Growing up, Veronica Richard, senior communication major, remembers looking at pictures and hearing stories of her mother and her friends when they attended Nova Southeastern University. Feeling connected to the university through her family contributed to Richard’s decision to attend NSU.
“My godmother is a former NSU student who was in the same sorority as my mom. Still, I’ve grown up around so many of her sorority sisters, that I’ve been to one of their weddings, so I’ve always been connected in that way,” Veronica Richard said.
“It helped that she already knew so much about the university and how things worked even though it worked pretty differently back then, she always talked amazingly about her experience, like how nice the people were.”
Finding out her daughter would be attending the same university, Rosemarie Richard, class of 1997, was proud, awaiting the day she could place their graduation photos side-by-side.
“I’m a cheesy mom, so when she told me, ‘Mom, I’m really considering NSU,’ I was extremely proud,” Rosemarie Richard said. “If you go on my social media, you’ll see all the cheesy pictures. I would post the comparison photo of me on my first day and her first day.”
NSU, then called Nova University, caught the eyes of Rosemarie Richard as she looked for a university near her home and husband-to-be. With the opportunity to attend with a grant that paid a large portion of her tuition, she felt NSU was the right place. As a student, she majored in elementary education.
Rosemarie Richard looks at her sorority’s memorabilia.
“I knew that since I was 5 years old and I stuck with it and I lived to tell,” Rosemarie Richard said. As part of her extracurricular activities, she joined the Future Educators of America and Phi Sigma Sigma.
As a commuter student, Rosemarie Richard knew she wanted to get involved and make connections. Greek life caught her attention and she said it was one of the best decisions she made during her college years.
“I was able to have the best of both worlds and still go home as a commuter student, and have the comforts of home but still have that great connection and social piece while I was on campus,” Rosemarie Richard said.
Alongside finding her forever friends, Rosemarie Richard was a founding member of Phi Sigma Sigma, which not only helped shape the sorority’s history but also helped her gain leadership skills.
“We were literally just an interest group and so to be a part of that was pretty awesome and to be able to call myself a founding sister. It intrigued me, I was like ok I like this, plus these girls are pretty awesome,” said Rosemarie Richard.
As a founding member, Rosemarie Richard held many positions such as public relations chair, and treasurer, and in her senior year, she was vice arcon (vice president). Even though everyone had their own positions, she said they all did everything together starting out, in order for them to grow their chapter.
Rosemarie Richard had many fond memories, but her favorite memory was helping lead their first fall rush.
“That was a lot of fun because of all the planning, the themes and finding locations because we had to book rooms. We didn’t have as many choices as you have now. So it was a lot of fun and hard work, but I didn’t mind. As a commuter student, I remember staying here to the most ridiculous hours of night and then getting in the car and driving back home,” Rosemarie Richard said.
One of Rosemarie Richard’s biggest accomplishments as part of Phi Sigma Sigma was helping support its philanthropy for the National Kidney Foundation.
“My fondest memory was we used to do rock anthons for our philanthropic association in front of Parker Building. We would have these 24-hour rock anthons where someone had to be rocking on a rocking chair. The entire time you signed up for shifts and that’s a fond memory because we had so much fun sitting there. It would be 3 a.m. and we would just be laughing and talking, it was pretty awesome,” Rosemarie Richard said.
Even after 30 years, Rosemarie Richard is still with her sorority sisters, one of them being Candace Ruffin.
“She used to wear really baggy pants and she was like the girl from the Bronx in the middle of Florida, it was hysterical,” Ruffin said. “She was never quiet, a very extroverted person. I watched her be this leader and she handled it all with grace. The frustration was there, but we managed it all the way through and supported each other. She is an amazing support person.”
Since graduating, Rosemarie Richard is now working with teachers on how to educate English language learners.
“Is the most fulfilling work that I have ever experienced. When you have students who are coming to the country for the very first time and they don’t speak any English and have to meet the same graduation requirements as a monolingual, it’s so incredibly difficult to do. But it can be done and to be a part of that for so many students is absolutely incredible,” Rosemarie Richard said.
Living and working near the area, Rosemarie Richard is still near NSU and is able to see its developments through the years.
“I just adored my time here those four years were incredible. This place will always hold a dear part of my heart. Being a resident here, seeing the campus over the years, I’m just so proud to see what it’s becoming,” Rosemarie Richard said.
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