Baylor graduate and Zeta Tau Alpha alumna Laurie Mershon discusses her memories of participating in Sing as a student. Mershon will watch her daughter, Flower Mound sophomore Emily Mershon, perform in Sing as a Zeta Tau Alpha for the first time this spring.
Q: When did you graduate from Baylor?
A: In ’89.
Q: In which group did you perform in Sing?
A: I was a Zeta Tau Alpha, and my husband was an ATO. That’s where we met was doing Sing.
Q: How exactly did you meet?
A: At sing practice. The theme was Motown. He was on stage crew and I was dancing. We met and it was happily ever after. We had the ultimate Sing experience.
Q: What was the most memorable theme in which you participated?
A: It was only that one because I went to nursing school. It was Motown, it was Motown music, and it was amazing. With guys, we had so much fun. We all became such good friends and we still keep up, which is really fun.
Q: How has Sing changed since you were in it?
A: I don’t really know. Emily’s only been in Pigskin. This is her first year to do Sing. Back then, I was 20 or 19, and to me it’s the same. I think Baylor still puts as big of an emphasis on it as when I was there, maybe bigger.
From talking with [my daughter Emily], it seems like they practice a whole lot more. Our practices were at 9 at night at a car dealership. Maybe their dancing is a little more technical. Our dancing was extremely technical with the guys.
The costumes are probably a little more upscale than what we did.
Q: How does it feel to watch your daughter perform?
A: For my husband and I, we have such fond memories of that time. I think she’s having a good time but she doesn’t realize the memories she’s going to make.
I became so much closer with people I didn’t know that well, and I’ve kept up with them. I made some amazing friends, and it was the same with the ATOs. We can get together and it’s like we haven’t missed a beat in 30 years.
Q: Does Emily also perform with Zeta?
A: Yes. And my sister was a Zeta, so she’s a triple in-house legacy. A lot of my pledge sisters have daughters in Zeta, so we’re getting back together to watch our daughters go through this. It’s a lot of fun.
Q: How has sharing this experience with your daughter affected your relationship?
A: I think we’re a lot closer, and especially seeing David and I, I think she’s starting to realize she’s making lifelong friends. She’s starting to see, “Yeah, my parents met here,” which is pretty neat. And that we’re in the same sorority, I think there’s that connection that we know a lot of the same stuff. It’s an extra special thing. And she can go in the chapter room and see pictures of me, which is kind of crazy. Kind of like Back to the Future, a little bit.
Q: Regarding your upcoming visit to watch Emily perform, what are you most looking forward to?
A: I’m just looking forward to her having fun, getting to spend that time with her, just being a part of that college experience and see her have a great time.
