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Orland Park Resident Named Monmouth College's Greek Woman of the Year

Mary Kate Luzzo of Orland Park Named Monmouth College's 2017-18 Greek Woman of the Year.

by Duane Bonifer

Monmouth, Ill. -- (05/04/2018) — An Orland Park resident was named Greek Woman of the Year at Monmouth College. Mary Kate Luzzo, a business administration and public relations senior, was named the national liberal arts college's top Greek woman of the 2017-18 school year.

"Greek life teaches you a lot of leadership skills and teaches you a lot of fantastic real-world skills, like how to relate to other people," said Luzzo, who served the past year as president of Alpha Xi Delta. "And it gives you a chance to give back to something bigger than yourself. It's incredibly rewarding. Greek life and Alpha Xi will always be one of the big things in my heart long after I graduate."

Luzzo was also named this school year's outstanding chapter president at Monmouth.

"Alpha Xi Delta has been one of the biggest facets of my college career," she said. "It's helped me find my voice, my confidence in myself. It's given me an opportunity to be a mentor and role model for younger women, and it's given me friendships that will last my entire life. I attribute a lot of my success in college to being a member of Alpha Xi Delta, and I couldn't imagine my life without it now."

Monmouth College is the birthplace of the women's fraternity movement. Pi Beta Phi, the first women's fraternity, was founded in 1867 at the College, and Kappa Kappa Gamma was founded at the College in 1870. Alpha Xi Delta was founded in 1893 at the former Lombard College in nearby Galesburg, Ill. Its Beta Epsilon chapter was founded in 1932 at Monmouth.

Luzzo said she also appreciates having a "second family" on campus.

"These women have become my second family, my role models, my support system ... because a lot of us are so far away from home," she said. "Greek life is one of those big things that keeps people on campus. It gives you that second family for when you're faced with tough times. You look at the support that you're given, and it keeps you here."

Luzzo herself might be a favorite memory for some of her Alpha Xi sisters. She's known as the person who wears "goofy" plaid pants to all the major events such as Homecoming and dances.

"People know me by my plaid pants now - it's my 'thing,'" said Luzzo. "People are like, 'You're wearing the plaid pants, right?' And I say, 'Oh, yes, of course I'm wearing the plaid pants.'"

Founded in 1853, Monmouth College is a nationally ranked liberal arts college of 1,100 students. Affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the birthplace of the women's fraternity movement, the college offers 34 majors, 33 minors, 18 pre-professional programs, and two innovative Triads in Global Food Security and Global Public Health.

Media Attachments

Monmouth College Assistant Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life Max presents Alpha Xi Delta member Mary Kate Luzzo of Orland Park, Ill., with the College’s Greek Woman of the Year award. At right is Monmouth student Ashley Maurer of Fairbury, Ill., president of the College’s Delta Lambda Chapter of Order of Omega Greek honor society.

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