By Greg “Howie” Howell, Pacific (CA)

It didn’t feel like a defining moment at the time. There was no spotlight. No recognition of what it might become. No sense that history was quietly unfolding. Just an opportunity to help. A chance to step in and say yes.

Katie Magoon, Eastern Illinois, did. “I didn’t necessarily feel ready,” she says. “But I said yes.” It wasn’t a confident decision. It was a choice to step forward anyway. And looking back, that simple decision became the beginning of everything.

Like many members of Delta Sigma Pi, Katie’s early experience began with connection. She found community. She found people who pushed her to grow. What she didn’t realize at the time was how deeply those experiences would shape her.

“At some point, you recognize how much the organization has given you,” she says. “And you feel a responsibility to give something back.” That realization built slowly—through leadership opportunities, relationships, and the growing understanding that Delta Sigma Pi was more than a collegiate experience. It was a lifelong one.

A common theme in Katie’s story is availability. Not just having time but choosing to be present and step forward to help even if you don’t feel fully prepared. This mindset carried her from volunteer opportunities into the many years of service to the Leadership Foundation including serving as 2015-2019 Chair and President of the Leadership Foundation.

“There were definitely moments where I wasn’t sure,” she says. “Where I didn’t know exactly what I was stepping into.” But instead of waiting for certainty, she leaned into service. And over time, that became leadership.

Katie doesn’t define her leadership by positions held or milestones reached. Within Delta Sigma Pi Fraternity and Leadership Foundation, she has touched many areas including building leadership and educational programming for many national events, leading many national and foundation committees, and even providing strategic guidance to strengthen collaboration between the Fraternity and Leadership Foundation Boards.

She defines her leadership journey by these moments. “The moments that stay with you,” she says, “are when someone tells you how that support made a difference.” A student receiving a scholarship. A member steps into a leadership role. A quiet moment where the purpose behind the work becomes real. Those are the moments that stayed.

Her leadership reflects the understanding that legacy is not maintained by titles. It is maintained by staying involved. As Delta Sigma Pi reflects on 50 years of women in the Fraternity, Katie sees the milestone with both pride and perspective.

“It reminds you how far we’ve come,” she says. “But also, that progress doesn’t happen on its own.” It happens because people choose to step forward. People who say yes before they know where it will lead.

Today, Katie serves as Top Leader Development Program Subgroup Lead. In this work group, she leads a team of volunteers to establish structure, define priorities, and lead a team of volunteers responsible for Delta Sigma Pi’s most critical leadership programs. Her leadership continues to ensure the future of the Fraternity and driving innovation across Delta Sigma Pi and board-level development initiatives.

Her advice to the next generation is simple: “Don’t wait until you feel ready. Raise your hand.” Because leadership doesn’t begin with certainty. It begins with a decision. And sometimes, that decision is as simple—and as powerful—as saying yes.

Katie’s leadership extends beyond educational program design or the development of people. Most leaders do not set out to make history. They simply show up. And in doing so, they transform the future for everyone who follows, because true leadership is building the roots of the organization, and watching it grow.

At the 2026 Presidents’ Academy, Katie brought together Delta Sigma Pi's Fraternity and Leadership Foundation Boards in a joint training and development session, while serving as both a facilitator for large-group sessions with Chapter Presidents and being a facilitator for the board program.

View the other new articles dedicated to celebrating the anniversary of 50 year of women initiates in Delta Sigma Pi.

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