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Beta Xi

5,879 bytes added, 17:09, 15 December 2021
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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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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 begun 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 PhilanthropyIn 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 Inclusion2021 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 PandemicHow 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.