Let me introduce you to Serina Ibarra. A student here at Texas Lutheran University, who never imagined joining a sorority yet is here leading one. As current president of Xi Tau sorority, managing classes as a senior education major, meetings, events, and spending time with her friends along with her dog, the days are constantly busy. Yet, she is still able to find ways to stay grounded while enjoying the sweet daily moments of college life at Texas Lutheran University.

 A little bit of background information about the Sorority Xi Tau itself. The sorority has been part of Texas Lutheran University since 1987, with its members always standing out as unique and empowering women. Sisterhood, Loyalty, and Individuality are the core values of Xi Tau with non-other than Serina Ibarra embodying those daily. As a member myself I understand the stereotypes of sorority girls, being dumb and blonde, only partying, not caring about academics, and being rather forgettable. I assure you though that each woman in Xi Tau brings something special to the table. Most of our members are involved in more than just Xi Tau because that is just the group of women we are. For me, one of the ways I choose to showcase some of my passions outside of Xi Tau is by writing for the TLU Student Media and being President of TLU Social Society. 

Nonetheless, back to Serina who typically has a slow relaxed start to her morning, savoring the slow moments before the day gets busy. She typically starts her morning routine with a homemade iced coffee that she makes in her on campus apartment, “I love to make my own coffee at home, I’ve been able to learn some of the Dutch Bro’s recipes, and they taste just as great at home.” While enjoying her coffee, “I usually try and take my dog out in the morning before class, which gives me a relaxing start to each day.” 

Serina attends all her classes in Tschoepe hall and spends plenty of time in the ELC (Education Learning Center) room. “During the day most of my classes are back-to-back, in Tschoepe where I take classes and spend time with my education cohort.” She’s able to manage her time well as a senior student, “I’ve gotten very good at managing my time, between homework and completing certifications for my degree plan I’m able to work it all out.”  

After a little decompression, she heads back out again to campus to start activities. The schedule varies weekly, but one thing stays consistent, “Every Monday we have our regularly scheduled Xi Tau meeting” a consistent thing weekly but other meeting she also attends when scheduled are: Sexual Awareness for Everyone (S.A.F.E), Mexican American Student Association (M.A.S.A) events, and TLU Social Society. She even supports our TLU athletic programs such as women’s volleyball and basketball. “A lot of my friends are involved in different organizations, so it’s important to me to show up for them, I know what it’s like to put in the hard work behind the scenes, so I try and support my friends in their activities back.” When she finally makes it back to her apartment after a long evening, she enjoys getting to unwind with her dog. “Having Hershey be able to stay here with me makes a huge difference at the end of the day, it’s just me and her” 

Being President of Xi Tau entails more work than one might initially think. “People are able to confidently reach out to me for help, and it’s rewarding for me to be able to guide them through the processes because it’s not always easy at first,” she says. “Although at times it can get overwhelming, especially when we have more events and activities going on. It’s all part of the role as president being able to manage everyone, and the things that need to get done. In the end it is very rewarding to see the finished outcomes of all our combined hard work.” We recently just had our Xi Tau Halloween bash which is a recruitment event we host for potential new members. Serina and I both had classes till 3:45 that day, and immediately after we headed over to H-E-B to get the supplies needed for our event to start setting up. With this being one of our larger recruitment events, I’d agree that the strong turnout and the excitement from everyone made the experience especially rewarding.  

Serina might be hesitant to say it outwardly, but she puts in a lot of work that others don’t see. “There is a lot of behind-the-scenes effort and work that goes into things like planning events, and overall, just keeping the sorority running.” She also notes how she is able to take some of these skills with her into the real world, “I’m able to take skills that I’ve built over my time in Xi Tau like organization skills, communication skills, and time management which are all things that directly translate and can be applied in my life, and in my future career.” 

Even with the packed schedules aside, Serina is still able to find time during her day to enjoy the little things. Some day after class we will go to sonic and get a pretzel and half priced drink as a reward, while we take a break to sit on the couch and watch the latest Dancing with the Stars episode. This is a weekly occurrence for us, and most TLU students would agree that something like this is a part of the college experience here. 

And while not daily there are certain events that she looks forward to through the year “My favorite event that we have on campus and that I look forward to is tailgating for homecoming.” Tailgate is where worlds collide, “I enjoy getting to connect with everyone like our past Xi Tau alumni and getting to see my other friends in organizations that are at tailgate as well, it’s just a real fun time. The school spirit and sisterhood combined is just such a fun combination. Being able to see our alumni get to reconnect, reminds me so much of why I love to be in Xi Tau” 

So, you might be thinking how she does all of this? Long days, schoolwork and certifications, planning, it can all build up and get stressed very quickly, but after a long day she remembers what she is doing it for. “At the end of the day graduation keeps me going and knowing how much hard work I have put into so many different areas,” she says. “Thinking about the finish line and that I am almost where I want to be career wise is great motivation and helps with keeping my perspective grounded.” 

Serina Ibarra’s role as President of Xi Tau truly shows what it means to be a dedicated leader, a loyal friend, and a hardworking student. With responsibilities, from classes, and meetings, she can find joy and purpose in every part of it. Serina showcases that leadership is not just a title but showing up for others when it matters even when it can be challenging while also finding the balance of it all. With the fall semester almost over, graduation is right around the corner, and after everything Serina has done here at TLU (even the unexpected like joining a sorority) these are times that have shaped her story and will be something she never forgets.