A tradition for the Arkansas Alpha Chapter is to host a formal dinner before initiation to celebrate the New Members. At this dinner, Arkansas Alpha Anna Vest was named “Model Initiate” for being involved and demonstrating the Fraternity’s values. In addition, she received a ring that is passed down each year to the recipient. Anna thought it was neat, but admits she did not fully understand what it meant until she mentioned it to her mom, Arkansas Alpha Catherine Thomas Vest.

In a text to her mom, she mentioned that dinner went well, and she won an award for being the model initiate. Her mom asked, “You mean Model Pledge? Really? Me too! I won that in 1986!” Anna sent a photo of her certificate and ring to her mom, who thought it looked similar to the one she wore a few decades prior but she couldn’t be certain. During her next visit home, mother and daughter dug through old scrapbooks and found a photo where Catherine was wearing the exact ring Anna has now. It’s been a great story for Anna to share with her sisters and family.

Anna has a strong lineage in Arkansas Alpha beginning with her grandma Martina Moss Thomas, her mom and her mom’s twin sister Elizabeth Thomas Smith, as well as other family members and friends are members of Pi Beta Phi. As a family, they donated money to help build the new chapter house that opened in the fall. In fact, the snack room is named for their family!

It is extremely special when the women returned to visit the chapter house for the first time. It was fun to hear their stories reliving their college experiences; now Anna understands why her mom remains close to old Pi Phi friends. It is fun to pass along arrow things between family members and Anna admits to getting a lot of arrow items for Christmas. Now Anna can share in and understand the sisterhood that is so special to many of the women in her family.