Maggie McBride: An Alpha Sig Abroad

by Frank Princesa, ENGL 336 

Maggie McBride showing the Alpha Sigma Alpha symbol,
at the top of Kettler Iceplex in Arlington, VA.

Wearing a bright green t-shirt with the words “Greek Movers” sprawled across her chest; Maggie was bright and bubbly, with a big smile on her face. She was wearing black-rimmed glasses, her eyes deepened by eyeliner, and her cheeks rosy from make-up.

Maggie McBride, 19, is originally from Lancaster, California. Her family moved to St. Mary’s County in southern Maryland, where she spent most of her childhood. Maggie is taking mass communication with a concentration in A/V production, also minoring in international relations and public relations. Her main involvement in FSU is with Alpha Sigma Alpha (ASA) Theta Lambda chapter, an on-campus sorority.

“I’ve always been shy. ASA brought me out of my shell and helped me become more confident and friendlier,” says Maggie, talking about the positive influences ASA had on her. She occasionally looks down during our conversation, giving the slightest hint of her once-shy personality. One of her sorority sisters, Jill Steinert, agrees with Maggie. “She’s grown a lot since she joined ASA. She’s one of the most approachable sisters in the sorority, very easy to talk to.”

Maggie and her sorority sister, Kim Lartz, in Frostburg State's upper quad.

Maggie describes ASA as her “home away from home,” saying that she can always reach out to any of her sisters when she’s struggling with college life. “ASA has had the most positive influence on me during my college experience,” Maggie proclaims. She speaks very fondly of her sorority, noting many memorable experiences with her sisters.

Now, that once shy girl is taking on her next big adventure: a semester abroad in Finland. She has been accepted to study in the University of Jyväskylä, the second largest university in Finland. ASA helped prepare Maggie for this moment: bringing her out of her shell and helping her blossom into a confident Alpha Sig that she is now. This will be Maggie’s first time being abroad, which she says is exciting. “I’m planning on exploring Europe, all while finishing my international relations minor,” she says eagerly, detailing her plans for her semester abroad.

With her enthusiasm and determination, who knows what else Maggie can achieve? She wants to travel the world and work for an international company once she finishes college, confident that whatever goal she puts her mind to, she can achieve it.