Enable JavaScript to ensure website accessibility
Kappa Delta 1897 Badge - green

My Experience on Kappa Delta's National Leadership Team

By: Aly Thieman-Ruhl (Pi-Nebraska)

Kappa Delta’s National Leadership Team is a group of dedicated and knowledgeable women committed to creating a better and greater Kappa Delta. NLT builds close relationships with collegians, alumnae, local volunteers and staff and play a key role in shaping the collegiate and alumnae experience. They use all the valuable leadership skills and knowledge gained as a Kappa Delta member and honed through their professional and volunteer lives.

They are mentors, conflict resolution coaches, help others learn to work as a team, and offer goal setting and strategic planning support. More than anything, NLT members help Kappa Delta and its members thrive. We invited Chapter Membership Manager Aly Thieman-Ruhl (Pi-Nebraska) to share her experience on Kappa Delta’s National Leadership Team and encourage anyone interested to apply.

Hey all! My name is Aly Thieman-Ruhl and I’ve had the amazing opportunity to serve on NLT since 2018.  For my full-time job, I work at Clemson University as the Assistant Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life and live in Greenville, South Carolina.  I’m originally from Lincoln, Nebraska and am an initiate of the Pi chapter at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.  As an undergrad, Kappa Delta was the organization that made the most impact on my experience, challenged me to grow as a leader and individual and where I fell in love with the sorority experience.

I knew that one day I wanted to work or volunteer nationally with Kappa Delta to be able to give back to the organization that changed my life, and help other members have a positive and impactful sorority experience.

I worked at Kappa Delta Headquarters as a Chapter Services Coordinator for a year before I went back to working on college campuses.  As I was working to start my career, I took a step away from being involved with Kappa Delta as an alum and I immediately missed being involved. When the opportunity became available to serve on NLT as a Chapter Membership Specialist, I knew it was an opportunity I needed to take.

I currently serve on the Membership Team as a Chapter Membership Manager of Operations (CMM-O).  In this role I serve as a communicator between the Membership Team and National Headquarters, I assist with editing communications that are recruitment and marketing focused and I take minutes for the membership team calls. I also serve on the NLT Travel Team where I get to visit chapters for leadership development visits and recruitment strategy visits. Before serving as CMM-O I was a Chapter Membership Specialist (CMS) where I worked with a division of chapter VP-Ms and CAB-Ms and assisted the chapter in recruitment.

“Being on NLT has truly been one of the best experiences I have had as an alum.”

I’ve been able to connect with new sisters from all over the country that turned into amazing friendships, and I’ve been able to serve as a mentor to current collegiate members and make an impact on their sorority experience.  I remember when I first joined NLT, I was nervous that I wasn’t going to be good enough or that I was going to make mistakes, and instead I was welcomed with a massive amount of support to help build my confidence in the role and to help me when I needed assistance.

Being on NLT has been the volunteer experience that has helped me grow the most and has helped me be a better professional in my career. It’s helped me improve my presentation and facilitation skills, I’ve become more comfortable with having challenging conversations and it has helped me learn skills to be a better mentor and advisor for the students.

By being on NLT, you get to have a whole new Kappa Delta experience. You get a group of other NLT members that will become your close friends, mentors and support system.  You get to make a difference in the lives of collegiate members and alumna.  Lastly, you get to continue to grow yourself and give back to an organization that has already given us so much in our lives.

If you are interested in being on NLT, take the leap and apply! I understand it can be nerve-wracking or you begin questioning yourself if you can do it, trust me you can! You are never in this alone as you’ll be surrounded by an amazing support system.

I hope hearing a little bit about my experience has helped show you that you would also be an amazing asset to NLT, and I hope that you considering applying! I can honestly say it will be a life-changing experience!

If you are interested in applying to be on Kappa Delta’s National Leadership Team, please join National Kappa Delta for a virtual interest session on Thursday, November 17 at 7 p.m. CT. This interest session will answer all your questions about what NLT is and why you would be a perfect fit!

Register for the Interest Session here

opens in a new windowClick here to find the interest survey and apply. The deadline to submit the survey for 2023-2025 appointments is November 30, 2022. Remember, submitting a survey does not guarantee appointment. Everyone who submits a survey will be notified of a decision by March 31, 2023.