Recollections of Greek Life

Once a year, we Pi Phi’s would attend church together and then go to Vance Godbey’s restaurant as a group. After a delicious brunch, we would linger and sing all the Pi Phi songs from Rush and ceremonial occasions. Other diners would gather round to enjoy our joy in being together. Even though I can’t carry a tune, I always found great pleasure in these songfests. They are one of my favorite memories of being a Pi Phi at TCU.
Valerie Neal ’71

As an SAE pledge, at halftime of the A&M game (a corps trip) the SAEs paraded a goat with a sign on it proclaiming the goat “Aggie Sweetheart” in front of the A&M stands. This was not well received and an altercation broke out. I was one of those featured on the front page of Sunday’s Star-Telegram running for my life. My parents were so proud.
Steve Hargrove ’73

I could probably fill an entire issue of The TCU Magazine with great stories and fond memories of my Delta Gamma experiences. It is so unfortunate that some of the harmless hazing has gone to the wayside. Having to recite poetry while keeping your nose to the ground and your hands behind your back was great! Getting left with your entire pledge class in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night was a team building exercise I won’t ever forget. Singing, singing and more singing, the ugly man contest, building floats, etc. I treasure the friendships made at TCU with not only my sorority sisters and other sorority members, but non-Greeks as well. Each knows if they need me, I am here to do whatever they need.
Melinda Oelfke ’74

Lots of favorite moments! Winning Greek Songfest. Parties, which sometimes became more legendary through the lens of memory. Having a pinning ceremony on the steps of Colby Hall dorm with my sweetheart and now wife of 43 years, Sue Sanders Winter ’62. Sigma Chi/Zeta Tau Alpha soap fight. Years of friendship and a large extended family of fraternity brothers.
Alan Winters ’61

My favorite moment as an Alpha Chi Omega actually came after graduation. It was this weekend at the wedding of Samantha Lewis (AXO) ’02 and Jeff McAvoy (Fiji): Looking around at the faces of men and women I met many years ago during recruitment and philanthropy weeks and theme parties to see how we have matured into happy productive adults and remained close friends over time and distance.
Amaris VanDyke ’02

During Rush, now called Recruitment, the girls going through Rush would have to walk from the sorority houses back to the Rickel building at the end of the day. I remember walking back one hot August day all dressed up and trying to look as poised as possible. The older girls warned us that there would be groups of guys hanging out on the balconies of the Bellaire apartments. Sure enough, the older girls were right, and a bunch of guys were hanging out on the balconies whistling and whooing at all the dressed up girls walking by. I will always fondly remember the excitement of Rush, not only going through Rush as a potential new member, but on the other side as well.
M.J. Ippolito ’01

Making it through “hell week” for Delta Tau Delta. I was glad to get off the hot link, the egg, and get back to normal without all the distractions.
Bob Garrett ’74

Being a member of Alpha Delta Pi at TCU taught me many things, but none greater than the value of philanthropy. I have held numerous international positions in ADPi, but none of which am prouder than as ADPi Foundation National Philanthropy Chair for five years.
Watching collegians and alumnae raise funds for Ronald McDonald Houses worldwide has been a source of great pride. And I was honored to be part of the team that opened the door to ADPi’s sponsorship of a Ronald McDonald Caremobile, bringing “hope on wheels” medical and dental care to children who would otherwise not have those services available to them.

Being a part of the TCU ADPi chapter’s Mocktails Blend-Off fund-raiser for the Fort Worth Ronald McDonald House has truly brought philanthropy home for me.

My TCU ADPi experience taught me to understand and live the words of our creed, “unselfish service to mankind.” And I hope in some small way I have been able to exemplify that our motto “We live for each other” is more than words printed on paper. It is a way of life.
Judy Romer Nutter ’74

My favorite memory was when the men of Delta Tau Delta came to the Zeta house and had my father, who was a Delta Tau Delta alum, present me with a rose when I was chosen as a Delt Little Sister.
Nancy Newsom Arnim ’85

Great guys and still good friends. Our Gooray Games were an ongoing activity we all enjoyed.
Curt Jones ’60

The process in which I found my Greek affiliation, Alpha Chi Omega, was one of the most thrilling moments of Greek life. The dreaded recruitment, or “Rush” was not a favorite of most incoming freshmen, but was an activity that I enjoyed immensely from start to finish.

I so enjoyed getting to know incoming freshmen as well as TCU girls who, after school started, appeared as friendly faces to me on a new TCU campus.
Julia Drab ’04

Many of my fondest TCU memories include my Phi Kap frat brothers. They are still some of my closest friends. Toga, toga, toga!
Ted Alexander ’66

Getting out of meeting in the basement of the Science building and into meeting in the lobby of John Brown Hall.
Marvin Overton III ’57

In 1961 when TCU beat Texas (they were No. 1 in the nation at the time), my Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers and dates who made the trip went to the UT Kappa Sig house after the game for a party. Our small group of Horned Frog supporters were the only ones having any fun at the party.
Philip Schoeneck ’64

My favorite moment was always singing “When You Go” with my sisters. There were so many wonderful memories but that one is particularly special for me.
Whitney Williams ’00

Those late night visits to the Ol’ South Pancake House after late night weekend “study” sessions with my Alpha Phi Alpha brothers.
Blake Moorman ’87

Every time I heard the combined voices of all the fraternity singing “The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi.” It still gives me chills!
Henry Dittman ’66

When we were pledges we were treated to lots of fun as new Chi Omegas. Part of our initiation was a scavenger hunt where we had to find a clue in the fountain of the student center, then eat a five-gallon tub of ice cream to find a clue at the bottom. Then we went to a restaurant dressed as owls and had to go table to table flapping our “wings” and saying “who-who” ‘til someone gave us a clue. Great fun!
Nancy Summer Froman ’86

When I made the decision to wed Robert Nash Herndon in 1965, my sorority sisters banished me from rush the next year. Being elected to represent Kappa Delta at Panhellenic was a life-changing moment for me.
Jean Rhone Herndon Crotty ’67