In last month’s e-letter, we sent out a survey to our Gamma Epsilon Alumnae. Now, we’d like to share some of our favorite responses with you! If you want to answer these questions yourself, please CLICK HERE to take the survey. You may see your Gamma Epsilon memories, photos or reflections published in a future newsletter or e-letter. We’d love to hear from all our Gamma Epsilon Alumnae! Here are your Sisters responses. 

Kim Mullins ‘91

"The most valuable part of my Gamma Epsilon experience was building lifelong relationships! I know that sounds cliche, but it’s true. I am still very close with sisters who were in the house when I was, way back in the 80’s. 

Unfortunately, I am not active in the alumnae association. I lived for many years in a rural area with no access to alumnae activities. Now my work schedule does not allow me the opportunities to participate in GE gatherings. 

Get involved if you are able! I watch the alumnae group’s activity via social media posts.. They do wonderful things!

I still am in close contact with a good handful of sisters from my era! (Marill Waters Myers, Lisa VanFossen Davis, Michelle Walz Hessman, Laura Jones Clark, Rachelle Gress Honohan are the ones I’m in most contact with. We always talk of having a reunion at the house as we used to do... guess one of us just needs to dive in and organize it! They are always so much fun!!)

My oldest son, OSU SigEp, will marry this fall! I finally get a girl! He will graduate Law School in Spring 2021. My youngest son, SigEp, will graduate from OSU in Fall 2020 then go active duty as a 2nd Lieutenant in the USMC." 

Mary Ruth Sizemore Waldrep ‘47

"The most valuable part of my Gamma Epsilon experience was the friendships I made while at school.

Gamma Epsilon can not have the success they have without vocal alumnae!    

I was initiated in 1947. Most of my  AXO sisters from 1947-48 are already gone.  The three charter members I know about keep in touch! We are living proof “ AXO sisterhood literally lasts a lifetime”  We are 92 years old!

I am, of course, retired & have been for years.  My husband (SAE, OK.Mu ‘42) And I moved to San Angelo, TX in 1993. (To be near our daughter & family). We have loved it here & my only disappointment, there are no other AX’s here."  

Lee Roberts Denney ‘72

"I loved the support I got from Gamma Epsilon Sisters while I was in college and the friendships and relationships we've had as alums.

I see the alumni organization as a network to support collegians but also as a philanthropic arm as well.  Also, a continued relationship built across generations of sisters.

Finding time is very hard when everyone is so busy.  Maybe E-meetings or quarterly meetings would work for us. Make them social get-togethers and such.

I would love to connect with my pledge class  as well as the classes above and below.  I was close to so many in different pledge classes.

I am working with the USDA in Rural Development.  I love my job.  I have 3 precious grandsons.

I have tons of memories of Mom/Dot functions, spring sing, formals, rush but I cannot put my hands on them at this time."

Christina Collins ‘04

"The lessons learned from transitioning from a high schooler living at home with my parents to coexisting with a group of women and being self-sufficient was a growth opportunity for us all. We learned how to respectfully disagree and work together to resolve issues. This is an integral part of growing up under the loving guidance of Mom Jane.

I am currently in touch with many sisters that were in the house while I was there. We have been able to reconnect over the years through Facebook. 

I married my college sweetheart and we are approaching our 20th anniversary later this year. We have two middle school children, a girl and a boy, that are very active in school and extracurricular activities. I balance a full time career as an Engineering Manager in the oil and gas industry with my home life."

Gina Nigro Miller ‘83

"The most valuable part of my Gamma Epsilon experience was the lifetime friends I made.

The pledge sisters and alumna members I am in touch with are very supportive of each other both in person and on social media. I see lots of Facebook comments sharing each other's successes and sadness over each other's losses.

​It would be fun to have a Gamma Epsilon Reunion over in Stillwater sometime. If you made it 1 day long (10 am - 3 pm?), everyone will really try to get there. If it is multiple days, then people tend to come late/leave early and may miss each other. I say it's best to leave people wanting more!

I am in touch with many Sisters on social media.

Our daughter and her husband had a new baby girl in December so I am loving being a new Grandmother!"

Mary Spicer Jones ‘70

"The friends I made in Gamma Epsilon, I've now had for 54 years. 

I regularly spend time with Tanya Peters Bishop, Vivian Johnston,  and Sylvia Faupel Miller. I am in touch with Kim Finch Simmons, Suzy Snider Vowels, Karen Young Shiflet, Diane Meisenheimer Lee, Melinda Smith, Dee Bluethman Biggert, Jan Hanraty Dunkelberg, Rogene Price Paullo, Sue Smith McAdoo, Meredith Williams Garner, Linda Jump Myers

I’ve retired and have 3 grandkids and arthritis. I’m loving Colorado mountain living."

Sara Chapman Williams 

"The friendships I made were the most important part of my Gamma Epsilon experience, but also the experience of working in a group, pulling off major events like rush, and homecoming. As president of the chapter, I learned a lot about how to have fun, work through minor conflicts, and enjoy being a part of a great community of women. Coming from a small town to a big university, AXO gave me the support I needed to make a solid transition into university life and make the most of my time at OSU. I use the life lessons I learned at the AXO house every single day.

I currently live in Michigan, outside of Detroit, so I don't regularly attend meetings in my area because the women are mainly from the U of Michigan chapter so I just don't have that much in common with them. I also have a job and an eight year old son and husband so don't have a lot of free time. I do from time to time go back for OSU homecoming and was glad to see this year the chapter had a tour of the house--I wanted my son and husband to see a bit more of the house this visit. I know that homecoming is a crazy time for students who are finishing up housedecks and exhausted from all that came before.....still, I think that homecoming walk around might be a time to do a bit more to have the house be a place for alumni who are in town to reconnect during the walk around. Great new programs for it this year, so keep expanding that. Wonderful time for alumnus to reconnect with people from the chapter.

Women, especially those who work outside the home, have so little time to spare...so it’d be great if we offer a variety of ways that alumns at different phases in their lives can stay in touch with the chapter and each other.

I just got back from a trip to Paris, France and had dinner with Terri (Alm) Mitton and her husband Laurent and two teenage sons, Lucas and Adrien at their place in Paris. Terri works for the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development. My work as a French historian takes me to Paris somewhat frequently to do research in archives and libraries. When I'm there, Terri and I always reconnect and share old stories about the AXO house at OSU and catch up on what is new in our lives. I'm a history professor at Oakland University, a public university outside of Detroit Michigan, where I live with my husband, David Williams, and eight-year old son Wade. Love to catch up with Gina (Laman) Hunsberger as well!"

Helen Caron Shields ‘58

"The most valuable part of my Gamma Epsilon experience is the lasting friendships for 62 years and the leadership training and experience. My Alpha Chi days are among the happiest of my life.

I was never active in GE alums, but they were wonderful to us as actives. I was a pledge trainer, panhellenic delegate and president. I could always rely on help from our wonderful Stillwater alums:  Mrs. Sorenson, Mrs. Hilton, Mrs. Belatti and Mrs. Klingstedt and later Mrs. Larson. We never used first names in those days!!

I am in touch by e-mail with my sisters from 1954-58, thanks to Mary Lynne Putt St. John and Joyce Primo. We have had reunions for our 5 year age span from 1972 to 2918, every two to five years.  We had a wonderful pinning of 50 year pins and red carnation ceremony in 2006 or 2007.at Cynthia Cochran’s cabin , followed in 2008 by a weekend at Anne Lookabaugh’s compound at Point of the Pines in Tallequah, then we had reunions at the chapter house in 2014 and again in 2017. (I think) or 2018. 

I am recovering from 3 surgeries in 3 years, but doing well now. I am a retired Reading specialist, am in 2 bridge groups and 2 book clubs and volunteer in 3 ministries at my church. I have 3 grandchildren, ages 23 to 18, one in graduate school, one in college, one graduating from High School.  They are all in Colorado, along  with their parents, my daughter Lisa and husband Jud. My other daughter, Cindy, is in Escondido as a Speech and Language specialist. She has two grown step-children." 

Melinda Hanraty Carson 

"AX helped to lay a foundation for my adult life.  Becoming a leader in the chapter led me to learn skills that helped me in my career as well as a volunteer, wife and mother.

I was fortunate to be involved in my local alumnae group which ultimately led to my involvement at the national level.  I was able to take my own experiences and share them with chapter members all over the country and to make some invaluable friends along the way. 

If the time is right and you want to continue to expand your involvement with AX, think about going beyond the local chapter to national/statewide leadership.  Also, if you live in an area where there is a collegiate chapter, become an advisor.  I was lucky to be involved with two groups in my area, and I felt like I filled a need and also had the opportunity to teach young women to become leaders.  They definitely enriched my life.

I have kept in touch with a small number of women from Gamma Epsilon and have come to a few reunions.  It’s always nice to read about what someone from my era is doing now.  My sister was also in the chapter, so I hear about some of her group as well.

I am now retired from the work world and have been volunteering with local non-profits since I spent over 20 years working in that field. I also have 6 grandchildren, all of whom live in our area. From almost 2 to 16, they keep us busy.  I also work with my husband selling promotional/marketing products.  I have some wonderful AX friends that I see on a regular basis. They are all from our local collegiate chapter, Epsilon Theta-Sacramento. When I first moved to Sacramento, I knew no women. I immediately contacted our local alumnae chapter, and it was the best thing I could have done. Many of these women continue to be my close friends."

Kristen Kelih Short 

"The most valuable part of my sisterhood is exactly that - sisterhood. I created the best, loving and long lasting relationships with my pledge sisters that I cherish. Sisters outside my pledge class as well.

 I have been to luncheons and met with alums. It’s a great way to network and build future generations of successful women.

I would suggest not to be afraid to get involved. Jump in! You don’t have to know someone to share a common bond.  Use your gifts.

My pledge sisters (pledge class of ’90) that I share life with include: Jackie Jones Beller, Kristi Talley Abdo, Erin Mosley Strickland and Kelli Green Ginsberg.  I would love to connect with sisters of ’89 and ’91 - my mom and dot. 

I’ve been married to the man I met at the Colvin Center at OSU for almost 24 years.  Our boys are 14 and 16 years old. My husband and I both are in medical device sales.  We love to travel together, the 4 of us, overseas with an upcoming trip to Italy in the books."

Stacie Paciotti 

"Gamma Epsilon gave me valuable leadership building skills, as I was able to take on leadership roles while at Gamma Epsilon. The other valuable part of my experience is my lifelong friendships with sisters!

I love the newsletters and updates of what is going on at the Chapter today, as well as reading about alumnae that I may not be in contact with.

I believe we should reach out to set up more get togethers, etc.  We talk about it often in small group messages with those we have kept up contact with, but I would love for it to be a bigger effort to reach others.

There are several of us that now live in/around Katy, TX (Houston suburb) We like to get together to tell stories and catch up a couple of times a year.  

 I just celebrated 30 years of experience at ConocoPhillips this year!"