Women's History Month: Q&A with Jenny Campfield

In celebration of Women's History Month, Grand Archon Tess Stovall sits down with a series of Phi Sigma Sigma sisters to share their stories, advice and how our sisterhood made a lasting impact in their lives. Read more stories, here.

Jenny Campfield is an alumna of Phi Sigma Sigma’s Theta Psi Chapter at Alma College and currently serves as chairman of the alumnae-in-motion (AIM) committee. Professionally, Jenny is the director of education for Gamma Phi Beta International Sorority.

Jenny is a new addition to my Phi Sigma Sigma network. I got to know Jenny this past January at Convention when she joined me and several sisters for an alumnae-hosted dinners in Washington D.C. I was immediately struck by her enthusiasm and passion for the sorority experience. I see such great potential and know she will make a huge impact on our organization through the AIM committee. 

Tess Stovall: To start off, can you share how Phi Sigma Sigma positively impacted your life?

Jenny Campfield: Phi Sigma Sigma has positively impacted my life in many ways, including informing my career.

As a collegian, I fell in love with the student life experience and the impact student affairs practitioners make in the lives of their students. I’ve been working in higher education for over 10 years, the last 8+ of which have been supporting the fraternity sorority community as a campus-based professional and headquarters staff member. In my current role, I serve as the director of education for Gamma Phi Beta. As someone who works professionally in a headquarters role, I am consistently impressed by the exceptional, industry-leading work Phi Sigma Sigma is engaged in. It makes me so proud to be a member and to contribute to our Fraternity’s great work as a volunteer.

TS: Through your professional roles as well as your volunteer roles with Phi Sigma Sigma, you’ve clearly made an impact on students and helped to further the sorority experience. Can you tell me about a Phi Sigma Sigma sister who has had a significant influence in your life?

JC: My Big, Emmy, is the reason I joined Phi Sigma Sigma and without her none of the amazing experience I’ve been able to have as an alumna would have been possible. She is a sister who saw potential in me that I didn’t see in myself and modeled a different kind of sorority experience that challenged stereotypes and helped me envision myself in our sisterhood. I’m so grateful that she helped me make a decision that’s had a lasting impact on my life.

TS: And once you graduated, has Phi Sigma Sigma continued to be a part of your life?

JC: I really appreciate the diversity of volunteering experiences Phi Sigma Sigma offers alumnae. As my life has changed and evolved since graduating, so too have my volunteer interests and capacity.

Continuing to have Phi Sigma Sigma as a part of my life has looked like engaging in short-term volunteer opportunities like the mentor program, engaging in a multi-year commitment like serving on the AIM Committee, attending my first ever Convention as an alumna, donating to the Foundation, growing new relationships with sisters through volunteering and now, being able to tap others and say, “hey, I think you’d be great at this!” I’m really grateful that I’ve been able to engage with Phi Sigma Sigma in so many different ways after graduating. There truly is no one-size-fits-all approach to giving back to the Fraternity.

TS: So, your volunteer journey started with our mentor program. Tell me a little bit about that experience.

JC: At that time, I was looking for a high-impact, low time commitment volunteer opportunity and the mentor program absolutely delivered. I loved building a relationship with a graduating collegiate member who was interested in a career in higher education. Serving as a mentor allowed me to provide coaching to a soon-to-be alumna while also being able to be directive about what the experience would look like and how much time I invested into it.

TS: And so that opened the door to volunteering for you which ultimately lead you to your current role with the AIM Committee. 

JC: After serving as a mentor, I remained connected to the Fraternity by keeping a pulse on the updates and opportunities in the alumnae emails. When the call for applications for the AIM committee came out, the opportunity immediately interested me and I was in a place where I felt that I could take on the commitment of serving on a committee. 

I remember feeling so much imposter syndrome after I applied, thinking things like, “I wonder if I’m qualified – I’ve never taken on such a big volunteer role with the Fraternity before. What if the Fraternity’s changed since I was a collegian, and now I’m behind?”

It’s funny in hindsight that I ever thought the Fraternity that welcomed me with open arms as a collegian would do anything less as an alumna. I was so pleasantly surprised by the support I received from other committee members as soon as I joined, and I’m thrilled to say the committee has helped me gain not only a pathway for personal and professional growth but lifelong mentors and friends.

TS: Can you delve into that a little more and share some of the ways volunteering has enriched your life?

JC: Serving on the AIM Committee has stretched me as a leader, helped me hone my program development and project management skills, expanded my personal and professional network and enabled me to cultivate lifelong friendships with women who know and care about each other.

Volunteering has also provided a constant in my life. While work, health, family, personal life and more all ebb and flow, staying connected to my sisters through volunteering has provided a place of steady, grounded support and friendship.

TS: And as you look at your volunteer journey so far, what is one of your proudest accomplishments?

JC: I’m incredibly proud of how invested each committee member is in the work of the AIM committee. The volunteers who serve on this committee are intelligent, brave, hardworking risk takers who deeply and genuinely care about the personal development of each sister and perpetuating the advancement of womanhood. I’m so excited to see what the committee builds in the coming year as well as how other Phi Sigma Sigma alumnae are positively impacted by AIM committee programming!

TS: And for those sisters who aren’t yet involved by might be looking for a way to reengage with the organization, what advice would you share with them?

JC: To anyone thinking about reengaging with the organization - there is there’s no wrong time to start. I think there’s often a misconception that the best volunteers are those who started volunteering as soon as they graduated and never looked back. I took almost 10 years away from the Fraternity following graduation and was admittedly a little nervous when I started a long-term volunteer role.

Reconnecting to Phi Sigma Sigma as a volunteer solidified for me that our bond truly is for always. I hope every alumna can find her place of engagement and connection to the fraternity. If you’re an alumna who’s on the fence about taking on that next volunteer opportunity, it’s okay to do it scared knowing that your sisters are there to catch and support you.