ASU grad took Greek life by the reins

Though she was tentative about becoming involved in a sorority at first, Sarah Balis knew she made the right decision once she met her sisters. Coming from Plano, Texas, Balis knew she needed to jump-start her campus involvement; Alpha Gamma Delta and clubs like Hillel Jewish Center and Challah for Hunger allowed her to do just that. 

ASU graduate Sarah Balis

Pledging Alpha Gamma Delta and earning her bachelor’s degree in communication not only helped Balis hone her communications skills but also provided hands-on opportunities to develop her skills as a leader.

According to Balis, the communications department taught her amazing skills she was able to perfect through her sorority and other executive board positions.

Now, as a new ASU alumna, she looks back on her first four years as a Sun Devil and what made them so life-changing.

Question: What extracurricular activities were you involved with while at ASU?

Answer: Alpha Gamma Delta (VP of campus affairs), Hillel Jewish Student Center (student president), Challah for Hunger (VP of marketing), ASU Panhellenic Council (VP of campus relations), Students Supporting Israel, and I served on the Fraternity and Sorority Life Greek Week committee for four years. 

Q: What inspired you to join Greek life? 

A: As an out-of-state student, I was looking for a way to get involved on campus. I tentatively signed up for recruitment but ended up falling in love with my organization. Joining a sorority was definitely one of the best decisions I made while at ASU!  

Q: What is your favorite part of Greek Life? 

A: My favorite aspect of Greek Life is the impact those students have on the community. Greek Life literally shapes the future leaders of our generation. ASU Fraternity and Sorority Life provided me with endless opportunities to develop personally, professionally and as a leader. 

The staff are so caring and have turned out to be amazing mentors. I am so grateful for my time at FSL because I learned how to be a confident leader, and I practiced skills like public speaking, event planning, conflict management and relationship building that will follow me for the rest of my life. I have made so many forever friends who will be more than just bridesmaids. 

Q: What has Greek life taught you?

A: Greek life has taught me that everyone has the ability to be a leader. Everyone is worthy. Everyone has a different story. Everyone has the ability to make a difference. Greek life has taught me the importance of collaboration and working with others. 

Q: What was your “aha” moment, when you realized you wanted to study the field you majored in? 

A: Honestly, I had an “aha” moment in almost every communication class I took. There was always something we learned in class that changed my life or my perspective on it. I loved every Hugh Downs class I took, and each class was a reminder of why I loved communication. My first “aha” moment was when I had my favorite professor for COM 100, Dr. Alberts, who ended up being the director for my honors thesis! 

Q: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you, that changed your perspective?

A: What surprised me the most about ASU was the amount of skills I learned that I thought were impossible. I thought I was bad at negotiating conflict. I thought I would never be able to speak publicly. I never thought I would learn the true importance of collaboration, but ASU (inside and outside the classroom) taught me that there are so many skills that are teachable (and learnable). It just takes some practice. 

Q: Why did you choose ASU? 

A: I chose ASU because I fell in love with Barrett and the opportunities they offered. I ended up being 100 percent right about how amazing Barrett is.

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU? 

A: Dr. Alberts taught me that, like I said before, so many communication skills are possible for anyone to learn if you just try and practice. 

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school? 

A: Take advantage of all the opportunities ASU has! There are so many once-in-a lifetime experiences you could have if you reached out and looked for them! 

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: This is a hard question for a nonprofit professional, but if I had $40 million dollars I would ensure individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities had the education and opportunities they deserve (all over the world), and I would do my best to educate people who are neuro-typical about the amazing things individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities have to offer.