Pi Beta Phi - University of Southern California

Pi Beta Phi 7 Robin's pledge class held their pledging ceremony in the "old" Pi Phi house in August 1973. Presents was held at the SAE house. Robin is third from the left in the front row. Alumna Reflects on Sisterhood after 40 Years C an you imagine being initiated in the "old" Chapter House, having your first Monday night dinner at El Cholo and your Presents ceremony at the SAE house? This was the experience of Robin Greenway MacGillivray '74 and her pledge sisters as Pi Phis eagerly awaited the completion of the Chapter House in the fall of 1973. "I loved Pi Phi the very first day of rush and was so grateful each day to receive an invitation to come back," Robin says. "The actives were so welcoming, engaging, and inspiring. I was really impressed that a brand new house was being built and thrilled that I would be among the first girls to live in it!" When the girls moved to the new house, it was yet to be fully furnished, Robin explains. "Over the years it was wonderful to see it blossom. It was also fun to establish new traditions, like how to burst onto the porch to sing Boom, Boom, or how to stage initiation. Seeing so many of those traditions still in place is very gratifying." Robin served Cal Gamma as assistant pledge trainer her junior year. "My best Pi Phi memories are centered on the friendships made and nurtured during my years in the house: watching soap operas in the TV room, drinking coffee in the breakfast area, visiting in our rooms late at night. I recall all of it fondly," she says. The bonds of sisterhood remain strong today. "I am in constant contact with my sorority sisters," Robin explains. "We get together often and share our lives in very meaningful ways. The songs we sang at the dinner table and elsewhere that speak about lasting bonds are so true!" Robin has served on House Corporation since 2007, handling a myriad of issues including security, house staffing, and insurance. "I got involved because, after 35 years, our beautiful home was in need of some TLC. I thought about the women who had built '667' for us and felt called to do the same thing for today's girls." Robin has worked at AT&T for nearly 35 years in a variety of leadership roles, and currently oversees post-merger integration, responsible for blending organizations and operations after an acquisition. She and her husband, Cliff, a writer, live in northern California, although her work is based in AT&T's world headquarters in Dallas. Her son, Michael, is in his final year at Loyola Marymount University. "We love to travel," Robin says, "but given the amount of time I spend going back and forth to Dallas, we mostly just talk about it!" Robin and Cliff enjoy riding their tandem bike, and Robin loves to cook. She volunteers at Baylor Hospital in Dallas and chairs the 100th anniversary campaign of the Girl Scouts of Northern California. "My Pi Phi and USC experience built a foundation for my entire adult life: leadership and social skills, work ethic, passion for philanthropy, professional capabilities, and bonds of friendship," she says. Her advice to today's collegians is to work hard and maintain their momentum. "I am so inspired by the young adults I know," Robin says. "I think they have such a bright future and am counting on them to achieve great things. The workplace is different from the education environment and can be somewhat intimidating. But, the great skills they have developed in school are very transferable and are tremendous assets." Reach Robin at robinmacgillivray@att.net.

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