Sister Spotlight
Shining a Light on Sisterhood
Our chapter is full of interesting and talented sisters from all over the country. Each month we profile a different Tri Delta from our Alumnae chapter. Staying true to the bonds of perpetual friendship, our goal is get to know of membership better than ever!
If you’d like to be profiled or would like to nominate someone please send a photograph and brief bio including college, initiation year, hobbies, and of course your favorite Tri Delta memory to webmaster@trideltacleveland.
Sample questions can be found HERE!
Pamela Daiker-Middaugh, Emory University
What is one of your favorite collegiate memories?
My senior year at Emory University, my best Tri Delta sisters and I spent spring break in Jamaica. We has so much fun together on that gorgeous island.
What is something interesting about you?
I have worked at one place my whole career – I am a law school professor at Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. I have been here more than 25 years! And I still love it as much as I did the first year!
What is your favorite local restaurant?
My favorite local restaurant is the Winking Lizard in Peninsula, next to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, for when I am with my husband and kids (I have a 17 year old son and a 12 year old daughter) and L’Albatros in University Circle for when I am just with my husband or friends.
What is on your bucket list?
My bucket list is having both kids graduate from college! Also more international traveling.
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Denise Wheeler, Cincinnati
One of my favorite things about college was getting to go a week early before school started and practicing our rush skits. We always had a musical theme from a movie or popular songs and changed the words to the songs with DDD words.
What is something interesting about you?
I was a special education teacher for 35 years and love retirement! I now spend my time volunteering on the
Board of the Friends of the Rocky River Public Library. I am also the Chair for a local scholarship given to a female graduate of Rocky River High School.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
So many restaurants to choose from and my favorites are ever changing. This summer they have been Cafe Roma and Ohio City Galley. I’m still waiting for Skyline Chili to return to Rocky River. I would be a weekly patron saying “I’ll have my usual.”
What is on your bucket list?
I have two things for my bucket list. First would be to return to Sicily and spend a month there with family and teach English to the younger cousins while they teach me Italian/Sicilian. The other is to have a 100th birthday party for my house in 2021!
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Sheila Hull
Where did you go to college? Miami University
Hometown? Lima, Ohio
What is the coolest thing that you collect? Native Ohio wildflowers that grow in our gardens. Trillium is my favorite.
What is the most unique vacation you’ve taken? A four week trip to Europe! We went to the UK, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany.
Share one of your favorite collegiate memories. Pledging Delta Delta Delta was such an honor, and I had never met such an admirable yet down-to-Earth bunch of ladies. To be asked to join such a wonderful group of women was the honor of a lifetime!
What do you like best about Northeast Ohio? I love Lake Erie and all our wonderful Metroparks and the Cuyagoa Valley National Park.
Favorite drink? Mosel Riesling.
Favorite local restaurant? Bangkok, a fabulous Thai restaurant on Mayfield Road.
What’s on your bucket list? I’d love to travel around Europe again and would also love to work at the National Parks.
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Mollie Steadley
Where did you go to college? Miami University
Hometown? Westlake / Avon
What is the coolest thing that you collect? Cookbooks
What is the most unique vacation you’ve taken? Saratoga Springs Race Track in Saratoga, NY. Mollie spent 5 days watching the races while her dad taught her how to pick the winning horse!
Share one of your favorite collegiate memories. Driving to Cincinnatti (from Miami, Ohio) on the weekends with four Tri Delta roommates.
What is your favorite Tri Delta memorabilia? My hoodie sweatshirt – as old as it can be, but still Mollie’s go-to.
What do you like best about Northeast Ohio? The dedicated sports fans and my family.
Favorite drink? Pink Lemonade
Favorite local restaurant? Danny Boys in Rocky River
What’s on your bucket list? Spending a week in North Carolina at Samaritan’s Purse headquarters during their annual “Operation Christmas Child” where volunteers pack shoe boxes full of gifts for millions of children worldwide.
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Jessica Goad
Where did you go to college? University of Toledo
Occupation? Special Education Teacher
Growing up, what was your dream job? A kindergarten teacher
What is one thing that nobody knows about you? I can’t touch my toes
What is the coolest thing that you collect? Champagne corks
What is the most unique vacation you have had? Where was it? What made it unique? Diani Beach, Kenya. I was on a volunteer trip in Kenya and took a weekend trip to Mombasa with a group of friends. There was a backpackers resort off the coast. It was absolutely beautiful and completely last minute. I am normally the one to make reservations and check ratings before traveling anywhere. We rode camels on the beach and went snorkeling in the Indian Ocean.
What is your favorite college tradition? Chanting Tridelta cheers in the Greek Village
What is your claim to TriDelta fame? My framed composite picture that my mother thought was necessary to buy every year.
Favorite Tri Delta memory? Taking my Littles
Favorite local restaurant? Luxe
Favorite movie? Bridesmaids
Last book you’ve read? The Happiness Projects
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Ali Lukacsy
Where did you go to college? Carnegie Mellon University
Occupation? Architect, Artist, Activist
Growing up, what was your dream job? I’ve always wanted to be an architect. As a child, I spent hours setting up neighborhoods with my Polly Pockets and begging my parents to take me to the Philadelphia Home shows.
What is the coolest thing that you collect? Postcards of places I’ve traveled and art I love. I want to wallpaper all four walls of a room with this massive collection.
What is the most unique vacation you have had? Where was it? What made it unique? I traveled with a group of Tri Deltas from Carnegie Mellon to visit another Tri Delta working in Kenya. We camped on safari, swam in the Indian Ocean, rode camels, and visited tea plantations where women are empowered to harvest and sell the tea themselves.
If you could spend one day with any one person who would it be? Edie Sedgewick, one of Andy Warhol’s Factory Girls, in NYC in the 1960’s.
Which TriDelta-related item that you own is your favorite? I have so, so much Tri Delta gear, but my favorite is a huge foamcore board given to me by my big as a “Welcome to DDD” present. I remember coming back to my Freshman dorm from class and seeing the giant poster next to my room. I was so proud to be a sister and amazed at how much time and energy my big had invested to make me feel welcomed. I still have it at my parents’ house.
How’d you get to Cleveland?
I’m a Jersey Girl who went to college in Pittsburgh, and lived in China before moving back stateside and to Cleveland for a job offer in 2011.
What do you like best about the Cleveland area? I couldn’t imagine a city more perfect for me. The culture and the people make it awesome. Everyone is so friendly and because it’s a midsized city transforming its identity, it’s so easy to make your mark and be a part of the process towards revitalization.
Favorite Tri Delta memory? Traveling with my Tri Delta collegiate sisters during and after school. And meeting new-to-me sisters. The network of alumnae is awesome.
Favorite local restaurant? I love trying new places and foods, but perrenial favorites are Mason’s Creamery and Barrocco Grill.
What’s on your bucket list? South America and Antarctica – once I check these off I will have visited every continent!
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Lisa Lawrence
Where did you go to college? University of Toledo
Husband/Significant Other? Trevor Lawrence
Kids (ages)? Caden (4) and Luke (2)
Hometown? Cleveland- West Park Neighborhood
What do you like best about the Cleveland area? Rich culture and the fact that we live so close to Lake Erie.
Occupation? Stay at home mom for last 2 years but my background is in Higher Education/Administration. I worked at John Carroll University for six years prior to staying home.
What’s playing on your iPod? All types of music that I use for running outside. Actually always looking for more ideas!
Fav cocktail/drink? Pinot Noir
Favorite Tri Delta memory? So many great memories but I would say those nights hanging out in our chapter house and going to convention as an alumni delegate.
Favorite local restaurant? Fahrenheit in Tremont and Blue Point downtown. For more casual, Nuevo Acapulco
Favorite food? Everything bagels, popcorn, and anything chocolate! Everything in moderation, right?
Last book you’ve read? Currently reading ‘Crazy Sexy Diet’ and ‘The Happiness Project’
One thing that would surprise people about you? Not so much about me, but a little fun fact is that my grandfather was the Mayor of Cleveland in the 1970’s
Craziest job you’ve had? Nothing crazy but worked in the restaurant business on and off since I was 14 as a bus girl, server, and bartender.
Top travel destination? Hope to make it to Hawaii one day!
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Rachel Van Meter
Where did you go to college? The University of Pennsylvania – The Wharton School
Occupation? I used to be a consulting actuary…now I stay home and raise my kids and promote the Body by Vi Challenge.
Husband/Significant Other? Mark Van Meter
Kids (ages)? Alex (6) and Tom (3.5)
Hometown? Needham, MA (home of Jessica Simpson’s baby daddy)
What do you like best about the Cleveland area? THE LAKE…and our place on Kelleys Island!
What’s playing on your iPod? Anything with a good beat I can work-out to. Right now my biggest treadmill motivator is Miss Jackson by Panic! at the Disco.
What is your favorite college tradition? Throwing toast onto the Football field. Penn fans throw toast onto Franklin Field after the third quarter of every home football game. The toast-throwing tradition — in response to the line “Here’s a toast to dear old Penn” in the school song “Drink a Highball” — was inspired by antics at screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The act of throwing toast was adopted after alcohol was banned from the stadium in the 1970’s. Students turned towards bread, and even bagels, so that they could continue to raise a “toast” to Penn.
If money (and vacation time) were no option, what would you do on a month-long vacation? And…if I could be away from my kids for more than 1 day and magically not miss them (and vice versa)???? I would travel all throughout Europe…France, London, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greek islands, Italy, Vienna, Prague…ok, now I’m really jealous of my fake vacation!
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Jeannine Thompson
School: University of Pittsburgh. Initiation Year: 2005
Studied: Marketing; Minor: French; Certificate: International Business
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
What do you like best about Cleveland? I love all of the restaurants. Cleveland has great food!
Favorite local restaurant? Happy Dog
What is your favorite TriDelta-related item: I received a blanket from my big when I first joined Tri Delta. I still use that blanket, and it sits proudly out at my apartment all the time.
What is your favorite college tradition: This year I got season tickets with one of my Tri Delta sisters and some of our college friends for the University of Pittsburgh football games. I’m excited to have started this tradition with one of my sisters and we are hoping to continue it for many years to come.
What is the coolest thing that you collect: I collect Christmas ornaments from the cities around the world that I have been to. When I unpack my Christmas ornaments every year to decorate my tree I get to get to relive my trips and think about all the wonderful places I’ve been.
What is the most unique vacation you have had: I went to Budapest, Hungary a few years ago with a friend. We stayed in a hostel, we went caving and got to spend a day at their natural hot water spring spas.
What is your guilty pleasure: I love Disney movies, old and new.
One thing that would surprise people: I am an archer. I have been shooting archery since I was 11 years old and have competed and now just do it for fun.
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Nikki Figueiredo
School: UCLA
Majors: Political Science + Nursing
Employment: Cleveland Clinic, Main Campus
I recently moved to Lakewood from San Francisco’s Bay Area [and] so far I love it! I was a Tridelt at UCLA where I received a degree in Political Science. After that I pursed a career in book editing for a couple of years which included a move to New York (when I came back I moved to my hometown—right near San Francisco—to get my BS in nursing).
I am really looking forward to going on snowboarding trips this winter and taking walks around my neighborhood with a coffee in hand.
1. What is the most unique vacation you have had? Where was it? What made it unique? A family trip to the Amazon. We stayed at an eco lodge hotel that was built on stilts coming right out of the river and had monkeys jumping on us and macaws flying around daily!
2. What is your favorite college tradition? Celebrating victories in downtown Westwood.
3. What makes you feel pretty? When I’m wearing a new outfit and make-up.
4. What’s your favorite piece of TriDelta memorabilia? My favorite TriDelta item is my oversized coffee mug.
5. What’s on your bucket list? If money were no option, I would do a month long vacation through southeast Asia—visiting ancient ruins, jungles, fabulous beaches and luxury!
6. What is your guilty pleasure?My guilty pleasure is indulging in wine, dessert and a good book.
I’m so excited to get to know everyone!!!
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Melissa Grannetino
School: Denison University
Initiation Year: 2009
Major: Art History, Sociology and Anthropology
Employment: Cleveland Museum of Art
Interests: Art, film, travel
DDD Positions in College: Vice President of Public Relations (2 times), Class Correspondent and Vice President of Public Relations for Panhellenic
Positions in DDD Cleveland Alumnae Chapter: Collegiate-Alumnae Relations Chairperson
1. Growing up, what was your dream job? I wanted to be an astronaut and politician. I basically wanted to be John Glenn.
2. What is the coolest thing that you collect? Lilly Pulitzer dresses. I even snapped a pic in front of her house when I was in Palm Beach a few months ago…it’s for sale!
3. What is the most unique vacation you have had? Where was it? What made it unique? When I was 17, I went on a school trip to the Galapagos Islands. The endemic wildlife species are like nothing else on the planet! A lot of the animals aren’t afraid of humans, including that sharks that swam with me!
4. What is your favorite college tradition? The night before Bid Day, after our last recruitment round, all the women from every chapter would run into the middle of Sorority Circle (right next to the President’s House) and cheer/chant with excitement for the next day.
5. If you could spend one day with any one person (alive or dead), who would it be and why? I would like to spend the day in the Montparnasse area of Paris in the 1920s. I’d be excited to meet artists and writers like Picasso, Dalí and Hemingway. Think Midnight in Paris.
6. What is your guilty pleasure? I love watching the fourth hour of the Today Show, with Hoda Kotb (she’s a sister) and Kathie Lee Gifford.
7. What makes you feel pretty? My pearl earrings, I don’t leave the house without them.
8. What do you like best about the Cleveland area? I love University Circle with all the cultural institutions and restaurants.
9. Favorite Cocktail/drink? Cosmopolitan.
10. Favorite Tri Delta memory? Bid Day!
11. What’s on your bucket list? Be on a reality TV show.
Renee VanLaningham
Lenexa, Kansas has given our Chapter a woman with a great heart, who enjoys spending time with her family, especially her nephew Tyler. She attended Wichita State University and was drawn to Tri-Delta because of our Christian ideals. It also didn’t hurt that she loves dolphins and pansies. Clearly, a sign she was born to be a Tri Delta woman!Sarah Ewing
Sarah Ewing is an initiate of Phi Alpha Chapter, of the University of Toledo, where she majored in psychology. She has a Master of Labor Relations and Human Resources from Cleveland State University, and works full-time as a Human Resources Manager at Aclara, an electronics manufacturing company in Solon. She currently resides in Sagamore Hills, with her husband Tim, stepson Tyler, and their adorable new baby Gabby!
Sarah joined Delta Delta Delta because she was looking for a way to become involved on Toledo’s campus. She renewed her loyalty to Tri Delta and embraced new friendships when she took a leap of faith and joined our Alumnae Chapter five years ago. Her desire to stay involved is proven through her leadership in our chapter, formerly serving as President, Vice President of Membership, and Vice President of Administration.
She pledged her life long commitment to our Fraternity by becoming a Life Loyal member. Her advice for anyone looking to join an alumnae chapter is “Just do it! Find something that interests you and go for it! I promise you will not regret it.”