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|Image= [[File:Beta_Xi.jpg|200px]]
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1902|05|12}}
|College= [httphttps://www.utexas.edu/ University of Texas at Austin]
|Location= Austin, TX
|Homepage= [https://chaptersutexas.kappakappagammakappa.org/betaxi/ Beta Xi Homepage]|Media= [httphttps://wiki.kappakappagammakkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Beta_Xi Media related to Beta Xi Chapter]}}
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'''4,736 817 initiates (as of June 20172018)'''
Beta Xi welcomed the new millennium with a variety of new chapter activities. Each year, the sisters gathered at a chapter retreat in the fall to build and restore relationships within the chapter. New sisterhood programs included television nights, a makeover with a make-up artist, a cooking class, a yoga class, manicures, and a ceramics class. To prepare for Recruitment, a Work Week was held in which the entire chapter learned new skits, practiced old songs, and perfected Recruitment strategies. A leadership workshop for the outgoing and incoming officers, and their advisers, to aid in the transition process. The Vice President-Academic Excellence work
==Highlights of 2016==
2016 was a year characterized by strength, endurance, and evolution for Beta Xi. Still without our
beloved house, the Kappas faced new challenges, bound together by friendship instead of the walls
of the house itself. The campus climate was tumultuous. The chapter itself stumbled and fell on a
few occasions. But as the year comes to a close, we can look back and say that in spite of all of
that, we learned and we grew. We are finishing 2016 stronger, more unified, and better than when
we began it. We are excited to move into our house come January! But before we transition into
2017, we want to look back and reflect on all we learned.
In January, the new Beta Xi Chapter Council was eager to continue the legacy of great leadership of
past officers, as well as accomplishing new goals for out chapter. For President, Ellen Crowe
served; For Vice President Standards, Anna Wittenmeyer served; For Vice President Organization,
Hailey Becker served; For Vice President Academic Excellence, Erin Kreindler served; For Recording
Secretary, Ali Purnell served; For Corresponding Secretary, Charlotte Paine served; For Treasurer,
Payton Scott served; For Assistant Treasurer, Camille Szelc served; For Registrar, Avery Travis
served; For Marshal, Hannah Love served; For Education Chairman, Caroline Smyrl served; For House
Chairman, Sara Shaw served; For Membership Chairman, Riley Longtain served; For New Member
Chairman, Tai Massimilian served; For Panhellenic Delegate, Alex Page served; For Philanthropy
Chairman, Berkley Johnson served; For Public Relations Chairman, Kathryn Stouffer served; For Risk
Management Chairman, Grace Winston served; and For Event Chairman, Mallory Morris served.
Without our trusty senior girls to guide us and without a house to meet in, Chapter Council braved
the unknown and began to meet. Ellen Crowe (President) began the year with efficiency and care,
planning and leading Chapter Council meetings. They finalized edits on the chapter bylaws and
standing rules, educated themselves on how to use the Kappa drive and webinars, and reviewed the
expectations and responsibilities of Chapter Council members with the help of Hailey Becker (VP
Organization). She went over goals for the year, including chapter unity, continuing to revamp
philanthropy, and getting the chapter on board with the Risk Management policies, as well as the
rules and goals of Standards Committee. Chapter council discussed some ways to hold the chapter
accountable for their actions at events and to reinforce new standards for behavior for everyone.
We decided to change our buddy system from “bigs” and “littles,” to a “pick-a-buddy” system, where
the girls signed up with a friend before events to be their accountability partner. Grace Winston
bus-riding attendance at events, while Anna
Wittenmyer (VP Standards) streamlined the way we approach standards decisions. Sara Shaw
(House Chair) worked tirelessly alongside our House Board, as renovations plowed on. Kathryn
Stouffer (Public Relations Chairman) continued to educate members about the GIN system and
published yet another great issue of “Round Up”, the annual Kappa newsletter. The new leaders
conducted the first few chapter meetings with thoroughness and efficiency, growing more comfortable
meeting in the Student Union and in their new positions. The year started off with a bang, with an
organized Chapter Council and an excited group of Kappas.
In February, Kappas were getting settled in with their classes, and the officers were beginning to
get the hang of their new responsibilities: planning events, running meetings, and fulfilling their
duties more easily. Berkley Johnson (Philanthropy Chair) took it upon herself to completely revamp
Beta Xi’s philanthropic efforts. She continued the new partnership with the B+ Foundation that
the last philanthropy chair began, combining Kappa’s passion for reading with our love of kids.
We adopted a B+ Hero named Moriah, who is battling cancer, and made her an honorary “sister.”
Kappas began visiting Moriah at the hospital, playing games, doing puzzles, and when she felt up to
it, even having dance parties with our newest little Kappa. Mallory Morris (Event Chairman) and
Grace Winston (Risk Management) pulled off a great Monmouth formal at Brazos Hall, and everyone had
a wonderful time with their dates and Pi Phi friends. Riley Longtain (Membership Chairman) held a
very successful first recruitment workshop with the freshman, teaching them the in’s and out’s of
rush and the importance of the spring semester for recruiting. While Kappa prepared for
recruitment, so did Alex Page (Panhellenic Delegate) and Grace Anne McGinnis, a Kappa who served as
Vice President of UT’s Panhellenic Council. They began a wonderful year of working together and
representing Kappa well to other sororities and to UPC. We rounded out the month with a visit from
our moms, with fun shopping events and a brunch at The Grove downtown to celebrate Mom’s Weekend.
Then came March, another great month for Beta Xi, as the spring semester was in full swing. Hannah
Love (Marshal) led a successful and efficient ritual workshop to refresh the chapter on the ritual
and history of our organization. Erin Kreindler (VP Academic Excellence) continued to encourage the
girls to study hard, with fun Study Snacks events like pizza catering and coffee after chapter!
Riley continued to hold Rush Workshops with the freshman and the older girls to prepare for
recruitment and develop a strategy to show girls what Kappa is all about, despite our lack of a
house. Hailey Becker (VP Organization) worked hard to plan for the leadership consultant’s upcoming
visit in April.
April was a busy month as usual for Beta Xi. Our leadership consultant, Kate Burton, came and
brought some amazing ideas for our chapter with her. She hung out with our members, doing fun
things around Austin and helped our officers grow in their leadership abilities. Hailey Becker (VP
Organization) did an amazing job making Kate feel at home. Berkley Johnson (Philanthropy Chair)
helped plan our fundraiser, Kappa Pi-Phi Carnival, complete with snow cones and live music, raising
money for our philanthropy. We love joining forces with another sorority who also cares about
supporting literacy, and the event was a blast as usual. She also held a successful RIF event at
Wooldridge Elementary. The entire chapter came together and set up stations at the school to play
games, read, decorate bookmarks, and get their faces painted. At the end of the laughter-filled
event, each child took home a book (or two!). Mallory Morris (Event Chairman) planned an awesome
Dad’s Weekend, with food catered on a fun rooftop venue and the chapter attending the Spring
football game with their dads. She and Grace Winston (Risk Management) also planned another
successful event with our friends in Theta, called Kite & Key. The event was held at a venue
downtown and everyone had a wonderful time. A senior Kappa, Kallen Dimitroff ran for Student Body
President of the University of Texas, and despite her campaign’s loss, it was
incredible to see the whole chapter gather around her and support her with pride.
Kappa events slowed and finals approached, as May rolled around. Caroline Smyrl (Education
Chairman) conducted Senior Sendoff, a fun event after chapter where we recognize the seniors and
hear funny memories from years past, including poems and “twinkies” from some seniors’ parents.
These very seniors then became alums after graduation celebrations, and it was made official in Key
Reports. Some of them got into top graduate schools to continue their studies, while others headed
off to work in cities around the country. They were off into the world! Payton Scott (Treasurer)
worked hard to set up the budget for the upcoming school year, and held budget meetings with all of
the Chapter Council officers. Tai Massimilian (New Member Chairman) and Riley Longtain (Membership
Chairman) both worked hard to prepare for recruitment and the new pledge class coming in August,
with the added challenge of finding a home for Spirit and Recruitment weeks without our house. We
talked to event halls and fraternity houses, and we finally found a place to hold the events and
welcome our new members…stay tuned below! Riley also held the last recruitment workshop and began
planning for the summer with her incredible team. The girls in dorms, apartments, and houses packed
their bags and headed out of Austin, waving goodbye to this school year.
Over the summer, Kappa sisters spread out across the globe for internships, jobs, and study abroad
programs. From Spain, to New York, to Paris, to Dallas and Houston and Galveston, to all the way in
Australia, Kappas took the world by storm. But the months flew by, as summer always does, and came
to a close. By August, everyone was ready to get back to their Kappa friends, to Austin, and to the
University of Texas.
But unlike years past, when Kappas ran into our house on University Avenue to prepare for
recruitment, this year we ran into…the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house, another temporary home! The SAE
fraternity boys kindly let us borrow their conveniently located house for a few weeks. And as we
did with the Union, we turned the SAE house into a home. Kappa seems to have an uncanny knack of
making anywhere feel like a loving home. It could be a room in the Student Union, a study abroad
dorm, a cramped apartment full of Kappas working in New York city, or a fraternity house, but if
Kappas are together, it feels like home. It is definitely a skill we are proud of!
Riley Longtain (Recruitment Chair) and her team’s hard work over the past semester culminated at
the end of August. Spirit week was a blast, and the chapter’s hard work during a long week of
recruiting paid off when 68 awesome new members came running to the Littlefield fountain on campus,
to be welcomed by our chapter with open arms. The stresses of a long Recruitment and being without
a real home took a toll on the chapter, however. Our chapter stumbled on Bid Night with some
behavioral issues that we know are unacceptable. Ellen Crowe (President) and the Chapter Council
quickly jumped into action, taking ownership of our mistakes and trying to get the chapter back on
track. We would have been lost without the fearless leadership of Ellen, the patience of Anna
Wittenmyer (VP Standards), the planning of Hailey Becker (VP Organization), and the maturity of Tai
Massimillian (New Member Chairman). We knew there would be consequences and this would be a long
road ahead, but we also knew that changes that needed to occur. We were nervous but excited for how
our chapter would evolve because of this challenge.
In spite of the chaos, September rolled around, and the Kappas were back. With a crazy Longhorn
football win against Notre Dame, we began our classes with excitement and our horns up high! We
continued holding chapter meetings in the Student Union, our temporary home. The first meeting ran
smoothly as chapter council got back in the swing of things, and the new members learned the
ins and outs of their new chapter. Following the events of Bid Day, we were visited by Emily
Murdock and Illiana Garcia, our Theta District director and specialist. They helped our Chapter
Council remember the “why?” of our chapter, as well as realign the goals of Beta Xi with that of
the national organization. They inspired our leaders to be better and to lead our chapter out of
this slump. They began helping us build a strategic plan to improve our chapter and help us
rectify the mistakes of the weeks prior. Weeks passed, with the first formal meeting held by Hannah
Love (Marshal) and program nights like the one featuring Shannon Moody, where we learned about the
Jeremiah Project, a center for single mothers, organized by Caroline Smyrl (Fraternity Education
Chairman). Hailey Becker (VP Organization) revamped committee nights, helping each committee set
goals for the semester. We also had an exciting visit from the Fraternity President Beth Black,
held at an alumni’s house in Austin. It was incredible for some of our officers to meet such an
inspiring leader of the organization that we love so much. Erin Kreindler (VP Academic Excellence)
was happy to report that 13 of our chapter members received 4.0 GPA’s in the spring, and the
chapter’s cumulative GPA was 3.47, as the grade report came in. Kappa competed in the second annual
Greek Get Down dance competition—and though we didn’t place like we did last year, we had so much
fun dancing! Much of the team was made up of our new members, so it was a great way for freshmen,
sophomores, juniors and seniors to all get to know one another. Mallory Morris (Event Chairman)
organized our first fun event, Kappa Kidnap, at a dance hall outside of Austin. With cowboy boots
and dresses on, the Kappas danced the night away to country music from a live band. Soon enough the
semester was in full swing.
October was yet another busy month for Beta Xi. The TX-OU football game was a blast, even though
our beloved Longhorns lost. Mallory Morris (Event Chairman) planned a fun date event with Tri-Delt,
and ended the month with our traditional Halloween dance, called Owl-o-ween, with Chi Omega. We
absolutely love doing events with our friends in other sororities! But double the girls, means
double the amount of people trying to safely get home. Despite some bumps in the road in our risk
management policies in the past, Grace Winston (Risk Management Chair) and Anna Wittenmyer (VP
Standards) did an amazing job encouraging everyone to follow our policies. The buddy system became
more successful as the semester went on, and as well as bus riding attendance. Hannah Love
(Marshal) did a stellar job planning and executing Initiation, in our second year without a house.
Initiation was held in a different church than the year before, but Hannah was calm in the face of
chaos, and the event ran as smoothly as ever. The newly initiated members had a wonderful morning,
and afterwards joined their parents and friends for a fun brunch at Hotel Ella near campus.
Caroline Smyrl (Fraternity Education Chairman) did an outstanding job planning Founder’s Day. The
event was held at AT&T Conference Center. Actives and alumnae alike enjoyed stories from alums,
songs from the Kappa pickers, and a presentation by the House Board, who has worked so hard on the
house renovations. Hannah Love (Marshal), Kaki Miller (Key Sis Chair), and Tai Massimilian (New
Member Chairman) worked together to organize a “Big Sis, Little Sis” event with photos by the
University Tower, then on to fun event at a trampoline park! Avery Travis (Registrar) planned
composites, and the Kappas “smiled pretty” for their photos. Avery coordinated with the same
company from the year before to have composites taken in the Union. Our temporary home at the Union
was really starting to feel like ours own—we had taken over! Many chapter members said they will
actually miss our makeshift Union “house.”
In November the semester was quickly wrapping up. Mallory Morris (Event Chairman) did a great job
planning a fun parent’s weekend and a Kappa Kasual, our last event of the semester. The event was
held at Cedar Street Courtyard downtown, with a fun live band. Then came the tumultuous 2016
Presidential Election that divided our campus. Kappas went out and voted for their choice, but our
nation was not the only thing that was struggling to unify in the face of adversity. Ellen and the
officers continued to edit and work on the Strategic Plan for upcoming year. With Ellen’s great
vision and the help of the national organization itself, our specialists and the chapter members,
we were able to construct a plan that would allow Kappa to grow in the coming years. Avery Travis
(Registrar) was elected slate chairman, and worked extremely hard to conduct meetings with her
dedicated and passionate slate committee to nominate the officers for next year. This year was
tougher than ever, with so many great candidates stepping up for officer positions. The Slate
Committee knew how important these choices were, considering the issues from Bid Day, the strategic
plan, and the new trajectory that Kappa was on—in order to improve and come back stronger. The
committee worked hard to pick the best possible girls for the chapter council of 2017. The
committee gave the slate presentation at meeting in November, and officer transitions began quickly
after, and the new and old Chapter Councils began working together. As usual, Kappas were able to
come together to create a unified group of sisterhood and friendship.
November turned quickly into December, with only one week in between Thanksgiving and Christmas
breaks for some girls. Hailey Becker (VP Organization) planned a wonderful Leadership Day at a
delcicious restaurant, where the new and old officers can get together with their advisors and go
over the expectations and goals for the upcoming year. Our chapter worked hard to get through final
exams and the end of the semester, with Erin Kreindler (VP Academic Excellance) planning yummy
Study Snack events throughout the weeks of finals! The Kappas wrapped up a long but fun year. 2016
was a challenging but incredible year for growth for the Beta Xi chapter.
Despite challenges from the house renovation, the political and campus climate, and our own
behavioral issues and changes, our chapter grew stronger and closer than ever, evolving to become
the best chapter we can be. We cannot wait to move into our beautiful new home, and we look forward
to taking on 2017, equipped with everything we have learned and the goals we plan to accomplish in
the next year!
Describe the recent changes on your campus and describe the overall nature of your chapter.
Campus climate was tense in 2016, as it was much of the world. Yet another Student Government
election occurred on campus in the Spring, this time with a Beta Xi running for office. Racial
tensions and a new campus carry law caused protests and fractured our student body. The year
culminated in one of the most controversial Presidential Elections ever, occurring in November. Our
own chapter faced some of the biggest pitfalls and hardships we have ever faced. We lost loved ones
and made mistakes. But through all of this, Beta Xi Kappa persevered together. We stood up for our
beliefs and for each other, admitted our faults, and grew into a stronger chapter. Our chapter is
well known at the University of Texas for being involved in and well liked by all groups on campus. Kappas are friendly, open-minded, intelligent and active in university life. Kappas are so well integrated and involved in our diverse on-campus commitments, that our main goal in 2016 was to
increase Beta Xi chapter unity. In spite of a rocky campus climate and our own troubles within Beta
Xi, we hoped to increase the bond of sisterhood in our chapter. Doing so without a home during the
house renovations proved to be a challenge, but our chapter did a great job finding ways to unite,
around causes like our philanthropy and each other’s successes.
Chapter Philanthropy:
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours
to, in your community?
Wooldrige Elementary, RIF, B+ Foundation (new this year)
This year, Berkley Johnson (Philanthropy Chair) completely revamped and re-energized our
philanthropic efforts. Kappa adopted another philanthropy in addition to Reading Is Fundamental.
The B+ Foundation raises money for cancer research and pairs sororities and fraternities nationwide
with a “Hero:” a child battling cancer. We were paired with our Hero, Moriah. She is an
eight-year-old girl with cancer, and the newest and youngest Beta Xi Kappa ever! She gets to wear
our letters, come to some fun events, and be a part of our Kappa family. Beta Xi embraced our
newest sister with love and pride. Kappas made visits to her at the hospital, had her over to our
apartments, took her to Mozart’s Coffee Shop to see Christmas lights, made her a scrapbook and
battled her disease alongside her. And we are thrilled to report that her cancer is in remission!
We hoped to be a light in Moriah’s life this year…but it turns out that Moriah remained a shining
light for our chapter, uniting us in some of our hardest seasons.
We remained passionate about encouraging childhood reading, as well! From profit shares organized
by chapter members to a book drive to our annual fundraiser, we definitely did not let our passion
for this issue fall by the wayside. We have a great relationship with Wooldridge Elementary where
we have our annual RIF event every spring for the whole chapter. This year, Berkley added an event
there in the fall, as well! Half the chapter volunteered at the elementary school on a Saturday,
while the other half gave their time to Neighborhood Longhorns tutoring program.
While we await the opening of our newly renovated house on University Avenue, we have been renting
rooms in the UT Union building for chapter meetings and for our chapter lunches. It is usually a
large meeting room with screens and dining space in the back.
Oral History
Are there any current members, alumnae or advisers from your chapter that you recommend for the
Fraternity’s oral history project? We are looking for Kappas with stories to tell – funny chapter
memories, great professional achievement stories, heartwarming stories of how Kappa has helped
them, etc.
Kathryn Stouffer, current member, outgoing PR Chair Sarah Shaw, current member, outgoing House
Chair Tricia Cury, former president and recent alum Chandler Foster, recent alum
Hannah Meehan, Beta Xi Chapter Council advisor
==Highlights of 2017==
We have a beautiful newly renovated house. We use our main dining room as the chapter room,
where hold meetings throughout the year.
==Highlights of 2018==
The 2018-19 school year began with a new Beta Xi Chapter Council ready to work hard and
continue the amazing work of the previous council. The new Chapter Council was comprised
of many new members, as well as some returning faces. Camille Szelc advanced from the role
of Treasurer to President, and Jennifer Harbour took her place, moving up from Assistant
Treasurer. Helen Williams took over the role as Assistant Treasurer, the only sophomore
position on Chapter Council. Emma Riddle and Tessa Lauritzen returned to their respective
positions of Philanthropy Chairman and Public Relations Chairman for the second year in a
row. Carter Pittman was VP Standards, Charlotte Fitzpatrick was VP Organization,Peyton
Travis was VPAE, Emily Parnell was Recording Secretary, Linda Castranova was Corresponding
Secretary, Caroline Cannan was Membership Chairman, Cameron Crawford was New Member
Chairman, Madison Rigby was Event Chairman, Cameron Shepherd was Registrar, Katie Bell
was House Chairman, Lexie Alexander was Marshal, Sarah Boatwright was Risk Management
Chairman, Kate Kaiser was Panhellenic Delegate, and Paige Nelson was Education Chair.
As the year began, Camille (President) got the Chapter Council in order by determining a set
time for weekly meetings. She efficiently created an easy way for all Council members to
communicate, set up a Google Drive folder for notes and forms, and reviewed the necessary
expectations and responsibilities of Chapter Council officers. The Council discussed their
personal and group goals for the semester, focusing mostly on encouraging attendance and
bolstering chapter morale throughout the year. To build a stronger community within the
chapter, Carter (VP Standards) created a Kappa Kompliments box where members could leave
encouraging notes to fellow Kappas to be read out at chapter. Cameron (Registrar) made sure
Key Reports was in order and allowed access to the new officers. Jennifer (Treasurer) worked
with the Chapter Council to set budgets for the 2018 spring semester and continued with
billing of the chapter for the new semester. Linda (Corresponding Secretary) introduced her
goal of moving everything over from the ListServe system to GinSystem and began the switch.
Peyton (VPAE) started off the year by creating a consistent schedule of study snacks, available
every Tuesday as a place for chapter members to take a mental break and grab a cookie or two. At
the first chapter of the year, Camille (President) did a great job of welcoming everyone
back and introduced transfers. The chapter voted on a new Standards Committee and AE
Committee. To begin the process of recruitment, Caroline (Membership) sent out Are
a Rush Captain Applications to be due at the end of the month. Sophomores are encouraged to apply
to be an Area Rush Captain as a fun way to get more involved in recruitment and assist the rush team in
the busy months to come.
In early February, the first formal chapter of the year was held. Camille (President) and four
other officers attended Ladder of Risk, a workshop designed to introduce the FIGP policy and
build a community between fellow sorority and fraternity leaders. Emma (Philanthropy) began
the application for GIRLS Academy, an opportunity for Kappa chapters to partner with and
mentor young girls from a local middle school. As a chapter, Beta Xi raised over $1,000 for RIF
at an event held by Outdoor Voices and was named one of the 20 highest donating KKG
chapters. Charlotte (VPO) did a great job of placing chapter members into their respective
committees, based off of their requests and needs of the officers. Kate (Panhellenic Delegate)
sought to build better relationships between the Beta Xi chapter and Panhellenic by
encouraging members to apply to be a Rho Gam for the following year’s recruitment.
Cameron (Registrar) planned “Rom Com of the Month” around Valentine’s Day, featuring a
night with popcorn, candy, and cheesy movies. The Kappas joined Pi Beta Phi for Monmouth,
a wonderful formal event held at The Belmont. Everyone had a blast at the Masquerade
themed party, spending the night dancing to the band, posing for photo booth pictures, or
coming up with a crazy design to request from the face painters. Paige (Education) planned an
interesting and informative program night about self-defense, focusing on what we can do as
women if we are placed in a threatening situation. The past two years of rush teams met with
Caroline (Membership) and her rush team at a triplicate meeting, allowing them to impart
their advice and wisdom. Caroline (Membership) also began meeting with Panhellenic at
bimonthly Recruitment Roundtables as a way to learn the rules and routines of recruitment
and led her first rush workshop with PC’ 17. On the last chapter of February, Alumnae
Relations Specialist for Theta District, Amy Sutton, visited to announce to the chapter that the
Warning of Probation had been lifted. The month ended with a Ritual Workshop held by Lexie
(Marshall) as a way to refresh the chapter’s memory of important Kappa history.
March came and went quickly with the nice week of Spring Break to give everyone a break
from school. Emma (Philanthropy) invited the founders of the B+ Foundation to come speak
to the chapter. They educated the chapter about their mission and main goals, while also
introducing their Roundup fundraising campaign. Peyton (VPAE) held a wonderful Professor
Dinner at the Kappa house, giving the members of our chapter a chance to get to know their
esteemed professors in a more intimate setting. She designed coffee cups as a party favor so
that each professor would remember the hospitality displayed by each girl. Before Spring
Break, the Not On My Campus committee gave a brief but informative presentation on staying
safe and watching out for your sisters during the break. The next week, Kappas set off all over
the country, exploring new places, relaxing at home, or visiting friends studying abroad in
foreign countries. After Spring Break, the chapter nominated Avery Campbell as the new
Nominating Committee Chair Representative. Emma (Philanthropy) also joined forces with Pi
Phi to throw Kappa Pi Phi Karnival. The event was held in the front yard of the
Pi Phi house with cotton candy, face paint, and even a mechanical bull! Chapter members sold wristbands
to their friends, encouraging them to stop by as a kickoff party for Roundup Weekend. Tessa
(PR) invited alumni and friends to the house that Sunday for a fun Easter party. Alumni were
welcome to bring their children for a fun afternoon of cookie decorating and egg hunting.
Cameron (New Member) began discussing Bid Day with Chapter Council, throwing around
ideas and asking for the opinions of the chapter. Madison (Event) planned a completely new event, naming
the party “Kappa Krush”. Chapter members secretly invited dates for their
friends, but the girls did not find out until their date found them wearing their tie at the party!
Everyone was excited to try something new, and the event held Vulcan was a huge success.
April was another busy month for the Beta Xi chapter as the school year began wrapping up.
Camille (President) and Kate (Panhellenic Delegate) presented the new Diversity and Inclusion
Statement written by Panhellenic to the chapter and encouraged members to apply for the
new Diversity and Inclusion committee. Katie (House) sent out new room assignments to the
sophomores eagerly awaiting their year living in the house. To continue boosting morale,
Carter (VP Standards) and the standards committee planned a night at the baseball park for
fun sisterhood event in early April. The Kappas took over the stands, eating hot dogs and
cheering on the UT baseball team as they took on the Baylor Bears. Peyton (VPAE) recognized
girls in the chapter who received a 4.0 in the fall and also announced that the chapter had
moved up in the UPC GPA rankings to the 7th position! The new members advanced even
higher, ranking 3rd. Chapter members visited Wooldridge Elementary for their biannual
Reading is Key event, engaging the students through basketball, bracelet making, and of
course, dance parties! Each student got to leave with a few books donated by the members of
our chapter. Cameron (Registrar) planned this month’s “Rom Com of the Month” around The
Bachelor, having a fun night of snacks and gossip as chapter members gathered together to
watch the finale. Caroline (Membership) held two recruitment workshops this month, re-
familiarizing the entire chapter with the songs, chants, and strategies soon to be used. The
recruitment team spent endless amounts of time meeting with the ARCs and taking on their
respective roles to prepare for the summer months. They did a great job of introducing new
changes and getting the chapter excited about a new season of recruitment!
Paige (Education) planned a final wrap up event for the seniors at Painting With a Twist. The seniors
got to visit a studio to recreate their own painting to take home, and they had a blast!
Madison (Event) was busy this month, planning both the last date event of the
year, Kite and Key, with Kappa Alpha Theta and Parent’s Weekend. The date event featured a fun band
Cedar Street Courtyard. Instead of doing separate Mom’s and Dad’s weekends, Madison
combined the two into one big Parent’s Weekend at the end of April. On
Friday, chapter members attended a joint shopping event and Happy Hour between Adelante and Santa Rita.
To show off the new house, Kappa hosted a brunch for all parents before the UT baseball
game. Towards the end of the month, the chapter welcomed back Casey, a Kappa Leadership
Consultant. Each Chapter Council officer met with Casey to get advice and set goals for the
next semester. Charlotte (VPO) did a great job in planning activities for Casey to introduce her
to more of Austin. As a whole, the chapter was so grateful that Casey was able to make time
to come back and visit again. The school year came to an end in May as Kappas began making their summer plans.
Paige (Education) brought back the tradition of Chapter Awards, much to the surprise and
excitement of the chapter. Outstanding Freshman went to Gigi Hanna, Outstanding
Sophomore went to Risk Management Chair Sarah Boatwright, Outstanding Junior went to
Peyton Bertram, and Outstanding Senior went to Hannah Love. Hannah was also presented
the Eleanor Niggli-Tyler Award for outstanding contributions to Beta Xi Chapter Kappa Kappa
Gamma. Kristen Graham won Lillian Lurker, a comedic award presented to a house girl who
spent hours in the Lillian, our beloved living room. For outstanding contribution to the
University of Texas and Kappa Kappa Gamma, senior Riley Longtain received the Braun-
Maynard Award. Last, Sally Cisarik won the Heather Lynn Dealy Award, nicknamed the
“Sunshine Award”. Paige (Education) also planned Senior Sendoff to honor those leaving us.
Each senior received a small present from the chapter and announced their future plans.
Jennifer (Treasurer) explained payment plans to the chapter, as she would begin billing for
the Fall semester in August. During the summer months, Beta Xi Kappas set off to do wonderful things all over the world.
Several members studied abroad, becoming familiar with the lifestyles in Spain, Italy, Croatia,
and more. Older Kappas began internships and summer jobs, hoping to gain experience and
make connections. Other members entered summer school or attended summer camps. To
keep in touch, Tessa (PR) kept up the chapter’s various social media accounts, gathering
pictures from everyone’s exciting summer experiences. Camille (President) and Emily
(Corresponding Secretary) took off to Denver to attend the Kappa Convention. They had an
incredible time getting to know Kappa chapters from all over the country and developing
stronger relations with the advisors who attended as well. Beta Xi was lucky enough to win
the advisory board of the year award for the chapter connections with the advisors. The most
notable part of their trip was the presentation by Lawrence Ross, who came to UT this past
Fall as well to discuss race relations in Sororities and Fraternities. Caroline (Recruitment) and
her rush team stayed busy reviewing letters of recommendation, planning out the fun days of
work week, and creating a strategy to use in the upcoming weeks. Chapter members moved
back to Austin in early August to participate in a week of preparing for recruitment. Caroline
(Recruitment) and her team even surprised the chapter with a swimming barge as a way to
cool off in the hot summer heat. A great work week led into an even better recruitment week.
Beta Xi was proud to show off the their unique personalities, and on Bid Day, we welcomed 68
amazing new girls into our chapter! The festivities planned by Cameron (New Member)
included dinner at Matt’s El Rancho, a dance party, and a sleepover at the house for all new
members. The girls loved getting to know their future sisters in a more intimate setting.
The school year started up again in September. Kappas welcomed the fall semester with open
arms, entering new classes and cheering on the Longhorns football team. Chapter Council
gathered together again on Sundays to communicate their semester goals and plan for how to
achieve them. After an orientation put on by Katie (House), PC’ 16 moved into the house,
enjoying the comfort of living so close to campus. The New Members eagerly explored
their new home, eating meals together, studying in the basement, and showing off the house to
their friends during guest lunches. They attended a New Member Orientation put on by
Panhellenic to learn all of the policies and responsibilities expected of new
members. Within Kappa,Cameron (Registrar) and Linda (Corresponding Secretary) worked with Cameron (New
Member) to gather all of the New Member information to input them into the various
systems. Linda (Corresponding Secretary) also gave a presentation on Ginsystem as the
chapter officially moved over from ListServe. Carter (Standards) elected a new member to the
Standards committee to replace the senior who graduated in May. Once again, Charlotte
(VPO) worked on organizing committees in time for the first committee night. Peyton (VPAE)
proudly announced that our chapter moved from 8th place to 4th place out of 14 sororities in
the UPC GPA rankings with an average GPA of 3.5581. Cameron (New Member) began the
New Member meetings before chapter each week to educate the New Members on various
aspects of Kappa, introduce them to the Chapter Council officers, and answer any questions
they had. The Kappas attended their first date event in late September, a fun, ranch
style joint date event with Tri Delta. Our chapter was approved for GIRLS Academy, so Emma
(Philanthropy) began working on those details. Tessa (PR) gathered pictures and stories from
the summer to publish the summer newsletter.
As October came around, energy in the house was at an all time high with the excitement of
Halloween, the Texas-OU game, and our date event with Chi Omega. The month began with
chapter composites planned by Cameron (Registrar). Avery Steen worked closely to pair the
sophomores and New Members for Key Sis dates, giving the newer members a chance to
spend time with their older sisters. Emma (Philanthropy) scheduled a bat tour for girls in the
chapter to spend time with Moriah, our B+ Hero. In preparation for the big game in Dallas,
Sarah (Risk Management) worked with the NOMC leaders to give a helpful presentation on
the risks of party weekends and how to stay safe. She also organized a list of girls going to the
game by fraternity so that all Kappas knew who to turn to if they needed help. On Friday,
Kappas loaded up buses and cars to head to the Red River Rivalry. After a nerve-wracking game,
the Longhorns came out on top with a 48-45 win. To celebrate Halloween, Madison
(Event) planned our annual Owl-o-ween with Chi O. From Ghostbusters to movie stars,
everyone enjoyed dressing up with their date. Tessa (PR) hosted a Halloween party at the
house for alumni and their children. In-house girls participated by handing out candy in a
mock trick-or-treat activity. Towards the end of the month, Kappas went back to Wooldridge
Elementary to host their fall Reading is Key event. Everyone loved seeing the children again,
and we even saw some returning faces! The month culminated with a sisterhood hangout
with Kappa Delta. Kate (Panhellenic) invited the KDs into our house to build ice c
ream sundaes and socialize.
November kicked off with a fun-filled Parent’s Weekend, featuring a great brunch at the
house before a big football game against West Virginia. The following week was an amazing
Inspiration Week planned by Lexie (Marshal). Casey the Leadership Consultant returned that
week to act as a guide and mentor through all of the Initiation rituals. Chapter Council was so
fortunate to have someone who knew our chapter so well to be there during this special
week. The week began with Big-Little reveal as the new members were welcomed into their
new families, dressing up and eating Amy’s ice cream. On Friday, Fireside was held at the
house. After bonding all night, the new members were finally initiated early Saturday
morning. To celebrate, Cameron (New Member) planned a wonderful brunch for the new
actives and their families. The weekend culminated with Founder’s Day, a special event held
each year to embrace our Kappa history and celebrate our esteemed alumni. This year, Paige
(Education) planned Founder’s Day at the Kappa House as a way to show off our beautiful
home and make the event more intimate. Kappa also participated in Greek Get Down, a
dance competition put on by AEPhi to raise money for their philanthropy. Peyton (VPAE) held
another Professor Dinner, giving the new actives a chance to talk to the people who led their
classes each day. On the last Thursday in November, Kappas attended Kappa Klassic, a semi-
formal held at Summit. Everyone had a blast, and Kappa commends Madison (Event) for the
wonderful job she did planning events all year. The Slate committee worked endless hours,
pouring over Chapter Council applications and debating who would be the next leaders of
Kappa. After long nights, they presented their nominations to the chapter, which were warmly
received. Kappa thanks Slate for the wonderful job they did, and we are all very excited for
the new Chapter Council to lead us into next year.
As the year came to a close, December was an important time for transitioning. New Chapter
Council members met with those who held their positions currently to learn the ins and outs
of each job. As a wrap-up and official transition day, Charlotte (VPO) planned the Leadership
brunch at the house. Old and new Chapter Council members gathered with their advisors to
celebrate everything that has been accomplished in the past year and discuss goals for the
semester to come. Chapter Council members also attended the State of Panhellenic dinner to
present what Kappa achieved in the last year. As a treat, Carter (VP Standards) and the
Standards committee replaced the last chapter with a sisterhood party. The house
transformed into a Winter Wonderland as chapter members took a break from studying to
enjoy free massages, cookie decorating, and a chocolate fountain. Overall, 2018 was a
remarkable year for Kappa as we transitioned off of a Warning of Probation, introduced a
wonderful new pledge class, and grew stronger together. We are very fortunate to have had
such an exciting year, and we anticipate that 2019 will be even better!
This year,the Texas Longhorns played a fantastic season and played against the Oklahoma Sooners in the
Big 12 Championship at the AT&T Stadium. This was the first year since 2009 that the Longhorns made
it to the Big 12 Championship,and it was the first time since 1903 that the two teams played each
other twice in one season.
The Longhorns will go on to play the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.
After a long campaign season and a runoff,Colton Becker and Mehraz Rahman were elected
as the new student body president and vice president. Our chapter is known throughout campus
for being very involved in multiple school functions and clubs.
The traditional "Kappa"girl is known for being respectable,responsible,and true to herself.
Our house is a landmark on campus, and we take pride in welcoming people to see this
special place.
Our chapter supports Reading Is Fundamental,B+ Foundation
Our chapter has been raising money and gathering books for RIF over the last few years.
We partner with Wooldridge Elementary to host a RIF event there twice a year, inviting
students from the school to come play games,eat snacks,and get their faces painted.
Each child leaves with books donated by our members. Throughout the year,chapter members
volunteer as mentors for some of the students at the school. We received our B+ Hero,
Moriah,a few years ago,along with many other sororities and fraternities on campus.
Moriah has become part of the sisterhood, and she is well loved by everyone in the chapter.
We spend lots of time taking her and her friends to participate in things around Austin as well
as hosting them to the house to paint,sing,or play hide-and-go-seek. Throughout the year,we
also raise money for the B+ Foundation through fundraising campaigns. As Moriah grows older,
we are so lucky to have had the chance to get to know her and her family.
Our chapter meets every Monday at 6 pm in what we call the "Great Room" in the house.
At 5pm, we offer chapter dinner to the entire chapter. As dinner comes to an end,our House
Boys assist us in moving the tables and chairs from a dining room setting to more of a
presentation-style setting.
Every year,we have multiple girls from our chapter apply to ride for Texas 4000. Texas
4000 is a non-profit organization that hosts one of the longest bicycle rides in the
world. The Kappas who apply and are accepted raise thousands of dollars, training a
ll year for their ride from Austin to Alaska. Our chapter assists these members by posting
on social media, selling t-shirts, and helping raise money. Not only are we incredibly
proud of our girls who take on this task, we also commend our chapter for the outpouring
love and support they provide.
Summer 2018 Riders:
Peyton
Bertram
and
Linda
Castranova;
Summer 2019 Riders:
Julie
DeLaRosa
==Highlights of 2019==
Several members of Kappa are a part of the peer buddy in Best Buddies. They ar epaired with an adult with an intellectual disability and he’s their"buddy"at all the events for the rest of the school year.It is a great way for our members to stay involved in the community as well as make an impact in someone's life. I would say that all our members involved in Best Buddies have learned more from the program than they expected. Our members are also involved in our philanthropy,Reading is Fundamental. There is an event at Wooldridge Elementary School where members go hang out with the children at the school, paint their faces, make bracelets, draw pictures, play basketball and everyone's favorite, play musical chairs.
There are also other events we are involved in such as an online fundraiser for B+ Foundation, Girls Academy (middle school girls retreat on leadership, service, and respect), book drives, participated in Phi Psi Stuff the Truck, DG Desserts, Alpha Phi's Mac N' Phis, Pi Phi's Pi Burger's & Phries, ADPi's PiHop, won SDT EAT your way around competition, Kappa Pi Phi carnival, fundraising for Texas4000, donated menstrual products to PERIOD.Each of our members are dedicated to their success and have achieved incredible things while at the University of Texas. One of our members was awarded a $1500 grant for thesis research, she is the co-president of Plan II student association, was also awarded the AJ and Lynda Hare Scribante Scholarship for $3000, and is a counselor for Dell Medical Summer Science Camp. We have a lot going on but we are all there to support each other and help out when someone could use another hand.
Our members are involved in certain programs and clubs on campus and a majority hold officer positions in those organizations. A few of the things they have worked to accomplish include improved transition for freshman Plan II students by creating new activities and opportunities for involvement, contributed to enrichment and closeness of Greek community, donated 300 books to Wooldridge Elementary, and provided support, education, and leadership to Wooldridge students, B+ hero, and summer camp kids. We support Reading is Fundamental, Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation We chose RIF because it is our national philanthropy and we want to participate in the core values of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Hosting RIF events and book drives connects us with our sisters within the chapter and throughout the nation. We chose the B+ Foundation because it is a local philanthropy that we can participate in with other sororities and fraternities on the University of Texas campus.
==Highlights of 2020==
Beta Xi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma had a great year! Multiple members were awarded KKG foundation academic scholarships. Ashley Duester (PC ’17) was awarded the UT Sorority and Fraternity Life Office Outstanding Member of 2020 award. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we were lucky enough host a sisterhood basketball game in February and the Monmouth date event on March 2nd, 2020. After life started to change, sisterhood events began to look more socially distant. On November 10th, 2020 we held a sisterhood ice cream event at Zilker Park and a hot chocolate event in the key garden during finals week in December. We continued to stay philanthropically involved by hosting a chapter drive-in donation to EJI in Spring 2020. Because of the pandemic, we created operation plans for managing chapter facilities in the midst of COVID-19. We conducted a virtual work week, recruitment, and bid day. All new member meetings, formal and reverse pledging ceremonies, and formal chapter meetings were held virtually through zoom (informal chapter meetings consisted of a PowerPoint made by the members of chapter council and sent out to the entire chapter). Further, initiation was completely virtual and combined into one ceremony.
The Chapter celebrated Founders Day with a brunch at the Beta Xi KKG House. Kappa Alumni were invited to come celebrate the exciting day and share with each other the power of Kappa women.There was a speaker who presented a little bit about Kappa and the history of it and everyone had a great time in each others company.
The chapter began to celebrate Kappa’s 150th anniversary with Founders Day. Customized cups and napkins were made for the guests of Founders Day as well as for the active members to use throughout the year.
For our philanthropy we support B+ Foundation, Reading is Fundamental, and various COVID relief organizations: Fuel Our Heroes, Communities in Schools of Central Texas, Boys and Girls Club. RIF is our Kappa affiliate philanthropy and B+ supports children battling cancer. As for COVID relief participation, we felt that the pandemic was one of the greatest crisis of our lifetime and we needed to help in any way possible.
The chapter fund raised for the Equal Justice Initiative, started a summer anti-racism book club, established a Diversity and Inclusion position of chapter council and committee for recruitment. All Diversity and Inclusion positions and committees were made permanent.
To celebrate 150 years of Kappa, our education chair made gift packages and sent them to all of the alumnae being honored. In these gift packs were personalized Yeti cups and notes.
Here is a link to our Instagram that was run by our PR chair. It features pictures posted following public health guidelines and how we handled the social media aspect of the pandemic. https://www.instagram.com/texaskkg/?hl=en
==Highlights of 2021==
In 2021, the Beta Xi chapter continued to thrive despite the complex environment of the evolving pandemic, and the chapter was a place of refuge for its members. In the early spring, chapter members stayed connected through virtual chapters and outdoor sisterhood events including a coffee bar in the KKG courtyard and a profit share with a delicious ice cream sandwich truck to raise money for our philanthropies. Later in the semester, the chapter had its first semi-formal in over a year. The event was split up by grade level and members and their dates were COVID tested prior to the event. 87 members had 4.0s in the spring semester, and the chapter raised thousands of dollars for philanthropies including RIF, B+, Allies Against Slavery, and National Coalition against human trafficking. In the summer, Recruitment week was an exciting time for the chapter. It was the first time the entire chapter was able to be together since early 2020, and new bonds were formed while old bonds were strengthened. In the fall, chapter events and meetings were once again in-person. The return of Kappa lunch was welcomed by the chapter, as members were once again able to spend time together eating and studying at the Kappa house.
Chapter Philanthropy
In the spring, the Beta Xi chapter raised money to help Austin’s homeless during the winter storms and raised $20,000 for two organizations that combat human trafficking. Throughout the year, our chapter supported the B+ Foundation, which supports the families of children who are fighting cancer. This fall, Christiane, an honorary Kappa who has Batten disease, joined our chapter. She frequently visits the Beta Xi house for Kappa lunch where she eats and socializes with chapter members. The chapter also had several canned food drives.
The chapter had a walk to raise money for NEDA and fundraised for the Jed Foundation.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
2021 was the first full year of the Beta Xi chapter having a DEI chair on chapter council. She promoted university-wide diversity and inclusion seminars, speeches, and student organizations. DEI presentations were given during chapter meetings that included promoting national heritage holidays. The DEI chair also gave a DEI presentation during work week to promote inclusivity during recruitment.
Operating in a Pandemic
How did your chapter operations change due to COVID-19 (e.g., how did it affect recruitment, initiation, etc. Were events/activities held virtually?). Share what you have done this year. Chapter operations were impacted by COVID-19. During the spring, chapter and chapter council meetings were held virtually, and sisterhood and philanthropy events were usually outside in smaller groups. Work week and recruitment were a hybrid environment. Many work week activities were in-person, wearing masks. Recruitment was virtual until the preference round, which was split into two days, socially distanced, and masked. In the fall, the chapter saw a return to many more in-person events. The initiation ceremonies were once again in-person, although Fireside was split into two groups to facilitate social distancing. The chapter also elected to use the combined service for initiation, per the recommendation of Kappa nationals, to limit close contact between initiates and alumnae. The white room had less draping to allow for better ventilation, and seniors were not required to attend so that the room was less crowded than it would have been in a pre-pandemic initiation.