The Marietta-Roswell Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated would like to recognize Kristen Williams as our 1st featured MRAC Success Story.

Kristen began her journey as part of the Delta Family when she participated in the Delta Academy and then later – the Delta GEMS.  Kristen credited Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (MRAC) and her exposure with various community activities, cultural events, and workshops as playing a tremendous role in her personal growth and development.  

Kristen’s most memorable moment in the Delta Academy was a teambuilding/trust activity where she had an opportunity to allow herself to be vulnerable. This experience taught Kristen to be open and willing to place her complete trust and security in the hands of someone else.  Kristen participated in the 2004 Delta Cotillion and was also named Miss Congeniality.  Kristen viewed the Delta Cotillion as a great networking opportunity for her to collaborate with other young ladies through shared goals. 

The smart and lovely Kristen Williams, is the daughter of Myrna Williams and the granddaughter of Virginia Martin.  Kristen esteemed her mother as the most positive influence in her life as well as her greatest supporter.  Kristen asserted that her mother always encouraged her to be the “best that she could be and pushed her to always do better”.  According to Kristen, her mother provided a stable home environment – even as a single mother - and in return Kristen confessed, “I wanted to work hard in school to get a scholarship so that my mother would be proud and because she sacrificed a lot for me”.

Kristen declared that she was a very shy child growing up and the DST etiquette and interviewing skills workshops helped her to become a more self-confident person.  In fact, she believes the skills learned during those workshops significantly contributed to her being able to successfully secure her current job as a Resident Assistant.  Kristen affirms, “The Delta Academy and Delta GEMS helped me to learn how to properly dress for interviews, be more outgoing, and develop social skills.  Now, if my supervisor invites me out to lunch, I feel more comfortable that I can carry myself in the proper manner, especially when it comes to eating – which I learned in the etiquette class”.

Kristen is a leader and took on a leadership role as Vice-President in Delta GEMS.  This role helped her to sharpen her interpersonal, communication, and overall leadership skills.  “I saw this role as an opportunity to step-up and take on the challenges”.  She was recognized for her leadership by being selected and one of 30 girls from across the country to be selected as a delegate to the 2002 Presidential Academy as part of the Delta Sigma Theta National Convention . Additionally, as a secretary in the Delta Academy, Kristen also utilized her organizational and note-taking skills to keep everything running smoothly.  Kristen credited her exposure in these programs as stepping stones towards the role she would later hold as a Resident Assistant.  “I felt more at ease and capable of handling various situations that arose at work because of my participation in the programs”.  Kristen proclaimed that one of the best assets of the MRAC programs for youth is the opportunity to develop mentoring relationships.  “I believe it is extremely important to have a mentor and to nurture the relationship”.  Kristen credited her mentor, Soror Carol Glover, for her time and support in helping to shape her personal growth and overall knowledge about life.  “I have met diverse groups of people and made a lot of friends”.

Today, Kristen is a sophomore at Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama) currently matriculating in Biology/Pre-Med.  Kristen acknowledged that if she could give advice to other young ladies following in her footsteps in the Delta Academy or Delta GEMS – she would tell them to “take full advantage of the information and opportunities presented to them.  At first it may seem as if the information is useless; but, in the end it is helpful for the future.  The things I have learned helped me with job interviews, scholarship applications, and resume writing.  All of these things have also helped in the preparation for college, getting to know people, and most especially networking.  Life is about networking”.

Kristen Williams

Proud - Poised - Polished - a True Success Story

Kristen Serving at Christmas Store	Kristen & Fellow Del-Teen Grads
Kristen exploring Polo as Cultural Enrichment	Today, Kristen is a Sophomore at Tuskegee Univ.