McWhirter, Marguerite Graham

In 1923, Marguerite Graham was one of just 46 women attending Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas. Initiated into the Omicron chapter at Baker as a freshman, early on Marguerite was well known for her hosting abilities. Her mother, Mrs. A.L. Graham, became the house chaperone the following fall, at which time Marguerite was already acting as the chapter secretary. By 1924, Marguerite, who was also a talented tennis player, had been elected vice president of the Baker University Athletic Association.

After graduation, Marguerite served as a very active president of the Alpha Alpha (Chicago, Illinois) chapter, sponsoring carnivals, style shows, bazaars, dinner dances and bridge tournaments to raise money for the Cerebral Palsy Speech Clinic. Taking her organizing talenst even further, she served as the transportation manager for Alpha Chi Omega's 1941 and 1949 conventions.

During 1943-44, while World War II was underway, Marguerite volunteered for the Red Cross in Australia and New Guinea. Skilled in many areas, including finance, she was asked to serve in intelligence, a post she ultimately declined. She met her husband, Captain Felix McWhirter, in Australia, where she also had the opportunity to celebrate Christmas with five-star General Douglas MacArthur. In 1945, Marguerite returned to Chicago and worked in insurance before taking time to travel throughout Europe.

Marguerite continued her dedication to Alpha Chi Omega by serving as province president from 1950-53, when she began splitting her time between Indianapolis and Phoenix. In 1955, she became the chair of the National Nominating Committee. Upon her death in 1988, Marguerite donated $350,000 to Alpha Chi Omega - the largest gift ever received at that time - to endow an alumnae assistance program named for her. The Omicron chapter also received a gift of the same amount to be used for housing improvements, honoring Marguerite’s mother and her role as house chaperone.