The Spring 2026 Lyre

Celebrating 30 Years of the National Housing Corporation Convention Registration Details

Lyre Rachel Ma

Weaving creativity THROUGH SCIENCE AND ART

The Toastmistress

BY LANEY TERNET (ALPHA, DEPAUW UNIVERSITY), HISTORIAN AND ARCHIVIST

As Alpha Chi Omega celebrates the arts in this issue of The Lyre, we begin by honoring one of our remarkable sisters whose creativity helped define one of our long-standing traditions: Vivien Bard (Alpha, DePauw University).

In 1917, Vivien graduated from DePauw University, and as a gifted musician, writer and leader, she composed Alpha Chi Omega’s “Toast,” now one of our most cherished songs. Its familiar lines, sung at ceremonies and celebrations, remind us how deeply music is woven into our sisterhood. Through her song, generations of sisters have found a shared voice, a moment of harmony and a lasting connection.

Vivien’s artistry extended beyond our walls. She also wrote “A Toast to DePauw,” a piece that has become the university’s official anthem. Thousands of students have sung her lyrics in times of celebration, many unaware that the melody binding them together was crafted by an Alpha Chi whose love for the arts shaped both campus and fraternity life.

After graduating, Vivien continued her artistic journey, earning a master’s degree from the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, serving as the President of the Terre Haute Symphony and later teaching as a music professor at Indiana State University. Her life in the arts reflects the very spirit on which Alpha Chi Omega was founded: creativity, discipline and the courage to share one’s talents with her community.

As we celebrate the arts as Alpha Chi Omegas, Vivien’s story reminds us why they matter. The arts bring people together. They help us express what words alone cannot, preserve memories, spark imagination and create traditions that last far beyond a single moment.

THE DEPAUW SCHOOL OF MUSIC BUILDING AROUND THE TIME VIVIEN WAS A STUDENT THERE SHEET MUSIC FOR “TOAST”

From our earliest songs to the ones we still sing today, art has always been at the heart of Alpha Chi Omega. This season, we honor that legacy. We lift our voices and celebrate the artists among us. Like Vivien, we continue to create something beautiful together.

The Arts

As we’re celebrating Alpha Chi Omega’s 140th year, I’ve been thinking a lot about our Founders. These seven women were remarkable in many ways, and one of those was their artistic talents. Across the group, they excelled in voice, piano, pianoforte, organ, violin, double bass and cello, as well as music education and composition.

According to our history, Anna Allen was the youngest student in the DePauw School of Music to pursue advanced work. Bessie Grooms practiced the piano so intensely that she lost the use of her fingers. Estelle Leonard entered school with the purpose of learning music to support herself – a bold goal for a young woman in the 1800s.

The arts drew these women together, giving them a shared passion as they formed our Fraternity. Though the study of music is no longer a membership requirement, that legacy continues in our Ritual, our songs and the creativity that shines in unique ways for each sister. Whether you’re a passionate painter, a brilliant pianist or a wannabe artist like me who relies on Instagram inspiration for my child’s craft projects, I hope you keep flexing your creative muscles and exploring the arts.

Loyally, Lauren Filippini

Alpha Chi (Butler University) Marketing and Communications Manager Editor, The Lyre

LYRE SPOTTING

Above: The Lyre came along for a reunion of Gamma Epsilon (Oklahoma State University) sisters from the 60s, who traveled to Stillwater, Oklahoma from around the state, as well as from Texas and California.

Right: Mary McGovern Hebein and Jensy Patterson Richards, alumnae of our Sigma (University of Iowa) chapter, celebrated milestone birthdays and 50 years of friendship while traveling through India and Nepal this fall.

READ YOUR WAY

The Lyre is available online to all members and friends of Alpha Chi Omega. Visit issuu.com/alphachiomega to read the current issue, as well as the past several editions, in a searchable digital flipbook. Members who have reached the Foundation’s Life Loyal Roll through cumulative gifts of $299 receive a copy of the magazine in print; learn more at alphachiomega.org/lifeloyalroll.

Contributors

AMY BUCCIARELLI

GAMMA CHI (STETSON UNIVERSITY)

Amy is a licensed counselor and certified art therapist with specialized training in trauma care and depth psychology. She owns Coastal Blossom Counseling and Art Therapy, serving Jacksonville Beach, Florida, and recently earned her Ph.D. She shares about the power of art in healing on page 35.

BOURGE HATHAWAY

PHI (UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS)

Bourge is a writer and visual artist who lives and makes fun things in her studio in Midcoast Maine. A graphic designer by training and a sculptor by inclination, her current work explores the many dimensions of handmade paper. On page 5, she shares her belief that we all have a capacity for creativity.

EMILY KENNEDY

IOTA CHI (MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY)

A Tennessee-based floral designer and wedding planner, Emily owns Kennedy Occasions, offering tailored planning and timeless design. If you’re planning a wedding this year, you’ll love her tips on page 38.

STAFF CONTRIBUTORS

LAUREN FILIPPINI , MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

MADELINE JENKINS , DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND ENGAGEMENT

LAURA KNOBEL , ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF LIFETIME ENGAGEMENT

KENDALL SUESS , ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HOUSING

LANEY TERNET , HISTORIAN AND ARCHIVIST

JEN WALLACH , DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES

EMMA WILLE , MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

National President

Jennifer Daurora

National Vice Presidents

Leslie Abramsky Block

Kristin Miller Edwards

Dr. Cassie Gerhardt

Dr. Jennifer Wilhoit Lane

Kelli Rodriguez

Chief Executive Officer

Katie Lampinen Gaffin

Senior Director of Education and Engagement

Amy Colvin Mustafa

Director of Marketing and Communications

Amanda Spice

Marketing and Communications Manager

Lauren Filippini

The Lyre is published quarterly.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Lyre 5635 Castle Creek Parkway N. Dr. Indianapolis, IN 46250-4304

Submission Deadlines Fall issue - July 1 Winter issue - October 1 Spring issue - January 1 Summer issue - April 1

317-579-5050 alphachiomega.org editor@alphachiomega.org

Our Mission

Through the Real. Strong. Women.® Experience, Alpha Chi Omega cultivates impactful communities where women are inspired to connect, lead, grow and serve.

Distinctly Alpha Chi Omega

BY JANIS ROSE HURTER (ZETA OMICRON, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY), NATIONAL HOUSING CORPORATION PRESIDENT

Since 1885, Alpha Chi Omegas have embraced sisterhood through appreciation of the arts. I’ve witnessed this myself, both as a member and as the NHC president.

My great-aunt Flora McMath Brown was initiated in 1932 at the Chi chapter at Oregon State University. In the early 1990s, she drove through Nashville to celebrate with me after I was initiated into Zeta Omicron at Vanderbilt University in 1989. Aunt Flora handed me her copy of The Symphony of Alpha Chi Omega and emphasized to me that I should always live by those words and proudly display the traditional Symphony in a frame in my home. When she passed away, her daughter gave me her beloved 1935 lyre badge and 1920 Alpha Chi Omega Song Book. These songs and many more are the sounds that fill the halls of our chapter houses and the music in our hearts, representing how our sisterhood’s values continue to stand the test of time.

This past fall, I had the honor of moving our daughter, Sydney, into the Epsilon chapter facility at the University of Southern California. Beyond the distinctive AXΩ focal items – the red door and brick, the beautiful Greek letters, and the stained-glass window of the coat of arms – I witnessed how loving and welcoming the sisters were to each other. Inside,

the walls were covered with photos featuring recent memories, composites and a history honoring the previous house designs.

There is truly an art to designing and adapting facilities to be resilient and relevant to women for generations. While the NHC’s primary focus is on the behindthe-scenes structural enhancements, we still have a profound appreciation for the beauty and art that make up these places. By visiting these homes, planning remodels and helping drive modernization, I’ve gained a strong appreciation for the craft and talent that go into constructing and furnishing these timeless spaces.

Our spaces feel like Alpha Chi, embodying the NHC’s mission to provide safe and competitive facilities where members connect, lead, grow and serve. We partner with interior design firms to ensure our brand is reflected in every element throughout the space. Some chapters feature a piano, while others have extraordinary lyre or carnation artwork. One-of-a-kind stained-glass windows are a distinctive style and have stood the test of time.

This past fall, the NHC directors met in Indianapolis and reviewed our portfolio. We could see synergies from both architectural and artistic perspectives. As an organization, we acknowledge that sisters and leaders have helped shape the artistic vision for these spaces over the decades, with the average age of NHC properties being 68 years. Regardless of when they were constructed, all our Alpha Chi homes provide a gathering space and retreat, creating memories for a lifetime.

Every sister has a story to share, and I smile as I think about what makes our sisterhood stand the test of time – one brick at a time.

JANIS ROSE HURTER

Our Capacity for Creativity

BY BOURGE HATHAWAY (PHI, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS)

Not long ago, some of my fellow artists were debating the impact of AI on our community. They wanted to know if I thought it would replace us. My answer, in a single word, was “no.” While AI might possibly be programmed to produce 90% of what we humans create, it will never produce that last 10% – which I believe is pure passion. No algorithm is going to replicate that, or the curiosity that drives it.

BOURGE HATHAWAY

The poet Mary Oliver once wrote, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Well, I’ve honestly never settled on what I want to be when I grow up. Seriously. I’ve been very fortunate, however, to have worked in or around the visual and literary arts for most of my life. That experience has shown me that creativity is born not of something you do or even how well you do it, but of how you see the world and, more importantly, how you help others to see and experience the ordinary in extraordinary ways.

My own journey in the arts began more than 60 years ago as a new initiate of Phi chapter at the University of Kansas. I had come to KU wanting to major in philosophy and humanities but quickly learned that with a major like that you were either going to have to teach it or just live with it. Neither was a bad option, but as luck would have it, I found myself in a house full of multi-talented sisters (literally singing, dancing, drawing and painting!) who opened the doors for me to KU’s most excellent School of Fine Arts.

Grounded in that sisterhood, my work over the years has been increasingly informed by my intense interest in

other cultures and ways of life. I’ve been privileged to travel extensively – often to places that outwardly could not be more different from my home but whose people share the same fierce desire for spiritual nourishment and an infinite capacity for creativity.

That’s probably why my work in the visual arts has taken many forms, especially three-dimensional ones that are often functional as well as hopefully nice to look at. All I’m trying to say here is that creativity takes many forms. You can be holding a paintbrush or standing there in a classroom with a piece of chalk in your hand charting the way for students to understand the basics of a complicated mathematical concept. It is in everything we do with passion, curiosity and optimism. It is everywhere we celebrate the possible.

Bourge is a writer and visual artist based in Maine; you can see more of her pieces and learn more at standingrockstudios.com.

“SUNRISE” BY BOURGE HATHAWAY

“NOT QUITE FULL CIRCLE” BY BOURGE HATHAWAY

A SPRING OF SISTERHOOD, LEARNING AND PHILANTHROPY

Alpha Chi Omega had a busy start to 2026, hosting many of our premier programs and national initiatives. Check out how the Real. Strong. Women. Experience shined throughout the country this spring!

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Our premier training for chapter presidents and collegiate chapter officers welcomed sisters to Indianapolis on February 6-8.

581 COLLEGIANS ATTENDED

• Chapter presidents

• VPs risk management

• VPs new member education

• VPs membership programming

10 UNIQUE SESSIONS COVERED TOPICS LIKE:

• Building sisterhood

• Disrupting unhealthy traditions

• Honest conversations

ONE ATTENDEE SAID: “This experience teaches you that YOU are building a legacy. You are empowering yourself to the betterment of your chapter and your sisters, and that impact will change the world!”

COLLEGIATE GROWTH ACADEMY

Recruitment officers from some of our collegiate chapters came to Indianapolis on February 13-15 to gain recruitment and retention strategies.

VPS RECRUITMENT AND VPS RECRUITMENT INFORMATION FROM 40 CHAPTERS

SESSION TOPICS INCLUDED:

• The future of recruitment

• Planning a successful Bid Day

• Continuous open bidding strategy

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WEEK

In support of our national philanthropy of domestic violence awareness, we celebrated the ways technology can foster healthy, supportive relationships over the week of February 9-13.

20,000 STICKERS AND 20,000 STICKY NOTEPADS SENT TO CHAPTERS AND FRATERNITY/ SORORITY ADVISORS

NEW PROGRAM WITH PURPOSE: SEND WITH LOVE – A MEMBER-LED WORKSHOP DISCUSSING MOCK TEXT MESSAGES TO DETERMINE IF THE INTERACTIONS ARE HEALTHY OR UNHEALTHY

CHAPTER-LED EVENTS, SUCH AS:

HERA DAY

In honor of our patron goddess Hera, sisters performed acts of kindness and service.

RECOGNIZED ON MARCH 1

• Gamma Chi’s (Stetson University) Dash for DVA

• Kappa Rho’s (University of North Carolina at Charlotte) Cupid Shuffle 5K

• Iota Sigma’s (Southern Methodist University) Alpha Chi Couture

FIRST OBSERVATION OF HERA DAY:

1911

INTERNATIONAL BADGE DAY

Sisters wore their lyre badges with pride on March 2, joining their Panhellenic sisters in letting everyone know that they are proud to be sorority women.

26 NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE GROUPS

MACDOWELL MONTH

We recognized our heritage by patronizing the arts in February, with sisters attending the theater, visiting art museums and creating works of art.

CHECK OUT ALPHACHIOMEGA.ORG/BLOG TO FOLLOW ONE SISTER’S JOURNEY OF LEARNING THE BAGPIPES!

ALPHA CHI NIGHT OUT

Alumnae celebrated sisterhood on February 12! Whether it was an alumnae chapter event, a casual meet-up in town or a call to a chapter sister, Alpha Chi Omegas shared our common bond.

SOME

FUN EVENTS FROM OUR ALUMNAE CHAPTERS:

• Pictured: Theta Xi Theta (Memphis, TN) held a Favorite Things Party and celebrated Galentine’s Day.

• Alpha Xi Alpha (Milwaukee, WI) met at a coffee shop to write uplifting cards for their local shelter and collect donations.

Find more ways to connect with Alpha Chi Omega on our Events page by scanning the QR code.

Many of these events and initiatives are funded in part by the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation. Thank you, donors, for creating opportunities for sisters to connect, lead, grow and serve!

• Beta Beta (Indianapolis, IN) made bracelets at a local nonprofit shop, sharing that members were “grateful for this sisterhood that keeps us connected, creative and always laughing.”

A LOOK AHEAD …

DAY OF GIVING

Empowered women empower women! To honor Alpha Chi Omega’s founding year, consider a donation to the Foundation during 1 day, 8 hours and 85 minutes, starting on March 26. Scan the QR code on the back of this issue to give now!

SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH

During April, we invite members to continue their philanthropic commitment by sharing education; participating in Denim Day; and supporting victims, survivors and local nonprofits.

ALPHA PSI CENTENNIAL

UCLA sisters, save the date! The Alpha Psi chapter will reach 100 years on March 27, and a celebration will be held October 24, 2026. Visit https://www.axoucla100.com/ or email axoucla100@gmail.com for more information.

UCLA FOUNDED MARCH 27, 1926

Meet Our New Chapter Consultant!

Alpha Chi Omega is thrilled to welcome Hadley Snyder (Delta Rho, University of Arkansas) to the chapter consultant team!

Hadley graduated in December 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminology and sociology. She served Delta Rho as chapter president and vice president chapter relations and standards.

In addition, she worked as a high school wrestling official – which you might remember from a profile on Hadley in the summer 2025 issue of The Lyre!

Hadley has already hit the road as a traveling consultant visiting collegiate chapters across the country, so make sure to say hi if she visits yours!

HADLEY SNYDER

"I have absolutely loved having the opportunity to watch each chapter I have worked with grow and gain confidence. Seeing them accomplish everything that they have worked hard for brings me so much joy! Every chapter I have visited has been so kind and welcoming, reminding me why I chose Alpha Chi Omega and the strength of sisterhood."

"I have experienced immense personal and professional growth throughout my time as a consultant. My confidence has grown the most, making me feel empowered and strong in everything I do! I have also learned how to adapt quickly to new environments and build meaningful connections, which has strengthened my leadership and communication skills."

INSPIRED BY ERIN’S EXPERIENCES? WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHAPTER CONSULTANT ROLE?

Connect Over Books!

Don’t miss out on the great conversations happening in the Alpha Chi Omega Alumnae Book Club! From trying to figure out if we guessed the ending correctly to agreeing (or disagreeing) about our favorite characters and appreciating our different perspectives – the book club is where sisters come to connect with each other. Join us each month as we discuss in the “AXO Alumnae Book Club” Facebook group!

APRIL 2026

LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN BY LISA SEE

This richly imagined historical novel is inspired by Tan Yunxian, a physician in 15th-century Ming dynasty China. Trained by her grandmother and bonded with her midwife friend, Yunxian learns to treat women from all walks of life. When she is forced into an arranged marriage, her mother-in-law tries to silence her healing work. Through friendship, dedication and a daring disregard for limitations, Yunxian builds a life of lasting significance –one whose remedies and impact echo centuries later.

DISCUSSION DATES: APRIL 27 – MAY 1

MAY 2026

ATMOSPHERE BY

TAYLOR JENKINS REID

Atmosphere is a tale of ambition, love and survival set against the thrilling backdrop of the space race. In 1980, Joan Goodwin is chosen for NASA’s shuttle program. As she forges an intense bond with fellow astronaut Vanessa Ford and takes on the unexpected responsibility of raising her niece, Joan’s world expands in ways she never imagined. But when a catastrophic mission places lives on the line, Joan must summon her courage to make an impossible choice.

DISCUSSION DATES: MAY 25-29

JUNE 2026

ONE SUMMER IN SAVANNAH BY TERAH

SHELTON HARRIS

Driven from her Savannah home by a sexual assault, Sara Lancaster built a life far from her trauma, writing poetry and raising her daughter in protective silence. As she returns eight years later to take care of her father and run his bookstore, she discovers Jacob Wyler, the brother of the man who assaulted her, is also back. As old wounds resurface and their lives unexpectedly intertwine, Sara and Jacob must confront shared pain, buried secrets and the impossible question: can true forgiveness ever be found?

DISCUSSION DATES: JUNE 22-26

H E L P A L P H A C H I G R O W !

helping recruit

Our members are the best resource for helping recrreal, strong women into the Alpha Chi Omega sisterhood.

outstanding

If you know an remarkable young woman who plans to participate in recruitment on her campus, our online recommendation form is the best way to let the chapter know!

Convention Registration is Open!

Registration for the 63rd National Convention is now open! We are looking forward to welcoming sisters from all over to Dallas, Texas, July 17-19, 2026. Full-time and part-time registration options are available. Whether it’s your first rodeo at convention or you’re a seasoned pro, there are options for everyone to maximize their convention experience.

Visit alphachiomega.org/convention or scan the QR code to register now!

FULL-TIME REGISTRATION

Is your weekend clear of anything not related to Alpha Chi Omega? Then full-time registration is the one for you! Join sisters at Reunion Night on Friday, and continue the excitement on Saturday with the National Chapter Meeting, Sisterhood Luncheon, education sessions and keynote, capping off with a night out on the town if you desire! On Sunday, attend the second National Chapter Meeting, Foundation Luncheon and more education sessions, then end the evening under the big sky of Alpha Chi with the Carnation Celebration. Full-time registration costs $835 if registered by May 1, 2026.

New this year! To improve sustainability efforts and ensure accurate headcounts, registering before May 1 guarantees you an Olympian mug (as you qualify), convention tote bag and pen. After May 1, additional fees apply, and you will not receive these swag items as part of your registration.

PART-TIME REGISTRATION

If you’ve got to head back to the homestead and can’t attend full-time, part-time registration is for you, with a la carte options available to choose from. Prices range from $100 education sessions to the $180 Carnation Celebration dinner on Sunday evening. There is a $50 registration fee applied to all part-time registrants. Even if you’re attending part-time, the same May 1 deadline for guaranteed swag items applies.

HOTEL DETAILS

The Sheraton Dallas is the official convention hotel. It is located at 400 Olive Street, Dallas, Texas 75201, and is just outside of the downtown historic district of Dallas. It is 20 miles from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and 6 miles from Dallas Love Field Airport. Although the hotel does not provide shuttle service for either airport, transportation options from the airport to the hotel may include taxis, Uber or Lyft.

Room reservations should be made directly with the hotel; Alpha Chi Omega does not make reservations on behalf of attendees. A special link has been made available for attendees to reserve a room using the discounted rates available specifically for the Alpha Chi Omega 2026 National Convention. Reservations must be made by Friday, June 26, to receive the discounted rate. You can find the reservation link on the convention website and the checklist on the next page!

DUST OFF YOUR BOOTS AND PREPARE FOR CONVENTION!

Everyone loves a good checklist when planning for events, and we’ve compiled some important dates and things to keep in mind while you’re preparing for our National Convention in Dallas, Texas! Round up your Alpha Chi gear and get ready to meet us under the big sky in Dallas this summer.

CONVENTION CHECKLIST

REGISTER ONLINE: alphachiomega.org/convention

BOOK YOUR HOTEL ROOM: book.passkey.com/go/2026AlphaChiOmegaNational

SCAN THE QR CODE TO VIEW THE FULL PACKING LIST FOR DALLAS!

BOOK YOUR TRANSPORTATION

– set a Google Flight alert for great deals to and from Dallas in July. And remember, there are two airports in Dallas – Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field!

CHECK IN with your Alpha Chi sisters to see who is attending.

START YOUR PACKING LIST!

On travel day, wear Alpha Chi Omega attire!

For Friday’s Reunion Night, show off your school spirit with your attire and bring school décor for your table with sisters.

On Saturday, members should wear all-white badge attire for the National Chapter Meeting. Many choose to stay in the same attire throughout the day for the education sessions, but you’re welcome to pack another badge-attire outfit.

Saturday evening is on your own for dinner, so be sure to pack something comfy if you’re exploring downtown or going on an excursion.

On Sunday, we invite you to wear red and green badge attire for the second National Chapter Meeting and education sessions. Convention concludes with our Carnation Celebration – this means semiformal attire where you’re encouraged to dress your best and really shine!

Create or update your profile in Women & Wisdom before you head to convention for networking opportunities.

Download the Whova app (launching in June) to make your profile and connect with other attendees ahead of convention.

If you are a delegate, register for the training webinar on June 17.

in step with

Plan Your Learning

CONVENTION EDUCATION TRACKS

COLLEGIATE CHAPTER OFFICERS AND COLLEGIATE VOLUNTEERS TRACK

Collegiate chapter delegates, chapter advisors, province collegiate chairs and collegiate experience volunteers should plan to attend this designated track. Together, we’ll explore key operations and strategies that strengthen the collegiate experience while also connecting with fellow leaders and volunteers. We’re excited to learn and collaborate with you during these important sessions. If you have any questions, please contact collegiateexperience@alphachiomega.org.

ALUMNAE CHAPTER OFFICERS AND ALUMNAE VOLUNTEERS TRACK

Alumnae chapter officers and volunteers supporting the alumnae experience will find this track full of opportunities to build new skills and connections. Network with fellow alumnae leaders, grow as a leader and communicator, and leave feeling energized and equipped to engage sisters throughout their lifetime alumnae experience! We’re excited to explore how our alumnae members and chapters can continue seeking the heights together. Questions? Please contact lifetimeengagement@alphachiomega.org.

LHC TRACK

This track is intended for volunteers and officers from local house corporations. Together, we will discuss updates to Fraternity policies and best practices for managing your corporation. Our time together will focus on topics such as:

• Officer expectations

• Updated Fraternity policy language

• Resources to support your work

Materials will be available for participants to take back to their board for further planning. Questions? Please contact housing@alphachiomega.org. CONVENTION DONATION OPPORTUNITY

You can carry our philanthropic impact to Dallas by donating a gift card for a local domestic violence shelter, Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support. Genesis’s mission is to provide safety, shelter and support to women and children experiencing domestic violence and to raise awareness regarding its cause, prevalence and impact. As you are packing, please consider bringing a gift card to donate! Recipients of the gift cards are located in Dallas, so please ensure that you are purchasing cards for businesses in the area.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU JOIN YOUR SISTERS IN GENEROSITY DURING CONVENTION!

GENERAL EDUCATION BREAKOUTS

Programs will also be offered for those attending convention outside of an identified track or role. Returning this year, Alpha Chi Omega invited sisters to submit proposals for education sessions. Stay tuned for more information about these sister-led sessions, which will highlight and leverage the unique talents, backgrounds, experiences and skills of our members!

ALL THAT IS NOBLE –SISTER RECOGNITION PROGRAM

KEYNOTE ANNOUNCEMENT: ERIN KING

Let’s be real: We are doing more than ever, yet often feel less energized, less connected and less fulfilled. We chase productivity, push for progress and show up for everyone else – but where does that leave us?

Erin King, a world-leading researcher on personal energy management and creator of the Energy Exam®, invites women to rethink the way we show up for our work, our relationships and ourselves. Blending science-backed insights with personal stories and tangible tools, Erin will help sisters align with their natural energy instinct – Kinetic, Generative, Rigorous, Responsive or Synergistic.

Join us on Saturday afternoon in recognizing those reaching their 50-, 60- and 75-year anniversaries of Alpha Chi Omega membership, honoring sisters that have passed on during the Hall of Memory and celebrating those who received the Real. Strong. Women of Distinction Award, Emerging Leader Award and Outstanding Senior Award earlier this year. It will be a meaningful time of sisterhood!

This keynote is both a wake-up call to stop running on empty and a permission slip to start leading from a place of clarity, vitality and confidence. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about being powerful in a way that’s real, sustainable and uniquely yours!

Did you celebrate 50, 60 or 75 years of membership in 2025 or 2026? Email odavis@alphachiomega.org if you’re registering for convention and want to be part of the milestone ceremony to be pinned by a member of the National Council.

If you would like a sister who has passed away since the 2024 National Convention to be recognized during the Hall of Memory, please complete the online form linked to the QR code by June 25.

Please note that information received after this date cannot be guaranteed to be included and that a member who is not in good standing with the Fraternity will not be included in the Hall of Memory.

Explore Dallas with AXΩ

Traveling to Dallas on Friday and want to join in on the fun before convention begins? Looking for a way to meet new sisters on Saturday while getting out on the town? Check out these excursions and mark your calendars to sign up when registration opens in March!

All times listed in Central, so plan your travel accordingly! Excursions are an add-on purchase available during the convention registration process.

TEXAS BBQ TOUR

FRIDAY, JULY 17

10 A.M. – 4 P.M.

Experience the best BBQ that Dallas has to offer! With this tour, you’ll learn the history of BBQ and explore the city to taste authentic and mouth-watering bites. We’ll visit two BBQ restaurants plus a local chocolatier and enjoy tasty beverages and behind-the-scenes details from expert tour guides.

You will return to the convention hotel before the delegates meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. Food, drink and transportation are included in the add-on excursion price in the convention registration.

FLEA STYLE HAT BAR AND DALLAS FARMERS MARKET

FRIDAY, JULY 17 | 10 A.M. – 4 P.M.

Ready to fulfill your creativity and shopping needs all in one spot? This excursion is for you! Join sisters in creating a custom cowboy, wide-brim, straw-style or vegan leather hat. Registration includes a $100 gift card toward a hat of your choice

and accessories to decorate your hat. Hat prices range from $68-$188, and accessories are $5/each and include feathers, buttons, charms, patches, fringe and more!

While you’re waiting to decorate your hat or just finished up, you’ll have the opportunity to shop around other local boutiques and businesses at the Dallas Farmers Market. Grab a bite to eat in the food hall and shop with sisters!

Transportation to and from the hotel is included in the registration price. Additional hat styles and accessories are available for purchase, as well as food and drink at the Farmers Market.

ELECTRIC SHUFFLE

SATURDAY, JULY 18 | 6-10 P.M.

Learn how to play electric shuffleboard in one of only seven locations in the world! There are five different games to choose from – highest total score wins, shoot closest to the target, land your pucks as close to each other as possible, board domination and a one-puck throw-off. With automatic scoring, action replay that captures every moment and more, you’ll enjoy time with sisters while you compete to win. Your ticket includes transportation to and from the hotel to Electric Shuffle, food and non-alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drinks are available for individual purchase.

FIND YOUR NEW FAVORITE ALPHA CHI SWAG!

PUNCH BOWL SOCIAL

SATURDAY, JULY 18 | 6-10 P.M.

Get ready to compete with sisters and enjoy each other’s company at Punch Bowl Social! Choose from two fullsized bowling lanes, two Dartsee boards with electronic scoring and games, and a private karaoke room while you’re relaxing in the VIP lounge with other sisters. Your ticket includes transportation to and from the hotel to Punch Bowl Social, food and non-alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drinks are available for individual purchase.

26 IN ’26

We want to make our upcoming Initiation Ceremony in Dallas the most remarkable yet – help us reach our goal of 26 alumnae initiates at our 2026 convention!

Do you have a special woman in your life you’ve always wished could share your love for Alpha Chi? Imagine traveling to convention together and leaving Dallas as sisters in the Bond when she joins our Fraternity through the National Alumna Initiate Program (NAIP)!

Vendors will be on-site during convention so you can pick up a souvenir for yourself or a gift for your Alpha Chi bestie! Here’s a preview of shops you’ll find in Dallas:

• B-Unlimited

• Curated Threads Greek

• Emerson Coast

• Greek Vibe Gear

• Herff Jones

• Nine Twenty Four Designs

• Sorority Letters Shop

• South by Sea

• StagTags

• The Sorority Place

• willajunejewelry

An initiation at National Convention is more than a ceremony; it’s a celebration of sisterhood across generations and a powerful reminder of the Ritual that

unites us. You could be the one to pin her with our lyre badge in that unforgettable moment and spend the weekend celebrating your deepened lifelong connection.

Your first step? Scan the QR code to access the sponsorship form and tell us why she would make a great Alpha Chi Omega. We can’t wait to meet our future sister!

Network at Convention

CONVENTION CONNECTIONS

Ready to make new connections in Dallas?

We can help! We’re bringing our virtual mentoring experience to this in-person gathering through Convention Connections!

Our team will match attendees with a sister to meet with during the weekend. Collegians can sign up as a mentee; alumnae can sign up as a mentor, mentee or both. Prior to convention, you’ll receive details about your match as well as resources to help you make the most of this new connection. Then enjoy some one-onone time with your Convention Connection during the weekend. Past pairs have met for coffee between sessions, sat together at meals or met up for a leisurely walk.

Whether you’re looking for career advice, insight on an industry or help reaching a goal, connecting with a sister can give you the inspiration you need. And mentoring relationships are mutually beneficial –everyone wins! Convention Connections is a great way to meet a sister for low-pressure mentoring in Dallas that could blossom to something more. Be on the lookout for details so you can sign up to participate!

PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOTS

It’s time to update your profile picture! Women & Wisdom will once again be sponsoring professional headshots for our sisters throughout the weekend. Look out for sign-up information to have yours taken!

EDUCATION SESSIONS

We look forward to offering opportunities to grow your professional skills through education session offerings! Career development sessions will be sponsored by Women & Wisdom.

At our 61st National Convention, Gracie O’Rorke (Zeta Omicron, Vanderbilt University) was paired with Angela Costley Harris (Alpha Beta, Purdue University) for the Convention Connections program. After a successful meet-up in Bellevue, the two wrote a blog post about their experience.

“I was excited to learn how lifelong membership in Alpha Chi Omega shaped my mentor’s professional career,” Gracie wrote. “We talked about all sorts of things – from our Alpha Chi Omega experiences to our hobbies and everything in between. It was incredible to connect with a sister who was in a completely different stage of life but to see the values we both held close to us.”

Scan the QR code to read the full post and get excited to meet your new connection in Dallas!

THE WOMEN & WISDOM NETWORK

Convention shows us the strength of the Alpha Chi network in person! Our Women & Wisdom network helps sisters leverage those connections year-round, so we’ll be recognizing members of the network throughout the weekend. Be sure you join at womenandwisdom.org so sisters know you’re in the network and help us promote this tool all weekend long.

MORE CONNECTIONS IN THE APP

We’ll be leveraging the convention app to help attendees make connections in their industries and connect with sisters over shared interests. We hope members will bring those connections out of the chat and meet up during convention too!

The Art of Giving

CREATIVITY IN GENEROSITY

BY MADELINE JENKINS (ALPHA BETA, PURDUE UNIVERSITY), DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND ENGAGEMENT

When we think of art, we imagine brushstrokes on canvas, melodies that stir the soul or sculptures that capture timeless beauty. But there is another art, less visible yet equally transformative: the art of giving. Like any masterpiece, generosity begins with vision, takes shape through intention and leaves behind a legacy that inspires.

In much the same way as a work of art, every act of giving starts with a spark: a desire to make change. It asks us to see beyond the present and imagine what could be.

An artist chooses colors to evoke emotion; a giver chooses causes to reflect values. Among countless worthy organizations, more than 6,000 sisters and friends picked up their brushes and chose the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation last year. Two of our donors share their love of the arts and creativity and their commitment to the Foundation.

A SYMPHONY OF CONFIDENCE AND GIVING

“I first gave to the Foundation because Alpha Chi Omega was one of the things that truly made a difference in my life,” says Leadership Circle donor Julie Harris (Delta Rho, University of Arkansas). “The encouragement I received from my Delta Rho sisters to pursue what I really wanted – and the success that followed – gave me the confidence to embrace new opportunities.”

Julie continues, “That confidence carried me through a 41-year career as a violist in professional orchestras

“Because of my love for traditional dance music: If my giving were a song, it would be a dance – a jig or reel that lifts my feet off the floor and compels me to join in!”

– Julie Harris

JULIE HARRIS PLAYING THE VIOLA FOR YOUNG MUSIC STUDENTS

in Tulsa, while also teaching privately. Along the way, I discovered the hammered dulcimer and fell in love with folk music, especially Northern-style fiddle tunes. Alpha Chi Omega gave me the courage to explore something completely different, and that spirit of exploration has stayed with me.”

The Alpha Chi Omega Foundation is our canvas, a place where we blend tradition with vision, ensuring the educational and philanthropic values of our sisterhood endure. It’s how we keep Alpha Chi Omega vibrant and relevant, a gallery for real, strong women to connect, lead, grow and serve. Together, we are not just sustaining an organization – we are crafting a future filled with color and meaning.

CREATIVITY STITCHED WITH PURPOSE

“One of the ways I express my creativity and passion is by designing and sewing what I call ‘P-J-Amas.’ The best part is selecting a whimsical combination of fabrics and buttons for each theme – food, holidays, animals, places and, of course, Alpha Chi Omega,” shares past Foundation trustee Anne Teaford-Cantor (Alpha Psi,

ANNE TEAFORD-CANTOR

ALPHA CHI OMEGATHEMED P-J-AMAS DESIGNED BY ANNE

UCLA). “Ever since Bid Day, my sisters have inspired, mentored, supported and empowered me. That’s why

When you choose the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation, you’re choosing more than an organization … you’re

ALPHA CHI

OMEGA’S

FIRST PHILANTHROPIC PROJECT: STAR STUDIO

In the early 1900s, Marian Nevins MacDowell (Zeta, New England Conservatory) and her husband dedicated their New Hampshire farm to creating a community “where artists could work in an ideal place in the stimulating company of peers.”

That vision became MacDowell, located in Peterborough, New Hampshire – a haven for creativity that still thrives today.

MacDowell was Alpha Chi Omega’s first philanthropic project, and in 1911, sisters funded the construction of Star Studio, a space where artists could bring their ideas to life. Today, the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation continues this legacy by supporting fellowships in honor of Fay Barnaby Kent (Delta, Allegheny College), the national officer who first suggested MacDowell as a philanthropic pursuit for Alpha Chi Omega.

Through an endowed grant for Star Studio’s maintenance and our annual celebration of MacDowell Month in February, we honor this enduring connection to creativity and philanthropy, a tradition that began more than a century ago and still inspires real, strong women today.

STAR STUDIO

Empowered Women Empower Women

JOIN US FOR DAY OF GIVING 2026

BY MADELINE JENKINS (ALPHA BETA, PURDUE UNIVERSITY), DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND ENGAGEMENT

Sisterhood is more than a bond; it’s a powerful force for change. When we unite, we create opportunities, open doors and build a future where every woman can thrive. That’s why March 26-27, 2026 matters: 1 day, 8 hours and 85 minutes dedicated to making an impact through the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation’s Day of Giving.

This day is about a sisterhood coming together to invest in women’s empowerment. Since its launch in 2017, Day of Giving has grown beyond what we imagined. Last year, we celebrated a record-breaking fundraising effort, with donors and chapters joining forces to make a difference. The momentum is real, and we’re ready to make 2026 our most impactful year yet!

Every contribution to the Foundation strengthens our sisterhood through leadership development, mentorship, academic support and lifelong connections. Gifts to Day of Giving support the Real. Strong. Women.® Fund, which directly impacts programs that make up the Real. Strong. Women. Experience and transform lives. They spark a ripple effect of empowerment. When one woman rises, she lifts others with her. Your generosity ensures sisters everywhere have the tools, confidence and support they need to lead and succeed.

Mark your calendars for March 26-27, 2026 and visit give.alphachiomega.org/DGRSW to make your gift. Together, we can create a future where empowered women empower women.

LAST YEAR’S CHAPTER CHALLENGE WINNERS – EPSILON ZETA (AUBURN UNIVERSITY), PICTURED HERE, AND GAMMA PSI GAMMA (SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA) – RALLIED THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF DONORS TO CHAMPION DAY OF GIVING. THEIR DEDICATION PROVED WHAT’S POSSIBLE WHEN SISTERS UNITE FOR A SHARED PURPOSE. WHO WILL RISE TO THE CHALLENGE THIS YEAR? IT COULD BE YOUR CHAPTER!

OUR GOALS FOR DAY OF GIVING 2026

INCREASE TOTAL DONORS BY 20%

RAISE $300,000 FOR THE REAL. STRONG. WOMEN. FUND ENGAGE EVERY CHAPTER IN THE CHAPTER CHALLENGE DAY OF GIVING GROWTH: AMOUNT RAISED

(PIVOTED TO DAY OF CARING DUE TO COVID-19)

Celebrating 30 Years of the National Housing Corporation!

BY KENDALL SUESS (GAMMA EPSILON, OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY), ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HOUSING

The Alpha Chi Omega National Housing Corporation (NHC) was established in 1996 to oversee collegiate chapter facilities across the country that are owned, leased or managed by the organization. The NHC is led by a Board of Directors and supported by Alpha Chi Omega staff members who lead major projects and improvements, handle budgets and manage daily operations. The NHC works to ensure it is creating spaces where members can connect and feel safe in every one of its chapter homes.

Walk through NHC history with us as we celebrate three decades of helping members connect, lead, grow and serve through housing!

1960s

In the early 1960s, a thorough review of the housing committee structure took place, and changes were tested and scrutinized over the next decade to ensure collegiate chapters and local house corporations were getting the support and guidance that was needed. In 1968, the convention body officially established the National Collegiate Housing Committee with six volunteer members.

1996

On June 12, 1996, the State of Fraternity Address by National President Judy Evans Anderson (Alpha Lambda, University of Minnesota) included an objective to create a plan to protect Alpha Chi

Omega properties, which resulted in the National Council approving a National Housing Corporation.

OBJECTIVE 3 FROM THE 1996 STATE OF THE FRATERNITY ADDRESS CREATING A PLAN TO PROTECT THE FRATERNITY’S PROPERTIES

1996

In 1996, the Alpha Chi Omega National Housing Corporation was officially formed, and it was announced in a State of the Fraternity address given by National President Jan Manning Crandall (Omicron, Baker University) at the National Convention in 1998. The NHC was created as a separate entity to handle issues and activities related to housing on behalf of the Fraternity; Jan served as its first president.

EXCERPT FROM THE NATIONAL CONVENTION STATE OF THE FRATERNITY ADDRESS SHOWING THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED NHC BOARD

1996

In 1996, Barbara Bridges (Alpha Mu, Indiana University) was hired as the first NHC staff member. She served as the director of housing for many years until she retired in 2016. Barbara reflected on the early stages of the NHC and what it meant to be part of something that has grown so much over the past 30 years:

“From the beginning, the Fraternity recognized the important role housing played for our collegiate chapters. The need to engage and support those involved in maintaining the facilities gave birth to the National Housing Corporation. Soon after, there was recognition for the need to expand services and focus also on chapter housing operations staff and facility management. Being a part of that growth and expansion and working with the dedicated local house corporation boards was tremendously rewarding. These women served as the foundation for today’s wholistic housing operations serving both alumnae and collegians.”

1998

In March 1998, the NHC, with help from the Fraternity, held its first Alpha Chi Omega NHC Housing Institute in Indianapolis. The weekend event offered volunteers support and education for the facility components of Alpha Chi Omega. Later that year, Lynne Herndon (Alpha Upsilon, The

University of Alabama) was elected president for the National Housing Corporation board. Lynne, who would later serve as Fraternity National President, was a pivotal part of those early stages of the NHC.

She shared, “Thirty years ago, Alpha Chi Omega had to make the bold decision to proactively grow the number of chapter facilities it owned and managed on behalf of the Fraternity and its chapters. This was a strategic shift which required both vision as well as personnel and financial resources to achieve the desired outcome which we see so plainly today. We knew this housing model could be scaled while also offering consistent and reliable housing services across the country. This decision was a testament to what Alpha Chi Omega does well, which is to be forward-thinking and commit to strategies that ensure Alpha Chi Omega will be thriving and successful for many years to come.”

Continued on next page ...

LYNNE HERNDON AS NATIONAL PRESIDENT SPEAKING DURING GAMMA SIGMA’S (UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND) HOUSE DEDICATION IN OCTOBER 2023

BARBARA BRIDGES (BACK ROW, FAR RIGHT) WITH STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AT THE 2012 HOUSE DEDICATION FOR DELTA PI (UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE)

THE NHC HELD ITS FIRST HOUSING INSTITUTE IN INDIANAPOLIS IN MARCH 1998.

While this was the beginning of Lynne’s service with the National Housing Corporation, she continued to attend important NHC milestones during her time as National President in 2020-24.

2006

Laura Eisler (Alpha Chi, Butler University) became the second NHC staff member in 2006. Laura shared, “The most rewarding part of the NHC’s work was seeing projects through to the end. Whether it was a sofa to a custodial property, updating the landscaping or a brand new build, the reaction from the members and alumnae made all the hard work worth it.”

2009

By 2009, the NHC owned 19 properties, leased 12 properties and assisted in managing 27 chapter facilities.

2015

In 2015, the NHC began working with CSL Management as a property management partner. CSL Management is an operations management company

focusing entirely on Greek houses. The NHC and CSL work together on all daily repair and maintenance needs as well as monitor and schedule inspections, preventive maintenance and life safety items.

2018

The NHC expanded to four full-time staff members. Two new chapter facilities for newly established chapters Delta Rho (University of Arkansas) and Delta Omega (University of Kentucky) were built.

DELTA OMEGA (UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY)

2019

In 2019, the NHC launched a social media campaign for Housing Appreciation Week using the tagline #AXOIsHome. This social media campaign is in late February each year and highlights Alpha Chi Omega housing, house directors and vendor partners, allowing chapter members to interact with content and share their housing experience.

DELTA ZETA (CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY) MEMBERS TAKING A PHOTO IN FRONT OF THEIR FACILITY

2026

Today, the NHC has grown to more than $100 million in assets, doubling in the last decade. Supporting this work are eight dedicated staff members who oversee the management of 83 properties while also supporting 29 local house corporations and 38 unhoused chapters and working with colleges and universities across the country.

The NHC Board of Directors has nine members. Janis Rose Hurter (Zeta Omicron, Vanderbilt University), the current president of the National Housing

Corporation, reflected on the last 30 years of the NHC and all that is to come:

“As the NHC board president, I am honored to serve alongside such accomplished women and to have been mentored by classy, innovative and brave previous leaders. I’ve witnessed the NHC grow over the past 30 years as an engaged alumna, and I’ve seen firsthand how we support all chapters through educational and operational best practices. My energy to uplift this organization through incredible growth, especially in the past five years, has been sparked by the network and connections of my peers and all the volunteers who have given their treasure, time, talents and genuine care for our beloved Fraternity. I cannot wait to see how Alpha Chi Omega positions itself for the next 30 years and beyond.”

THANK YOU TO THESE PAST AND CURRENT NATIONAL HOUSING CORPORATION PRESIDENTS!

JANICE MANNING CRANDALL (OMICRON, BAKER UNIVERSITY), 1996-98

LYNNE BIGGIO HERNDON (ALPHA UPSILON, THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA), 1998-2002

JULIE CAIN KENDALL (BETA SIGMA, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA), 2002-03

ANDREA DOBIN (ZETA PHI, CORNELL UNIVERSITY), 2003-04

SUZIE MCCLENDON SYMCOX (PSI, THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA), 2004-08

AGGIE THERESA STEINER (BETA ETA, FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY), 2008-12

MIKELLE HOLT BRADY (ALPHA, DEPAUW UNIVERSITY), 2012-16

CASSIE GERHARDT (ALPHA PI, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA), 2016-20

DONNA MCGRATH KLINGE (EPSILON KAPPA, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, FULLERTON), 2020-24

JANIS ROSE HURTER (ZETA OMICRON, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY), 2024-PRESENT

Home Is Where Alpha Chi Omega Is

BY EMMA WILLE , MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Home. It can be four walls, a familiar face or simply a feeling of belonging. For many new college students, home is their childhood bedroom and family they leave behind as they step onto campus for the first time. In its place, they begin searching for something new, somewhere they feel seen, supported and connected. That leads many women to go through recruitment, looking for that home away from home. For Maddie Lee (Epsilon Upsilon, Mississippi State University), creating a home for potential new members (PNMs) during recruitment this year posed a unique challenge and a chance to grow her skills.

When Maddie arrived on campus her first year, she was drawn to Alpha Chi Omega during a pre-recruitment event, where she felt how genuine the sisterhood was. She found herself going over to a member’s house, talking for hours and witnessing the care each sister had for one another. Maddie, who is pursuing a marketing degree with a minor in graphic design, said it was her fellow sisters who pushed her to step into the role of vice president public relations and marketing this year.

“I’m surrounded by women who genuinely believe in me, encourage me and celebrate every win, big or small,” she says. “This chapter has pushed me to grow not only as a person but also as a leader. Having that level of trust and encouragement has made me feel grounded, capable and motivated to continue showing up for the chapter that has given me so much.”

Outside of school, Maddie is constantly creating, something she knew she wanted to carry over to her time in Epsilon Upsilon. Recruitment gave her the chance to flex her creativity while also building her skills by serving on the house tours round committee.

MADDIE LEE

Alpha Chi Omega reestablished its Epsilon Upsilon chapter in the fall of 2021, always with the plan of having a chapter facility. While these first few years without a permanent chapter space have meant a different experience than other chapters on campus, one thing has never wavered: the sisterhood of Epsilon Upsilon members. With construction on their facility beginning this past summer, chapter members are excited to have a shared space where they can continue to connect and grow!

At Mississippi State University, PNMs take tours of chapters’ facilities during recruitment. So this year, Maddie and her sisters had the opportunity to get creative with crafting a home away from home as they recruited out of a fraternity house on campus.

“Our advisor told us she wanted the house to feel like an IKEA-style showroom where you could walk through each space and see the flow,” she shares. “The first step was making each room feel distinct while still tying everything together. We did this by giving each area its own color palette but using consistent gold accents throughout. For example, our ‘living space’ used softer coastal blues and greens, which helped it transition into our ‘dining space,’ where we used brighter oranges and pinks.”

Utilizing her graphic design skills and love for HGTV, Maddie created a virtual 3D walkthrough, helping her visualize the layout before the team physically set up the fraternity house for recruitment. Crafting the spaces gave Maddie much more than just a way to build her skills; it has been one of her favorite moments of college so far! “It was such a fun project because it let me combine both of my interests and experiment with different styles all within one setting,” she says.

Beyond the physical space, Maddie and the committee highlighted the heart of Alpha Chi Omega, proving that without the sisters inside it, even the most beautiful facility would feel empty. “For Epsilon Upsilon, home is our sisterhood,” Maddie shares. “To help PNMs feel that, I filled the house with photos of our members. It completely changed the space and made it feel personal, warm and lived-in. It also gave our recruiters natural moments to share stories and talk about what daily life in Alpha Chi really looks like.”

Creating this physical space during house tours round with the rest of the committee gave Maddie the opportunity to develop real life skills and to connect with the sisterhood. They proved that home isn’t built with bricks, but with heart.

“A home is such a permanent thing, and getting the chance to fully understand the love Epsilon Upsilon has built, without even having a chapter house yet, made me even more grateful for the opportunity to literally put walls around this sisterhood,” she says. “I can already picture bringing my kids to campus one day, showing them AXΩ and sharing the memories I made there.”

THE BEDROOM SETUP CREATED FOR RECRUITMENT

Creativityon Display

Alpha Chi Omega collegiate chapters showcase their creativity in countless ways – and one of the most visible is banners! Often led by a banner chair or vice president public relations and marketing, chapters design and paint banners that hang on their facilities or at events. They celebrate pre-recruitment and recruitment, recognize Alpha Chi Omega holidays, bring awareness to philanthropy efforts and join in on campus traditions. Banners allow creativity to shine and members to PACE –Promote Alpha Chi Everyday!

ALPHA NU (UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI)

ALPHA PHI (THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN)

DELTA PI (UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE)

IOTA OMICRON (UNIVERSITY OF LYNCHBURG)

GAMMA OMICRON (MARSHALL UNIVERSITY)

BETA SIGMA (UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA)

GAMMA

(TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY)

CAROLINA UNIVERSITY)

CALIFORNIA, DAVIS)

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON)

RHO

KAPPA OMEGA (INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS)

THETA PI (UNIVERSITY OF

ZETA OMEGA (WESTERN

EPSILON LAMBDA (THE

LAMBDA XI (AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY)

Hosting 101

FROM TIMELINES TO TABLE SETTINGS TO FLORAL CENTERPIECES, OUR SISTER HAS YOU COVERED!

Hoping to host more friends, family or sisters in your home during 2026? Jordan Winn (Alpha Upsilon, The University of Alabama) has the tips to make it easy! Jordan joined Alpha Chi Omega for a virtual alumnae event in November to share hosting tips and lead a stunning floral arranging demonstration. If you missed the webinar before your end-of-year holiday parties, here are a few suggestions from Jordan to make this year’s soirees stand out from the rest!

JORDAN WINN

HOW TO SET YOUR TABLE

Lay the linen, then add chargers, plates, cutlery and glasses.

YOUR HOSTING TIMELINE

4-6 weeks before the event: Send the invitation if guests are traveling from out of town; you can send closer to the event for local parties.

2-3 weeks before: Finalize the guest list and choose a menu, considering dietary restrictions. Locate your serving pieces and linens and order large food items.

1 week before: Deep clean, purchase nonperishables and label serving pieces with what food goes in each.

3-5 days before: Purchase flowers and condition them in water so blooms can open – up to 5 days out for hardy flowers (rose, hydrangea, carnation) and 3 days out for delicate blooms (tulips, ranunculus). Make your grocery trip and start preparing dishes that can be made ahead.

3 days before: Set the table and make floral arrangement.

Determine a color palette for your table setting, one that is season- or event-specific and that complements the room you’re hosting in.

2 days before: Bake desserts and lightly clean your home.

Morning of: Reheat food and add final touches throughout your space, like unscented candles on the table and extra supplies in the bathroom.

Just before event: Turn on low-volume instrumental music, light candles, adjust lighting and set out appetizers. Then get ready to welcome your guests!

Hosting tips continued on next page ...

Vary candle heights to help the eye move across the table.

If your table is small, skip the charger, put napkins on the plate with a pretty fold and use bud vases for flowers down the center of the table instead of a single large arrangement in the middle.

FOR PLACING ITEMS , THINK: B M W GO LEFT TO RIGHT AT EACH SETTING AND PLACE BREAD PLATE , MAIN PLATE , THEN WATER CUP

FORK IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD, SO THE FORK GOES ON THE LEFT, ALSO FOUR LETTERS.

KNIFE AND SPOON GO ON THE RIGHT –ALL FIVE-LETTER WORDS!

Floral Formulas

Flowers can elevate any space! During the virtual alumnae event, sisters made their own flower arrangements with Jordan’s instruction – see a few of the beautiful creations here.

Jordan shared floral formulas with our attendees to make gorgeous arrangements for seasons and holidays throughout the year. Give this spring arrangement a try for your upcoming gathering!

LEARN AND CONNECT WITH SISTERS!

SPRING FLORAL FORMULA

FLOWERS AND DECORATIONS:

• 3 bunches of greenery

• 1 bunch of stock flowers in a pastel tone (pink, white, yellow) (7 stems)

• 1 bunch of large mums in white or lavender (6 stems)

• A dozen roses in a pastel tone (white, lavender, pink, yellow) (12 stems)

• 6 stems of hydrangea in white

• 1 bunch of campanula in pink, white or lavender

• Optional add-ins: spring picks, faux birds’ nests, plastic eggs, flowering branches from your yard

OTHER SUPPLIES:

• Heavy duty plant saucer (8-inch diameter)

• Block of wet floral foam, cut to fit the plant saucer

• Floral tape

• Garden snips or scissors

• Small bucket or bowl of water to soak foam

• Trash bag for clippings

As part of Alpha Chi Omega’s commitment to the lifelong Real. Strong. Women. Experience, we plan virtual alumnae events, like Jordan’s hosting webinar, several times throughout the year. In 2026, you can look forward to:

• April 16: Confident and Court-Ready: Learn to Play Pickleball

• May 14: Disney Trivia

• July 30: Last Sip of Summer: Cocktail-Making Class

We’ll share registration details in the coming months. In the meantime, visit alphachiomega.org/events to find more ways to engage. Plus, consider gathering with local sisters or serving as a volunteer! Find ways to personalize your alumnae experience by visiting alphachiomega.org/members/alumnae.

The Courage to See Clearly

HOW ART THERAPY SUPPORTS MENTAL HEALTH FOR REAL, STRONG WOMEN

BY AMY BUCCIARELLI PH.D., ATR-BC, LMHC, NCC (GAMMA CHI, STETSON UNIVERSITY)

As women, we learn early how to be “strong.” We power through deadlines, juggle responsibilities and show up for the people we love. Strength, as we’ve been taught, looks like competence, composure and endurance. But after trauma or prolonged stress, this version of strength quietly costs us.

Many women respond to overwhelming experiences – loss, illness, break-ups, accidents, abuse or years of pressure – by becoming more capable and composed. They appear resilient from the outside. However, they don’t realize how deeply their inner world has been shaped by what they’ve survived.

Trauma is often misunderstood as something rare or extreme. The word comes from the Greek word for “wound.” Just like any wound, it can result from a single injury or repeated strain that overwhelms our ability to cope. For many women, the effects of trauma manifest as chronic tension, emotional numbness, floods of feelings or always being “on edge.” These are not weaknesses. They are intelligent adaptations.

In my work as an art therapist, I see this repeatedly. When experiences are too intense or destabilizing to process directly, the brain relies on images rather than words to hold what happened. Much of what weighs

on us lives beneath language. We may talk about being stressed or frustrated when what we’re carrying is unprocessed grief, fear or loss.

This is where art therapy becomes a powerful ally.

Art therapy is a mental health profession that integrates creative art-making with psychotherapy to support emotional well-being. Artistic talent is not necessary to be effective. It is about the approach – using visual expression to externalize inner experience. When an image exists outside the body – on paper or in clay – it becomes something we can observe rather than endure.

AMY BUCCIARELLI

That distance matters especially in trauma recovery. Traumatic experiences are stored in the nervous system and through the senses rather than in logical, verbal memory. Talking about them can feel overwhelming or even reactivating. Art-making allows women to approach their experience indirectly – at a pace they control. Shape, color and symbol communicate what words cannot yet convey.

Creating art is only part of the process. In art therapy, women are invited to look at their artwork with curiosity over judgment. The question shifts from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What is this showing me?” That change alone can reduce shame or guilt and increase self-compassion. Strength takes new form: it’s the ability to stay present with one’s own experience and find meaning within it.

I once worked with a woman who was highly accomplished and widely admired. She came to therapy feeling chronically exhausted but unsure why. As she told her story through images, a pattern emerged: years of repeated loss amidst pressure to care for others. She paused, saying quietly, “I had no idea I was carrying all of this.” What she called fatigue was, in part, unspoken grief. Her realization marked the beginning of reclaiming her life and happiness.

Some art therapists like me are trained in a trauma treatment called the Instinctual Trauma Response (ITR). This technique uses brain and body science to move difficult experiences from the mind onto paper, where they can be organized and understood without reliving them. What once felt overwhelming gains structure, allowing the entire body’s system to recognize

OUR WOMEN’S WELLNESS SERIES IS AN EXPLORATION OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOPICS FOR SISTERS, BY SISTERS. ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS FIELD? EMAIL MENTORING@ALPHACHIOMEGA.ORG. WE’D ALSO LOVE TO HEAR TOPICS YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT. JOIN OUR WELLNESS SEEKERS GROUP TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AT WOMENANDWISDOM.ORG.

“When experiences are too intense or destabilizing to process directly, the brain relies on images rather than words to hold what happened.”

the experience is over and clearly in the past. The memories remain but don’t dominate the present. Over time, a sense of stability and safety is restored.

Working with a trained art therapist can provide valuable support for anyone navigating difficult or overwhelming experiences from the past or present.

The Symphony of Alpha Chi Omega reminds us “to keep my life in tune with the world that I shall make no discords in the harmony of life.” Harmony isn’t achieved by avoiding what feels dissonant; it is cultivated by listening closely to understand it. This is a form of strength – the courage to look honestly at our inner life and respond with care. Art therapy offers a pathway to real strength and genuine harmony, one image and one truthful moment at a time.

Learn more about Amy’s practice at coastalblossom.com. Amy also suggests helpfortrauma.com to learn more about trauma and both atcb.org/find-a-credentialed-art-therapist and arttherapy.org for those considering art therapy.

EXPLORE ART THERAPY

Amy shares: For sisters interested in incorporating art more informally into their wellness strategies, creative expression need not be elaborate. Here are a few therapeutic art practices about awareness and being in communication with your own inner wisdom: 5-MINUTE

SYMBOL RECHARGE

Draw a symbol that represents what you need more of – rest, clarity, steadiness or connection. Place it somewhere visible as a gentle reminder.

FEELING RELEASE

Set a timer for 5 minutes. Make marks that reflect how you feel – fast or slow, light or heavy. When time is up, notice what the image reflects.

MAKE A MANDALA

Trace a cup or plate to make a circle. Fill it with color, shapes or an image. When you’re finished, ask, “What is this showing me?” and “What might I need to know right now?”

Design Your Dream Wedding Day

Emily Kennedy (Iota Chi, Middle Tennessee State University) is an expert at planning, designing and executing stunning weddings with her Tennesseebased floral and design event production company, Kennedy Occasions. Whether you’re counting down the days until you walk down the aisle or writing your checklist as mother of the bride, don’t miss Emily’s advice!

WHAT ARE SOME WEDDING DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE?

Flowers, candles and beautiful paper goods! Although they transition through trends, these three design elements are always relevant and stylish. Paper goods can easily elevate the look and feel of your dining table with a creative menu in interesting tones and textures. Add whimsy with bud vases of colorful blooms or opulence with a full table runner of classic hydrangea. Flickering candlelight incorporates a sense of romance no matter what style candles you choose.

WHAT IS ONE THING YOU ENCOURAGE EVERY BRIDE TO CONSIDER?

Ninety percent of my clients tell me that “guest

experience” is a top priority, and this can really shape the overall design (and how the budget is allocated). Yes, a wedding is about the couple getting married, but it’s also about the guests who have come to honor and celebrate the union! Reciprocating their efforts and excitement is important to me when helping a couple. This may be achieved with an open bar and transportation so all guests can enjoy themselves and return safely to their lodging. Other clients have chosen an intimate affair and a destination weekend packed with events. Others incorporate experience highlights (live painting, personal notes and gifts, specialty late night treats).

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT WEDDING FLORALS?

Choose flowers that are in season. Or, if you’re a huge flower fan, choose your wedding season around your favorite flower! But a dahlia lover is going to be wildly upset to learn the difficulty of (and price tag for!) sourcing those late summer blooms for her March wedding.

I also encourage clients to plan for a highlight flower moment. Sometimes this is a showstopping ceremony

A KENNEDY OCCASIONS SWEETHEART TABLE

PHOTO BY SUMMER SIMMONS PHOTO + FILMS

A KENNEDY OCCASIONS WEDDING DESIGN

PHOTO BY WHITNEY WOODALL PHOTOGRAPHY

arbor or a beautiful mantle to use for family photos. Some choose an epic installation over their dance floor or a unique escort wall. Centerpieces are beautiful and create a charming dining experience, but something large and focal can be enjoyed by everyone at the event.

HOW CAN A BRIDE MAXIMIZE HER BUDGET?

Guest count and bridal party are two major influences on a wedding budget. Curating or limiting these numbers can help ensure funds are available for things other than the needed seating, place settings, meals and bridesmaids’ bouquets.

EMILY’S FLOWER ADVICE:

Babies breath smells TERRIBLE. It really doesn’t belong on a dining table.

Many people are allergic to lilies. As lilies make a really big comeback, be strategic and work with your floral designer about how to use them.

Keep bouquets in water! If they are not being held for photos, keep them in their vases and away from heat/air vents!

Many fresh flowers are toxic, and it is ill-advised to use lots of fresh flowers on a wedding cake without proper care and consideration. Choosing sugar flower designs is much safer.

Talking with your florist about repurposing ceremony flower designs may be an option for some events to stretch your budget. Prioritizing design elements (Do you want luxury linens and smaller centerpieces? Or would you rather have streamlined linen with larger flower statement pieces?) and event features (Is a band a “must”? Are you a foodie who wants a specialty chef?) is a great way to get started when working through budgeting.

ANY TIPS FOR THE MOTHER OF THE BRIDE?

Hire the help. Don’t try to do too much. Enjoy the day. Be present for your daughter. My personal wedding day experience involved overworking my family to exhaustion such that they hardly remember the day. We did things VERY differently when my younger sister got married, but my personal wedding experience led

me to create this business 16 years ago with a special, tenderhearted spot for mothers of the bride.

HOW CAN ALPHA CHI OMEGA BE INCORPORATED INTO A WEDDING DAY?

I love when a couple incorporates things that are meaningful to them in their wedding. Some subtle ways to incorporate Alpha Chi (or even your partner’s organization!) might include:

• Attaching your badge to your bouquet

• Wearing pearls (and having any bridesmaids/ sorority sisters do the same)

• An acknowledgement in your program highlighting how your sorority/Greek life experiences inspired the person you’ve become or how you met your partner

• A signature cocktail named after your chapter or class

• A private send-off with your sisters (make sure to grab that group photo!)

A great rule: If it would be meaningful to you, it belongs. If it would confuse or distract guests, tuck it into a private or subtle moment.

Learn more about Emily’s floral design and wedding planning business at kennedyoccasions.com.

EMILY KENNEDY

PHOTO BY KRISTA JOY PHOTOGRAPHY

Creativity in CODES and Chords

BY LAUREN FILIPPINI (ALPHA CHI, BUTLER UNIVERSITY), MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

On a typical day, you’ll probably find Rachel Ma (Zeta Theta, Brown University) in the Algorithmic Alignment Lab at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, hard at work exploring artificial intelligence and human-autonomous agent interactions while she works toward her doctorate.

However, you might also happen upon her at a piano, playing classical music or even composing a piece.

Two different worlds – science and music – but woven through both is creativity, whether that’s being inspired by human behaviors, creating a project scope or disconnecting from work to refresh. “It’s pretty interesting to see the intersection between sciences and arts,” Rachel says. “Whether implicitly or explicitly, it’s there.”

As Rachel continues her pursuit of understanding and influencing the future of technology, she keeps the human element at the forefront of her work, knowing our creativity is instrumental.

CREATING THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE

Rachel is on the cutting edge of science today, but her passion for the field started with a toy familiar to many: LEGO.

“When I was a kid, I really liked LEGO Mindstorms,” Rachel recalls. “My elementary school gave us all a Mindstorms robot kit, and I loved building the little robot and the pieces and doing all the coding. That got me into computer science and robotics in general.”

She followed this interest to Brown University for her undergrad, seeking out opportunities to try out a variety of projects and focus areas in her computer science major. One such project was helping high school students build and code a drone – during which Rachel even learned to solder! – and sparked her interest in autonomous agents and AI safety.

Autonomous agents are advanced forms of artificial intelligence that can interpret and respond to prompts

from humans and then make decisions and take actions without constant human involvement. Examples of this technology are self-driving cars and customer service chatbots.

Rachel is a third-year doctoral student in electrical engineering and computer science at MIT. She’s focusing her studies on AI, specifically on the interactions between humans and autonomous agents so that those agents can make better decisions to assist people with everyday tasks.

“How should these robots react to humans?” Rachel asks herself in her work. “My research is how to make general AI agents better at acting according to a specific human’s goals or preferences. But while making these AI agents better at personalized requests, they should still be general agents and be able to perform various tasks. For example, your robot should be able to fetch you your favorite mug but also still be able to open doors and load your dishwasher.”

The human aspect is a key part of her work and her passion. Rachel explains, “Inspired by regular human interactions, these chatbots and autonomous agents need to understand what the human is articulating, and vice versa, they should be interpretable by humans as well.”

AI is a constantly evolving field, and Rachel is aware of and working to address concerns around AI safety. Her advice for AI users? “Generally the public should be pretty wary of what they put into these chatbots and video generation [tools] and also especially scrutinize what comes out as output,” she says. “They are not always accurate, and they don’t necessarily tell you the truth.”

But by keeping humans at the forefront of her research, Rachel believes that these tools can benefit people, and she feels strongly that scientists and engineers like her have a responsibility to make them safe. “It’s important [for us] to take into consideration who we are coding or making these systems for, what their preferences and goals are, and getting them to a degree of trustworthiness and keeping humans in the loop,” she says.

The human element that underscores Rachel’s STEM work comes from her own experiences, particularly in the arts. “Music, or the arts in general, is where you get to the very humanistic side of people,” she explains. “What makes us human is kind of emulated in the arts. As someone who studies human interaction, I think these are important things to think about.”

“It’s pretty interesting to see the intersection between sciences and arts. Whether implicitly or explicitly, it’s there.”

EXPLORING THE ARTS

The arts are more than just an inspiration; while Rachel is about halfway through her doctorate, she’s also spent countless hours studying music. She started playing piano at age 5 and dedicated herself to practice, eventually completing the certificate program at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada and earning its highest academic standings in piano performance. Through her training, she learned music theory and harmony that inspired her to begin composing her own pieces.

Every year of middle and high school, Rachel composed a piece and even had her friends perform and record her work. First it was a piano quintet, focusing on the instrument she was most familiar with, and then she expanded to include other instrument families. Along with computer science, Rachel majored in music at Brown and ultimately composed a symphony with four

movements for her music honors thesis, representing each year of undergrad.

“I wrote it, and I think it was one of the first pieces read by the Brown symphony orchestra in the new music building that had recently been finished,” Rachel says. Just like with science, she says music has been a learning process, where she’s tried new things like playing new instruments and composing for different performance groups – all to help her grow.

Outside of her coursework and time in the lab during undergrad, Rachel also performed chamber music, playing the piano as both a soloist and in a trio alongside a violinist and cellist. “I was constantly performing,” she says. “Even at MIT, although I practice much less than I used to, I still try to keep it up. I still take lessons every other week and perform in dorm concerts whenever I can.”

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Music is not only something Rachel loves, but it also benefits her work, providing her with a break to refresh her mind and avoid burnout.

“Especially in a lot of the classes I was taking, sometimes when you think about a problem super hard, you might spend hours and hours on it and then you might not get anywhere. But the moment you take a break and start doing something else for 10 minutes, then you instantly think of the solution,” she explains. “It’s really important and healthy to do another thing, and for me, that happens to be music and the arts in general.”

INSPIRING WOMEN

It should come as no surprise that someone studying human interactions would also benefit from time spent with other humans! Rachel has found community in a few places, including one she never planned to find: Alpha Chi Omega.

During the COVID-19 pandemic while she was taking her undergrad classes remotely, Rachel received an email from the Zeta Theta chapter that she had been referred as someone who might be interested in sorority life. Like many things, Rachel said to herself, Why not give it a try? She attended her first continuous open bidding event over Zoom, playing the video game Among Us and chatting with her future sisters online.

RACHEL WITH HER ZETA THETA CHAPTER SISTERS DURING RECRUITMENT

Ultimately, she decided she had found “a group of people I love to talk to” and signed her membership agreement over Zoom.

“Going to [chapter] meetings on Zoom was actually a highlight of COVID – getting to see everyone in their homes with their cute backgrounds they set up and actually getting some time to say hi to each other,” she recalls. “I got to see the spirit of our chapter. And then going back to in-person, it was even better.”

With so many men in her computer science classes, Rachel found immense value in the supportive community of Alpha Chi women. “It’s super special to have a safe space to interact and talk about our experiences,” she says. “If anything was upsetting, we would talk about it in our cozy little lounge. Our sorority sisters have really supported each other along the way.”

Rachel returns the support by mentoring other women in STEM and making sure there’s representation in the heavily male field. “It’s always been tough because we notice in our labs that there’s usually like one or two or very few women,” she says. “It’s sometimes hard for us to reach out to each other, especially if we’re in different departments.” To help build connection, she has served as co-president of her department’s organization to support graduate women in computer science engineering, and she is part of the MIT Women’s Advisory Group alongside other students, faculty and staff at the university.

In 2025, Rachel was named one of Alpha Chi Omega’s Real. Strong. Women. of Distinction, inspiring our entire sisterhood to know that women are essential in the science and engineering fields.

Rachel says one key to bringing more women into STEM careers is to build their interest in the field earlier. To apply for a doctoral program, one usually needs undergraduate experience in that field, but young women aren’t readily choosing those areas of study. Modeling the behavior herself, Rachel suggests, “Women in engineering should go back to their high

schools or elementary schools and just help instill that love [for STEM] a little bit earlier, get women or girls exposed to it earlier.”

For Rachel, it started with a set of LEGO, and it’s built into a passion for the future of technology, with creativity as an essential building block in exploring what’s next.

RACHEL DURING RECRUITMENT AFTER CAMPUS REOPENED

Pathways to Publishing

How many of us have a note on our phone with ideas for a story, sticky notes with plot points or even a draft of a book saved on our computers? Many people aspire to be authors, and some of our sisters have achieved that dream! Hear from four Alpha Chi Omegas about their journey to get their books published – and advice to help you see your story on shelves like they have.

LINDSEY OLSSON IOTA PSI (ELON UNIVERSITY)

Author of To Drown a Witch (and working on more books in the series), a young adult fantasy novel in a world in which only one person is born with inherent magic

Why did you want to be an author?

I’ve wanted to be an author since I first learned to write. In elementary school, I loved writing fiction stories so much I ignored instructions to write nonfiction, writing fiction instead. From a young age, I dreamed of seeing my stories in a real, published book.

What has the publishing process looked like?

After my agent presented me with the publishing deal from Penguin Random House and I accepted, I immediately started working with my editor. We met over video calls to discuss my book, and she sent me edit letters

detailing revisions that would help make the book the best it could be. … I feel like publishing a book always takes longer than people expect. When my book releases in July it will have been more than two years since I signed with PRH.

How does it feel knowing people will read your story?

I’m both excited and nervous. On the one hand, I can’t wait for my childhood dream to be realized. On the other, it’ll be strange to have complete strangers read a story that has, for so long, belonged only to me. That said, I feel ready to send this story out into the world.

Any advice for Alpha Chi Omegas who want to become authors?

Turning story ideas into an actual book is a great feat – it’s important to celebrate that. But going back to the beginning and rewriting the entire book once, twice or more is an even greater feat. Still, those tiresome revisions are worth it. It’s some of the hardest work you’ll do, but just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you should give up. Keep at it. If you have a story to tell, the world deserves to read it.

MARGOT

TOHN

ZETA PHI (CORNELL UNIVERSITY)

Author of Murray Goes to the Playground, teaching kids there’s always someone who wants to be your friend

Why did you want to be an author?

I’ve always loved writing, whether it be a story, a marketing campaign or even a college essay. After Murray had been in my life for a few years, I realized that his experiences making friends, going to the doctor

and puppy school, and visiting another house mirrored what my friend’s young son was experiencing. … I knew I had a children’s book to write.

What inspired you to pursue getting your story published?

I was getting tired of hearing myself tell people about my idea, so my friend and I set a deadline for the first draft. I missed that deadline. But I met our second deadline. And then we moved on to finding a publisher. Once that was done, I was on my way.

What did the publishing process look like?

I am following a hybrid-publisher model, which is a balance between self-publishing and a traditional publishing company. The process is significantly faster; I control the illustrator and content, and my publisher handles the design, layout and Amazon set-up. Most importantly, I own the copyright. I can sell (discounted) author copies directly to consumers and retailers and retain 100% of the revenue. On the other hand, I fund the illustrator and some of the book design. Each legal structure has its pros and cons.

How does it feel knowing people are reading your story?

We just had our first story time, and it was incredible. The kids were so excited to meet the “real” Murray.

One of my best moments so far was when a parent approached me at a local market. She had bought the book because her son was having trouble making friends at school. They read the book every day, and he came home saying that he did what Murray did – kept asking kids to play and ended up making a friend.

RENA PEDERSON ALPHA PHI (THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN)

Author of five books, including The King of Diamonds, following the search for an uncatchable jewel thief

Why did you want to be an author?

I started my own little neighborhood newspaper when I was in grade school! One of the first stories was that our cat Fluff had died. I wrote a teen column and helped cover local news for my hometown newspaper while I was in high school. It was great fun, and I continued working for newspapers for more than 40 years. I always wanted to write books, however, so I switched to that after I left daily newspaper work.

What inspired you to pursue getting your stories published?

I have always loved reading, especially mysteries, so it was natural to try writing a book myself. I am hooked now!

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HEADSHOT BY ALYSSA PEEK, PEEK PHOTOGRAPHY

What did the publishing process look like?

I have been fortunate to get five books published. The general process has been to have an agent to send the book to publishers, but a couple of times, I scouted out the publisher myself. It took me six years to write my most recent book – it’s not a good business plan since it’s a long time before you get any royalty checks! But it’s great to get away from daily deadlines and have the time to do deep research and rewriting.

Any advice for Alpha Chi Omegas who want to become authors?

Be tenacious – keep writing, keep hunting for an agent, keep looking for a publisher, then get out and work like the dickens to market the result. The journey is rewarding – and will make a good story in the retirement home.

STEPHANIE BEARCE GAMMA ZETA (KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY)

Author of the Raven Gallows Mystery series, plus more than 40 other books for children

What inspired you to pursue getting your stories published? [As a former teacher,] my reluctant readers are what inspired me. I learned that the key to getting kids to read was finding their favorite subjects. And for many of those kids, it’s the weird and interesting facts that will get them to dig into a book. I want to make reading fun.

What did the publishing process look like?

I am a traditionally published author –meaning I have a literary agent who takes my manuscripts and shops

them to publishers to see who will buy them. Many of my writing projects live in file drawers and will never be published. But I’ve been blessed to have a good career in writing. I currently have over 40 traditionally published books and signed contracts for more books in the next three years.

How does it feel knowing people are reading your stories?

It’s always a thrill to hold a new” book baby” in your hands. Books take years of development, from the initial concept and writing to months or years of submissions. And even once the publishing contract is signed, it can take two years before the book is published. Every book that gets published feels like a little miracle!

Any advice for Alpha Chi Omegas who want to become authors?

Read, read, read. Make sure you are well-versed in the genre you plan to write. Then start taking writing classes, listen to writing podcasts (I host the Way-word Writers Podcast), join a critique group, join professional writing organizations and have your work professionally evaluated. But most of all – learn to love the process of revision. You’ll spend a lot of time rewriting and revising if you want to publish.

ON THE SAME PAGE

While each sister’s story and publishing experience was different, they shared some common threads!

• All four sisters said they wanted to be writers since childhood – now they’re living their dream!

• Several noted that revisions and rewriting are an important but time-consuming part of the job.

• Many have an agent to connect their books to publishers.

• All are thrilled to have their books in others’ hands!

O ur Women & Wisdom alumnae events offer sisters in select cities the oppor tunity to connect, network and hear from a local Alpha Chi O mega sharing her exper tise on women’s leadership. These events are the per fect way to meet new Alpha Chis and inspire your love for our sisterhood’s focus on women empowering women.

Last February, alumnae in Birmingham, Alabama set the record for largest number of sisters (85) gathered for a Women & Wisdom event! Will we top that number in 2026?

WHAT TO EXPECT

…

When you arrive …

When you arrive … Grab your nametag and get ready to mix and mingle with other alumnae. D rinks and lite bites included!

D uring the event …

D uring the event … Make new friends, join in for the prog ram and enjoy the society of your sisters. That's it! No other asks, just a chance to connect, learn and g row along side fellow alumnae.

Af ter the event …

Af ter the event … Look out for a listing of ever y sister who attended so you can keep in touch! You might just meet your future friend, mentor or mentee!

City, Los

and Washing ton, D C this year! Ready to attend? Check your email or visit our

To Strike on the Lyre of the Universe

BY LAURA KNOBEL (IOTA ALPHA, ALUMNAE INITIATES), ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF LIFETIME ENGAGEMENT

After Molly Ronan (Iota Alpha, Alumnae Initiates) finished high school a year early, she spent two years at home in Jacksonville studying anthropology online through the University of Florida. She was then planning to move on campus to complete her degree, but life was suddenly interrupted.

“I really wanted to make friends in Gainesville and pursue organizations like Alpha Chi Omega. It was important to me to have that experience. But literally a week after I filled out applications for [on-campus] housing, COVID hit the world,” Molly recalls.

Molly remained at home to continue her degree virtually, graduating in 2021 and enjoying an outdoor graduation ceremony in the Gators football stadium. But she was still longing for some of the campus-based experiences she missed out on. She shares, “I’ve been back to the campus since. I’ve gone to football games there. I even took a photo in front of the [Gamma Iota] house and [thought], ‘A dream not fulfilled.’”

Molly did her best to fill in the gaps by joining local service organizations, such as the Jacksonville Rotaract Club, but “I always wanted to be in a sorority,” she says. “I really valued the sisterhood bonds.”

This “dream not fulfilled” led her to search online for opportunities to join sororities after college, specifically Alpha Chi Omega. She was thrilled when she discovered our National Alumna Initiate Program (NAIP) and applied right away.

What was it about Alpha Chi Omega that drew Molly in? To understand that, you’d have to go all the way

back to her childhood. A singer from age 6 and a flutist starting at age 11, she grew up in a musical family. Then at 14, she was at a summer flea market and saw a piece of vintage décor shaped like a harp. She took it as a sign and begged her parents to get her a harp; that Christmas, they delivered. She began exploring her new instrument, transposing her classical flute music onto the harp and playing along with traditional Celtic tunes. Now, she is a freelance wedding and event harpist in addition to her “day job” as an insurance compliance analyst. In 2025, she made her orchestral debut with Living Stream Orchestra in Jacksonville.

So, our lyre was another sign for Molly that Alpha Chi Omega was the sisterhood for her. “With the Founders all having a musical background, I always felt that would be a cornerstone for me because music is present in my life every day,” she shares. She also connected with our national philanthropy of domestic violence awareness. “If I can give back through my time or energy, I always want

MOLLY RONAN

to make my community just a little bit better if I can,” she says. “So for me, it was Alpha Chi or nothing. I’m so glad I didn’t look at anything else.”

Although she was nervous at first, sisters of the Alpha Eta Alpha alumnae chapter in Jacksonville, including President Barbara Eaton (Beta Epsilon, Michigan State University), made Molly’s first meeting with Alpha Chi Omega members a positive one. The chapter has welcomed two other alumnae initiates in recent years and has a great process for making potential alumnae members feel comfortable!

“We met at a coffee shop, and I got there early because I wanted to make sure I was prompt,” says Molly. “I was sitting in my car, and I saw a woman park right next to me and get out with red carnations, and I knew that was Barbara.” Once she gathered her courage and went inside, “They were so lovely!” Molly recalls. “They were so welcoming and inclusive. … They all have such unique stories and are at different places in life. It was wonderful to connect with them.”

But was it a good fit? After the meetup, Molly remembers, “I went outside and there was a massive rainbow in the sky. I knew it was a sign that this was going to be a great experience and a really positive thing for me.”

She was right. In January, the Jacksonville sisters came together to celebrate their newest sister, following the Initiation Ceremony with a potluck lunch. They even had a cake that read AXΩ Congratulates Molly! “I feel so lucky to have found Alpha Chi Omega and the sisters that have welcomed me in with such open arms. I will

always have that day in my memories as such a positive and beautiful day,” Molly shares about her initiation.

Alpha Eta Alpha’s VP membership, Lark Will (Delta Iota, Emory University), agrees. “Our hearts are full,” shares Lark. “Molly is a wonderful addition to our sisterhood, and we are thrilled to welcome her into Alpha Eta Alpha and into a lifetime of friendship, service and shared purpose.”

Molly has big plans for her lifetime membership experience. She connects with sisters who gather in her neighborhood several times a month and hopes to someday serve on the Alpha Eta Alpha executive board. She’s also looking forward to visiting Alpha Chi Omega headquarters, attending a future National Convention and getting involved with the Jacksonville Alumnae Panhellenic Association.

As for everything she missed out on in college? It was worth it for Molly when she was pinned with our lyre badge. “In that moment, I truly felt like this worked out the way that it was meant to,” she says. “I was sad about it in college, but at the end of the day, this was how it was supposed to be, and I’m so grateful.”

IS THERE A SIGN TELLING YOU TO INVITE SOMEONE YOU KNOW TO ALPHA CHI MEMBERSHIP? MOLLY SHARES, “IF YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF CURIOSITY ABOUT IT, IT MEANS YOU’RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT IT! YOU JUST NEED THAT LITTLE PUSH.” SCAN THE QR CODE TO SPONSOR A WOMAN YOU KNOW FOR ALUMNA INITIATION THROUGH NAIP!

MOLLY (CENTER) BEING WELCOMED BY ALPHA ETA ALPHA ALUMNAE CHAPTER AFTER HER INITIATION

Behind the Microphone

BY EMMA WILLE, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

The most familiar voice in your day may be a complete stranger. It’s the voice you hear during a long commute, the conversations playing while you finish chores or the stories that push you through a challenging workout.

Podcasts have become a part of our daily lives. Stretching across genres, there’s a podcast for everyone! Their hosts and storytellers create community through online fan spaces, shared conversations and even inperson events where listeners finally meet the voices they’ve come to know so well.

The voice is just one part of the story. Behind the microphone, podcast staffs work tirelessly to create and promote the magic we get to hear. To learn more about what goes on behind the scenes, we connected with two Alpha Chi Omegas, who showed us what goes into making a successful podcast.

NICOLE HOLLEMAN (GAMMA TAU, OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY) FANTASY FANGIRLS PODCAST

Nicole is no stranger to podcasting. Her first podcast, Imperfect Success, focused on perfectionism and the high achiever mindset. After three years, she decided she was ready to make the craft a larger part of her life. At the same time, Nicole began to fall back in love with reading after picking up the popular adult fantasy novel, A Court of Thorns and Roses. She

knew she had to get her sister to read the novel, and from there they began exchanging 100 texts a day about the book. Less than a week later, Nicole and her sister, Lexi, decided to take their conversations from their text thread to the microphone.

In September 2023, the women launched their podcast, Fantasy Fangirls. “We expected 20 downloads in the first week,” Nicole shares, “but then we blew up on TikTok. We just kept going viral. And the next thing you know is we have 5,000 downloads. And within three months we hit a million.” The podcast has grown its success, covering some of the most talked-about fantasy novels. The sisters discuss fan theories, analyze characters and share their takes from the books.

Along with the actual recording of the podcast, there is so much more work that goes into making Fantasy Fangirls. Every episode takes about 20 hours of prep work before the sisters even press record. “We both write our outlines, which is a laughable term because they are actually about 25,000 words a week. To put that into perspective, that’s about a 100-page novella,” Nicole says. “Listeners don’t see the 10 hours that I spend on

NICOLE HOLLEMAN

my walking pad typing my little heart out, looking at the text on my monitor and looking at my outline on the other side of it.”

After all the prep work, it’s time to start recording, which takes from 4 to 6 hours. From there they send the raw footage off to their editor, nicknamed their “sanity manager,” for it to be turned into the 2.5-hour episode. The payoff is more than a polished episode for Nicole; it is the community and opportunities that have been built from these deep dives into their favorite novels. It was during their first standalone live show that Nicole realized the impact of the podcast and the community they had created.

“My first ‘we made it moment’ was when it sold out. And then the show had some technical difficulties at the very beginning, so it started a little late. Lexi and I were panicking, and our emcee was like, ‘Everyone is out there making friends.’ It was a ‘look what we have done moment.’ Like, ‘Yes, we’re the thing that they bought the tickets to see, but they made friends in that audience,’” she shares.

Along with headlining live shows and participating in other podcasting events, the sisters interviewed one of their favorite authors and a New York Times bestseller,

Rebbecca Yarros! Best known for her novel Fourth Wing, any fantasy reader knows this is the opportunity of a lifetime.

The community the sisters have built is based on a lot of values, but one that shines through is female empowerment. “We read a lot of books written by women with very strong female main characters. I do these speeches on the podcast about how we’re supposed to take up space and how we’re supposed to be present, and we’re supposed to be here. And sometimes that’s hard,” Nicole says.

Building a community of strong women has led to Alpha Chi Omegas from across the country reaching out. “It’s been such a fun thing to open your DMs and see a sister that maybe you lost touch with or a chapter advisor, and see that they have had a similar journey with reading and they are feeling empowered again,” she says. When covering certain novels, Nicole also draws on the knowledge of domestic violence awareness she learned during her collegiate years from Alpha Chi Omega.

The podcast is continuously expanding, including with their recently launched Fantasy Fangirls Media Network. Looking ahead, Nicole also has a few things up her own sleeve, including a book! Keep an eye – or ear! – out for what’s in store.

SYDNEY RIOJAS (GAMMA MU, BALL STATE UNIVERSITY) AUDIOCHUCK MEDIA COMPANY

Sydney started listening to Audiochuck podcasts during her senior year of college. After realizing the company was located near her, the idea struck her: “How cool would it be to work for this world-renowned podcast company?”

Audiochuck is an award-winning media company, with podcast shows like The Deck, So Supernatural and, most notably, Crime Junkie. With weekly dives into true crime cases, Crime Junkie has been named the #1 crime podcast and frequently tops the Apple podcast charts.

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SYDNEY RIOJAS

After keeping an eye out for jobs at the company, Sydney landed a role in November 2022 as a fan engagement manager. While many think podcasting only involves a host and an editor, Syndey’s job proves there is so much more going on behind the scenes. She is responsible for marketing toward podcast fans, creating experiences and community engagement.

With a community as large as Audiochuck’s, this is no easy task. Most recently, she was able to travel across the country to create engaging events for listeners. “We went on tour this past spring, and my team played a role in executing nine exclusive fan meetups before shows. It was really fun!” she shares.

With Crime Junkie episodes dealing with sensitive subjects and real lives, the staff – which includes audio editors, finance and marketing professionals, writers and reporters – puts a lot of time into providing a comprehensive story. While Sydney’s job starts once the episode is posted, she says the time each episode takes was a surprise to her when she first started.

“There’s so much that goes into it – I think about four months to get an episode from those very, very beginnings of like, ‘Here’s what the case is. Should we cover it?’ to ‘It’s out,’” she shares. “So the length of time that it takes and all the effort that goes into creating an episode is probably what shocked me the most.”

The work is worth it. With hundreds of episodes and cases covered, the podcast has made a big impact. After one particular episode, listeners were inspired to take action, leading to the exoneration of a man who was wrongfully convicted. “It’s so cool to hear these stories, as someone like me who’s just like an average podcast listener, have such a big impact in the world and people’s lives,” Syndey says.

A significant part of Sydney’s journey has been Alpha Chi Omega, where she says her passion for advocacy started. “As you can imagine, domestic violence is a topic that comes up frequently in the true crime space, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of a company that is making tangible, meaningful efforts to raise awareness and foster prevention, both

IN 2025

within our community and beyond,” she shares. Being an Alpha Chi Omega, learning about domestic violence awareness and surrounding herself with a community of strong women have made her professional role even more meaningful.

Looking to follow your passion and work in podcasting? “Apply without fear,” Sydney says. “Keep applying. I got rejected from this job three times, and now I’m here. Fight for what you want.”

Ready to tune in? You can listen to Fantasy Fangirls and Crime Junkie on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Audible.

SYDNEY ORGANIZED THE CRIME JUNKIE: LIFE RULE #10 TOUR

Understanding the Alumnae Experience

BY LAUREN FILIPPINI (ALPHA CHI, BUTLER UNIVERSITY), MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

The Amplifying Sorority campaign continues, with the latest findings being released from a partnership between the Foundation for Fraternal Excellence and Cygnus Applied Research to learn about the attitudes, opinions and expectations of sorority alumnae and donors. The results of this survey are being used by sorority headquarters, including Alpha Chi Omega, to increase alumnae affinity and engagement in the areas of chapter and alumnae operations, foundations, marketing and communications, and educational programming.

Key findings from the 2025 research report include:

• Alumnae want to hear from their sorority, especially about their local chapter.

• No matter the generation, the sense of connection is consistent, with stronger connection to individual sisters than the national organization.

• There is no one-size-fits-all alumnae experience.

• Alumnae believe in the need for programs to support collegians.

HOW ALPHA CHI OMEGA IS RESPONDING

We’re assessing our operations through the lens of the insights. Adding, changing, removing or maintaining – we are evaluating the ways we connect with alumnae to meet their needs today and as we begin welcoming Gen Z to the alumnae experience. We’re building upon successful initiatives and exploring new, creative approaches.

We’re sharing news from your chapter of initiation. Almost 90% of respondents were interested in receiving updates about their collegiate/local chapter. We’re utilizing our member data to customize communications about your chapter (like letting you know about award winners and Lyre stories) and collaborating with collegiate leaders to share their accomplishments with us and on their individual channels.

We’re telling stories. While donations are crucial to the operations of sororities, members want to hear more than an ask. They want stories, connections and impact that illustrate why the sorority should be prioritized among charitable causes. We hope that the stories of our sisterhood inspire generosity, from this publication to our social media to our Foundation direct mail.

We’re creating options for engagement. Each real, strong woman is unique, and we’re working to create opportunities that allow alumnae to tap into what appeals to and works best for them. Read The Lyre online or in print. Attend a one-hour virtual alumnae event or the three-day National Convention. Provide career mentorship through Women & Wisdom or volunteer as an advisor. Alpha Chi Omega has something for everyone, and we want to meet alumnae where they are.

We’re working to retain our older collegians and younger alumnae. Several studies in the Amplifying Sorority campaign found these populations feel less connected to the organization, and we’ve got a pipeline of projects to help them bridge the transition and stay engaged.

HOW YOU CAN HELP ALPHA CHI OMEGA

Update your contact info. Most alumnae want information from their sorority, but we can’t reach you if we don’t have your current email. Log into my.alphachiomega.org, then navigate to the Profile tab to make sure your information is correct and your communication preferences are opted in to receiving emails. If you haven’t received an email from the national organization in awhile, let us know by emailing info@alphachiomega.org. Bonus: Keeping your contact information up to date helps sisters reach you from our member directory!

Attend an event. Whether it’s a virtual gathering or an in-person event, a formal reunion or a casual meet-up in your city, research found that alumnae feel much more connected to their sorority after attending an event. Find your

local alumnae chapter on My Alpha Chi to learn what’s going on near you and visit the Events page on our website for opportunities to get together with sisters.

Connect with a sister. We don’t need the data to know that individual connections matter, though the data does support this! Call, text, FaceTime or write to a sister –it’s that easy! We’d also love your help in connecting that sister to the national organization by sharing news, recommending her for a volunteer role or passing her name along to lifetimeengagement@alphachiomega.org so we can help her reengage.

Our alumnae are the sustaining strength of Alpha Chi Omega – in their involvement, gifts, connections and promotion of our sisterhood. We are excited to continue delivering the lifelong Real. Strong. Women. Experience.

THEN AND NOW

From Musical Roots to Creative Sisterhood

BY LANEY TERNET (ALPHA, DEPAUW UNIVERSITY), HISTORIAN AND ARCHIVIST

When Alpha Chi Omega began in 1885 at DePauw University, musical ability wasn’t just a shared interest among our Founders; it was the foundation of our Fraternity. Early Alpha Chis were required to be capable musicians enrolled in the DePauw School of Music. They trained in voice or on an instrument, performed regularly and were deeply immersed in the musical culture that shaped both their education and their daily lives. Music was not an accessory to their experience; it was the common language that brought them together.

When our seven Founders gathered with Dean James Hamilton Howe, they envisioned a women’s society like other organizations already established on campus. However, those organizations limited membership to students in the College of Liberal Arts, effectively excluding women enrolled in the School of Music. Rather than accept that barrier, our Founders responded with creativity and resolve. They chose to create something of their own, an organization rooted in the talents, passions and community of musicians.

From the beginning, song was woven into every aspect of Alpha Chi Omega. Music shaped ceremonies and campus engagement. The requirement of musical ability was not designed to exclude, but rather to reflect who the Founders were and the space they occupied at DePauw. Alpha Chi Omega became a place where women could find connection, purpose and harmony.

As higher education evolved and opportunities expanded, Alpha Chi Omega evolved too. In 1915, the formal music requirement was removed, opening the

A PIANO IN THE ALPHA (DEPAUW UNIVERSITY) CHAPTER HOUSE IN 1909

WINIFRED BYRD (ZETA, NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC), A HIGHLY ACCLAIMED CONCERT PIANIST, IN 1915

door to women with talents and interests across every academic discipline and creative pursuit. This change marked a pivotal moment in our history, allowing Alpha Chi Omega to grow into a dynamic organization while still honoring its artistic roots.

“Any woman of good character having finished a course in a secondary school or its equivalent is eligible to membership in Alpha Chi Omega, provided she is taking:

a. A regular collegiate course leading to a degree. b. A regular course in music.”

– From the official transcription of the 14th National Convention, 1915

With this shift came a broader understanding of what creativity means. Alpha Chi Omega began to recognize that artistry is not confined to performance or musical skill. Creativity lives in leadership, scholarship, service, problem-solving and courage. Our identity moved beyond the ability to perform a piece of music and toward the values that music had always represented: collaboration, expression and the power of using one’s voice.

Today, those values continue to shape the Alpha Chi Omega experience. Sisters set the stage in countless ways: academic excellence, campus involvement, philanthropy, professional ambition and lifelong commitment to our Fraternity.

While our talents may differ today, the spirit of creativity that defined our Founders still unites us. We still gather in harmony to sing our official songs from the songbook; we still feel that unmistakable sense of unity when a room grows quiet and voices blend into something larger than any individual. These moments remind us that Alpha Chi Omega has always been about connection, about creating something meaningful together.

GAMMA PI (UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA) CELEBRATED THE ARTS IN 2023 BY COMPETING IN A DANCE COMPETITION DURING GREEK WEEK.

MANY CHAPTERS PAY HOMAGE TO OUR MUSICAL ROOTS BY HAVING PIANOS IN THEIR FACILITIES, LIKE THIS ONE AT DELTA PI (UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE).

IN 2007, IOTA OMEGA (CARTHAGE COLLEGE) MEMBERS RECORDED ALPHA CHI OMEGA SONGS ON A CD TO SHARE WITH SISTERS!

BY LANEY TERNET (ALPHA, DEPAUW UNIVERSITY), HISTORIAN AND ARCHIVIST

Art in the Archives

This issue of The Lyre celebrates the artists, makers and creatives who bring Alpha Chi Omega’s values to life through art. Across generations, sisters have used artistic expression to reflect their experiences, document moments of sisterhood and capture what it means to be an Alpha Chi. Their work reminds us that art is something we create not only for display, but also for understanding.

The pieces featured here from Alpha Chi Omega’s archives highlight the diversity of talent within our Fraternity and the many ways Alpha Chis continue to shape, and be shaped by, creativity.

HERA SCULPTURE 

Marcia Clapp DeRocco (Alpha Chi, Butler University) posed with a bust of Hera, which she sculpted and donated to the Fraternity. It has been in each Alpha Chi Omega headquarters facility since 1961.

EXPLORE ALPHA CHI OMEGA HISTORY ANYTIME, ANYWHERE! OUR HISTORYIT VIRTUAL MUSEUM BRINGS OUR PAST TO LIFE THROUGH HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS, CURATED ONLINE EXHIBITS, HUNDREDS OF ISSUES OF THE LYRE AND MORE. EXPLORE TODAY AT ALPHACHIOMEGA.HISTORYIT.COM!

ZACK AND THE MAGIC FACTORY

Written by Elaine L. Schulte (chapter unknown) in 1976, Zack and the Magic Factory was adapted into an ABC weekend special in January 1981.

Do you know what chapter Elaine was initiated into? Email lternet@alphachiomega.org so we can update our records!

HANNAH KEENAN PLATE 

Hannah Keenan (Alpha, DePauw University), daughter of Founder Bessie Grooms Keenan, painted this plate for her mother in July 1911 as a gift. At the time, she was 12 years old.

COOKING FOR A CROWD

Written by Alpha Nu (University of Missouri) sisters Annette Laslett Ross and Jean Adams Disney in 1968, this cookbook offers menus for dinner parties of up to 48 guests.

“SWEET

ALPHA CHI GIRL”

This cover art is for the sheet music written by Gladys Pauline Highland (Alpha Omicron, The Ohio State University) in 1929.

ALPHA BETA SCRAPBOOK PAGE

Scrapbook pages were created for all chapters, Alpha (DePauw University) through Alpha Rho (University of Idaho), in the mid-1920s. Creator and usage of Alpha Beta (Purdue University) page unknown.

Nikki Boxley Higgs

Volunteers support our members at every level of Alpha Chi Omega. One role that makes an immeasurable impact is our chapter advisors! Read about Nikki Boxley Higgs (Zeta Xi, University of North Carolina at Greensboro) and her experience serving as Iota Omicron’s (University of Lynchburg) chapter advisor and Beta Delta’s (College of William & Mary) new member education advisor.

WHY DID YOU BEGIN VOLUNTEERING AND HOW HAS IT IMPACTED YOUR LIFE?

NIKKI BOXLEY HIGGS

“Volunteering for Alpha Chi has revitalized my life.”

After years in a rewarding yet demanding globetrotting career, I began reconnecting with things I loved before life became chaotic. And turning 50 was a catalyst –realizing half my life was over sparked a deep desire to give back. Volunteering for Alpha Chi has revitalized my life. Watching young women grow into strong leaders is inspiring. It reinforces the importance of mentorship and community, and I feel blessed to be part of their journey.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF SERVING AS A CHAPTER ADVISOR?

Working toward a common goal with a group of strong, passionate women is incredibly gratifying. I love being in

community with my sisters, nurturing trust and fostering safe spaces where meaningful conversations can occur.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A SISTER CONSIDERING THE ROLE OF CHAPTER ADVISOR?

What collegians need most is an encouraging confidant. If you remain approachable, trustworthy and willing to learn, you’ll thrive as a chapter advisor. When assistance is needed, Alpha Chi provides it abundantly. The PCC, fellow advisors and headquarters staff aren’t just willing to help – they’re excited to support you!

WHICH SKILLS DO YOU MOST FREQUENTLY FLEX AS A VOLUNTEER?

A librarian by trade, my “superpower” is connecting people with precise information, which I employ to help collegians traverse procedures, resources and deadlines. My experience navigating difficult conversations and briefing senior leaders allows me to guide collegians in framing discussions and delivering responses confidently.

WHY DO YOU REMAIN INVOLVED?

“Buying your friends”: I’ve heard it repeatedly in reference to Greek life. Alpha Chi provided a space to discover myself and develop essential life skills –leadership, communication, problem-solving – that became the bedrock of my lifelong growth. I formed decades-long connections, and my best friends – my sorority sisters – have supported me unwaveringly for 32 years. So yes, I purchased my friends with glee, and I’d pay 10 times the dues for any one of them and the experiences I’ve gained. Now, at 51, I’m still building connections and, hopefully, inspiring young women to become the best versions of themselves – just as Alpha Chi Omega helped me become mine.

Does serving as a chapter advisor sound like the right role for you? We are currently recruiting to fill vacancies across the country and would love to connect with you. Log in to my.alphachiomega.org and select “Profile” and then the “Volunteer Interest” tab to submit your Volunteer Interest Form.

COLLEGIATE NOTES

1 BETA LAMBDA (UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA)

The Beta Lambda chapter was awarded the Volunteer Group of the Year Award by Emerge Center Against Domestic Violence.

2 BETA XI (UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY)

Beta Xi raised $9,600 at its sold-out Carnation Gala, benefitting local domestic violence agencies and the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation. Vice President Philanthropy Ambria Lutz shared, “Selling out the event and raising significant funds demonstrates the growing awareness and support for this cause. The funds we raised will directly strengthen survivor services and help expand awareness across our campus and community.”

3 KAPPA OMEGA (INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS)

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, sisters tabled to raise funds and offer education about the cause.

4 LAMBDA PI (UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI)

Supporting our philanthropy, domestic violence awareness, sisters hosted Fries with Alpha Chis.

5 IRON BOWL

Collegians and alumnae from Epsilon Zeta (Auburn University) and Alpha Upsilon (The University of Alabama) put their rivalry aside for a tailgate before the Iron Bowl.

6 EPSILON PHI (GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY)

Dressed in scarlet and olive, our Epsilon Phi sisters represented Alpha Chi Omega!

7 GAMMA RHO (TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY )

What’s better than a birthday party? Members celebrated 140 years of Alpha Chi Omega.

8 THETA SIGMA (UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA)

Sisters celebrated the past, present and future of Alpha Chi Omega during Founders’ Day.

Ready for recruitment! Members took a quick break during philanthropy round to snap a photo.

10

Chapter leaders gathered together to celebrate all of their accomplishments!

11

Sisters were all smiles while they posed for a photoshoot!

12

Sisters enjoyed their last few days together before winter break.

9 GAMMA SIGMA (UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND)

ALPHA OMICRON (THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY)

ZETA SIGMA (MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY)

GAMMA UPSILON (UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON)

Executive board members got dressed up and posed for a holiday photo.

Chapter sisters paused for a smile while enjoying ice skating this winter.

13 BETA PSI (LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY)

14 DELTA LAMBDA (RIPON COLLEGE)

1 IOTA LAMBDA IOTA (LAKE COUNTY, IL)

The chapter celebrated Founders’ Day with dinner out on the town and plenty of sisterhood time.

2 SIGMA SIGMA (ST. LOUIS, MO)

More than 30 sisters attended the alumnae chapter’s Founders’ Day event and celebrated milestones of members, the chapter and the Fraternity.

3

KAPPA SIGMA KAPPA (LITTLE ROCK, AR)

Alumnae chapter members celebrated Founders’ Day with delicious goodies, great conversations and time outside in the perfect evening weather.

4 FLORIDA ALUMNAE CHAPTERS

Bringing sisters together, Sigma Chi Sigma (The Villages, FL) and Lambda Omicron Lambda (Ocala, FL) planned a joint Founders’ Day celebration in October. ALUMNAE NOTES

5 ETA THETA ETA (NASHVILLE, TN)

Committed to our national philanthropy, alumnae chapter sisters supported Rest Stop Ministries and the survivors of domestic sex trafficking it serves.

6 GAMMA ETA GAMMA (EUGENE, OR)

To support Alpha Kappa (University of Oregon) collegians during late-night study sessions for finals, alumnae made more than 150 snack bags to deliver as a treat.

7 CLEVELAND ALUMNAE CHAPTERS

Members of the two Cleveland, Ohio alumnae chapters, Alpha Nu Alpha and Gamma Omicron Gamma, volunteered at Santa’s Hide-A-Way Hollow, an organization that provides comfort and support during the final stages of a child’s illness.

8 BETA OMEGA BETA (PHOENIX, AZ)

Chapter members met up for a holiday lunch at a new restaurant in Tempe.

9 PI UPSILON PI (FAYETTEVILLE, AR)

Sisters came together for a fun night filled with holiday cheer!

10 MU THETA MU (AUBURN, AL)

In addition to enjoying an ornament exchange, alumnae chapter members celebrated the season by collecting money to donate to a local domestic violence center.

11 IOTA UPSILON IOTA (WILLIAMSBURG, VA)

Sisters toured the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg during the holiday season, especially enjoying the collection of 18th-century musical instruments.

12 SIGMA PSI SIGMA (OMEGA ALUMNAE)

At the chapter’s annual Christmas Tea, sisters posed with Santa for a festive picture! Chapter members were delighted to welcome many local alumnae and collegians to share in the event.

13 BETA EPSILON (MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY) ALUMNAE

Since graduating in 1981, these Beta Epsilon sisters have gathered for reunions more than 20 times, with this latest in Scottsdale, Arizona. Pictured: Susan Sherry Fox, Eileen Wixted, Barb Elfring Eaton, Nancy Roberts Hoard, Laura Morrison Glenn and Jan Parker Powell.

14 BETA SIGMA (UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA) ALUMNAE

Seven Beta Sigma alumnae celebrated 50 years of sisterhood with a trip to Edisto Island, South Carolina. Front (left to right): Peggy Peterson Jones, Fairy Huff Mills, Vivian Vlass Burns; back (left to right): Mary Miles, Lynn Williams Mathis, Lynne Boylston Davis, Missy Florstedt Korwan.

15 LONDON MEETUP

When Sandy Harris (Beta Eta, Florida State University) traveled to London on vacation, she reunited with Mae Moore, who was studying there. Sandy is the former facility operations advisor for Alpha Omega before Birmingham-Southern College closed, and Mae was the chapter’s last president.

16 ALPHA CHIS CELEBRATE A WEDDING

More than 40 Alpha Chi Omegas attended the wedding of Ashley Malone Voos (Gamma Zeta, Kansas State University), including sisters of Mu Mu (Kansas City, MO) alumnae chapter, the groom’s mother and grandmother, and the photographer!

ACCOLADES

1 DELTA EPSILON (SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY) ALUMNA

Sue Hoffarth Warrington was selected as the 2025 Volunteer of the Year for i-LIVE to Work, Play & Dream, a nonprofit supporting individuals with disabilities. Sue has been leading horses for therapy since 2019 in partnership with i-LIVE and Hippos & Fish specialized pediatric therapy. She is also a proud member of Kappa Sigma Kappa (Little Rock, Arkansas) alumnae chapter.

2 ZETA CHI (MUHLENBERG COLLEGE) ALUMNA

Alyssa D’Addio was promoted to chief operating officer of the NJ Sharing Network, a nonprofit committed to saving and enhancing lives through the recovery of donated organs and tissues. She was also recognized nationally as a 40 Under 40 honoree for The Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance.

3 ALPHA PI (UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA) ALUMNA

Alpha Chi Omega National Vice President Cassie Gerhardt was recognized not once but twice for her contributions to higher education: with the 2025 Amy Vojta Outstanding AFA (Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors) Foundation Volunteer Award and as a 2026 Pillar of the Profession from the NASPA (Student Affairs Adminstrators in Higher Education) Foundation.

In Memoriam

Reported to headquarters between November 1, 2025 – January 31, 2026

Name, Initiation Year, Month and Year of Death

Alpha (DePauw University)

Marcia Zoe Adams, 1951, December 2025

Joan Evans Czubek, 1951, November 2014

Mary Ann Kiszla, 1951, March 2021

Christiana Rinck Koenemann, 2007, December 2025

Phyllis Walker Nicholas, 1952, December 2025

Valerie Hardcastle Schamel, 1951, May 2007

Julia Vinyard Weathers, 1951, August 2016

Beta (Albion College)

Barbara Joan Swift, 1951, August 2017

Marianne DeWeese Veit, 1951, December 2019

Gamma (Northwestern University)

Elizabeth Beyers Anthony, 1944, December 2025

Janet Anita Conner, 1951, February 2021

Erwina Kostka Cornwell, 1951, August 2025

Marjorie Kern Fleming, 1947, December 2024

Patricia Ann Fuller, 1951, March 2015

Virginia Brock Spurgeon, 1951, August 2023

Joan Saunders Van Tilburg, 1951, December 2019

Virginia Hawes Worthington, 1951, September 2012

Delta (Allegheny College)

Mary Braglio Benson, 1955, October 2025

Gladys Mullenix Black, 1951, February 2017

Sarah Suzanne Heutsche, 1951, March 2012

Epsilon (University of Southern California)

Marylin Parker Stephens, 1948, November 2025

Eta (Bucknell University)

Shirley O’Grady Lawson, 1951, February 2018

Theta (University of Michigan)

Eleanor Marie Hendershot, 1955, November 2025

Ann Kristin MacPhail, 1951, February 2022

Alvira Rose Spencer, 1942, December 2025

Kappa (University of Wisconsin–Madison)

Beverly J. Gilmore, 1952, November 2025

Barbara Ann Graf, 1951, January 2024

Jeanne Caldwell Manley, 1951, October 2024

Mary Jo Wartman, 1951, February 2017

Lambda (Syracuse University)

Phyllis Becker Hanson, 1951, March 2021

Ann Helena Hauman, 1951, February 2021

Janice Price Hazard, 1951, March 2012

Helen Hersperger Magaha, 1951, April 2021

Marcia Munro Spiegel, 1951, February 2008

Mu (Simpson College)

Sally Job, 1974, January 2026

Marilyn Higens Pullman, 1951, January 2019

Frances Maurine Stone, 1951, July 2024

Nu (University of Colorado Boulder)

Altona Fowler Alexander, 1951, August 2017

Johanna Pace Collester, 1951, February 2021

Helen Margaret Fabry, 1951, September 2023

Margaret Anne Guiteras, 1951, June 2017

Audrey Adams Newton, 1951, September 2012

Louise Carol Talley, 1951, August 2023

Xi (University of Nebraska – Lincoln)

Kathryn Radaker Grotenhuis, 1951, July 2015

Jane Kosch Trowbridge, 1965, November 2025

Omicron (Baker University)

Frances Revilla Bethel, 1951, November 2019

Jane Carmichael Herron, 1953, December 2025

Paula Sue McCurry, 1963, October 2025

Marcia A. Wikoff, 1951, November 2020

Myra Brown Young, 1951, November 2020

Rho (University of Washington)

Mary Pluemer Walter, 1950, December 2025

Vernes Adair Watson, 1951, November 2022

Sigma (University of Iowa)

Wanda Siebels Ahrendsen, 1943, October 2025

Beverly Sue Haigh, 1963, December 2025

Barbara White Patterson, 1951, August 2020

Marilyn Frances Winders, 1951, January 2021

Tau (Brenau University)

Emeline Albert Huzvar, 1951, October 2023

Bettie Phillips Spikes, 1951, August 2016

Upsilon (Millikin University)

Patricia Louise Baldridge, 1951, March 2022

Dorothy Ellen Gore, 1951, June 2020

Marjorie Ruth Keeler, 1951, April 2019

Phi (University of Kansas)

Llewellyn Kiene Bartholow, 1953, October 2025

Nanette Nelson Chesky, 1952, December 2025

Barbara Lynn Endres, 1951, January 2023

Marjorie Ann Hoy, 1961, June 2020

Rosemary Owen Kline, 1951, November 2025

Margaret Gowans Lundstrom, 1951, December 2006

Mary Ann Mahoney, 1951, February 2020

Shirley Susan Olson, 1961, September 2025

Nancy Malone Schaefer, 1951, June 2018

Beverly Jeanne Smiley, 1951, March 2021

Carol Landis Stewart, 1951, September 2021

Chi (Oregon State University)

Donna Lee Iiams, 1952, January 2026

Psi (The University of Oklahoma)

Peggy Jane Hoag, 1959, November 2025

Freda Lou Margiloff, 1952, January 2026

Judith Ann Newman, 1958, December 2025

Omega (Washington State University)

Nancy Dimmer Pool, 1951, August 2022

Alpha Beta (Purdue University)

Kathleen Clark, 1951, September 2025

Jane Will Guda, 1952, August 2025

Carolyn Dowell Rust, 1951, November 2020

Patricia Jean Whitcraft, 1951, October 2008

Alpha Gamma (The University of New Mexico)

Billie June Crow, 1953, December 2025

Beverly Ochterbeck Southard, 1952, October 2025

Alpha Delta (University of Cincinnati)

Marcia Stanforth Biggs, 1951, March 2024

Pauline Carol Devaux, 1951, September 2019

Virginia Ann Evans, 1951, December 2021

Doris Blersch Hammond, 1951, June 2025

Alpha Epsilon (University of Pennsylvania)

Jeannine Earnshaw Adams, 1951, May 2020

Mary Ellen Musser Bigler, 1948, August 2025

Joan McCarte Lynch, 1951, November 2020

Alpha Zeta (Washington University in St. Louis)

Carol Joan Heilman, 1951, October 2006

Constance Heard Ledwell, 1951, December 2019

Patricia Maude Schmidt, 1951, March 2020

Alpha Eta (University of Mount Union)

Inez Loretta Bonessi, 1944, February 2010

Rosemary Stilwell Braid, 1948, September 2024

Lois Ann Dunton, 1944, August 2003

Aileen M. Estep, 1946, April 2021

Marilyn J. Hitchcock, 1946, October 2012

Maryon Carville Jensen, 1941, December 2010

Elizabeth Jane MacKay, 1945, March 2009

Margaret Meacham Mihalyi, 1947, May 2018

Donna J. Miller, 1948, March 2019

Betty June Moore, 1936, October 1972

Shirley Marie Pinkerton, 1943, May 2025

Nancy Lee Puls, 1948, May 2023

Dorothy Miller Rogers, 1936, January 2004

Carol Parker Seelinger Mattison, 1951, August 2021

Frances Fogo Stepro, 1942, August 1968

Esther Heindel Stewart, 1951, February 2019

Edna L. Toolis, 1944, January 1986

Patricia Ann Warren, 1946, April 2013

Joan Ruth Wetzel, 1948, December 2020

Dawn Zirita Whippler, 1951, June 2025

Jeannette Ann Wickes, 1942, July 2000

Alpha Iota (University of Vermont)

Joan Hobson Rawlins, 1951, September 2021

Thomasina Dexter Reardon, 1950, January 2026

Alpha Kappa (University of Oregon)

Virginia Lamb Nugent, 1955, May 2025

Alpha Lambda (University of Minnesota)

Jean McGough Holten, 1949, December 2025

Kathleen Murphy Komarek, 1951, February 2015

Dona Mae McGannon, 1951, May 1997

Stephanie Vincent Ness, 1951, July 2014

Betty Jean Sallman, 1951, September 2018

Donna Mae Wittnebel, 1951, March 2022

Alpha Mu (Indiana University)

Barbara Ellen Barrett, 1961, December 2025

Linda Gerald Bergum, 1967, November 2025

Alpha Nu (University of Missouri)

Mary Jane Casper Ware,1951, April 2015

Betty Rosser Hams, 1951, April 2024

Mary Jane Horner, 1951, March 2021

Helen C. Jones, 1951, May 2024

Marthaine Brown Pfeiffenberger, 1951, June 2019

Jeanne L. Wippermann, 1943, November 2007

Alpha Xi (University of Montana)

Marion Ellen Arndt, 1951, February 2011

Lorna Ann Gavin, 1951, October 2013

Beverly Jean Hamann, 1951, October 2020

Virginia Murray Piatt, 1948, December 2025

Barbara Beth Shook, 1951, June 2018

Alpha Omicron (The Ohio State University)

Donna Rae Adcock, 1970, December 2025

Ruth Rothfuss Furman, 1951, May 2015

Aarolyn Barbara Galbraith, 1950, December 2025

Adrianne Elizabeth Geiger-DuMond, 1951, May 2024

Barbara Jettinghoff Redford, 1951, April 2024

Mary Louise Sutherland, 1951, January 2023

Alpha Rho (University of Idaho)

Candace Karen Bergset, 1966, September 2025

Barbara Ann Davidson, 1951, February 2025

Alpha Sigma (Ohio Wesleyan University)

Ellen Hind Langkow Schell, 1951, July 2023

Cynthia Joy Morris, 1974, November 2025

Marilyn Kaighin Townsend, 1952, October 2025

Barbara J. Weller, 1952, October 2025

Alpha Tau (University of New Hampshire)

Lillian Turcotte Bisson, 1951, August 2010

Naomi Ruth Grossman, 1951, January 2017

Beverly Ann Kilpatrick, 1951, February 2014

Arla Whittemore Todd, 1951, February 2019

Alpha Upsilon (The University of Alabama)

Anne McAliley Moman, 1961, December 2025

Joan Shirley Mosley, 1961, November 2025

Patricia Gayle Murphy Russell, 1951, July 2019

Patricia Wallace Nappier, 1964, November 2025

Despina Orania Partenheimer Koch, 1948, January 2026

Jane Hinds Phillips, 1962, December 2025

Mary Elise Whetstone, 1951, January 2024

Alpha Phi (The University of Texas at Austin)

Margaret Aiken Calvert, 1951, December 2021

Margi E. Carvajal, 1951, October 2014

Phyllis Deborde Heller, 1946, December 2025

Julia Richter Jones, 1951, February 2022

Shirley Fisher Kline, 1951, August 2022

Shirley Lucile Turek, 1951, March 2022

Mona Bohlmann Wendtland, 1951, July 2008

Alpha Chi (Butler University)

Verna Marie Bodie, 1951, February 2015

Dona Sue Phares Brown, 1951, December 2020

Karen Shera Call, 1960, August 2017

Nancy Rae Eiler, 1972, February 2022

Doris June Hinman, 1941, April 2022

Ellen Warner Koch, 1952, May 2025

Dorothy Carey McConnell, 1936, November 2010

Doris Daley McWilliams, 1943, November 2014

Joyce Lee Miles, 1949, July 2025

Frances Ann Miller, 1968, April 2021

Sabra Louisa Patterson, 1952, July 2022

Cora Lane Smith, 1950, March 2017

Marjorie Jane Steinkamp, 1939, September 2014

Janet Cox Von Foerster, 1955, October 2019

Joetta K. Wilkinson, 1973, July 2024

Alice Jean Willenberg, 1957, January 2026

Linda Anne Williams, 2003, November 2024

Sharon Wright-Beai, 1960, March 2023

Alpha Psi (UCLA)

Joan Scudder Stevens, 1951, November 2018

Anne Elizabeth Weiss, 1951, May 2018

Beta Gamma (Louisiana State University)

Lillie Sylvia Maerker, 1951, December 2008

Beta Delta (College of William & Mary)

Carol Habich Ford, 1976, November 2025

Anne LeHew Legge, 1951, June 2017

Zelda Clair Wilkins, 1951, November 2021

Beta Epsilon (Michigan State University)

Ruth Arends Carlson, 1951, July 2013

Mary Elizabeth Flynn, 1951, January 2019

Marian L. Hansen, 1951, September 2025

Janet Mae McCormic, 1951, September 2019

Isabelle June Schultz, 1948, November 2025

Beta Zeta (Whitman College)

Janet Elizabeth Carpenter, 1951, October 2022

Juanita Mae Granger, 1951, June 2015

Patricia Guffey Thibaudeau ,1951, October 2021

Beta Eta (Florida State University)

Sylvia Dorothy Foster, 1957, December 2025

Patricia Louise Slater, 1951, April 2024

Dorothy Evelyn Slaughter, 1937, February 2013

Linda Lenzen Treiber, 1976, October 2025

Emily Sue Walker, 1951, June 2024

Beta Theta (Lawrence University)

Mary Jean DeMarr, 1951, April 2023

Cleida Jeanne Galligan, 1951, April 2020

Karol Kay Ruppenthal, 1951, May 2003

Beta Kappa (University of Wyoming)

Patricia A. Carroll, 1951, June 2017

Rosalie Helen Flanagan, 1951, April 2017

Shirley Dawn Lilley, 1951, March 2023

Beta Lambda (University of Arizona)

Margaret Joan Fox, 1951, September 2017

Beta Mu (Pennsylvania State University)

Marion Morgan Nichols, 1951, March 2025

Clara Lamade Robison, 1942, December 2014

Beta Nu (University of Utah)

Susan Kearnes Banks, 1951, July 2022

Julia Ann Branham, 1951, March 2015

Jolyn Jonsson, 1951, November 2019

Barbara Jean New,1951, July 2014

Beta Xi (Utah State University)

Joanne Milnar Blair Morris, 1951, October 2021

Greta Ashcroft Doutre, 1951, July 2018

Lois Blood Haws, 1951, April 2018

Audrey Jane Hazelgren, 1951, December 2025

Palma Diane Madsen, 1951, January 2021

Beta Omicron (Florida Southern College)

Norma Barwick Harrell, 1951, September 2013

Martha Cornelia Taylor-Dickerson, 1951, August 2020

Nancy Smith Waters, 1951, January 2011

Beta Rho (American University)

Barbara Phillips Walton, 1951, December 2018

Beta Sigma (University of Georgia)

Elizabeth Lee Cromer, 1982, January 2026

Julia Paschal Hickson, 1942, November 2025

Esther Lee Waddell McCarthy, 1968, October 2025

Pamela Cunningham Renfroe, 1964, August 2024

Kelly Allen Solomon, 1979, November 2025

Beta Tau (Miami University)

Winifred Merylo Buebe, 1951, June 2009

Jada Joy Gamble, 1951, September 2025

Joanne Knepper Jungclaus, 1951, March 2010

Virginia Lucille Ronald, 1951, November 2017

Beta Upsilon (Duke University)

Barbara Ann Earnest, 1951, February 2021

Alicia Pauline Keiler, 1950, October 2025

Nancy Kathryn Severson, 1951, January 2024

Beta Phi (Bowling Green State University)

Mary Ann Wolanin Buynacek, 1959, October 2025

Sandra Lee Kay, 1962, September 2025

Beta Chi (Willamette University)

Norma L. Hulett, 1951, April 2012

Nancy Jean McDonald, 1951, September 2016

Harriet J. Miller, 1951, December 2008

Beta Psi (Louisiana Tech University)

Clemie Jo Barry, 1951, March 2018

Beta Omega (The University of Toledo)

Sally Ann Bailiff, 1951, February 2020

Jacqueline A. Freed, 1955, October 2025

Virginia H. Richmond, 1951, July 2015

Patricia Ann Ross, 1951, May 2023

Gamma Delta (University of Denver)

Phyllis Woodbury Bryant, 1951, January 2023

Avis Barbour Cook, 1957, October 2025

Thelma Jean Dunn, 1951, July 2023

Ann Luscombe Harding, 1951, December 2016

Nancy Jean Land, 1951, June 2013

Gamma Epsilon (Oklahoma State University)

Jacqueline Henson Eubank, 1977, October 2025

Wilma Jean Hager, 1951, October 2023

JoNell Gambill Roberts, 1951, June 2009

Gamma Eta (San Jose State University)

Cecilia Marie Bucher, 1951, October 2017

Carolyn Ann Livingston, 1951, March 2020

Sally Ervin Sebastian, 1951, January 2024

Gamma Theta (University of Maryland)

Mary Ann Davis, 1952, January 2026

Margaret Kendall Fulmer, 1951, January 2020

Barbara Ann Graham, 1951, July 2023

Barbara Ann Stiles, 1951, May 2019

Elizabeth Jane Weed, 1951, December 2016

Gamma Kappa (Idaho State University)

Lela Maxine Kobe, 1951, September 2007

Twila Jean Uhrlaub, 1951, March 1997

Gamma Lambda (Kent State University)

Dorothy Harvey Calhoun, 1954, December 2025

Nancy Kay Lamport, 1951, August 2017

Nadine Susan Russo, 1953, November 2025

Gamma Mu (Ball State University)

Marilyn Pohlman Elliott, 1951, September 2019

Margaret Stiller Kennedy, 1951, December 2016

Norma J. Koontz, 1951, July 2009

Patricia L. Kunnen, 1951, July 2021

Jean E. Meyer, 1951, April 2015

Lois Gail Pye, 1958, December 2025

Joanne Marie Ross, 1951, February 2020

Janet L. Shively, 1951, December 2016

Gamma Nu (San Diego State University)

Julie Fay Heggeness, 1979, January 2016

Anne Christine Maches, 1951, April 2018

Gamma Xi (Western Michigan University)

Erta Vivian Allen-Replogle, 1951, February 2008

Marion DuMond Denison, 1951, February 2024

Irene Corsiglia English, 1951, May 2023

Carol Ann Formsma, 1951, December 2019

Rosalyn Marie Hogan, 1951, March 2018

Dorothy Ann Juzwiak, 1951, July 2010

Diane Lee Laing, 1951, November 2020

Patricia Ann Markle, 1951, March 2021

Ruth Joan Rohl, 1951, March 2020

Janeth O. Williamson, 1951, May 2021

Gamma Omicron (Marshall University)

Judith Lynn Salton, 1967, November 2025

Gamma Rho (Texas Tech University)

Laura Lynn Rossi, 1982, November 2025

Delta Zeta (Central Michigan University)

Nancy Elizabeth Johnston, 1962, December 2025

Delta Nu (Iowa State University)

Barbara Ann Brown, 1974, January 2025

Delta Pi (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)

Mary Fetzer Dean, 1961, October 2025

Delta Chi (William Woods University)

Mary Martha Nichols, 1966, December 2025

Epsilon Upsilon (Mississippi State University)

Lisa Carol Butts Knott, 1974, January 2026

Zeta Sigma (Missouri State University)

Jane Elizabeth Schumacher, 1986, November 2025

Zeta Upsilon (Case Western Reserve University)

Elizabeth Jordan Kannard, 2009, September 2025

Theta Lambda (Clemson University)

Jill Hennessy Shea, 1992, October 2025

Theta Omicron (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Christina Y. Hsu, 1993, October 2025

Iota Lambda (Texas Christian University)

Brittany Chatley Weslocky, 2007, August 2025

Iota Chi (Middle Tennessee State University)

Dana Shontele Craft, 2001, October 2025

Kappa Sigma (The University of Southern Mississippi)

Jolie Claire Bartolome, 2015, October 2016

We asked arts educators involved in our Women & Wisdom online networking platform to share about the value of the arts. Here’s what one sister had to share!

REBECCA TRUE GAMMA CHI (STETSON UNIVERSITY)

ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHER

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT OR PRACTICE THE ARTS?

The arts need to be in schools because the core of any art form is empathy for the human experience. Every art form creates windows and mirrors – windows into someone else’s life and perspective, or reflections of your own experience. No other subject area teaches that in such a hands-on way.

WHAT IS A PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD SHARE WITH ALPHA CHI SISTERS ABOUT THE ARTS?

It’s never too late to learn!

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE ARTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Every day kids come into the music room, and I can see the weight of the world lifting from their shoulders when we sing, dance and play. I hope they remember that feeling and keep music as a part of their life.

EXPLORE OUR NETWORK AT WOMENANDWISDOM.ORG AND FOLLOW US ON

Join the Life Loyal Roll!

WE HOPE YOU’RE ENJOYING THE DIGITAL VERSION OF THE LYRE !

We also know there’s something special about receiving a magazine in print and flipping through the pages to read the stories of our sisterhood.

Alumnae members who make cumulative gifts of $299 or more to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation reach the Life Loyal Roll and receive the printed version of The Lyre four times a year as part of the donor communications plan.

The Impact of Your Gifts

When you join the Life Loyal Roll, you’ll support the Foundation’s mission to enhance the lifetime experiences of our members – and dream big about the future of Fraternity programming.

Through your gifts at the Life Loyal Roll level, you’ll make a lasting impact on the future of Alpha Chi Omega and in the lives of our sisters. Transformational programs and experiences that make up the Real. Strong. Women. Experience help our members gain life skills like confidence and leadership ability, self-awareness and interpersonal relationship skills, and comfort with vulnerability and bridging difficult topics.

Only with support from donors will Alpha Chi Omega continue to:

• Promote mental well-being for our sisters through programs that facilitate authentic conversations about mental health

• Empower our members to build healthy relationships through programming like Let’s Talk Love while increasing awareness of domestic violence

• Create communities of support where sisters encourage sisters to discover their most genuine selves through the Real. Strong. Women. Experience

THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING A GIFT TO THE FOUNDATION AT THE LIFE LOYAL ROLL LEVEL!

Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity

5635 Castle Creek Parkway N. Dr. Indianapolis, IN 46250-4304

alphachiomega.org

DAY OF GIVING - MARCH 26-27, 2026

Make your gift early by scanning the QR code or visiting give.alphachiomega.org/DGRSW!

All gifts to Day of Giving support the Real. Strong. Women.® Fund, making a direct impact on our sisterhood.