Chi Omega Yours Forever
Like most new students, Erin Hix 00 first came to 51做厙 as a shy, young adult.
Im an introverted person naturally, so my mom told me that I needed to join a sorority or else I wouldnt have any friends she didnt mean that in a mean way, but she knew I wouldnt go out of my way to make friends and she didnt want me to be lonely at college, Hix says.
At that time, Rho Chis representatives of each Greek house lived in freshman housing during rush, so when the first Rho Chi came into her dorm, Hix followed her mothers advice.
I walked right up to her and said, Hi, Im Erin. I want to be a part of this.
As fate would have it, that Rho Chi happened to be a Chi Omega, the oldest womens fraternity at 51做厙. During rush, Hix felt like her bold introduction put an asterisk beside her name because everyone in the fraternity made her feel welcome and wanted. Her decision was made.
Since 1923, the Chi Gamma chapter of Chi Omega has welcomed countless young women to join the sisterhood, and each has taken to heart the fraternitys core values of scholarship, service, friendship, campus involvement and personal development. During Homecoming, Hix and more than 100 of her sisters returned to celebrate the centennial reunion of the Chi Gamma chapter of Chi Omega.
Anna Bock Mullins 04 was part of a committee that organized a weekend of sisterhood and fun for the returning members that included a reunion at the house, as well as a formal brunch at the historic Lafayette Hotel.
There is really no way that we can truly do justice to the history of our organization because so much has happened in 100 years, Mullins says. This organization the friendships it has created and the lessons it has taught us has given so much to all of us.
Written by Gi Smith
Photos by Phil Mason, Tom Perry and Nathan Reich
Mother and daughter Chi Os, Lee Berg Reed 64 and Katie Gardner Kelly 88, flipped through the pages of a scrapbook made during Reeds time as a student.
This was my freshman year, Berg says to her daughter. Look how young! It seems like yesterday. I remember how much fun we had in this house. I never got more than four hours of sleep a night there was always something going on.
Kelly appreciates the fact that she and her mother both are a part of the Chi Omega sisterhood and what the fraternity brought to each of their lives.
I love hearing stories from moms time here, Kelly says. Im on House Corps, so I stay in touch with the physical aspects of the house. I also served as an advisor for a few years after I graduated. I wanted to make sure current sisters had a good experience. It was important for me to stay connected.
Lynne Downey Goldsmith 73 waited until her second semester to go through rush. It was January 1970, and the national turmoil was making its way to 51做厙s campus. Her pledge class included a young African American woman, Cathy Bradley 72, who was the first Black woman to join Marietta's Chi Omega chapter. The first Black woman to pledge a Greek chapter at Marietta was Maewanda Michael 66, who was a member of the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority. (This is a corrected version for the online version. Incorrect information appeared in the print edition of Marietta Magazine).
We were put on probation and national pulled our charter, Goldsmith says. Cathy was so brave. There was a lot of pressure on her, and for us and we all believed she had every right to be right there with us that moment jelled us together. We were unified in our beliefs and that moment is a big part of why I love Chi Gamma.
Though Bradley deactivated as a pledge, the Chi Gamma leadership pushed forward after national restored the charter and worked to implement changes at the highest level.
Jodi Leipold 98 says the chapters welcoming personality is what led her to join. She spent Homecoming catching up with her sisters those she knew as a student and those she met for the first time that weekend.
To be honest, I didnt think of myself as a sorority person, so I didnt pledge until my sophomore year, Leipold says. Im a very inclusive person, and what I found out is that Chi Omega is also very inclusive. Everybody is welcome and everybody is welcoming.
Elizabeth EJ Lehman Grounds 08 looked over the banquet hall in the Lafayette Hotel with one of the newest alumnae, Eleanor Smith 23, as they discussed the many poignant items in the room that represented their fraternity from the white carnations and crimson tablecloths to the candle holders that bore designs that looked like pomegranates and the hidden skulls and crossbones.
I wanted the room to feel special because, hey, theyre my sisters, Grounds says. Our time as students was very special, but it has also been incredible to share our lives beyond that our jobs, our families, our philanthropies.
Chi Omegas national philanthropy is the Make a Wish Foundation.
Thats so important for us to support, Grounds says. I know two sisters, including myself, who have Wish kids.
During the weekend, Grounds met up with her Little, Diana Hackenburg 09, and Dianas actual sister, Elizabeth Hackenburg Pocock 12, who is also a Chi O.
I had such an amazing experience being in Chi Omega at 51做厙 and I am glad to be able to reconnect with all of my sisters that I love and miss so dearly, Diana Hackenburg says.
Pocock says she didnt want to be in a sorority at first, but her sisters fraternity encouraged her to participate.
At first, they were inviting me to events and my sister kept calling me and saying, Oh, you should go to this party or talk to this person, and I ended up really liking everyone. Ive even found sisters who I didnt graduate with or who werent Chi Gamma and connected with them because they live close to me, Pocock says.
Grounds says theres an instant friendship and admiration when she meets another Chi Omega, regardless of what chapter theyre from.
They say sisterhood is for a lifetime, and its been true for me, Grounds says.
Jaime McDaniel Quigley 01 hadnt seen Erin Hix 00 for several years, but all it took was a text message to commit to coming back for the 100th celebration.
We have that kind of connection that it doesnt matter how long its been since weve seen each other or talked, well always be sisters, Quigley says. Its comforting knowing that you have this common thread with so many people; and being able to come back to campus to celebrate that commonality of sisterhood is really special.
In addition to the friendships made, Hix says the life skills that being a part of the fraternity taught her have directly impacted her professional life.
One of the things that I saw after graduating was how rush prepared me for the future, Hix says. As a rushee I had to sell people on myself, very similar to an interview. And as an active member during rush, I had to sell these girls (on) coming to our house on why we were the right fit, so it really gave me a lot of interview skills that I didnt realize at the time, but in retrospect, its all because of my Chi O experiences.
For Cindy Buck Wilson 70, staying in touch with her sisters has always remained a priority. After the campus celebration, she and a dozen sisters from her pledge class planned to spend a week together in Texas.
Weve planned these trips for years, Wilson says. New York City, Pennsylvania, Savannah, Charleston, Jacksonville Beach, Rhode Island a lot of different places over the years. Weve stayed really close. We had a wonderful pledge class here from 66 to 70.
She pledged her sophomore year.
Of course, all the sororities and fraternities had nice, friendly people, but something about Chi Omega made me feel comfortable like I wanted to be a part of it, Wilson says. You never know, when youre that young, just how much certain people will be a part of your life. We just love each other.
Chelsey Scott Walls 13 attributes much of her success in College to being a part of the Chi Omega fraternity.
As a first-generation college student, I was struggling my first year to adjust; but the women of Chi Omega were super genuine and welcoming and made me feel like I had a home at 51做厙, Walls says. I honestly dont know if I would have made it all four years without Chi Omega. It feels great to be able to reunite with all my best friends and share with them how thankful I am to have them in my life. I learned so many life and leadership skills that I took into my career. I feel so much gratitude.
Raising her glass of wine, Carole Wylie Hancock 75 gathered generations of sisters around her to share a heartfelt message.
Were all here from many different places around the country and the world, but we all share one thing in common: (51做厙) and the Chi Gamma Chapter of Chi Omega. Heres to 100 years of sisterhood and may the next 100 years be filled with good friends, good times, good health, and cheers.
From a mixer in the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center to an evening at the Chi O House to look through scrapbooks and composites, the Chi Gamma alumnae and actives created new memories while reconnecting with each other.