Distinguished Deltas: Elizabeth Dole

Happy Tuesday, Deltas! Today, we are shining a spotlight on a sister who is known for her trailblazing leadership. Elizabeth Dole is nothing short of accomplished. Her entire life has been defined by a deep commitment to service, an iron will, and an unmatched grace. From the campus of Duke University to the highest corridors of Washington, D.C., she never backed down from a challenge and shattered the glass ceiling for women in American politics and public service.

Born in 1936 in Salisbury, North Carolina, Elizabeth always seemed to be a fierce leader. Growing up, she excelled in everything she did and constantly set her sights high. Going to college, she headed to Duke University to study political science. It was at Duke University that she would pledge Tri Delta, serve as the President of the Women’s Student Government Association, and be named "Leader of the Year" by her peers. She balanced her heavy leadership roles by singing in the Chapel Choir, working on the yearbook staff, and graduating with honors.

After graduation, Elizabeth pursued higher education with unmatched ambition. She moved to Massachusetts, earning a Master’s Degree from Harvard University and a law degree from Harvard Law School, where she was one of only 24 women in a graduating class of over 500 students. She then moved to Washington, D.C., where her historic career in public service truly took flight. She would go on to serve in the cabinets of two U.S. Presidents, first making history as the Secretary of Transportation under Ronald Reagan and later as the Secretary of Labor under George H.W. Bush.

She would also go on to become the President of the American Red Cross, a role she held for nearly a decade. In this position, she completely transformed the organization’s blood safety operations and led monumental humanitarian relief efforts across the globe. Later in life, she returned to her roots to make history yet again, becoming the first woman to represent North Carolina in the United States Senate.

Elizabeth has a long list of accomplishments including: launching a historic campaign for the Republican presidential nomination in 1999, she receiving the prestigious Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for selfless service, and founding the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to support the military caregivers who look after our wounded warriors. This short list doesn't even do her justice. She truly has accomplished so much in her lifetime.

"What you do in your career is not nearly as important as who you are as a person."

-Elizabeth Dole

We can be encouraged by Elizabeth in her aspirations but also in the way she encouraged others.