Interview With a Former Beauty Queen

  Linda Gay Winters Zimmerman was born and raised here in Vermillion. Growing up, her father worked for the REA and her mother was a school teacher. 

     In the 1960’s she attended USD and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music education. After graduating, she married her husband and moved to El Paso, Texas. Then, he went overseas with the Army, and she returned to Vermillion to receive a Master’s degree in music. 

     Eventually, her husband returned home and after living in Minneapolis where she performed piano in churches, she moved to Houston for 45 years. Today, she is back in her hometown and happy to be retired. 

How was your time in Chi Omega?

“Well, I enjoyed it. I think I’m a pretty independent person. My mom really wanted me to do this kind of thing, because I was not going to be staying in the dormitory. I was staying at home, and she had done that same thing and didn’t know people in school, so she wanted me to be part of an organization like that, so she encouraged me to go out for rush. And so I did, and there were a lot of opportunities that they, the sisters, allowed me to enjoy.”

Do you know Why Chi Omega is no longer on campus?

“I’m finding out more and more about this? Apparently, back in the day, there were a couple three girls who got pregnant, scandal, and apparently the national chapter, and I kind of remember who those women were, they just thought that they had to break up that chapter. The school, I just recently found out, did not want that to happen, and I really felt good about that.”

Where was the house located?

“Well, it became a TKE house. So it was a very contemporary house back in the day.”

What other organizations were involved on campus? 

“Well, there was a musical organization, Nu Phi Epsilon, and it was a sorority for female musicians. And I really enjoyed that because it gave us all kinds of opportunities to work on conducting because we did these things for the public. So that was a wonderful experience. And, gosh, I think I was a Democrat, but I joined the Republican student Republican Party, and I don’t even think I had a reason to do it. I just thought, “Okay, that’s a good idea.” And my dad and mom were registered Republicans.”

How has the campus changed?

“If I’m not mistaken, I think one of the best things about it is that it is no longer just focused on the Greek system. Maybe that has lost too much importance, I don’t know. But back in the day, you just you were, you had to be in the Greek system, or you were not the “in” people. And all my really good friends were not. It was sort of leaving out certain people that maybe didn’t think they could afford to do this, or maybe they didn’t make it in the call process. So I always was bothered by that  and so I’m very glad that it’s not existing in that fashion.”

What are some of your favorite memories?

“I think my friend Katie Gill, who I haven’t seen her down for years and years, and years, but she was from years old, and we met in college, and we were in the music department together, and we just did things together. And so, I think that’s a wonderful memory of just being with my very good friend who was also not in a sorority. I think those kinds of things.”

You were Dakota Days queen, how did that happen? 

“I guess what they did back in the day was, each of the sororities and the fraternities had the person that they put up. I was this country girl, and I don’t know how those things happen to me at the university, but next thing you know there, I’m one of the candidates, and then the next thing you know, I’m Ms. Dakota Days.”

How did your involvement on campus impact your life?

“Well, I think it just gave me some confidence in going ahead and applying for positions or leading workshops that had to do with music, or whatever it might be, or there would be organizations that were part of the music industry, and I just think that I had more confidence because of that, because I was, I was, I still am a shy person.”

Is there a piece of advice you would give current students?

“People say this all the time, but be yourself and be proud of who you are. I think that’s probably the best thing, so that you’re not being caught up in trying to impress this person down the road or whatever, and I think that you need to be at your best at all times and when you’re going to be applying for something and teaching and so on. Yeah, you need to be at your best, but understand that you have a lot to offer because of the gifts you’ve been given. So, accept that.”

Photo Credit: Nathan DeGreef