Dream Date is Finally Here!

Our 6th annual Dream Date will take place tomorrow night on Friday, October 28, at the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center with all proceeds benefitting The BeeHive of Austin. The BeHive is a free after-school program dedicated to providing a safe haven and academic support to lower-income children while encouraging them to become good citizens. November 17, 2006 marked the launch of the annual fundraiser. With your bidder’s help, we hope to make this event will increase BeeHive’s overall awareness and generate revenue for this worthy cause.

Dream Date is a live auction, where our newest members walk with donated goods and prizes. To make this event possible, we got creative with several budget dilemmas. We held multiple restaurant fundraisers, did profit shares with Schlotzsky's, and Electric Frenchie. We also hosted a bar fundraiser with raised over $1000. Naturally, we sent donation letters to alumni, friends, and family members of our active members. After several months of donation days we were able to obtain some exciting big-ticket items, including an electric guitar donated by Veronica Smith and Coors, a men's Longhorn watch donated by Russell Korman jewelers, and several gift cards from local restaurants shops. This year’s Dream Date wouldn’t have been possible had we not received hundreds of dollars from trusted parents, friends, and alumni. Thank you!

If you have time, please come out tomorrow night at 9:00 P.M. Tickets are $15 at the door, if you haven’t already purchased a wristband. The cost covers margaritas, beer, and appetizers, as well as a live DJ for dancing after the auction has concluded. Help us reach out and support a worthy cause all while having a great time with friends and bidding on some amazing items.

We hope to see you there!

Photos from last year's Dream Date

Eva Valilis with Hilary Pearson and Gabi Bautista

Ify Okechukwu with Haley Armstrong, Colleen Crawford and Kristen Michelle Shanahan

Karina Rodriguez with Natalie Kristen, Kelli Fuqua, Laura Ceglio, Kristen Michelle Shanahan and Alyson Rotunda.

WELCOME FALL '11 SWEETIES!

We are SO excited to finally announce our Fall 2011 Sweetie Class! We reached a record-breaking number of applications this semester and are so incredibly proud of all 28 of our new members for enduring one of the most competitive and difficult recruitment processes that we have ever had. After reviewing piles of applications and meeting hundreds of wonderful candidates throughout the past four weeks, we are confident that these 28 new members are the "cream of the crop," and we are SO excited to see each and every one of them grow with our organization. CONGRATULATIONS FALL '11 SWEETIES! WE LOVE YOU AND ARE SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!

Alex M. Angela K. Angie V.

Chandler P. Cherrell M. Courtney H.

Emily L. Gina W. Jillian R.

Katelyn K. Katherine S. Kendra M.

Kaylee W. Kenya M. Kristi C.

Margeaux O. Laura M. Meagan M.

Melissa R. Rebecca H. Rita C. Shannon L.

Shea C. Shelby W. Veronica M.

Wynden W. Victoria S.

Welcome Ceremony Fall 2011 (September 25, 2011)

Sweethearts of the Week

Our first two Sweethearts of the Week for the Fall 2011 semester are Courtney Esmond and Kelly Fine! They have both gone out of their way to contribute to our Fall 2011 recruitment process, and we are SO thankful to have them as members of our organization (and as Active-at-Large and Webmaster). Congratulations girls!

COURTNEY ESMOND

Classification: Junior

Hometown: Richmond, TX
Major: Human Development and Family Sciences

Sweetie Class: Fall '10
Interests: running, shopping, reading for fun, sports, hanging out with friends
Favorite pillar: Spirit - I love our tailgates and just hanging out with the greatest Longhorn fans!
What I love the most about being a Texas Sweetheart: I have met my absolute best friend sweetie semester and have made so many other life-long friends as well. It helped make the campus feel a little smaller, and I know that no matter what I can call any of my Sweetheart sisters and they will be there for any of us.

KELLY FINE

Classification: Sophomore

Hometown: Plano, TX
Major: Journalism
Sweetie Class: Fall freaking '10!
Interests: Reading, shopping, listening to music, webmastering things
Favorite pillar: Service! I love the kids at heart house so much. They're so adorable, and you get closer with all the other Sweethearts while you volunteer.
Favorite memory: Pretty much any second of Sweethearts is a good memory, but if I had to pick just one I'd pick Dream Date! I got to be "auctioned off" with a donation, and at the end of the night we raised over $7,000 for our philanthropy, Heart House! It was really fun and a great way to give back.
What I love the most about being a Texas Sweetheart: I've made so many great friends through this organization. When I look back on the last year, there isn't a single person I've met that I consider less than a friend. We're all really unique, but we complete each other!

FALL 2011 RECRUITMENT!

Fall 2011 Recruitment has officially begun! We have been preparing all summer for our Fall 2011 recruitment process, and we can't wait to meet everyone. Recruitment is such an exciting time for all of our members, and we're excited to show all of our Fall 2011 applicants why we love Texas Sweethearts and why this organization is so special to all of us.

Here is our Fall 2011 recruitment schedule (please click on the image to enlarge):

We will be at Party on the Plaza in front of Gregory Gym on Wednesday 8/31, and we will also have a table set up in West Mall on every class day until 9/9. So please feel free to stop by at our table to talk with us and learn more about who we are and what we do- we'd love to meet you and get to know you!

Most importantly, all applicants MUST attend ONE information session and at least ONE smoker (Meet-n-Greet) event in order to apply- although, we encourage applicants to attend as many smokers as possible as it is the best way for us to get to know you better!

Info Session Dates (must attend ONE- you will receive an application here):

1.) Info Session #1

• Date: Monday 8/29
• Time: 6:00 p.m.
• Location: SAC Auditorium 1.402

2.) Info Session #2

• Date: Thursday 9/1
• Time: 6:00 p.m.
• Location: SAC Ballroom South 2.410

3.) Info Session #3

• Date: Tuesday 9/6
• Time: 6:00 p.m.
• Location: SAC Auditorium 1.402

Smoker (Meet-n-Greet) Dates (must attend at least ONE, but come to as many as you can!):

1.) Social Smoker

• Date: Thursday 9/1
• Time: 9:00 p.m.
• Location: Double Dave's at 3000 Duval St. (behind the CPE & RLM buildings)
• Applicants wear pink, white, or red and come hungry for free pizza and socializing!

2.) Spirit Smoker

• Date: Saturday 9/3
• Time: we will begin tailgating at 2:00 p.m. up until the game starts!
• Location: Bob Bullock Parking Lot
• Our first football tailgate of the season! Before the Texas vs. Rice game

3.) Service Smoker

• Date: Thursday 9/8
• Time: 5 pm-7 pm
• Location: Gregory Gym Games Room 3.120
• Speed-dating with actives and working on service projects for our philanthropy, Heart House!

Recruitment Fundraiser:

Austin's Pizza Fundraiser

• Date: Tuesday 9/6
• Time: 7:00 p.m. (right after Info Session #3)
• Location: Austin's Pizza on The Drag (Guadalupe)
• Come out to eat pizza, hang out, and raise some money with us!

Please join our recruitment Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_191663640880440) for the most updated information about our recruitment process and events.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail txsweethearts@gmail.com at any time. We are SO excited to meet everyone! Texas Sweethearts has been a special part of our time here at the University of Texas, and we cannot wait to share how much it means to us to all of our Fall 2011 applicants.

See you soon!

UT's 2010-2011 Best Social Organization!

Looking back on the Spring '11 semester, one of our biggest and most exciting accomplishments was being selected as UT's 2010-2011 Best Social Organization! Each spring semester, student organizations endure an intensive application and evaluation process for various Swing Out Award categories. Categories include Best Academic/Departmental Organization, Best Cultural Organization, Best Professional Organization, Most Improved, etc. The University of Texas Leadership & Ethics Institute then carefully selects the winners of 15 prestigious Swing Out categories by considering aspects such as the dedication of an organization's membership, the scope and success of the events and activities in which an organization participates, and how the organizaiton enriches the experiences of its members and others. Through an application and interview processs, the Leadership & Ethics board select the Swing Out Award winners. This year, Sweethearts applied for the categories "Best Social Organization" and "Best Risk Management." In 2009-2010, we were finalists for both of these categories, and this year, we were selected as finalists again for "Best Risk Management" and were selected as the 2010-2011 Best Social Organization!

Spring 2011 Treasurer Hannah Hutyra & President Laura Ceglio accepting

our Best Social Organization Swing Out Award!

We are so excited to be given this honor and feel humbled to be among all of the 14 other amazing student organizations who were also named Swing Out Award winners this year. We take great pride in our three pillars- spirit, social, and service- and it's great to know that we come out on top when it comes to our most fun and unique pillar! We hold a massive array of social events throughout each semester. We strive to build strong, lifelong friendships through our social events. Aside from our weekly mixers with various male organizatons and athletic teams on campus, a few of our social events include Big Sis/Lil Sis, Alumni Weekend, TX/OU Weekend in Dallas, Cocktail, Formal, Alumni Weekend, Senior Call Boat Party, Crush, and Find Your Valentine. We have so much fun at all of our social events, and the best thing about them is that through all of the events, we are able to strengthen our sisterhood and our bonds with all of our Sweetheart members. Our social chairs spend so much time into carefully planning all of our social events, especially with safety in mind, so we are also extremely honored to be recognized as a finalist for "Best Risk Management."

Thank you to the University of Texas Leadership & Ethics Institute! Also, thank you to Hannah Hutyra and all Sweethearts actives who were a part of the Swing Out Award Committee for all of your hard work! We are excited to continue our traditions throughout the fall semester with more of our amazing social events!

In our neon for the blacklight/rave mixer with Texas Wranglers!

Christina O., Dani C., Renee S., Laura C., Amanda V. & Stasha L.

at TX/OU weekend 2010 in Dallas, TX- Hook 'em Horns!

Sweetie/Active Potluck

Sarah S., Christina O., Laura E., Kelli F., Wendi P. & Stasha L.

before Cocktail 2010

A Sweetheart Backpacking Through Asia

Greetings from Cambodia! As I go on my sixth week backpacking through South East Asia I can look back and admire all the amazing things and places I have seen. Leaving Texas for three months to go to places that are so culturally different from my own has been the best experience of my life and I would not change it for the world. I have been able to do amazing things such as stay with a local family in a remote village in the northern mountains of Vietnam where I learned all about rice planting and their daily lives, admire the beautiful beaches of Thailand, ride elephants and explore the jungles of Laos, and view the amazing temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia just to name a few. While there have been some bumps in the road during my travels its nothing I cant laugh about because they have made for good stories. For example my friend and I were left on a random street corner after upsetting a tuk tuk driver in Bangkok by insisting on going to our agreed location, Another time we asked for train tickets to Hoi An in Vietnam but instead received tickets to another city entirely and in Laos we had a bus trip take twenty hours instead of eight due to consecutive landslides and lack of paved roads.

This opportunity has allowed me to meet and form friendships with people from all over the world. Texas Sweethearts has been a great influence on the person I am today. Coming to UT as a transfer student I already had a close group of friends but I wanted to branch out of my comfort zone so I looked into various organizations. Sweethearts allowed me to meet people from all over as well as spark up conversation with anyone, a skill that helped tremendously while traveling. I became a more confident person and bloomed into the person I am today. Texas Sweethearts has made my college years the best years of my life with the greatest friends I could ask for. I would urge everyone who has the opportunity to travel to take it because while I have learned a lot about myself and the world through college it is nothing compared to the real and unique experiences of life abroad. I miss all my sweetheart ladies and I am excited to meet our Fall 2011 sweetie class once I return from my next six weeks of travels! Off to India and China! Hope everyone had a great fourth of July!

Hallah Saleh
President
Texas Sweethearts

A Sweetheart in Ireland

“So if I kiss the Blarney stone then I’ll fall in love? But, I don’t want to fall in love!” Calvin Berman said one night. Laughing, a group of us replied, “No, you get the gift of gab if you kiss the stone.” But let’s be honest here. I don’t exactly need the gift of gab.

Kissing the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle

(Photo credit: Carla Garces)

My fellow Sweethearts know how talkative I am and sometimes they just can’t get me to shut up. When I was going through the recruitment process in Spring ’09, I forced myself to approach complete strangers and strike up a conversation with them. Through potlucks, mixers with male organizations, service events, and tailgates, I have become much more outgoing and have made some of the best friends in the meantime.

The lessons I have learned through my participation in Texas Sweethearts has helped me out during my study abroad in Ireland. I am taking a public relations course here through The University of Texas at Austin and having the ability to talk to strangers has really come in handy. I have been able to talk to complete strangers in order to learn about the eclectic culture and rich history of this beautiful country. I would have missed out on learning the words to “Galway Girl” (P.S. I Love You, anybody?), learning about the Easter Rising in 1916, and learning about the troubling unrest in Belfast, Northern Ireland that still continues today.

My success in traveling abroad is no doubt related to my experiences in Sweethearts. I have grown a lot as a person because of this organization and hope that our Fall 2011 Sweetie class will appreciate this organization as much as I have.

Cheers from Dublin!

Sapna Patel

Texas Sweethearts Fall 2011 Vice-President

Standing on O’Connell Street in Dublin’s city center

(Photo credit: Lauren Jones)