Alpha Chi Omega - Purdue University

ALPHA CHI OMEGA 3 Alpha Beta Centennial CE LE B R A T I N G O U R P A S T S E C U R I N G O U R F U T U R E 1918 2018 Mary Lou Carlisle Schuler '52 In memory of Irene Carlisle '18, a charter member of Alpha Beta Patricia Kirby Johnston '55 Joy Kratz Mitchell '58 In honor of Mary Harrison Ford and The Bonnie Andrews Family Linda Haislup Chastain '61 Cynthia Harrison Clay '61 Marjorie Holm Beasley '62 In memory of Charlotte Rapp Holm Patricia Daley Logan '62 Susan Hathaway Tantillo '64 Carol Hunt Clancy '65 Diane Wilson Blackwelder, Omicron '67 In honor of all Alpha Beta initiates from an initiate of Omicron Chapter Christena Clark Smith '65 In honor of Roberta Everett Recktenwall '65, Sally Edwards Syljebeck '65, and Lynn Smith Werth '66 Jeannene Ackerman '68 Kathryn Evans Pitman '68 In memory of Agnes Sample Evans '44 Mary Arrington Bowling '69 Susan Mitchell Monroe '69 In memory of Sylvia Chalmers Mitchell, Epsilon Omicron '71 Joyce Thompson Carter '70 Cecele Arrington Flanary '70 Carol Granstaff Eastes '71 In honor of Donna Lammering Nichols '71 Ann Melter Schmidt '73 Susan Black Parsons '74 Lisa Adams Davis '75 Jean Saharian Shahnasarian '78 Elaine Butler O'Donnell '81 Rebecca McKinney Thompson '88 In memory of Mary Bishop Kirkpatrick '20 and Patricia Rusk Orr '50 Nicki Reas Meneley '97 Janet Lester Talbert '00 Sara Hageman Schenck '01 Molly Ironmonger '03 Ashley Brown '05 Rebecca Pankop '05 How Love of ACW Led Judy Garwood Fecel '65 to Meet the Love of Her Life R eflecting on her years at Purdue University, there is no doubt Judy Garwood Fecel '65 considers Alpha Chi Omega her favorite college experience. However, Judy did not have any intention of joining a sorority when she came to Purdue. "Four brothers and sisters before me completed college without the sorority or fraternity experience. But my friend, Fred Rasp, convinced me to go through recruitment. His sister, Jane Rasp McGeehan '63, was the president of Alpha Beta Chapter at the time. She was convincing and inspiring," Judy says. Alpha Chi Omega not only provided Judy with truly unique, life-changing experiences, but an encouraging environment that allowed her to flourish in both the sorority and on campus. "I was like a seedling put in the right environment to grow. Along with several other women, we started the Grand Prix Girls and I became president. I was then elected U-Sing director for our chapter and we won! I was also a Miss Purdue finalist and our chapter's representative for Homecoming queen. All this accomplished from an Indiana farm girl," Judy says. "But most importantly, I served as recruitment chairman, a job that expanded so many new skills. Before I stayed home with children, I was in human resources for a large company as a personnel interviewer and later as an office supervisor for an architectural company. Being recruitment chairman gave me some experience and confidence going into these positions." Despite these outstanding achievements, however, Judy's favorite part of her Alpha Beta experience was meeting her future husband, Craig. Judy recalls, "One of my sorority sisters was getting married after my junior year and she asked me to be the soloist for the wedding. Craig was a friend of the groom through Sigma Phi Epsilon and an usher for the wedding. They fixed us up for the rehearsal dinner. That was just three weeks before Craig graduated from Krannert's 11-month graduate school and he was very stressed about finals. But we clicked big time. We will celebrate 47 years this summer." Meeting Judy was certainly the highlight of Craig's Purdue experience as well, and he feels very fortunate to have such an extraordinary woman as his wife. "Judy is a wonderful human being, mother, and grandmother; she would do almost anything for anyone. Judy helps take care of my taxes and keeps me out of tax prison!" he jokes. "It would be impossible to overestimate the benefit ACW has had on Judy as a person and for her development. The sorority made a positive impact on her personality and social skills, and has changed her life for the better. If it wasn't for Alpha Chi Omega, I wouldn't have met the woman I am proud to call my wife." These memorable moments have made a lasting impact on Judy and Craig, and for this reason they have given back generously to Alpha Beta through the Alpha Beta Centennial—Celebrating Our Past, Securing Our Future campaign. "Alpha Beta is where our adulthood started for most of us, and the many bonds formed because we learned to live with diverse members of a new family. Many of us can say that who we are today can be attributed to Alpha Chi Omega. As alumnae, we must help ensure future sisters can look back and say they had the same rewarding experience." Judy and Craig have visited Purdue a few times over the years and plan to attend the university's Homecoming festivities this fall. Judy looks forward to future reunions with her Alpha Beta sisters. In their spare time, Judy and Craig enjoy traveling around the world while they are in good health, spending summers in Colorado to escape the Houston heat, playing golf, and spending a lot of time with their two children, Cara, who is an ACW alumna, and Craig Fecel II, their spouses, and four wonderful grandchildren. You can send Judy an e-mail at jfecel@aol.com. "Many of us can say that who we are today can be attributed to Alpha Chi Omega."

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