As the president of the largest service sorority on campus, Alison Saum has devoted her time at USC to helping others. Before Alison came to USC from Charlotte, North Carolina, she didn’t know what a service sorority was. After finding Epsilon Sigma Alpha at the student organization her first semester here, she knew, “she had found her people.”
Alison is senior exercise science major and a dance and psychology minor at USC. Along with the many officer and executive positions she has held in Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Alison has also choreographed and performed for the student choreography showcase with the USC Dance Program.
Alison explains that service sororities are different than Panhellenic sororities, but they tend to incorporate many of the same qualities. Service sororities are smaller and more service based, and they tend not to hold as many social events as Panhellenic sororities. But, they still hold social events such as semis, functions, and mixers. They also follow many of the sisterhood processes like bigs and littles. Service sororities hold their recruitment in both spring and fall during the first couple week of classes and require girls who get bids to complete the pledge process before initiation.
Alison encourages girls to rush a service sorority because, “Getting involved in ESA helped me find many different opportunities and meet people involved throughout the USC community. As part of ESA, I participated in Dance Marathon, St. Jude Up Til Dawn, Service Saturday, and other campus events. In a service sorority, you find a group of people from a variety of backgrounds [who] are also in different organizations [and] who all share a passion for serving the community.”
Alison loves ESA because, “to be in a group of people coming from a variety of backgrounds and interests who all share a passion for serving their community is truly special.”
Before she took over the role of president, Alison served as sisterhood and philanthropy chair for ESA. “After working as philanthropic chair, I really wanted to get ESA more connected with the Columbia community. Most importantly, I wanted to become president so that I could ‘be there’ for the officers. I want our current and future members to have as wonderful an experience as I have had, and being president gives me the chance to help the sorority continue to grow and teach others.”
From her experience this year as president, Alison hopes to develop her communication and leadership skills to prepare her for her career in health care. “Continuing to challenge my leadership skills has been another great aspect of being president of ESA. In leadership positions, you have to be able to work with others’ personalities – you cannot expect everyone to work in the same way you do just because you have a leadership position.”
After she graduates in May, she will be attending Northwestern University to earn her Doctor of Physical Therapy. She wants to work as a physical therapist for dancers so she can merge her studies and passion. She sees her career in physical therapy as a way to continue her lifelong passion of helping people, but she doesn’t plan on leaving her community service days at USC. Alison also plans to continue her service when she attends Northwestern by volunteering in local farmers markets and teaching ballet to children with Cerebral Palsy.