Girl with the Arrow

Jessica Swann '08 (September 2007)
Current Kianu Active President

Interview:

Jess Swann

• What inspired you to run for president of the XAN Club?
  JS: I pledged as a sophomore and quickly regretted waiting the extra year. I wanted to make the most of the short time I would have in the club. I had always thought of being president as such an honor and I actually was very shy about the idea until out of the blue some of my sisters approached me about whether or not I planned to run for the office. They were incredibly encouraging and if not for them I probably would not have had the guts to go for it. I'm definitely glad I did though...I've only had the position since spring but it’s already proven to be such a pleasure and a challenge. I know I'm going to learn a lot this year.
  
  
• Twenty years from now, what hopes do you have for Chi Alpha Nu? What do you hope the club will be doing at that point?
  JS: I really hope that in twenty years Kianu still upholds the standards and values we have now. We pride ourselves on being classy and always striving to be better. I also hope that Kianu continues to be a club that both the school and the community can count on for our philanthropy. Another thing that is very important to me is that the club remains a tightly bound sisterhood and that our secrets and traditions remain intact.
  
  
• Why did you choose Muskingum?
  JS: I came to Muskingum because I fell in love with the charm of the campus really. Every time I return from a break I make a loop around the campus, just to look at it. In addition, I loved the small-school atmosphere and our "Muskie Hello". I have quite a few friends from high school who have come to visit and commented on how different and more intimate our school is from any other they've ever been to.
  
  
• What is your favorite Kianu memory?
  JS: Pledge day- I didn't even make it past the Ulster lawn before I was tackled by my future Big (Elysa McKinney) and shortly thereafter by countless more girls. I felt so welcome with the Kianus and I knew without a doubt I had made the right decision. I had wanted to be a Kianu since my very first day on campus and it was so exciting to finally be there.
  
  
• What is your favorite non-Kianu memory?
  JS: My favorite non-Kianu memory at Muskingum would have to be the football season during my sophomore year. Three of my friends (which includes Kianu Alumna Brittany Lauffer) and I had t-shirts made with our favorite players’ names and numbers on the back. We made them door signs and posters. We even got Dr. Steel (the current president of M.C.) to give us one of those huge black and magenta flags to have for the games. We even had our pictures taken for the newspaper. It was a blast!
  
  
• What is the number one thing you would like to accomplish this year as president?
  JS: Well, this may seem like a strange answer, but a lot of the Greek clubs have really been under scrutiny in the past couple years. There have been changes in the Greek Life administration so there will be a lot of adjusting this year. I would like to leave the club in good standing with the school and, if possible, try to improve the schools outlook on Greek Life in general by having all the Greek clubs strive towards improving the Greek system.
  
  
• When did you decide you wanted to pledge Kianu (during the fall, rush, or pledge day)?
  JS: I had wanted to pledge Kianu since the beginning of my freshman year and looking back I really don't know what kept me from pledging then. Sophomore year I really became a lot more active on campus and was very excited for rush and pledging.
  
  
• What made you want to become a Kianu?
  JS: I wanted to become a Kianu because immediately when I came to Muskingum it seemed as though every girl I met who really made a big impression on me in a positive way turned out to be a Kianu (especially Jessica Labs, Alainna Amicone, Hallie Harmon, and Myra Enos). Then, half my floor in Mem 2 pledged Kianu and after seeing them go through rush, pledging, and become actives. I wanted to be a Kianu even more because while I saw girls from other clubs change in a negative way, Kianu seemed only to enhance the already admirable qualities the girls already had.
  
  
• When you first visited the house, what was your first impression?
  JS: The first time I was ever in the house was during rush. I remember being so impressed with the house...everything was so neat and pretty. I loved looking at the composites and the scrapbooks. All of the actives seemed to be having so much fun with each and they were so friendly to all of us rushees. It was definitely a place I saw myself being a part of.
  
  
• Which Kianu sister has had the greatest impact on you?
  JS: I don't think I can pick just one sister… but the class of 2007 had quite a few girls who really impacted me in different ways. Some helped push my academically, others socially. I learned so much from them. They are the girls that I looked up to the most, both as an independent and then a Kianu. I miss them all so much!
  
  
• What do you want to do after you graduate?
  JS: I'm a business major, so I'm hoping to find something in that area. My career isn't what I want to focus my life on though. I can't wait to start a family. That's probably what I look forward to the most. And Kianu alumnae gatherings, of course!
  

Last Update: September 2007