Nicole Ballou’s joy is contagious as she relives the moment when her chapter, Minnesota Alpha, was named winner of the Balfour Cup (aka No. 1 Chapter aka really. big. deal). It was the final dinner of the 2015 Chicago Convention, aptly named the Wine Carnation Banquet, and Nicole was sitting with her Leadership Development Consultant (LDC) class after a crazy four days of guest speakers and workshops and meeting new sisters.

Cheering on the First and Second Runner up chapters, she felt a pang of disappointment knowing if those two accomplished chapters didn’t win Balfour, her chapter probably didn’t win either. But when Grand President Paula Shepherd said the word Minnesota, Nicole jumped out of her chair, leaving it to fall to the floor, and ran over to give hugs to her chapter’s President and its alumnae advisors. “I couldn’t contain my excitement,” she said.

Now, a month later, Nicole is attending LDC training and preparing to guide other chapters to success. Though she has the distinction of Balfour under her belt, she’s incredibly humble and quick to point out how hard all of Minnesota Alpha worked to achieve Balfour. “I’m especially proud of all the women on our Executive Council who worked to instill a confidence in us to individually raise our achievement levels.” It’s that same confidence Nicole hopes to instill in chapters during her time as an LDC.

She’s also excited to see the country, a phrase she says is cliché but nonetheless true. “I am looking forward to seeing different college campuses and using this year to grow my worldview. I think it’s going to be a really great experience to learn how to work with different people with different personalities and see life through their lenses.”

Nicole is going to miss the University of Minnesota campus during her travels, especially the pancakes at her favorite breakfast place, Al’s, where she’s a regular, and seeing the leaves change on the University’s St. Paul campus. She told her fellow LDCs, if any happen to visit Minnesota Alpha, to visit both locales and to also give “the biggest hugs ever” to the chapter’s cook and House Director. “I hope they love Minnesota Alpha as much as I do,” she said.