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  • Writer's pictureAlpha Delta Pi at the University of Central Florida

Zeta Omega Celebrates Penny Higgins 65th Anniversary

Over the past week, the Zeta Omega Chapter had the honor of celebrating such an immense leader and dedicated person, Penelope Anne Higgins.


Penelope was initiated at the Delta Gamma Chapter of ADPi at the University of Arizona in 1958. She was Treasurer and on the Standards Committee during her time as a Delta. Her husband, Thomas Wayne Cunningham, was also a greek at the University of Minnesota. He transferred to the University of Arizona his junior year because his parents moved to Detroit, but they did not have his fraternity. Penny and her husband met at the University of Arizona while she was sawing lumber for the framework on the ADPi Homecoming Float for October 31, 1958. Halloween was very special to them and they always celebrated their anniversary of when they first met then.


Sixteen girls lived in the quadruplex and it was in the House Corporation's name. They started building the new chapter house on the UCF campus and tried to sell the quadruplex. A Christian group was interested in buying it and put $5,000 down but the deal fell through. Zeta Omega could not rent out the Chapter house as it was against the rules to tale in extra income as a nonprofit entity, and the chapter could not afford to continue paying the mortgage on the quadruplex. It was then transferred and Penny and her husband assumed the mortgage and finished paying it off. They put in money turning it back into a traditional quadruplex. The beds were transferred to the new house and they built sixteen more to match the other ones. Penny and her husband were married 55 years and he passed away in 2016.


Her leadership did not stop there. Her signature is on the Incorporation papers for the Zeta Omega House Corporation. Penny has been a devoted advisor and is currently serving on the House Corporation Board. She has provided support and done more for our chapter than we could have ever ask for. We are truly so thankful for her and all that she has done to keep our chapter going and make it a place so many are proud to call home!


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