Kappa Alpha Theta - University of Missouri

Supporting Theta with My Whole Heart 3 KAPPA ALPHA THETA 10.75" Sophie Pyrtle Chambers '04 Shares Her Experience Serving A lpha Mu's high scholarship and her Chillicothe connections first drew Sophie Pyrtle Chambers '04 to Theta; Pref Day sealed the deal. "I don't tend to be highly emotional in public or around strangers, but I found myself sobbing at the last round of recruitment because I had fallen in love with Theta. I wanted so badly to be a part of this sisterhood." Sophie has many fond memories from her undergraduate years: leading recruitment with her roommate, Julie Underwood Hoberock '04, living in the house, spending time with her pledge sisters, campus shutting down during a snowstorm, and building Homecoming floats. "In 2008, we won first place float with the men of Ag Sig. With their help, we had a hydraulic Truman the Tiger dressed as Spiderman swinging across the float on a web to kick over the K-State wildcat. I distinctly remember the judge's reaction when the man on the microphone audibly gasped and chuckled at how amazing our design was." After graduating, Sophie didn't want to imagine her life without Theta, so she stayed involved on the Facility Corporation Board. Later, she served as house corporation president and led the chapter through the 2015 capital campaign. Though the campaign was a lot of work, it was also rewarding, and she met many more Thetas who were by her side the entire way. Sophie loved how passionate the group felt about maintaining the nearly 100-year-old house and is proud they were able to maintain beloved elements while adding more space and giving their staff better workspaces. Sophie fondly remembers the first time she shared the blueprints with the officers and chapter. "They were so ecstatic. The excitement was contagious that whole year." After over a decade on the FCB, Sophie was ready for a change, so she switched roles with Rebecca Berger Jones '89 and has been serving as the advisory board chairman for the last two and a half years. While a refreshing change, it was also challenging with so much happening in the world; the chapter needed to adjust post-COVID-19. "The collegiate executive boards from those years worked so hard to address these needs and set new goals as a chapter," Sophie shared. "It has been so encouraging to see all the growth they've made as a group the past two years." As advisor, Sophie has loved building relationships with the collegians. She is most proud to have reintroduced Fireside Chats and helped establish the new Common Ground Convos initiative, which provides DEI content in short segments and within smaller groups to allow for Q&A between sisters and feedback to officers. In her career, Sophie is the gifted instructor for Chillicothe R-II Schools, which she has loved. The variety of working with students from second to eighth grade is stimulating, and she enjoys developing her curriculum for the different ages. Previously, Sophie was a fourth grade teacher. In 2016, she was named Chillicothe Teacher of the Year. Sophie also serves as the professional development committee chairman and is in her second year of coaching girls' tennis at CHS. Last year, the team qualified for the State Final Four for the second time in school history. From 2019-22, Sophie was honored to be a Fulbright Teacher for Global Classrooms with the U.S. State Department, where she traveled to Germany to exchange ideas between the two countries' educational systems. Sophie, her husband, Kyle, and their kids, Max (9) and Matilda (6), live in a historic 83-year-old home in Chillicothe that was previously owned by the local Holocaust-surviving family. They love to travel together and watch the Chiefs and Tigers play. Sophie and Kyle are attempting to visit all Missouri State Parks, U.S. National Parks, and all seven continents. Sophie also enjoys camping, reading, running, and participating in two book clubs. You can connect with Sophie at sophiepyrtle@gmail.com. Sophie and her family: Max, Matilda, Kyle, and Kate. "Women like Nancy Cassity Tate '66, Lucy Cox Winkler Moore '66, Janet Gardner Kaiser '73, Bridgett Trapp Schuster '95, Rebecca Berger Jones '89, Cori Leonard Young '82, Angel Stewart '81, Annie Hildebrandt '07, Mary Ann Sadich Scheneman '70, Kelsey Ethington Reid '13, Patty Gee Nicholson '76, and so many more will hold a dear spot in my heart forevermore even though we never lived in Theta together but because we served Theta together voluntarily." This fall, Sophie's foster care daughter, Kate, pledged Theta, an opportunity made available to her through a generous scholarship. "We both cried our eyes out at initiation as I shared that special moment with her. Moments like these, empowering young women to reach their fullest potential, is why I will always continue to support Theta with my whole heart." Sophie and her room 207 roommates, Cara McLaughlin '04 and Jamie Lunsford Johnson '03, in 2006.

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