Family Features
Meet the sisters nominated to represent DPE’s sisterhood!
Fun Fact! These sisters were the Recruitment Chair and Delta Mom for the Jane Goodall Line!!
May Gao
Line: Opals
Major(s): STIA
Minor(s): Chinese and Mathematics
Did you meet through DPE or somewhere else? How has DPE brought you closer?: Nina and I met through DPE! I doubt we would’ve ever crossed paths if not for DPE 🙂
What have you gotten out of this friendship AND big/little pairing?: UGH LITERALLY SO MUCH!! I feel like I’ve gotten friendship, sisterhood, mentorship, and partnership! Obviously navigating recruitment together and just knowing that I can go to her with any questions or concerns I have. I know Nina’s always in my corner <3
Favorite Memory Together: Super recent one is the night before my flight home for spring break—my flight was at 6:30am and we already had a wine night scheduled so of course we proceeded w the wine night! We played two rounds of wine-io kart (lowkey don’t recommend lol) and then watched some Bridgerton and my evil Chinese show !
How has Nina demonstrated the DPE ideal of sisterhood?: Nina’s one of those people that’s so great with everyone. She has a lot of practice being a sister (both inside and outside of DPE), and I think that a lot of the sisters know that Nina’s someone you can go to with anything.
Nina Skweres
Line: Dollys
Major(s): International Politics
Minor(s): Global Development & German
Did you meet through DPE or somewhere else? How has DPE brought you closer?: May and I actually met briefly through DPE during my sophomore spring and her freshman spring, before she officially became my little. At first it was just a quick introduction, but once we were paired up & started spending more time together, we clicked almost immediately. We really matched well as a big/little pair, and became great friends really quickly. Doing recruitment together last semester made us even closer! We were spending so much time together planning, talking through ideas, and just hanging out 24/7 that it really strengthened our friendship!
What have you gotten out of this friendship AND big/little pairing?: I’ve gotten such an amazing friendship out of my relationship with May. She’s someone who brings so much positivity, energy, and support into my life. Being her big has been so special because l get to cheer her on, support her, and watch her grow, but at the same time she’s also someone who supports me just as much. I think we really rely on each other as friends, and we both hype each other up, help each other through stressful times, and celebrate everything together. She’s truly someone l’m so grateful to have in my life!!
Favorite Memory Together: It’s hard to choose just one favorite memory because we genuinely have so many together, but I especially love the weekly Pho 75 dates we started when we were doing recruitment together!! Every Monday we would go get pho before our weekly DPE meeting and just sit there talking about literally anything and everything. It became our little tradition and something I always looked forward to each week! Also, working on recruitment together last semester is also one of my favorite memories with May. We spent so many hours planning and preparing, but it never felt like a chore because we were doing it together. It takes a lot of work, but I truly cannot imagine doing it with any other person!! There were so many funny moments, late-night conversations, endless times spent in Compass discussing what we should improve, and times where we were just laughing and enjoying the process. It’s one of those experiences that really made me realize how lucky I am to have her as my little and as such a close friend <3
How has May demonstrated the DPE ideal of sisterhood?: May really embodies the DPE ideal of sisterhood through how genuinely supportive she is toward the people around her! She’s the kind of person who always shows up for others, whether that’s helping someone with something they need or checking in on friends. I think she makes people feel included and valued, and she’s always willing to go out of her way to support her sisters. What I admire most about May is how she’s always there for everyone – I always feel like I can rely on her if I need to even as my little, and she is always down for lunch or coffee or to come over and just yap! She celebrates every success that someone gets, has always encouraged others when they’re stressed or overwhelmed, and truly wants the best for everyone. That kind of kindness, loyalty, and genuine care for others is exactly what sisterhood in DPE is supposed to be about, and May exemplifies that every day <3
Fun Fact! These sisters unknowingly nominated each other for this honor!!
Emma Vonder Haar
Line: Serenas
Major(s): American Studies and Government
Minor(s): Environmental Studies
Did you meet through DPE or somewhere else? How has DPE brought you closer?: Reesa and I met at our first Info Session! We immediately arranged to hang out outside of DPE and the friendship blossomed from there. We are Special Sisters, too.
What have you gotten out of this friendship?: I know I can lean on Reesa to always be there, through thick and thin. If I send her an invite, she asks, “What can I bring?”. If I text that I want to talk about something, she asks, “Call, text, or in-person?”. If I invite her to come home to Kentucky with me a for musical festival, she asks, “What weekend?”. If I ask her to take a one-credit with me that is at-risk for being canceled with low enrollment, she asks, “What’s the registration number?”. I am so lucky to have Reesa in my life!
Favorite Memory Together: I loved introducing Reesa to Kentucky horses, dancing in Rangila together, taking many nature walks, celebrating the Summer Solstice, and celebrating many Homecomings, St. Patrick’s Days, and Georgetown Day’s together.
How has Reesa demonstrated the DPE ideal of sisterhood?: Reesa lights up every room she walks into! She is one of the most passionate people I know and is curious about just about everything. Reesa has given so much to DPE and I am constantly in awe of her dedication!
Reesa Bhowmik
Line: Serenas
Major(s): International Economics
Minor(s): Linguistics, Justice & Peace Studies
Did you meet through DPE or somewhere else? How has DPE brought you closer?: Emma and I met during a DPE recruitment event in September 2022, our freshman fall. In DPE, we’ve been paired as Special Sisters and do everything together. Emma is absolutely the best part of DPE for me, and I am eternally grateful that we’ve become best friends because of this organization.
What have you gotten out of this friendship?: Emma is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. While we could not be more different on paper, our friendship has shown me how easy it is to connect with others in the ways that matter. Emma has also introduced me to SO MANY American traditions. She has helped me understand the rules of (American) football, enjoy Southern BBQ, and taught me how to pronounce Louisville correctly.
Favorite Memory Together: Visiting Louisville, KY — Emma’s hometown — for a music festival called Bourbon and Beyond!
How has Emma demonstrated the DPE ideal of sisterhood?: Emma consistently shows up for the people she cares about, even when she’s having a rough week herself, and she’s always ready to put a smile on your face. Throughout our friendship, she has supported my successes and failures in so many ways: from letting me interview her for class to crying on her shoulder when I needed it. Being an only child, I’ve always dreamed of having a sister, and I’m glad to have Emma be my chosen sister for life.
Fun Fact! Demi and Quinlyn are Mackenzie’s littles; Demi is also the big of this very web manager <3
Demetra Chudley
Line: Rosalinds
Major(s): Classics and Government
Did you meet through DPE or somewhere else? How has DPE brought you closer?: We met through DPE! It has definitely made us closer, as I learned so much about DPE from Mackenzie.
What have you gotten out of this friendship AND big/little pairing?: Mackenzie truly represents the heart of DPE for me. I love hanging out with her at DPE events, having dinner together, and getting her advice on things happening in my life, from friend group drama to internships. I’m genuinely inspired by her professional experiences and accomplishments, because she’s already done so many amazing things.
I’ve also admired Quinlyn since she rushed, so it was so awesome to get closer with her sharing a big! I think she is so funny, smart, and creative, and I love that even though Mackenzie, Quinlyn, and I are pretty different people, we fit together well as a DPE family.
Favorite Memory Together: For the Zora’s big little party, Mackenzie got Guy Fieri outfits for all three of us. It was so much fun to pre with them in those insane costumes, and I still have the costume today for special occasions.
How have Quinlyn and Mackenzie demonstrated the DPE ideal of sisterhood?: Mackenzie will always support other sisters. She shows up to so many DPE events, and she shows up all the way, bringing costumes and cocktails and fun. She also knows everyone in DPE, from the deltas to the oldest sisters.
Quinlyn is so chill and put together. I love the energy that she brings to every DPE function, and I’m excited to see all the excellent events she holds this semester as social chair!
Quinlyn Janson
Line: Zoras
Major(s): English and Art History
Did you meet through DPE or somewhere else? How has DPE brought you closer?: We all met through DPE, and we definitely wouldn’t have met or become so close without it!! DPE has given all of us a space to connect and bond over a million different things.
What have you gotten out of this friendship AND big/little pairing? Mackenzie is someone that is always there for me. I can always rely on her to be there for me if I want to complain about absolutely anything, just talk about something super exciting going on in my life, or even something minuscule from my day. I can also rely on her to freak out about Taylor Swift and Harry Styles with me and also send me weird TikToks tbh…
Demi and I have been able to get to know each other and learn from each other through Mackenzie. Being from different lines, I don’t know if we would’ve been able to get close without sharing a big! She’s always fun to talk with at DPE parties or events (and even theater funcs…)
Favorite Memory Together: GUY FIERI COSTUMES FOR BIG LITTLE!
How have Demi and Mackenzie demonstrated the DPE ideal of sisterhood?: Mackenzie truly puts all of her energy into making DPE thrive in a multitude of ways. She’s extremely determined, hardworking, and always willing to help out another sister. She makes an effort to get to know every sister/delta and helps them feel included (even getting a bunch of us to dress up as Truffula trees for her Halloween costume as the Lorax)
Demi is also so determined and has so many unique interests that I’ve enjoyed learning about. She really is such a kind person and is always fun to chit chat with!
Mackenzie Holian
Line: Rubies
Major(s): Justice and Peace Studies, Communication Culture and Technology Accelerated Masters Student
Minor(s): Psychology
Did you meet through DPE or somewhere else? How has DPE brought you closer?: We met through DPE! Without DPE, we literally wouldn’t know each other haha! But, I also think the big/little structure has made us all accountable and reliable for each other. Obviously everyone in DPE is always ready to be helpful and supportive, but there’s something special about big/little relationships, because you really know that those are your sisters who you can go to for anything. In everything I do with my littles, Demi and Quinlyn, I try to embody my Big, Sarah Kate, who for the first time in my life really let me be the little sister. I am so grateful to her for showing me true leadership, responsibility, and kindness.
What have you gotten out of this friendship AND big/little pairing?: Demi and Quinlyn are my babies 🥹 I’ve been so proud and happy to see them grow throughout their time so far in DPE. They’ve both taken on leadership roles, such as historian, community service chair, and social chair, and they’ve really built DPE into their own community. Even though I am their Big, Demi and Quinyln have shown me so much support and kindness, and I know I can go to either of them whenever I need to complain or have a major life decision coming up. I have so much faith in the things they will both go on to do, and I am so lucky to get to be able to give them advice, have fun together, and grow with them!
Favorite Memory Together: Both of Demi/Quinlyn’s big/little parties!! We had fantastic matching outfits for both of them ❤️🔥
How have Demi and Quinlyn demonstrated the DPE ideal of sisterhood?: Demi: Is fiercely determined, hard-working, and passionate about the things she does, all while making sure she is lifting up the people around her. She is quiet but unwavering. Quinlyn: Is incredibly loyal and a steady presence. She is an amazing friend, can match my freak, and is always ready to do something fun (except for when she’d rather be in bed #relatable #same).
Delta Phi Epsilon
Professional Foreign Service Sorority, Alpha Chapter
Georgetown University
Washington, D.C. 20057