Alumnae Blog

To the sea...
Posted On: Monday, July 26 09:47 AM, by Ashley Settle
Well, it has been one hot summer here in DC. With the heat reaching up to the 100s lately, we’re all sweltering a bit under this sun. But I fortunately had the opportunity to head to the beach—Virginia Beach—where I finally got to enjoy the sand beneath my toes for the first time in months.

If there’s one thing I miss more than anything else about Florida, it’s the close proximity to water. Fortunately in DC we have the river providing some solace, but there’s not much that can beat the smell of sea salty air, especially in these dog days of summer. It was the perfect mini-vacation, a quick reprieve from the bustling DC summer tourist scene. I only wish I could’ve stayed longer. As more »
Fireworks and friends: The Fourth in DC!
Posted On: Friday, July 9 09:00 AM, by Ashley Settle
The monuments and fireworks display from the Iwo Jima Memorial
While wrapping up a busy 4-day week, I’m still dreaming of the awesome long weekend we had. Last weekend was my first Fourth of July in DC and it was by far one of the best yet. My favorite holiday in one of my favorite cities, spending it with amazing friends, life doesn’t get much better!

To make the long holiday weekend even more wonderful, one of my littles, Stacy, came to visit me! For her first ever trip to DC, Stacy couldn’t have picked a better weekend to explore the nation’s capital. The National Mall was filled with visitors and residents alike donning red, white and blue. Despite the heat here reaching into the triple digits this past weekend, Stacy and I enjoyed the more »
Thetas hit the Big Apple for the career opportunity of a lifetime
Posted On: Tuesday, June 15 03:55 PM, by Ashley Settle
NYC MAIPers exploring the city!
This summer, several of my wonderfully creative and brilliant UCF classmates are calling the Big Apple home, including two lovely ladies who I had the pleasure of calling my sisters while an active member of Eta Theta. Sharing the same major (Advertising/Public Relations), Marie Arias, Vanessa Manzon and I got to know each other well from Theta events to our other home – the hallways of the Nicholson School of Communication. This summer, Marie and Vanessa, along with six other UCF Ad/PR students are headed across the more »
World Cup in the Capital
Posted On: Monday, June 14 10:30 AM, by Ashley Settle
The crowds gathered for the D.C. screening of the World Cup games (via Flickr: We <3 DC / Joe In DC)
With the World Cup now in full swing, I’ve decided to enjoy the games to the hilt, as my next opportunity is four years off. Being the first time in the last three World Cup series that I don’t have any connections to people visiting the World Cup host cities on summer vacations, I’ve taken it upon myself to search out the best places to watch the games and being in D.C. has sure lent itself to some amazing opportunities.

This past Saturday, with the USA/England game on the tips of everyone’s tongues, I headed out to DC’s historic Dupont Circle, where huge screens were set up with live broadcasts of the games. Waking up at 7 a.m. on a more »
Happy Anniversary, D.C.!
Posted On: Tuesday, June 1 03:40 PM, by Ashley Settle
Mom and me at the Capitol!
Tomorrow marks my one-year anniversary of living in D.C. and I can’t believe a year has gone by so fast. A year ago I came here as an intern, not knowing if I would like the city and people or not, but to my surprise, I completely fell in love with D.C. almost immediately. A year later, I’m still happy to be living in a city that I love with a job that I couldn’t be more grateful for. So as summer rapidly approaches, I’m renewing my love for the city by being outdoors as much as possible – playing tourist and exploring new parts of the city, but this time being able to navigate my way around much better than last year. And that’s one of the beauties of D.C. – having the opportunity to be a more »
D.C. Theta in the Spotlight!
Posted On: Thursday, May 13 03:53 PM, by Ashley Settle
Debbie and our 2010 WWPR board.
I hope that everyone has had an opportunity to check out the latest Theta Spotlight on our homepage, Debbie Friez (Alpha Pi/North Dakota). I met Debbie shortly after moving to D.C. when I joined the organization Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR). After signing up for a committee or two, Debbie and I got to talking and eventually realized we were both Thetas. Since becoming more involved in WWPR and the D.C. PR community, Debbie has been an invaluable mentor to be throughout the last year. Her passion for our field and dedication to her involvements is admirable and I am very happy to be involved in both the D.C. Theta and WWPR organizations with Debbie. What to get to know Debbie too? Find her on Twitter: @dfriez.

<< View Older Entries    
Ashley Settle,
Alumnae Blogger

A graduate from the University of Central Florida, Ashley enjoyed three wonderful and busy years as a member of Eta Theta Chapter in Orlando. She remained active in the chapter, holding the positions of editor and sisterhood chair, before graduating in 2009.

After graduation, Ashley bid goodbye to the Sunshine State and headed to the nation's capital to pursue a career in public relations. Immediately joining the local alumnae chapter, Ashley continues to stay involved with Theta through monthly brunch bunches and volunteer activities in the D.C. metro area.

When she's not working or exploring the sites and sounds of D.C., you can find Ashley blogging at http://thegreatestis-love.blogspot.com/  .