As the stadium lights gleamed over a sea of cheering students, Aspyn McCord stood center field, crowned Tarleton State University’s homecoming queen. It was a moment of celebration but also a reflection of everything she stood for.
From her roots in the small town of Pilot Point to one of the university’s highest honors, Aspyn carried a simple, powerful mission—to lead by being kind, inclusive and compassionate.
That spirit was formed in Pilot Point, where community is a way of life. From early on, McCord was surrounded by people who showed up for each other. That steady support, she says, made her who she is.
“The community that I grew up in was very supportive of kids getting involved and just making the most of what we had,” McCord said.
And get involved she did. McCord joined her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta.
In the sorority, McCord served as director of social media, vice president of marketing, a Rho Gamma recruitment counselor and chapter president.
“I just didn't want to sit back and let everyone else do it,” McCord said. 'It was a really good learning experience because as a leader, you're entrusted by your members to lead, to take accountability for them as well, and so that was eye-opening to me. … But asking for help was really what made it so much better. And because, then, I got everyone involved and we all were able to collaborate.” Ericka Key, the assistant director of Campus Life & Family Engagement at Tarleton, worked in the Panhellenic recruitment process where she met Mc-Cord as a freshman.
“[McCord] was able to make a lot of really good changes for the organization and bring things together,” Key said. “She was able to organize and really bring the chapter closer.”
Beyond her sorority, McCord served as a Tarleton Transition Mentor, guiding new students through orientation and helping them adjust to college life.
She also joined the Round Up leadership team, a group that organizes one of Tarleton’s biggest days of community service. As assistant director of public relations, she helped share the event’s impact.
“She helped us increase a lot of our PR presence within Round Up,” Key said. “She loves being able to go out and serve the community but also to document it … so we can make the greatest impact that we can.”
When homecoming week rolled around in fall 2024, McCord was recognized for her dedication to Tarleton by being crowned homecoming queen.
“For homecoming queen, I wanted to represent the nursing program because a lot of people think of nursing majors as ‘it's so difficult; they can't do anything else,’” McCord said. “Well, you can. It's just based off of your work ethic and your determination. And so, I wanted to represent that even these hard majors [are] not limited to just our studies.”
McCord’s dedication to academics didn’t go unnoticed. She was inducted into the Order of Omega, an honor society for students in Greek life who excel in leadership, scholarship and service.
She also joined Sigma Theta Tau, the international nursing honor society, recognizing her achievements within her major.
Now a Tarleton graduate, McCord plans to work as a nurse in the oncology unit at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Grapevine after first wanting to work in pediatrics or the NICU.
“Oncology was the one thing I never thought I would be able to do with my personal family experience with oncology,” McCord said. “… But I just kept my eyes open, kept my heart open and was like, ‘Whatever God's plan for me, it's going to happen.’” The role holds personal meaning.
“My nursing journey began because of the experience I had during my dad’s cancer battle, so this is really full circle,” McCord wrote in an Instagram post.
Abigail Allen, publisher of The Post-Signal,
got to know McCord through her family’s deep roots in the community and through Allen’s work at the newspaper.
“Seeing her turn her experience with what’s happened with her dad into the profession that she wants to be a part of is really admirable, and I love that she wants to be there for others and help them work through difficult situations,” Allen said.
In April, McCord was also honored with the John Tarleton Spirit Award— the university’s most prestigious recognition for students who embody the values and heart of Tarleton.
“It's kind of been a goal of mine since I became a freshman,” McCord said. “So, I was very excited. And my friends were there, too, so it was a good experience being able to get that award with them.”
With the award and other honors Mc-Cord has accomplished since her Tarleton journey began, she hopes to leave behind something meaningful.
“I just hope I've made some sort of impact on people and just to be compassionate and kind to people and including of others, no matter your affiliation— Greek life, non-Greek, organization or not,” McCord said.
Susan Roth was one of McCord’s teachers in middle school, but Roth knew her since she was much younger. She witnessed McCord’s compassion firsthand.
“[McCord] is a really good leader, and I saw that through her involvement in school,” Roth said. “… She also treats others really kindly, and she’s thoughtful of other people.”
The compassion and confidence she now leads with were built in the neighborhoods, schools and sidelines of Pilot Point.
“We didn't have all these programs that these big schools had, but we had parents and booster clubs and things of that nature that really tried their best to support the kids and give them the experience that they think that we deserved,” McCord said. 'And I'm really grateful for that. My involvement in high school with FFA and sports and cheer and student council and all the other things really kind of just prepared me for the larger scale here, but also just taught me how to appreciate and be considerate of other people, open to everybody.”
Aspyn McCord stands at the gates of Tarleton State University wearing her homecoming sash and crown.
Caroline Crain
