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Meet Spenser Barnett, President of Tulane Aephi

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Tulane chapter.

Year: Junior
Hometown: Jericho, New York
Major: History, Minors in Business and Art History

What leadership positions did you hold within Greek Life before being elected president of Aephi?
I was the Vice President of Scholarship for Panhellenic the previous year.

What did this entail?
The position was very time consuming. I was required to attend two meetings per week in addition to Aephi’s weekly executive board and chapter meetings. However, I really enjoyed serving on Panhellenic’s executive board. I had to opportunity to work with girls from other sororities on campus and made friends that I wouldn’t have known otherwise. The position required me to disaffiliate during formal recruitment. This disaffiliation as well as the rest of my time with Panhellenic allowed me to gain a really different perspective on Greek Life and recruitment that will be beneficial for my time as President.

Not that your involvement in Greek life isn’t enough, but are you involved in anything else around Tulane/New Orleans?
Unfortunately no, I would love to be more involved. But, Aephi and my schoolwork takes up so much of my time that I wouldn’t be able to fully devote myself to another activity.

What has been the best thing about being President so far?
The best thing about being President so far is that I have been able to help the members of our chapter. It is very rewarding when a girl trusts me enough to come to me with a problem and I am able to help her solve it.

What is the most challenging thing about being president?
The most challenging thing about being President is not being able to make everyone happy. I always try my best to do so, but unfortunately it is extremely difficult to get over 300 girls to be happy with every decision I make.

If you could change one think about Greek Life at Tulane, what would it be?
If I could change one thing about Greek Like at Tulane it would be to make the sororities less competitive with one another. I think we would all be more successful if we were not catty. It would be so great if everyone would recognize that although we are all different and we all love our own chapters, each of us are amazing in our own way. I learned this when I was on Panhellenic. I served on a board with girls who were extremely different from me, yet we all got along extremely well and became friends.

What do you like most about Aephi in particular?
What I love about Aephi is that I know every single girl in my chapter. I know that if I needed anyone in my chapter, they would be there for me and I would be there for them, not because I am president, but because we really know and care about each other.

Any advice for new members in sororities that hope to have leadership positions some where down the road?
So far being President and being a part of Aephi has been extremely rewarding. I would tell new members to get involved! Don’t wait until you are a senior and wish that you had. If you start the pattern now instead of letting the responsibility fall on others then it will most likely follow you until you graduate.

What’s something that most people would be surprised know about you?
Until I came to Tulane I NEVER thought that I would be in a sorority…Look at me now!

Catherine Combs is a Tulane University Alumna, who majored in Communications and Political Science. She  has always had a soft spot for books, writing, and anything Chanel. When not searching for the final touches to her latest outfit idea, she can be found reading.