has boosted my creativity. I have also discovered how much behind-the-scenes work goes into planning the Bumble events and building their presence on our campus. My favorite part is seeing how people like to know more about the app and how they use it! Bumble is also very empowering of women and it is just awesome to see how far they have come as a company and what is next to come as well.” - Victoria Entsuah, AC ‘17

Fun Facts about Victoria

- If you could be in someone else’s shoes for 1 day who would it be? Kendall Jenner, just to see what her life was like

- Favorite Clemson memory? Super cliche, but probably winning the national championship twice while I’ve been at Clemson. Something me and my sister bicker about all the time. She’s super jealous.

- Favorite quote? “If you ain’t weird, its weird"