Gamma Sigma Sigma President: Liz Hoesly

Meet Liz Hoesly (pictured above dyeing her hair red for her soroity’s THON child last year), a senior Integrative Arts Major, who is not only president of Gamma Sigma Sigma, but is also taking 21 credits and working three jobs this semester.  As a Pledge mom in Fall 2010, she went above and beyond her title duties for the better of the pledge class and her sorority.  As president, Liz has made weekly Chapter meetings more efficient and transitioned the entire sorority to using Google for communication and organization.  And it doesn’t stop there.  Needless to say, Gamma Sigma Sigma considers her to be a superwoman.  

What is Gamma Sigma Sigma?
Gamma Sigma Sigma is a national service sorority that was founded in 1952.  Dedicated to the ideals of service, friendship, and equality, membership is not limited to anyone in particular.  Any individual who completes the member-in-training process is allowed to join. The Tau chapter of Gamma Sigma Sigma at Penn State University has approximately 100 members, all of whom continuously participate in service opportunities on campus and in the community.  

How did you become involved?
As a high school student, I heard of Gamma Sigma Sigma through a family friend who was a member at Penn State.  She always talked about how great of an organization it was and how much she enjoyed being a member, so I decided to check it out.  During my freshman year, I attended a few of the rush meetings and decided Gamma Sig was the place for me.  Ever since then, I have loved becoming more and more involved with the sorority and have made some amazing friends in the process.

Why is it important to you to be involved?
It’s important for me to be involved in Gamma Sig because it’s something I really enjoy, and it is also a great opportunity for me to give back to the community.  I’m a true believer in the idea that you get out of something what you put in.  As someone who has always been very dedicated to the sorority, I have learned a lot, made some wonderful friends, developed my leadership skills, and served the community, all the while having a wonderful time.  It’s truly been a life-changing few years in Gamma Sig, and without being so involved, I don’t think I would have had the same experience.

What is your favorite part of Gamma Sig?
My favorite part about Gamma Sig is the fact that I have found a home at Penn State.  During the beginning of my freshman year I was feeling a little homesick, and Gamma Sig gave me the opportunity to get involved, help other people, and make great friends.  I am still very close with the friends I made freshman year, and I’m even living with a few of them.  I have also really enjoyed having the opportunity to get involved with so many different service events and being a part of an organization where the members all really love doing service.

Who is your role model and why?
My role models are my parents, brother, and sister.  My brother and sister are my two best friends, and I lean on them a lot.  They’re both amazing people who I am so lucky to have as siblings.  I look up to my parents too for many reasons. They have taught me pretty much everything I know about living life.