Alpha Phi - Michigan State University

The Ivy 2 Meet Your New Chapter Advisors Alexa Santangelo, Omicron '17 A lexa grew up in the Chicagoland area. She attended the University of Missouri and studied hospitality management and business. She dedicated most of her time at Mizzou to various leadership positions for Omicron Chapter, including Chapter President and Director of Philanthropy. After graduation, Alexa traveled as an Educational Leadership Consultant for Alpha Phi International. She lives in Tempe, Arizona, and travels as a pharmaceutical event coordinator. She also volunteers as Virginia Tech's recruitment advisor. Email: alexasantang@gmail.com Samantha Zahrai '19 D uring Sam's time at MSU, she lived in the chapter house for two years and served as Chapter President for a term and a half. She was honored with the 2017 Chapter President of the Year award and was Director of Formal Recruitment her senior year. Clearly, she did not get enough of Alpha Phi, so she traveled as an Educational Leadership Consultant for Alpha Phi International for nine months after graduation. She now lives in Chicago and work in sales for Cars.com. In 2022, she served on the Beta Beta Centennial Committee, which allowed her to reconnect with the chapter members, executive board, and HCB. She is excited to support such an amazing chapter and to ensure that current and future Beta Betas have the same wonderful experience that she had. Email: samzalphaphi@gmail.com W hen Joan joined Alpha Phi, she knew it would be just the beginning of the wonderful support and connections she would experience throughout her life. As a legacy, Beta Beta was already special to her; her sister, Marge McMahon MacFarlane '46, graduated a few years prior, and her other sister, Barbara McMahon McCaughey '48, served as Chapter President when Joan went through recruitment. In addition to her legacy status, she had a simple reason for joining: "I just loved the house and the sincere friendliness of the lovely members." Greek life was popular with Joan's generation; she shared mutually happy experiences with her friends and made many lasting memories— like when the National President of Alpha Phi attended her first ceremonial installation of new members as Chapter President. Inspired to Stay Involved Joan's sorority experiences, including the blessings of the sisterhood surrounding her, shaped her life in the best way possible and inspired her to remain involved as an alumna. "Confidence in myself grew as social skills and various leadership and organizational responsibilities developed." As soon as she moved to Washington, D.C., Joan attended a local alumnae chapter meeting and made close friendships with women like Jeannette Hass Wells, Upsilon '42. Those connections continued, and more began, as Joan remained dedicated to her sisterhood. She served as Philanthropy Chairman of the Greater Washington, D.C. Alumnae Chapter and then as President until it became the Maryland- D.C. Alumnae Chapter. She later became a member of the Northern Virginia Alumnae Chapter, where she received her 50-year pin. One of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of her continued involvement as an alumna was the opportunity to help start Delta Zeta Chapter at the University of Maryland. She served on the House Corporation Board in various ways during the initiation of the chapter before later becoming President. Joan encourages her sisters to remain involved with Alpha Phi after college. "I suggest checking for a local campus chapter to assist through an alumnae group!" Active Outside of Alpha Phi As an undergraduate, Joan cherished her position as song director her senior year, and she now continues to enjoy group singing in barbershop and church. Some of her other favorite hobbies include ballroom and Latin dancing, Genealogy, participating in senior center activities like Red Hat Club, acting in skits, modeling, doing aerobics, participating in charity fundraising, and railroading. Joan's two sons attended the University of Maryland and are brothers of her husband's fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha. Her daughter was a Pi Phi at Virginia Tech, as Alpha Phi had not yet started there. Joan has eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren—she loves to be around the children! Her sister, Marge, has unfortunately passed away, and Barbara recently turned 95. You can connect with Joan at joancsch@aol. com to learn more about why she stays involved with Alpha Phi. The Blessings of Sisterhood Why Joan McMahon Schneider '50 Remains Involved with Alpha Phi Alexa Sam Joan and her daughter celebrate Christmas 2022.

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