Meet Ainsley Norton, our August Leading Woman!

Ainsley (MC ‘24) spent her summer as a Summer Welcome leader for Mizzou’s New Student Programs! She was recently chosen to be one of the Summer Welcome Student Coordinators for the 2025 - 2026 year. Hear more about Ainsley’s new role and her time in Theta below!

Name: Ainsley Norton

Major: Health Science (Pre-Professional)

Hometown: Girard, Kansas

What was the highlight of your experience as a Summer Welcome Leader?

I absolutely loved the Summer Welcome experience as a whole! My favorite parts, however, were making close connections with my students (Angels) and making fun memories with my fellow leaders. Being able to answer students’ questions and alleviate some of their concerns about coming to college in a new place was one of my favorite things. I loved being able to help others through the experience and be a person my students knew they could turn to throughout their time at Mizzou! It was so much fun whenever the student wanted to engage and be fully “in” the Summer Welcome experience, as well as when they keep in touch throughout the remainder of summer. I was also so blessed to serve alongside such amazing leaders! Each of us leaders had our own unique stories, and I loved being able to meet some of my new best friends through this experience.

Congratulations on your new position as a Summer Welcome Student Coordinator! What does role mean to you?

The role of Summer Welcome Student Coordinator is an honor, and I am so excited to have the opportunity to step into this new experience. I was so thankful for my coordinators and their leadership during my year as a leader, and I cannot wait to be that person for the incoming leaders. Summer Welcome Leaders have a huge opportunity to positively impact the incoming class of Tigers, and I am truly so excited to watch how they influence their students with our guidance. Overall, the Summer Welcome Program is such a positive experience, and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to serve within it for another year alongside one of my close friends!

What advice do you have for incoming freshmen at Mizzou?

My biggest advice for incoming students is to get involved! Welcome Week is everyone’s first opportunity to meet new people and go to their first Mizzou events as students, so GO TO THE EVENTS! Most of them also have free food or merchandise, so it’s a win-win!

As annoying as this next tip is, it’s so true: go to class and sit towards the front! Studies show that people who sit in the front third of classrooms have better grades by whole letters. Try to make friends in your classes as well! It will make studying and staying motivated in each class so much easier!

My last tip is to have fun! College is so much more enjoyable when you are able to go on a few spontaneous ice cream runs or trips to the pickleball court!

What are your career and life goals?

I have grown up knowing I wanted to work in the medical field! From a very young age, I have loved helping others, and I have always been intrigued with different areas of the medical field and how our bodies function. I am currently deciding whether I want to become a doctor or a physician’s assistant! Regardless, I want to work in a clinic/hospital setting! After I receive my degree, I want the opportunity to go on some mission trips where I can use my medical skills. An organization at Mizzou, Global Medical Training, has already provided me with an opportunity to serve abroad! Over Christmas break, I traveled with this organization to Peru to help set up and work in medical clinics in underserved populations, and it was an awesome experience and a taste of what I want to do eventually. On a more personal level, I want to eventually have a family and raise my kids in a smaller town!

What is your favorite part about your major and why did you choose it?

I love being a health science major! There are so many opportunities specifically for health science majors because it is so diverse! For example, there are opportunities to serve on the Health Science Student Council as well as join Sigma Eta Rho, the health science fraternity. Being a health science major also exposes students to a variety of classes that focus on population health and factors that impact an individual's health aside from their test results. Classes like this teach students to look at the bigger picture when treating patients. I chose my major because of the fluidity in changing my emphasis if I ever change my mind about the role I want to play in the medical field, as well as the opportunities available for health science majors.

What does Theta mean to you?

Theta genuinely feels like home! I am so blessed to be a part of a chapter full of hardworking and kind women. Theta helped me find my closest college friends and individuals that push me to be better in every area of life: academics, leadership, service, and my faith. It is so nice to be involved in an organization so much bigger than myself, especially when each person is very involved! It is honestly inspiring to see Thetas in so many organizations across campus, along with so many girls cheering you on in everything you do and achieve! I am so excited to live in the house this year and constantly be surrounded by the best group of girls!

How has your experience in Theta changed you?

My Theta experience has pushed me to get involved both in my chapter and at Mizzou in general! With that, each girl is so encouraging to one another, and I have found myself giving back that encouragement and positivity to those around me! Theta has challenged me to better myself in many areas, including my fitness! A few of us have even started to go to cross fit classes together which is just one more way we are pushing each other to get better and strengthening our sisterhood! Being a Theta has also reminded me how unique each of our walks of life are! We all have very different backgrounds that fit perfectly when we are all together!

Do you have a specific favorite Theta memory?

I had the opportunity to serve on Theta’s Late-Night Dinner Committee for both of our dinners this past year! I love serving and working to raise money for our philanthropy, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and working to plan our late-night dinners was so much fun! Being able to have a say in the events was exciting, and I always love getting to work alongside some of my best friends on projects like this! I was also able to help serve the meal at each of the dinners working a variety of roles, from making pancakes at Flapjacks to serving Italian soda at Pasta for CASA!

With recruitment coming up in just a couple of weeks, what advice do you have for PNMs?

Truly be yourself and be confident! Each potential new member is unique, and it is so important to lean into the things you love and that make you special during recruitment. Also remember to have fun! I caught myself overthinking the process a lot during recruitment, and I wish I would have taken more time to be thankful for the opportunity rushing itself! Remember, one girl does not define each house, and each girl you talk to is human! I am so excited for everyone to find their homes!