Louisiana Beta Erin Sweeney Segrest Uffman has three sisters. While in high school, she remembers her two older sisters, Louisiana Betas Peggy Sweeney Macdonald and Shannan Sweeney Rieger, living in the Pi Phi house. Erin loved visiting them! So when it was time for Erin to make a decision about college, she knew it had to be Louisiana State University (LSU) and she knew it had to be Pi Beta Phi.
A few years later, Erin’s younger sister, Louisiana Beta Kelly Sweeney Clements, followed suit. For the sisters from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, it was a goal for all four of them to go to LSU and so they did. “It became a family tradition,” says Erin.
In college, academics was a priority for Erin. She attended most Pi Phi study halls in striving to reach a 3.14 GPA. Why was that important? Pi Phis that reached the Pi GPA of 3.14 received pie for dessert during a special dinner! Along with the “prize”, Pi Phi helped Erin get plugged in with sisters in similar classes or who had the same major, which helped with her studies.
Erin created a strong family bond with the women in her chapter. They worked together in community within the University. “It was very much a togetherness and family within a large university,” she says.
The love of LSU and Pi Phi has gone to the next generation in their family as well. Erin’s own daughters attended LSU and to no surprise joined Pi Beta Phi. Erin is proud of the experiences they both received from their membership in Pi Phi.
Her first daughter, Louisiana Beta Mackenzie Segrest, was not in a leadership role in high school, but Erin encouraged her to be involved when she reached college. Mackenzie served as Vice President of Philanthropy for the chapter. Now Mackenzie continues to serve Louisiana Beta as a member of Alumnae Advisory Committee (AAC).
Erin’s other daughter Louisiana Beta Brennan Segrest had not managed a checkbook prior to becoming the Vice President of Finance for the chapter. Not only was Brennan an Accounting major, but also learned a lot from her AAC counterpart that has helped her with her career.
For Erin, her daughters’ successes have been so rewarding. Their membership in Pi Phi has brought them all close in a new way by sharing sisterhood stories and attending alumnae club events together.