Omega Phi Alpha is headed to South Carolina! Join your sisters in Greenville July 11-14 for our biennial convention. As always, meet new sisters, visit those you know, serve the local community and have FUN!
The theme of this year's convention is "Helping Hands for Life." Omega Phi Alpha has always been at the forefront of making a difference in the lives of others through various service projects. To tie in with the national song and our 2023-2024 President's Project, we will celebrate our commitment to actively engaging in providing service to others through a hands-on approach. Not only will use our hands to help the city of Greenville, we will celebrate all of the hands-on service that our chapters and members have done throughout the year. Our hands hold the power to transform lives and shape communities for the better!
In response to member feedback from 2022, we have condensed the duration of Convention this year and the events will kick off at 4:00 pm on Thursday and conclude at the awards gala on Saturday evening. We will have a casual, drop-in breakfast buffet on Sunday. Our hotel room block at the Hyatt Regency starts on Thursday, so feel free to arrive at any point on Thursday. No official events will be held on Sunday. We are offering Saturday-only registration for those who are local to the Greenville area and want to participate just for the day.
Registration is non-refundable and all additional registration costs such as activities or merchandise are non-refundable. If you need to transfer your registration to someone else, please reach out to events@omegaphialpha.org prior to June 15, 2024.
This event is hosted by the Omega Phi Alpha National Service Sorority
Consulting Cafe is an opportunity for active members of Omega Phi Alpha to meet with a member of the Chapter Health Team, Board of Directors, or Operational Leadership Team. This is a good opportunity to discuss challenges and concerns with chapter management, chapter finances, membership practices, etc. You do not need to schedule a time, but you can always find a team member and request a specific meeting with them.
Consulting Cafe is an opportunity for active members of Omega Phi Alpha to meet with a member of the Chapter Health Team, Board of Directors, or Operational Leadership Team. This is a good opportunity to discuss challenges and concerns with chapter management, chapter finances, membership practices, etc. You do not need to schedule a time, but you can always find a team member and request a specific meeting with them.
Join Omega Phi Alpha alum and former Alpha Zeta Chapter President, Dani Frank, as she shares her story of addiction and how it transformed her life. Dani battled her addiction through inpatient and outpatient treatment and her experience led her to obtain her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Georgia. She now works as a Substance Abuse Counselor at a 28-day Substance Use Treatment Center. In Dani’s day to day life, she interacts with clients, their families, and peers who often say that they never thought it would be them or their family, friend, or sorority sister who was an addict. Addiction and alcoholism is truly an epidemic in our country and Dani wants to educate Omega Phi Alpha sisters. This workshop will cover: 1. Signs to look for in struggling sisters, friends, and family members 2. What to do if you suspect a friend or family member is abusing drugs/alcohol (ex. not enabling them by giving them a place to live - which is very against our nature as "helpers") 3. Treatment options (inpatient, outpatient, long-term, self-help groups like AA, SMART Recovery, Dharma Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, etc) for those who are struggling 4. "Up and coming" or trendy drugs to look out for that are becoming more popular, such as Xylazine 5. Training on how to use NARCAN and where to buy it 6. How to use fentanyl test strips and the importance of using them even for marijuana
Join Omega Phi Alpha’s Legal Advisors, alumni Radha Manthe (Nu) and Cristina Azcoitia (Omicron), in a judgement-free dialogue with a behind the scenes review of sorority risk management policies and procedures. In this session, chapter leaders will discuss: - The risks that OPhiA’s policies and procedures (including alcohol, drugs, hazing, harassment and discrimination) are designed to protect against; - Common situations where these policies and procedures come into play; and - What you can and should do when you identify a potential violation of a sorority policy. This is a safe place to engage in open conversation about risk management and to reinforce our shared commitment to ensuring each other’s health and safety within the sorority. This workshop is designed for chapter leaders, but all are welcome to attend.
Showing up for someone who is struggling with their mental health is a powerful and important skill, but many of us don't know what to say when someone shares. Validate-Appreciate-Refer (V-A-R) is Active Minds' simple, revolutionary tool that empowers people to have meaningful conversations with those around them. Through this presentation, participants will be equipped to actively listen and effectively respond when someone lets them know they are having a hard time. A conversation can make all the difference and help prevent a crisis from developing later. Join Active Minds for an interactive and engaging conversation about mental health and gain tangible skills to promote a climate that is supportive of mental wellness. By the end of this workshop, participants will... - Understand the meaning and usage of the V-A-R tool. - Identify at least three “barriers” we may have in place that may impede our willingness to engage with someone about their struggles. - Explore circumstances that may impact mental wellness among our peers, colleagues, students, employees, family, friends, etc. - Engage with current trends in mental health, based on data - Discuss the value and importance of self-care as a critical component of mental health In addition, participating members will receive V-A-R certification, a covetable resume-booster recognizing your training and commitment to mental health. Costs for this workshop have been covered by a grant from the Omega Phi Alpha Foundation.
Free concert happening just outside the hotel!
Consulting Cafe is an opportunity for active members of Omega Phi Alpha to meet with a member of the Chapter Health Team, Board of Directors, or Operational Leadership Team. This is a good opportunity to discuss challenges and concerns with chapter management, chapter finances, membership practices, etc. You do not need to schedule a time, but you can always find a team member and request a specific meeting with them.
Come, mingle and network with the Foundation Board during the networking reception. At dinner, we will celebrate our donors and share how their contributions have allowed the Foundation to grow and support the members of the sorority as well as share our vision for the Foundation’s future. Admission includes one raffle ticket. -- All information about this event was provided by the Omega Phi Alpha Foundation. If you have questions about this event, please email foundation@omegaphialpha.org.
Join us as we host two concurrent service projects to benefit the Greenville community. This project will be preparing snack bags for families visiting the McCall Hospice House. This free-standing 30-bed facility in Simpsonville is the first hospice house in the Greenville area. They provide inpatient hospice care to patients who have complicated pain and symptoms to manage. Inpatient respite care is also available to relieve exhausted caregivers. The soothing environment was thoughtfully designed with patients in mind, boasting private rooms equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment, private baths, and outdoor patios. Family gathering areas with vaulted ceilings create inviting areas to encourage visits from loved ones. The on-site chapel offers a place for quiet reflection and prayer, while the gardens expose patients to the beauty of the outdoors. All members can bring donations of snacks - sweet and savory. All snacks must be shelf stable and within their expiration date. We will also be making cards of encouragement to go in the bags and will accept donations of card stock and markers/other supplies.
Join us as we host two concurrent service projects to benefit the Greenville community. In this project, we will be partnering with the Period Project to host a packing party to prepare back to school kits for students in/around the Greenville area. The Period Project aims to facilitate better access to menstrual hygiene products to individuals in need; advocate for equal and tax-free access to these essential products; and raise awareness of period poverty by leveraging voices around the country. You can read more here: https://periodproject.org/pages/we-provide-period-packs We will be accepting donations for period projects to pack at this event. More information to come.
Can you identify your emotions and understand why they’re happening? What about the emotions of others? Are you skilled at spotting and responding to their cues? Those with high emotional intelligence readily recognize their feelings, manage their reactions, and build positive interactions with others. A skill that leads to success inside and outside the office, emotional intelligence is well worth refining. Join Omega Phi Alpha alum, Juanita Wade (Alpha Sigma), as she leads members through this workshop to increase emotional intelligence.
Join a representative from South Carolina's Office of Suicide Prevention as they lead this session. Talk Saves Lives is AFSP’s standardized, 45-60 minute education program that provides participants with a clear understanding of this leading cause of death, including the most up-to-date research on suicide prevention, and what they can do in their communities to save lives. Participants will learn common risk factors and warning signs associated with suicide, and how to keep themselves and others safe.
Join Friendship Coordinator, Meaghan McQueary, for an IN-PERSON meeting of The Book Buzz!
Join the Foundation Board of Directors to get an update on the Foundation’s activities and progress over the last year.
Participating in a sorority and especially in a leadership role can provide valuable opportunities to develop various professional skills that are highly transferable to the workplace. Join national staff, Taylor Outler and Jenna Zielinski, as they lead this session focused on the importance of your personal and professional growth and using OPhiA as a platform for skill development.
Join local CEO, Chad Prashad, to learn more about personal finances, improving credit scores, and financial responsibility in our evolving economy. Chad Prashad is the President and Chief Executive Officer of World Acceptance Corp. A Greenville-native, Chad Prashad is active in the business, nonprofit, and education communities to improve life in South Carolina. Prashad and his wife have been active foster parents for 12 years and he serves on the board of directors of nonprofits Build Carolina, Fostering Great Ideas, The Family Effect, National CASA/GAL Association, American Financial Services Association, and Presbyterian College. Prashad also operates a charitable foundation, CHAM Innovation Fund, which has partnered with Presbyterian College (PC) to offer two innovative programs. Starting with 16 freshmen in August 2023, Jacobs Scholars offers a full-scholarship and wrap-around support in what has become the largest program of its kind in the U.S. for college students who experienced foster care. In 2022, Prashad and PC launched what is now the largest Service Entrepreneurship Case Competition in the nation for high-school students (including scholarships, mentoring, and start-up capital) to help mold South Carolina’s next generation of community leaders.
Join us as we induct new members into the Alumni Society to celebrate their milestones (open to all members). This will be immediately followed by our awards gala. The gala is a celebration of chapters and their accomplishments. We will also honor alumni award winners. Once the awards ceremony concludes, we will open the dance floor with the DJ as well as the 360 photo booth and selfie station. Dinner will be provided. If you are bringing a guest, please purchase a guest gala ticket. Dress in what makes you feel celebratory! For example: cocktail attire, semi-formal attire, or your Sunday best.
Breakfast buffet will be provided.
