The spirit of Pi Beta Phi is strong in Texas Gamma Bailey Fergeson, who joined in fall 2014. She was chosen by her chapter to represent them as the Emerging Leader and to attend Convention 2015 in Chicago. What was her favorite part of convention? “Hearing a million Pi Phis sing Ring, Ching, Ching at dinner,” she said.

Bailey is lucky she has her mother, Texas Epsilon Kristie Fergeson, as an example of strong ties of values and lasting bonds of sisterhood. Kristie has two Texas Epsilon pledge sisters that remain her best friends, Wendi and Amy. According to Bailey, they have always been around. Through college, weddings and raising children, these three have remained close. Due to her mother’s strong connections, Bailey has known Pi Phi her entire life through play dates with their children and holiday parties with the three families.

These strong ties have helped support Bailey in her collegiate years as well. In September, Bailey’s dad received a kidney transplant. As her mother stayed to help her dad recover, Bailey’s parents could not attend the chapter’s Parents Weekend in October. Wendi and her husband Scott traveled to Lubbock to step in and participate in activities of the weekend. The activities included a Casino Night on Friday, tailgate and football game on Saturday and skeet shooting on Sunday. Bailey was so grateful to have their support that weekend!

Whether it is her supportive big sis Rachel Alexander to her roommate Mallory Soto inviting her to join her family on a trip to the number of sisters who will drive car-less Bailey to run errands, she is confident that she, too, has strong Pi Phi friendships to last her a lifetime.