Alpha Chi Omega - University of Missouri

6 Lyre Notes T racy Clizer Taylor '80 always wanted to live in a sorority house that had white columns. Funny, she chose Alpha Chi—the only sorority house at Mizzou without them. "That tells you I must have been really impressed with the Alpha Chi women." Lack of columns aside, Tracy joined Alpha Nu because of the heartfelt note her future pledge mom, Tracy Thomas Feller '78, wrote for her during recruitment. Thirty years later, another Taylor appeared on campus, only this time as an Alpha Chi legacy. However, being torn between her two top choices, a talk with her mom solidified Rachel's decision to join Alpha Nu. "On preference night, my mom and I decided that being an Alpha Chi would be really neat to be able to do things together," Rachel '10 said. "Being a legacy definitely impacted my decision to join Alpha Chi. I was already familiar with the sorority, so when I had three choices on preference day, it helped make my decision easier." The mother-daughter pair spent the next four years enjoying Rachel's years as a collegiate sister through various events and recruitment efforts. "I became more involved with the chapter in 2010 when Rachel joined," Tracy said. "I especially enjoyed assisting her during her two years as VP recruitment. But my favorite memories have been all of the Mom's Weekends." Through Alpha Chi, and especially her role as VP recruitment, Tracy saw her daughter develop leadership skills that she uses in her career today. Rachel works for Mizzou's College of Arts and Science as an advancement officer and also volunteers her time to Alpha Nu. Upon graduation, she served as advisor to the VP of ritual and fraternity appreciation and VP of membership programming for two years. She's now the advisor for VP of recruitment. As for Tracy, she and her husband, Mark, are both recently retired. Tracy taught for 30 years—28 being a sixth grade teacher in Maysville, Mo. In addition to Rachel, the couple also has a son, Mason, who is a junior at Mizzou (and dating an Alpha Nu!). Tracy and Mark live in Maysville and she can be reached at ttaylormu@gmail.com. Rachel lives in Columbia and is busy planning her wedding for next spring. She can be reached at rltaylormu@gmail.com. Legacy of a Lifetime Faithful Service to Alpha Nu Mother-Daughter Pair Remain Loyal to AXΩ L oyalty: to friends, to Alpha Chi and to those around them. At times, it can be difficult to keep in touch with old college friends or remain invested in Alpha Chi as an alumna, but for Peggy Walcott Linsin '59 and her daughter Monica Linsin Podlesh '83, loyalty to their sisters and Alpha Nu is a trait both possess. "There's a reason it's called sisterhood. Everyone had each other's interests at heart and loyalty is a value my mom has as well," Monica said. Peggy has stayed true to Alpha Nu in several ways, including her involvement with the house corporation board for a number of years in the '80s. As for Monica, she was involved with the chapter's capital campaign several years ago and was able to renew several friendships during the process. Looking back on their experiences, both were confident in their decisions to join Alpha Chi. Peggy became well acquainted with Alpha Nu women her freshman year. When she decided to go through recruitment as a sophomore, Alpha Chi Omega was the place she felt most welcome. "I enjoyed all my years and all my time in Alpha Chi Omega," she said. "The girls were friendly, down to earth and matched my values." For Monica, going into recruitment as an Alpha Chi legacy made Alpha Nu her top choice. "I think what struck me most was the people I met and the conversations I had. I remember everyone being very genuine and I liked the fact that there didn't appear to be a certain look or stereotype if you will. It was nice to see the individuality of the members," she said. "Being a legacy was definitely a factor, but I think I would have liked Alpha Chi regardless. It was just the perfect fit for me." After graduation, Peggy taught high school American history until she had Monica and her brother, Jamie. Since then, she has picked up golfing and lives in St. Louis. Her husband, Jim, passed away in 2016. Monica and her family live in the San Francisco Bay area where her husband, Scott, is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. The couple has two children, Michaela and Zach. Monica has spent the majority of her professional career in corporate communications and public relations. She now also focuses on her love of fashion while working retail part time in addition to her "mom duties." Peggy can be reached at peggylinsin@gmail.com. Monica can be reached at mpodlesh110@gmail.com. Question and Answer with Peggy and Monica What is your favorite Alpha Chi Omega memory with your daughter? "Mother's Weekend. I was really excited that Monica was happy and found a home in AXΩ just like I did. I loved when we were both together at the house—the same old house, just a different time." – Peggy Walcott Linsin '59 What is your favorite Alpha Chi Omega memory with your mother? "Football Saturdays. My parents had season tickets while I was growing up and we were all big Mizzou fans. I knew the words to the fight song in elementary school. I loved meeting mom and dad on the mornings before the games. I'd always bring a group of friends along to the tailgate parties." – Monica Linsin Podlesh '83

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