Sigma Chapter of Delta Gamma at Northwestern University
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/980474
2 Sigma Chapter of Delta gamma * NorthweSterN UNiverSity "T he environment was very different from what I knew, but it didn't take me long to acclimate myself with the help of the women at Delta Gamma," Susan Mainzer Brown '66 said in reminiscence of her undergraduate days as part of Sigma chap- ter. "It's funny because at first I hadn't planned to join a sorority, but then I met my good friend Eleanor Lopez '65, and you could say she talk- ed me into it." When Susan transferred from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, to Northwestern, the country was in the middle of the Civil Rights movement. Before and during that era, sorori- ties on the Northwestern campus were divided on the subject of race and had historically been exclusionary to people of color. "Since college, I have been proud to see my Delta Gamma sis- ters make a large effort to expand the restrictive ideals of membership within Greek communi- ties and to make Northwestern more inclusion- ary to all talented women, regardless of race." Since graduation, Susan has worked with many industry-leading companies on their commu- nications, branding, and marketing in the San Francisco Bay area. She was an active volun- teer for organizations that strive to better the world and strengthen women. From 2006-12, she served as a board of directors member for Expanding Your Horizons Network, whose goal is to help inspire girls to recognize their potential and to pursue opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In 2014, Susan's husband, Rick, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Susan responded to this news by starting the type2delicious.com blog that provides low-carbohydrate recipes to those with Type 2 diabetes and their families. "Every- one deserves to enjoy healthy, delicious, and home-tested recipes, even if they have dietary restrictions." Susan grew up with foodies as parents, which is where her passion for cook- ing first developed. "When I was growing up, we always had natural foods, nothing canned or frozen. I've enjoyed hosting workshops and hearing about people's experiences. Since Rick's diagnosis, we've been able to control his diabetes without medication." In 2016, Susan and Rick made the trip back to Evanston to visit campus before a Grateful Dead concert in Chicago. This was the first time Susan had been back to college since her graduation. "It was good to go back to campus and see how things have changed. One of the first things I noticed was that the old Annie May Swift house where we used to have rehearsals had been restored. I was also impressed with the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art. These, along with the strong Greek community, make it more feasible to recruit talented young women to Northwestern." Susan is still in love with one of her earliest passions in life, art. She is an award-winning artist who has studied art for the majority of her life and strives to "evoke emotion and capture the essence of her subjects through paintings and drawings." You can discover more information and view her works at susanbrownfineart.com. "I always want to encourage the women of Del- ta Gamma to see what they can do in their own communities to help bring positive change. I want to reassure them to use their skills to do something that's important to themselves and the young women around them. Finally, I would advise them to stay connected to Delta Gamma, because they will make these goals more ob- tainable, she said." Susan and Rick live in Santa Cruz, California. They travel often and are expecting anoth- er grandchild soon. Their daughter, Liz, lives in Japan and their son, Alex, is attending San Francisco State University. You can connect with Susan at susanb181@gmail.com. BUILDING WOMEN OF SUBSTANCE Susan Mainzer Brown '66 on Encouraging Sisters to "Do Good" Aditi Agarwal '18 Burr Ridge, Ill. Annika Amlie '18 Pontre Vedre Beach, Fla. Jessie Bailey '18 Dix Hills, N.Y. Meg Bibby '18 Hinsdale, Ill. Lauren Bittinger '18 Birmingham, Mich. Sophie Boorstein '18 Middleton, Wis. Maddie Burton '18 New Rochelle, N.Y. Gracie Cashmann '18 New Canaan, Conn. Haley Davis '18 Manhattan Beach, Calif. Arianna DiGregorio '18 McLean, Va. Cal Dooley '18 San Francisco, Calif. Peri Ehlman '18 Wilmette, Ill. Katie Hoffman '18 New York, N.Y. Kate Janda '18 Eden Prairie, Minn. Pravika Joshi '18 Dallas, Texas Katie Karmin '18 Highland Park, Ill. Chloe Krugel '18 Chappaqua, N.Y. Maddie Lane '18 Port Washington, N.Y. Charlotte Masters '18 Bethesda, Md. Jackie Orlando '18 Cherry Hill, N.J. Claire Pegler '18 Los Angeles, Calif. Patrice Power '18 Newton, Mass. Abby Pratt '18 Bay Area, Calif. Ava Robinson '18 San Diego, Calif. Alex Seigerman '18 New York, N.Y. Heena Srivastava '18 Burr Ridge, Ill. Megan Waxman '18 Long Grove, Ill. Cate Wolfen '18 Beverly Hills, Calif. Selin Yazici '18 Istanbul, Turkey Welcome, New Members