Delta Gamma - Southern Methodist University

Anchored In page 4 W hen Mary Lee Filgo Miller '69 thinks back on her DG experience, the friendships and memories she made are her favorite part. Some of her favorite memories come from her early days as a pledge with weekly pledge meetings and Anchor Week when women wore middy blouses all week and carried their boats to class. Living in the house was a wonderful experience filled with many late-night study sessions and friendship with sisters from all over the country. Mary Lee began her involvement as an alumna shortly after graduating. She sees her membership in Delta Gamma as a lifetime membership and feels that it is up to alumnae to show collegiate women how important Delta Gamma can be in their lives. "It's our job to support them as they experience college life and learn through their Delta Gamma experience." Mary Lee has served in a variety of alumnae leadership roles and was honored to serve as the advisory team chairman for Alpha Upsilon. She was greatly influenced by the women who served as advisers for the chapter during her collegiate years and was thrilled to be able to give back to the chapter in a way that meant so much to her. This connection between alumnae and collegians is also a reason Mary Lee feels it is important to give back. "Our founders began Delta Gamma as a group to foster high ideals of friendship and to 'Do Good.' Women have embraced this philosophy for over 140 years and it is up to all of us to support what they began and to support our collegiate chapters. It is our turn to show them the importance of Delta Gamma membership for a lifetime." Mary Lee lives in Dallas and has two children, Kyle Miller and Meredith Bebee. She also has four legacy granddaughters and a grandson. She can be reached at m.l.miller@sbcglobal.net. Sandy Smith Williams '63 J oining Delta Gamma was an easy choice for Sandy Smith Williams '63. As a California girl, Sandy immediately felt at home in the DG house, which was full of women from all over the country. Delta Gamma didn't have a formula you had to fit into, and this has stood the test of time. After graduation, Sandy stayed in Dallas and joined the training program of a department store, eventually becoming a buyer and V.P. Her first 10 years out of SMU were very busy and Sandy did not have much time for DG. That was until 1979 when one of her pledge sisters recruited her to be an adviser for Alpha Upsilon. It was there she found her passion for working with collegians. Sandy spent 18 years as an adviser and has many great memories of working with and guiding amazing young women—many of whom she has stayed in touch with. It was no surprise that Sandy wanted to be part of the team to help with the campaign to build a new DG house. She has thoroughly enjoyed reuniting with her sisters from the '60s and is so proud of how supportive they have been and what an awesome job they have done so far. They have been enthusiastic and ready to help and support in any way they can. Sandy is excited for the new DG house and hopes it brings the members as many special memories as she and her sisters of the '60s have had over the years. Sandy lives in Dallas, about five minutes away from SMU, with her husband, Joe. She keeps busy with DG and sits on the board for two charities. She spends her free time with family and her recruitment business. Her son, Jed, is a consultant in Washington, D.C. Sandy can be reached at ssw26@aol.com. Susan McGinty Bradford '64 S usan McGinty Bradford '64 is glad she had the opportunity to grow into a woman in a safe and controlled environment among friends at DG. Delta Gamma offered Susan a camaraderie that she adored. She was an only child so she relished in having her "sisters" around at all times. After graduation, most of the women from Susan's class moved all across the U.S., making it harder for her to stay in touch. Now that she is entering a different stage in both work and life, she has more time and resources to reach out to her sisters, support DG, and extend opportunities and memories to her younger sisters. Susan hopes to repay DG in some way for helping her develop into who she is today. She hopes her class shares in this willingness and as they come together to plan their next reunion. Susan lives in Houston with her husband, John. They have two children, John IV and Susan, and four grandchildren. She spends most of her free time with her family. A Common Bond Shared by Sisters of the 1960s Why They've Chosen to Support DG T oni Arenson '69 adores the years she spent in Delta Gamma. She remembers the late-night hangout sessions in the house, cramming for tests, and laughing with friends after a food fight that happened that day while Housemother Maxine Royds reprimanded the group and laughed right along. She is thankful for the guidance Mrs. Goode gracefully gave and singing to the new women during recruitment. Toni also remembers a pledge activity where you had to visit all of the actives and get them to sign your anchor; it was about getting to know your sisters in a way that forced you to reach out to each person. These things are what made DG stand out to her. During a recent visit to SMU, Toni was amazed at all the new dorms, class buildings, Greek housing, and landscaping. While she still loves the design of the house and has always valued the DG house for being different from the other houses on campus, she noted that "the whole SMU campus is undergoing a revival, so why not DG as well?" Toni values the opportunities she was given in college and feels it is her turn to give back like the women before her did. She hopes to show her gratitude for the friendships formed while at SMU and hopes her sisters will join her. "It's time to pony up, girls!" Toni lives on a farm near Kansas City and loves getting the new Anchored In newsletter each semester to keep up with the news of the chapter and her Alpha Upsilon sisters. She can be contacted at tarenson@everestkc.net. Toni Arenson'69 Mary Lee Filgo Miller '69

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