Dayton, Dublin and Delta Sigma

As we find ourselves near the Thanksgiving holiday, many of us take the opportunity to reflect on our lives and give thanks for everything we hold dear. While I admire the gorgeous autumn leaves, play my heart out with the Pride of Dayton Marching Band or come home to my fellow sisters of Sigma Alpha Iota, I reflect on and cherish my life at the University of Dayton.

I have spent a great deal of time lately thinking about who I was in the fall of 2021. I was a freshman psychology major from a small town in New Jersey knowing only two things for certain: that my father, John Sutton ’85, adored his time at UD and that I would be playing trumpet with the Pride of Dayton.

Right off the bat, the Pride of Dayton gave me a home like no other, and I always say that joining was the best decision I have made in college. From playing football games in the snow to marching in Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Chicago’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Circleville Pumpkin Show, the Pride of Dayton gave me performance opportunities of a lifetime and some of the best friends I have ever made.

Getting acclimated would not have been possible without the support of the student leaders during my freshman year.

This is why I have decided to give back and serve as both a trumpet section leader and new media coordinator for the band this year. I wanted to especially support new members so they feel just at home as I did. 

During my freshman year, I found another musical home that I will keep in my heart forever. I was initiated into Sigma Alpha Iota, UD’s music fraternity for women and non-binary students. That first-year version of me, who was beyond bewildered during the initiation ceremony, would be astonished to see me now — the current president of the Delta Sigma Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. 

I am eternally grateful for all of the sisters and tremendously miss those who led us in the past. All I wanted as a first-year student was a community of others with a  passion for music. I am so proud to be able to lead that group and give other sisters a musical community. 

I am so thankful to live in the Sigma Alpha Iota house on K Street and share it with five other women. Whether we are watching Breaking Bad, playing our broken piano with a Cabbage Patch doll sticking out of it, or all just standing in the kitchen for a midnight conversation, we bond and make new funny and tender memories every day.

Besides holding new leadership positions in my most beloved organizations, I have received many valuable opportunities within my major that shaped who I am today. I presented a research poster at the 2023 Midwestern Psychological Association conference in Chicago and attended the psychology department’s study abroad trip to Dublin this summer. 

These experiences have reaffirmed my love for psychology. Presenting gave me tremendously helpful professional experience, while taking courses in Ireland helped me learn about fascinating topics and apply them to an international context. I think about Dublin every day and know my propensity for international travel will continue to grow. 

Being an adult, a college student, a journalist and a musician have not been easy, but my family and support systems at UD have helped me learn, grow and thrive. I am thankful for all of the people and memories from my life every day as a Flyer and will hold them in my heart forever.