Alumni Spotlight: Meet Mollie Westbrook

Mollie Westbrook.jpg

MOLLIE WESTBROOK

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

MEET MOLLIE WESTBROOK

  • Home chapter – Alpha Zeta @ Indiana University - Bloomington

  • Initiation period – Fall 2010

  • Graduation date – May 2014

  • Major or study concentration – English Literature and Composition, Nonprofit Management

  • Main Instrument – Tenor Sax, Clarinet

  • Current profession – Senior Program Manager, OrchKids

  • Current city – Baltimore, MD

Why did you join KKPsi or what drew you KKPsi? – "I arrived at Indiana University in 2010 knowing little to nothing about Kappa Kappa Psi, or even that it was possible for women to join certain Fraternities. IU is a large institution and can feel very intimidating as a Freshman. I decided to attend Alpha Zeta’s call-out meeting on a whim after hearing that the organization centered around serving the Marching Hundred, which, after being actively involved in volunteering with my band program in high school, seemed like a natural fit for me. At the call-out, Kappa Kappa Psi seemed, initially, simply as an organization that would provide me with opportunities to serve IU’s bands and meet other like-minded students on campus. I would later discover how much more Kappa Kappa Psi has to offer, including the unique fellowship all brothers share. I could have never anticipated the impact this organization would later have on my life.”

What positions or responsibilities did you hold in your chapter? – "I served as Alpha Zeta’s Vice President of Membership in 2013-2014. The Kappa Kappa Psi membership education process was always incredibly fascinating to me; I loved how each chapter could take guiding principles and core curricular concepts and create different educational journeys for their Prospective Members. After experiencing, observing, and studying the Membership Education Program (MEP) for three years, I decided to run for VPM on a platform geared towards overhauling Alpha Zeta’s MEP by making it a participatory, experiential process for the whole chapter. 

During my stint as VPM, my goal was to create a sense of community and belonging for Prospective Members (PMs) from the moment they received a bid from the Fraternity. I believed that the Membership Education process should not be exclusively shared between the VPM/Guiding spirit and the PMs; in order for PMs to be high-striving and fully prepared for the rigors of active membership after completing the Third Degree of ritual, all chapter members had to be involved in their education. With this goal in mind, I created curricular materials, interactive lesson plans, and a robust mentorship program for Prospective Members (PMs) and active brothers. One major piece of work I was able to produce for the chapter was what I affectionately called the “Psinder”. In this 70-page document was all relevant information about the Fraternity from the National Guide to Membership, interwoven between guided facilitation questions about how the history of the organization affects us today. I also created the “PM Project”, which was a tool designed to allow PMs to self-reflect and assess their progress throughout their journey towards active membership. The project was centered around one main question, “What is Kappa Kappa Psi?”, and encouraged PMs to think creatively about how the organization affects them personally and college/university band programs around the country. I had the PMs turn in their projects at the end of their MEP and was completely blown away by the uniqueness of their work. Completed projects included a board game depicting the path from Pre-Prospective Membership to Brotherhood, a 3D mobile, a mixtape with songs chosen to reflect different steps of the MEP, and various original works of art. "

Name a favorite memory from your Active membership. – "There are two events that stand out prominently in my mind from my experiences as an active brother, and both happened within three weeks of each other in March 2014. The first was the night the pledge class I served as the Guiding Spirit for (Epsilon Zeta) went through the Third Degree Ritual ceremony and was initiated into the Fraternity. I was so proud to lead the pledges through the final ceremony; without going into specifics about parts of the ceremony that were especially powerful for me, I can safely say that performing that specific final act of service as Epsilon Zeta’s Guiding Spirit was one of the greatest honors of my life. My actual Dad, Tom Westbrook, was also initiated that night as an Honorary Brother for his service to the IU Marching Hundred, which added an extra layer of meaning to the whole proceedings for me. My Dad proudly displays his Membership Certificate at home and wears his Kappa Kappa Psi beanie in the winter to this day!

The second event was when my chapter, Alpha Zeta, won the North Central District Governor’s Cup. I felt that moment reflected four years of intensive reflection and hard work by my chapter in which we took risks and developed innovative programming that best reflected the needs of our brothers and university. AZ did not enter the 2013-2014 academic year with a goal of winning specific awards, instead we all pledged to strive for the highest as a team. Winning the award was the metaphorical “cherry on top” of a fantastic year of community-building for Alpha Zeta, and was the perfect way to end my career as an active Brother."

How has KKPsi helped you in the "real world"? (professionally or personally, or both)  – "Kappa Kappa Psi is, in my opinion, the perfect organization to help people prepare for the multi-faceted roles and responsibilities of most professions. As a Brother you learn a variety of practical lessons, including time and project management, communicating information effectively, and basic organizational skills, but I felt that the emphasis on Service and Leadership were crucial to my professional development. Kappa Kappa Psi does an incredible job of giving Brothers the tools to become innovators, team-builders, and leaders by creating a standard of excellence for its members to strive towards. I use the Fraternal Code of Conduct as a compass for my work; whenever faced with difficult situations or problems, HIRL is my guide. Above all, Kappa Kappa Psi taught me to “Strive for the Highest”, and I use that motto to encourage greatness from my co-workers, employees, and students every day. "

What are you most looking forward to as a member of the NCDAA? - "Since I’ve graduated, I’ve found myself becoming and feeling less and less connected to the NCD due to various factors (geographic location, career intensity, etc.). I am thrilled that this organization exists to help brothers like myself reconnect with the Fraternity and other alums. I am also hoping to serve as a resource for other alums for their professional and entrepreneurial pursuits!

I also believe that there is a large opportunity for KKPsi and NCD alumni to continue our service to band programs, not exclusively at colleges and universities. Without strong music education programs (and the ability for all students to access them!), university band programs will suffer. I’m excited about exploring and promoting opportunities for alumni to advocate and/or volunteer for these types of programs, especially those that closely align with the values of our Fraternity."

Name one thing you want to get out of the NCDAA. – "I am a NCDAA member living far from my alma mater and far outside of the geographic district. I am hoping that the NCDAA will give me increased opportunity to connect with other alumni in my area (if you’re in the DMV, let me know!)."

Name any of your personal social media accounts that you would like people to connect with you.  "Check out my organization’s website & Instagram pages:”

Name any other contact information that you are willing to share. “Email me!”

Mollie at the CC Concert.

Mollie at the CC Concert.