"I can always count on these women to make me laugh with their horribly specific jokes, squish together just so I have a seat at chapter dinner, and dance first to any and all songs from the 2000s."
Hey PNMs! My name is Kathy Li and I’m in the Alpha Chi chapter of Alpha Delta Pi (PC ‘20). I’m a rising third-year Human Biology and Society B.S. major from Westchester County, New York. Getting into UCLA was a longtime dream come true; however, like many, I did not expect my first year of college to include taking online classes and navigating awkward breakout rooms. Even though I initially did not plan on going through recruitment, I decided to sign up because I wanted to feel more connected to a campus that I was 3000 miles away from.
Even though formal recruitment was online for me, I’m not going to lie… it was still a lot. But, I would definitely say that it was integral in sharpening my conversational skills, deepening my understanding of myself, and recognizing the traits I admire most in others.
I felt instantly comfortable with all the girls I spoke to in ADPi and fell in love with the chapter on the first day of recruitment. ADPi stuck out to me because I loved that I could simultaneously have thoughtful conversations on how oxymoronic the phrase ‘sustainable fashion’ is, while also being able to talk about how desperately we want a live version of Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift. Every girl I talked to had a sincere passion and unabashed excitement about their different interests and hobbies and truly wanted to engage with the things I care most about. They were very supportive throughout recruitment, and I could tell that they genuinely wanted me to make the right choice for myself, which – in the end – meant joining ADPi.
From recapping my week over salmon cream cheese bagels at brunch to receiving career advice from alumni to expanding ADPi’s equity and inclusivity efforts as Director of Inclusion, ADPi has helped me grow and flourish in a multitude of ways. As someone interested in medical research, I’ve found that the alumni are always eager to review cover letters and offer up possible connections related to your career interests to reach out to, which helped me land my current research position at David Geffen. Being a part of the DEI team for the past two years has also challenged me to think beyond the traditional format of education-based presentations and come up with more casual activities to foster greater inclusivity, such as facilitating ADBook Club discussions.
I owe a lot to ADPi. I can always count on these women to make me laugh with their horribly specific jokes, squish together just so I have a seat at chapter dinner, and dance first to any and all songs from the 2000s.
Recruitment can be mentally and physically challenging at times, but I promise you’ll come out of it having a greater appreciation for yourself and others. Remember to stay true to who you are and the right people will love you for it (as cheesy as it sounds), and I cannot wait to meet you in the fall!
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