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		<title>Epsilon Pi</title>
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				<updated>2026-03-03T16:11:16Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;VickiCarrigan: &lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;div&gt;{{Infobox Fraternity&lt;br /&gt;
|Name= Epsilon Pi&lt;br /&gt;
|GreekSymbol= EΠ&lt;br /&gt;
|Image= [[File:Epsilon_Pi.jpeg|200px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1976|02|07}}&lt;br /&gt;
|College= [https://www.ucr.edu/ University of California, Riverside]&lt;br /&gt;
|Location= Riverside, CA&lt;br /&gt;
|Homepage= [https://ucr.kappa.org/ Epsilon Pi Homepage]&lt;br /&gt;
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Epsilon_Pi Media related to Epsilon Pi Chapter]}}&lt;br /&gt;
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'''University of California at Riverside, 1954'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Epsilon Pi founded February 7, 1976'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''1,127 initiates (as of June 2018)'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Some of Chapter’s Outstanding Alumnae:''' (If you have chapter alumna who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.)&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Council Officers:'''&lt;br /&gt;
Kyle Donnelly, Fraternity Treasurer, 2022-2024, 2024-2026; Jessica Coffield, Fraternity Vice President, 2024-2026&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Additional Outstanding Epsilon Pi Alumnae:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Kyle Donnelly: Fraternity Finance Committee (2006-2008), Province Director of Chapters (2008-2011), Assistant to Fraternity Treasurer (2011-2014), Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Finance Committee (2011-2012), Scholarship Reader (2015-2018), Fraternity House Board Chairman (2018-2020).&lt;br /&gt;
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Ella Gaumer Vieria: Traveling Consultant (2000-2001), Province Director of Chapters (2005-2009), Technology Committee (2009-2010), Regional Director of Chapters (2010-2012, 2012-2014), Long Range Planning Task Force (2013-2016), Assistant to Director of Chapters (2014-2016), Public Relations Content Director (2016-2018), Leadership Education and Development Committee (2018).&lt;br /&gt;
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Yvonne Kim: Province Director of Chapters (2011-2015).&lt;br /&gt;
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Vicki Hill Carrigan: Kappa Trainer (2010-2016), Publications Committee (2010-2014), Technology Committee (2010-2014), Leadership Academy Facilitator (2012, 2016, 2017, 2023, 2025), Betty Brady Award (1995), Coordinator of Chapter Support (2014-2016), Convention Committee - Music Chairman (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2026), Adviser Academy Facilitator (2016), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Ritual &amp;amp; History Specialist (2019 - 2026).&lt;br /&gt;
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Jessica Coffield: Nominating Committee (2014-2016), Standards Specialist (2016-2020), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Standards Director (2020-2024), Fraternity Vice President (2024-2026).&lt;br /&gt;
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Traci Evans: Programming Specialist (2016-2018), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), District Director (2022-2024).&lt;br /&gt;
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Stephanie Hammond: Public Relations Specialist (2019-2021).&lt;br /&gt;
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Kim Braun Padulo: Province Director of Chapters (1987-1988), Province Director of Alumnae (1989-1990).&lt;br /&gt;
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Hailey Grisel: Leadership Consultant (2015-2016), Philanthropy Specialist (2016-2017).&lt;br /&gt;
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Meredith Hutcheson Reuter: Chapter Consultant (1990-1991), Province Director of Chapters (1993-1995).&lt;br /&gt;
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Lise Haxton: Traveling Consultant (1993-1994), Chapter Consultant (1994-1995), Chapter Support Committee (2004-2005)&lt;br /&gt;
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==The Early Years -- Colonization and Installation==&lt;br /&gt;
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Love and guidance by many caring Kappas allowed Epsilon Pi chapter to enjoy a great beginning. The culmination of this love and concern was exemplified in the beautiful Installation held the first weekend in February 1976 when 13 new members of Epsilon Pi Colony were initiated as charter members of Epsilon Pi Chapter at the University of California at Riverside.&lt;br /&gt;
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Installing officer Marian Schroeder Graham, Beta Phi—Montana, Fraternity President, was assisted by many others including Phyllis Brinton Pryor, Beta Mu—Colorado, National Panhellenic Conference Delegate and colonizing officer; Patti Ball Hillyard, Delta Chi—San Jose State, installation chairman and President of the Riverside Alumnae Club; Lyn Conway Madding, Delta Gamma—Michigan State, Kappa Province Director of Alumnae; Kay Reid Tennison, Epsilon Delta—Arizona State, Kappa Province Director of Chapters; and Janeen Gould, Beta Beta Deuteron—St. Lawrence, Epsilon Pi Graduate Counselor. Also, several advisers and Graduate Counselors to California chapters and alumnae from all over southern California gathered to participate in and to honor the Installation of Kappa’s 95th chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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The setting for the ceremonies was the chapter house of Epsilon Pi’s sister chapter, Delta Tau—Southern California. It was agreed by all and well stated by Phyllis Pryor that “no more perfect arrangements could have been made for an unhoused chapter to be assimilated into a totally Kappa setting where a true feeling of belonging could be imparted. The cooperation and hospitality of those members of Delta Tau who made this possible will be long remembered as a very vital aspect of the happy Initiation of Epsilon Pi.” She also noted that “the beautiful, warm, very adequate facilities of the Delta Tau house accommodated the influx of extra people and activities gracefully and with no evidence of inconvenience or interruption.” &lt;br /&gt;
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Fern Crane, Delta Tau Housemother; Katie Finnegan, Delta Tau President; Kris Kline, chapter coordinator, and chapter members were thanked for their superb planning and for making the guests and participants feel welcomed and prepared.&lt;br /&gt;
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It was here that the scene for the entire weekend, including a lovely Friday night Fireside Service and dinner. Delta Tau members added to the beauty by sharing some of their traditional pre-initiation thoughts and songs.&lt;br /&gt;
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Many gifts to the new chapter were recognized at the luncheon banquet, which was held at the University Hilton Hotel following Saturday’s Installation. Two special gifts were award badges for outstanding new members, one given to the new member class president, Debbie Dietrich, and one to Robin Rose, Recruitment Chairman, for scholarship.&lt;br /&gt;
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Greetings to the new chapter increased even more when more than 150 guests came in heavy rain to a reception Sunday afternoon in Riverside at the home of a recent Delta Tau active. UC Riverside administrators and Panhellenic representatives and members of other Greek-letter groups on campus along with friends and family members of the new chapter members honored Epsilon Pi with their attendance.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to Installation, the Epsilon Pi new members were busy with campus activities including selling cotton candy during Homecoming, a pizza party with alumnae, a new member retreat and joining the other fraternities and sororities in the Greek cheering section for football games and for Christmas caroling before the winter break. Epsilon Pi members also created a wooden plaque with pictures of the charter members, and they worked together on a hooked rug with an owl design for Delta Tau Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
The previous information was excerpted from (unknown source-most likely The Key.)&lt;br /&gt;
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The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to update its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1970s==      &lt;br /&gt;
              &lt;br /&gt;
From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter’s first formal, called “Sea and Sky”, was held in a multipurpose room in one of the apartment complexes near campus since the budget for the event was only $75; $25 was spent on decorations and $50 was spent on a band.  One sister, who was dating a Sigma Alpha Epsilon from UCLA, had him fix up some of the Kappas with blind dates with his brothers. Charter President Kim Braun Padulo recalled the surprised reaction of the boys when they entered the room as it was not the kind of reception they were used to.&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi faced its challenges head on and ultimately succeeded.  In the fall of 1976, they welcomed a second pledge class that nearly doubled the size of the chapter.  Following soon after, in spring quarter the women had to write their chapter Bylaws. After getting the foundations of the chapter set, the women focused on their sisterhood. To improve this Epsilon Pi chapter participated in a potluck with the Northern Orange County Alumnae Association. The theme was to bring with you your favorite Kappa memory to share. After doing so, the women realized that while they were close, a house would bring them much closer to each other.  They hoped that one day they would reach this goal for Epsilon Pi to have a chapter house. &lt;br /&gt;
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October of 1977, thirteen more lovely ladies were pledged after an informal Yell-in, and on Inspiration week, in October 24-29; the women were initiated. With rush again in the spring the chapter was able to grow from 13 actives to 30 by 1978.  &lt;br /&gt;
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1979 was kicked off with Formal Fall Rush. The first night the girls attended open house and had sandwiches while getting to know each other. The second night was theme night, in which the chapter put on their annual performance of “Kapparet”.  On the second to last night the chapter had project night in which the women used felt letters and animals to spell their names, these where then to be used for philanthropy. The final night, was preference night. Here the women all dressed up formally, and had dessert together while sharing stories in a circle. Epsilon Pi once again initiated more women, making the chapter grow a little bigger every year.  With the goal to become one of the largest chapters, Epsilon Pi continued learning ways of improving and growing closer in sisterhood.  To do so, their goal was set to focus on social graciousness, organization, and sisterhood (SOS). Memorable events from the 70s include hanging out at the pool at Bannockburn, yearly pledge class songs, and exchanges with other groups on campus. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1980s:==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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Small &amp;quot;get to know each other&amp;quot; parties were held at the Bannockburn pool, so that all the women could get to know each other better and create stronger sisterhoods. They also held exchanges. Epsilon Pi had an annual &amp;quot;walkout&amp;quot; in which the pledges would plan to &amp;quot;kidnap&amp;quot; actives and have them do funny antics like sing Kappa songs and Kappa Dances at different stops on campus like the library, residence halls, and classrooms.  Every stop would earn them a clue that would lead them to the location that the pledges had chosen to host them for dinner. They experienced the debut of MTV and this spurred lip-synching contests in the dorms, which were a blast! &lt;br /&gt;
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After just a few years of being established Epsilon Pi was honored to participate in founding of new chapters of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of California, Irvine and University of California, San Diego.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi held many different Philanthropy events such as making rabbit-like Easter baskets to give to the Sunshine School in Riverside, dressing up around Halloween in costumes and visiting the Riverside Community Hospital patients with candy.  One popular tradition was a &amp;quot;Grandparent Adoption&amp;quot; from convalescent homes where the chapter women would visit their adoptee twice a month and bring them carnations and homemade spice ropes.&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter Convention Awards:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1990s==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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In the early 1990’s, the chapter was focused on scholarship, improving rush, and philanthropy. The chapter tied for the 2nd highest GPA on campus in 1991 and placed 35 members on the Dean’s List. And in 1993-94, the chapter received the Dean’s Scholarship Trophy for the highest percentage of members on the Dean’s List.  The chapter maintained a high level of academic excellence throughout the decade, due in part to weekly mandatory study hours for actives and pledges.&lt;br /&gt;
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To prepare for rush, the chapter started early the prior school year with a 10 day work week. Rush quota gradually decreased on the UCR campus in the early 90’s. Quota was 32 in 1991, 24 in 1993, to 16 in 1994, and 13 in 1995. However, quota was back up in the 20’s by 2000. These smaller pledge classes, however, allowed the chapter to be fully involve the new members in all aspects of chapter life.&lt;br /&gt;
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Early in the decade, the chapter accepted the Challenge to Excellence issued to all chapters by the Fraternity. Work on the Challenge to Excellence continued during the rest of the 1990’s. It strengthened the chapter and brought the members closer together.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991, nine of the 13 founders of Epsilon Pi were present for the Founders Day brunch. In 1995, the chapter celebrated Kappa Kappa Gamma’s 125th birthday with Zeta Eta at UC Irvine.&lt;br /&gt;
On the social front, the chapter continued with its annual Sea and Sky formal, Monmouth Duo with Pi Beta Phil, and Kappa Krush dances. Epsilon Pi also participated in many sporting competitions on campus, such as the annual inter-sorority volleyball tournament, Sports week, the Greek Games and the annual Run to the C. The chapter also hosted a Parent’s Day each year.&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter focus shifted to sisterhood, public relations and participation in the mid-1990’s.&lt;br /&gt;
Housing:&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991 the chapter lounge was redecorated. The last update was 16 years prior! Also in this year, the university offered sororities a hall in one of the dorms to have as their own. The chapter felt this would be a good way to improve chapter bonds, and would show the university that they were serious about having a house in the future.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi won the Philanthropy Award at the 1991 Kappa Province Meeting. The chapter participated in the Cystic Fibrosis Walkathon and helped clean up downtown Riverside. They also continued their tradition of visiting the Sunshine House and their association with the Riverside section of the California School of Deaf. In the mid-1990’s, Epsilon Pi began a new philanthropy called Night Run.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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1992 Efficiency Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Standards Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Scholarship Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1996 Scholarship Award Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2000-2010==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter actively participated in campus events such as BEAR Facts Orientation, Block Party, Homecoming and Spring Splash as well as Panhellenic sponsored events such as Sports Week, Greek Unity Week with Greek Pyramid, and Presents. Founders Day was often celebrated with Zeta Eta, UC Irvine and the Orange County Alumnae Association. A yearly Scholarship Dinner was held to honor the sisters with the highest GPA, most improved GPA, and all sisters with a 4.0 in a quarter. Yearly chapter events included a fall Date Party, a winter Scholarship Banquet, and a Parent’s Day in the spring.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Housing:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi was the first Greek organization to be invited to participate in UCR’s Greek Housing Pilot Program.  The chapter was able to rent five units in an apartment complex near campus and 10 members lived there during the 2009-2010 school year.  However, due to a lack of contracts and security, the program was discontinued.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Members of Epsilon Pi volunteered yearly for a local breast cancer fundraiser put on by the Inland Agency, called “Shop to Stop Breast Cancer.”  Each year, chapter members volunteered to read to students at Madison Elementary School on Dr. Suess day. In Spring 2009, the members of Epsilon Pi hosted sixth grade students for “A Day In The Life” at UCR.  The Kappas gave them tours of the campus and the sixth graders got to meet the Men’s Basketball Team and the UCR Cheerleaders and Dance Team. The finale of the day was lunch on the commons lawn where the sixth graders read their favorite books to the Kappas.  &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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2008 Rose McGill Award&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011-2019==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011==&lt;br /&gt;
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2011 was a busy and great year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. Winter quarter started out with the nomination process, leading to the election of a strong, new Chapter Council. That quarter we participated in two philanthropic events at Madison Elementary School, Where the Wild Things Read and Dr. Seuss Day. Both events involved reading to the students and encouraging literacy. Greek Unity Week also took place during the winter. Our members were paired with the men of Pi Kappa Alpha to compete in various activities throughout the week meant to strengthen Greek unity on campus. As our winter quarter event, the chapter had a “Finally Famous” themed semi-formal, in which couples dressed as famous couples throughout history. &lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter also enjoyed a scholarship dinner at Ciao Bella restaurant and a go-cart racing sisterhood event held at K1 Speedway. For the spring quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter continued its emphasis on philanthropy. We volunteered at the Inland Agency’s Shop to Stop Breast Cancer event. Also, our sister Brittany Altamirano competed in and won the 2011 Delta Queen Pageant hosted by the men of Delta Tau Delta, raising around $7000 for City of Hope cancer research. During this quarter, the campus’ Fraternity and Sorority Involvement Center hosted a Pillar’s Reception where Epsilon Pi was proud to receive the Friendship Pillar Award. The Chapter hosted Parent’s Day at the Benedict Castle and a formal at the Pomona Valley Mining Co. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another major accomplishment for the chapter during spring was our Sports Week participation. Members assembled teams for volleyball and football, and did excellent in both sports, taking home the overall win for Sports Week. In April, a few members of our chapter went to Kappa Province in Tucson, AZ, where we were awarded the Rose McGill Magazine Award. As fall quarter began, the members of Epsilon Pi were eager for recruitment, to gain more assets to our chapter. After going through formal recruitment, the chapter welcomed 31 New Members on Bid Day. The New Members were taken to a taco dinner afterwards to celebrate and get to know the chapter. This year, the chapter invited local alumnae and the women of the Zeta Eta Chapter at UC Irvine to our Founder’s Day brunch at the Riverside Art Museum. Many of our members also participated in the Pink on Parade breast cancer walk, as well as the 5K run held by the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Our chapter enjoyed a movie night sisterhood as we went to go see the film 50/50, as well as a Thanksgiving potluck themed meeting to end the quarter. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Campus:''' This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus tried to really encourage unity among the Greek community, but the panhellenic organizations in particular. Kappa encouraged this as well, as we participated in Panhellenic’s Cookies and Crafts event. All 6 of the panhellenic organizations came together to get to know each other better, as well as learn more about one another’s philanthropies. We also participated in the kickball tournament thrown by the women of Gamma Phi Beta, to further demonstrate our support of panhellenic. The campus hosted many annual events like Spring Splash, Bear Facts Orientation, and Block Party, all of which Epsilon Pi participated in. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter:''' If one word were chosen to describe the overall nature of our chapter in 2011 it would be growth. We suffered some minor setbacks, but with positive mindsets and a strong chapter council, we pushed through and began making necessary changes for our chapter to head in the right direction. Epsilon Pi has taken pride in both its diversity and large chapter size and has used both of those factors to strengthen the chapter as a whole. &lt;br /&gt;
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One main challenge for the chapter was attendance. With such a large chapter size, we expected high numbers of attendance, but were not seeing that. Chapter Council began a point system for attendance. A minimum requirement of points was made necessary for fun/positive things later on, such as getting a little sister in the fall. In addition, our VP Standards took attendance into account as she looked over members who needed standards appointments. She stressed the importance of going to mandatory events in these meetings and the consequences of not doing so. The attendance problem was not completely erased, but the chapter hopes to see improvements, continuously reminding members of the attendance policy in our chapter’s bylaws and standing rules. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2012==&lt;br /&gt;
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Each year Epsilon Pi chapter continues to reach and exceed previous years' achievements. 2011 was an amazing and notable year for Epsilon Pi chapter. In January, we began with inspiration week filled with a variety of big and little and sisterhood bonding events. Soon after, the Alpha Omega pledge class was initiated. It was a beautiful and special ceremony that we were able to share with the newest members of our wonderful chapter. The following week we had an amazing Semi Formal which was hosted at the Caspian in Irvine, where we enjoyed an Arabian night filled with kabobs and belly dancers. Soon after we had elections and welcomed the newly elected chapter council. During that time period we were graced with the Leadership Officer and received an abundance of tips and advice on how to make our chapter even stronger than what it was then. &lt;br /&gt;
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Following elections and the LC visit, we had Greek Unity week on campus which brings the Greek and cultural sorority and fraternities together. This year we were paired with the men of Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. During this week we are separated into teams and participate in a variety of team and at the end of the week perform a team dance that is appreciated by the whole Greek community. &lt;br /&gt;
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As we continued into winter quarter we held two amazing philanthropies at Madison Elementary School; Kappa Kamp and Dr. Seuss Day. Both event encouraged the students to read and enjoy books. We also had a delicious scholarship dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory where we acknowledged our hard working sisters that make the Dean's List, have the most study hours, and the highest overall GPA. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of winter quarter we held our Leadership Day, which aimed at better training our newly elected chapter council to ensure that they would be confident in achieving everything their position asked them to, as well as doing their little perfectly.&lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring quarter, our sisterhood took a great start with having a fun and exciting event at Dave and Buster. This quarter we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Lauren Montes, won the Delta Queen Pageant raising $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices. This quarter we also had our annual formal, &amp;quot;A Night In Spain&amp;quot;, which was held at the Green River Gold Club in Corona. It was an amazing event where we danced the night away and appreciated the seniors, as it was their last formal with the chapter. As the quarter continued, we hosted &amp;quot;A Day In The Life&amp;quot; where we hosted students from Madison Elementary School and showed them the campus. We introduced them to the soccer team and cheer leaders and gave them a tour of the campus. We wanted to encourage the sixth graders to continue on to college to get a higher education and to show them that anyone can achieve that with hard work and dedication. We ended this quarter with a fun filled water themed sisterhood at our president, Brittany Altamirano's house. There was a water maze, water guns, and of course water balloons. The sisterhood definitely helped relieve some stress that we had pertaining to the upcoming finals. Later that weekend we also had our annual Parent's Day at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we had a nice lunch with all our sisters and their parents. We also appreciated our sisters who stood out exceptionally in being a good sister and kappa and sisters that stood our academically as well.&lt;br /&gt;
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After returning from summer vacation, Epsilon Pi was eager for recruitment and to gain new assets to our ever growing sisterhood. Following formal recruitment we were more than happy to welcome the 30 Beta Alpha new member class. After bid day on campus we took them to one of our sister's house to have dinner and meet the chapter; there were also an abundance of ice breaking games. This year, the Orange County Alumni Association hosted Founder's Day at the Tustin Senior Center. After thoroughly educating the Beta Alpha new member class with Kappa history and creating a new love for Kappa we had Inspiration Week and Initiation. It was again a beautiful ceremony where each sister was able to appreciate and remember why we joined one of the strongest sisterhoods. We concluded this quarter with our Kappa Thanksgiving, which brought our chapter together once again. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus was continuing to encourage unity among the Greek community. The board hosted many events where each sorority could come and support panhellenic. Such events were &amp;quot;blankets for babies&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;cookies and crafts&amp;quot;, and staff appreciation. Kappa supports the board and tries to get more involved by participating. Kappa also participates in Block Party, Spring Spash, and Bear Facts orientation.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2013==&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi had a truly remarkable year in 2013 with all that we accomplished and participated in. As our winter quarter began, we had the opportunity to help recruit members for the new chapter that was established at Chapman University with our sisters from USC. The recruitment was so successful that we had the amazing honor to be apart of their initiation ceremony and be their big sis chapter. Towards the end of the quarter we were partnered up with the men of Phi Gamma Delta and the women of Omega Zeta Chi to participate in a week of Greek Unity. The main event was a dance competition in which we were elated and humbled to have won first place. &lt;br /&gt;
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As the quarter continued we participated in our annual philanthropy of “Reading is Key” in which we traveled to Madison Elementary school and spent the day reading and doing crafts with the children. We also had a delicious Scholarship dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in which we gave awards to the sisters who had accomplishments such as the most study hours, highest GPA, and being on the dean’s list. The last major event of winter quarter was our semi-formal in which we went to a lovely Italian restaurant and had a great time dancing the night away with our sisters and dates. &lt;br /&gt;
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Spring quarter began with 6 sisters attending Kappa Province. In addition to learning valuable skills and information for our chapter, Epsilon Pi was honored to have received 2 awards: the New Member Program Award and the Norma Dow Patton Gracious Living Award. Soon after, we had a visit from the LC, which gave the new officers a chance to get ideas and information about her new positions in personal meetings that were set-up. We also had our formal at a beautiful venue at the Glen Ivy Spa and golf course in which we had a great night taking pictures in a photo booth, eating delicious food, and giving out senior recognition awards. &lt;br /&gt;
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This quarter was also very philanthropic. Not only did we host our annual “Day in the Life” event for Madison elementary school children to come and see what it is like to be a college student, but we also partnered up with the women of Pi Beta Phi to create our very own join philanthropy on campus called “Words with Friends”. It was a spelling bee and speed read event in which all the organizations could compete with each other and donate either money or books to our philanthropy. This quarter, as well as supporting many other philanthropies throughout the year, we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Hailey Grisel, received second place and remarkably raised $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. &lt;br /&gt;
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We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices because we ended up winning the entire event. Later that month we had parent’s day which was so special in being able to show our families a little bit of what Kappa is like. We were able to honor the sisters who truly embody what Kappa is and also got to see what our chapter used to be like through the heritage display. &lt;br /&gt;
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There is also an annual awards ceremony for the Greek community on our campus in which we were honored to have received the University of California, Riverside Marguleas Sororotiy/Fraternity Service Award in recognition of our leadership and philanthropic efforts in our community. To finish off the quarter and the academic year we had a sisterhood in which we were able to go go kart racing. We had such a fun time competing with each other for the fastest time and just be able to spend time bonding together. Fall quarter was a very hectic quarter for Epsilon Pi. We had another LC visit during recruitment which helped us make sure we were going about things as best as we could. Although we did not expect for the large increase in the size of our new pledge class, we were so grateful to welcome 45 new amazing women into our organization. Soon after, we celebrated founder’s day with our lovely Chapman sisters which was special because we got to see them experience it for the very first time as a chapter. It was so touching to see alumni from decades ago being recognized and pinned and being able to do our ritual together. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter also hosted an amazing event called “Finding Kind” in which we had the screening of the documentary to fight against female teen bulling. We then all took individual pledges to better ourselves and the way that we treat others. We were so pleased to see how many women from different organizations on campus came to support this cause. Towards the end of the quarter, we had a super hero themed date party in which we got to go to Sky Town and jump around and play various games involving foam pits and trampolines. Inspiration week and Initiation of our new Beta Beta pledge class was a very special week for all of us. We were so happy to officially welcome them into our chapter and share our ritual with them during such a beautiful and special ceremony. We also had fun during that week roller-skating and playing laser tag together during our big/little night. To finish off the quarter, we had a sisterhood the week before finals at the movie theater in which we were able to take a couple hours away from studying to relax and laugh with our sisters while watching Grown Ups 2. It had been events like this that keep us close and strong as a chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year brought changes that mainly affected our recruitment. Since our school decided to admit more students, there were more women that went through recruitment that the sororities were not prepared for. Although we thought it would be overwhelming and near impossible to have such a large pledge class, we pulled through together and were blessed to have received 45 new members instead of our anticipated 30.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2014==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year has been one of glee, many accomplishments, and ongoing improvement for Epsilon Pi Chapter. We commenced the year after a refreshing winter break with the privilege of participating in a leadership conference, Lead Today. Lead Today took place on January 22 on our campus with our entire chapter and alumnae. Coordinators were trained to help us grow and prosper as a chapter with novel leadership skills and progression in areas needing improvement. We participated in various hands on activities, games and discussions concerning the vitality of management, organization, and the overall aspect of a chapter working and developing in unison. Epsilon Pi Chapter was so thankful and gained an immense appreciation and understanding for leadership and how to use it, not only in Kappa, but in our everyday lives. This conference could not have come at a better time, due to the fact that elections were right around the corner. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our Kappa sisters did a wonderful job selecting our new Chapter Council and we knew Epsilon Pi Chapter was in good hands. Shortly after, we had our annual scholarship dinner to honor all of our hard working members who did exceptional in their academics. This year, we dressed in key attire and ventured out to The Old Spaghetti Factory located in Downtown Riverside. We loaded up on carbs and applauded our accomplished sisters when they received awards for most study hours, improved G.P.A., highest G.P.A., and many more. This night allowed our sisters to feel honored and made others strive to improve. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a few weeks of being back in school, it was time for Semi-Formal. Semi was held at Aroma Grill in Upland, CA. We all got dolled up in cute cocktail dresses and invited dates to escort us. Kappas danced the night away on the dance floor, took a plethora of photos in the photo booth and in front of the backdrop with a professional photographer, and ate a delicious variety of food. To end the month of February, our sisters headed to K1 Speed Zone for a fun packed sisterhood. Our sisters headed to the race tracks and raced in full geared helmets and mask and hopped in go-carts for some competitive fun. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, we had our first social of the quarter with the men of Phi Kappa Psi. Together, we had so much fun playing laser tag dressed up as Disney characters. Originally, we were supposed to go roller blading, however, the outdoor rink got rained out. Yet, Kappas always know how to make the best of things and we ended the night having a jovial time. To end our quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted our Reading is Key Philanthropy at our adopted school, Madison Elementary.  This year's theme was &amp;quot;Under the Sea&amp;quot; and the book we gave every student who attended was &amp;quot;The Magic School Bus Live on the Ocean Floor&amp;quot;. We loved seeing the students' faces light up as they read to us, crafted with us, and enjoyed some delicious snacks. The whole cafeteria was neatly decorated with fish, kelp, and other underwater creatures to create a fun, aquatic atmosphere. We donated books to their library and hoped to encourage them and show them how important, and intriguing, reading can be. This experience was so rewarding due to the fact that many of these students are from underprivileged households and the books we give them are usually their first books. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the start of Spring Quarter, we attended an annual philanthropy conducted by the fraternity Delta Tau Delta. They hosted a pageant that every sorority participated in by nominating one representative to compete in the event. This event raised money for The City of Hope through fundraisers and donations. This year, we selected Justine Sterling, who perfectly embodies Kappa as a whole. Justine worked extremely hard raising funds via bake sales on campus (Kappa Kappacino), and Karaoke singing night (Kappa Karaoke), as well as various dining and recreational events. Justine rasied over $4,000 for The City of Hope and took home the crown as Miss Delta Queen 2014. Her hard work and dedication paid off making all of us proud. Not to mention, we loved watching her in the pageant, especially her talent portion of rapping. In the month of April, we hosted our joint philanthropy event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Since we both share a philanthropy centered on literacy, our competitions were focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $2,000 and over a hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF. &lt;br /&gt;
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Every year, UCR hosts a sports week where each sorority comes up with teams to play dodge ball, volleyball, and football with different fraternities coaching and arranging practices. This whole week is filled with friendly competition and unity between our sorority and the whole Greek community. This year, we worked hard at many practices and came up in second place. Who knew we were so athletic? After sports week, we decided to have a social with the men of Phi Gamma Delta, who were our coaches for sports week. Bowling for strikes and spares was the event of the night while dressed in our Hawaiian skirts, shirts, and leis. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another event UCR hosts every year is Pillars Week. Pillars Week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All Greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of Greeks at our school. With Epsilon Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and Greek unity, we worked so hard and ended up placing first along with our team. &lt;br /&gt;
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During this same week we had one of our favorite philanthropies, A Day In The Life. For this event, we bring sixth grade students from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for higher education. This year we divided into different tour guiding groups and played interactive games such as red rover. It was a perfect day to have the students on campus because they were all able to see a busy campus full of students due to the fact that it was Pillars Week. These students had such a great time that even some boys flashed the Kappa sign in pictures as the proclaimed &amp;quot;I can't wait to go here!&amp;quot; &lt;br /&gt;
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With school coming to an end in a few months, it was the perfect time for our Beta Beta New Member retreat. Our New Member chair planned a daring evening of rock climbing at a local rock climbing gym, Hangar 18. Girls harnessed in and chalked their hands as they used their upper body strength and raced to the top of the rock walls. It was a perfect night for Beta Beta to be reconnected and have a little fun work out. For one of the last meetings of the year, our whole chapter went to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor to feast on all different flavors of ice cream, while discussing business, of course. This event is one of our most delicious sisterhood events since we get to eat all the ice cream we want, be sung to by Farrell's employees, and get to be with our sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
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For the last event of the year, Epsilon Pi Chapter boarded buses with our dates for a special night at Green Rivers Country Club. This year's Formal was eventful and filled with memories. Girls piled into the photo booth to take adorable pictures while some danced the night away and others ate their gourmet meal. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes. Formal was the perfect way to end the 2013-2014 school year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Although college may have been over for some, many girls who had just decided to come to UCR were making their way on campus for summer orientation in the months of July and August. During every orientation, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. We hoped to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Not only that, but almost as a summer reunion, all of our girls got together to film our, almost famous, recruitment video. We went to the beach, our campus, and the park to film a short video embodying Kappa and our strong sisterhood. It turned out to be a hit on our campus and with other chapters from other campuses as well. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a nice, long break of heading to the beach, relaxing, and a lot of studying abroad, Kappa sisters united for a week of practices for upcoming recruitment. Our sisters sang their hearts out and danced their best as we learned songs and polished ourselves so we could be the best Kappas we could be for recruitment. During the week our bonds of sisterhood grew exponentially stronger and our love for Kappa radiated in preparation of finding our newest members. On the weekend of October 3, we spent 3 days socializing and spreading our love and excitement to every potential new member who entered our room. We fell in love with so many girls and worked so hard that this turned out to be one of our most successful recruitments ever, bringing in our biggest New Member class of 53 girls. &lt;br /&gt;
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The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular New Members with &amp;quot;Key to Paradise&amp;quot; tank tops and a BBQ fit for beach queens. Our chapter transitioned so quickly to this shocking number of new ladies, and chapter council immediately understood that with a larger chapter, we would all have to grow together, and that is exactly what we did. New Members went to meetings every week to get acquainted with Kappa policies and jumped right into Kappa activities with our first sisterhood of the 2014-2015 school year. Our VPS planned a morning yoga session in a peaceful park for all of our members. It was relaxing and just what everyone needed as a de-stressor. Our New Members were also able to attend our Date Party at a roller skating rink sponsored by the Anaheim Ducks hockey team. Every member received a glitter Kappa snap back and Beyonce themed tank tops, while their dates received a Jay-Z themed crew neck. Everyone was so exited for their new Kappa clothes. Soon after, our New Members received their Big Sisters in such a cute and creative reveal. New Members were given a key to a specific car in the school's parking lot and had to find the right car to which the key belonged. Inside the car trunk, driver seat, or back seat was their Big. The excitement of the whole chapter was present as girls embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, New Members were ushered to their New Member sleepover where they bonded over games, learned about our Founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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A couple weeks later, Bigs drove their Littles to our fall social with the men of Sigma Psi Epsilon. Since it was the Halloween season, girls paired up with a Sig-Ep and carved pumpkins. This was one of our most attended and loved socials. As initiation approached, our Marshal hosted  Big and Little Night at a local ice skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as sisters. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our New Members of the Beta Gamma class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of the biggest changes to our campus occurred just this Fall quarter. In the past year, recruitment has grown as more and more girls become interested in sorority life at UCR. One of the biggest changes to our chapter was the welcoming of the biggest new member class we have ever welcomed. Our chapter almost doubled, but our chapter handled the change smoothly without a falter. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also due to the immense interest in panhellenic, the whole panhellenic community got together to listen to presentations from three possible new sororities hoping to colonize on the UCR campus. In the end, our chapter was more than happy to hear about a new sorority expanding our panhellenic community. Epsilon Pi Chapter is so strong in our bonds of sisterhood that we are more than willing to help the new chapter get accommodated to UCR. &lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter meetings are held in various on campus lecture halls and classrooms. This makes it easier for members to go to meeting since most new members live on campus and other members live near by.  Our chapter does not have a house and has not had a house in the past. We have a storage unit near campus where we keep and organize our supplies. For living situations, some girls live on campus, but most members rent houses where some members live together and sometimes end up living with other panhellenic women. Our living situations are perfect for building sisterhood and provide various places for members to hangout, study, and host various gatherings.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2015==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year, Epsilon Pi has had many defining moments that continue to shape each of our member’s college experiences. After coming back from a very well deserved winter break surrounded by family and sisters, we began a new quarter in January and quickly put our heads back in to the game, starting with elections. As always, our sisters made excellent decisions when selecting our new Chapter Council that consist of strong, efficient, Kappa leaders. &lt;br /&gt;
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Shortly after, our Event Chair planned our first social of the quarter at a nearby community park with one of the IFC fraternities on campus. Our members and the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta decked out in white apparel in preparation for a fun night filled with glow in the dark paint and athletic activities. We separated into teams and Kappas proudly showed off their flag football skills, all while glowing in the dark. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of the month Beta Gamma, our newest pledge class, attended a retreat. This retreat took place at our newly remodeled recreation center on campus. There was a rock climbing wall and a ropes course. They participated in activities that all revolved around teamwork and some critical thinking. During one of the activities, sisters had to figure out a way to get a rope to the other side without moving by working together. They were also blindfolded and were instructed to give clues to one another in order to find certain objects. They participated in multiple obstacle courses and activities that strengthened the Beta Gamma pledge class.  Overall, Beta Gamma had the opportunity to bond with their pledge class sisters and learn how to help each other out by using teamwork. This was an excellent way to prove that any challenge can be overcome with sisters by our sides. &lt;br /&gt;
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There was no better way to begin the month of February than by having our annual scholarship dinner. Our Vice President of Academic Excellence worked very hard in order to recognize and honor our smart, studious sisters and give them the credit they deserve. We all met at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside in our sharpest key attire. We were excited and anxious to eat delicious Italian food and hear all about our sister’s amazing accomplishments. Some of the awards included most study hours, highest GPA, most improved GPA, and many more. This was a proud night for many, as well as an encouraging one for other girls who decided they want to work even harder than usual and strive to be the best Kappas they can be. This night was filled with positive and uplifting words that reminded and encouraged all Kappas to make academics a priority. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, it was time for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular Semi was located in Redlands, at the Fox Event Center. We got ready in our best cocktail dresses and every Kappa looked extraordinary. As we arrived, the words “Kappa Kappa Gamma” beautifully lit up on the outside billboard of the venue. We ate a delicious dinner of various foods and danced the night away on a beautifully set dance floor that was beneath sparkly chandeliers. If sisters weren’t dancing, many of them were also taking a galore of pictures to capture all of the fun and lavish moments. A professional photographer was also available at our photo booth, which was set up using a bohemian backdrop that was of course, dark and light blue. This magical and fun night with our sisters and dates couldn’t have been better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a circus theme. All of our sisters received a red shirt with an owl in the middle portrayed as a ringmaster and circus animals surrounding it. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with circus posters, popcorn machines, and face painting. Sisters enjoyed painting everyone’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative circus animals. The book we chose to read was Clifford Goes to the Circus, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. This philanthropic event was also extra special because our leadership consultant from the previous year joined to help and support us. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids.&lt;br /&gt;
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To end the month, we had a very eventful sisterhood. Kappas loaded their cars with tents, blankets, jackets and firewood, and were off to camp overnight at Lake Perris. We began by forming groups to build the tents. Building them was no easy task, and just when we thought it couldn’t get any harder, rain started to pour on us. We laughed off our struggles, and tried to finish up quickly. Although the rain was on and off throughout the night, Kappas always know how to have a good time, and our camping experience was nothing but fun and adventure. We walked to the beautiful lake that was surrounded by mountains, ate pizza, sat by the campfire, and ate an abundant amount of smores. Connecting with nature with our sisters by our side was truly a memorable day, and Kappa camping was a success despite some obstacles.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our Spring Quarter began by participating in the fraternity Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Krystal Neag. A few of the many fundraisers Krystal put together were Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, Kappa Karaoke, where tickets were sold to sing one’s heart out, and a fundraiser at Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt, where people were able to satisfy their sweet tooth. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances, including a dance that was based on different decades. Krystal won Highest Fundraiser, and raised one-third of the total of the money, which was very impressive.&lt;br /&gt;
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During the month of April we also held our joint philanthropic event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Both of our philanthropies revolve around literacy, so this competitive event is focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed-reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $1,250 and five hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF.&lt;br /&gt;
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The month of May was full of many events and festivities, starting with Parents Day. Sisters and parents gathered at the Indian Hills Golf Club to proudly demonstrate what our organization is all about. We ate a delicious brunch together, sang to them, and had tables displaying our history, crafts, and awards. It was a great time, and every parent fell even more in love with Kappa Kappa Gamma. To deal with the hot Riverside weather, our sisters collaborated with the brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi a couple weeks later and had a fun day at the park with water balloons and ice cream. Water splashing on us and the cold taste of ice cream in our mouths was a perfect way to combat the heat.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our last, and a top favorite, philanthropy of the 2015-year was Day in the Life. We bring sixth graders from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for a higher education. Sisters are divided into different touring groups in order to get to know the kids personally and be able to be more hands on and interactive. We teach them spirit chants and walk around the busy hallways of campus so they can experience for themselves what its like to be a college student. This philanthropy is so rewarding because every student anticipates going to college, UCR in specific, at the end of the day. They also fall in love with our amazing organization and want to be future Kappas, even the boys.&lt;br /&gt;
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Before heading into summer, we had one last sisterhood at the drive-in. Sisters dressed up in their best 50’s themed clothes while watching movies in their cars and eating yummy snacks. The group of girls with the best outfits received a gift certificate to make a sweatshirt with our letters imprinted, which was a big plus. After anxiously waiting for our Formal throughout the year, Kappas got dolled up and boarded buses to the Reef Restaurant in Long Beach to have a spectacular night with their dates. The venue was right on the bay, which was perfect for capturing memorable pictures. We ate a delicious gourmet meal, and danced the night away in front of the gorgeous waterfront view. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. With Epilson Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and greek unity, we worked hard and won awards including Chapter of the Year, Highest GPA, and Best Collaborative Program. Everyone was so Kappa proud and this was an excellent way to end the school year.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although it was summer for some, Kappas were still working hard on campus partaking in every freshman orientation in order to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. During the summer, we also reunited to film our recruitment video. Some of the places we went to included the beach, an amusement park, and one of our sister's beautiful home. Our amazing video embodied Kappa and our strong sisterhood very accurately.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although our fun-filled, adventurous summer was coming to an end, Kappa’s were excited to go back to school for recruitment. On the weekend of October 2nd, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular new members with baseball themed apparel, and had hot dogs and burgers for dinner. It was definitely one of the best ball games for our Kappa sisters. After a week of clues, room decorating, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Littles unwrapped their Bigs and embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories.&lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of asking dates to our Kappa Date Party. We received matching carnival crewnecks, and headed to Scandia Amusement Park. We spent the night playing mini-golf, riding rollercoasters, driving bumper cars, and eating delicious fair food. Quickly after, initiation week approached. Our Marshal hosted a Big and Little night at a local ice-skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as big and little. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Delta class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our most recent changes on campus is the addition of a new sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. This was very exciting for Epsilon Pi, and an excellent opportunity to help colonize and make new friends. There are now seven panhellenic sororities at UCR, and there has been an overall increase in interest in the Greek community. With so many more girls interested in the recruiting process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a great amount of new members. Our chapter has handled the increase well, and has accommodated accordingly. We are always happy and ecstatic to welcome new chapters, and new girls.&lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter Philanthropy:&lt;br /&gt;
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?&lt;br /&gt;
The organization Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for is Madison Elementary, our adopted underprivileged elementary school in our area. We put three events for them throughout the year, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? &lt;br /&gt;
We chose to support this organization because our chapter enjoys working hands on with the children in our area, and we know our service and donations are impacting them directly. We prefer actual interaction, rather than simply handing a check. It is very rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these children for the better.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2016==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the past year, the members of Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma have created many amazing memories that have enriched their college experience. Our chapter started the year off strong by holding elections in January after our lovely winter break which was quite a bit longer this year then in years past. As usual our sisters chose extraordinary women to help lead the chapter as Chapter Council. Shortly after, our education chair held the first education program of the year. The education program was all about proper etiquette, as a chapter we all ate California Pizza Kitchen and watched the presentation that our education chairman gave on good vs poor etiquette.&lt;br /&gt;
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On February 25th our chapter got together to do what we do best, eat. We had an amazing sister hood that was at the Kickn Crab, we all bonded over a very messy meal and made lasting memories with our sisters. A few days after our sister hood our chapter got together yet again for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular semi formal was located at a beautiful club in Long Beach. We all got dressed up in our best cocktail attire and every Kappa and their dates looked fantastic. Kappa’s all danced the night away and took many lavish photos. At the venue itself there was a professional photographer who helped to capture every moment of the stupendous night. This extraordinary night with sisters and their dates couldn’t have gone better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a day at the zoo. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with zebra and cheetah print decorations, face painting station, and a reading station. Sisters enjoyed painting the children’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative zoo animals. The book we chose to read was Animal Strike at the Zoo, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the beginning of the month of March our philanthropy chair planned an amazing event with Madison Square elementary school in honor of Dr. Seuss day. All of our sisters went to the school dressed in their best Dr. Seuss attire, and read to the children. This was such an amazing experience for us to see the joy on the children’s faces as we read the silliest of Dr. Seuss books to them. Later on in the month of March the newest member class Beta Delta got together for a new member retreat. The retreat was held on our campus at the student recreational centers excursion course. The new members all had a wonderful experience as they tried to climb up rock walls, ropes and ladders. The new member retreat was such a great bonding experience for Beta Delta. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of April we welcomed all of our lovely parents to our Annual Parents Day at Indian Hills Country Club. This was a fantastic day that allowed us to share why Kappa Kappa Gamma means so much to each of us with the parents . Awards were given out to Kappa’s for their academic excellence and for their spirit and dedication to the Epsilon Pi Chapter. Parents and Kappa’s all sat and ate a wonderful brunch and learned all about the amazing things that we have accomplished throughout the year. Later into the month of April our philanthropy chair organized one of our three main philanthropic events Words With Friends. It was a night to remember as we watched many of the students form the Greek community participate in our speed read and games. The entry fee to the event was a children’s books and all of the books raised where donated to the children of Madison elementary school. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also in the month of April Epsilon Pi participated in the fraternity, Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Sarah Lopinski. Sarah put together many fundraisers for the event including  Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, and Kappa Karaoke, where sisters and friends got together and sang their hearts out. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of May we had our annual philanthropy Day in the Life, where we bus over 6th graders from Madison Elementary to UCR. We get the opportunity to show these young children what its like to not only be a college student but what its like to be a Kappa. We give all the students a tour of our beautiful campus and teach them different UCR cheers. After the tours are over, we all eat lunch together on the grass by our famous bell tower and play fun games with the children. By the end of the day all the children are telling us how they are so excited to go to college, this is such an amazing feeling knowing that you have done a part in getting one more child excited to shoot for a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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After patiently waiting all year for one of Epsilon Pi's favorite events the time had finally come for our annual Formal. This years formal was held at a beautiful country club located in Costa Mesa. This night was one to remember with lots of beautiful pictures, and delicious food Before heading into summer we had one last sisterhood in which we spent the night in a mansion in Corona. We all began by taking cute photos with the many kappa props that we had brought on the outside of the mansion by the beautiful pool. Later on that night we got together and watched a scary movie in the home theatre that the house had. We all snuggled up in beds together hoping that we could sleep after watching such a scary movie. This sisterhood was such a great experience since Epsilon Pi does not have a sorority house we all got to experience for once what it would be like to be living together. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the months of summer some of the us got together to film for our recruitment video. We filmed in multiple locations in riverside including one of our sisters beautiful homes. After a fun filled exciting summer all of our sister where excited to be reunited once again for recruitment. On the  first weekend of October 2,, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we as Kappa’s do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. Sunday night we held our Bid Day, we welcomed all of our  new members with life guard themed apparel, and had an assortment of Mexican food for dinner. After a fun week of  room decorating, clues, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Little’s found the matching pair of sock behind a sheet and when the sheet dropped their Big’s were revealed. Big’s and little’s embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of the event our wonderful Marshal hosted, a sisterhood night were we all skated around the roller rink together in our matching inspo week shirts. The most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Epsilon class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. To finish of the year we had on of our most fun events  Kappa Date Party. We received matching shirts that were designed by one of our own sisters and headed to Boomers Amusement Park in Irvine. We spent the night riding bumper cars, go karts, climbing rock walls, playing laser tag, and miniature golf. Overall it has been a successful year for the Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. &lt;br /&gt;
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The most recent change on campus this year is most definitely the amount of students that now attend the University of California Riverside. For the first time in history Riverside received more than 50,000 student applications for admission. With that many more incoming students of course there where quite a few more women who signed up for recruitment this year as well. With so many more women interested in the recruitment process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a many more new members. We are always ecstatic to welcome new members into our chapter and we have been handling the size increase quit well. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for our adopted local underprivileged elementary school, Madison Elementary. Throughout the year we hold three philanthropic events for them, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi choses to support this organization because it gives us the opportunity to work hands on with the youth in our area. It is amazing to see our service and donations impact the the lives of the future of our community. Epsilon Pi prefers the face to face interaction that we get from our events such as Day in The Life and Reading is Key, rather then simply just raising money and handing in a check. It is so rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these young students for the better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi typically meets once a week for chapter meeting in a larger classroom or lecture hall on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2017==&lt;br /&gt;
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In 2017 Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma achieved many things and participated in many philanthropic and social events within our greek community and the real community surrounding Riverside. At our Pillars Award ceremony, hosted by Panhellenic, we were rewarded with the award of Best Chapter Management honoring our Chapter Councils hard work in managing our chapters affairs. Starting slow in January with fewer events following our winter break, we kicked the year off with the Scholarship Dinner which was held on January 26th. Our Scholarship Dinner was put on by our Vice President of Academic Excellence with the help of her committee. It was held at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside. Every girl was provided with dinner along with our advisors and various alumnae who attended. Throughout the night the Vice President of Academic Excellence gave out awards based on members' various academic achievements the previous year. This event celebrated members who may have had great academic improvements ad promoted the importance of academic achievement in our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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In the following month Epsilon Pi was a bit more busy. The first event in February was a sisterhood event which was put on by our Vice President Standards. This sisterhood was held at Build-a-Bear where members each made two bears. One for the member to take home and one to donate to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital. This sisterhood was a good way for members to get together and bond as well as do something good for the community. The following weekend on February a team of Kappa sisters participated in Gamma Phi Beta’s annual Moonball which is a volleyball tournament that helps raise money for Gamma Phi Beta’s philanthropy. Not only did members play in the tournament, they also came out to support and cheer on their sisters who played in the tournament. February 10th is when Epsilon Pi held their annual winter philanthropic event, Reading is Key. During this event the chapter went to a local elementary school, Madison Elementary, and decorated their multipurpose room up to the theme which was carnival. First grade classes got to come to the MPR throughout the day and the chapter facilitated many activities for the kids to do. These activities were things such as face painting, coloring, and the final station being chapter members reading a book to the children. At the end of the day each child got to go home with a book of their own. Also, the chapter donated books to the school as well. The final event Epsilon Pi held in the month of February was a sisterhood with Gamma Phi Beta. The chapters came together and decorated cookies for Valentines Day. The chapters also did Ice Breaker games and just bonded. Lastly, in the month of February chapter elections were held. The new chapter council was elected and joint Chapter Council Meeting was held the last week of February. &lt;br /&gt;
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March of 2017 kicked off strong with a sisterhood held with the girls of Delta Gamma. Our chapters got together and tie dyed shirts together and hung out at a local park. This sisterhood allowed our chapter to bond with a Panhellenic sister which we don’t often get to do much with strengthening our Panhellenic bonds. On March 3rd a group of Epsilon Pi members volunteered for Read Across America at a local elementary school. They got to spend the day reading and promoting literacy to the children in our surrounding community. Later that evening on March 3rd, we held our Semi Formal put on by our Event Chairman along with the help of her committee. It was held at a local country club and many Alumni joined and it was a successful event barring a few mishaps along the way. Following Semi Formal Leadership day was held for the new and old Chapter Council members on March 5th. Leadership day was planned by our Vice President of Organization in order to allow the time for old Chapter Council members to teach new Chapter Council members what their new job entailed and all the responsibilities their new job required. At the event all the advisors for the various Chapter Council positions were there and also met with their new officer. Also the new Chapter Council got to discuss goals that they wanted to achieve in their time in office and all the things they wanted to improve within the chapter. Many things were discussed that day and the new Chapter Council got a great start and great motivation from each other and the advisors to start their position strong and make some good changes within the chapter. The following meeting the new Chapter Council members were installed into their positions.&lt;br /&gt;
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Throughout the next couple of weeks Epsilon Pi was involved in a philanthropy called Miss Minerva held by a fraternity on our campus, Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This was a pageant type fundraiser that helped raise thousands of dollars for their philanthropy with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Kappa helped in this by having one girl volunteer to represent our chapter and do various fundraisers throughout the weeks leading up to the competition. Epsilon Pi also participated in a similar philanthropy held by another fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, titled Delta Queen this philanthropy helped raise money for the City of Hope Cancer Research Foundation. Both the representatives for both events held many small events to raise money for each chapter’s philanthropies. These events varied from holding fundraises at local restaurants to coming up with small clever fundraisers to do on campus at letters. One example of a small fundraiser held by our Delta Queen was titled Kolor a Kappa where people paid money to throw paint at members of our chapter. Although it doesn’t sound very eventful it was a vey successful event help on our campus. Epsilon Pi itself helped raise a large amount of money that we donated to each chapter’s philanthropies. These events also strengthened our ties within our Panhellenic community because every chapter had a representative and all the chapters competed against each other hopes to win the pageant. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a rather slow month compared to March aside from the various activities going on with both Miss Minerva and Delta Queen. April 22nd Epsilon Pi held a social event with fellow Fraternity on campus, Delta Chi. Members of both organizations got together on Earth day and volunteered at our campus garden the R’garden. Members planted plants and tended to the garden at our school. The following week Epsilon Pi had a visit from a Leadership Consultant. She stayed with our Vice President of Organization. While she was here she attended our chapter council meeting and visited with each member of Chapter Council to see how they were adapting to their new position. The Leadership Consultant was very helpful to our chapter giving the Chapter Council guidance onto how to deal with the problems in our chapter. On April 25th Epsilon Pi held another sisterhood event which was a kickboxing class held at the local UFC gym. The members of Epsilon Pi all joined together sweated and laughed while working out all together. On April 29th Epsilon Pi was involved in Alpha Chi Omega's annual philanthropy the Carnation Carnival. Epsilon Pi held a both making Kappachinos and a both doing a coin toss at the event. Sisters volunteered to work both booths throughout the day. The following day Epsilon Pi participated in Delta Gamma’s annual philanthropy titled Anchor Splash. A group of girls got together to compete in various competitions throughout the day. Epsilon Pi winning one of the events which was synchronized swimming. All in all the busy weekend was a success for Epsilon Pi. &lt;br /&gt;
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May 2017 was a very busy month for Epsilon Pi starting off with Salads with Seniors an event for the seniors and alumnae to get together and to have a lunch starting the seniors' transition from active member to&lt;br /&gt;
an alumnae. On May 5th Epsilon Pi participated in a powderpuff football tournament held by Fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. A group of sisters got together and formed a team competing against other chapters in a football tournament. On May 11th Epsilon Pi’s annual Sapphire Ball was held at a local venue in Downtown Riverside. This event was thrown by our Event Chairman throughout the night seniors got recognized and celebrated as this is their last formal Kappa event of college. On May 17th Epsilon Pi held another philanthropic event called Day in the Life. At this event Epsilon Pi bused over 6th grade students from Madison Elementary, the same elementary school that was collaborated with for Reading is Key, and did many activities with them. The 6th graders were given a tour of our campus and done various smaller activities with. This philanthropy is very near and dear to our hearts because it allows us to promote higher education to kids who may have no knowledge of what college is like or why it is important.&lt;br /&gt;
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Parents' Day was held on May 21st at Indian Hills Golf Club. Thrown by the Public Relation Chairman, Parents' Day was a brunch for both members of Epsilon Pi and their parents. During the brunch, awards were given out to outstanding members of our chapter. Also, during the brunch presentations were given to the parents from various Chapter Council members, such as registrar and education chairman, about the history of Kappa Kappa Gamma as a whole and Epsilon Pi Chapter itself. Overall Parents Day was successful in showing the parents why Kappa Kappa Gamma is such an important organization and what it does for their daughters. The week of May 22nd was Pillars week where our whole Greek community comes together to do various activities throughout the wee, some competitive activities and others to raise money. At the end of this week a banquet is held to give out awards to chapters for various achievements throughout the year. Epsilon Pi was awarded with Best Chapter Management celebrating our Chapter Council's recent achievements. On May 24th the Education Chairmen held a final sisterhood for the seniors. This sisterhood was held at a local trampoline park, Skyline, where the seniors were allowed to jump and hang out with each other one last time all together. The sisterhood retreat was held on May 27th and 28th at a house in Corona. Sisters got together and had a giant sleepover at a house. During this sleepover sisters bonded doing various ice breaker activities and watching movies and such. It was very successful in the bonding of our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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The next week starting May 30th through to the beginning of June was sports week for our Greek community. Epsilon Pi participated in many of the sports such as football, soccer, and volleyball it was very successful having teams in every event throughout the week. June 3rd was another philanthropy that Epsilon Pi held in order to raise money to donate to Reading is Fundamental. This philanthropy was a Kappa Karwash. Sisters got together at a local burger joint and washed cars in order to raise money for Kappa’s national philanthropy. The next few weeks of June events died down because it was the end of the quarter and finals were nearing but our Vice President of Academic Excellence did hold a Kappa Study Party on June 11th for all our members. She rented out a study room at one of our campus libraries and held a study party for all our members. At the study party she provided many things for our sisters such as scantrons, blue books, and pencils sisters might need for their finals. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the moths of July and August sisters were home for the summer, yet the recruitment chair along with the help of her committee started to prepare for recruitment. In September the week before school started recruitment workshops were held September 21st through the 26th. At these workshops sisters learned songs and practiced all the things that needed to be perfected before formal recruitment. Formal recruitment was held October 5th through the 8th. Bid day was then held on October 8th at a fellow sister's house welcoming home our new pledge class Beta Zeta. That following Monday, October 9th, the new pledge class was formally pinned and their new member education began. October 14th our Founders Day brunch was held at Canyon Crest Country Club. It was a brunch held by our Education Chairman in which celebrated our Founders Day. It was a very successful first event with our new pledge class setting the tone for them for the rest of the year. In the following weeks new members got to meet with the sapphires weekly leading up to big and little week which occurred the week of October 23rd. That Friday, October 27th, big and little reveal was facilitated by our New Member Chairman on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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Following reveal the new members were driven to an active's house where they had their first sleepover as a pledge class. They bonded with the New Member Chairman and with each other throughout the night. Sunday October 29th was Epsilon Pi’s October Sisterhood which was held at The Pumpkin Factory, a local pumpkin patch. Sisters got to bond with their new littles and with the new pledge class. The Week of October 29th through November 3rd Epsilon Pi was visited by another Leadership Consultant who checked up with Chapter Council’s progress that they have made this year. The Leadership Consultant also was able to come to chapter meeting to meet with new members and give a presentation to the whole chapter on the importance of attendance. The Leadership Consultant visit was successful in that she was able to help out chapter council with any guidance they needed leading their way into initiated the new pledge class. &lt;br /&gt;
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On November 4th Epsilon Pi participated in a philanthropy held by fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This philanthropy was a soccer tournament for the various sororities to compete against each other and raise money Epsilon Pi had two teams competing in the event and took both second and first place in the tournament. On November 10th Epsilon Pi competed in another sports related philanthropic event held by Phi Kappa Sigma. This event was titled The Phi Kap Olympics in which teams competed in various activities and games. Epsilon Pi also took first in this philanthropic event as well. Inspiration Week started on November 13th, this being the period before initiation where girls sit back and think about Kappa and the true meaning and values that Kappa instills in each of its members. Throughout that week our Philanthropy chair held Epsilon Pi’s first philanthropy event for the school year being a Kappa Canned food drive. Epsilon Pi collected cans and donations from various greek organizations on our campus with an incentive that the organization that donates the most cans will get a $100 check written out to their philanthropy. This however was a bigger success than our philanthropy chair had expected with around two thousand of cans donated and around $350 raised. On Thursday November 16th Epsilon Pi held their Big and Little Night put on by our Marshall. Big and Little Night was held at a local ice rink, IceTown, where sisters skated and bonded with their family lines. November 17th Fireside was held for the new members followed by initiation the next morning. On November 27th chapter elections will be held for the new Chapter Council. On November 30th Epsilon Pi held their Date Party at a minor league basketball game. On December 3rd Epsilon Pi’s Vice President of Academic Excellence planned a Kappa Study Party so sisters can get together and study before finals in our on campus library. On December 6th the Education Chairman held a senior sisterhood where the seniors meet at a sisters house and decorated ornaments and cookies to celebrate the holidays. Through all these success for Epsilon Pi Chapter throughout 2017 the chapter’s morale has gained strength. All in all 2017 was a good year for Epsilon Pi.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2018==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the year, the Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has participated in many events on the UC Riverside campus, and has been tremendously rewarded for its involvement and service in the community. We started off the year in January when we welcomed and transitioned the new leaders of the chapter during leadership day. This was a special time because the new officers were transitioning into their new positions and learned from the old officers everything their position entails. &lt;br /&gt;
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In February, the new chapter council was excited to start working on Parent’s Day which is a day where all the girls bring their parents together to show them what Kappa is all about. Our Parent’s Day was February 24, celebrated with brunch and set up by the Public Relations Chairman. Throughout the day, we awarded advisors and members for their dedication to the chapter, and had presentations about our chapter history. There were tables setup that displayed old archives like old composites, and scrapbooks for the parents to see. It was a great time for the members and their families to come together to take pictures, and learn Kappa’s history. We also had our sisterhood in February, where all the girls dressed in cute pajamas and went to the movie theatre where they had a viewing of Pitch Perfect. Many sisters came in matching pajamas, especially bigs and littles. The chapter even had a contest for the cutest pajamas, and the winner got a prize. Our biggest event in February would have to be Reading is Key, our philanthropy that is put together entirely by the Philanthropy Chairman. We went to a local elementary school, where we held many activities such as face painting and crafts for the kids to do. The theme for the day was “Under the Sea”, with many decorations and books set up for the day. The whole chapter came throughout the day and managed the different stations for the children to go through. Our goal was to show the kids how much fun reading and learning can be, so we had many books for them to see and an individual copy for them to take home. The kids were very excited and we even had a few sisters get on stage and do a reading of the books to the children. &lt;br /&gt;
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In March, we started the month with composites. All the girls met in the Highlander Union Building and got their portraits taken, which was set up by the chapter’s Registrar. We ended the month with our semi-formal, set up by our Event Chair, where the whole chapter comes together for food and music. Our semi-formal was March 3rd in Downtown Riverside, where we celebrated a lovely evening with appetizers, a photobooth, and dancing. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a very busy month with many fundraisers and awards. We kicked it off with winning Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash, where the members in the chapters won a dance and swimming competition. Our team came together and held many practices in order to make sure their routine was perfect. Not only did we participate in Anchor Splash, but we also were involved with the blood drive, and held a yogurtland fundraiser for our philanthropy. Mid April, we held our scholarship dinner at Cheesecake Factory where the chapter was awarded with their academic achievements. Throughout the night, there were a lot of awards to give considering the drastic rise in our chapter’s GPA. This was put together by our VP Academic Excellence and there were different awards such as ‘Highest GPA’ or ‘Most Improved GPA’. It was a great way to celebrate the academic achievements of the chapter and recognize all the hard work we put into for school. We ended the successful month off with our participation in Powderpuff which is a greek soccer tournament held by Phi Kappa Psi.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to the Pillar’s Awards, we have Pillar’s week, which is a week of competitions that organizations do on campus as teams. We were the red team, and our panhellenic chair along with our chapter council made sure we participated in all the tasks they gave us. The Chapter Council and the President put in countless hours filling in the forms and requirements for Pillars week. The award accounted for many things such as how involved the chapter is on campus, how much attendance does the chapter have at other organizations and philanthropy, and how well our academics and community service is. All the hard work paid off when our chapter won “Chapter of The Year” and the “Service Award”. It was a very exciting night that made the chapter very proud of its accomplishments. &lt;br /&gt;
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In May, we got to celebrate our achievements at our Formal, which is a night of celebration for the seniors. The chapter came together for food and dancing all put together by our Event Chair, where we handed out awards to all of the seniors for the end of the school year was approaching fast for them. We also kicked back and had our sisterhood, a kappa luau. Our VP Standards put together the luau where we hung out by the pool, got snacks, had cute hawaiian decorations and took pictures. It was a great way for our sisters to bond under the sun. We ended May with our second biggest philanthropy, A Day in the Life, which is also entirely put together by the philanthropy Chair. We had local middle schoolers come to UC Riverside, where we took the kids on tours, played fun games with them, and answered all their questions about college life. First we welcomed the kids to the campus, and played games with them to get know their names and interests. We then started by taking them on tours, based on their different teams, and ended the day with snacks and refreshments for the kids. The chapter showed them how great school and education can be, and hoped to inspire them to pursue a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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As June started, the school year was coming to an end and many sisters went home for summer vacation. While some sisters were doing internships, or going on cool vacations, the girls that stayed in town started working on recruitment. The membership chairman along with her committee spent many days tabling meeting the new students of UC Riverside, and answering all their questions about our chapter. Before the start of school, the chapter came together for recruitment workshops where we all learned songs and recruitment etiquette. It was five days of practice that really brought the chapter together in time for welcoming the potential new &lt;br /&gt;
members into recruitment. When school finally started again, it was time for Formal recruitment which was all managed by the Membership Chairman. The chapter was so excited to welcome home the class of Beta Eta at our olympic themed bid day put together by our New Member Chairman. Following Bid Day, the new members got a weekly sapphire that guided them throughout their first few weeks in the chapter. One important event in October was our Founder’s Day, put together by the Education Chairman. On October 10, the chapter came together at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we celebrate with brunch and presentations of the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma. We remember the six founders and the symbols that make Kappa so special to all of us.&lt;br /&gt;
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The new members finally got to find out who their bigs were during big and little reveal. During that week, bigs decorated their little’s rooms and gave them secret hints as to who they were. The bigs decorated cute boxes and popped out of them to surprise their littles, and the boxes had cute themes to them. In the month of November, the chapter had big and little night, which was put together by the Marshall and was held at a roller skating rink. Bigs and littles spent the night roller skating around and taking cute pictures in their matching outfits. We ended the month off with our participation in Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s soccer tournament to raise awareness for cancer. We had our strongest soccer players compete against other sororities and we were able to win first place. It was a great way for the chapter to come together, and for the Greek community as well to raise awareness for the cause. In the last meeting, November 26, elections were held for the new chapter council, and the chapter spends one last meeting together before the year ends. &lt;br /&gt;
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Ultimately, it has been a very successful year for Epsilon Pi. Not only did we win many awards, but we were very involved with other philanthropies and fundraisers. Our philanthropies main goal is to encourage kids to learn, read, and pursue a higher education. We do that by emphasizing the importance of reading and going to college, for these kids to understand that education is very important. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2020s==&lt;br /&gt;
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Starting out our Winter Quarter of 2020, on January 5th our newly elected chapter council had their first chapter council meeting as well as the following day, January 6th, we had our first formal meeting of the quarter where new officers got formally transitioned into their positions. On January 11th, we scheduled and attended our first leadership day where we invited advisors, outgoing cc, as well as incoming cc to create a smooth transition for new positions. On January 26th our newest pledge class had their new member retreat where they got to rock climb on the ropes course at UCR. On January 31st we were so fortunate to celebrate our 150th anniversary of the organization by being visited by the Minnie Stewart van! On February 6th we held a social with a Panhellenic organization, Alpha Chi Omega. On February 26th, we held our annual Reading is Key event at Madison Elementary where it was Alice in Wonderland themed and we read and did crafts with the 1st grade classes. On March 1st we held our Semi-formal event where we danced the night away with all of our sisters. On March 2nd, we participated in a joint philanthropy event with Sigma Pi Epsilon at a local elementary school reading to kids. On March 6th we held our Winter Sisterhood event at Hangar Trampoline Park. During the week of March18-22nd, we began our finals week while transitioning to a complete remote learning environment. Although many of us assumed we would be coming back after spring break, we ended up coming to terms that we would be having both our Spring and Fall Quarters completely online. On April 1st we held our first virtual meeting through zoom. On April 14th we began to review and evaluate the best and worst case for the budget with the treasurer. On April 26th we began to reevaluate and get on the same page for tackling the actions on our action plan. On April 29th we supported Denim Day virtually through our platforms. On May 27th we decided on the budget proposal and to put all of our members on a payment plan due to pandemic circumstances. On June 16th we raised and donated $2,700O to act able. On September 26th we began recruitment workshops every day until to 30th. On October 8th through the 11th we held formal recruitment through zoom. Although this process did look a bit different than usual years, everything ran very smoothly as we conducted conversations and voting on zoom and in break out rooms. On October 11th, we welcomed our newest pledge class, Beta Iota to the chapter as the bid day theme was Kappa and Co. We held our New member pinning ceremony on October 12th. On October 13th we all joined the zoom call with our chapter first to go over some history fun facts as well as conduct our founders day ceremony then joined the zoom call with our sisters across the nation to help celebrate our 150th milestone! On October 12-16th our lovely leadership consultant Cait Berosh held a virtual meeting with a majority of our chapter council members. On October 18th we held a virtual committee night.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On October 22nd we held a virtual COB night where we welcome a few more members to our new member class. On October 25th we were visited by a facilitator from HQ for a Aspiring to a higher type of Sisterhood Workshop. On October 29th we held a Spooky fall quarter sisterhood where we all carved pumpkins together. On November 4th, we held a sisterhood where we made fun PowerPoint on random topics. On November 13th we held big little reveal where a majority of new members got their bigs. On November 16th-20th we began Inspiration week where we did various writing prompts to reflect on our values as well as had big little night on November 18th. On November 18th the rest of the new members who were COBs got their bigs as well. On November 20th, our new members were officially initiated into our chapter. On November 16th we were presented with the slate from the nominating committee. On November 23rd, we held chapter elections where we elected prospective new officers. On December 4th we held a virtual baking sisterhood with a Panhellenic organization Gamma Phi Beta. On December 7th, we held our last meeting of 2020 and the quarter and after finals we will begin winter break.&lt;br /&gt;
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We support our local Elementary School Madison Elementary which is in an under served community.We chose this school, to only because we’ve worked with them many years prior, but also because a alumna from Epsilon Pi Chapter hasworked as a teacher there in the past and explained how our chapter could positively impact the students&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chairman and she aided in all the programming that was being planned as well as sent out little reminders throughout the quarter on how to be inclusive and how to be more conscious through the group me.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We appointed a sesquicentennial chairman who would kept us updated on new and fun stuff from HQ as well as would share various chapter history PowerPoints and we were so lucky to have been visited by the Minnie Steward Van to celebrate such an amazing milestone! During Founders Day we joined on zoom together as a chapter and did our Founders Day ceremony and then join the zoom call with all of our sisters nationwide to share this special moment in history.&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>VickiCarrigan</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=37088</id>
		<title>Epsilon Pi</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=37088"/>
				<updated>2026-02-08T20:46:02Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;VickiCarrigan: &lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;div&gt;{{Infobox Fraternity&lt;br /&gt;
|Name= Epsilon Pi&lt;br /&gt;
|GreekSymbol= EΠ&lt;br /&gt;
|Image= [[File:Epsilon_Pi.jpeg|200px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1976|02|07}}&lt;br /&gt;
|College= [https://www.ucr.edu/ University of California, Riverside]&lt;br /&gt;
|Location= Riverside, CA&lt;br /&gt;
|Homepage= [https://ucr.kappa.org/ Epsilon Pi Homepage]&lt;br /&gt;
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Epsilon_Pi Media related to Epsilon Pi Chapter]}}&lt;br /&gt;
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'''University of California at Riverside, 1954'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Epsilon Pi founded February 7, 1976'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''1,127 initiates (as of June 2018)'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Some of Chapter’s Outstanding Alumnae:''' (If you have chapter alumna who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.)&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Council Officers:'''&lt;br /&gt;
Kyle Donnelly, Fraternity Treasurer, 2022-2024, 2024-2026; Jessica Coffield, Fraternity Vice President, 2024-2026&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Additional Outstanding Epsilon Pi Alumnae:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Kyle Donnelly: Fraternity Finance Committee (2006-2008), Province Director of Chapters (2008-2011), Assistant to Fraternity Treasurer (2011-2014), Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Finance Committee (2011-2012), Scholarship Reader (2015-2018), Fraternity House Board Chairman (2018-2020).&lt;br /&gt;
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Ella Gaumer Vieria: Traveling Consultant (2000-2001), Province Director of Chapters (2005-2009), Technology Committee (2009-2010), Regional Director of Chapters (2010-2012, 2012-2014), Long Range Planning Task Force (2013-2016), Assistant to Director of Chapters (2014-2016), Public Relations Content Director (2016-2018), Leadership Education and Development Committee (2018).&lt;br /&gt;
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Yvonne Kim: Province Director of Chapters (2011-2015).&lt;br /&gt;
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Vicki Hill Carrigan: Kappa Trainer (2010-2016), Publications Committee (2010-2014), Technology Committee (2010-2014), Leadership Academy Facilitator (2012, 2016, 2017, 2023), Betty Brady Award (1995), Coordinator of Chapter Support (2014-2016), Convention Committee - Music Chairman (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2026), Adviser Academy Facilitator (2016), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Ritual &amp;amp; History Specialist (2019 - 2026).&lt;br /&gt;
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Jessica Coffield: Nominating Committee (2014-2016), Standards Specialist (2016-2020), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Standards Director (2020-2024), Fraternity Vice President (2024-2026).&lt;br /&gt;
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Traci Evans: Programming Specialist (2016-2018), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), District Director (2022-2024).&lt;br /&gt;
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Stephanie Hammond: Public Relations Specialist (2019-2021).&lt;br /&gt;
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Kim Braun Padulo: Province Director of Chapters (1987-1988), Province Director of Alumnae (1989-1990).&lt;br /&gt;
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Hailey Grisel: Leadership Consultant (2015-2016), Philanthropy Specialist (2016-2017).&lt;br /&gt;
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Meredith Hutcheson Reuter: Chapter Consultant (1990-1991), Province Director of Chapters (1993-1995).&lt;br /&gt;
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Lise Haxton: Traveling Consultant (1993-1994), Chapter Consultant (1994-1995), Chapter Support Committee (2004-2005)&lt;br /&gt;
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==The Early Years -- Colonization and Installation==&lt;br /&gt;
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Love and guidance by many caring Kappas allowed Epsilon Pi chapter to enjoy a great beginning. The culmination of this love and concern was exemplified in the beautiful Installation held the first weekend in February 1976 when 13 new members of Epsilon Pi Colony were initiated as charter members of Epsilon Pi Chapter at the University of California at Riverside.&lt;br /&gt;
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Installing officer Marian Schroeder Graham, Beta Phi—Montana, Fraternity President, was assisted by many others including Phyllis Brinton Pryor, Beta Mu—Colorado, National Panhellenic Conference Delegate and colonizing officer; Patti Ball Hillyard, Delta Chi—San Jose State, installation chairman and President of the Riverside Alumnae Club; Lyn Conway Madding, Delta Gamma—Michigan State, Kappa Province Director of Alumnae; Kay Reid Tennison, Epsilon Delta—Arizona State, Kappa Province Director of Chapters; and Janeen Gould, Beta Beta Deuteron—St. Lawrence, Epsilon Pi Graduate Counselor. Also, several advisers and Graduate Counselors to California chapters and alumnae from all over southern California gathered to participate in and to honor the Installation of Kappa’s 95th chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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The setting for the ceremonies was the chapter house of Epsilon Pi’s sister chapter, Delta Tau—Southern California. It was agreed by all and well stated by Phyllis Pryor that “no more perfect arrangements could have been made for an unhoused chapter to be assimilated into a totally Kappa setting where a true feeling of belonging could be imparted. The cooperation and hospitality of those members of Delta Tau who made this possible will be long remembered as a very vital aspect of the happy Initiation of Epsilon Pi.” She also noted that “the beautiful, warm, very adequate facilities of the Delta Tau house accommodated the influx of extra people and activities gracefully and with no evidence of inconvenience or interruption.” &lt;br /&gt;
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Fern Crane, Delta Tau Housemother; Katie Finnegan, Delta Tau President; Kris Kline, chapter coordinator, and chapter members were thanked for their superb planning and for making the guests and participants feel welcomed and prepared.&lt;br /&gt;
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It was here that the scene for the entire weekend, including a lovely Friday night Fireside Service and dinner. Delta Tau members added to the beauty by sharing some of their traditional pre-initiation thoughts and songs.&lt;br /&gt;
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Many gifts to the new chapter were recognized at the luncheon banquet, which was held at the University Hilton Hotel following Saturday’s Installation. Two special gifts were award badges for outstanding new members, one given to the new member class president, Debbie Dietrich, and one to Robin Rose, Recruitment Chairman, for scholarship.&lt;br /&gt;
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Greetings to the new chapter increased even more when more than 150 guests came in heavy rain to a reception Sunday afternoon in Riverside at the home of a recent Delta Tau active. UC Riverside administrators and Panhellenic representatives and members of other Greek-letter groups on campus along with friends and family members of the new chapter members honored Epsilon Pi with their attendance.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to Installation, the Epsilon Pi new members were busy with campus activities including selling cotton candy during Homecoming, a pizza party with alumnae, a new member retreat and joining the other fraternities and sororities in the Greek cheering section for football games and for Christmas caroling before the winter break. Epsilon Pi members also created a wooden plaque with pictures of the charter members, and they worked together on a hooked rug with an owl design for Delta Tau Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
The previous information was excerpted from (unknown source-most likely The Key.)&lt;br /&gt;
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The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to update its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1970s==      &lt;br /&gt;
              &lt;br /&gt;
From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter’s first formal, called “Sea and Sky”, was held in a multipurpose room in one of the apartment complexes near campus since the budget for the event was only $75; $25 was spent on decorations and $50 was spent on a band.  One sister, who was dating a Sigma Alpha Epsilon from UCLA, had him fix up some of the Kappas with blind dates with his brothers. Charter President Kim Braun Padulo recalled the surprised reaction of the boys when they entered the room as it was not the kind of reception they were used to.&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi faced its challenges head on and ultimately succeeded.  In the fall of 1976, they welcomed a second pledge class that nearly doubled the size of the chapter.  Following soon after, in spring quarter the women had to write their chapter Bylaws. After getting the foundations of the chapter set, the women focused on their sisterhood. To improve this Epsilon Pi chapter participated in a potluck with the Northern Orange County Alumnae Association. The theme was to bring with you your favorite Kappa memory to share. After doing so, the women realized that while they were close, a house would bring them much closer to each other.  They hoped that one day they would reach this goal for Epsilon Pi to have a chapter house. &lt;br /&gt;
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October of 1977, thirteen more lovely ladies were pledged after an informal Yell-in, and on Inspiration week, in October 24-29; the women were initiated. With rush again in the spring the chapter was able to grow from 13 actives to 30 by 1978.  &lt;br /&gt;
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1979 was kicked off with Formal Fall Rush. The first night the girls attended open house and had sandwiches while getting to know each other. The second night was theme night, in which the chapter put on their annual performance of “Kapparet”.  On the second to last night the chapter had project night in which the women used felt letters and animals to spell their names, these where then to be used for philanthropy. The final night, was preference night. Here the women all dressed up formally, and had dessert together while sharing stories in a circle. Epsilon Pi once again initiated more women, making the chapter grow a little bigger every year.  With the goal to become one of the largest chapters, Epsilon Pi continued learning ways of improving and growing closer in sisterhood.  To do so, their goal was set to focus on social graciousness, organization, and sisterhood (SOS). Memorable events from the 70s include hanging out at the pool at Bannockburn, yearly pledge class songs, and exchanges with other groups on campus. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1980s:==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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Small &amp;quot;get to know each other&amp;quot; parties were held at the Bannockburn pool, so that all the women could get to know each other better and create stronger sisterhoods. They also held exchanges. Epsilon Pi had an annual &amp;quot;walkout&amp;quot; in which the pledges would plan to &amp;quot;kidnap&amp;quot; actives and have them do funny antics like sing Kappa songs and Kappa Dances at different stops on campus like the library, residence halls, and classrooms.  Every stop would earn them a clue that would lead them to the location that the pledges had chosen to host them for dinner. They experienced the debut of MTV and this spurred lip-synching contests in the dorms, which were a blast! &lt;br /&gt;
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After just a few years of being established Epsilon Pi was honored to participate in founding of new chapters of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of California, Irvine and University of California, San Diego.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi held many different Philanthropy events such as making rabbit-like Easter baskets to give to the Sunshine School in Riverside, dressing up around Halloween in costumes and visiting the Riverside Community Hospital patients with candy.  One popular tradition was a &amp;quot;Grandparent Adoption&amp;quot; from convalescent homes where the chapter women would visit their adoptee twice a month and bring them carnations and homemade spice ropes.&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter Convention Awards:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1990s==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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In the early 1990’s, the chapter was focused on scholarship, improving rush, and philanthropy. The chapter tied for the 2nd highest GPA on campus in 1991 and placed 35 members on the Dean’s List. And in 1993-94, the chapter received the Dean’s Scholarship Trophy for the highest percentage of members on the Dean’s List.  The chapter maintained a high level of academic excellence throughout the decade, due in part to weekly mandatory study hours for actives and pledges.&lt;br /&gt;
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To prepare for rush, the chapter started early the prior school year with a 10 day work week. Rush quota gradually decreased on the UCR campus in the early 90’s. Quota was 32 in 1991, 24 in 1993, to 16 in 1994, and 13 in 1995. However, quota was back up in the 20’s by 2000. These smaller pledge classes, however, allowed the chapter to be fully involve the new members in all aspects of chapter life.&lt;br /&gt;
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Early in the decade, the chapter accepted the Challenge to Excellence issued to all chapters by the Fraternity. Work on the Challenge to Excellence continued during the rest of the 1990’s. It strengthened the chapter and brought the members closer together.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991, nine of the 13 founders of Epsilon Pi were present for the Founders Day brunch. In 1995, the chapter celebrated Kappa Kappa Gamma’s 125th birthday with Zeta Eta at UC Irvine.&lt;br /&gt;
On the social front, the chapter continued with its annual Sea and Sky formal, Monmouth Duo with Pi Beta Phil, and Kappa Krush dances. Epsilon Pi also participated in many sporting competitions on campus, such as the annual inter-sorority volleyball tournament, Sports week, the Greek Games and the annual Run to the C. The chapter also hosted a Parent’s Day each year.&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter focus shifted to sisterhood, public relations and participation in the mid-1990’s.&lt;br /&gt;
Housing:&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991 the chapter lounge was redecorated. The last update was 16 years prior! Also in this year, the university offered sororities a hall in one of the dorms to have as their own. The chapter felt this would be a good way to improve chapter bonds, and would show the university that they were serious about having a house in the future.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi won the Philanthropy Award at the 1991 Kappa Province Meeting. The chapter participated in the Cystic Fibrosis Walkathon and helped clean up downtown Riverside. They also continued their tradition of visiting the Sunshine House and their association with the Riverside section of the California School of Deaf. In the mid-1990’s, Epsilon Pi began a new philanthropy called Night Run.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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1992 Efficiency Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Standards Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Scholarship Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1996 Scholarship Award Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2000-2010==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter actively participated in campus events such as BEAR Facts Orientation, Block Party, Homecoming and Spring Splash as well as Panhellenic sponsored events such as Sports Week, Greek Unity Week with Greek Pyramid, and Presents. Founders Day was often celebrated with Zeta Eta, UC Irvine and the Orange County Alumnae Association. A yearly Scholarship Dinner was held to honor the sisters with the highest GPA, most improved GPA, and all sisters with a 4.0 in a quarter. Yearly chapter events included a fall Date Party, a winter Scholarship Banquet, and a Parent’s Day in the spring.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Housing:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi was the first Greek organization to be invited to participate in UCR’s Greek Housing Pilot Program.  The chapter was able to rent five units in an apartment complex near campus and 10 members lived there during the 2009-2010 school year.  However, due to a lack of contracts and security, the program was discontinued.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Members of Epsilon Pi volunteered yearly for a local breast cancer fundraiser put on by the Inland Agency, called “Shop to Stop Breast Cancer.”  Each year, chapter members volunteered to read to students at Madison Elementary School on Dr. Suess day. In Spring 2009, the members of Epsilon Pi hosted sixth grade students for “A Day In The Life” at UCR.  The Kappas gave them tours of the campus and the sixth graders got to meet the Men’s Basketball Team and the UCR Cheerleaders and Dance Team. The finale of the day was lunch on the commons lawn where the sixth graders read their favorite books to the Kappas.  &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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2008 Rose McGill Award&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011-2019==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011==&lt;br /&gt;
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2011 was a busy and great year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. Winter quarter started out with the nomination process, leading to the election of a strong, new Chapter Council. That quarter we participated in two philanthropic events at Madison Elementary School, Where the Wild Things Read and Dr. Seuss Day. Both events involved reading to the students and encouraging literacy. Greek Unity Week also took place during the winter. Our members were paired with the men of Pi Kappa Alpha to compete in various activities throughout the week meant to strengthen Greek unity on campus. As our winter quarter event, the chapter had a “Finally Famous” themed semi-formal, in which couples dressed as famous couples throughout history. &lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter also enjoyed a scholarship dinner at Ciao Bella restaurant and a go-cart racing sisterhood event held at K1 Speedway. For the spring quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter continued its emphasis on philanthropy. We volunteered at the Inland Agency’s Shop to Stop Breast Cancer event. Also, our sister Brittany Altamirano competed in and won the 2011 Delta Queen Pageant hosted by the men of Delta Tau Delta, raising around $7000 for City of Hope cancer research. During this quarter, the campus’ Fraternity and Sorority Involvement Center hosted a Pillar’s Reception where Epsilon Pi was proud to receive the Friendship Pillar Award. The Chapter hosted Parent’s Day at the Benedict Castle and a formal at the Pomona Valley Mining Co. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another major accomplishment for the chapter during spring was our Sports Week participation. Members assembled teams for volleyball and football, and did excellent in both sports, taking home the overall win for Sports Week. In April, a few members of our chapter went to Kappa Province in Tucson, AZ, where we were awarded the Rose McGill Magazine Award. As fall quarter began, the members of Epsilon Pi were eager for recruitment, to gain more assets to our chapter. After going through formal recruitment, the chapter welcomed 31 New Members on Bid Day. The New Members were taken to a taco dinner afterwards to celebrate and get to know the chapter. This year, the chapter invited local alumnae and the women of the Zeta Eta Chapter at UC Irvine to our Founder’s Day brunch at the Riverside Art Museum. Many of our members also participated in the Pink on Parade breast cancer walk, as well as the 5K run held by the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Our chapter enjoyed a movie night sisterhood as we went to go see the film 50/50, as well as a Thanksgiving potluck themed meeting to end the quarter. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Campus:''' This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus tried to really encourage unity among the Greek community, but the panhellenic organizations in particular. Kappa encouraged this as well, as we participated in Panhellenic’s Cookies and Crafts event. All 6 of the panhellenic organizations came together to get to know each other better, as well as learn more about one another’s philanthropies. We also participated in the kickball tournament thrown by the women of Gamma Phi Beta, to further demonstrate our support of panhellenic. The campus hosted many annual events like Spring Splash, Bear Facts Orientation, and Block Party, all of which Epsilon Pi participated in. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter:''' If one word were chosen to describe the overall nature of our chapter in 2011 it would be growth. We suffered some minor setbacks, but with positive mindsets and a strong chapter council, we pushed through and began making necessary changes for our chapter to head in the right direction. Epsilon Pi has taken pride in both its diversity and large chapter size and has used both of those factors to strengthen the chapter as a whole. &lt;br /&gt;
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One main challenge for the chapter was attendance. With such a large chapter size, we expected high numbers of attendance, but were not seeing that. Chapter Council began a point system for attendance. A minimum requirement of points was made necessary for fun/positive things later on, such as getting a little sister in the fall. In addition, our VP Standards took attendance into account as she looked over members who needed standards appointments. She stressed the importance of going to mandatory events in these meetings and the consequences of not doing so. The attendance problem was not completely erased, but the chapter hopes to see improvements, continuously reminding members of the attendance policy in our chapter’s bylaws and standing rules. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2012==&lt;br /&gt;
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Each year Epsilon Pi chapter continues to reach and exceed previous years' achievements. 2011 was an amazing and notable year for Epsilon Pi chapter. In January, we began with inspiration week filled with a variety of big and little and sisterhood bonding events. Soon after, the Alpha Omega pledge class was initiated. It was a beautiful and special ceremony that we were able to share with the newest members of our wonderful chapter. The following week we had an amazing Semi Formal which was hosted at the Caspian in Irvine, where we enjoyed an Arabian night filled with kabobs and belly dancers. Soon after we had elections and welcomed the newly elected chapter council. During that time period we were graced with the Leadership Officer and received an abundance of tips and advice on how to make our chapter even stronger than what it was then. &lt;br /&gt;
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Following elections and the LC visit, we had Greek Unity week on campus which brings the Greek and cultural sorority and fraternities together. This year we were paired with the men of Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. During this week we are separated into teams and participate in a variety of team and at the end of the week perform a team dance that is appreciated by the whole Greek community. &lt;br /&gt;
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As we continued into winter quarter we held two amazing philanthropies at Madison Elementary School; Kappa Kamp and Dr. Seuss Day. Both event encouraged the students to read and enjoy books. We also had a delicious scholarship dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory where we acknowledged our hard working sisters that make the Dean's List, have the most study hours, and the highest overall GPA. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of winter quarter we held our Leadership Day, which aimed at better training our newly elected chapter council to ensure that they would be confident in achieving everything their position asked them to, as well as doing their little perfectly.&lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring quarter, our sisterhood took a great start with having a fun and exciting event at Dave and Buster. This quarter we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Lauren Montes, won the Delta Queen Pageant raising $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices. This quarter we also had our annual formal, &amp;quot;A Night In Spain&amp;quot;, which was held at the Green River Gold Club in Corona. It was an amazing event where we danced the night away and appreciated the seniors, as it was their last formal with the chapter. As the quarter continued, we hosted &amp;quot;A Day In The Life&amp;quot; where we hosted students from Madison Elementary School and showed them the campus. We introduced them to the soccer team and cheer leaders and gave them a tour of the campus. We wanted to encourage the sixth graders to continue on to college to get a higher education and to show them that anyone can achieve that with hard work and dedication. We ended this quarter with a fun filled water themed sisterhood at our president, Brittany Altamirano's house. There was a water maze, water guns, and of course water balloons. The sisterhood definitely helped relieve some stress that we had pertaining to the upcoming finals. Later that weekend we also had our annual Parent's Day at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we had a nice lunch with all our sisters and their parents. We also appreciated our sisters who stood out exceptionally in being a good sister and kappa and sisters that stood our academically as well.&lt;br /&gt;
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After returning from summer vacation, Epsilon Pi was eager for recruitment and to gain new assets to our ever growing sisterhood. Following formal recruitment we were more than happy to welcome the 30 Beta Alpha new member class. After bid day on campus we took them to one of our sister's house to have dinner and meet the chapter; there were also an abundance of ice breaking games. This year, the Orange County Alumni Association hosted Founder's Day at the Tustin Senior Center. After thoroughly educating the Beta Alpha new member class with Kappa history and creating a new love for Kappa we had Inspiration Week and Initiation. It was again a beautiful ceremony where each sister was able to appreciate and remember why we joined one of the strongest sisterhoods. We concluded this quarter with our Kappa Thanksgiving, which brought our chapter together once again. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus was continuing to encourage unity among the Greek community. The board hosted many events where each sorority could come and support panhellenic. Such events were &amp;quot;blankets for babies&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;cookies and crafts&amp;quot;, and staff appreciation. Kappa supports the board and tries to get more involved by participating. Kappa also participates in Block Party, Spring Spash, and Bear Facts orientation.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2013==&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi had a truly remarkable year in 2013 with all that we accomplished and participated in. As our winter quarter began, we had the opportunity to help recruit members for the new chapter that was established at Chapman University with our sisters from USC. The recruitment was so successful that we had the amazing honor to be apart of their initiation ceremony and be their big sis chapter. Towards the end of the quarter we were partnered up with the men of Phi Gamma Delta and the women of Omega Zeta Chi to participate in a week of Greek Unity. The main event was a dance competition in which we were elated and humbled to have won first place. &lt;br /&gt;
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As the quarter continued we participated in our annual philanthropy of “Reading is Key” in which we traveled to Madison Elementary school and spent the day reading and doing crafts with the children. We also had a delicious Scholarship dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in which we gave awards to the sisters who had accomplishments such as the most study hours, highest GPA, and being on the dean’s list. The last major event of winter quarter was our semi-formal in which we went to a lovely Italian restaurant and had a great time dancing the night away with our sisters and dates. &lt;br /&gt;
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Spring quarter began with 6 sisters attending Kappa Province. In addition to learning valuable skills and information for our chapter, Epsilon Pi was honored to have received 2 awards: the New Member Program Award and the Norma Dow Patton Gracious Living Award. Soon after, we had a visit from the LC, which gave the new officers a chance to get ideas and information about her new positions in personal meetings that were set-up. We also had our formal at a beautiful venue at the Glen Ivy Spa and golf course in which we had a great night taking pictures in a photo booth, eating delicious food, and giving out senior recognition awards. &lt;br /&gt;
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This quarter was also very philanthropic. Not only did we host our annual “Day in the Life” event for Madison elementary school children to come and see what it is like to be a college student, but we also partnered up with the women of Pi Beta Phi to create our very own join philanthropy on campus called “Words with Friends”. It was a spelling bee and speed read event in which all the organizations could compete with each other and donate either money or books to our philanthropy. This quarter, as well as supporting many other philanthropies throughout the year, we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Hailey Grisel, received second place and remarkably raised $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. &lt;br /&gt;
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We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices because we ended up winning the entire event. Later that month we had parent’s day which was so special in being able to show our families a little bit of what Kappa is like. We were able to honor the sisters who truly embody what Kappa is and also got to see what our chapter used to be like through the heritage display. &lt;br /&gt;
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There is also an annual awards ceremony for the Greek community on our campus in which we were honored to have received the University of California, Riverside Marguleas Sororotiy/Fraternity Service Award in recognition of our leadership and philanthropic efforts in our community. To finish off the quarter and the academic year we had a sisterhood in which we were able to go go kart racing. We had such a fun time competing with each other for the fastest time and just be able to spend time bonding together. Fall quarter was a very hectic quarter for Epsilon Pi. We had another LC visit during recruitment which helped us make sure we were going about things as best as we could. Although we did not expect for the large increase in the size of our new pledge class, we were so grateful to welcome 45 new amazing women into our organization. Soon after, we celebrated founder’s day with our lovely Chapman sisters which was special because we got to see them experience it for the very first time as a chapter. It was so touching to see alumni from decades ago being recognized and pinned and being able to do our ritual together. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter also hosted an amazing event called “Finding Kind” in which we had the screening of the documentary to fight against female teen bulling. We then all took individual pledges to better ourselves and the way that we treat others. We were so pleased to see how many women from different organizations on campus came to support this cause. Towards the end of the quarter, we had a super hero themed date party in which we got to go to Sky Town and jump around and play various games involving foam pits and trampolines. Inspiration week and Initiation of our new Beta Beta pledge class was a very special week for all of us. We were so happy to officially welcome them into our chapter and share our ritual with them during such a beautiful and special ceremony. We also had fun during that week roller-skating and playing laser tag together during our big/little night. To finish off the quarter, we had a sisterhood the week before finals at the movie theater in which we were able to take a couple hours away from studying to relax and laugh with our sisters while watching Grown Ups 2. It had been events like this that keep us close and strong as a chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year brought changes that mainly affected our recruitment. Since our school decided to admit more students, there were more women that went through recruitment that the sororities were not prepared for. Although we thought it would be overwhelming and near impossible to have such a large pledge class, we pulled through together and were blessed to have received 45 new members instead of our anticipated 30.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2014==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year has been one of glee, many accomplishments, and ongoing improvement for Epsilon Pi Chapter. We commenced the year after a refreshing winter break with the privilege of participating in a leadership conference, Lead Today. Lead Today took place on January 22 on our campus with our entire chapter and alumnae. Coordinators were trained to help us grow and prosper as a chapter with novel leadership skills and progression in areas needing improvement. We participated in various hands on activities, games and discussions concerning the vitality of management, organization, and the overall aspect of a chapter working and developing in unison. Epsilon Pi Chapter was so thankful and gained an immense appreciation and understanding for leadership and how to use it, not only in Kappa, but in our everyday lives. This conference could not have come at a better time, due to the fact that elections were right around the corner. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our Kappa sisters did a wonderful job selecting our new Chapter Council and we knew Epsilon Pi Chapter was in good hands. Shortly after, we had our annual scholarship dinner to honor all of our hard working members who did exceptional in their academics. This year, we dressed in key attire and ventured out to The Old Spaghetti Factory located in Downtown Riverside. We loaded up on carbs and applauded our accomplished sisters when they received awards for most study hours, improved G.P.A., highest G.P.A., and many more. This night allowed our sisters to feel honored and made others strive to improve. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a few weeks of being back in school, it was time for Semi-Formal. Semi was held at Aroma Grill in Upland, CA. We all got dolled up in cute cocktail dresses and invited dates to escort us. Kappas danced the night away on the dance floor, took a plethora of photos in the photo booth and in front of the backdrop with a professional photographer, and ate a delicious variety of food. To end the month of February, our sisters headed to K1 Speed Zone for a fun packed sisterhood. Our sisters headed to the race tracks and raced in full geared helmets and mask and hopped in go-carts for some competitive fun. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, we had our first social of the quarter with the men of Phi Kappa Psi. Together, we had so much fun playing laser tag dressed up as Disney characters. Originally, we were supposed to go roller blading, however, the outdoor rink got rained out. Yet, Kappas always know how to make the best of things and we ended the night having a jovial time. To end our quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted our Reading is Key Philanthropy at our adopted school, Madison Elementary.  This year's theme was &amp;quot;Under the Sea&amp;quot; and the book we gave every student who attended was &amp;quot;The Magic School Bus Live on the Ocean Floor&amp;quot;. We loved seeing the students' faces light up as they read to us, crafted with us, and enjoyed some delicious snacks. The whole cafeteria was neatly decorated with fish, kelp, and other underwater creatures to create a fun, aquatic atmosphere. We donated books to their library and hoped to encourage them and show them how important, and intriguing, reading can be. This experience was so rewarding due to the fact that many of these students are from underprivileged households and the books we give them are usually their first books. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the start of Spring Quarter, we attended an annual philanthropy conducted by the fraternity Delta Tau Delta. They hosted a pageant that every sorority participated in by nominating one representative to compete in the event. This event raised money for The City of Hope through fundraisers and donations. This year, we selected Justine Sterling, who perfectly embodies Kappa as a whole. Justine worked extremely hard raising funds via bake sales on campus (Kappa Kappacino), and Karaoke singing night (Kappa Karaoke), as well as various dining and recreational events. Justine rasied over $4,000 for The City of Hope and took home the crown as Miss Delta Queen 2014. Her hard work and dedication paid off making all of us proud. Not to mention, we loved watching her in the pageant, especially her talent portion of rapping. In the month of April, we hosted our joint philanthropy event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Since we both share a philanthropy centered on literacy, our competitions were focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $2,000 and over a hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF. &lt;br /&gt;
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Every year, UCR hosts a sports week where each sorority comes up with teams to play dodge ball, volleyball, and football with different fraternities coaching and arranging practices. This whole week is filled with friendly competition and unity between our sorority and the whole Greek community. This year, we worked hard at many practices and came up in second place. Who knew we were so athletic? After sports week, we decided to have a social with the men of Phi Gamma Delta, who were our coaches for sports week. Bowling for strikes and spares was the event of the night while dressed in our Hawaiian skirts, shirts, and leis. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another event UCR hosts every year is Pillars Week. Pillars Week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All Greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of Greeks at our school. With Epsilon Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and Greek unity, we worked so hard and ended up placing first along with our team. &lt;br /&gt;
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During this same week we had one of our favorite philanthropies, A Day In The Life. For this event, we bring sixth grade students from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for higher education. This year we divided into different tour guiding groups and played interactive games such as red rover. It was a perfect day to have the students on campus because they were all able to see a busy campus full of students due to the fact that it was Pillars Week. These students had such a great time that even some boys flashed the Kappa sign in pictures as the proclaimed &amp;quot;I can't wait to go here!&amp;quot; &lt;br /&gt;
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With school coming to an end in a few months, it was the perfect time for our Beta Beta New Member retreat. Our New Member chair planned a daring evening of rock climbing at a local rock climbing gym, Hangar 18. Girls harnessed in and chalked their hands as they used their upper body strength and raced to the top of the rock walls. It was a perfect night for Beta Beta to be reconnected and have a little fun work out. For one of the last meetings of the year, our whole chapter went to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor to feast on all different flavors of ice cream, while discussing business, of course. This event is one of our most delicious sisterhood events since we get to eat all the ice cream we want, be sung to by Farrell's employees, and get to be with our sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
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For the last event of the year, Epsilon Pi Chapter boarded buses with our dates for a special night at Green Rivers Country Club. This year's Formal was eventful and filled with memories. Girls piled into the photo booth to take adorable pictures while some danced the night away and others ate their gourmet meal. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes. Formal was the perfect way to end the 2013-2014 school year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Although college may have been over for some, many girls who had just decided to come to UCR were making their way on campus for summer orientation in the months of July and August. During every orientation, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. We hoped to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Not only that, but almost as a summer reunion, all of our girls got together to film our, almost famous, recruitment video. We went to the beach, our campus, and the park to film a short video embodying Kappa and our strong sisterhood. It turned out to be a hit on our campus and with other chapters from other campuses as well. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a nice, long break of heading to the beach, relaxing, and a lot of studying abroad, Kappa sisters united for a week of practices for upcoming recruitment. Our sisters sang their hearts out and danced their best as we learned songs and polished ourselves so we could be the best Kappas we could be for recruitment. During the week our bonds of sisterhood grew exponentially stronger and our love for Kappa radiated in preparation of finding our newest members. On the weekend of October 3, we spent 3 days socializing and spreading our love and excitement to every potential new member who entered our room. We fell in love with so many girls and worked so hard that this turned out to be one of our most successful recruitments ever, bringing in our biggest New Member class of 53 girls. &lt;br /&gt;
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The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular New Members with &amp;quot;Key to Paradise&amp;quot; tank tops and a BBQ fit for beach queens. Our chapter transitioned so quickly to this shocking number of new ladies, and chapter council immediately understood that with a larger chapter, we would all have to grow together, and that is exactly what we did. New Members went to meetings every week to get acquainted with Kappa policies and jumped right into Kappa activities with our first sisterhood of the 2014-2015 school year. Our VPS planned a morning yoga session in a peaceful park for all of our members. It was relaxing and just what everyone needed as a de-stressor. Our New Members were also able to attend our Date Party at a roller skating rink sponsored by the Anaheim Ducks hockey team. Every member received a glitter Kappa snap back and Beyonce themed tank tops, while their dates received a Jay-Z themed crew neck. Everyone was so exited for their new Kappa clothes. Soon after, our New Members received their Big Sisters in such a cute and creative reveal. New Members were given a key to a specific car in the school's parking lot and had to find the right car to which the key belonged. Inside the car trunk, driver seat, or back seat was their Big. The excitement of the whole chapter was present as girls embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, New Members were ushered to their New Member sleepover where they bonded over games, learned about our Founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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A couple weeks later, Bigs drove their Littles to our fall social with the men of Sigma Psi Epsilon. Since it was the Halloween season, girls paired up with a Sig-Ep and carved pumpkins. This was one of our most attended and loved socials. As initiation approached, our Marshal hosted  Big and Little Night at a local ice skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as sisters. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our New Members of the Beta Gamma class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of the biggest changes to our campus occurred just this Fall quarter. In the past year, recruitment has grown as more and more girls become interested in sorority life at UCR. One of the biggest changes to our chapter was the welcoming of the biggest new member class we have ever welcomed. Our chapter almost doubled, but our chapter handled the change smoothly without a falter. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also due to the immense interest in panhellenic, the whole panhellenic community got together to listen to presentations from three possible new sororities hoping to colonize on the UCR campus. In the end, our chapter was more than happy to hear about a new sorority expanding our panhellenic community. Epsilon Pi Chapter is so strong in our bonds of sisterhood that we are more than willing to help the new chapter get accommodated to UCR. &lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter meetings are held in various on campus lecture halls and classrooms. This makes it easier for members to go to meeting since most new members live on campus and other members live near by.  Our chapter does not have a house and has not had a house in the past. We have a storage unit near campus where we keep and organize our supplies. For living situations, some girls live on campus, but most members rent houses where some members live together and sometimes end up living with other panhellenic women. Our living situations are perfect for building sisterhood and provide various places for members to hangout, study, and host various gatherings.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2015==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year, Epsilon Pi has had many defining moments that continue to shape each of our member’s college experiences. After coming back from a very well deserved winter break surrounded by family and sisters, we began a new quarter in January and quickly put our heads back in to the game, starting with elections. As always, our sisters made excellent decisions when selecting our new Chapter Council that consist of strong, efficient, Kappa leaders. &lt;br /&gt;
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Shortly after, our Event Chair planned our first social of the quarter at a nearby community park with one of the IFC fraternities on campus. Our members and the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta decked out in white apparel in preparation for a fun night filled with glow in the dark paint and athletic activities. We separated into teams and Kappas proudly showed off their flag football skills, all while glowing in the dark. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of the month Beta Gamma, our newest pledge class, attended a retreat. This retreat took place at our newly remodeled recreation center on campus. There was a rock climbing wall and a ropes course. They participated in activities that all revolved around teamwork and some critical thinking. During one of the activities, sisters had to figure out a way to get a rope to the other side without moving by working together. They were also blindfolded and were instructed to give clues to one another in order to find certain objects. They participated in multiple obstacle courses and activities that strengthened the Beta Gamma pledge class.  Overall, Beta Gamma had the opportunity to bond with their pledge class sisters and learn how to help each other out by using teamwork. This was an excellent way to prove that any challenge can be overcome with sisters by our sides. &lt;br /&gt;
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There was no better way to begin the month of February than by having our annual scholarship dinner. Our Vice President of Academic Excellence worked very hard in order to recognize and honor our smart, studious sisters and give them the credit they deserve. We all met at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside in our sharpest key attire. We were excited and anxious to eat delicious Italian food and hear all about our sister’s amazing accomplishments. Some of the awards included most study hours, highest GPA, most improved GPA, and many more. This was a proud night for many, as well as an encouraging one for other girls who decided they want to work even harder than usual and strive to be the best Kappas they can be. This night was filled with positive and uplifting words that reminded and encouraged all Kappas to make academics a priority. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, it was time for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular Semi was located in Redlands, at the Fox Event Center. We got ready in our best cocktail dresses and every Kappa looked extraordinary. As we arrived, the words “Kappa Kappa Gamma” beautifully lit up on the outside billboard of the venue. We ate a delicious dinner of various foods and danced the night away on a beautifully set dance floor that was beneath sparkly chandeliers. If sisters weren’t dancing, many of them were also taking a galore of pictures to capture all of the fun and lavish moments. A professional photographer was also available at our photo booth, which was set up using a bohemian backdrop that was of course, dark and light blue. This magical and fun night with our sisters and dates couldn’t have been better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a circus theme. All of our sisters received a red shirt with an owl in the middle portrayed as a ringmaster and circus animals surrounding it. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with circus posters, popcorn machines, and face painting. Sisters enjoyed painting everyone’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative circus animals. The book we chose to read was Clifford Goes to the Circus, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. This philanthropic event was also extra special because our leadership consultant from the previous year joined to help and support us. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids.&lt;br /&gt;
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To end the month, we had a very eventful sisterhood. Kappas loaded their cars with tents, blankets, jackets and firewood, and were off to camp overnight at Lake Perris. We began by forming groups to build the tents. Building them was no easy task, and just when we thought it couldn’t get any harder, rain started to pour on us. We laughed off our struggles, and tried to finish up quickly. Although the rain was on and off throughout the night, Kappas always know how to have a good time, and our camping experience was nothing but fun and adventure. We walked to the beautiful lake that was surrounded by mountains, ate pizza, sat by the campfire, and ate an abundant amount of smores. Connecting with nature with our sisters by our side was truly a memorable day, and Kappa camping was a success despite some obstacles.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our Spring Quarter began by participating in the fraternity Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Krystal Neag. A few of the many fundraisers Krystal put together were Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, Kappa Karaoke, where tickets were sold to sing one’s heart out, and a fundraiser at Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt, where people were able to satisfy their sweet tooth. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances, including a dance that was based on different decades. Krystal won Highest Fundraiser, and raised one-third of the total of the money, which was very impressive.&lt;br /&gt;
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During the month of April we also held our joint philanthropic event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Both of our philanthropies revolve around literacy, so this competitive event is focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed-reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $1,250 and five hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF.&lt;br /&gt;
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The month of May was full of many events and festivities, starting with Parents Day. Sisters and parents gathered at the Indian Hills Golf Club to proudly demonstrate what our organization is all about. We ate a delicious brunch together, sang to them, and had tables displaying our history, crafts, and awards. It was a great time, and every parent fell even more in love with Kappa Kappa Gamma. To deal with the hot Riverside weather, our sisters collaborated with the brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi a couple weeks later and had a fun day at the park with water balloons and ice cream. Water splashing on us and the cold taste of ice cream in our mouths was a perfect way to combat the heat.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our last, and a top favorite, philanthropy of the 2015-year was Day in the Life. We bring sixth graders from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for a higher education. Sisters are divided into different touring groups in order to get to know the kids personally and be able to be more hands on and interactive. We teach them spirit chants and walk around the busy hallways of campus so they can experience for themselves what its like to be a college student. This philanthropy is so rewarding because every student anticipates going to college, UCR in specific, at the end of the day. They also fall in love with our amazing organization and want to be future Kappas, even the boys.&lt;br /&gt;
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Before heading into summer, we had one last sisterhood at the drive-in. Sisters dressed up in their best 50’s themed clothes while watching movies in their cars and eating yummy snacks. The group of girls with the best outfits received a gift certificate to make a sweatshirt with our letters imprinted, which was a big plus. After anxiously waiting for our Formal throughout the year, Kappas got dolled up and boarded buses to the Reef Restaurant in Long Beach to have a spectacular night with their dates. The venue was right on the bay, which was perfect for capturing memorable pictures. We ate a delicious gourmet meal, and danced the night away in front of the gorgeous waterfront view. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. With Epilson Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and greek unity, we worked hard and won awards including Chapter of the Year, Highest GPA, and Best Collaborative Program. Everyone was so Kappa proud and this was an excellent way to end the school year.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although it was summer for some, Kappas were still working hard on campus partaking in every freshman orientation in order to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. During the summer, we also reunited to film our recruitment video. Some of the places we went to included the beach, an amusement park, and one of our sister's beautiful home. Our amazing video embodied Kappa and our strong sisterhood very accurately.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although our fun-filled, adventurous summer was coming to an end, Kappa’s were excited to go back to school for recruitment. On the weekend of October 2nd, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular new members with baseball themed apparel, and had hot dogs and burgers for dinner. It was definitely one of the best ball games for our Kappa sisters. After a week of clues, room decorating, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Littles unwrapped their Bigs and embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories.&lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of asking dates to our Kappa Date Party. We received matching carnival crewnecks, and headed to Scandia Amusement Park. We spent the night playing mini-golf, riding rollercoasters, driving bumper cars, and eating delicious fair food. Quickly after, initiation week approached. Our Marshal hosted a Big and Little night at a local ice-skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as big and little. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Delta class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our most recent changes on campus is the addition of a new sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. This was very exciting for Epsilon Pi, and an excellent opportunity to help colonize and make new friends. There are now seven panhellenic sororities at UCR, and there has been an overall increase in interest in the Greek community. With so many more girls interested in the recruiting process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a great amount of new members. Our chapter has handled the increase well, and has accommodated accordingly. We are always happy and ecstatic to welcome new chapters, and new girls.&lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter Philanthropy:&lt;br /&gt;
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?&lt;br /&gt;
The organization Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for is Madison Elementary, our adopted underprivileged elementary school in our area. We put three events for them throughout the year, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? &lt;br /&gt;
We chose to support this organization because our chapter enjoys working hands on with the children in our area, and we know our service and donations are impacting them directly. We prefer actual interaction, rather than simply handing a check. It is very rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these children for the better.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2016==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the past year, the members of Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma have created many amazing memories that have enriched their college experience. Our chapter started the year off strong by holding elections in January after our lovely winter break which was quite a bit longer this year then in years past. As usual our sisters chose extraordinary women to help lead the chapter as Chapter Council. Shortly after, our education chair held the first education program of the year. The education program was all about proper etiquette, as a chapter we all ate California Pizza Kitchen and watched the presentation that our education chairman gave on good vs poor etiquette.&lt;br /&gt;
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On February 25th our chapter got together to do what we do best, eat. We had an amazing sister hood that was at the Kickn Crab, we all bonded over a very messy meal and made lasting memories with our sisters. A few days after our sister hood our chapter got together yet again for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular semi formal was located at a beautiful club in Long Beach. We all got dressed up in our best cocktail attire and every Kappa and their dates looked fantastic. Kappa’s all danced the night away and took many lavish photos. At the venue itself there was a professional photographer who helped to capture every moment of the stupendous night. This extraordinary night with sisters and their dates couldn’t have gone better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a day at the zoo. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with zebra and cheetah print decorations, face painting station, and a reading station. Sisters enjoyed painting the children’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative zoo animals. The book we chose to read was Animal Strike at the Zoo, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the beginning of the month of March our philanthropy chair planned an amazing event with Madison Square elementary school in honor of Dr. Seuss day. All of our sisters went to the school dressed in their best Dr. Seuss attire, and read to the children. This was such an amazing experience for us to see the joy on the children’s faces as we read the silliest of Dr. Seuss books to them. Later on in the month of March the newest member class Beta Delta got together for a new member retreat. The retreat was held on our campus at the student recreational centers excursion course. The new members all had a wonderful experience as they tried to climb up rock walls, ropes and ladders. The new member retreat was such a great bonding experience for Beta Delta. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of April we welcomed all of our lovely parents to our Annual Parents Day at Indian Hills Country Club. This was a fantastic day that allowed us to share why Kappa Kappa Gamma means so much to each of us with the parents . Awards were given out to Kappa’s for their academic excellence and for their spirit and dedication to the Epsilon Pi Chapter. Parents and Kappa’s all sat and ate a wonderful brunch and learned all about the amazing things that we have accomplished throughout the year. Later into the month of April our philanthropy chair organized one of our three main philanthropic events Words With Friends. It was a night to remember as we watched many of the students form the Greek community participate in our speed read and games. The entry fee to the event was a children’s books and all of the books raised where donated to the children of Madison elementary school. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also in the month of April Epsilon Pi participated in the fraternity, Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Sarah Lopinski. Sarah put together many fundraisers for the event including  Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, and Kappa Karaoke, where sisters and friends got together and sang their hearts out. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of May we had our annual philanthropy Day in the Life, where we bus over 6th graders from Madison Elementary to UCR. We get the opportunity to show these young children what its like to not only be a college student but what its like to be a Kappa. We give all the students a tour of our beautiful campus and teach them different UCR cheers. After the tours are over, we all eat lunch together on the grass by our famous bell tower and play fun games with the children. By the end of the day all the children are telling us how they are so excited to go to college, this is such an amazing feeling knowing that you have done a part in getting one more child excited to shoot for a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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After patiently waiting all year for one of Epsilon Pi's favorite events the time had finally come for our annual Formal. This years formal was held at a beautiful country club located in Costa Mesa. This night was one to remember with lots of beautiful pictures, and delicious food Before heading into summer we had one last sisterhood in which we spent the night in a mansion in Corona. We all began by taking cute photos with the many kappa props that we had brought on the outside of the mansion by the beautiful pool. Later on that night we got together and watched a scary movie in the home theatre that the house had. We all snuggled up in beds together hoping that we could sleep after watching such a scary movie. This sisterhood was such a great experience since Epsilon Pi does not have a sorority house we all got to experience for once what it would be like to be living together. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the months of summer some of the us got together to film for our recruitment video. We filmed in multiple locations in riverside including one of our sisters beautiful homes. After a fun filled exciting summer all of our sister where excited to be reunited once again for recruitment. On the  first weekend of October 2,, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we as Kappa’s do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. Sunday night we held our Bid Day, we welcomed all of our  new members with life guard themed apparel, and had an assortment of Mexican food for dinner. After a fun week of  room decorating, clues, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Little’s found the matching pair of sock behind a sheet and when the sheet dropped their Big’s were revealed. Big’s and little’s embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of the event our wonderful Marshal hosted, a sisterhood night were we all skated around the roller rink together in our matching inspo week shirts. The most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Epsilon class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. To finish of the year we had on of our most fun events  Kappa Date Party. We received matching shirts that were designed by one of our own sisters and headed to Boomers Amusement Park in Irvine. We spent the night riding bumper cars, go karts, climbing rock walls, playing laser tag, and miniature golf. Overall it has been a successful year for the Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. &lt;br /&gt;
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The most recent change on campus this year is most definitely the amount of students that now attend the University of California Riverside. For the first time in history Riverside received more than 50,000 student applications for admission. With that many more incoming students of course there where quite a few more women who signed up for recruitment this year as well. With so many more women interested in the recruitment process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a many more new members. We are always ecstatic to welcome new members into our chapter and we have been handling the size increase quit well. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for our adopted local underprivileged elementary school, Madison Elementary. Throughout the year we hold three philanthropic events for them, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi choses to support this organization because it gives us the opportunity to work hands on with the youth in our area. It is amazing to see our service and donations impact the the lives of the future of our community. Epsilon Pi prefers the face to face interaction that we get from our events such as Day in The Life and Reading is Key, rather then simply just raising money and handing in a check. It is so rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these young students for the better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi typically meets once a week for chapter meeting in a larger classroom or lecture hall on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2017==&lt;br /&gt;
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In 2017 Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma achieved many things and participated in many philanthropic and social events within our greek community and the real community surrounding Riverside. At our Pillars Award ceremony, hosted by Panhellenic, we were rewarded with the award of Best Chapter Management honoring our Chapter Councils hard work in managing our chapters affairs. Starting slow in January with fewer events following our winter break, we kicked the year off with the Scholarship Dinner which was held on January 26th. Our Scholarship Dinner was put on by our Vice President of Academic Excellence with the help of her committee. It was held at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside. Every girl was provided with dinner along with our advisors and various alumnae who attended. Throughout the night the Vice President of Academic Excellence gave out awards based on members' various academic achievements the previous year. This event celebrated members who may have had great academic improvements ad promoted the importance of academic achievement in our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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In the following month Epsilon Pi was a bit more busy. The first event in February was a sisterhood event which was put on by our Vice President Standards. This sisterhood was held at Build-a-Bear where members each made two bears. One for the member to take home and one to donate to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital. This sisterhood was a good way for members to get together and bond as well as do something good for the community. The following weekend on February a team of Kappa sisters participated in Gamma Phi Beta’s annual Moonball which is a volleyball tournament that helps raise money for Gamma Phi Beta’s philanthropy. Not only did members play in the tournament, they also came out to support and cheer on their sisters who played in the tournament. February 10th is when Epsilon Pi held their annual winter philanthropic event, Reading is Key. During this event the chapter went to a local elementary school, Madison Elementary, and decorated their multipurpose room up to the theme which was carnival. First grade classes got to come to the MPR throughout the day and the chapter facilitated many activities for the kids to do. These activities were things such as face painting, coloring, and the final station being chapter members reading a book to the children. At the end of the day each child got to go home with a book of their own. Also, the chapter donated books to the school as well. The final event Epsilon Pi held in the month of February was a sisterhood with Gamma Phi Beta. The chapters came together and decorated cookies for Valentines Day. The chapters also did Ice Breaker games and just bonded. Lastly, in the month of February chapter elections were held. The new chapter council was elected and joint Chapter Council Meeting was held the last week of February. &lt;br /&gt;
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March of 2017 kicked off strong with a sisterhood held with the girls of Delta Gamma. Our chapters got together and tie dyed shirts together and hung out at a local park. This sisterhood allowed our chapter to bond with a Panhellenic sister which we don’t often get to do much with strengthening our Panhellenic bonds. On March 3rd a group of Epsilon Pi members volunteered for Read Across America at a local elementary school. They got to spend the day reading and promoting literacy to the children in our surrounding community. Later that evening on March 3rd, we held our Semi Formal put on by our Event Chairman along with the help of her committee. It was held at a local country club and many Alumni joined and it was a successful event barring a few mishaps along the way. Following Semi Formal Leadership day was held for the new and old Chapter Council members on March 5th. Leadership day was planned by our Vice President of Organization in order to allow the time for old Chapter Council members to teach new Chapter Council members what their new job entailed and all the responsibilities their new job required. At the event all the advisors for the various Chapter Council positions were there and also met with their new officer. Also the new Chapter Council got to discuss goals that they wanted to achieve in their time in office and all the things they wanted to improve within the chapter. Many things were discussed that day and the new Chapter Council got a great start and great motivation from each other and the advisors to start their position strong and make some good changes within the chapter. The following meeting the new Chapter Council members were installed into their positions.&lt;br /&gt;
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Throughout the next couple of weeks Epsilon Pi was involved in a philanthropy called Miss Minerva held by a fraternity on our campus, Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This was a pageant type fundraiser that helped raise thousands of dollars for their philanthropy with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Kappa helped in this by having one girl volunteer to represent our chapter and do various fundraisers throughout the weeks leading up to the competition. Epsilon Pi also participated in a similar philanthropy held by another fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, titled Delta Queen this philanthropy helped raise money for the City of Hope Cancer Research Foundation. Both the representatives for both events held many small events to raise money for each chapter’s philanthropies. These events varied from holding fundraises at local restaurants to coming up with small clever fundraisers to do on campus at letters. One example of a small fundraiser held by our Delta Queen was titled Kolor a Kappa where people paid money to throw paint at members of our chapter. Although it doesn’t sound very eventful it was a vey successful event help on our campus. Epsilon Pi itself helped raise a large amount of money that we donated to each chapter’s philanthropies. These events also strengthened our ties within our Panhellenic community because every chapter had a representative and all the chapters competed against each other hopes to win the pageant. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a rather slow month compared to March aside from the various activities going on with both Miss Minerva and Delta Queen. April 22nd Epsilon Pi held a social event with fellow Fraternity on campus, Delta Chi. Members of both organizations got together on Earth day and volunteered at our campus garden the R’garden. Members planted plants and tended to the garden at our school. The following week Epsilon Pi had a visit from a Leadership Consultant. She stayed with our Vice President of Organization. While she was here she attended our chapter council meeting and visited with each member of Chapter Council to see how they were adapting to their new position. The Leadership Consultant was very helpful to our chapter giving the Chapter Council guidance onto how to deal with the problems in our chapter. On April 25th Epsilon Pi held another sisterhood event which was a kickboxing class held at the local UFC gym. The members of Epsilon Pi all joined together sweated and laughed while working out all together. On April 29th Epsilon Pi was involved in Alpha Chi Omega's annual philanthropy the Carnation Carnival. Epsilon Pi held a both making Kappachinos and a both doing a coin toss at the event. Sisters volunteered to work both booths throughout the day. The following day Epsilon Pi participated in Delta Gamma’s annual philanthropy titled Anchor Splash. A group of girls got together to compete in various competitions throughout the day. Epsilon Pi winning one of the events which was synchronized swimming. All in all the busy weekend was a success for Epsilon Pi. &lt;br /&gt;
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May 2017 was a very busy month for Epsilon Pi starting off with Salads with Seniors an event for the seniors and alumnae to get together and to have a lunch starting the seniors' transition from active member to&lt;br /&gt;
an alumnae. On May 5th Epsilon Pi participated in a powderpuff football tournament held by Fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. A group of sisters got together and formed a team competing against other chapters in a football tournament. On May 11th Epsilon Pi’s annual Sapphire Ball was held at a local venue in Downtown Riverside. This event was thrown by our Event Chairman throughout the night seniors got recognized and celebrated as this is their last formal Kappa event of college. On May 17th Epsilon Pi held another philanthropic event called Day in the Life. At this event Epsilon Pi bused over 6th grade students from Madison Elementary, the same elementary school that was collaborated with for Reading is Key, and did many activities with them. The 6th graders were given a tour of our campus and done various smaller activities with. This philanthropy is very near and dear to our hearts because it allows us to promote higher education to kids who may have no knowledge of what college is like or why it is important.&lt;br /&gt;
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Parents' Day was held on May 21st at Indian Hills Golf Club. Thrown by the Public Relation Chairman, Parents' Day was a brunch for both members of Epsilon Pi and their parents. During the brunch, awards were given out to outstanding members of our chapter. Also, during the brunch presentations were given to the parents from various Chapter Council members, such as registrar and education chairman, about the history of Kappa Kappa Gamma as a whole and Epsilon Pi Chapter itself. Overall Parents Day was successful in showing the parents why Kappa Kappa Gamma is such an important organization and what it does for their daughters. The week of May 22nd was Pillars week where our whole Greek community comes together to do various activities throughout the wee, some competitive activities and others to raise money. At the end of this week a banquet is held to give out awards to chapters for various achievements throughout the year. Epsilon Pi was awarded with Best Chapter Management celebrating our Chapter Council's recent achievements. On May 24th the Education Chairmen held a final sisterhood for the seniors. This sisterhood was held at a local trampoline park, Skyline, where the seniors were allowed to jump and hang out with each other one last time all together. The sisterhood retreat was held on May 27th and 28th at a house in Corona. Sisters got together and had a giant sleepover at a house. During this sleepover sisters bonded doing various ice breaker activities and watching movies and such. It was very successful in the bonding of our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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The next week starting May 30th through to the beginning of June was sports week for our Greek community. Epsilon Pi participated in many of the sports such as football, soccer, and volleyball it was very successful having teams in every event throughout the week. June 3rd was another philanthropy that Epsilon Pi held in order to raise money to donate to Reading is Fundamental. This philanthropy was a Kappa Karwash. Sisters got together at a local burger joint and washed cars in order to raise money for Kappa’s national philanthropy. The next few weeks of June events died down because it was the end of the quarter and finals were nearing but our Vice President of Academic Excellence did hold a Kappa Study Party on June 11th for all our members. She rented out a study room at one of our campus libraries and held a study party for all our members. At the study party she provided many things for our sisters such as scantrons, blue books, and pencils sisters might need for their finals. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the moths of July and August sisters were home for the summer, yet the recruitment chair along with the help of her committee started to prepare for recruitment. In September the week before school started recruitment workshops were held September 21st through the 26th. At these workshops sisters learned songs and practiced all the things that needed to be perfected before formal recruitment. Formal recruitment was held October 5th through the 8th. Bid day was then held on October 8th at a fellow sister's house welcoming home our new pledge class Beta Zeta. That following Monday, October 9th, the new pledge class was formally pinned and their new member education began. October 14th our Founders Day brunch was held at Canyon Crest Country Club. It was a brunch held by our Education Chairman in which celebrated our Founders Day. It was a very successful first event with our new pledge class setting the tone for them for the rest of the year. In the following weeks new members got to meet with the sapphires weekly leading up to big and little week which occurred the week of October 23rd. That Friday, October 27th, big and little reveal was facilitated by our New Member Chairman on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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Following reveal the new members were driven to an active's house where they had their first sleepover as a pledge class. They bonded with the New Member Chairman and with each other throughout the night. Sunday October 29th was Epsilon Pi’s October Sisterhood which was held at The Pumpkin Factory, a local pumpkin patch. Sisters got to bond with their new littles and with the new pledge class. The Week of October 29th through November 3rd Epsilon Pi was visited by another Leadership Consultant who checked up with Chapter Council’s progress that they have made this year. The Leadership Consultant also was able to come to chapter meeting to meet with new members and give a presentation to the whole chapter on the importance of attendance. The Leadership Consultant visit was successful in that she was able to help out chapter council with any guidance they needed leading their way into initiated the new pledge class. &lt;br /&gt;
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On November 4th Epsilon Pi participated in a philanthropy held by fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This philanthropy was a soccer tournament for the various sororities to compete against each other and raise money Epsilon Pi had two teams competing in the event and took both second and first place in the tournament. On November 10th Epsilon Pi competed in another sports related philanthropic event held by Phi Kappa Sigma. This event was titled The Phi Kap Olympics in which teams competed in various activities and games. Epsilon Pi also took first in this philanthropic event as well. Inspiration Week started on November 13th, this being the period before initiation where girls sit back and think about Kappa and the true meaning and values that Kappa instills in each of its members. Throughout that week our Philanthropy chair held Epsilon Pi’s first philanthropy event for the school year being a Kappa Canned food drive. Epsilon Pi collected cans and donations from various greek organizations on our campus with an incentive that the organization that donates the most cans will get a $100 check written out to their philanthropy. This however was a bigger success than our philanthropy chair had expected with around two thousand of cans donated and around $350 raised. On Thursday November 16th Epsilon Pi held their Big and Little Night put on by our Marshall. Big and Little Night was held at a local ice rink, IceTown, where sisters skated and bonded with their family lines. November 17th Fireside was held for the new members followed by initiation the next morning. On November 27th chapter elections will be held for the new Chapter Council. On November 30th Epsilon Pi held their Date Party at a minor league basketball game. On December 3rd Epsilon Pi’s Vice President of Academic Excellence planned a Kappa Study Party so sisters can get together and study before finals in our on campus library. On December 6th the Education Chairman held a senior sisterhood where the seniors meet at a sisters house and decorated ornaments and cookies to celebrate the holidays. Through all these success for Epsilon Pi Chapter throughout 2017 the chapter’s morale has gained strength. All in all 2017 was a good year for Epsilon Pi.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2018==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the year, the Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has participated in many events on the UC Riverside campus, and has been tremendously rewarded for its involvement and service in the community. We started off the year in January when we welcomed and transitioned the new leaders of the chapter during leadership day. This was a special time because the new officers were transitioning into their new positions and learned from the old officers everything their position entails. &lt;br /&gt;
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In February, the new chapter council was excited to start working on Parent’s Day which is a day where all the girls bring their parents together to show them what Kappa is all about. Our Parent’s Day was February 24, celebrated with brunch and set up by the Public Relations Chairman. Throughout the day, we awarded advisors and members for their dedication to the chapter, and had presentations about our chapter history. There were tables setup that displayed old archives like old composites, and scrapbooks for the parents to see. It was a great time for the members and their families to come together to take pictures, and learn Kappa’s history. We also had our sisterhood in February, where all the girls dressed in cute pajamas and went to the movie theatre where they had a viewing of Pitch Perfect. Many sisters came in matching pajamas, especially bigs and littles. The chapter even had a contest for the cutest pajamas, and the winner got a prize. Our biggest event in February would have to be Reading is Key, our philanthropy that is put together entirely by the Philanthropy Chairman. We went to a local elementary school, where we held many activities such as face painting and crafts for the kids to do. The theme for the day was “Under the Sea”, with many decorations and books set up for the day. The whole chapter came throughout the day and managed the different stations for the children to go through. Our goal was to show the kids how much fun reading and learning can be, so we had many books for them to see and an individual copy for them to take home. The kids were very excited and we even had a few sisters get on stage and do a reading of the books to the children. &lt;br /&gt;
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In March, we started the month with composites. All the girls met in the Highlander Union Building and got their portraits taken, which was set up by the chapter’s Registrar. We ended the month with our semi-formal, set up by our Event Chair, where the whole chapter comes together for food and music. Our semi-formal was March 3rd in Downtown Riverside, where we celebrated a lovely evening with appetizers, a photobooth, and dancing. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a very busy month with many fundraisers and awards. We kicked it off with winning Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash, where the members in the chapters won a dance and swimming competition. Our team came together and held many practices in order to make sure their routine was perfect. Not only did we participate in Anchor Splash, but we also were involved with the blood drive, and held a yogurtland fundraiser for our philanthropy. Mid April, we held our scholarship dinner at Cheesecake Factory where the chapter was awarded with their academic achievements. Throughout the night, there were a lot of awards to give considering the drastic rise in our chapter’s GPA. This was put together by our VP Academic Excellence and there were different awards such as ‘Highest GPA’ or ‘Most Improved GPA’. It was a great way to celebrate the academic achievements of the chapter and recognize all the hard work we put into for school. We ended the successful month off with our participation in Powderpuff which is a greek soccer tournament held by Phi Kappa Psi.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to the Pillar’s Awards, we have Pillar’s week, which is a week of competitions that organizations do on campus as teams. We were the red team, and our panhellenic chair along with our chapter council made sure we participated in all the tasks they gave us. The Chapter Council and the President put in countless hours filling in the forms and requirements for Pillars week. The award accounted for many things such as how involved the chapter is on campus, how much attendance does the chapter have at other organizations and philanthropy, and how well our academics and community service is. All the hard work paid off when our chapter won “Chapter of The Year” and the “Service Award”. It was a very exciting night that made the chapter very proud of its accomplishments. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In May, we got to celebrate our achievements at our Formal, which is a night of celebration for the seniors. The chapter came together for food and dancing all put together by our Event Chair, where we handed out awards to all of the seniors for the end of the school year was approaching fast for them. We also kicked back and had our sisterhood, a kappa luau. Our VP Standards put together the luau where we hung out by the pool, got snacks, had cute hawaiian decorations and took pictures. It was a great way for our sisters to bond under the sun. We ended May with our second biggest philanthropy, A Day in the Life, which is also entirely put together by the philanthropy Chair. We had local middle schoolers come to UC Riverside, where we took the kids on tours, played fun games with them, and answered all their questions about college life. First we welcomed the kids to the campus, and played games with them to get know their names and interests. We then started by taking them on tours, based on their different teams, and ended the day with snacks and refreshments for the kids. The chapter showed them how great school and education can be, and hoped to inspire them to pursue a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As June started, the school year was coming to an end and many sisters went home for summer vacation. While some sisters were doing internships, or going on cool vacations, the girls that stayed in town started working on recruitment. The membership chairman along with her committee spent many days tabling meeting the new students of UC Riverside, and answering all their questions about our chapter. Before the start of school, the chapter came together for recruitment workshops where we all learned songs and recruitment etiquette. It was five days of practice that really brought the chapter together in time for welcoming the potential new &lt;br /&gt;
members into recruitment. When school finally started again, it was time for Formal recruitment which was all managed by the Membership Chairman. The chapter was so excited to welcome home the class of Beta Eta at our olympic themed bid day put together by our New Member Chairman. Following Bid Day, the new members got a weekly sapphire that guided them throughout their first few weeks in the chapter. One important event in October was our Founder’s Day, put together by the Education Chairman. On October 10, the chapter came together at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we celebrate with brunch and presentations of the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma. We remember the six founders and the symbols that make Kappa so special to all of us.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The new members finally got to find out who their bigs were during big and little reveal. During that week, bigs decorated their little’s rooms and gave them secret hints as to who they were. The bigs decorated cute boxes and popped out of them to surprise their littles, and the boxes had cute themes to them. In the month of November, the chapter had big and little night, which was put together by the Marshall and was held at a roller skating rink. Bigs and littles spent the night roller skating around and taking cute pictures in their matching outfits. We ended the month off with our participation in Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s soccer tournament to raise awareness for cancer. We had our strongest soccer players compete against other sororities and we were able to win first place. It was a great way for the chapter to come together, and for the Greek community as well to raise awareness for the cause. In the last meeting, November 26, elections were held for the new chapter council, and the chapter spends one last meeting together before the year ends. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ultimately, it has been a very successful year for Epsilon Pi. Not only did we win many awards, but we were very involved with other philanthropies and fundraisers. Our philanthropies main goal is to encourage kids to learn, read, and pursue a higher education. We do that by emphasizing the importance of reading and going to college, for these kids to understand that education is very important. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Highlights of 2020s==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Starting out our Winter Quarter of 2020, on January 5th our newly elected chapter council had their first chapter council meeting as well as the following day, January 6th, we had our first formal meeting of the quarter where new officers got formally transitioned into their positions. On January 11th, we scheduled and attended our first leadership day where we invited advisors, outgoing cc, as well as incoming cc to create a smooth transition for new positions. On January 26th our newest pledge class had their new member retreat where they got to rock climb on the ropes course at UCR. On January 31st we were so fortunate to celebrate our 150th anniversary of the organization by being visited by the Minnie Stewart van! On February 6th we held a social with a Panhellenic organization, Alpha Chi Omega. On February 26th, we held our annual Reading is Key event at Madison Elementary where it was Alice in Wonderland themed and we read and did crafts with the 1st grade classes. On March 1st we held our Semi-formal event where we danced the night away with all of our sisters. On March 2nd, we participated in a joint philanthropy event with Sigma Pi Epsilon at a local elementary school reading to kids. On March 6th we held our Winter Sisterhood event at Hangar Trampoline Park. During the week of March18-22nd, we began our finals week while transitioning to a complete remote learning environment. Although many of us assumed we would be coming back after spring break, we ended up coming to terms that we would be having both our Spring and Fall Quarters completely online. On April 1st we held our first virtual meeting through zoom. On April 14th we began to review and evaluate the best and worst case for the budget with the treasurer. On April 26th we began to reevaluate and get on the same page for tackling the actions on our action plan. On April 29th we supported Denim Day virtually through our platforms. On May 27th we decided on the budget proposal and to put all of our members on a payment plan due to pandemic circumstances. On June 16th we raised and donated $2,700O to act able. On September 26th we began recruitment workshops every day until to 30th. On October 8th through the 11th we held formal recruitment through zoom. Although this process did look a bit different than usual years, everything ran very smoothly as we conducted conversations and voting on zoom and in break out rooms. On October 11th, we welcomed our newest pledge class, Beta Iota to the chapter as the bid day theme was Kappa and Co. We held our New member pinning ceremony on October 12th. On October 13th we all joined the zoom call with our chapter first to go over some history fun facts as well as conduct our founders day ceremony then joined the zoom call with our sisters across the nation to help celebrate our 150th milestone! On October 12-16th our lovely leadership consultant Cait Berosh held a virtual meeting with a majority of our chapter council members. On October 18th we held a virtual committee night.&lt;br /&gt;
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On October 22nd we held a virtual COB night where we welcome a few more members to our new member class. On October 25th we were visited by a facilitator from HQ for a Aspiring to a higher type of Sisterhood Workshop. On October 29th we held a Spooky fall quarter sisterhood where we all carved pumpkins together. On November 4th, we held a sisterhood where we made fun PowerPoint on random topics. On November 13th we held big little reveal where a majority of new members got their bigs. On November 16th-20th we began Inspiration week where we did various writing prompts to reflect on our values as well as had big little night on November 18th. On November 18th the rest of the new members who were COBs got their bigs as well. On November 20th, our new members were officially initiated into our chapter. On November 16th we were presented with the slate from the nominating committee. On November 23rd, we held chapter elections where we elected prospective new officers. On December 4th we held a virtual baking sisterhood with a Panhellenic organization Gamma Phi Beta. On December 7th, we held our last meeting of 2020 and the quarter and after finals we will begin winter break.&lt;br /&gt;
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We support our local Elementary School Madison Elementary which is in an under served community.We chose this school, to only because we’ve worked with them many years prior, but also because a alumna from Epsilon Pi Chapter hasworked as a teacher there in the past and explained how our chapter could positively impact the students&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chairman and she aided in all the programming that was being planned as well as sent out little reminders throughout the quarter on how to be inclusive and how to be more conscious through the group me.&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a sesquicentennial chairman who would kept us updated on new and fun stuff from HQ as well as would share various chapter history PowerPoints and we were so lucky to have been visited by the Minnie Steward Van to celebrate such an amazing milestone! During Founders Day we joined on zoom together as a chapter and did our Founders Day ceremony and then join the zoom call with all of our sisters nationwide to share this special moment in history.&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>VickiCarrigan</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23802</id>
		<title>Epsilon Pi</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23802"/>
				<updated>2024-08-22T16:29:12Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;VickiCarrigan: &lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;div&gt;{{Infobox Fraternity&lt;br /&gt;
|Name= Epsilon Pi&lt;br /&gt;
|GreekSymbol= EΠ&lt;br /&gt;
|Image= [[File:Epsilon_Pi.jpeg|200px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1976|02|07}}&lt;br /&gt;
|College= [https://www.ucr.edu/ University of California, Riverside]&lt;br /&gt;
|Location= Riverside, CA&lt;br /&gt;
|Homepage= [https://ucr.kappa.org/ Epsilon Pi Homepage]&lt;br /&gt;
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Epsilon_Pi Media related to Epsilon Pi Chapter]}}&lt;br /&gt;
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'''University of California at Riverside, 1954'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Epsilon Pi founded February 7, 1976'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''1,127 initiates (as of June 2018)'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Some of Chapter’s Outstanding Alumnae:''' (If you have chapter alumna who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.)&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Council Officers:'''&lt;br /&gt;
Kyle Donnelly, Fraternity Treasurer, 2022-2024, 2024-2026; Jessica Coffield, Fraternity Vice President, 2024-2026&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Additional Outstanding Epsilon Pi Alumnae:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Kyle Donnelly: Fraternity Finance Committee (2006-2008), Province Director of Chapters (2008-2011), Assistant to Fraternity Treasurer (2011-2014), Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Finance Committee (2011-2012), Scholarship Reader (2015-2018), Fraternity House Board Chairman (2018-2020).&lt;br /&gt;
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Ella Gaumer Vieria: Traveling Consultant (2000-2001), Province Director of Chapters (2005-2009), Technology Committee (2009-2010), Regional Director of Chapters (2010-2012, 2012-2014), Long Range Planning Task Force (2013-2016), Assistant to Director of Chapters (2014-2016), Public Relations Content Director (2016-2018), Leadership Education and Development Committee (2018).&lt;br /&gt;
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Yvonne Kim: Province Director of Chapters (2011-2015).&lt;br /&gt;
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Vicki Hill Carrigan: Kappa Trainer (2010-2016), Publications Committee (2010-2014), Technology Committee (2010-2014), Leadership Academy Facilitator (2012, 2016, 2017, 2023), Betty Brady Award (1995), Coordinator of Chapter Support (2014-2016), Convention Committee - Music Chairman (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024), Adviser Academy Facilitator (2016), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Ritual &amp;amp; History Specialist (2019 - 2026).&lt;br /&gt;
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Jessica Coffield: Nominating Committee (2014-2016), Standards Specialist (2016-2020), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Standards Director (2020-2024), Fraternity Vice President (2024-2026).&lt;br /&gt;
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Traci Evans: Programming Specialist (2016-2018), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), District Director (2022-2024).&lt;br /&gt;
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Stephanie Hammond: Public Relations Specialist (2019-2021).&lt;br /&gt;
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Kim Braun Padulo: Province Director of Chapters (1987-1988), Province Director of Alumnae (1989-1990).&lt;br /&gt;
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Hailey Grisel: Leadership Consultant (2015-2016), Philanthropy Specialist (2016-2017).&lt;br /&gt;
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Meredith Hutcheson Reuter: Chapter Consultant (1990-1991), Province Director of Chapters (1993-1995).&lt;br /&gt;
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Lise Haxton: Traveling Consultant (1993-1994), Chapter Consultant (1994-1995), Chapter Support Committee (2004-2005)&lt;br /&gt;
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==The Early Years -- Colonization and Installation==&lt;br /&gt;
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Love and guidance by many caring Kappas allowed Epsilon Pi chapter to enjoy a great beginning. The culmination of this love and concern was exemplified in the beautiful Installation held the first weekend in February 1976 when 13 new members of Epsilon Pi Colony were initiated as charter members of Epsilon Pi Chapter at the University of California at Riverside.&lt;br /&gt;
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Installing officer Marian Schroeder Graham, Beta Phi—Montana, Fraternity President, was assisted by many others including Phyllis Brinton Pryor, Beta Mu—Colorado, National Panhellenic Conference Delegate and colonizing officer; Patti Ball Hillyard, Delta Chi—San Jose State, installation chairman and President of the Riverside Alumnae Club; Lyn Conway Madding, Delta Gamma—Michigan State, Kappa Province Director of Alumnae; Kay Reid Tennison, Epsilon Delta—Arizona State, Kappa Province Director of Chapters; and Janeen Gould, Beta Beta Deuteron—St. Lawrence, Epsilon Pi Graduate Counselor. Also, several advisers and Graduate Counselors to California chapters and alumnae from all over southern California gathered to participate in and to honor the Installation of Kappa’s 95th chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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The setting for the ceremonies was the chapter house of Epsilon Pi’s sister chapter, Delta Tau—Southern California. It was agreed by all and well stated by Phyllis Pryor that “no more perfect arrangements could have been made for an unhoused chapter to be assimilated into a totally Kappa setting where a true feeling of belonging could be imparted. The cooperation and hospitality of those members of Delta Tau who made this possible will be long remembered as a very vital aspect of the happy Initiation of Epsilon Pi.” She also noted that “the beautiful, warm, very adequate facilities of the Delta Tau house accommodated the influx of extra people and activities gracefully and with no evidence of inconvenience or interruption.” &lt;br /&gt;
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Fern Crane, Delta Tau Housemother; Katie Finnegan, Delta Tau President; Kris Kline, chapter coordinator, and chapter members were thanked for their superb planning and for making the guests and participants feel welcomed and prepared.&lt;br /&gt;
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It was here that the scene for the entire weekend, including a lovely Friday night Fireside Service and dinner. Delta Tau members added to the beauty by sharing some of their traditional pre-initiation thoughts and songs.&lt;br /&gt;
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Many gifts to the new chapter were recognized at the luncheon banquet, which was held at the University Hilton Hotel following Saturday’s Installation. Two special gifts were award badges for outstanding new members, one given to the new member class president, Debbie Dietrich, and one to Robin Rose, Recruitment Chairman, for scholarship.&lt;br /&gt;
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Greetings to the new chapter increased even more when more than 150 guests came in heavy rain to a reception Sunday afternoon in Riverside at the home of a recent Delta Tau active. UC Riverside administrators and Panhellenic representatives and members of other Greek-letter groups on campus along with friends and family members of the new chapter members honored Epsilon Pi with their attendance.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to Installation, the Epsilon Pi new members were busy with campus activities including selling cotton candy during Homecoming, a pizza party with alumnae, a new member retreat and joining the other fraternities and sororities in the Greek cheering section for football games and for Christmas caroling before the winter break. Epsilon Pi members also created a wooden plaque with pictures of the charter members, and they worked together on a hooked rug with an owl design for Delta Tau Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
The previous information was excerpted from (unknown source-most likely The Key.)&lt;br /&gt;
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The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to update its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1970s==      &lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter’s first formal, called “Sea and Sky”, was held in a multipurpose room in one of the apartment complexes near campus since the budget for the event was only $75; $25 was spent on decorations and $50 was spent on a band.  One sister, who was dating a Sigma Alpha Epsilon from UCLA, had him fix up some of the Kappas with blind dates with his brothers. Charter President Kim Braun Padulo recalled the surprised reaction of the boys when they entered the room as it was not the kind of reception they were used to.&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi faced its challenges head on and ultimately succeeded.  In the fall of 1976, they welcomed a second pledge class that nearly doubled the size of the chapter.  Following soon after, in spring quarter the women had to write their chapter Bylaws. After getting the foundations of the chapter set, the women focused on their sisterhood. To improve this Epsilon Pi chapter participated in a potluck with the Northern Orange County Alumnae Association. The theme was to bring with you your favorite Kappa memory to share. After doing so, the women realized that while they were close, a house would bring them much closer to each other.  They hoped that one day they would reach this goal for Epsilon Pi to have a chapter house. &lt;br /&gt;
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October of 1977, thirteen more lovely ladies were pledged after an informal Yell-in, and on Inspiration week, in October 24-29; the women were initiated. With rush again in the spring the chapter was able to grow from 13 actives to 30 by 1978.  &lt;br /&gt;
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1979 was kicked off with Formal Fall Rush. The first night the girls attended open house and had sandwiches while getting to know each other. The second night was theme night, in which the chapter put on their annual performance of “Kapparet”.  On the second to last night the chapter had project night in which the women used felt letters and animals to spell their names, these where then to be used for philanthropy. The final night, was preference night. Here the women all dressed up formally, and had dessert together while sharing stories in a circle. Epsilon Pi once again initiated more women, making the chapter grow a little bigger every year.  With the goal to become one of the largest chapters, Epsilon Pi continued learning ways of improving and growing closer in sisterhood.  To do so, their goal was set to focus on social graciousness, organization, and sisterhood (SOS). Memorable events from the 70s include hanging out at the pool at Bannockburn, yearly pledge class songs, and exchanges with other groups on campus. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1980s:==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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Small &amp;quot;get to know each other&amp;quot; parties were held at the Bannockburn pool, so that all the women could get to know each other better and create stronger sisterhoods. They also held exchanges. Epsilon Pi had an annual &amp;quot;walkout&amp;quot; in which the pledges would plan to &amp;quot;kidnap&amp;quot; actives and have them do funny antics like sing Kappa songs and Kappa Dances at different stops on campus like the library, residence halls, and classrooms.  Every stop would earn them a clue that would lead them to the location that the pledges had chosen to host them for dinner. They experienced the debut of MTV and this spurred lip-synching contests in the dorms, which were a blast! &lt;br /&gt;
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After just a few years of being established Epsilon Pi was honored to participate in founding of new chapters of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of California, Irvine and University of California, San Diego.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi held many different Philanthropy events such as making rabbit-like Easter baskets to give to the Sunshine School in Riverside, dressing up around Halloween in costumes and visiting the Riverside Community Hospital patients with candy.  One popular tradition was a &amp;quot;Grandparent Adoption&amp;quot; from convalescent homes where the chapter women would visit their adoptee twice a month and bring them carnations and homemade spice ropes.&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter Convention Awards:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1990s==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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In the early 1990’s, the chapter was focused on scholarship, improving rush, and philanthropy. The chapter tied for the 2nd highest GPA on campus in 1991 and placed 35 members on the Dean’s List. And in 1993-94, the chapter received the Dean’s Scholarship Trophy for the highest percentage of members on the Dean’s List.  The chapter maintained a high level of academic excellence throughout the decade, due in part to weekly mandatory study hours for actives and pledges.&lt;br /&gt;
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To prepare for rush, the chapter started early the prior school year with a 10 day work week. Rush quota gradually decreased on the UCR campus in the early 90’s. Quota was 32 in 1991, 24 in 1993, to 16 in 1994, and 13 in 1995. However, quota was back up in the 20’s by 2000. These smaller pledge classes, however, allowed the chapter to be fully involve the new members in all aspects of chapter life.&lt;br /&gt;
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Early in the decade, the chapter accepted the Challenge to Excellence issued to all chapters by the Fraternity. Work on the Challenge to Excellence continued during the rest of the 1990’s. It strengthened the chapter and brought the members closer together.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991, nine of the 13 founders of Epsilon Pi were present for the Founders Day brunch. In 1995, the chapter celebrated Kappa Kappa Gamma’s 125th birthday with Zeta Eta at UC Irvine.&lt;br /&gt;
On the social front, the chapter continued with its annual Sea and Sky formal, Monmouth Duo with Pi Beta Phil, and Kappa Krush dances. Epsilon Pi also participated in many sporting competitions on campus, such as the annual inter-sorority volleyball tournament, Sports week, the Greek Games and the annual Run to the C. The chapter also hosted a Parent’s Day each year.&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter focus shifted to sisterhood, public relations and participation in the mid-1990’s.&lt;br /&gt;
Housing:&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991 the chapter lounge was redecorated. The last update was 16 years prior! Also in this year, the university offered sororities a hall in one of the dorms to have as their own. The chapter felt this would be a good way to improve chapter bonds, and would show the university that they were serious about having a house in the future.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi won the Philanthropy Award at the 1991 Kappa Province Meeting. The chapter participated in the Cystic Fibrosis Walkathon and helped clean up downtown Riverside. They also continued their tradition of visiting the Sunshine House and their association with the Riverside section of the California School of Deaf. In the mid-1990’s, Epsilon Pi began a new philanthropy called Night Run.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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1992 Efficiency Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Standards Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Scholarship Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1996 Scholarship Award Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2000-2010==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter actively participated in campus events such as BEAR Facts Orientation, Block Party, Homecoming and Spring Splash as well as Panhellenic sponsored events such as Sports Week, Greek Unity Week with Greek Pyramid, and Presents. Founders Day was often celebrated with Zeta Eta, UC Irvine and the Orange County Alumnae Association. A yearly Scholarship Dinner was held to honor the sisters with the highest GPA, most improved GPA, and all sisters with a 4.0 in a quarter. Yearly chapter events included a fall Date Party, a winter Scholarship Banquet, and a Parent’s Day in the spring.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Housing:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi was the first Greek organization to be invited to participate in UCR’s Greek Housing Pilot Program.  The chapter was able to rent five units in an apartment complex near campus and 10 members lived there during the 2009-2010 school year.  However, due to a lack of contracts and security, the program was discontinued.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Members of Epsilon Pi volunteered yearly for a local breast cancer fundraiser put on by the Inland Agency, called “Shop to Stop Breast Cancer.”  Each year, chapter members volunteered to read to students at Madison Elementary School on Dr. Suess day. In Spring 2009, the members of Epsilon Pi hosted sixth grade students for “A Day In The Life” at UCR.  The Kappas gave them tours of the campus and the sixth graders got to meet the Men’s Basketball Team and the UCR Cheerleaders and Dance Team. The finale of the day was lunch on the commons lawn where the sixth graders read their favorite books to the Kappas.  &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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2008 Rose McGill Award&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011-2019==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011==&lt;br /&gt;
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2011 was a busy and great year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. Winter quarter started out with the nomination process, leading to the election of a strong, new Chapter Council. That quarter we participated in two philanthropic events at Madison Elementary School, Where the Wild Things Read and Dr. Seuss Day. Both events involved reading to the students and encouraging literacy. Greek Unity Week also took place during the winter. Our members were paired with the men of Pi Kappa Alpha to compete in various activities throughout the week meant to strengthen Greek unity on campus. As our winter quarter event, the chapter had a “Finally Famous” themed semi-formal, in which couples dressed as famous couples throughout history. &lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter also enjoyed a scholarship dinner at Ciao Bella restaurant and a go-cart racing sisterhood event held at K1 Speedway. For the spring quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter continued its emphasis on philanthropy. We volunteered at the Inland Agency’s Shop to Stop Breast Cancer event. Also, our sister Brittany Altamirano competed in and won the 2011 Delta Queen Pageant hosted by the men of Delta Tau Delta, raising around $7000 for City of Hope cancer research. During this quarter, the campus’ Fraternity and Sorority Involvement Center hosted a Pillar’s Reception where Epsilon Pi was proud to receive the Friendship Pillar Award. The Chapter hosted Parent’s Day at the Benedict Castle and a formal at the Pomona Valley Mining Co. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another major accomplishment for the chapter during spring was our Sports Week participation. Members assembled teams for volleyball and football, and did excellent in both sports, taking home the overall win for Sports Week. In April, a few members of our chapter went to Kappa Province in Tucson, AZ, where we were awarded the Rose McGill Magazine Award. As fall quarter began, the members of Epsilon Pi were eager for recruitment, to gain more assets to our chapter. After going through formal recruitment, the chapter welcomed 31 New Members on Bid Day. The New Members were taken to a taco dinner afterwards to celebrate and get to know the chapter. This year, the chapter invited local alumnae and the women of the Zeta Eta Chapter at UC Irvine to our Founder’s Day brunch at the Riverside Art Museum. Many of our members also participated in the Pink on Parade breast cancer walk, as well as the 5K run held by the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Our chapter enjoyed a movie night sisterhood as we went to go see the film 50/50, as well as a Thanksgiving potluck themed meeting to end the quarter. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Campus:''' This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus tried to really encourage unity among the Greek community, but the panhellenic organizations in particular. Kappa encouraged this as well, as we participated in Panhellenic’s Cookies and Crafts event. All 6 of the panhellenic organizations came together to get to know each other better, as well as learn more about one another’s philanthropies. We also participated in the kickball tournament thrown by the women of Gamma Phi Beta, to further demonstrate our support of panhellenic. The campus hosted many annual events like Spring Splash, Bear Facts Orientation, and Block Party, all of which Epsilon Pi participated in. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter:''' If one word were chosen to describe the overall nature of our chapter in 2011 it would be growth. We suffered some minor setbacks, but with positive mindsets and a strong chapter council, we pushed through and began making necessary changes for our chapter to head in the right direction. Epsilon Pi has taken pride in both its diversity and large chapter size and has used both of those factors to strengthen the chapter as a whole. &lt;br /&gt;
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One main challenge for the chapter was attendance. With such a large chapter size, we expected high numbers of attendance, but were not seeing that. Chapter Council began a point system for attendance. A minimum requirement of points was made necessary for fun/positive things later on, such as getting a little sister in the fall. In addition, our VP Standards took attendance into account as she looked over members who needed standards appointments. She stressed the importance of going to mandatory events in these meetings and the consequences of not doing so. The attendance problem was not completely erased, but the chapter hopes to see improvements, continuously reminding members of the attendance policy in our chapter’s bylaws and standing rules. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2012==&lt;br /&gt;
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Each year Epsilon Pi chapter continues to reach and exceed previous years' achievements. 2011 was an amazing and notable year for Epsilon Pi chapter. In January, we began with inspiration week filled with a variety of big and little and sisterhood bonding events. Soon after, the Alpha Omega pledge class was initiated. It was a beautiful and special ceremony that we were able to share with the newest members of our wonderful chapter. The following week we had an amazing Semi Formal which was hosted at the Caspian in Irvine, where we enjoyed an Arabian night filled with kabobs and belly dancers. Soon after we had elections and welcomed the newly elected chapter council. During that time period we were graced with the Leadership Officer and received an abundance of tips and advice on how to make our chapter even stronger than what it was then. &lt;br /&gt;
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Following elections and the LC visit, we had Greek Unity week on campus which brings the Greek and cultural sorority and fraternities together. This year we were paired with the men of Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. During this week we are separated into teams and participate in a variety of team and at the end of the week perform a team dance that is appreciated by the whole Greek community. &lt;br /&gt;
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As we continued into winter quarter we held two amazing philanthropies at Madison Elementary School; Kappa Kamp and Dr. Seuss Day. Both event encouraged the students to read and enjoy books. We also had a delicious scholarship dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory where we acknowledged our hard working sisters that make the Dean's List, have the most study hours, and the highest overall GPA. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of winter quarter we held our Leadership Day, which aimed at better training our newly elected chapter council to ensure that they would be confident in achieving everything their position asked them to, as well as doing their little perfectly.&lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring quarter, our sisterhood took a great start with having a fun and exciting event at Dave and Buster. This quarter we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Lauren Montes, won the Delta Queen Pageant raising $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices. This quarter we also had our annual formal, &amp;quot;A Night In Spain&amp;quot;, which was held at the Green River Gold Club in Corona. It was an amazing event where we danced the night away and appreciated the seniors, as it was their last formal with the chapter. As the quarter continued, we hosted &amp;quot;A Day In The Life&amp;quot; where we hosted students from Madison Elementary School and showed them the campus. We introduced them to the soccer team and cheer leaders and gave them a tour of the campus. We wanted to encourage the sixth graders to continue on to college to get a higher education and to show them that anyone can achieve that with hard work and dedication. We ended this quarter with a fun filled water themed sisterhood at our president, Brittany Altamirano's house. There was a water maze, water guns, and of course water balloons. The sisterhood definitely helped relieve some stress that we had pertaining to the upcoming finals. Later that weekend we also had our annual Parent's Day at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we had a nice lunch with all our sisters and their parents. We also appreciated our sisters who stood out exceptionally in being a good sister and kappa and sisters that stood our academically as well.&lt;br /&gt;
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After returning from summer vacation, Epsilon Pi was eager for recruitment and to gain new assets to our ever growing sisterhood. Following formal recruitment we were more than happy to welcome the 30 Beta Alpha new member class. After bid day on campus we took them to one of our sister's house to have dinner and meet the chapter; there were also an abundance of ice breaking games. This year, the Orange County Alumni Association hosted Founder's Day at the Tustin Senior Center. After thoroughly educating the Beta Alpha new member class with Kappa history and creating a new love for Kappa we had Inspiration Week and Initiation. It was again a beautiful ceremony where each sister was able to appreciate and remember why we joined one of the strongest sisterhoods. We concluded this quarter with our Kappa Thanksgiving, which brought our chapter together once again. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus was continuing to encourage unity among the Greek community. The board hosted many events where each sorority could come and support panhellenic. Such events were &amp;quot;blankets for babies&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;cookies and crafts&amp;quot;, and staff appreciation. Kappa supports the board and tries to get more involved by participating. Kappa also participates in Block Party, Spring Spash, and Bear Facts orientation.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2013==&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi had a truly remarkable year in 2013 with all that we accomplished and participated in. As our winter quarter began, we had the opportunity to help recruit members for the new chapter that was established at Chapman University with our sisters from USC. The recruitment was so successful that we had the amazing honor to be apart of their initiation ceremony and be their big sis chapter. Towards the end of the quarter we were partnered up with the men of Phi Gamma Delta and the women of Omega Zeta Chi to participate in a week of Greek Unity. The main event was a dance competition in which we were elated and humbled to have won first place. &lt;br /&gt;
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As the quarter continued we participated in our annual philanthropy of “Reading is Key” in which we traveled to Madison Elementary school and spent the day reading and doing crafts with the children. We also had a delicious Scholarship dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in which we gave awards to the sisters who had accomplishments such as the most study hours, highest GPA, and being on the dean’s list. The last major event of winter quarter was our semi-formal in which we went to a lovely Italian restaurant and had a great time dancing the night away with our sisters and dates. &lt;br /&gt;
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Spring quarter began with 6 sisters attending Kappa Province. In addition to learning valuable skills and information for our chapter, Epsilon Pi was honored to have received 2 awards: the New Member Program Award and the Norma Dow Patton Gracious Living Award. Soon after, we had a visit from the LC, which gave the new officers a chance to get ideas and information about her new positions in personal meetings that were set-up. We also had our formal at a beautiful venue at the Glen Ivy Spa and golf course in which we had a great night taking pictures in a photo booth, eating delicious food, and giving out senior recognition awards. &lt;br /&gt;
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This quarter was also very philanthropic. Not only did we host our annual “Day in the Life” event for Madison elementary school children to come and see what it is like to be a college student, but we also partnered up with the women of Pi Beta Phi to create our very own join philanthropy on campus called “Words with Friends”. It was a spelling bee and speed read event in which all the organizations could compete with each other and donate either money or books to our philanthropy. This quarter, as well as supporting many other philanthropies throughout the year, we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Hailey Grisel, received second place and remarkably raised $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. &lt;br /&gt;
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We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices because we ended up winning the entire event. Later that month we had parent’s day which was so special in being able to show our families a little bit of what Kappa is like. We were able to honor the sisters who truly embody what Kappa is and also got to see what our chapter used to be like through the heritage display. &lt;br /&gt;
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There is also an annual awards ceremony for the Greek community on our campus in which we were honored to have received the University of California, Riverside Marguleas Sororotiy/Fraternity Service Award in recognition of our leadership and philanthropic efforts in our community. To finish off the quarter and the academic year we had a sisterhood in which we were able to go go kart racing. We had such a fun time competing with each other for the fastest time and just be able to spend time bonding together. Fall quarter was a very hectic quarter for Epsilon Pi. We had another LC visit during recruitment which helped us make sure we were going about things as best as we could. Although we did not expect for the large increase in the size of our new pledge class, we were so grateful to welcome 45 new amazing women into our organization. Soon after, we celebrated founder’s day with our lovely Chapman sisters which was special because we got to see them experience it for the very first time as a chapter. It was so touching to see alumni from decades ago being recognized and pinned and being able to do our ritual together. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter also hosted an amazing event called “Finding Kind” in which we had the screening of the documentary to fight against female teen bulling. We then all took individual pledges to better ourselves and the way that we treat others. We were so pleased to see how many women from different organizations on campus came to support this cause. Towards the end of the quarter, we had a super hero themed date party in which we got to go to Sky Town and jump around and play various games involving foam pits and trampolines. Inspiration week and Initiation of our new Beta Beta pledge class was a very special week for all of us. We were so happy to officially welcome them into our chapter and share our ritual with them during such a beautiful and special ceremony. We also had fun during that week roller-skating and playing laser tag together during our big/little night. To finish off the quarter, we had a sisterhood the week before finals at the movie theater in which we were able to take a couple hours away from studying to relax and laugh with our sisters while watching Grown Ups 2. It had been events like this that keep us close and strong as a chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year brought changes that mainly affected our recruitment. Since our school decided to admit more students, there were more women that went through recruitment that the sororities were not prepared for. Although we thought it would be overwhelming and near impossible to have such a large pledge class, we pulled through together and were blessed to have received 45 new members instead of our anticipated 30.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2014==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year has been one of glee, many accomplishments, and ongoing improvement for Epsilon Pi Chapter. We commenced the year after a refreshing winter break with the privilege of participating in a leadership conference, Lead Today. Lead Today took place on January 22 on our campus with our entire chapter and alumnae. Coordinators were trained to help us grow and prosper as a chapter with novel leadership skills and progression in areas needing improvement. We participated in various hands on activities, games and discussions concerning the vitality of management, organization, and the overall aspect of a chapter working and developing in unison. Epsilon Pi Chapter was so thankful and gained an immense appreciation and understanding for leadership and how to use it, not only in Kappa, but in our everyday lives. This conference could not have come at a better time, due to the fact that elections were right around the corner. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our Kappa sisters did a wonderful job selecting our new Chapter Council and we knew Epsilon Pi Chapter was in good hands. Shortly after, we had our annual scholarship dinner to honor all of our hard working members who did exceptional in their academics. This year, we dressed in key attire and ventured out to The Old Spaghetti Factory located in Downtown Riverside. We loaded up on carbs and applauded our accomplished sisters when they received awards for most study hours, improved G.P.A., highest G.P.A., and many more. This night allowed our sisters to feel honored and made others strive to improve. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a few weeks of being back in school, it was time for Semi-Formal. Semi was held at Aroma Grill in Upland, CA. We all got dolled up in cute cocktail dresses and invited dates to escort us. Kappas danced the night away on the dance floor, took a plethora of photos in the photo booth and in front of the backdrop with a professional photographer, and ate a delicious variety of food. To end the month of February, our sisters headed to K1 Speed Zone for a fun packed sisterhood. Our sisters headed to the race tracks and raced in full geared helmets and mask and hopped in go-carts for some competitive fun. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, we had our first social of the quarter with the men of Phi Kappa Psi. Together, we had so much fun playing laser tag dressed up as Disney characters. Originally, we were supposed to go roller blading, however, the outdoor rink got rained out. Yet, Kappas always know how to make the best of things and we ended the night having a jovial time. To end our quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted our Reading is Key Philanthropy at our adopted school, Madison Elementary.  This year's theme was &amp;quot;Under the Sea&amp;quot; and the book we gave every student who attended was &amp;quot;The Magic School Bus Live on the Ocean Floor&amp;quot;. We loved seeing the students' faces light up as they read to us, crafted with us, and enjoyed some delicious snacks. The whole cafeteria was neatly decorated with fish, kelp, and other underwater creatures to create a fun, aquatic atmosphere. We donated books to their library and hoped to encourage them and show them how important, and intriguing, reading can be. This experience was so rewarding due to the fact that many of these students are from underprivileged households and the books we give them are usually their first books. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the start of Spring Quarter, we attended an annual philanthropy conducted by the fraternity Delta Tau Delta. They hosted a pageant that every sorority participated in by nominating one representative to compete in the event. This event raised money for The City of Hope through fundraisers and donations. This year, we selected Justine Sterling, who perfectly embodies Kappa as a whole. Justine worked extremely hard raising funds via bake sales on campus (Kappa Kappacino), and Karaoke singing night (Kappa Karaoke), as well as various dining and recreational events. Justine rasied over $4,000 for The City of Hope and took home the crown as Miss Delta Queen 2014. Her hard work and dedication paid off making all of us proud. Not to mention, we loved watching her in the pageant, especially her talent portion of rapping. In the month of April, we hosted our joint philanthropy event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Since we both share a philanthropy centered on literacy, our competitions were focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $2,000 and over a hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF. &lt;br /&gt;
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Every year, UCR hosts a sports week where each sorority comes up with teams to play dodge ball, volleyball, and football with different fraternities coaching and arranging practices. This whole week is filled with friendly competition and unity between our sorority and the whole Greek community. This year, we worked hard at many practices and came up in second place. Who knew we were so athletic? After sports week, we decided to have a social with the men of Phi Gamma Delta, who were our coaches for sports week. Bowling for strikes and spares was the event of the night while dressed in our Hawaiian skirts, shirts, and leis. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another event UCR hosts every year is Pillars Week. Pillars Week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All Greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of Greeks at our school. With Epsilon Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and Greek unity, we worked so hard and ended up placing first along with our team. &lt;br /&gt;
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During this same week we had one of our favorite philanthropies, A Day In The Life. For this event, we bring sixth grade students from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for higher education. This year we divided into different tour guiding groups and played interactive games such as red rover. It was a perfect day to have the students on campus because they were all able to see a busy campus full of students due to the fact that it was Pillars Week. These students had such a great time that even some boys flashed the Kappa sign in pictures as the proclaimed &amp;quot;I can't wait to go here!&amp;quot; &lt;br /&gt;
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With school coming to an end in a few months, it was the perfect time for our Beta Beta New Member retreat. Our New Member chair planned a daring evening of rock climbing at a local rock climbing gym, Hangar 18. Girls harnessed in and chalked their hands as they used their upper body strength and raced to the top of the rock walls. It was a perfect night for Beta Beta to be reconnected and have a little fun work out. For one of the last meetings of the year, our whole chapter went to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor to feast on all different flavors of ice cream, while discussing business, of course. This event is one of our most delicious sisterhood events since we get to eat all the ice cream we want, be sung to by Farrell's employees, and get to be with our sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
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For the last event of the year, Epsilon Pi Chapter boarded buses with our dates for a special night at Green Rivers Country Club. This year's Formal was eventful and filled with memories. Girls piled into the photo booth to take adorable pictures while some danced the night away and others ate their gourmet meal. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes. Formal was the perfect way to end the 2013-2014 school year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Although college may have been over for some, many girls who had just decided to come to UCR were making their way on campus for summer orientation in the months of July and August. During every orientation, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. We hoped to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Not only that, but almost as a summer reunion, all of our girls got together to film our, almost famous, recruitment video. We went to the beach, our campus, and the park to film a short video embodying Kappa and our strong sisterhood. It turned out to be a hit on our campus and with other chapters from other campuses as well. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a nice, long break of heading to the beach, relaxing, and a lot of studying abroad, Kappa sisters united for a week of practices for upcoming recruitment. Our sisters sang their hearts out and danced their best as we learned songs and polished ourselves so we could be the best Kappas we could be for recruitment. During the week our bonds of sisterhood grew exponentially stronger and our love for Kappa radiated in preparation of finding our newest members. On the weekend of October 3, we spent 3 days socializing and spreading our love and excitement to every potential new member who entered our room. We fell in love with so many girls and worked so hard that this turned out to be one of our most successful recruitments ever, bringing in our biggest New Member class of 53 girls. &lt;br /&gt;
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The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular New Members with &amp;quot;Key to Paradise&amp;quot; tank tops and a BBQ fit for beach queens. Our chapter transitioned so quickly to this shocking number of new ladies, and chapter council immediately understood that with a larger chapter, we would all have to grow together, and that is exactly what we did. New Members went to meetings every week to get acquainted with Kappa policies and jumped right into Kappa activities with our first sisterhood of the 2014-2015 school year. Our VPS planned a morning yoga session in a peaceful park for all of our members. It was relaxing and just what everyone needed as a de-stressor. Our New Members were also able to attend our Date Party at a roller skating rink sponsored by the Anaheim Ducks hockey team. Every member received a glitter Kappa snap back and Beyonce themed tank tops, while their dates received a Jay-Z themed crew neck. Everyone was so exited for their new Kappa clothes. Soon after, our New Members received their Big Sisters in such a cute and creative reveal. New Members were given a key to a specific car in the school's parking lot and had to find the right car to which the key belonged. Inside the car trunk, driver seat, or back seat was their Big. The excitement of the whole chapter was present as girls embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, New Members were ushered to their New Member sleepover where they bonded over games, learned about our Founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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A couple weeks later, Bigs drove their Littles to our fall social with the men of Sigma Psi Epsilon. Since it was the Halloween season, girls paired up with a Sig-Ep and carved pumpkins. This was one of our most attended and loved socials. As initiation approached, our Marshal hosted  Big and Little Night at a local ice skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as sisters. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our New Members of the Beta Gamma class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of the biggest changes to our campus occurred just this Fall quarter. In the past year, recruitment has grown as more and more girls become interested in sorority life at UCR. One of the biggest changes to our chapter was the welcoming of the biggest new member class we have ever welcomed. Our chapter almost doubled, but our chapter handled the change smoothly without a falter. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also due to the immense interest in panhellenic, the whole panhellenic community got together to listen to presentations from three possible new sororities hoping to colonize on the UCR campus. In the end, our chapter was more than happy to hear about a new sorority expanding our panhellenic community. Epsilon Pi Chapter is so strong in our bonds of sisterhood that we are more than willing to help the new chapter get accommodated to UCR. &lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter meetings are held in various on campus lecture halls and classrooms. This makes it easier for members to go to meeting since most new members live on campus and other members live near by.  Our chapter does not have a house and has not had a house in the past. We have a storage unit near campus where we keep and organize our supplies. For living situations, some girls live on campus, but most members rent houses where some members live together and sometimes end up living with other panhellenic women. Our living situations are perfect for building sisterhood and provide various places for members to hangout, study, and host various gatherings.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2015==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year, Epsilon Pi has had many defining moments that continue to shape each of our member’s college experiences. After coming back from a very well deserved winter break surrounded by family and sisters, we began a new quarter in January and quickly put our heads back in to the game, starting with elections. As always, our sisters made excellent decisions when selecting our new Chapter Council that consist of strong, efficient, Kappa leaders. &lt;br /&gt;
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Shortly after, our Event Chair planned our first social of the quarter at a nearby community park with one of the IFC fraternities on campus. Our members and the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta decked out in white apparel in preparation for a fun night filled with glow in the dark paint and athletic activities. We separated into teams and Kappas proudly showed off their flag football skills, all while glowing in the dark. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of the month Beta Gamma, our newest pledge class, attended a retreat. This retreat took place at our newly remodeled recreation center on campus. There was a rock climbing wall and a ropes course. They participated in activities that all revolved around teamwork and some critical thinking. During one of the activities, sisters had to figure out a way to get a rope to the other side without moving by working together. They were also blindfolded and were instructed to give clues to one another in order to find certain objects. They participated in multiple obstacle courses and activities that strengthened the Beta Gamma pledge class.  Overall, Beta Gamma had the opportunity to bond with their pledge class sisters and learn how to help each other out by using teamwork. This was an excellent way to prove that any challenge can be overcome with sisters by our sides. &lt;br /&gt;
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There was no better way to begin the month of February than by having our annual scholarship dinner. Our Vice President of Academic Excellence worked very hard in order to recognize and honor our smart, studious sisters and give them the credit they deserve. We all met at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside in our sharpest key attire. We were excited and anxious to eat delicious Italian food and hear all about our sister’s amazing accomplishments. Some of the awards included most study hours, highest GPA, most improved GPA, and many more. This was a proud night for many, as well as an encouraging one for other girls who decided they want to work even harder than usual and strive to be the best Kappas they can be. This night was filled with positive and uplifting words that reminded and encouraged all Kappas to make academics a priority. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, it was time for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular Semi was located in Redlands, at the Fox Event Center. We got ready in our best cocktail dresses and every Kappa looked extraordinary. As we arrived, the words “Kappa Kappa Gamma” beautifully lit up on the outside billboard of the venue. We ate a delicious dinner of various foods and danced the night away on a beautifully set dance floor that was beneath sparkly chandeliers. If sisters weren’t dancing, many of them were also taking a galore of pictures to capture all of the fun and lavish moments. A professional photographer was also available at our photo booth, which was set up using a bohemian backdrop that was of course, dark and light blue. This magical and fun night with our sisters and dates couldn’t have been better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a circus theme. All of our sisters received a red shirt with an owl in the middle portrayed as a ringmaster and circus animals surrounding it. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with circus posters, popcorn machines, and face painting. Sisters enjoyed painting everyone’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative circus animals. The book we chose to read was Clifford Goes to the Circus, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. This philanthropic event was also extra special because our leadership consultant from the previous year joined to help and support us. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids.&lt;br /&gt;
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To end the month, we had a very eventful sisterhood. Kappas loaded their cars with tents, blankets, jackets and firewood, and were off to camp overnight at Lake Perris. We began by forming groups to build the tents. Building them was no easy task, and just when we thought it couldn’t get any harder, rain started to pour on us. We laughed off our struggles, and tried to finish up quickly. Although the rain was on and off throughout the night, Kappas always know how to have a good time, and our camping experience was nothing but fun and adventure. We walked to the beautiful lake that was surrounded by mountains, ate pizza, sat by the campfire, and ate an abundant amount of smores. Connecting with nature with our sisters by our side was truly a memorable day, and Kappa camping was a success despite some obstacles.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our Spring Quarter began by participating in the fraternity Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Krystal Neag. A few of the many fundraisers Krystal put together were Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, Kappa Karaoke, where tickets were sold to sing one’s heart out, and a fundraiser at Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt, where people were able to satisfy their sweet tooth. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances, including a dance that was based on different decades. Krystal won Highest Fundraiser, and raised one-third of the total of the money, which was very impressive.&lt;br /&gt;
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During the month of April we also held our joint philanthropic event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Both of our philanthropies revolve around literacy, so this competitive event is focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed-reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $1,250 and five hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF.&lt;br /&gt;
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The month of May was full of many events and festivities, starting with Parents Day. Sisters and parents gathered at the Indian Hills Golf Club to proudly demonstrate what our organization is all about. We ate a delicious brunch together, sang to them, and had tables displaying our history, crafts, and awards. It was a great time, and every parent fell even more in love with Kappa Kappa Gamma. To deal with the hot Riverside weather, our sisters collaborated with the brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi a couple weeks later and had a fun day at the park with water balloons and ice cream. Water splashing on us and the cold taste of ice cream in our mouths was a perfect way to combat the heat.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our last, and a top favorite, philanthropy of the 2015-year was Day in the Life. We bring sixth graders from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for a higher education. Sisters are divided into different touring groups in order to get to know the kids personally and be able to be more hands on and interactive. We teach them spirit chants and walk around the busy hallways of campus so they can experience for themselves what its like to be a college student. This philanthropy is so rewarding because every student anticipates going to college, UCR in specific, at the end of the day. They also fall in love with our amazing organization and want to be future Kappas, even the boys.&lt;br /&gt;
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Before heading into summer, we had one last sisterhood at the drive-in. Sisters dressed up in their best 50’s themed clothes while watching movies in their cars and eating yummy snacks. The group of girls with the best outfits received a gift certificate to make a sweatshirt with our letters imprinted, which was a big plus. After anxiously waiting for our Formal throughout the year, Kappas got dolled up and boarded buses to the Reef Restaurant in Long Beach to have a spectacular night with their dates. The venue was right on the bay, which was perfect for capturing memorable pictures. We ate a delicious gourmet meal, and danced the night away in front of the gorgeous waterfront view. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. With Epilson Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and greek unity, we worked hard and won awards including Chapter of the Year, Highest GPA, and Best Collaborative Program. Everyone was so Kappa proud and this was an excellent way to end the school year.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although it was summer for some, Kappas were still working hard on campus partaking in every freshman orientation in order to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. During the summer, we also reunited to film our recruitment video. Some of the places we went to included the beach, an amusement park, and one of our sister's beautiful home. Our amazing video embodied Kappa and our strong sisterhood very accurately.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although our fun-filled, adventurous summer was coming to an end, Kappa’s were excited to go back to school for recruitment. On the weekend of October 2nd, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular new members with baseball themed apparel, and had hot dogs and burgers for dinner. It was definitely one of the best ball games for our Kappa sisters. After a week of clues, room decorating, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Littles unwrapped their Bigs and embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories.&lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of asking dates to our Kappa Date Party. We received matching carnival crewnecks, and headed to Scandia Amusement Park. We spent the night playing mini-golf, riding rollercoasters, driving bumper cars, and eating delicious fair food. Quickly after, initiation week approached. Our Marshal hosted a Big and Little night at a local ice-skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as big and little. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Delta class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our most recent changes on campus is the addition of a new sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. This was very exciting for Epsilon Pi, and an excellent opportunity to help colonize and make new friends. There are now seven panhellenic sororities at UCR, and there has been an overall increase in interest in the Greek community. With so many more girls interested in the recruiting process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a great amount of new members. Our chapter has handled the increase well, and has accommodated accordingly. We are always happy and ecstatic to welcome new chapters, and new girls.&lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter Philanthropy:&lt;br /&gt;
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?&lt;br /&gt;
The organization Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for is Madison Elementary, our adopted underprivileged elementary school in our area. We put three events for them throughout the year, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? &lt;br /&gt;
We chose to support this organization because our chapter enjoys working hands on with the children in our area, and we know our service and donations are impacting them directly. We prefer actual interaction, rather than simply handing a check. It is very rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these children for the better.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2016==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the past year, the members of Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma have created many amazing memories that have enriched their college experience. Our chapter started the year off strong by holding elections in January after our lovely winter break which was quite a bit longer this year then in years past. As usual our sisters chose extraordinary women to help lead the chapter as Chapter Council. Shortly after, our education chair held the first education program of the year. The education program was all about proper etiquette, as a chapter we all ate California Pizza Kitchen and watched the presentation that our education chairman gave on good vs poor etiquette.&lt;br /&gt;
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On February 25th our chapter got together to do what we do best, eat. We had an amazing sister hood that was at the Kickn Crab, we all bonded over a very messy meal and made lasting memories with our sisters. A few days after our sister hood our chapter got together yet again for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular semi formal was located at a beautiful club in Long Beach. We all got dressed up in our best cocktail attire and every Kappa and their dates looked fantastic. Kappa’s all danced the night away and took many lavish photos. At the venue itself there was a professional photographer who helped to capture every moment of the stupendous night. This extraordinary night with sisters and their dates couldn’t have gone better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a day at the zoo. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with zebra and cheetah print decorations, face painting station, and a reading station. Sisters enjoyed painting the children’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative zoo animals. The book we chose to read was Animal Strike at the Zoo, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the beginning of the month of March our philanthropy chair planned an amazing event with Madison Square elementary school in honor of Dr. Seuss day. All of our sisters went to the school dressed in their best Dr. Seuss attire, and read to the children. This was such an amazing experience for us to see the joy on the children’s faces as we read the silliest of Dr. Seuss books to them. Later on in the month of March the newest member class Beta Delta got together for a new member retreat. The retreat was held on our campus at the student recreational centers excursion course. The new members all had a wonderful experience as they tried to climb up rock walls, ropes and ladders. The new member retreat was such a great bonding experience for Beta Delta. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of April we welcomed all of our lovely parents to our Annual Parents Day at Indian Hills Country Club. This was a fantastic day that allowed us to share why Kappa Kappa Gamma means so much to each of us with the parents . Awards were given out to Kappa’s for their academic excellence and for their spirit and dedication to the Epsilon Pi Chapter. Parents and Kappa’s all sat and ate a wonderful brunch and learned all about the amazing things that we have accomplished throughout the year. Later into the month of April our philanthropy chair organized one of our three main philanthropic events Words With Friends. It was a night to remember as we watched many of the students form the Greek community participate in our speed read and games. The entry fee to the event was a children’s books and all of the books raised where donated to the children of Madison elementary school. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also in the month of April Epsilon Pi participated in the fraternity, Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Sarah Lopinski. Sarah put together many fundraisers for the event including  Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, and Kappa Karaoke, where sisters and friends got together and sang their hearts out. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of May we had our annual philanthropy Day in the Life, where we bus over 6th graders from Madison Elementary to UCR. We get the opportunity to show these young children what its like to not only be a college student but what its like to be a Kappa. We give all the students a tour of our beautiful campus and teach them different UCR cheers. After the tours are over, we all eat lunch together on the grass by our famous bell tower and play fun games with the children. By the end of the day all the children are telling us how they are so excited to go to college, this is such an amazing feeling knowing that you have done a part in getting one more child excited to shoot for a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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After patiently waiting all year for one of Epsilon Pi's favorite events the time had finally come for our annual Formal. This years formal was held at a beautiful country club located in Costa Mesa. This night was one to remember with lots of beautiful pictures, and delicious food Before heading into summer we had one last sisterhood in which we spent the night in a mansion in Corona. We all began by taking cute photos with the many kappa props that we had brought on the outside of the mansion by the beautiful pool. Later on that night we got together and watched a scary movie in the home theatre that the house had. We all snuggled up in beds together hoping that we could sleep after watching such a scary movie. This sisterhood was such a great experience since Epsilon Pi does not have a sorority house we all got to experience for once what it would be like to be living together. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the months of summer some of the us got together to film for our recruitment video. We filmed in multiple locations in riverside including one of our sisters beautiful homes. After a fun filled exciting summer all of our sister where excited to be reunited once again for recruitment. On the  first weekend of October 2,, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we as Kappa’s do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. Sunday night we held our Bid Day, we welcomed all of our  new members with life guard themed apparel, and had an assortment of Mexican food for dinner. After a fun week of  room decorating, clues, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Little’s found the matching pair of sock behind a sheet and when the sheet dropped their Big’s were revealed. Big’s and little’s embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of the event our wonderful Marshal hosted, a sisterhood night were we all skated around the roller rink together in our matching inspo week shirts. The most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Epsilon class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. To finish of the year we had on of our most fun events  Kappa Date Party. We received matching shirts that were designed by one of our own sisters and headed to Boomers Amusement Park in Irvine. We spent the night riding bumper cars, go karts, climbing rock walls, playing laser tag, and miniature golf. Overall it has been a successful year for the Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. &lt;br /&gt;
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The most recent change on campus this year is most definitely the amount of students that now attend the University of California Riverside. For the first time in history Riverside received more than 50,000 student applications for admission. With that many more incoming students of course there where quite a few more women who signed up for recruitment this year as well. With so many more women interested in the recruitment process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a many more new members. We are always ecstatic to welcome new members into our chapter and we have been handling the size increase quit well. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for our adopted local underprivileged elementary school, Madison Elementary. Throughout the year we hold three philanthropic events for them, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi choses to support this organization because it gives us the opportunity to work hands on with the youth in our area. It is amazing to see our service and donations impact the the lives of the future of our community. Epsilon Pi prefers the face to face interaction that we get from our events such as Day in The Life and Reading is Key, rather then simply just raising money and handing in a check. It is so rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these young students for the better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi typically meets once a week for chapter meeting in a larger classroom or lecture hall on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2017==&lt;br /&gt;
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In 2017 Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma achieved many things and participated in many philanthropic and social events within our greek community and the real community surrounding Riverside. At our Pillars Award ceremony, hosted by Panhellenic, we were rewarded with the award of Best Chapter Management honoring our Chapter Councils hard work in managing our chapters affairs. Starting slow in January with fewer events following our winter break, we kicked the year off with the Scholarship Dinner which was held on January 26th. Our Scholarship Dinner was put on by our Vice President of Academic Excellence with the help of her committee. It was held at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside. Every girl was provided with dinner along with our advisors and various alumnae who attended. Throughout the night the Vice President of Academic Excellence gave out awards based on members' various academic achievements the previous year. This event celebrated members who may have had great academic improvements ad promoted the importance of academic achievement in our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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In the following month Epsilon Pi was a bit more busy. The first event in February was a sisterhood event which was put on by our Vice President Standards. This sisterhood was held at Build-a-Bear where members each made two bears. One for the member to take home and one to donate to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital. This sisterhood was a good way for members to get together and bond as well as do something good for the community. The following weekend on February a team of Kappa sisters participated in Gamma Phi Beta’s annual Moonball which is a volleyball tournament that helps raise money for Gamma Phi Beta’s philanthropy. Not only did members play in the tournament, they also came out to support and cheer on their sisters who played in the tournament. February 10th is when Epsilon Pi held their annual winter philanthropic event, Reading is Key. During this event the chapter went to a local elementary school, Madison Elementary, and decorated their multipurpose room up to the theme which was carnival. First grade classes got to come to the MPR throughout the day and the chapter facilitated many activities for the kids to do. These activities were things such as face painting, coloring, and the final station being chapter members reading a book to the children. At the end of the day each child got to go home with a book of their own. Also, the chapter donated books to the school as well. The final event Epsilon Pi held in the month of February was a sisterhood with Gamma Phi Beta. The chapters came together and decorated cookies for Valentines Day. The chapters also did Ice Breaker games and just bonded. Lastly, in the month of February chapter elections were held. The new chapter council was elected and joint Chapter Council Meeting was held the last week of February. &lt;br /&gt;
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March of 2017 kicked off strong with a sisterhood held with the girls of Delta Gamma. Our chapters got together and tie dyed shirts together and hung out at a local park. This sisterhood allowed our chapter to bond with a Panhellenic sister which we don’t often get to do much with strengthening our Panhellenic bonds. On March 3rd a group of Epsilon Pi members volunteered for Read Across America at a local elementary school. They got to spend the day reading and promoting literacy to the children in our surrounding community. Later that evening on March 3rd, we held our Semi Formal put on by our Event Chairman along with the help of her committee. It was held at a local country club and many Alumni joined and it was a successful event barring a few mishaps along the way. Following Semi Formal Leadership day was held for the new and old Chapter Council members on March 5th. Leadership day was planned by our Vice President of Organization in order to allow the time for old Chapter Council members to teach new Chapter Council members what their new job entailed and all the responsibilities their new job required. At the event all the advisors for the various Chapter Council positions were there and also met with their new officer. Also the new Chapter Council got to discuss goals that they wanted to achieve in their time in office and all the things they wanted to improve within the chapter. Many things were discussed that day and the new Chapter Council got a great start and great motivation from each other and the advisors to start their position strong and make some good changes within the chapter. The following meeting the new Chapter Council members were installed into their positions.&lt;br /&gt;
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Throughout the next couple of weeks Epsilon Pi was involved in a philanthropy called Miss Minerva held by a fraternity on our campus, Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This was a pageant type fundraiser that helped raise thousands of dollars for their philanthropy with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Kappa helped in this by having one girl volunteer to represent our chapter and do various fundraisers throughout the weeks leading up to the competition. Epsilon Pi also participated in a similar philanthropy held by another fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, titled Delta Queen this philanthropy helped raise money for the City of Hope Cancer Research Foundation. Both the representatives for both events held many small events to raise money for each chapter’s philanthropies. These events varied from holding fundraises at local restaurants to coming up with small clever fundraisers to do on campus at letters. One example of a small fundraiser held by our Delta Queen was titled Kolor a Kappa where people paid money to throw paint at members of our chapter. Although it doesn’t sound very eventful it was a vey successful event help on our campus. Epsilon Pi itself helped raise a large amount of money that we donated to each chapter’s philanthropies. These events also strengthened our ties within our Panhellenic community because every chapter had a representative and all the chapters competed against each other hopes to win the pageant. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a rather slow month compared to March aside from the various activities going on with both Miss Minerva and Delta Queen. April 22nd Epsilon Pi held a social event with fellow Fraternity on campus, Delta Chi. Members of both organizations got together on Earth day and volunteered at our campus garden the R’garden. Members planted plants and tended to the garden at our school. The following week Epsilon Pi had a visit from a Leadership Consultant. She stayed with our Vice President of Organization. While she was here she attended our chapter council meeting and visited with each member of Chapter Council to see how they were adapting to their new position. The Leadership Consultant was very helpful to our chapter giving the Chapter Council guidance onto how to deal with the problems in our chapter. On April 25th Epsilon Pi held another sisterhood event which was a kickboxing class held at the local UFC gym. The members of Epsilon Pi all joined together sweated and laughed while working out all together. On April 29th Epsilon Pi was involved in Alpha Chi Omega's annual philanthropy the Carnation Carnival. Epsilon Pi held a both making Kappachinos and a both doing a coin toss at the event. Sisters volunteered to work both booths throughout the day. The following day Epsilon Pi participated in Delta Gamma’s annual philanthropy titled Anchor Splash. A group of girls got together to compete in various competitions throughout the day. Epsilon Pi winning one of the events which was synchronized swimming. All in all the busy weekend was a success for Epsilon Pi. &lt;br /&gt;
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May 2017 was a very busy month for Epsilon Pi starting off with Salads with Seniors an event for the seniors and alumnae to get together and to have a lunch starting the seniors' transition from active member to&lt;br /&gt;
an alumnae. On May 5th Epsilon Pi participated in a powderpuff football tournament held by Fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. A group of sisters got together and formed a team competing against other chapters in a football tournament. On May 11th Epsilon Pi’s annual Sapphire Ball was held at a local venue in Downtown Riverside. This event was thrown by our Event Chairman throughout the night seniors got recognized and celebrated as this is their last formal Kappa event of college. On May 17th Epsilon Pi held another philanthropic event called Day in the Life. At this event Epsilon Pi bused over 6th grade students from Madison Elementary, the same elementary school that was collaborated with for Reading is Key, and did many activities with them. The 6th graders were given a tour of our campus and done various smaller activities with. This philanthropy is very near and dear to our hearts because it allows us to promote higher education to kids who may have no knowledge of what college is like or why it is important.&lt;br /&gt;
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Parents' Day was held on May 21st at Indian Hills Golf Club. Thrown by the Public Relation Chairman, Parents' Day was a brunch for both members of Epsilon Pi and their parents. During the brunch, awards were given out to outstanding members of our chapter. Also, during the brunch presentations were given to the parents from various Chapter Council members, such as registrar and education chairman, about the history of Kappa Kappa Gamma as a whole and Epsilon Pi Chapter itself. Overall Parents Day was successful in showing the parents why Kappa Kappa Gamma is such an important organization and what it does for their daughters. The week of May 22nd was Pillars week where our whole Greek community comes together to do various activities throughout the wee, some competitive activities and others to raise money. At the end of this week a banquet is held to give out awards to chapters for various achievements throughout the year. Epsilon Pi was awarded with Best Chapter Management celebrating our Chapter Council's recent achievements. On May 24th the Education Chairmen held a final sisterhood for the seniors. This sisterhood was held at a local trampoline park, Skyline, where the seniors were allowed to jump and hang out with each other one last time all together. The sisterhood retreat was held on May 27th and 28th at a house in Corona. Sisters got together and had a giant sleepover at a house. During this sleepover sisters bonded doing various ice breaker activities and watching movies and such. It was very successful in the bonding of our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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The next week starting May 30th through to the beginning of June was sports week for our Greek community. Epsilon Pi participated in many of the sports such as football, soccer, and volleyball it was very successful having teams in every event throughout the week. June 3rd was another philanthropy that Epsilon Pi held in order to raise money to donate to Reading is Fundamental. This philanthropy was a Kappa Karwash. Sisters got together at a local burger joint and washed cars in order to raise money for Kappa’s national philanthropy. The next few weeks of June events died down because it was the end of the quarter and finals were nearing but our Vice President of Academic Excellence did hold a Kappa Study Party on June 11th for all our members. She rented out a study room at one of our campus libraries and held a study party for all our members. At the study party she provided many things for our sisters such as scantrons, blue books, and pencils sisters might need for their finals. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the moths of July and August sisters were home for the summer, yet the recruitment chair along with the help of her committee started to prepare for recruitment. In September the week before school started recruitment workshops were held September 21st through the 26th. At these workshops sisters learned songs and practiced all the things that needed to be perfected before formal recruitment. Formal recruitment was held October 5th through the 8th. Bid day was then held on October 8th at a fellow sister's house welcoming home our new pledge class Beta Zeta. That following Monday, October 9th, the new pledge class was formally pinned and their new member education began. October 14th our Founders Day brunch was held at Canyon Crest Country Club. It was a brunch held by our Education Chairman in which celebrated our Founders Day. It was a very successful first event with our new pledge class setting the tone for them for the rest of the year. In the following weeks new members got to meet with the sapphires weekly leading up to big and little week which occurred the week of October 23rd. That Friday, October 27th, big and little reveal was facilitated by our New Member Chairman on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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Following reveal the new members were driven to an active's house where they had their first sleepover as a pledge class. They bonded with the New Member Chairman and with each other throughout the night. Sunday October 29th was Epsilon Pi’s October Sisterhood which was held at The Pumpkin Factory, a local pumpkin patch. Sisters got to bond with their new littles and with the new pledge class. The Week of October 29th through November 3rd Epsilon Pi was visited by another Leadership Consultant who checked up with Chapter Council’s progress that they have made this year. The Leadership Consultant also was able to come to chapter meeting to meet with new members and give a presentation to the whole chapter on the importance of attendance. The Leadership Consultant visit was successful in that she was able to help out chapter council with any guidance they needed leading their way into initiated the new pledge class. &lt;br /&gt;
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On November 4th Epsilon Pi participated in a philanthropy held by fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This philanthropy was a soccer tournament for the various sororities to compete against each other and raise money Epsilon Pi had two teams competing in the event and took both second and first place in the tournament. On November 10th Epsilon Pi competed in another sports related philanthropic event held by Phi Kappa Sigma. This event was titled The Phi Kap Olympics in which teams competed in various activities and games. Epsilon Pi also took first in this philanthropic event as well. Inspiration Week started on November 13th, this being the period before initiation where girls sit back and think about Kappa and the true meaning and values that Kappa instills in each of its members. Throughout that week our Philanthropy chair held Epsilon Pi’s first philanthropy event for the school year being a Kappa Canned food drive. Epsilon Pi collected cans and donations from various greek organizations on our campus with an incentive that the organization that donates the most cans will get a $100 check written out to their philanthropy. This however was a bigger success than our philanthropy chair had expected with around two thousand of cans donated and around $350 raised. On Thursday November 16th Epsilon Pi held their Big and Little Night put on by our Marshall. Big and Little Night was held at a local ice rink, IceTown, where sisters skated and bonded with their family lines. November 17th Fireside was held for the new members followed by initiation the next morning. On November 27th chapter elections will be held for the new Chapter Council. On November 30th Epsilon Pi held their Date Party at a minor league basketball game. On December 3rd Epsilon Pi’s Vice President of Academic Excellence planned a Kappa Study Party so sisters can get together and study before finals in our on campus library. On December 6th the Education Chairman held a senior sisterhood where the seniors meet at a sisters house and decorated ornaments and cookies to celebrate the holidays. Through all these success for Epsilon Pi Chapter throughout 2017 the chapter’s morale has gained strength. All in all 2017 was a good year for Epsilon Pi.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2018==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Over the year, the Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has participated in many events on the UC Riverside campus, and has been tremendously rewarded for its involvement and service in the community. We started off the year in January when we welcomed and transitioned the new leaders of the chapter during leadership day. This was a special time because the new officers were transitioning into their new positions and learned from the old officers everything their position entails. &lt;br /&gt;
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In February, the new chapter council was excited to start working on Parent’s Day which is a day where all the girls bring their parents together to show them what Kappa is all about. Our Parent’s Day was February 24, celebrated with brunch and set up by the Public Relations Chairman. Throughout the day, we awarded advisors and members for their dedication to the chapter, and had presentations about our chapter history. There were tables setup that displayed old archives like old composites, and scrapbooks for the parents to see. It was a great time for the members and their families to come together to take pictures, and learn Kappa’s history. We also had our sisterhood in February, where all the girls dressed in cute pajamas and went to the movie theatre where they had a viewing of Pitch Perfect. Many sisters came in matching pajamas, especially bigs and littles. The chapter even had a contest for the cutest pajamas, and the winner got a prize. Our biggest event in February would have to be Reading is Key, our philanthropy that is put together entirely by the Philanthropy Chairman. We went to a local elementary school, where we held many activities such as face painting and crafts for the kids to do. The theme for the day was “Under the Sea”, with many decorations and books set up for the day. The whole chapter came throughout the day and managed the different stations for the children to go through. Our goal was to show the kids how much fun reading and learning can be, so we had many books for them to see and an individual copy for them to take home. The kids were very excited and we even had a few sisters get on stage and do a reading of the books to the children. &lt;br /&gt;
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In March, we started the month with composites. All the girls met in the Highlander Union Building and got their portraits taken, which was set up by the chapter’s Registrar. We ended the month with our semi-formal, set up by our Event Chair, where the whole chapter comes together for food and music. Our semi-formal was March 3rd in Downtown Riverside, where we celebrated a lovely evening with appetizers, a photobooth, and dancing. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a very busy month with many fundraisers and awards. We kicked it off with winning Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash, where the members in the chapters won a dance and swimming competition. Our team came together and held many practices in order to make sure their routine was perfect. Not only did we participate in Anchor Splash, but we also were involved with the blood drive, and held a yogurtland fundraiser for our philanthropy. Mid April, we held our scholarship dinner at Cheesecake Factory where the chapter was awarded with their academic achievements. Throughout the night, there were a lot of awards to give considering the drastic rise in our chapter’s GPA. This was put together by our VP Academic Excellence and there were different awards such as ‘Highest GPA’ or ‘Most Improved GPA’. It was a great way to celebrate the academic achievements of the chapter and recognize all the hard work we put into for school. We ended the successful month off with our participation in Powderpuff which is a greek soccer tournament held by Phi Kappa Psi.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to the Pillar’s Awards, we have Pillar’s week, which is a week of competitions that organizations do on campus as teams. We were the red team, and our panhellenic chair along with our chapter council made sure we participated in all the tasks they gave us. The Chapter Council and the President put in countless hours filling in the forms and requirements for Pillars week. The award accounted for many things such as how involved the chapter is on campus, how much attendance does the chapter have at other organizations and philanthropy, and how well our academics and community service is. All the hard work paid off when our chapter won “Chapter of The Year” and the “Service Award”. It was a very exciting night that made the chapter very proud of its accomplishments. &lt;br /&gt;
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In May, we got to celebrate our achievements at our Formal, which is a night of celebration for the seniors. The chapter came together for food and dancing all put together by our Event Chair, where we handed out awards to all of the seniors for the end of the school year was approaching fast for them. We also kicked back and had our sisterhood, a kappa luau. Our VP Standards put together the luau where we hung out by the pool, got snacks, had cute hawaiian decorations and took pictures. It was a great way for our sisters to bond under the sun. We ended May with our second biggest philanthropy, A Day in the Life, which is also entirely put together by the philanthropy Chair. We had local middle schoolers come to UC Riverside, where we took the kids on tours, played fun games with them, and answered all their questions about college life. First we welcomed the kids to the campus, and played games with them to get know their names and interests. We then started by taking them on tours, based on their different teams, and ended the day with snacks and refreshments for the kids. The chapter showed them how great school and education can be, and hoped to inspire them to pursue a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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As June started, the school year was coming to an end and many sisters went home for summer vacation. While some sisters were doing internships, or going on cool vacations, the girls that stayed in town started working on recruitment. The membership chairman along with her committee spent many days tabling meeting the new students of UC Riverside, and answering all their questions about our chapter. Before the start of school, the chapter came together for recruitment workshops where we all learned songs and recruitment etiquette. It was five days of practice that really brought the chapter together in time for welcoming the potential new &lt;br /&gt;
members into recruitment. When school finally started again, it was time for Formal recruitment which was all managed by the Membership Chairman. The chapter was so excited to welcome home the class of Beta Eta at our olympic themed bid day put together by our New Member Chairman. Following Bid Day, the new members got a weekly sapphire that guided them throughout their first few weeks in the chapter. One important event in October was our Founder’s Day, put together by the Education Chairman. On October 10, the chapter came together at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we celebrate with brunch and presentations of the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma. We remember the six founders and the symbols that make Kappa so special to all of us.&lt;br /&gt;
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The new members finally got to find out who their bigs were during big and little reveal. During that week, bigs decorated their little’s rooms and gave them secret hints as to who they were. The bigs decorated cute boxes and popped out of them to surprise their littles, and the boxes had cute themes to them. In the month of November, the chapter had big and little night, which was put together by the Marshall and was held at a roller skating rink. Bigs and littles spent the night roller skating around and taking cute pictures in their matching outfits. We ended the month off with our participation in Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s soccer tournament to raise awareness for cancer. We had our strongest soccer players compete against other sororities and we were able to win first place. It was a great way for the chapter to come together, and for the Greek community as well to raise awareness for the cause. In the last meeting, November 26, elections were held for the new chapter council, and the chapter spends one last meeting together before the year ends. &lt;br /&gt;
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Ultimately, it has been a very successful year for Epsilon Pi. Not only did we win many awards, but we were very involved with other philanthropies and fundraisers. Our philanthropies main goal is to encourage kids to learn, read, and pursue a higher education. We do that by emphasizing the importance of reading and going to college, for these kids to understand that education is very important. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2020s==&lt;br /&gt;
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Starting out our Winter Quarter of 2020, on January 5th our newly elected chapter council had their first chapter council meeting as well as the following day, January 6th, we had our first formal meeting of the quarter where new officers got formally transitioned into their positions. On January 11th, we scheduled and attended our first leadership day where we invited advisors, outgoing cc, as well as incoming cc to create a smooth transition for new positions. On January 26th our newest pledge class had their new member retreat where they got to rock climb on the ropes course at UCR. On January 31st we were so fortunate to celebrate our 150th anniversary of the organization by being visited by the Minnie Stewart van! On February 6th we held a social with a Panhellenic organization, Alpha Chi Omega. On February 26th, we held our annual Reading is Key event at Madison Elementary where it was Alice in Wonderland themed and we read and did crafts with the 1st grade classes. On March 1st we held our Semi-formal event where we danced the night away with all of our sisters. On March 2nd, we participated in a joint philanthropy event with Sigma Pi Epsilon at a local elementary school reading to kids. On March 6th we held our Winter Sisterhood event at Hangar Trampoline Park. During the week of March18-22nd, we began our finals week while transitioning to a complete remote learning environment. Although many of us assumed we would be coming back after spring break, we ended up coming to terms that we would be having both our Spring and Fall Quarters completely online. On April 1st we held our first virtual meeting through zoom. On April 14th we began to review and evaluate the best and worst case for the budget with the treasurer. On April 26th we began to reevaluate and get on the same page for tackling the actions on our action plan. On April 29th we supported Denim Day virtually through our platforms. On May 27th we decided on the budget proposal and to put all of our members on a payment plan due to pandemic circumstances. On June 16th we raised and donated $2,700O to act able. On September 26th we began recruitment workshops every day until to 30th. On October 8th through the 11th we held formal recruitment through zoom. Although this process did look a bit different than usual years, everything ran very smoothly as we conducted conversations and voting on zoom and in break out rooms. On October 11th, we welcomed our newest pledge class, Beta Iota to the chapter as the bid day theme was Kappa and Co. We held our New member pinning ceremony on October 12th. On October 13th we all joined the zoom call with our chapter first to go over some history fun facts as well as conduct our founders day ceremony then joined the zoom call with our sisters across the nation to help celebrate our 150th milestone! On October 12-16th our lovely leadership consultant Cait Berosh held a virtual meeting with a majority of our chapter council members. On October 18th we held a virtual committee night.&lt;br /&gt;
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On October 22nd we held a virtual COB night where we welcome a few more members to our new member class. On October 25th we were visited by a facilitator from HQ for a Aspiring to a higher type of Sisterhood Workshop. On October 29th we held a Spooky fall quarter sisterhood where we all carved pumpkins together. On November 4th, we held a sisterhood where we made fun PowerPoint on random topics. On November 13th we held big little reveal where a majority of new members got their bigs. On November 16th-20th we began Inspiration week where we did various writing prompts to reflect on our values as well as had big little night on November 18th. On November 18th the rest of the new members who were COBs got their bigs as well. On November 20th, our new members were officially initiated into our chapter. On November 16th we were presented with the slate from the nominating committee. On November 23rd, we held chapter elections where we elected prospective new officers. On December 4th we held a virtual baking sisterhood with a Panhellenic organization Gamma Phi Beta. On December 7th, we held our last meeting of 2020 and the quarter and after finals we will begin winter break.&lt;br /&gt;
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We support our local Elementary School Madison Elementary which is in an under served community.We chose this school, to only because we’ve worked with them many years prior, but also because a alumna from Epsilon Pi Chapter hasworked as a teacher there in the past and explained how our chapter could positively impact the students&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chairman and she aided in all the programming that was being planned as well as sent out little reminders throughout the quarter on how to be inclusive and how to be more conscious through the group me.&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a sesquicentennial chairman who would kept us updated on new and fun stuff from HQ as well as would share various chapter history PowerPoints and we were so lucky to have been visited by the Minnie Steward Van to celebrate such an amazing milestone! During Founders Day we joined on zoom together as a chapter and did our Founders Day ceremony and then join the zoom call with all of our sisters nationwide to share this special moment in history.&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>VickiCarrigan</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23788</id>
		<title>Epsilon Pi</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23788"/>
				<updated>2024-07-16T18:49:56Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;VickiCarrigan: &lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;div&gt;{{Infobox Fraternity&lt;br /&gt;
|Name= Epsilon Pi&lt;br /&gt;
|GreekSymbol= EΠ&lt;br /&gt;
|Image= [[File:Epsilon_Pi.jpeg|200px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1976|02|07}}&lt;br /&gt;
|College= [https://www.ucr.edu/ University of California, Riverside]&lt;br /&gt;
|Location= Riverside, CA&lt;br /&gt;
|Homepage= [https://ucr.kappa.org/ Epsilon Pi Homepage]&lt;br /&gt;
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Epsilon_Pi Media related to Epsilon Pi Chapter]}}&lt;br /&gt;
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'''University of California at Riverside, 1954'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Epsilon Pi founded February 7, 1976'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''1,127 initiates (as of June 2018)'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Some of Chapter’s Outstanding Alumnae:''' (If you have chapter alumna who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.)&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Council Officers:'''&lt;br /&gt;
Kyle Donnelly, Fraternity Treasurer, 2022-2024, 2024-2026; Jessica Coffield, Fraternity Vice President, 2024-2026&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Additional Outstanding Epsilon Pi Alumnae:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Kyle Donnelly: Fraternity Finance Committee (2006-2008), Province Director of Chapters (2008-2011), Assistant to Fraternity Treasurer (2011-2014), Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Finance Committee (2011-2012), Scholarship Reader (2015-2018), Fraternity House Board Chairman (2018-2020).&lt;br /&gt;
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Ella Gaumer Vieria: Traveling Consultant (2000-2001), Province Director of Chapters (2005-2009), Technology Committee (2009-2010), Regional Director of Chapters (2010-2012, 2012-2014), Long Range Planning Task Force (2013-2016), Assistant to Director of Chapters (2014-2016), Public Relations Content Director (2016-2018), Leadership Education and Development Committee (2018).&lt;br /&gt;
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Yvonne Kim: Province Director of Chapters (2011-2015).&lt;br /&gt;
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Vicki Hill Carrigan: Kappa Trainer (2010-2016), Publications Committee (2010-2014), Technology Committee (2010-2014), Leadership Academy Facilitator (2012, 2016, 2017, 2023), Betty Brady Award (1995), Coordinator of Chapter Support (2014-2016), Convention Committee - Music Chairman (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024), Adviser Academy Facilitator (2016), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Ritual &amp;amp; History Specialist (2019 - 2026).&lt;br /&gt;
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Jessica Coffield: Nominating Committee (2014-2016), Standards Specialist (2016-2020), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Standards Director (2020-2024).&lt;br /&gt;
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Traci Evans: Programming Specialist (2016-2018), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), District Director (2022-2024).&lt;br /&gt;
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Stephanie Hammond: Public Relations Specialist (2019-2021).&lt;br /&gt;
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Kim Braun Padulo: Province Director of Chapters (1987-1988), Province Director of Alumnae (1989-1990).&lt;br /&gt;
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Hailey Grisel: Leadership Consultant (2015-2016), Philanthropy Specialist (2016-2017).&lt;br /&gt;
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Meredith Hutcheson Reuter: Chapter Consultant (1990-1991), Province Director of Chapters (1993-1995).&lt;br /&gt;
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Lise Haxton: Traveling Consultant (1993-1994), Chapter Consultant (1994-1995), Chapter Support Committee (2004-2005)&lt;br /&gt;
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==The Early Years -- Colonization and Installation==&lt;br /&gt;
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Love and guidance by many caring Kappas allowed Epsilon Pi chapter to enjoy a great beginning. The culmination of this love and concern was exemplified in the beautiful Installation held the first weekend in February 1976 when 13 new members of Epsilon Pi Colony were initiated as charter members of Epsilon Pi Chapter at the University of California at Riverside.&lt;br /&gt;
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Installing officer Marian Schroeder Graham, Beta Phi—Montana, Fraternity President, was assisted by many others including Phyllis Brinton Pryor, Beta Mu—Colorado, National Panhellenic Conference Delegate and colonizing officer; Patti Ball Hillyard, Delta Chi—San Jose State, installation chairman and President of the Riverside Alumnae Club; Lyn Conway Madding, Delta Gamma—Michigan State, Kappa Province Director of Alumnae; Kay Reid Tennison, Epsilon Delta—Arizona State, Kappa Province Director of Chapters; and Janeen Gould, Beta Beta Deuteron—St. Lawrence, Epsilon Pi Graduate Counselor. Also, several advisers and Graduate Counselors to California chapters and alumnae from all over southern California gathered to participate in and to honor the Installation of Kappa’s 95th chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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The setting for the ceremonies was the chapter house of Epsilon Pi’s sister chapter, Delta Tau—Southern California. It was agreed by all and well stated by Phyllis Pryor that “no more perfect arrangements could have been made for an unhoused chapter to be assimilated into a totally Kappa setting where a true feeling of belonging could be imparted. The cooperation and hospitality of those members of Delta Tau who made this possible will be long remembered as a very vital aspect of the happy Initiation of Epsilon Pi.” She also noted that “the beautiful, warm, very adequate facilities of the Delta Tau house accommodated the influx of extra people and activities gracefully and with no evidence of inconvenience or interruption.” &lt;br /&gt;
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Fern Crane, Delta Tau Housemother; Katie Finnegan, Delta Tau President; Kris Kline, chapter coordinator, and chapter members were thanked for their superb planning and for making the guests and participants feel welcomed and prepared.&lt;br /&gt;
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It was here that the scene for the entire weekend, including a lovely Friday night Fireside Service and dinner. Delta Tau members added to the beauty by sharing some of their traditional pre-initiation thoughts and songs.&lt;br /&gt;
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Many gifts to the new chapter were recognized at the luncheon banquet, which was held at the University Hilton Hotel following Saturday’s Installation. Two special gifts were award badges for outstanding new members, one given to the new member class president, Debbie Dietrich, and one to Robin Rose, Recruitment Chairman, for scholarship.&lt;br /&gt;
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Greetings to the new chapter increased even more when more than 150 guests came in heavy rain to a reception Sunday afternoon in Riverside at the home of a recent Delta Tau active. UC Riverside administrators and Panhellenic representatives and members of other Greek-letter groups on campus along with friends and family members of the new chapter members honored Epsilon Pi with their attendance.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to Installation, the Epsilon Pi new members were busy with campus activities including selling cotton candy during Homecoming, a pizza party with alumnae, a new member retreat and joining the other fraternities and sororities in the Greek cheering section for football games and for Christmas caroling before the winter break. Epsilon Pi members also created a wooden plaque with pictures of the charter members, and they worked together on a hooked rug with an owl design for Delta Tau Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
The previous information was excerpted from (unknown source-most likely The Key.)&lt;br /&gt;
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The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to update its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1970s==      &lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter’s first formal, called “Sea and Sky”, was held in a multipurpose room in one of the apartment complexes near campus since the budget for the event was only $75; $25 was spent on decorations and $50 was spent on a band.  One sister, who was dating a Sigma Alpha Epsilon from UCLA, had him fix up some of the Kappas with blind dates with his brothers. Charter President Kim Braun Padulo recalled the surprised reaction of the boys when they entered the room as it was not the kind of reception they were used to.&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi faced its challenges head on and ultimately succeeded.  In the fall of 1976, they welcomed a second pledge class that nearly doubled the size of the chapter.  Following soon after, in spring quarter the women had to write their chapter Bylaws. After getting the foundations of the chapter set, the women focused on their sisterhood. To improve this Epsilon Pi chapter participated in a potluck with the Northern Orange County Alumnae Association. The theme was to bring with you your favorite Kappa memory to share. After doing so, the women realized that while they were close, a house would bring them much closer to each other.  They hoped that one day they would reach this goal for Epsilon Pi to have a chapter house. &lt;br /&gt;
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October of 1977, thirteen more lovely ladies were pledged after an informal Yell-in, and on Inspiration week, in October 24-29; the women were initiated. With rush again in the spring the chapter was able to grow from 13 actives to 30 by 1978.  &lt;br /&gt;
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1979 was kicked off with Formal Fall Rush. The first night the girls attended open house and had sandwiches while getting to know each other. The second night was theme night, in which the chapter put on their annual performance of “Kapparet”.  On the second to last night the chapter had project night in which the women used felt letters and animals to spell their names, these where then to be used for philanthropy. The final night, was preference night. Here the women all dressed up formally, and had dessert together while sharing stories in a circle. Epsilon Pi once again initiated more women, making the chapter grow a little bigger every year.  With the goal to become one of the largest chapters, Epsilon Pi continued learning ways of improving and growing closer in sisterhood.  To do so, their goal was set to focus on social graciousness, organization, and sisterhood (SOS). Memorable events from the 70s include hanging out at the pool at Bannockburn, yearly pledge class songs, and exchanges with other groups on campus. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1980s:==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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Small &amp;quot;get to know each other&amp;quot; parties were held at the Bannockburn pool, so that all the women could get to know each other better and create stronger sisterhoods. They also held exchanges. Epsilon Pi had an annual &amp;quot;walkout&amp;quot; in which the pledges would plan to &amp;quot;kidnap&amp;quot; actives and have them do funny antics like sing Kappa songs and Kappa Dances at different stops on campus like the library, residence halls, and classrooms.  Every stop would earn them a clue that would lead them to the location that the pledges had chosen to host them for dinner. They experienced the debut of MTV and this spurred lip-synching contests in the dorms, which were a blast! &lt;br /&gt;
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After just a few years of being established Epsilon Pi was honored to participate in founding of new chapters of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of California, Irvine and University of California, San Diego.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi held many different Philanthropy events such as making rabbit-like Easter baskets to give to the Sunshine School in Riverside, dressing up around Halloween in costumes and visiting the Riverside Community Hospital patients with candy.  One popular tradition was a &amp;quot;Grandparent Adoption&amp;quot; from convalescent homes where the chapter women would visit their adoptee twice a month and bring them carnations and homemade spice ropes.&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter Convention Awards:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1990s==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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In the early 1990’s, the chapter was focused on scholarship, improving rush, and philanthropy. The chapter tied for the 2nd highest GPA on campus in 1991 and placed 35 members on the Dean’s List. And in 1993-94, the chapter received the Dean’s Scholarship Trophy for the highest percentage of members on the Dean’s List.  The chapter maintained a high level of academic excellence throughout the decade, due in part to weekly mandatory study hours for actives and pledges.&lt;br /&gt;
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To prepare for rush, the chapter started early the prior school year with a 10 day work week. Rush quota gradually decreased on the UCR campus in the early 90’s. Quota was 32 in 1991, 24 in 1993, to 16 in 1994, and 13 in 1995. However, quota was back up in the 20’s by 2000. These smaller pledge classes, however, allowed the chapter to be fully involve the new members in all aspects of chapter life.&lt;br /&gt;
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Early in the decade, the chapter accepted the Challenge to Excellence issued to all chapters by the Fraternity. Work on the Challenge to Excellence continued during the rest of the 1990’s. It strengthened the chapter and brought the members closer together.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991, nine of the 13 founders of Epsilon Pi were present for the Founders Day brunch. In 1995, the chapter celebrated Kappa Kappa Gamma’s 125th birthday with Zeta Eta at UC Irvine.&lt;br /&gt;
On the social front, the chapter continued with its annual Sea and Sky formal, Monmouth Duo with Pi Beta Phil, and Kappa Krush dances. Epsilon Pi also participated in many sporting competitions on campus, such as the annual inter-sorority volleyball tournament, Sports week, the Greek Games and the annual Run to the C. The chapter also hosted a Parent’s Day each year.&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter focus shifted to sisterhood, public relations and participation in the mid-1990’s.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991 the chapter lounge was redecorated. The last update was 16 years prior! Also in this year, the university offered sororities a hall in one of the dorms to have as their own. The chapter felt this would be a good way to improve chapter bonds, and would show the university that they were serious about having a house in the future.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi won the Philanthropy Award at the 1991 Kappa Province Meeting. The chapter participated in the Cystic Fibrosis Walkathon and helped clean up downtown Riverside. They also continued their tradition of visiting the Sunshine House and their association with the Riverside section of the California School of Deaf. In the mid-1990’s, Epsilon Pi began a new philanthropy called Night Run.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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1992 Efficiency Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Standards Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Scholarship Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1996 Scholarship Award Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2000-2010==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter actively participated in campus events such as BEAR Facts Orientation, Block Party, Homecoming and Spring Splash as well as Panhellenic sponsored events such as Sports Week, Greek Unity Week with Greek Pyramid, and Presents. Founders Day was often celebrated with Zeta Eta, UC Irvine and the Orange County Alumnae Association. A yearly Scholarship Dinner was held to honor the sisters with the highest GPA, most improved GPA, and all sisters with a 4.0 in a quarter. Yearly chapter events included a fall Date Party, a winter Scholarship Banquet, and a Parent’s Day in the spring.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Housing:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi was the first Greek organization to be invited to participate in UCR’s Greek Housing Pilot Program.  The chapter was able to rent five units in an apartment complex near campus and 10 members lived there during the 2009-2010 school year.  However, due to a lack of contracts and security, the program was discontinued.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Members of Epsilon Pi volunteered yearly for a local breast cancer fundraiser put on by the Inland Agency, called “Shop to Stop Breast Cancer.”  Each year, chapter members volunteered to read to students at Madison Elementary School on Dr. Suess day. In Spring 2009, the members of Epsilon Pi hosted sixth grade students for “A Day In The Life” at UCR.  The Kappas gave them tours of the campus and the sixth graders got to meet the Men’s Basketball Team and the UCR Cheerleaders and Dance Team. The finale of the day was lunch on the commons lawn where the sixth graders read their favorite books to the Kappas.  &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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2008 Rose McGill Award&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011-2019==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011==&lt;br /&gt;
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2011 was a busy and great year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. Winter quarter started out with the nomination process, leading to the election of a strong, new Chapter Council. That quarter we participated in two philanthropic events at Madison Elementary School, Where the Wild Things Read and Dr. Seuss Day. Both events involved reading to the students and encouraging literacy. Greek Unity Week also took place during the winter. Our members were paired with the men of Pi Kappa Alpha to compete in various activities throughout the week meant to strengthen Greek unity on campus. As our winter quarter event, the chapter had a “Finally Famous” themed semi-formal, in which couples dressed as famous couples throughout history. &lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter also enjoyed a scholarship dinner at Ciao Bella restaurant and a go-cart racing sisterhood event held at K1 Speedway. For the spring quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter continued its emphasis on philanthropy. We volunteered at the Inland Agency’s Shop to Stop Breast Cancer event. Also, our sister Brittany Altamirano competed in and won the 2011 Delta Queen Pageant hosted by the men of Delta Tau Delta, raising around $7000 for City of Hope cancer research. During this quarter, the campus’ Fraternity and Sorority Involvement Center hosted a Pillar’s Reception where Epsilon Pi was proud to receive the Friendship Pillar Award. The Chapter hosted Parent’s Day at the Benedict Castle and a formal at the Pomona Valley Mining Co. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another major accomplishment for the chapter during spring was our Sports Week participation. Members assembled teams for volleyball and football, and did excellent in both sports, taking home the overall win for Sports Week. In April, a few members of our chapter went to Kappa Province in Tucson, AZ, where we were awarded the Rose McGill Magazine Award. As fall quarter began, the members of Epsilon Pi were eager for recruitment, to gain more assets to our chapter. After going through formal recruitment, the chapter welcomed 31 New Members on Bid Day. The New Members were taken to a taco dinner afterwards to celebrate and get to know the chapter. This year, the chapter invited local alumnae and the women of the Zeta Eta Chapter at UC Irvine to our Founder’s Day brunch at the Riverside Art Museum. Many of our members also participated in the Pink on Parade breast cancer walk, as well as the 5K run held by the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Our chapter enjoyed a movie night sisterhood as we went to go see the film 50/50, as well as a Thanksgiving potluck themed meeting to end the quarter. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Campus:''' This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus tried to really encourage unity among the Greek community, but the panhellenic organizations in particular. Kappa encouraged this as well, as we participated in Panhellenic’s Cookies and Crafts event. All 6 of the panhellenic organizations came together to get to know each other better, as well as learn more about one another’s philanthropies. We also participated in the kickball tournament thrown by the women of Gamma Phi Beta, to further demonstrate our support of panhellenic. The campus hosted many annual events like Spring Splash, Bear Facts Orientation, and Block Party, all of which Epsilon Pi participated in. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter:''' If one word were chosen to describe the overall nature of our chapter in 2011 it would be growth. We suffered some minor setbacks, but with positive mindsets and a strong chapter council, we pushed through and began making necessary changes for our chapter to head in the right direction. Epsilon Pi has taken pride in both its diversity and large chapter size and has used both of those factors to strengthen the chapter as a whole. &lt;br /&gt;
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One main challenge for the chapter was attendance. With such a large chapter size, we expected high numbers of attendance, but were not seeing that. Chapter Council began a point system for attendance. A minimum requirement of points was made necessary for fun/positive things later on, such as getting a little sister in the fall. In addition, our VP Standards took attendance into account as she looked over members who needed standards appointments. She stressed the importance of going to mandatory events in these meetings and the consequences of not doing so. The attendance problem was not completely erased, but the chapter hopes to see improvements, continuously reminding members of the attendance policy in our chapter’s bylaws and standing rules. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2012==&lt;br /&gt;
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Each year Epsilon Pi chapter continues to reach and exceed previous years' achievements. 2011 was an amazing and notable year for Epsilon Pi chapter. In January, we began with inspiration week filled with a variety of big and little and sisterhood bonding events. Soon after, the Alpha Omega pledge class was initiated. It was a beautiful and special ceremony that we were able to share with the newest members of our wonderful chapter. The following week we had an amazing Semi Formal which was hosted at the Caspian in Irvine, where we enjoyed an Arabian night filled with kabobs and belly dancers. Soon after we had elections and welcomed the newly elected chapter council. During that time period we were graced with the Leadership Officer and received an abundance of tips and advice on how to make our chapter even stronger than what it was then. &lt;br /&gt;
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Following elections and the LC visit, we had Greek Unity week on campus which brings the Greek and cultural sorority and fraternities together. This year we were paired with the men of Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. During this week we are separated into teams and participate in a variety of team and at the end of the week perform a team dance that is appreciated by the whole Greek community. &lt;br /&gt;
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As we continued into winter quarter we held two amazing philanthropies at Madison Elementary School; Kappa Kamp and Dr. Seuss Day. Both event encouraged the students to read and enjoy books. We also had a delicious scholarship dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory where we acknowledged our hard working sisters that make the Dean's List, have the most study hours, and the highest overall GPA. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of winter quarter we held our Leadership Day, which aimed at better training our newly elected chapter council to ensure that they would be confident in achieving everything their position asked them to, as well as doing their little perfectly.&lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring quarter, our sisterhood took a great start with having a fun and exciting event at Dave and Buster. This quarter we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Lauren Montes, won the Delta Queen Pageant raising $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices. This quarter we also had our annual formal, &amp;quot;A Night In Spain&amp;quot;, which was held at the Green River Gold Club in Corona. It was an amazing event where we danced the night away and appreciated the seniors, as it was their last formal with the chapter. As the quarter continued, we hosted &amp;quot;A Day In The Life&amp;quot; where we hosted students from Madison Elementary School and showed them the campus. We introduced them to the soccer team and cheer leaders and gave them a tour of the campus. We wanted to encourage the sixth graders to continue on to college to get a higher education and to show them that anyone can achieve that with hard work and dedication. We ended this quarter with a fun filled water themed sisterhood at our president, Brittany Altamirano's house. There was a water maze, water guns, and of course water balloons. The sisterhood definitely helped relieve some stress that we had pertaining to the upcoming finals. Later that weekend we also had our annual Parent's Day at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we had a nice lunch with all our sisters and their parents. We also appreciated our sisters who stood out exceptionally in being a good sister and kappa and sisters that stood our academically as well.&lt;br /&gt;
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After returning from summer vacation, Epsilon Pi was eager for recruitment and to gain new assets to our ever growing sisterhood. Following formal recruitment we were more than happy to welcome the 30 Beta Alpha new member class. After bid day on campus we took them to one of our sister's house to have dinner and meet the chapter; there were also an abundance of ice breaking games. This year, the Orange County Alumni Association hosted Founder's Day at the Tustin Senior Center. After thoroughly educating the Beta Alpha new member class with Kappa history and creating a new love for Kappa we had Inspiration Week and Initiation. It was again a beautiful ceremony where each sister was able to appreciate and remember why we joined one of the strongest sisterhoods. We concluded this quarter with our Kappa Thanksgiving, which brought our chapter together once again. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus was continuing to encourage unity among the Greek community. The board hosted many events where each sorority could come and support panhellenic. Such events were &amp;quot;blankets for babies&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;cookies and crafts&amp;quot;, and staff appreciation. Kappa supports the board and tries to get more involved by participating. Kappa also participates in Block Party, Spring Spash, and Bear Facts orientation.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2013==&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi had a truly remarkable year in 2013 with all that we accomplished and participated in. As our winter quarter began, we had the opportunity to help recruit members for the new chapter that was established at Chapman University with our sisters from USC. The recruitment was so successful that we had the amazing honor to be apart of their initiation ceremony and be their big sis chapter. Towards the end of the quarter we were partnered up with the men of Phi Gamma Delta and the women of Omega Zeta Chi to participate in a week of Greek Unity. The main event was a dance competition in which we were elated and humbled to have won first place. &lt;br /&gt;
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As the quarter continued we participated in our annual philanthropy of “Reading is Key” in which we traveled to Madison Elementary school and spent the day reading and doing crafts with the children. We also had a delicious Scholarship dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in which we gave awards to the sisters who had accomplishments such as the most study hours, highest GPA, and being on the dean’s list. The last major event of winter quarter was our semi-formal in which we went to a lovely Italian restaurant and had a great time dancing the night away with our sisters and dates. &lt;br /&gt;
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Spring quarter began with 6 sisters attending Kappa Province. In addition to learning valuable skills and information for our chapter, Epsilon Pi was honored to have received 2 awards: the New Member Program Award and the Norma Dow Patton Gracious Living Award. Soon after, we had a visit from the LC, which gave the new officers a chance to get ideas and information about her new positions in personal meetings that were set-up. We also had our formal at a beautiful venue at the Glen Ivy Spa and golf course in which we had a great night taking pictures in a photo booth, eating delicious food, and giving out senior recognition awards. &lt;br /&gt;
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This quarter was also very philanthropic. Not only did we host our annual “Day in the Life” event for Madison elementary school children to come and see what it is like to be a college student, but we also partnered up with the women of Pi Beta Phi to create our very own join philanthropy on campus called “Words with Friends”. It was a spelling bee and speed read event in which all the organizations could compete with each other and donate either money or books to our philanthropy. This quarter, as well as supporting many other philanthropies throughout the year, we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Hailey Grisel, received second place and remarkably raised $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. &lt;br /&gt;
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We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices because we ended up winning the entire event. Later that month we had parent’s day which was so special in being able to show our families a little bit of what Kappa is like. We were able to honor the sisters who truly embody what Kappa is and also got to see what our chapter used to be like through the heritage display. &lt;br /&gt;
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There is also an annual awards ceremony for the Greek community on our campus in which we were honored to have received the University of California, Riverside Marguleas Sororotiy/Fraternity Service Award in recognition of our leadership and philanthropic efforts in our community. To finish off the quarter and the academic year we had a sisterhood in which we were able to go go kart racing. We had such a fun time competing with each other for the fastest time and just be able to spend time bonding together. Fall quarter was a very hectic quarter for Epsilon Pi. We had another LC visit during recruitment which helped us make sure we were going about things as best as we could. Although we did not expect for the large increase in the size of our new pledge class, we were so grateful to welcome 45 new amazing women into our organization. Soon after, we celebrated founder’s day with our lovely Chapman sisters which was special because we got to see them experience it for the very first time as a chapter. It was so touching to see alumni from decades ago being recognized and pinned and being able to do our ritual together. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter also hosted an amazing event called “Finding Kind” in which we had the screening of the documentary to fight against female teen bulling. We then all took individual pledges to better ourselves and the way that we treat others. We were so pleased to see how many women from different organizations on campus came to support this cause. Towards the end of the quarter, we had a super hero themed date party in which we got to go to Sky Town and jump around and play various games involving foam pits and trampolines. Inspiration week and Initiation of our new Beta Beta pledge class was a very special week for all of us. We were so happy to officially welcome them into our chapter and share our ritual with them during such a beautiful and special ceremony. We also had fun during that week roller-skating and playing laser tag together during our big/little night. To finish off the quarter, we had a sisterhood the week before finals at the movie theater in which we were able to take a couple hours away from studying to relax and laugh with our sisters while watching Grown Ups 2. It had been events like this that keep us close and strong as a chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year brought changes that mainly affected our recruitment. Since our school decided to admit more students, there were more women that went through recruitment that the sororities were not prepared for. Although we thought it would be overwhelming and near impossible to have such a large pledge class, we pulled through together and were blessed to have received 45 new members instead of our anticipated 30.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2014==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year has been one of glee, many accomplishments, and ongoing improvement for Epsilon Pi Chapter. We commenced the year after a refreshing winter break with the privilege of participating in a leadership conference, Lead Today. Lead Today took place on January 22 on our campus with our entire chapter and alumnae. Coordinators were trained to help us grow and prosper as a chapter with novel leadership skills and progression in areas needing improvement. We participated in various hands on activities, games and discussions concerning the vitality of management, organization, and the overall aspect of a chapter working and developing in unison. Epsilon Pi Chapter was so thankful and gained an immense appreciation and understanding for leadership and how to use it, not only in Kappa, but in our everyday lives. This conference could not have come at a better time, due to the fact that elections were right around the corner. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our Kappa sisters did a wonderful job selecting our new Chapter Council and we knew Epsilon Pi Chapter was in good hands. Shortly after, we had our annual scholarship dinner to honor all of our hard working members who did exceptional in their academics. This year, we dressed in key attire and ventured out to The Old Spaghetti Factory located in Downtown Riverside. We loaded up on carbs and applauded our accomplished sisters when they received awards for most study hours, improved G.P.A., highest G.P.A., and many more. This night allowed our sisters to feel honored and made others strive to improve. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a few weeks of being back in school, it was time for Semi-Formal. Semi was held at Aroma Grill in Upland, CA. We all got dolled up in cute cocktail dresses and invited dates to escort us. Kappas danced the night away on the dance floor, took a plethora of photos in the photo booth and in front of the backdrop with a professional photographer, and ate a delicious variety of food. To end the month of February, our sisters headed to K1 Speed Zone for a fun packed sisterhood. Our sisters headed to the race tracks and raced in full geared helmets and mask and hopped in go-carts for some competitive fun. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, we had our first social of the quarter with the men of Phi Kappa Psi. Together, we had so much fun playing laser tag dressed up as Disney characters. Originally, we were supposed to go roller blading, however, the outdoor rink got rained out. Yet, Kappas always know how to make the best of things and we ended the night having a jovial time. To end our quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted our Reading is Key Philanthropy at our adopted school, Madison Elementary.  This year's theme was &amp;quot;Under the Sea&amp;quot; and the book we gave every student who attended was &amp;quot;The Magic School Bus Live on the Ocean Floor&amp;quot;. We loved seeing the students' faces light up as they read to us, crafted with us, and enjoyed some delicious snacks. The whole cafeteria was neatly decorated with fish, kelp, and other underwater creatures to create a fun, aquatic atmosphere. We donated books to their library and hoped to encourage them and show them how important, and intriguing, reading can be. This experience was so rewarding due to the fact that many of these students are from underprivileged households and the books we give them are usually their first books. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the start of Spring Quarter, we attended an annual philanthropy conducted by the fraternity Delta Tau Delta. They hosted a pageant that every sorority participated in by nominating one representative to compete in the event. This event raised money for The City of Hope through fundraisers and donations. This year, we selected Justine Sterling, who perfectly embodies Kappa as a whole. Justine worked extremely hard raising funds via bake sales on campus (Kappa Kappacino), and Karaoke singing night (Kappa Karaoke), as well as various dining and recreational events. Justine rasied over $4,000 for The City of Hope and took home the crown as Miss Delta Queen 2014. Her hard work and dedication paid off making all of us proud. Not to mention, we loved watching her in the pageant, especially her talent portion of rapping. In the month of April, we hosted our joint philanthropy event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Since we both share a philanthropy centered on literacy, our competitions were focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $2,000 and over a hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF. &lt;br /&gt;
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Every year, UCR hosts a sports week where each sorority comes up with teams to play dodge ball, volleyball, and football with different fraternities coaching and arranging practices. This whole week is filled with friendly competition and unity between our sorority and the whole Greek community. This year, we worked hard at many practices and came up in second place. Who knew we were so athletic? After sports week, we decided to have a social with the men of Phi Gamma Delta, who were our coaches for sports week. Bowling for strikes and spares was the event of the night while dressed in our Hawaiian skirts, shirts, and leis. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another event UCR hosts every year is Pillars Week. Pillars Week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All Greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of Greeks at our school. With Epsilon Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and Greek unity, we worked so hard and ended up placing first along with our team. &lt;br /&gt;
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During this same week we had one of our favorite philanthropies, A Day In The Life. For this event, we bring sixth grade students from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for higher education. This year we divided into different tour guiding groups and played interactive games such as red rover. It was a perfect day to have the students on campus because they were all able to see a busy campus full of students due to the fact that it was Pillars Week. These students had such a great time that even some boys flashed the Kappa sign in pictures as the proclaimed &amp;quot;I can't wait to go here!&amp;quot; &lt;br /&gt;
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With school coming to an end in a few months, it was the perfect time for our Beta Beta New Member retreat. Our New Member chair planned a daring evening of rock climbing at a local rock climbing gym, Hangar 18. Girls harnessed in and chalked their hands as they used their upper body strength and raced to the top of the rock walls. It was a perfect night for Beta Beta to be reconnected and have a little fun work out. For one of the last meetings of the year, our whole chapter went to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor to feast on all different flavors of ice cream, while discussing business, of course. This event is one of our most delicious sisterhood events since we get to eat all the ice cream we want, be sung to by Farrell's employees, and get to be with our sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
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For the last event of the year, Epsilon Pi Chapter boarded buses with our dates for a special night at Green Rivers Country Club. This year's Formal was eventful and filled with memories. Girls piled into the photo booth to take adorable pictures while some danced the night away and others ate their gourmet meal. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes. Formal was the perfect way to end the 2013-2014 school year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Although college may have been over for some, many girls who had just decided to come to UCR were making their way on campus for summer orientation in the months of July and August. During every orientation, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. We hoped to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Not only that, but almost as a summer reunion, all of our girls got together to film our, almost famous, recruitment video. We went to the beach, our campus, and the park to film a short video embodying Kappa and our strong sisterhood. It turned out to be a hit on our campus and with other chapters from other campuses as well. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a nice, long break of heading to the beach, relaxing, and a lot of studying abroad, Kappa sisters united for a week of practices for upcoming recruitment. Our sisters sang their hearts out and danced their best as we learned songs and polished ourselves so we could be the best Kappas we could be for recruitment. During the week our bonds of sisterhood grew exponentially stronger and our love for Kappa radiated in preparation of finding our newest members. On the weekend of October 3, we spent 3 days socializing and spreading our love and excitement to every potential new member who entered our room. We fell in love with so many girls and worked so hard that this turned out to be one of our most successful recruitments ever, bringing in our biggest New Member class of 53 girls. &lt;br /&gt;
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The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular New Members with &amp;quot;Key to Paradise&amp;quot; tank tops and a BBQ fit for beach queens. Our chapter transitioned so quickly to this shocking number of new ladies, and chapter council immediately understood that with a larger chapter, we would all have to grow together, and that is exactly what we did. New Members went to meetings every week to get acquainted with Kappa policies and jumped right into Kappa activities with our first sisterhood of the 2014-2015 school year. Our VPS planned a morning yoga session in a peaceful park for all of our members. It was relaxing and just what everyone needed as a de-stressor. Our New Members were also able to attend our Date Party at a roller skating rink sponsored by the Anaheim Ducks hockey team. Every member received a glitter Kappa snap back and Beyonce themed tank tops, while their dates received a Jay-Z themed crew neck. Everyone was so exited for their new Kappa clothes. Soon after, our New Members received their Big Sisters in such a cute and creative reveal. New Members were given a key to a specific car in the school's parking lot and had to find the right car to which the key belonged. Inside the car trunk, driver seat, or back seat was their Big. The excitement of the whole chapter was present as girls embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, New Members were ushered to their New Member sleepover where they bonded over games, learned about our Founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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A couple weeks later, Bigs drove their Littles to our fall social with the men of Sigma Psi Epsilon. Since it was the Halloween season, girls paired up with a Sig-Ep and carved pumpkins. This was one of our most attended and loved socials. As initiation approached, our Marshal hosted  Big and Little Night at a local ice skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as sisters. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our New Members of the Beta Gamma class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of the biggest changes to our campus occurred just this Fall quarter. In the past year, recruitment has grown as more and more girls become interested in sorority life at UCR. One of the biggest changes to our chapter was the welcoming of the biggest new member class we have ever welcomed. Our chapter almost doubled, but our chapter handled the change smoothly without a falter. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also due to the immense interest in panhellenic, the whole panhellenic community got together to listen to presentations from three possible new sororities hoping to colonize on the UCR campus. In the end, our chapter was more than happy to hear about a new sorority expanding our panhellenic community. Epsilon Pi Chapter is so strong in our bonds of sisterhood that we are more than willing to help the new chapter get accommodated to UCR. &lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter meetings are held in various on campus lecture halls and classrooms. This makes it easier for members to go to meeting since most new members live on campus and other members live near by.  Our chapter does not have a house and has not had a house in the past. We have a storage unit near campus where we keep and organize our supplies. For living situations, some girls live on campus, but most members rent houses where some members live together and sometimes end up living with other panhellenic women. Our living situations are perfect for building sisterhood and provide various places for members to hangout, study, and host various gatherings.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2015==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year, Epsilon Pi has had many defining moments that continue to shape each of our member’s college experiences. After coming back from a very well deserved winter break surrounded by family and sisters, we began a new quarter in January and quickly put our heads back in to the game, starting with elections. As always, our sisters made excellent decisions when selecting our new Chapter Council that consist of strong, efficient, Kappa leaders. &lt;br /&gt;
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Shortly after, our Event Chair planned our first social of the quarter at a nearby community park with one of the IFC fraternities on campus. Our members and the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta decked out in white apparel in preparation for a fun night filled with glow in the dark paint and athletic activities. We separated into teams and Kappas proudly showed off their flag football skills, all while glowing in the dark. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of the month Beta Gamma, our newest pledge class, attended a retreat. This retreat took place at our newly remodeled recreation center on campus. There was a rock climbing wall and a ropes course. They participated in activities that all revolved around teamwork and some critical thinking. During one of the activities, sisters had to figure out a way to get a rope to the other side without moving by working together. They were also blindfolded and were instructed to give clues to one another in order to find certain objects. They participated in multiple obstacle courses and activities that strengthened the Beta Gamma pledge class.  Overall, Beta Gamma had the opportunity to bond with their pledge class sisters and learn how to help each other out by using teamwork. This was an excellent way to prove that any challenge can be overcome with sisters by our sides. &lt;br /&gt;
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There was no better way to begin the month of February than by having our annual scholarship dinner. Our Vice President of Academic Excellence worked very hard in order to recognize and honor our smart, studious sisters and give them the credit they deserve. We all met at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside in our sharpest key attire. We were excited and anxious to eat delicious Italian food and hear all about our sister’s amazing accomplishments. Some of the awards included most study hours, highest GPA, most improved GPA, and many more. This was a proud night for many, as well as an encouraging one for other girls who decided they want to work even harder than usual and strive to be the best Kappas they can be. This night was filled with positive and uplifting words that reminded and encouraged all Kappas to make academics a priority. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, it was time for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular Semi was located in Redlands, at the Fox Event Center. We got ready in our best cocktail dresses and every Kappa looked extraordinary. As we arrived, the words “Kappa Kappa Gamma” beautifully lit up on the outside billboard of the venue. We ate a delicious dinner of various foods and danced the night away on a beautifully set dance floor that was beneath sparkly chandeliers. If sisters weren’t dancing, many of them were also taking a galore of pictures to capture all of the fun and lavish moments. A professional photographer was also available at our photo booth, which was set up using a bohemian backdrop that was of course, dark and light blue. This magical and fun night with our sisters and dates couldn’t have been better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a circus theme. All of our sisters received a red shirt with an owl in the middle portrayed as a ringmaster and circus animals surrounding it. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with circus posters, popcorn machines, and face painting. Sisters enjoyed painting everyone’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative circus animals. The book we chose to read was Clifford Goes to the Circus, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. This philanthropic event was also extra special because our leadership consultant from the previous year joined to help and support us. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids.&lt;br /&gt;
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To end the month, we had a very eventful sisterhood. Kappas loaded their cars with tents, blankets, jackets and firewood, and were off to camp overnight at Lake Perris. We began by forming groups to build the tents. Building them was no easy task, and just when we thought it couldn’t get any harder, rain started to pour on us. We laughed off our struggles, and tried to finish up quickly. Although the rain was on and off throughout the night, Kappas always know how to have a good time, and our camping experience was nothing but fun and adventure. We walked to the beautiful lake that was surrounded by mountains, ate pizza, sat by the campfire, and ate an abundant amount of smores. Connecting with nature with our sisters by our side was truly a memorable day, and Kappa camping was a success despite some obstacles.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our Spring Quarter began by participating in the fraternity Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Krystal Neag. A few of the many fundraisers Krystal put together were Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, Kappa Karaoke, where tickets were sold to sing one’s heart out, and a fundraiser at Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt, where people were able to satisfy their sweet tooth. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances, including a dance that was based on different decades. Krystal won Highest Fundraiser, and raised one-third of the total of the money, which was very impressive.&lt;br /&gt;
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During the month of April we also held our joint philanthropic event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Both of our philanthropies revolve around literacy, so this competitive event is focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed-reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $1,250 and five hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF.&lt;br /&gt;
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The month of May was full of many events and festivities, starting with Parents Day. Sisters and parents gathered at the Indian Hills Golf Club to proudly demonstrate what our organization is all about. We ate a delicious brunch together, sang to them, and had tables displaying our history, crafts, and awards. It was a great time, and every parent fell even more in love with Kappa Kappa Gamma. To deal with the hot Riverside weather, our sisters collaborated with the brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi a couple weeks later and had a fun day at the park with water balloons and ice cream. Water splashing on us and the cold taste of ice cream in our mouths was a perfect way to combat the heat.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our last, and a top favorite, philanthropy of the 2015-year was Day in the Life. We bring sixth graders from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for a higher education. Sisters are divided into different touring groups in order to get to know the kids personally and be able to be more hands on and interactive. We teach them spirit chants and walk around the busy hallways of campus so they can experience for themselves what its like to be a college student. This philanthropy is so rewarding because every student anticipates going to college, UCR in specific, at the end of the day. They also fall in love with our amazing organization and want to be future Kappas, even the boys.&lt;br /&gt;
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Before heading into summer, we had one last sisterhood at the drive-in. Sisters dressed up in their best 50’s themed clothes while watching movies in their cars and eating yummy snacks. The group of girls with the best outfits received a gift certificate to make a sweatshirt with our letters imprinted, which was a big plus. After anxiously waiting for our Formal throughout the year, Kappas got dolled up and boarded buses to the Reef Restaurant in Long Beach to have a spectacular night with their dates. The venue was right on the bay, which was perfect for capturing memorable pictures. We ate a delicious gourmet meal, and danced the night away in front of the gorgeous waterfront view. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. With Epilson Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and greek unity, we worked hard and won awards including Chapter of the Year, Highest GPA, and Best Collaborative Program. Everyone was so Kappa proud and this was an excellent way to end the school year.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although it was summer for some, Kappas were still working hard on campus partaking in every freshman orientation in order to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. During the summer, we also reunited to film our recruitment video. Some of the places we went to included the beach, an amusement park, and one of our sister's beautiful home. Our amazing video embodied Kappa and our strong sisterhood very accurately.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although our fun-filled, adventurous summer was coming to an end, Kappa’s were excited to go back to school for recruitment. On the weekend of October 2nd, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular new members with baseball themed apparel, and had hot dogs and burgers for dinner. It was definitely one of the best ball games for our Kappa sisters. After a week of clues, room decorating, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Littles unwrapped their Bigs and embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories.&lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of asking dates to our Kappa Date Party. We received matching carnival crewnecks, and headed to Scandia Amusement Park. We spent the night playing mini-golf, riding rollercoasters, driving bumper cars, and eating delicious fair food. Quickly after, initiation week approached. Our Marshal hosted a Big and Little night at a local ice-skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as big and little. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Delta class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our most recent changes on campus is the addition of a new sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. This was very exciting for Epsilon Pi, and an excellent opportunity to help colonize and make new friends. There are now seven panhellenic sororities at UCR, and there has been an overall increase in interest in the Greek community. With so many more girls interested in the recruiting process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a great amount of new members. Our chapter has handled the increase well, and has accommodated accordingly. We are always happy and ecstatic to welcome new chapters, and new girls.&lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter Philanthropy:&lt;br /&gt;
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?&lt;br /&gt;
The organization Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for is Madison Elementary, our adopted underprivileged elementary school in our area. We put three events for them throughout the year, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? &lt;br /&gt;
We chose to support this organization because our chapter enjoys working hands on with the children in our area, and we know our service and donations are impacting them directly. We prefer actual interaction, rather than simply handing a check. It is very rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these children for the better.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2016==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the past year, the members of Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma have created many amazing memories that have enriched their college experience. Our chapter started the year off strong by holding elections in January after our lovely winter break which was quite a bit longer this year then in years past. As usual our sisters chose extraordinary women to help lead the chapter as Chapter Council. Shortly after, our education chair held the first education program of the year. The education program was all about proper etiquette, as a chapter we all ate California Pizza Kitchen and watched the presentation that our education chairman gave on good vs poor etiquette.&lt;br /&gt;
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On February 25th our chapter got together to do what we do best, eat. We had an amazing sister hood that was at the Kickn Crab, we all bonded over a very messy meal and made lasting memories with our sisters. A few days after our sister hood our chapter got together yet again for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular semi formal was located at a beautiful club in Long Beach. We all got dressed up in our best cocktail attire and every Kappa and their dates looked fantastic. Kappa’s all danced the night away and took many lavish photos. At the venue itself there was a professional photographer who helped to capture every moment of the stupendous night. This extraordinary night with sisters and their dates couldn’t have gone better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a day at the zoo. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with zebra and cheetah print decorations, face painting station, and a reading station. Sisters enjoyed painting the children’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative zoo animals. The book we chose to read was Animal Strike at the Zoo, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the beginning of the month of March our philanthropy chair planned an amazing event with Madison Square elementary school in honor of Dr. Seuss day. All of our sisters went to the school dressed in their best Dr. Seuss attire, and read to the children. This was such an amazing experience for us to see the joy on the children’s faces as we read the silliest of Dr. Seuss books to them. Later on in the month of March the newest member class Beta Delta got together for a new member retreat. The retreat was held on our campus at the student recreational centers excursion course. The new members all had a wonderful experience as they tried to climb up rock walls, ropes and ladders. The new member retreat was such a great bonding experience for Beta Delta. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of April we welcomed all of our lovely parents to our Annual Parents Day at Indian Hills Country Club. This was a fantastic day that allowed us to share why Kappa Kappa Gamma means so much to each of us with the parents . Awards were given out to Kappa’s for their academic excellence and for their spirit and dedication to the Epsilon Pi Chapter. Parents and Kappa’s all sat and ate a wonderful brunch and learned all about the amazing things that we have accomplished throughout the year. Later into the month of April our philanthropy chair organized one of our three main philanthropic events Words With Friends. It was a night to remember as we watched many of the students form the Greek community participate in our speed read and games. The entry fee to the event was a children’s books and all of the books raised where donated to the children of Madison elementary school. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also in the month of April Epsilon Pi participated in the fraternity, Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Sarah Lopinski. Sarah put together many fundraisers for the event including  Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, and Kappa Karaoke, where sisters and friends got together and sang their hearts out. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of May we had our annual philanthropy Day in the Life, where we bus over 6th graders from Madison Elementary to UCR. We get the opportunity to show these young children what its like to not only be a college student but what its like to be a Kappa. We give all the students a tour of our beautiful campus and teach them different UCR cheers. After the tours are over, we all eat lunch together on the grass by our famous bell tower and play fun games with the children. By the end of the day all the children are telling us how they are so excited to go to college, this is such an amazing feeling knowing that you have done a part in getting one more child excited to shoot for a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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After patiently waiting all year for one of Epsilon Pi's favorite events the time had finally come for our annual Formal. This years formal was held at a beautiful country club located in Costa Mesa. This night was one to remember with lots of beautiful pictures, and delicious food Before heading into summer we had one last sisterhood in which we spent the night in a mansion in Corona. We all began by taking cute photos with the many kappa props that we had brought on the outside of the mansion by the beautiful pool. Later on that night we got together and watched a scary movie in the home theatre that the house had. We all snuggled up in beds together hoping that we could sleep after watching such a scary movie. This sisterhood was such a great experience since Epsilon Pi does not have a sorority house we all got to experience for once what it would be like to be living together. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the months of summer some of the us got together to film for our recruitment video. We filmed in multiple locations in riverside including one of our sisters beautiful homes. After a fun filled exciting summer all of our sister where excited to be reunited once again for recruitment. On the  first weekend of October 2,, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we as Kappa’s do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. Sunday night we held our Bid Day, we welcomed all of our  new members with life guard themed apparel, and had an assortment of Mexican food for dinner. After a fun week of  room decorating, clues, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Little’s found the matching pair of sock behind a sheet and when the sheet dropped their Big’s were revealed. Big’s and little’s embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of the event our wonderful Marshal hosted, a sisterhood night were we all skated around the roller rink together in our matching inspo week shirts. The most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Epsilon class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. To finish of the year we had on of our most fun events  Kappa Date Party. We received matching shirts that were designed by one of our own sisters and headed to Boomers Amusement Park in Irvine. We spent the night riding bumper cars, go karts, climbing rock walls, playing laser tag, and miniature golf. Overall it has been a successful year for the Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. &lt;br /&gt;
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The most recent change on campus this year is most definitely the amount of students that now attend the University of California Riverside. For the first time in history Riverside received more than 50,000 student applications for admission. With that many more incoming students of course there where quite a few more women who signed up for recruitment this year as well. With so many more women interested in the recruitment process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a many more new members. We are always ecstatic to welcome new members into our chapter and we have been handling the size increase quit well. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for our adopted local underprivileged elementary school, Madison Elementary. Throughout the year we hold three philanthropic events for them, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi choses to support this organization because it gives us the opportunity to work hands on with the youth in our area. It is amazing to see our service and donations impact the the lives of the future of our community. Epsilon Pi prefers the face to face interaction that we get from our events such as Day in The Life and Reading is Key, rather then simply just raising money and handing in a check. It is so rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these young students for the better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi typically meets once a week for chapter meeting in a larger classroom or lecture hall on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2017==&lt;br /&gt;
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In 2017 Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma achieved many things and participated in many philanthropic and social events within our greek community and the real community surrounding Riverside. At our Pillars Award ceremony, hosted by Panhellenic, we were rewarded with the award of Best Chapter Management honoring our Chapter Councils hard work in managing our chapters affairs. Starting slow in January with fewer events following our winter break, we kicked the year off with the Scholarship Dinner which was held on January 26th. Our Scholarship Dinner was put on by our Vice President of Academic Excellence with the help of her committee. It was held at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside. Every girl was provided with dinner along with our advisors and various alumnae who attended. Throughout the night the Vice President of Academic Excellence gave out awards based on members' various academic achievements the previous year. This event celebrated members who may have had great academic improvements ad promoted the importance of academic achievement in our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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In the following month Epsilon Pi was a bit more busy. The first event in February was a sisterhood event which was put on by our Vice President Standards. This sisterhood was held at Build-a-Bear where members each made two bears. One for the member to take home and one to donate to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital. This sisterhood was a good way for members to get together and bond as well as do something good for the community. The following weekend on February a team of Kappa sisters participated in Gamma Phi Beta’s annual Moonball which is a volleyball tournament that helps raise money for Gamma Phi Beta’s philanthropy. Not only did members play in the tournament, they also came out to support and cheer on their sisters who played in the tournament. February 10th is when Epsilon Pi held their annual winter philanthropic event, Reading is Key. During this event the chapter went to a local elementary school, Madison Elementary, and decorated their multipurpose room up to the theme which was carnival. First grade classes got to come to the MPR throughout the day and the chapter facilitated many activities for the kids to do. These activities were things such as face painting, coloring, and the final station being chapter members reading a book to the children. At the end of the day each child got to go home with a book of their own. Also, the chapter donated books to the school as well. The final event Epsilon Pi held in the month of February was a sisterhood with Gamma Phi Beta. The chapters came together and decorated cookies for Valentines Day. The chapters also did Ice Breaker games and just bonded. Lastly, in the month of February chapter elections were held. The new chapter council was elected and joint Chapter Council Meeting was held the last week of February. &lt;br /&gt;
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March of 2017 kicked off strong with a sisterhood held with the girls of Delta Gamma. Our chapters got together and tie dyed shirts together and hung out at a local park. This sisterhood allowed our chapter to bond with a Panhellenic sister which we don’t often get to do much with strengthening our Panhellenic bonds. On March 3rd a group of Epsilon Pi members volunteered for Read Across America at a local elementary school. They got to spend the day reading and promoting literacy to the children in our surrounding community. Later that evening on March 3rd, we held our Semi Formal put on by our Event Chairman along with the help of her committee. It was held at a local country club and many Alumni joined and it was a successful event barring a few mishaps along the way. Following Semi Formal Leadership day was held for the new and old Chapter Council members on March 5th. Leadership day was planned by our Vice President of Organization in order to allow the time for old Chapter Council members to teach new Chapter Council members what their new job entailed and all the responsibilities their new job required. At the event all the advisors for the various Chapter Council positions were there and also met with their new officer. Also the new Chapter Council got to discuss goals that they wanted to achieve in their time in office and all the things they wanted to improve within the chapter. Many things were discussed that day and the new Chapter Council got a great start and great motivation from each other and the advisors to start their position strong and make some good changes within the chapter. The following meeting the new Chapter Council members were installed into their positions.&lt;br /&gt;
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Throughout the next couple of weeks Epsilon Pi was involved in a philanthropy called Miss Minerva held by a fraternity on our campus, Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This was a pageant type fundraiser that helped raise thousands of dollars for their philanthropy with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Kappa helped in this by having one girl volunteer to represent our chapter and do various fundraisers throughout the weeks leading up to the competition. Epsilon Pi also participated in a similar philanthropy held by another fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, titled Delta Queen this philanthropy helped raise money for the City of Hope Cancer Research Foundation. Both the representatives for both events held many small events to raise money for each chapter’s philanthropies. These events varied from holding fundraises at local restaurants to coming up with small clever fundraisers to do on campus at letters. One example of a small fundraiser held by our Delta Queen was titled Kolor a Kappa where people paid money to throw paint at members of our chapter. Although it doesn’t sound very eventful it was a vey successful event help on our campus. Epsilon Pi itself helped raise a large amount of money that we donated to each chapter’s philanthropies. These events also strengthened our ties within our Panhellenic community because every chapter had a representative and all the chapters competed against each other hopes to win the pageant. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a rather slow month compared to March aside from the various activities going on with both Miss Minerva and Delta Queen. April 22nd Epsilon Pi held a social event with fellow Fraternity on campus, Delta Chi. Members of both organizations got together on Earth day and volunteered at our campus garden the R’garden. Members planted plants and tended to the garden at our school. The following week Epsilon Pi had a visit from a Leadership Consultant. She stayed with our Vice President of Organization. While she was here she attended our chapter council meeting and visited with each member of Chapter Council to see how they were adapting to their new position. The Leadership Consultant was very helpful to our chapter giving the Chapter Council guidance onto how to deal with the problems in our chapter. On April 25th Epsilon Pi held another sisterhood event which was a kickboxing class held at the local UFC gym. The members of Epsilon Pi all joined together sweated and laughed while working out all together. On April 29th Epsilon Pi was involved in Alpha Chi Omega's annual philanthropy the Carnation Carnival. Epsilon Pi held a both making Kappachinos and a both doing a coin toss at the event. Sisters volunteered to work both booths throughout the day. The following day Epsilon Pi participated in Delta Gamma’s annual philanthropy titled Anchor Splash. A group of girls got together to compete in various competitions throughout the day. Epsilon Pi winning one of the events which was synchronized swimming. All in all the busy weekend was a success for Epsilon Pi. &lt;br /&gt;
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May 2017 was a very busy month for Epsilon Pi starting off with Salads with Seniors an event for the seniors and alumnae to get together and to have a lunch starting the seniors' transition from active member to&lt;br /&gt;
an alumnae. On May 5th Epsilon Pi participated in a powderpuff football tournament held by Fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. A group of sisters got together and formed a team competing against other chapters in a football tournament. On May 11th Epsilon Pi’s annual Sapphire Ball was held at a local venue in Downtown Riverside. This event was thrown by our Event Chairman throughout the night seniors got recognized and celebrated as this is their last formal Kappa event of college. On May 17th Epsilon Pi held another philanthropic event called Day in the Life. At this event Epsilon Pi bused over 6th grade students from Madison Elementary, the same elementary school that was collaborated with for Reading is Key, and did many activities with them. The 6th graders were given a tour of our campus and done various smaller activities with. This philanthropy is very near and dear to our hearts because it allows us to promote higher education to kids who may have no knowledge of what college is like or why it is important.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Parents' Day was held on May 21st at Indian Hills Golf Club. Thrown by the Public Relation Chairman, Parents' Day was a brunch for both members of Epsilon Pi and their parents. During the brunch, awards were given out to outstanding members of our chapter. Also, during the brunch presentations were given to the parents from various Chapter Council members, such as registrar and education chairman, about the history of Kappa Kappa Gamma as a whole and Epsilon Pi Chapter itself. Overall Parents Day was successful in showing the parents why Kappa Kappa Gamma is such an important organization and what it does for their daughters. The week of May 22nd was Pillars week where our whole Greek community comes together to do various activities throughout the wee, some competitive activities and others to raise money. At the end of this week a banquet is held to give out awards to chapters for various achievements throughout the year. Epsilon Pi was awarded with Best Chapter Management celebrating our Chapter Council's recent achievements. On May 24th the Education Chairmen held a final sisterhood for the seniors. This sisterhood was held at a local trampoline park, Skyline, where the seniors were allowed to jump and hang out with each other one last time all together. The sisterhood retreat was held on May 27th and 28th at a house in Corona. Sisters got together and had a giant sleepover at a house. During this sleepover sisters bonded doing various ice breaker activities and watching movies and such. It was very successful in the bonding of our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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The next week starting May 30th through to the beginning of June was sports week for our Greek community. Epsilon Pi participated in many of the sports such as football, soccer, and volleyball it was very successful having teams in every event throughout the week. June 3rd was another philanthropy that Epsilon Pi held in order to raise money to donate to Reading is Fundamental. This philanthropy was a Kappa Karwash. Sisters got together at a local burger joint and washed cars in order to raise money for Kappa’s national philanthropy. The next few weeks of June events died down because it was the end of the quarter and finals were nearing but our Vice President of Academic Excellence did hold a Kappa Study Party on June 11th for all our members. She rented out a study room at one of our campus libraries and held a study party for all our members. At the study party she provided many things for our sisters such as scantrons, blue books, and pencils sisters might need for their finals. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the moths of July and August sisters were home for the summer, yet the recruitment chair along with the help of her committee started to prepare for recruitment. In September the week before school started recruitment workshops were held September 21st through the 26th. At these workshops sisters learned songs and practiced all the things that needed to be perfected before formal recruitment. Formal recruitment was held October 5th through the 8th. Bid day was then held on October 8th at a fellow sister's house welcoming home our new pledge class Beta Zeta. That following Monday, October 9th, the new pledge class was formally pinned and their new member education began. October 14th our Founders Day brunch was held at Canyon Crest Country Club. It was a brunch held by our Education Chairman in which celebrated our Founders Day. It was a very successful first event with our new pledge class setting the tone for them for the rest of the year. In the following weeks new members got to meet with the sapphires weekly leading up to big and little week which occurred the week of October 23rd. That Friday, October 27th, big and little reveal was facilitated by our New Member Chairman on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Following reveal the new members were driven to an active's house where they had their first sleepover as a pledge class. They bonded with the New Member Chairman and with each other throughout the night. Sunday October 29th was Epsilon Pi’s October Sisterhood which was held at The Pumpkin Factory, a local pumpkin patch. Sisters got to bond with their new littles and with the new pledge class. The Week of October 29th through November 3rd Epsilon Pi was visited by another Leadership Consultant who checked up with Chapter Council’s progress that they have made this year. The Leadership Consultant also was able to come to chapter meeting to meet with new members and give a presentation to the whole chapter on the importance of attendance. The Leadership Consultant visit was successful in that she was able to help out chapter council with any guidance they needed leading their way into initiated the new pledge class. &lt;br /&gt;
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On November 4th Epsilon Pi participated in a philanthropy held by fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This philanthropy was a soccer tournament for the various sororities to compete against each other and raise money Epsilon Pi had two teams competing in the event and took both second and first place in the tournament. On November 10th Epsilon Pi competed in another sports related philanthropic event held by Phi Kappa Sigma. This event was titled The Phi Kap Olympics in which teams competed in various activities and games. Epsilon Pi also took first in this philanthropic event as well. Inspiration Week started on November 13th, this being the period before initiation where girls sit back and think about Kappa and the true meaning and values that Kappa instills in each of its members. Throughout that week our Philanthropy chair held Epsilon Pi’s first philanthropy event for the school year being a Kappa Canned food drive. Epsilon Pi collected cans and donations from various greek organizations on our campus with an incentive that the organization that donates the most cans will get a $100 check written out to their philanthropy. This however was a bigger success than our philanthropy chair had expected with around two thousand of cans donated and around $350 raised. On Thursday November 16th Epsilon Pi held their Big and Little Night put on by our Marshall. Big and Little Night was held at a local ice rink, IceTown, where sisters skated and bonded with their family lines. November 17th Fireside was held for the new members followed by initiation the next morning. On November 27th chapter elections will be held for the new Chapter Council. On November 30th Epsilon Pi held their Date Party at a minor league basketball game. On December 3rd Epsilon Pi’s Vice President of Academic Excellence planned a Kappa Study Party so sisters can get together and study before finals in our on campus library. On December 6th the Education Chairman held a senior sisterhood where the seniors meet at a sisters house and decorated ornaments and cookies to celebrate the holidays. Through all these success for Epsilon Pi Chapter throughout 2017 the chapter’s morale has gained strength. All in all 2017 was a good year for Epsilon Pi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Highlights of 2018==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Over the year, the Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has participated in many events on the UC Riverside campus, and has been tremendously rewarded for its involvement and service in the community. We started off the year in January when we welcomed and transitioned the new leaders of the chapter during leadership day. This was a special time because the new officers were transitioning into their new positions and learned from the old officers everything their position entails. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In February, the new chapter council was excited to start working on Parent’s Day which is a day where all the girls bring their parents together to show them what Kappa is all about. Our Parent’s Day was February 24, celebrated with brunch and set up by the Public Relations Chairman. Throughout the day, we awarded advisors and members for their dedication to the chapter, and had presentations about our chapter history. There were tables setup that displayed old archives like old composites, and scrapbooks for the parents to see. It was a great time for the members and their families to come together to take pictures, and learn Kappa’s history. We also had our sisterhood in February, where all the girls dressed in cute pajamas and went to the movie theatre where they had a viewing of Pitch Perfect. Many sisters came in matching pajamas, especially bigs and littles. The chapter even had a contest for the cutest pajamas, and the winner got a prize. Our biggest event in February would have to be Reading is Key, our philanthropy that is put together entirely by the Philanthropy Chairman. We went to a local elementary school, where we held many activities such as face painting and crafts for the kids to do. The theme for the day was “Under the Sea”, with many decorations and books set up for the day. The whole chapter came throughout the day and managed the different stations for the children to go through. Our goal was to show the kids how much fun reading and learning can be, so we had many books for them to see and an individual copy for them to take home. The kids were very excited and we even had a few sisters get on stage and do a reading of the books to the children. &lt;br /&gt;
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In March, we started the month with composites. All the girls met in the Highlander Union Building and got their portraits taken, which was set up by the chapter’s Registrar. We ended the month with our semi-formal, set up by our Event Chair, where the whole chapter comes together for food and music. Our semi-formal was March 3rd in Downtown Riverside, where we celebrated a lovely evening with appetizers, a photobooth, and dancing. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
April was a very busy month with many fundraisers and awards. We kicked it off with winning Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash, where the members in the chapters won a dance and swimming competition. Our team came together and held many practices in order to make sure their routine was perfect. Not only did we participate in Anchor Splash, but we also were involved with the blood drive, and held a yogurtland fundraiser for our philanthropy. Mid April, we held our scholarship dinner at Cheesecake Factory where the chapter was awarded with their academic achievements. Throughout the night, there were a lot of awards to give considering the drastic rise in our chapter’s GPA. This was put together by our VP Academic Excellence and there were different awards such as ‘Highest GPA’ or ‘Most Improved GPA’. It was a great way to celebrate the academic achievements of the chapter and recognize all the hard work we put into for school. We ended the successful month off with our participation in Powderpuff which is a greek soccer tournament held by Phi Kappa Psi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the Pillar’s Awards, we have Pillar’s week, which is a week of competitions that organizations do on campus as teams. We were the red team, and our panhellenic chair along with our chapter council made sure we participated in all the tasks they gave us. The Chapter Council and the President put in countless hours filling in the forms and requirements for Pillars week. The award accounted for many things such as how involved the chapter is on campus, how much attendance does the chapter have at other organizations and philanthropy, and how well our academics and community service is. All the hard work paid off when our chapter won “Chapter of The Year” and the “Service Award”. It was a very exciting night that made the chapter very proud of its accomplishments. &lt;br /&gt;
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In May, we got to celebrate our achievements at our Formal, which is a night of celebration for the seniors. The chapter came together for food and dancing all put together by our Event Chair, where we handed out awards to all of the seniors for the end of the school year was approaching fast for them. We also kicked back and had our sisterhood, a kappa luau. Our VP Standards put together the luau where we hung out by the pool, got snacks, had cute hawaiian decorations and took pictures. It was a great way for our sisters to bond under the sun. We ended May with our second biggest philanthropy, A Day in the Life, which is also entirely put together by the philanthropy Chair. We had local middle schoolers come to UC Riverside, where we took the kids on tours, played fun games with them, and answered all their questions about college life. First we welcomed the kids to the campus, and played games with them to get know their names and interests. We then started by taking them on tours, based on their different teams, and ended the day with snacks and refreshments for the kids. The chapter showed them how great school and education can be, and hoped to inspire them to pursue a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As June started, the school year was coming to an end and many sisters went home for summer vacation. While some sisters were doing internships, or going on cool vacations, the girls that stayed in town started working on recruitment. The membership chairman along with her committee spent many days tabling meeting the new students of UC Riverside, and answering all their questions about our chapter. Before the start of school, the chapter came together for recruitment workshops where we all learned songs and recruitment etiquette. It was five days of practice that really brought the chapter together in time for welcoming the potential new &lt;br /&gt;
members into recruitment. When school finally started again, it was time for Formal recruitment which was all managed by the Membership Chairman. The chapter was so excited to welcome home the class of Beta Eta at our olympic themed bid day put together by our New Member Chairman. Following Bid Day, the new members got a weekly sapphire that guided them throughout their first few weeks in the chapter. One important event in October was our Founder’s Day, put together by the Education Chairman. On October 10, the chapter came together at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we celebrate with brunch and presentations of the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma. We remember the six founders and the symbols that make Kappa so special to all of us.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The new members finally got to find out who their bigs were during big and little reveal. During that week, bigs decorated their little’s rooms and gave them secret hints as to who they were. The bigs decorated cute boxes and popped out of them to surprise their littles, and the boxes had cute themes to them. In the month of November, the chapter had big and little night, which was put together by the Marshall and was held at a roller skating rink. Bigs and littles spent the night roller skating around and taking cute pictures in their matching outfits. We ended the month off with our participation in Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s soccer tournament to raise awareness for cancer. We had our strongest soccer players compete against other sororities and we were able to win first place. It was a great way for the chapter to come together, and for the Greek community as well to raise awareness for the cause. In the last meeting, November 26, elections were held for the new chapter council, and the chapter spends one last meeting together before the year ends. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ultimately, it has been a very successful year for Epsilon Pi. Not only did we win many awards, but we were very involved with other philanthropies and fundraisers. Our philanthropies main goal is to encourage kids to learn, read, and pursue a higher education. We do that by emphasizing the importance of reading and going to college, for these kids to understand that education is very important. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2020s==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Starting out our Winter Quarter of 2020, on January 5th our newly elected chapter council had their first chapter council meeting as well as the following day, January 6th, we had our first formal meeting of the quarter where new officers got formally transitioned into their positions. On January 11th, we scheduled and attended our first leadership day where we invited advisors, outgoing cc, as well as incoming cc to create a smooth transition for new positions. On January 26th our newest pledge class had their new member retreat where they got to rock climb on the ropes course at UCR. On January 31st we were so fortunate to celebrate our 150th anniversary of the organization by being visited by the Minnie Stewart van! On February 6th we held a social with a Panhellenic organization, Alpha Chi Omega. On February 26th, we held our annual Reading is Key event at Madison Elementary where it was Alice in Wonderland themed and we read and did crafts with the 1st grade classes. On March 1st we held our Semi-formal event where we danced the night away with all of our sisters. On March 2nd, we participated in a joint philanthropy event with Sigma Pi Epsilon at a local elementary school reading to kids. On March 6th we held our Winter Sisterhood event at Hangar Trampoline Park. During the week of March18-22nd, we began our finals week while transitioning to a complete remote learning environment. Although many of us assumed we would be coming back after spring break, we ended up coming to terms that we would be having both our Spring and Fall Quarters completely online. On April 1st we held our first virtual meeting through zoom. On April 14th we began to review and evaluate the best and worst case for the budget with the treasurer. On April 26th we began to reevaluate and get on the same page for tackling the actions on our action plan. On April 29th we supported Denim Day virtually through our platforms. On May 27th we decided on the budget proposal and to put all of our members on a payment plan due to pandemic circumstances. On June 16th we raised and donated $2,700O to act able. On September 26th we began recruitment workshops every day until to 30th. On October 8th through the 11th we held formal recruitment through zoom. Although this process did look a bit different than usual years, everything ran very smoothly as we conducted conversations and voting on zoom and in break out rooms. On October 11th, we welcomed our newest pledge class, Beta Iota to the chapter as the bid day theme was Kappa and Co. We held our New member pinning ceremony on October 12th. On October 13th we all joined the zoom call with our chapter first to go over some history fun facts as well as conduct our founders day ceremony then joined the zoom call with our sisters across the nation to help celebrate our 150th milestone! On October 12-16th our lovely leadership consultant Cait Berosh held a virtual meeting with a majority of our chapter council members. On October 18th we held a virtual committee night.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On October 22nd we held a virtual COB night where we welcome a few more members to our new member class. On October 25th we were visited by a facilitator from HQ for a Aspiring to a higher type of Sisterhood Workshop. On October 29th we held a Spooky fall quarter sisterhood where we all carved pumpkins together. On November 4th, we held a sisterhood where we made fun PowerPoint on random topics. On November 13th we held big little reveal where a majority of new members got their bigs. On November 16th-20th we began Inspiration week where we did various writing prompts to reflect on our values as well as had big little night on November 18th. On November 18th the rest of the new members who were COBs got their bigs as well. On November 20th, our new members were officially initiated into our chapter. On November 16th we were presented with the slate from the nominating committee. On November 23rd, we held chapter elections where we elected prospective new officers. On December 4th we held a virtual baking sisterhood with a Panhellenic organization Gamma Phi Beta. On December 7th, we held our last meeting of 2020 and the quarter and after finals we will begin winter break.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We support our local Elementary School Madison Elementary which is in an under served community.We chose this school, to only because we’ve worked with them many years prior, but also because a alumna from Epsilon Pi Chapter hasworked as a teacher there in the past and explained how our chapter could positively impact the students&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We appointed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chairman and she aided in all the programming that was being planned as well as sent out little reminders throughout the quarter on how to be inclusive and how to be more conscious through the group me.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We appointed a sesquicentennial chairman who would kept us updated on new and fun stuff from HQ as well as would share various chapter history PowerPoints and we were so lucky to have been visited by the Minnie Steward Van to celebrate such an amazing milestone! During Founders Day we joined on zoom together as a chapter and did our Founders Day ceremony and then join the zoom call with all of our sisters nationwide to share this special moment in history.&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>VickiCarrigan</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23010</id>
		<title>Epsilon Pi</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23010"/>
				<updated>2022-07-25T19:15:15Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;VickiCarrigan: &lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;div&gt;{{Infobox Fraternity&lt;br /&gt;
|Name= Epsilon Pi&lt;br /&gt;
|GreekSymbol= EΠ&lt;br /&gt;
|Image= [[File:Epsilon_Pi.jpeg|200px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1976|02|07}}&lt;br /&gt;
|College= [https://www.ucr.edu/ University of California, Riverside]&lt;br /&gt;
|Location= Riverside, CA&lt;br /&gt;
|Homepage= [https://ucr.kappa.org/ Epsilon Pi Homepage]&lt;br /&gt;
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Epsilon_Pi Media related to Epsilon Pi Chapter]}}&lt;br /&gt;
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'''University of California at Riverside, 1954'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Epsilon Pi founded February 7, 1976'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''1,127 initiates (as of June 2018)'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Some of Chapter’s Outstanding Alumnae:''' (If you have chapter alumna who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.)&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Council Officers:'''&lt;br /&gt;
Kyle Donnelly, Fraternity Treasurer, 2022-2024&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Additional Outstanding Epsilon Pi Alumnae:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Kyle Donnelly: Fraternity Finance Committee (2006-2008), Province Director of Chapters (2008-2011), Assistant to Fraternity Treasurer (2011-2014), Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Finance Committee (2011-2012), Scholarship Reader (2015-2018), Fraternity House Board Chairman (2018-2020).&lt;br /&gt;
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Ella Gaumer Vieria: Traveling Consultant (2000-2001), Province Director of Chapters (2005-2009), Technology Committee (2009-2010), Regional Director of Chapters (2010-2012, 2012-2014), Long Range Planning Task Force (2013-2016), Assistant to Director of Chapters (2014-2016), Public Relations Content Director (2016-2018), Leadership Education and Development Committee (2018).&lt;br /&gt;
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Yvonne Kim: Province Director of Chapters (2011-2015).&lt;br /&gt;
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Vicki Hill Carrigan: Kappa Trainer (2010-2016), Publications Committee (2010-2014), Technology Committee (2010-2014), Leadership Academy Facilitator (2012, 2016, 2017), Betty Brady Award (1995), Coordinator of Chapter Support (2014-2016), Convention Committee - Music Chairman (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022), Adviser Academy Facilitator (2016), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Ritual &amp;amp; History Specialist (2019 - 2024).&lt;br /&gt;
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Jessica Coffield: Nominating Committee (2014-2016), Standards Specialist (2016-2020), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Standards Director (2020-2024).&lt;br /&gt;
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Traci Evans: Programming Specialist (2016-2018), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), District Director (2022-2024).&lt;br /&gt;
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Stephanie Hammond: Public Relations Specialist (2019-2021).&lt;br /&gt;
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Kim Braun Padulo: Province Director of Chapters (1987-1988), Province Director of Alumnae (1989-1990).&lt;br /&gt;
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Hailey Grisel: Leadership Consultant (2015-2016), Philanthropy Specialist (2016-2017).&lt;br /&gt;
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Meredith Hutcheson Reuter: Chapter Consultant (1990-1991), Province Director of Chapters (1993-1995).&lt;br /&gt;
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Lise Haxton: Traveling Consultant (1993-1994), Chapter Consultant (1994-1995), Chapter Support Committee (2004-2005)&lt;br /&gt;
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==The Early Years -- Colonization and Installation==&lt;br /&gt;
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Love and guidance by many caring Kappas allowed Epsilon Pi chapter to enjoy a great beginning. The culmination of this love and concern was exemplified in the beautiful Installation held the first weekend in February 1976 when 13 new members of Epsilon Pi Colony were initiated as charter members of Epsilon Pi Chapter at the University of California at Riverside.&lt;br /&gt;
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Installing officer Marian Schroeder Graham, Beta Phi—Montana, Fraternity President, was assisted by many others including Phyllis Brinton Pryor, Beta Mu—Colorado, National Panhellenic Conference Delegate and colonizing officer; Patti Ball Hillyard, Delta Chi—San Jose State, installation chairman and President of the Riverside Alumnae Club; Lyn Conway Madding, Delta Gamma—Michigan State, Kappa Province Director of Alumnae; Kay Reid Tennison, Epsilon Delta—Arizona State, Kappa Province Director of Chapters; and Janeen Gould, Beta Beta Deuteron—St. Lawrence, Epsilon Pi Graduate Counselor. Also, several advisers and Graduate Counselors to California chapters and alumnae from all over southern California gathered to participate in and to honor the Installation of Kappa’s 95th chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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The setting for the ceremonies was the chapter house of Epsilon Pi’s sister chapter, Delta Tau—Southern California. It was agreed by all and well stated by Phyllis Pryor that “no more perfect arrangements could have been made for an unhoused chapter to be assimilated into a totally Kappa setting where a true feeling of belonging could be imparted. The cooperation and hospitality of those members of Delta Tau who made this possible will be long remembered as a very vital aspect of the happy Initiation of Epsilon Pi.” She also noted that “the beautiful, warm, very adequate facilities of the Delta Tau house accommodated the influx of extra people and activities gracefully and with no evidence of inconvenience or interruption.” &lt;br /&gt;
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Fern Crane, Delta Tau Housemother; Katie Finnegan, Delta Tau President; Kris Kline, chapter coordinator, and chapter members were thanked for their superb planning and for making the guests and participants feel welcomed and prepared.&lt;br /&gt;
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It was here that the scene for the entire weekend, including a lovely Friday night Fireside Service and dinner. Delta Tau members added to the beauty by sharing some of their traditional pre-initiation thoughts and songs.&lt;br /&gt;
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Many gifts to the new chapter were recognized at the luncheon banquet, which was held at the University Hilton Hotel following Saturday’s Installation. Two special gifts were award badges for outstanding new members, one given to the new member class president, Debbie Dietrich, and one to Robin Rose, Recruitment Chairman, for scholarship.&lt;br /&gt;
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Greetings to the new chapter increased even more when more than 150 guests came in heavy rain to a reception Sunday afternoon in Riverside at the home of a recent Delta Tau active. UC Riverside administrators and Panhellenic representatives and members of other Greek-letter groups on campus along with friends and family members of the new chapter members honored Epsilon Pi with their attendance.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to Installation, the Epsilon Pi new members were busy with campus activities including selling cotton candy during Homecoming, a pizza party with alumnae, a new member retreat and joining the other fraternities and sororities in the Greek cheering section for football games and for Christmas caroling before the winter break. Epsilon Pi members also created a wooden plaque with pictures of the charter members, and they worked together on a hooked rug with an owl design for Delta Tau Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
The previous information was excerpted from (unknown source-most likely The Key.)&lt;br /&gt;
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The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to update its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1970s==      &lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter’s first formal, called “Sea and Sky”, was held in a multipurpose room in one of the apartment complexes near campus since the budget for the event was only $75; $25 was spent on decorations and $50 was spent on a band.  One sister, who was dating a Sigma Alpha Epsilon from UCLA, had him fix up some of the Kappas with blind dates with his brothers. Charter President Kim Braun Padulo recalled the surprised reaction of the boys when they entered the room as it was not the kind of reception they were used to.&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi faced its challenges head on and ultimately succeeded.  In the fall of 1976, they welcomed a second pledge class that nearly doubled the size of the chapter.  Following soon after, in spring quarter the women had to write their chapter Bylaws. After getting the foundations of the chapter set, the women focused on their sisterhood. To improve this Epsilon Pi chapter participated in a potluck with the Northern Orange County Alumnae Association. The theme was to bring with you your favorite Kappa memory to share. After doing so, the women realized that while they were close, a house would bring them much closer to each other.  They hoped that one day they would reach this goal for Epsilon Pi to have a chapter house. &lt;br /&gt;
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October of 1977, thirteen more lovely ladies were pledged after an informal Yell-in, and on Inspiration week, in October 24-29; the women were initiated. With rush again in the spring the chapter was able to grow from 13 actives to 30 by 1978.  &lt;br /&gt;
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1979 was kicked off with Formal Fall Rush. The first night the girls attended open house and had sandwiches while getting to know each other. The second night was theme night, in which the chapter put on their annual performance of “Kapparet”.  On the second to last night the chapter had project night in which the women used felt letters and animals to spell their names, these where then to be used for philanthropy. The final night, was preference night. Here the women all dressed up formally, and had dessert together while sharing stories in a circle. Epsilon Pi once again initiated more women, making the chapter grow a little bigger every year.  With the goal to become one of the largest chapters, Epsilon Pi continued learning ways of improving and growing closer in sisterhood.  To do so, their goal was set to focus on social graciousness, organization, and sisterhood (SOS). Memorable events from the 70s include hanging out at the pool at Bannockburn, yearly pledge class songs, and exchanges with other groups on campus. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1980s:==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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Small &amp;quot;get to know each other&amp;quot; parties were held at the Bannockburn pool, so that all the women could get to know each other better and create stronger sisterhoods. They also held exchanges. Epsilon Pi had an annual &amp;quot;walkout&amp;quot; in which the pledges would plan to &amp;quot;kidnap&amp;quot; actives and have them do funny antics like sing Kappa songs and Kappa Dances at different stops on campus like the library, residence halls, and classrooms.  Every stop would earn them a clue that would lead them to the location that the pledges had chosen to host them for dinner. They experienced the debut of MTV and this spurred lip-synching contests in the dorms, which were a blast! &lt;br /&gt;
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After just a few years of being established Epsilon Pi was honored to participate in founding of new chapters of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of California, Irvine and University of California, San Diego.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi held many different Philanthropy events such as making rabbit-like Easter baskets to give to the Sunshine School in Riverside, dressing up around Halloween in costumes and visiting the Riverside Community Hospital patients with candy.  One popular tradition was a &amp;quot;Grandparent Adoption&amp;quot; from convalescent homes where the chapter women would visit their adoptee twice a month and bring them carnations and homemade spice ropes.&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter Convention Awards:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1990s==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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In the early 1990’s, the chapter was focused on scholarship, improving rush, and philanthropy. The chapter tied for the 2nd highest GPA on campus in 1991 and placed 35 members on the Dean’s List. And in 1993-94, the chapter received the Dean’s Scholarship Trophy for the highest percentage of members on the Dean’s List.  The chapter maintained a high level of academic excellence throughout the decade, due in part to weekly mandatory study hours for actives and pledges.&lt;br /&gt;
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To prepare for rush, the chapter started early the prior school year with a 10 day work week. Rush quota gradually decreased on the UCR campus in the early 90’s. Quota was 32 in 1991, 24 in 1993, to 16 in 1994, and 13 in 1995. However, quota was back up in the 20’s by 2000. These smaller pledge classes, however, allowed the chapter to be fully involve the new members in all aspects of chapter life.&lt;br /&gt;
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Early in the decade, the chapter accepted the Challenge to Excellence issued to all chapters by the Fraternity. Work on the Challenge to Excellence continued during the rest of the 1990’s. It strengthened the chapter and brought the members closer together.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991, nine of the 13 founders of Epsilon Pi were present for the Founders Day brunch. In 1995, the chapter celebrated Kappa Kappa Gamma’s 125th birthday with Zeta Eta at UC Irvine.&lt;br /&gt;
On the social front, the chapter continued with its annual Sea and Sky formal, Monmouth Duo with Pi Beta Phil, and Kappa Krush dances. Epsilon Pi also participated in many sporting competitions on campus, such as the annual inter-sorority volleyball tournament, Sports week, the Greek Games and the annual Run to the C. The chapter also hosted a Parent’s Day each year.&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter focus shifted to sisterhood, public relations and participation in the mid-1990’s.&lt;br /&gt;
Housing:&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991 the chapter lounge was redecorated. The last update was 16 years prior! Also in this year, the university offered sororities a hall in one of the dorms to have as their own. The chapter felt this would be a good way to improve chapter bonds, and would show the university that they were serious about having a house in the future.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi won the Philanthropy Award at the 1991 Kappa Province Meeting. The chapter participated in the Cystic Fibrosis Walkathon and helped clean up downtown Riverside. They also continued their tradition of visiting the Sunshine House and their association with the Riverside section of the California School of Deaf. In the mid-1990’s, Epsilon Pi began a new philanthropy called Night Run.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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1992 Efficiency Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Standards Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Scholarship Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1996 Scholarship Award Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2000-2010==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter actively participated in campus events such as BEAR Facts Orientation, Block Party, Homecoming and Spring Splash as well as Panhellenic sponsored events such as Sports Week, Greek Unity Week with Greek Pyramid, and Presents. Founders Day was often celebrated with Zeta Eta, UC Irvine and the Orange County Alumnae Association. A yearly Scholarship Dinner was held to honor the sisters with the highest GPA, most improved GPA, and all sisters with a 4.0 in a quarter. Yearly chapter events included a fall Date Party, a winter Scholarship Banquet, and a Parent’s Day in the spring.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Housing:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi was the first Greek organization to be invited to participate in UCR’s Greek Housing Pilot Program.  The chapter was able to rent five units in an apartment complex near campus and 10 members lived there during the 2009-2010 school year.  However, due to a lack of contracts and security, the program was discontinued.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Members of Epsilon Pi volunteered yearly for a local breast cancer fundraiser put on by the Inland Agency, called “Shop to Stop Breast Cancer.”  Each year, chapter members volunteered to read to students at Madison Elementary School on Dr. Suess day. In Spring 2009, the members of Epsilon Pi hosted sixth grade students for “A Day In The Life” at UCR.  The Kappas gave them tours of the campus and the sixth graders got to meet the Men’s Basketball Team and the UCR Cheerleaders and Dance Team. The finale of the day was lunch on the commons lawn where the sixth graders read their favorite books to the Kappas.  &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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2008 Rose McGill Award&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011-2019==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011==&lt;br /&gt;
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2011 was a busy and great year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. Winter quarter started out with the nomination process, leading to the election of a strong, new Chapter Council. That quarter we participated in two philanthropic events at Madison Elementary School, Where the Wild Things Read and Dr. Seuss Day. Both events involved reading to the students and encouraging literacy. Greek Unity Week also took place during the winter. Our members were paired with the men of Pi Kappa Alpha to compete in various activities throughout the week meant to strengthen Greek unity on campus. As our winter quarter event, the chapter had a “Finally Famous” themed semi-formal, in which couples dressed as famous couples throughout history. &lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter also enjoyed a scholarship dinner at Ciao Bella restaurant and a go-cart racing sisterhood event held at K1 Speedway. For the spring quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter continued its emphasis on philanthropy. We volunteered at the Inland Agency’s Shop to Stop Breast Cancer event. Also, our sister Brittany Altamirano competed in and won the 2011 Delta Queen Pageant hosted by the men of Delta Tau Delta, raising around $7000 for City of Hope cancer research. During this quarter, the campus’ Fraternity and Sorority Involvement Center hosted a Pillar’s Reception where Epsilon Pi was proud to receive the Friendship Pillar Award. The Chapter hosted Parent’s Day at the Benedict Castle and a formal at the Pomona Valley Mining Co. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another major accomplishment for the chapter during spring was our Sports Week participation. Members assembled teams for volleyball and football, and did excellent in both sports, taking home the overall win for Sports Week. In April, a few members of our chapter went to Kappa Province in Tucson, AZ, where we were awarded the Rose McGill Magazine Award. As fall quarter began, the members of Epsilon Pi were eager for recruitment, to gain more assets to our chapter. After going through formal recruitment, the chapter welcomed 31 New Members on Bid Day. The New Members were taken to a taco dinner afterwards to celebrate and get to know the chapter. This year, the chapter invited local alumnae and the women of the Zeta Eta Chapter at UC Irvine to our Founder’s Day brunch at the Riverside Art Museum. Many of our members also participated in the Pink on Parade breast cancer walk, as well as the 5K run held by the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Our chapter enjoyed a movie night sisterhood as we went to go see the film 50/50, as well as a Thanksgiving potluck themed meeting to end the quarter. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Campus:''' This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus tried to really encourage unity among the Greek community, but the panhellenic organizations in particular. Kappa encouraged this as well, as we participated in Panhellenic’s Cookies and Crafts event. All 6 of the panhellenic organizations came together to get to know each other better, as well as learn more about one another’s philanthropies. We also participated in the kickball tournament thrown by the women of Gamma Phi Beta, to further demonstrate our support of panhellenic. The campus hosted many annual events like Spring Splash, Bear Facts Orientation, and Block Party, all of which Epsilon Pi participated in. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter:''' If one word were chosen to describe the overall nature of our chapter in 2011 it would be growth. We suffered some minor setbacks, but with positive mindsets and a strong chapter council, we pushed through and began making necessary changes for our chapter to head in the right direction. Epsilon Pi has taken pride in both its diversity and large chapter size and has used both of those factors to strengthen the chapter as a whole. &lt;br /&gt;
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One main challenge for the chapter was attendance. With such a large chapter size, we expected high numbers of attendance, but were not seeing that. Chapter Council began a point system for attendance. A minimum requirement of points was made necessary for fun/positive things later on, such as getting a little sister in the fall. In addition, our VP Standards took attendance into account as she looked over members who needed standards appointments. She stressed the importance of going to mandatory events in these meetings and the consequences of not doing so. The attendance problem was not completely erased, but the chapter hopes to see improvements, continuously reminding members of the attendance policy in our chapter’s bylaws and standing rules. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2012==&lt;br /&gt;
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Each year Epsilon Pi chapter continues to reach and exceed previous years' achievements. 2011 was an amazing and notable year for Epsilon Pi chapter. In January, we began with inspiration week filled with a variety of big and little and sisterhood bonding events. Soon after, the Alpha Omega pledge class was initiated. It was a beautiful and special ceremony that we were able to share with the newest members of our wonderful chapter. The following week we had an amazing Semi Formal which was hosted at the Caspian in Irvine, where we enjoyed an Arabian night filled with kabobs and belly dancers. Soon after we had elections and welcomed the newly elected chapter council. During that time period we were graced with the Leadership Officer and received an abundance of tips and advice on how to make our chapter even stronger than what it was then. &lt;br /&gt;
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Following elections and the LC visit, we had Greek Unity week on campus which brings the Greek and cultural sorority and fraternities together. This year we were paired with the men of Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. During this week we are separated into teams and participate in a variety of team and at the end of the week perform a team dance that is appreciated by the whole Greek community. &lt;br /&gt;
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As we continued into winter quarter we held two amazing philanthropies at Madison Elementary School; Kappa Kamp and Dr. Seuss Day. Both event encouraged the students to read and enjoy books. We also had a delicious scholarship dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory where we acknowledged our hard working sisters that make the Dean's List, have the most study hours, and the highest overall GPA. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of winter quarter we held our Leadership Day, which aimed at better training our newly elected chapter council to ensure that they would be confident in achieving everything their position asked them to, as well as doing their little perfectly.&lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring quarter, our sisterhood took a great start with having a fun and exciting event at Dave and Buster. This quarter we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Lauren Montes, won the Delta Queen Pageant raising $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices. This quarter we also had our annual formal, &amp;quot;A Night In Spain&amp;quot;, which was held at the Green River Gold Club in Corona. It was an amazing event where we danced the night away and appreciated the seniors, as it was their last formal with the chapter. As the quarter continued, we hosted &amp;quot;A Day In The Life&amp;quot; where we hosted students from Madison Elementary School and showed them the campus. We introduced them to the soccer team and cheer leaders and gave them a tour of the campus. We wanted to encourage the sixth graders to continue on to college to get a higher education and to show them that anyone can achieve that with hard work and dedication. We ended this quarter with a fun filled water themed sisterhood at our president, Brittany Altamirano's house. There was a water maze, water guns, and of course water balloons. The sisterhood definitely helped relieve some stress that we had pertaining to the upcoming finals. Later that weekend we also had our annual Parent's Day at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we had a nice lunch with all our sisters and their parents. We also appreciated our sisters who stood out exceptionally in being a good sister and kappa and sisters that stood our academically as well.&lt;br /&gt;
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After returning from summer vacation, Epsilon Pi was eager for recruitment and to gain new assets to our ever growing sisterhood. Following formal recruitment we were more than happy to welcome the 30 Beta Alpha new member class. After bid day on campus we took them to one of our sister's house to have dinner and meet the chapter; there were also an abundance of ice breaking games. This year, the Orange County Alumni Association hosted Founder's Day at the Tustin Senior Center. After thoroughly educating the Beta Alpha new member class with Kappa history and creating a new love for Kappa we had Inspiration Week and Initiation. It was again a beautiful ceremony where each sister was able to appreciate and remember why we joined one of the strongest sisterhoods. We concluded this quarter with our Kappa Thanksgiving, which brought our chapter together once again. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus was continuing to encourage unity among the Greek community. The board hosted many events where each sorority could come and support panhellenic. Such events were &amp;quot;blankets for babies&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;cookies and crafts&amp;quot;, and staff appreciation. Kappa supports the board and tries to get more involved by participating. Kappa also participates in Block Party, Spring Spash, and Bear Facts orientation.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2013==&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi had a truly remarkable year in 2013 with all that we accomplished and participated in. As our winter quarter began, we had the opportunity to help recruit members for the new chapter that was established at Chapman University with our sisters from USC. The recruitment was so successful that we had the amazing honor to be apart of their initiation ceremony and be their big sis chapter. Towards the end of the quarter we were partnered up with the men of Phi Gamma Delta and the women of Omega Zeta Chi to participate in a week of Greek Unity. The main event was a dance competition in which we were elated and humbled to have won first place. &lt;br /&gt;
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As the quarter continued we participated in our annual philanthropy of “Reading is Key” in which we traveled to Madison Elementary school and spent the day reading and doing crafts with the children. We also had a delicious Scholarship dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in which we gave awards to the sisters who had accomplishments such as the most study hours, highest GPA, and being on the dean’s list. The last major event of winter quarter was our semi-formal in which we went to a lovely Italian restaurant and had a great time dancing the night away with our sisters and dates. &lt;br /&gt;
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Spring quarter began with 6 sisters attending Kappa Province. In addition to learning valuable skills and information for our chapter, Epsilon Pi was honored to have received 2 awards: the New Member Program Award and the Norma Dow Patton Gracious Living Award. Soon after, we had a visit from the LC, which gave the new officers a chance to get ideas and information about her new positions in personal meetings that were set-up. We also had our formal at a beautiful venue at the Glen Ivy Spa and golf course in which we had a great night taking pictures in a photo booth, eating delicious food, and giving out senior recognition awards. &lt;br /&gt;
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This quarter was also very philanthropic. Not only did we host our annual “Day in the Life” event for Madison elementary school children to come and see what it is like to be a college student, but we also partnered up with the women of Pi Beta Phi to create our very own join philanthropy on campus called “Words with Friends”. It was a spelling bee and speed read event in which all the organizations could compete with each other and donate either money or books to our philanthropy. This quarter, as well as supporting many other philanthropies throughout the year, we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Hailey Grisel, received second place and remarkably raised $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. &lt;br /&gt;
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We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices because we ended up winning the entire event. Later that month we had parent’s day which was so special in being able to show our families a little bit of what Kappa is like. We were able to honor the sisters who truly embody what Kappa is and also got to see what our chapter used to be like through the heritage display. &lt;br /&gt;
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There is also an annual awards ceremony for the Greek community on our campus in which we were honored to have received the University of California, Riverside Marguleas Sororotiy/Fraternity Service Award in recognition of our leadership and philanthropic efforts in our community. To finish off the quarter and the academic year we had a sisterhood in which we were able to go go kart racing. We had such a fun time competing with each other for the fastest time and just be able to spend time bonding together. Fall quarter was a very hectic quarter for Epsilon Pi. We had another LC visit during recruitment which helped us make sure we were going about things as best as we could. Although we did not expect for the large increase in the size of our new pledge class, we were so grateful to welcome 45 new amazing women into our organization. Soon after, we celebrated founder’s day with our lovely Chapman sisters which was special because we got to see them experience it for the very first time as a chapter. It was so touching to see alumni from decades ago being recognized and pinned and being able to do our ritual together. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter also hosted an amazing event called “Finding Kind” in which we had the screening of the documentary to fight against female teen bulling. We then all took individual pledges to better ourselves and the way that we treat others. We were so pleased to see how many women from different organizations on campus came to support this cause. Towards the end of the quarter, we had a super hero themed date party in which we got to go to Sky Town and jump around and play various games involving foam pits and trampolines. Inspiration week and Initiation of our new Beta Beta pledge class was a very special week for all of us. We were so happy to officially welcome them into our chapter and share our ritual with them during such a beautiful and special ceremony. We also had fun during that week roller-skating and playing laser tag together during our big/little night. To finish off the quarter, we had a sisterhood the week before finals at the movie theater in which we were able to take a couple hours away from studying to relax and laugh with our sisters while watching Grown Ups 2. It had been events like this that keep us close and strong as a chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year brought changes that mainly affected our recruitment. Since our school decided to admit more students, there were more women that went through recruitment that the sororities were not prepared for. Although we thought it would be overwhelming and near impossible to have such a large pledge class, we pulled through together and were blessed to have received 45 new members instead of our anticipated 30.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2014==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year has been one of glee, many accomplishments, and ongoing improvement for Epsilon Pi Chapter. We commenced the year after a refreshing winter break with the privilege of participating in a leadership conference, Lead Today. Lead Today took place on January 22 on our campus with our entire chapter and alumnae. Coordinators were trained to help us grow and prosper as a chapter with novel leadership skills and progression in areas needing improvement. We participated in various hands on activities, games and discussions concerning the vitality of management, organization, and the overall aspect of a chapter working and developing in unison. Epsilon Pi Chapter was so thankful and gained an immense appreciation and understanding for leadership and how to use it, not only in Kappa, but in our everyday lives. This conference could not have come at a better time, due to the fact that elections were right around the corner. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our Kappa sisters did a wonderful job selecting our new Chapter Council and we knew Epsilon Pi Chapter was in good hands. Shortly after, we had our annual scholarship dinner to honor all of our hard working members who did exceptional in their academics. This year, we dressed in key attire and ventured out to The Old Spaghetti Factory located in Downtown Riverside. We loaded up on carbs and applauded our accomplished sisters when they received awards for most study hours, improved G.P.A., highest G.P.A., and many more. This night allowed our sisters to feel honored and made others strive to improve. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a few weeks of being back in school, it was time for Semi-Formal. Semi was held at Aroma Grill in Upland, CA. We all got dolled up in cute cocktail dresses and invited dates to escort us. Kappas danced the night away on the dance floor, took a plethora of photos in the photo booth and in front of the backdrop with a professional photographer, and ate a delicious variety of food. To end the month of February, our sisters headed to K1 Speed Zone for a fun packed sisterhood. Our sisters headed to the race tracks and raced in full geared helmets and mask and hopped in go-carts for some competitive fun. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, we had our first social of the quarter with the men of Phi Kappa Psi. Together, we had so much fun playing laser tag dressed up as Disney characters. Originally, we were supposed to go roller blading, however, the outdoor rink got rained out. Yet, Kappas always know how to make the best of things and we ended the night having a jovial time. To end our quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted our Reading is Key Philanthropy at our adopted school, Madison Elementary.  This year's theme was &amp;quot;Under the Sea&amp;quot; and the book we gave every student who attended was &amp;quot;The Magic School Bus Live on the Ocean Floor&amp;quot;. We loved seeing the students' faces light up as they read to us, crafted with us, and enjoyed some delicious snacks. The whole cafeteria was neatly decorated with fish, kelp, and other underwater creatures to create a fun, aquatic atmosphere. We donated books to their library and hoped to encourage them and show them how important, and intriguing, reading can be. This experience was so rewarding due to the fact that many of these students are from underprivileged households and the books we give them are usually their first books. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the start of Spring Quarter, we attended an annual philanthropy conducted by the fraternity Delta Tau Delta. They hosted a pageant that every sorority participated in by nominating one representative to compete in the event. This event raised money for The City of Hope through fundraisers and donations. This year, we selected Justine Sterling, who perfectly embodies Kappa as a whole. Justine worked extremely hard raising funds via bake sales on campus (Kappa Kappacino), and Karaoke singing night (Kappa Karaoke), as well as various dining and recreational events. Justine rasied over $4,000 for The City of Hope and took home the crown as Miss Delta Queen 2014. Her hard work and dedication paid off making all of us proud. Not to mention, we loved watching her in the pageant, especially her talent portion of rapping. In the month of April, we hosted our joint philanthropy event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Since we both share a philanthropy centered on literacy, our competitions were focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $2,000 and over a hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF. &lt;br /&gt;
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Every year, UCR hosts a sports week where each sorority comes up with teams to play dodge ball, volleyball, and football with different fraternities coaching and arranging practices. This whole week is filled with friendly competition and unity between our sorority and the whole Greek community. This year, we worked hard at many practices and came up in second place. Who knew we were so athletic? After sports week, we decided to have a social with the men of Phi Gamma Delta, who were our coaches for sports week. Bowling for strikes and spares was the event of the night while dressed in our Hawaiian skirts, shirts, and leis. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another event UCR hosts every year is Pillars Week. Pillars Week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All Greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of Greeks at our school. With Epsilon Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and Greek unity, we worked so hard and ended up placing first along with our team. &lt;br /&gt;
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During this same week we had one of our favorite philanthropies, A Day In The Life. For this event, we bring sixth grade students from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for higher education. This year we divided into different tour guiding groups and played interactive games such as red rover. It was a perfect day to have the students on campus because they were all able to see a busy campus full of students due to the fact that it was Pillars Week. These students had such a great time that even some boys flashed the Kappa sign in pictures as the proclaimed &amp;quot;I can't wait to go here!&amp;quot; &lt;br /&gt;
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With school coming to an end in a few months, it was the perfect time for our Beta Beta New Member retreat. Our New Member chair planned a daring evening of rock climbing at a local rock climbing gym, Hangar 18. Girls harnessed in and chalked their hands as they used their upper body strength and raced to the top of the rock walls. It was a perfect night for Beta Beta to be reconnected and have a little fun work out. For one of the last meetings of the year, our whole chapter went to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor to feast on all different flavors of ice cream, while discussing business, of course. This event is one of our most delicious sisterhood events since we get to eat all the ice cream we want, be sung to by Farrell's employees, and get to be with our sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
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For the last event of the year, Epsilon Pi Chapter boarded buses with our dates for a special night at Green Rivers Country Club. This year's Formal was eventful and filled with memories. Girls piled into the photo booth to take adorable pictures while some danced the night away and others ate their gourmet meal. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes. Formal was the perfect way to end the 2013-2014 school year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Although college may have been over for some, many girls who had just decided to come to UCR were making their way on campus for summer orientation in the months of July and August. During every orientation, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. We hoped to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Not only that, but almost as a summer reunion, all of our girls got together to film our, almost famous, recruitment video. We went to the beach, our campus, and the park to film a short video embodying Kappa and our strong sisterhood. It turned out to be a hit on our campus and with other chapters from other campuses as well. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a nice, long break of heading to the beach, relaxing, and a lot of studying abroad, Kappa sisters united for a week of practices for upcoming recruitment. Our sisters sang their hearts out and danced their best as we learned songs and polished ourselves so we could be the best Kappas we could be for recruitment. During the week our bonds of sisterhood grew exponentially stronger and our love for Kappa radiated in preparation of finding our newest members. On the weekend of October 3, we spent 3 days socializing and spreading our love and excitement to every potential new member who entered our room. We fell in love with so many girls and worked so hard that this turned out to be one of our most successful recruitments ever, bringing in our biggest New Member class of 53 girls. &lt;br /&gt;
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The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular New Members with &amp;quot;Key to Paradise&amp;quot; tank tops and a BBQ fit for beach queens. Our chapter transitioned so quickly to this shocking number of new ladies, and chapter council immediately understood that with a larger chapter, we would all have to grow together, and that is exactly what we did. New Members went to meetings every week to get acquainted with Kappa policies and jumped right into Kappa activities with our first sisterhood of the 2014-2015 school year. Our VPS planned a morning yoga session in a peaceful park for all of our members. It was relaxing and just what everyone needed as a de-stressor. Our New Members were also able to attend our Date Party at a roller skating rink sponsored by the Anaheim Ducks hockey team. Every member received a glitter Kappa snap back and Beyonce themed tank tops, while their dates received a Jay-Z themed crew neck. Everyone was so exited for their new Kappa clothes. Soon after, our New Members received their Big Sisters in such a cute and creative reveal. New Members were given a key to a specific car in the school's parking lot and had to find the right car to which the key belonged. Inside the car trunk, driver seat, or back seat was their Big. The excitement of the whole chapter was present as girls embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, New Members were ushered to their New Member sleepover where they bonded over games, learned about our Founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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A couple weeks later, Bigs drove their Littles to our fall social with the men of Sigma Psi Epsilon. Since it was the Halloween season, girls paired up with a Sig-Ep and carved pumpkins. This was one of our most attended and loved socials. As initiation approached, our Marshal hosted  Big and Little Night at a local ice skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as sisters. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our New Members of the Beta Gamma class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of the biggest changes to our campus occurred just this Fall quarter. In the past year, recruitment has grown as more and more girls become interested in sorority life at UCR. One of the biggest changes to our chapter was the welcoming of the biggest new member class we have ever welcomed. Our chapter almost doubled, but our chapter handled the change smoothly without a falter. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also due to the immense interest in panhellenic, the whole panhellenic community got together to listen to presentations from three possible new sororities hoping to colonize on the UCR campus. In the end, our chapter was more than happy to hear about a new sorority expanding our panhellenic community. Epsilon Pi Chapter is so strong in our bonds of sisterhood that we are more than willing to help the new chapter get accommodated to UCR. &lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter meetings are held in various on campus lecture halls and classrooms. This makes it easier for members to go to meeting since most new members live on campus and other members live near by.  Our chapter does not have a house and has not had a house in the past. We have a storage unit near campus where we keep and organize our supplies. For living situations, some girls live on campus, but most members rent houses where some members live together and sometimes end up living with other panhellenic women. Our living situations are perfect for building sisterhood and provide various places for members to hangout, study, and host various gatherings.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2015==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year, Epsilon Pi has had many defining moments that continue to shape each of our member’s college experiences. After coming back from a very well deserved winter break surrounded by family and sisters, we began a new quarter in January and quickly put our heads back in to the game, starting with elections. As always, our sisters made excellent decisions when selecting our new Chapter Council that consist of strong, efficient, Kappa leaders. &lt;br /&gt;
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Shortly after, our Event Chair planned our first social of the quarter at a nearby community park with one of the IFC fraternities on campus. Our members and the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta decked out in white apparel in preparation for a fun night filled with glow in the dark paint and athletic activities. We separated into teams and Kappas proudly showed off their flag football skills, all while glowing in the dark. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of the month Beta Gamma, our newest pledge class, attended a retreat. This retreat took place at our newly remodeled recreation center on campus. There was a rock climbing wall and a ropes course. They participated in activities that all revolved around teamwork and some critical thinking. During one of the activities, sisters had to figure out a way to get a rope to the other side without moving by working together. They were also blindfolded and were instructed to give clues to one another in order to find certain objects. They participated in multiple obstacle courses and activities that strengthened the Beta Gamma pledge class.  Overall, Beta Gamma had the opportunity to bond with their pledge class sisters and learn how to help each other out by using teamwork. This was an excellent way to prove that any challenge can be overcome with sisters by our sides. &lt;br /&gt;
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There was no better way to begin the month of February than by having our annual scholarship dinner. Our Vice President of Academic Excellence worked very hard in order to recognize and honor our smart, studious sisters and give them the credit they deserve. We all met at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside in our sharpest key attire. We were excited and anxious to eat delicious Italian food and hear all about our sister’s amazing accomplishments. Some of the awards included most study hours, highest GPA, most improved GPA, and many more. This was a proud night for many, as well as an encouraging one for other girls who decided they want to work even harder than usual and strive to be the best Kappas they can be. This night was filled with positive and uplifting words that reminded and encouraged all Kappas to make academics a priority. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, it was time for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular Semi was located in Redlands, at the Fox Event Center. We got ready in our best cocktail dresses and every Kappa looked extraordinary. As we arrived, the words “Kappa Kappa Gamma” beautifully lit up on the outside billboard of the venue. We ate a delicious dinner of various foods and danced the night away on a beautifully set dance floor that was beneath sparkly chandeliers. If sisters weren’t dancing, many of them were also taking a galore of pictures to capture all of the fun and lavish moments. A professional photographer was also available at our photo booth, which was set up using a bohemian backdrop that was of course, dark and light blue. This magical and fun night with our sisters and dates couldn’t have been better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a circus theme. All of our sisters received a red shirt with an owl in the middle portrayed as a ringmaster and circus animals surrounding it. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with circus posters, popcorn machines, and face painting. Sisters enjoyed painting everyone’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative circus animals. The book we chose to read was Clifford Goes to the Circus, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. This philanthropic event was also extra special because our leadership consultant from the previous year joined to help and support us. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids.&lt;br /&gt;
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To end the month, we had a very eventful sisterhood. Kappas loaded their cars with tents, blankets, jackets and firewood, and were off to camp overnight at Lake Perris. We began by forming groups to build the tents. Building them was no easy task, and just when we thought it couldn’t get any harder, rain started to pour on us. We laughed off our struggles, and tried to finish up quickly. Although the rain was on and off throughout the night, Kappas always know how to have a good time, and our camping experience was nothing but fun and adventure. We walked to the beautiful lake that was surrounded by mountains, ate pizza, sat by the campfire, and ate an abundant amount of smores. Connecting with nature with our sisters by our side was truly a memorable day, and Kappa camping was a success despite some obstacles.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our Spring Quarter began by participating in the fraternity Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Krystal Neag. A few of the many fundraisers Krystal put together were Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, Kappa Karaoke, where tickets were sold to sing one’s heart out, and a fundraiser at Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt, where people were able to satisfy their sweet tooth. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances, including a dance that was based on different decades. Krystal won Highest Fundraiser, and raised one-third of the total of the money, which was very impressive.&lt;br /&gt;
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During the month of April we also held our joint philanthropic event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Both of our philanthropies revolve around literacy, so this competitive event is focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed-reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $1,250 and five hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF.&lt;br /&gt;
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The month of May was full of many events and festivities, starting with Parents Day. Sisters and parents gathered at the Indian Hills Golf Club to proudly demonstrate what our organization is all about. We ate a delicious brunch together, sang to them, and had tables displaying our history, crafts, and awards. It was a great time, and every parent fell even more in love with Kappa Kappa Gamma. To deal with the hot Riverside weather, our sisters collaborated with the brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi a couple weeks later and had a fun day at the park with water balloons and ice cream. Water splashing on us and the cold taste of ice cream in our mouths was a perfect way to combat the heat.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our last, and a top favorite, philanthropy of the 2015-year was Day in the Life. We bring sixth graders from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for a higher education. Sisters are divided into different touring groups in order to get to know the kids personally and be able to be more hands on and interactive. We teach them spirit chants and walk around the busy hallways of campus so they can experience for themselves what its like to be a college student. This philanthropy is so rewarding because every student anticipates going to college, UCR in specific, at the end of the day. They also fall in love with our amazing organization and want to be future Kappas, even the boys.&lt;br /&gt;
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Before heading into summer, we had one last sisterhood at the drive-in. Sisters dressed up in their best 50’s themed clothes while watching movies in their cars and eating yummy snacks. The group of girls with the best outfits received a gift certificate to make a sweatshirt with our letters imprinted, which was a big plus. After anxiously waiting for our Formal throughout the year, Kappas got dolled up and boarded buses to the Reef Restaurant in Long Beach to have a spectacular night with their dates. The venue was right on the bay, which was perfect for capturing memorable pictures. We ate a delicious gourmet meal, and danced the night away in front of the gorgeous waterfront view. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. With Epilson Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and greek unity, we worked hard and won awards including Chapter of the Year, Highest GPA, and Best Collaborative Program. Everyone was so Kappa proud and this was an excellent way to end the school year.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although it was summer for some, Kappas were still working hard on campus partaking in every freshman orientation in order to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. During the summer, we also reunited to film our recruitment video. Some of the places we went to included the beach, an amusement park, and one of our sister's beautiful home. Our amazing video embodied Kappa and our strong sisterhood very accurately.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although our fun-filled, adventurous summer was coming to an end, Kappa’s were excited to go back to school for recruitment. On the weekend of October 2nd, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular new members with baseball themed apparel, and had hot dogs and burgers for dinner. It was definitely one of the best ball games for our Kappa sisters. After a week of clues, room decorating, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Littles unwrapped their Bigs and embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories.&lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of asking dates to our Kappa Date Party. We received matching carnival crewnecks, and headed to Scandia Amusement Park. We spent the night playing mini-golf, riding rollercoasters, driving bumper cars, and eating delicious fair food. Quickly after, initiation week approached. Our Marshal hosted a Big and Little night at a local ice-skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as big and little. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Delta class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our most recent changes on campus is the addition of a new sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. This was very exciting for Epsilon Pi, and an excellent opportunity to help colonize and make new friends. There are now seven panhellenic sororities at UCR, and there has been an overall increase in interest in the Greek community. With so many more girls interested in the recruiting process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a great amount of new members. Our chapter has handled the increase well, and has accommodated accordingly. We are always happy and ecstatic to welcome new chapters, and new girls.&lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter Philanthropy:&lt;br /&gt;
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?&lt;br /&gt;
The organization Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for is Madison Elementary, our adopted underprivileged elementary school in our area. We put three events for them throughout the year, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? &lt;br /&gt;
We chose to support this organization because our chapter enjoys working hands on with the children in our area, and we know our service and donations are impacting them directly. We prefer actual interaction, rather than simply handing a check. It is very rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these children for the better.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2016==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the past year, the members of Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma have created many amazing memories that have enriched their college experience. Our chapter started the year off strong by holding elections in January after our lovely winter break which was quite a bit longer this year then in years past. As usual our sisters chose extraordinary women to help lead the chapter as Chapter Council. Shortly after, our education chair held the first education program of the year. The education program was all about proper etiquette, as a chapter we all ate California Pizza Kitchen and watched the presentation that our education chairman gave on good vs poor etiquette.&lt;br /&gt;
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On February 25th our chapter got together to do what we do best, eat. We had an amazing sister hood that was at the Kickn Crab, we all bonded over a very messy meal and made lasting memories with our sisters. A few days after our sister hood our chapter got together yet again for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular semi formal was located at a beautiful club in Long Beach. We all got dressed up in our best cocktail attire and every Kappa and their dates looked fantastic. Kappa’s all danced the night away and took many lavish photos. At the venue itself there was a professional photographer who helped to capture every moment of the stupendous night. This extraordinary night with sisters and their dates couldn’t have gone better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a day at the zoo. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with zebra and cheetah print decorations, face painting station, and a reading station. Sisters enjoyed painting the children’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative zoo animals. The book we chose to read was Animal Strike at the Zoo, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the beginning of the month of March our philanthropy chair planned an amazing event with Madison Square elementary school in honor of Dr. Seuss day. All of our sisters went to the school dressed in their best Dr. Seuss attire, and read to the children. This was such an amazing experience for us to see the joy on the children’s faces as we read the silliest of Dr. Seuss books to them. Later on in the month of March the newest member class Beta Delta got together for a new member retreat. The retreat was held on our campus at the student recreational centers excursion course. The new members all had a wonderful experience as they tried to climb up rock walls, ropes and ladders. The new member retreat was such a great bonding experience for Beta Delta. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of April we welcomed all of our lovely parents to our Annual Parents Day at Indian Hills Country Club. This was a fantastic day that allowed us to share why Kappa Kappa Gamma means so much to each of us with the parents . Awards were given out to Kappa’s for their academic excellence and for their spirit and dedication to the Epsilon Pi Chapter. Parents and Kappa’s all sat and ate a wonderful brunch and learned all about the amazing things that we have accomplished throughout the year. Later into the month of April our philanthropy chair organized one of our three main philanthropic events Words With Friends. It was a night to remember as we watched many of the students form the Greek community participate in our speed read and games. The entry fee to the event was a children’s books and all of the books raised where donated to the children of Madison elementary school. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also in the month of April Epsilon Pi participated in the fraternity, Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Sarah Lopinski. Sarah put together many fundraisers for the event including  Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, and Kappa Karaoke, where sisters and friends got together and sang their hearts out. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of May we had our annual philanthropy Day in the Life, where we bus over 6th graders from Madison Elementary to UCR. We get the opportunity to show these young children what its like to not only be a college student but what its like to be a Kappa. We give all the students a tour of our beautiful campus and teach them different UCR cheers. After the tours are over, we all eat lunch together on the grass by our famous bell tower and play fun games with the children. By the end of the day all the children are telling us how they are so excited to go to college, this is such an amazing feeling knowing that you have done a part in getting one more child excited to shoot for a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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After patiently waiting all year for one of Epsilon Pi's favorite events the time had finally come for our annual Formal. This years formal was held at a beautiful country club located in Costa Mesa. This night was one to remember with lots of beautiful pictures, and delicious food Before heading into summer we had one last sisterhood in which we spent the night in a mansion in Corona. We all began by taking cute photos with the many kappa props that we had brought on the outside of the mansion by the beautiful pool. Later on that night we got together and watched a scary movie in the home theatre that the house had. We all snuggled up in beds together hoping that we could sleep after watching such a scary movie. This sisterhood was such a great experience since Epsilon Pi does not have a sorority house we all got to experience for once what it would be like to be living together. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the months of summer some of the us got together to film for our recruitment video. We filmed in multiple locations in riverside including one of our sisters beautiful homes. After a fun filled exciting summer all of our sister where excited to be reunited once again for recruitment. On the  first weekend of October 2,, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we as Kappa’s do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. Sunday night we held our Bid Day, we welcomed all of our  new members with life guard themed apparel, and had an assortment of Mexican food for dinner. After a fun week of  room decorating, clues, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Little’s found the matching pair of sock behind a sheet and when the sheet dropped their Big’s were revealed. Big’s and little’s embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of the event our wonderful Marshal hosted, a sisterhood night were we all skated around the roller rink together in our matching inspo week shirts. The most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Epsilon class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. To finish of the year we had on of our most fun events  Kappa Date Party. We received matching shirts that were designed by one of our own sisters and headed to Boomers Amusement Park in Irvine. We spent the night riding bumper cars, go karts, climbing rock walls, playing laser tag, and miniature golf. Overall it has been a successful year for the Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. &lt;br /&gt;
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The most recent change on campus this year is most definitely the amount of students that now attend the University of California Riverside. For the first time in history Riverside received more than 50,000 student applications for admission. With that many more incoming students of course there where quite a few more women who signed up for recruitment this year as well. With so many more women interested in the recruitment process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a many more new members. We are always ecstatic to welcome new members into our chapter and we have been handling the size increase quit well. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for our adopted local underprivileged elementary school, Madison Elementary. Throughout the year we hold three philanthropic events for them, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi choses to support this organization because it gives us the opportunity to work hands on with the youth in our area. It is amazing to see our service and donations impact the the lives of the future of our community. Epsilon Pi prefers the face to face interaction that we get from our events such as Day in The Life and Reading is Key, rather then simply just raising money and handing in a check. It is so rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these young students for the better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi typically meets once a week for chapter meeting in a larger classroom or lecture hall on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2017==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In 2017 Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma achieved many things and participated in many philanthropic and social events within our greek community and the real community surrounding Riverside. At our Pillars Award ceremony, hosted by Panhellenic, we were rewarded with the award of Best Chapter Management honoring our Chapter Councils hard work in managing our chapters affairs. Starting slow in January with fewer events following our winter break, we kicked the year off with the Scholarship Dinner which was held on January 26th. Our Scholarship Dinner was put on by our Vice President of Academic Excellence with the help of her committee. It was held at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside. Every girl was provided with dinner along with our advisors and various alumnae who attended. Throughout the night the Vice President of Academic Excellence gave out awards based on members' various academic achievements the previous year. This event celebrated members who may have had great academic improvements ad promoted the importance of academic achievement in our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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In the following month Epsilon Pi was a bit more busy. The first event in February was a sisterhood event which was put on by our Vice President Standards. This sisterhood was held at Build-a-Bear where members each made two bears. One for the member to take home and one to donate to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital. This sisterhood was a good way for members to get together and bond as well as do something good for the community. The following weekend on February a team of Kappa sisters participated in Gamma Phi Beta’s annual Moonball which is a volleyball tournament that helps raise money for Gamma Phi Beta’s philanthropy. Not only did members play in the tournament, they also came out to support and cheer on their sisters who played in the tournament. February 10th is when Epsilon Pi held their annual winter philanthropic event, Reading is Key. During this event the chapter went to a local elementary school, Madison Elementary, and decorated their multipurpose room up to the theme which was carnival. First grade classes got to come to the MPR throughout the day and the chapter facilitated many activities for the kids to do. These activities were things such as face painting, coloring, and the final station being chapter members reading a book to the children. At the end of the day each child got to go home with a book of their own. Also, the chapter donated books to the school as well. The final event Epsilon Pi held in the month of February was a sisterhood with Gamma Phi Beta. The chapters came together and decorated cookies for Valentines Day. The chapters also did Ice Breaker games and just bonded. Lastly, in the month of February chapter elections were held. The new chapter council was elected and joint Chapter Council Meeting was held the last week of February. &lt;br /&gt;
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March of 2017 kicked off strong with a sisterhood held with the girls of Delta Gamma. Our chapters got together and tie dyed shirts together and hung out at a local park. This sisterhood allowed our chapter to bond with a Panhellenic sister which we don’t often get to do much with strengthening our Panhellenic bonds. On March 3rd a group of Epsilon Pi members volunteered for Read Across America at a local elementary school. They got to spend the day reading and promoting literacy to the children in our surrounding community. Later that evening on March 3rd, we held our Semi Formal put on by our Event Chairman along with the help of her committee. It was held at a local country club and many Alumni joined and it was a successful event barring a few mishaps along the way. Following Semi Formal Leadership day was held for the new and old Chapter Council members on March 5th. Leadership day was planned by our Vice President of Organization in order to allow the time for old Chapter Council members to teach new Chapter Council members what their new job entailed and all the responsibilities their new job required. At the event all the advisors for the various Chapter Council positions were there and also met with their new officer. Also the new Chapter Council got to discuss goals that they wanted to achieve in their time in office and all the things they wanted to improve within the chapter. Many things were discussed that day and the new Chapter Council got a great start and great motivation from each other and the advisors to start their position strong and make some good changes within the chapter. The following meeting the new Chapter Council members were installed into their positions.&lt;br /&gt;
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Throughout the next couple of weeks Epsilon Pi was involved in a philanthropy called Miss Minerva held by a fraternity on our campus, Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This was a pageant type fundraiser that helped raise thousands of dollars for their philanthropy with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Kappa helped in this by having one girl volunteer to represent our chapter and do various fundraisers throughout the weeks leading up to the competition. Epsilon Pi also participated in a similar philanthropy held by another fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, titled Delta Queen this philanthropy helped raise money for the City of Hope Cancer Research Foundation. Both the representatives for both events held many small events to raise money for each chapter’s philanthropies. These events varied from holding fundraises at local restaurants to coming up with small clever fundraisers to do on campus at letters. One example of a small fundraiser held by our Delta Queen was titled Kolor a Kappa where people paid money to throw paint at members of our chapter. Although it doesn’t sound very eventful it was a vey successful event help on our campus. Epsilon Pi itself helped raise a large amount of money that we donated to each chapter’s philanthropies. These events also strengthened our ties within our Panhellenic community because every chapter had a representative and all the chapters competed against each other hopes to win the pageant. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a rather slow month compared to March aside from the various activities going on with both Miss Minerva and Delta Queen. April 22nd Epsilon Pi held a social event with fellow Fraternity on campus, Delta Chi. Members of both organizations got together on Earth day and volunteered at our campus garden the R’garden. Members planted plants and tended to the garden at our school. The following week Epsilon Pi had a visit from a Leadership Consultant. She stayed with our Vice President of Organization. While she was here she attended our chapter council meeting and visited with each member of Chapter Council to see how they were adapting to their new position. The Leadership Consultant was very helpful to our chapter giving the Chapter Council guidance onto how to deal with the problems in our chapter. On April 25th Epsilon Pi held another sisterhood event which was a kickboxing class held at the local UFC gym. The members of Epsilon Pi all joined together sweated and laughed while working out all together. On April 29th Epsilon Pi was involved in Alpha Chi Omega's annual philanthropy the Carnation Carnival. Epsilon Pi held a both making Kappachinos and a both doing a coin toss at the event. Sisters volunteered to work both booths throughout the day. The following day Epsilon Pi participated in Delta Gamma’s annual philanthropy titled Anchor Splash. A group of girls got together to compete in various competitions throughout the day. Epsilon Pi winning one of the events which was synchronized swimming. All in all the busy weekend was a success for Epsilon Pi. &lt;br /&gt;
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May 2017 was a very busy month for Epsilon Pi starting off with Salads with Seniors an event for the seniors and alumnae to get together and to have a lunch starting the seniors' transition from active member to&lt;br /&gt;
an alumnae. On May 5th Epsilon Pi participated in a powderpuff football tournament held by Fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. A group of sisters got together and formed a team competing against other chapters in a football tournament. On May 11th Epsilon Pi’s annual Sapphire Ball was held at a local venue in Downtown Riverside. This event was thrown by our Event Chairman throughout the night seniors got recognized and celebrated as this is their last formal Kappa event of college. On May 17th Epsilon Pi held another philanthropic event called Day in the Life. At this event Epsilon Pi bused over 6th grade students from Madison Elementary, the same elementary school that was collaborated with for Reading is Key, and did many activities with them. The 6th graders were given a tour of our campus and done various smaller activities with. This philanthropy is very near and dear to our hearts because it allows us to promote higher education to kids who may have no knowledge of what college is like or why it is important.&lt;br /&gt;
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Parents' Day was held on May 21st at Indian Hills Golf Club. Thrown by the Public Relation Chairman, Parents' Day was a brunch for both members of Epsilon Pi and their parents. During the brunch, awards were given out to outstanding members of our chapter. Also, during the brunch presentations were given to the parents from various Chapter Council members, such as registrar and education chairman, about the history of Kappa Kappa Gamma as a whole and Epsilon Pi Chapter itself. Overall Parents Day was successful in showing the parents why Kappa Kappa Gamma is such an important organization and what it does for their daughters. The week of May 22nd was Pillars week where our whole Greek community comes together to do various activities throughout the wee, some competitive activities and others to raise money. At the end of this week a banquet is held to give out awards to chapters for various achievements throughout the year. Epsilon Pi was awarded with Best Chapter Management celebrating our Chapter Council's recent achievements. On May 24th the Education Chairmen held a final sisterhood for the seniors. This sisterhood was held at a local trampoline park, Skyline, where the seniors were allowed to jump and hang out with each other one last time all together. The sisterhood retreat was held on May 27th and 28th at a house in Corona. Sisters got together and had a giant sleepover at a house. During this sleepover sisters bonded doing various ice breaker activities and watching movies and such. It was very successful in the bonding of our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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The next week starting May 30th through to the beginning of June was sports week for our Greek community. Epsilon Pi participated in many of the sports such as football, soccer, and volleyball it was very successful having teams in every event throughout the week. June 3rd was another philanthropy that Epsilon Pi held in order to raise money to donate to Reading is Fundamental. This philanthropy was a Kappa Karwash. Sisters got together at a local burger joint and washed cars in order to raise money for Kappa’s national philanthropy. The next few weeks of June events died down because it was the end of the quarter and finals were nearing but our Vice President of Academic Excellence did hold a Kappa Study Party on June 11th for all our members. She rented out a study room at one of our campus libraries and held a study party for all our members. At the study party she provided many things for our sisters such as scantrons, blue books, and pencils sisters might need for their finals. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the moths of July and August sisters were home for the summer, yet the recruitment chair along with the help of her committee started to prepare for recruitment. In September the week before school started recruitment workshops were held September 21st through the 26th. At these workshops sisters learned songs and practiced all the things that needed to be perfected before formal recruitment. Formal recruitment was held October 5th through the 8th. Bid day was then held on October 8th at a fellow sister's house welcoming home our new pledge class Beta Zeta. That following Monday, October 9th, the new pledge class was formally pinned and their new member education began. October 14th our Founders Day brunch was held at Canyon Crest Country Club. It was a brunch held by our Education Chairman in which celebrated our Founders Day. It was a very successful first event with our new pledge class setting the tone for them for the rest of the year. In the following weeks new members got to meet with the sapphires weekly leading up to big and little week which occurred the week of October 23rd. That Friday, October 27th, big and little reveal was facilitated by our New Member Chairman on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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Following reveal the new members were driven to an active's house where they had their first sleepover as a pledge class. They bonded with the New Member Chairman and with each other throughout the night. Sunday October 29th was Epsilon Pi’s October Sisterhood which was held at The Pumpkin Factory, a local pumpkin patch. Sisters got to bond with their new littles and with the new pledge class. The Week of October 29th through November 3rd Epsilon Pi was visited by another Leadership Consultant who checked up with Chapter Council’s progress that they have made this year. The Leadership Consultant also was able to come to chapter meeting to meet with new members and give a presentation to the whole chapter on the importance of attendance. The Leadership Consultant visit was successful in that she was able to help out chapter council with any guidance they needed leading their way into initiated the new pledge class. &lt;br /&gt;
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On November 4th Epsilon Pi participated in a philanthropy held by fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This philanthropy was a soccer tournament for the various sororities to compete against each other and raise money Epsilon Pi had two teams competing in the event and took both second and first place in the tournament. On November 10th Epsilon Pi competed in another sports related philanthropic event held by Phi Kappa Sigma. This event was titled The Phi Kap Olympics in which teams competed in various activities and games. Epsilon Pi also took first in this philanthropic event as well. Inspiration Week started on November 13th, this being the period before initiation where girls sit back and think about Kappa and the true meaning and values that Kappa instills in each of its members. Throughout that week our Philanthropy chair held Epsilon Pi’s first philanthropy event for the school year being a Kappa Canned food drive. Epsilon Pi collected cans and donations from various greek organizations on our campus with an incentive that the organization that donates the most cans will get a $100 check written out to their philanthropy. This however was a bigger success than our philanthropy chair had expected with around two thousand of cans donated and around $350 raised. On Thursday November 16th Epsilon Pi held their Big and Little Night put on by our Marshall. Big and Little Night was held at a local ice rink, IceTown, where sisters skated and bonded with their family lines. November 17th Fireside was held for the new members followed by initiation the next morning. On November 27th chapter elections will be held for the new Chapter Council. On November 30th Epsilon Pi held their Date Party at a minor league basketball game. On December 3rd Epsilon Pi’s Vice President of Academic Excellence planned a Kappa Study Party so sisters can get together and study before finals in our on campus library. On December 6th the Education Chairman held a senior sisterhood where the seniors meet at a sisters house and decorated ornaments and cookies to celebrate the holidays. Through all these success for Epsilon Pi Chapter throughout 2017 the chapter’s morale has gained strength. All in all 2017 was a good year for Epsilon Pi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Highlights of 2018==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the year, the Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has participated in many events on the UC Riverside campus, and has been tremendously rewarded for its involvement and service in the community. We started off the year in January when we welcomed and transitioned the new leaders of the chapter during leadership day. This was a special time because the new officers were transitioning into their new positions and learned from the old officers everything their position entails. &lt;br /&gt;
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In February, the new chapter council was excited to start working on Parent’s Day which is a day where all the girls bring their parents together to show them what Kappa is all about. Our Parent’s Day was February 24, celebrated with brunch and set up by the Public Relations Chairman. Throughout the day, we awarded advisors and members for their dedication to the chapter, and had presentations about our chapter history. There were tables setup that displayed old archives like old composites, and scrapbooks for the parents to see. It was a great time for the members and their families to come together to take pictures, and learn Kappa’s history. We also had our sisterhood in February, where all the girls dressed in cute pajamas and went to the movie theatre where they had a viewing of Pitch Perfect. Many sisters came in matching pajamas, especially bigs and littles. The chapter even had a contest for the cutest pajamas, and the winner got a prize. Our biggest event in February would have to be Reading is Key, our philanthropy that is put together entirely by the Philanthropy Chairman. We went to a local elementary school, where we held many activities such as face painting and crafts for the kids to do. The theme for the day was “Under the Sea”, with many decorations and books set up for the day. The whole chapter came throughout the day and managed the different stations for the children to go through. Our goal was to show the kids how much fun reading and learning can be, so we had many books for them to see and an individual copy for them to take home. The kids were very excited and we even had a few sisters get on stage and do a reading of the books to the children. &lt;br /&gt;
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In March, we started the month with composites. All the girls met in the Highlander Union Building and got their portraits taken, which was set up by the chapter’s Registrar. We ended the month with our semi-formal, set up by our Event Chair, where the whole chapter comes together for food and music. Our semi-formal was March 3rd in Downtown Riverside, where we celebrated a lovely evening with appetizers, a photobooth, and dancing. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a very busy month with many fundraisers and awards. We kicked it off with winning Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash, where the members in the chapters won a dance and swimming competition. Our team came together and held many practices in order to make sure their routine was perfect. Not only did we participate in Anchor Splash, but we also were involved with the blood drive, and held a yogurtland fundraiser for our philanthropy. Mid April, we held our scholarship dinner at Cheesecake Factory where the chapter was awarded with their academic achievements. Throughout the night, there were a lot of awards to give considering the drastic rise in our chapter’s GPA. This was put together by our VP Academic Excellence and there were different awards such as ‘Highest GPA’ or ‘Most Improved GPA’. It was a great way to celebrate the academic achievements of the chapter and recognize all the hard work we put into for school. We ended the successful month off with our participation in Powderpuff which is a greek soccer tournament held by Phi Kappa Psi.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to the Pillar’s Awards, we have Pillar’s week, which is a week of competitions that organizations do on campus as teams. We were the red team, and our panhellenic chair along with our chapter council made sure we participated in all the tasks they gave us. The Chapter Council and the President put in countless hours filling in the forms and requirements for Pillars week. The award accounted for many things such as how involved the chapter is on campus, how much attendance does the chapter have at other organizations and philanthropy, and how well our academics and community service is. All the hard work paid off when our chapter won “Chapter of The Year” and the “Service Award”. It was a very exciting night that made the chapter very proud of its accomplishments. &lt;br /&gt;
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In May, we got to celebrate our achievements at our Formal, which is a night of celebration for the seniors. The chapter came together for food and dancing all put together by our Event Chair, where we handed out awards to all of the seniors for the end of the school year was approaching fast for them. We also kicked back and had our sisterhood, a kappa luau. Our VP Standards put together the luau where we hung out by the pool, got snacks, had cute hawaiian decorations and took pictures. It was a great way for our sisters to bond under the sun. We ended May with our second biggest philanthropy, A Day in the Life, which is also entirely put together by the philanthropy Chair. We had local middle schoolers come to UC Riverside, where we took the kids on tours, played fun games with them, and answered all their questions about college life. First we welcomed the kids to the campus, and played games with them to get know their names and interests. We then started by taking them on tours, based on their different teams, and ended the day with snacks and refreshments for the kids. The chapter showed them how great school and education can be, and hoped to inspire them to pursue a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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As June started, the school year was coming to an end and many sisters went home for summer vacation. While some sisters were doing internships, or going on cool vacations, the girls that stayed in town started working on recruitment. The membership chairman along with her committee spent many days tabling meeting the new students of UC Riverside, and answering all their questions about our chapter. Before the start of school, the chapter came together for recruitment workshops where we all learned songs and recruitment etiquette. It was five days of practice that really brought the chapter together in time for welcoming the potential new &lt;br /&gt;
members into recruitment. When school finally started again, it was time for Formal recruitment which was all managed by the Membership Chairman. The chapter was so excited to welcome home the class of Beta Eta at our olympic themed bid day put together by our New Member Chairman. Following Bid Day, the new members got a weekly sapphire that guided them throughout their first few weeks in the chapter. One important event in October was our Founder’s Day, put together by the Education Chairman. On October 10, the chapter came together at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we celebrate with brunch and presentations of the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma. We remember the six founders and the symbols that make Kappa so special to all of us.&lt;br /&gt;
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The new members finally got to find out who their bigs were during big and little reveal. During that week, bigs decorated their little’s rooms and gave them secret hints as to who they were. The bigs decorated cute boxes and popped out of them to surprise their littles, and the boxes had cute themes to them. In the month of November, the chapter had big and little night, which was put together by the Marshall and was held at a roller skating rink. Bigs and littles spent the night roller skating around and taking cute pictures in their matching outfits. We ended the month off with our participation in Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s soccer tournament to raise awareness for cancer. We had our strongest soccer players compete against other sororities and we were able to win first place. It was a great way for the chapter to come together, and for the Greek community as well to raise awareness for the cause. In the last meeting, November 26, elections were held for the new chapter council, and the chapter spends one last meeting together before the year ends. &lt;br /&gt;
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Ultimately, it has been a very successful year for Epsilon Pi. Not only did we win many awards, but we were very involved with other philanthropies and fundraisers. Our philanthropies main goal is to encourage kids to learn, read, and pursue a higher education. We do that by emphasizing the importance of reading and going to college, for these kids to understand that education is very important. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2020s==&lt;br /&gt;
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Starting out our Winter Quarter of 2020, on January 5th our newly elected chapter council had their first chapter council meeting as well as the following day, January 6th, we had our first formal meeting of the quarter where new officers got formally transitioned into their positions. On January 11th, we scheduled and attended our first leadership day where we invited advisors, outgoing cc, as well as incoming cc to create a smooth transition for new positions. On January 26th our newest pledge class had their new member retreat where they got to rock climb on the ropes course at UCR. On January 31st we were so fortunate to celebrate our 150th anniversary of the organization by being visited by the Minnie Stewart van! On February 6th we held a social with a Panhellenic organization, Alpha Chi Omega. On February 26th, we held our annual Reading is Key event at Madison Elementary where it was Alice in Wonderland themed and we read and did crafts with the 1st grade classes. On March 1st we held our Semi-formal event where we danced the night away with all of our sisters. On March 2nd, we participated in a joint philanthropy event with Sigma Pi Epsilon at a local elementary school reading to kids. On March 6th we held our Winter Sisterhood event at Hangar Trampoline Park. During the week of March18-22nd, we began our finals week while transitioning to a complete remote learning environment. Although many of us assumed we would be coming back after spring break, we ended up coming to terms that we would be having both our Spring and Fall Quarters completely online. On April 1st we held our first virtual meeting through zoom. On April 14th we began to review and evaluate the best and worst case for the budget with the treasurer. On April 26th we began to reevaluate and get on the same page for tackling the actions on our action plan. On April 29th we supported Denim Day virtually through our platforms. On May 27th we decided on the budget proposal and to put all of our members on a payment plan due to pandemic circumstances. On June 16th we raised and donated $2,700O to act able. On September 26th we began recruitment workshops every day until to 30th. On October 8th through the 11th we held formal recruitment through zoom. Although this process did look a bit different than usual years, everything ran very smoothly as we conducted conversations and voting on zoom and in break out rooms. On October 11th, we welcomed our newest pledge class, Beta Iota to the chapter as the bid day theme was Kappa and Co. We held our New member pinning ceremony on October 12th. On October 13th we all joined the zoom call with our chapter first to go over some history fun facts as well as conduct our founders day ceremony then joined the zoom call with our sisters across the nation to help celebrate our 150th milestone! On October 12-16th our lovely leadership consultant Cait Berosh held a virtual meeting with a majority of our chapter council members. On October 18th we held a virtual committee night.&lt;br /&gt;
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On October 22nd we held a virtual COB night where we welcome a few more members to our new member class. On October 25th we were visited by a facilitator from HQ for a Aspiring to a higher type of Sisterhood Workshop. On October 29th we held a Spooky fall quarter sisterhood where we all carved pumpkins together. On November 4th, we held a sisterhood where we made fun PowerPoint on random topics. On November 13th we held big little reveal where a majority of new members got their bigs. On November 16th-20th we began Inspiration week where we did various writing prompts to reflect on our values as well as had big little night on November 18th. On November 18th the rest of the new members who were COBs got their bigs as well. On November 20th, our new members were officially initiated into our chapter. On November 16th we were presented with the slate from the nominating committee. On November 23rd, we held chapter elections where we elected prospective new officers. On December 4th we held a virtual baking sisterhood with a Panhellenic organization Gamma Phi Beta. On December 7th, we held our last meeting of 2020 and the quarter and after finals we will begin winter break.&lt;br /&gt;
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We support our local Elementary School Madison Elementary which is in an under served community.We chose this school, to only because we’ve worked with them many years prior, but also because a alumna from Epsilon Pi Chapter hasworked as a teacher there in the past and explained how our chapter could positively impact the students&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chairman and she aided in all the programming that was being planned as well as sent out little reminders throughout the quarter on how to be inclusive and how to be more conscious through the group me.&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a sesquicentennial chairman who would kept us updated on new and fun stuff from HQ as well as would share various chapter history PowerPoints and we were so lucky to have been visited by the Minnie Steward Van to celebrate such an amazing milestone! During Founders Day we joined on zoom together as a chapter and did our Founders Day ceremony and then join the zoom call with all of our sisters nationwide to share this special moment in history.&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>VickiCarrigan</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Eta_Gamma&amp;diff=23009</id>
		<title>Eta Gamma</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Eta_Gamma&amp;diff=23009"/>
				<updated>2022-07-25T19:14:23Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;VickiCarrigan: &lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;div&gt;{{Infobox Fraternity&lt;br /&gt;
|Name= Eta Gamma&lt;br /&gt;
|GreekSymbol= HΓ&lt;br /&gt;
|Image= [[File:Eta_Gamma.jpg|200px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1997|10|24}}&lt;br /&gt;
|College= [https://www.sandiego.edu/ University of San Diego]&lt;br /&gt;
|Location= San Diego, CA&lt;br /&gt;
|Homepage= [https://usandiego.kappa.org/ Eta Gamma Homepage]&lt;br /&gt;
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Eta_Gamma Media related to Eta Gamma Chapter]}}&lt;br /&gt;
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'''University of San Diego, established in 1949 in San Diego, California'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Eta Gamma founded September 21, 1997'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''899 initiates (as of June 2018)'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Some of Eta Gamma’s Outstanding Alumnae:''' (If you have chapter alumnae who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.) &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Council Members:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''additional Outstanding Eta Gamma Alumnae:''' &lt;br /&gt;
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Brianne McGann, Leadership Consultant 2011-2012&lt;br /&gt;
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Carrie Nagel Palmer, Academic Excellence Specialist (2022-2024)&lt;br /&gt;
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The University of San Diego is an independent Catholic institution known for its commitment to teaching and the liberal arts. Students live and work in a setting of Spanish Renaissance architecture overlooking Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The university serves approximately 4,000 undergraduates and more than 2,000 graduate students. Close to 90 percent of the freshman and a majority of upperclass students live on campus. The university offers 16 NCAA Division I sports as well as a variety of club and intramural level sports.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Installation==&lt;br /&gt;
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Two trips to the sunny coast of San Diego, Calif., have resulted in a new addition to the Kappa family. The University of San Diego (not to be confused with UC San Diego) became home to Kappa Kappa Gamma's 126th active chapter, Eta Gamma.  &lt;br /&gt;
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An outstanding group of young women became a Kappa Kappa Gamma Colony during a Colonization Recruitment held on campus September 19-21, 1997. Installation of the chapter was held November 7 -8, making these women charter members of Eta Gamma Chapter. Fifty-one colony members were initiated by Fraternity &lt;br /&gt;
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President Cathy Thompson Carswell, Illinois Wesleyan; Chairman of Extension Juliana (J.J.) Fraser Wales, Ohio State; and the Fraternity's second delegate to the Panhellenic Conference Carol Morrison Sobek, Arizona State, also assisted with the Installation. &lt;br /&gt;
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Alumnae from the San Diego area and members from Zeta Nu, UC San Diego; Zeta Eta, UC Irvine; Gamma Zeta, Arizona; and Epsilon Delta, Arizona State, participated in Installation activities, as well. Eta Gamma's Chapter Consultant was Anne Kieselbach, UC San Diego; Ragen Bradner, UC San Diego, served as the Coordinator of Chapter Development. &lt;br /&gt;
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Other Panhellenic groups on campus are Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Phi, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Delta, Alpha Chi Omega, and Kappa Alpha Theta.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1990s==&lt;br /&gt;
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Eta Gamma Chapter was officially colonized on September 21, 1997 when 53 young women were informed that they were to represent this chapter as part of the Kappa Kappa Gamma fraternity at the University of San Diego.  These women were installed as Charter Members on November 8, 1997.&lt;br /&gt;
At that time, the University of San Diego had 4,000 undergraduate students and 2,000 graduate students.  Approximately 23% of the study body was involved in Greek life.  There were five fraternities; Phi Kappa Theta, Sigma Chi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Delta Tau Delta, and Sigma Phi Epsilon. There were four sororities; Gamma Phi Beta, Alpha Phi, Alpha Delta Pi, and the newly colonized Kappa Kappa Gamma.&lt;br /&gt;
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Under the supervision of Anne Kieselbach, the Chapter Consultant, and Regan Bradner, the Coordinator of Chapter Development, the new pledge class took on the responsibilities of continuing the Kappa traditions.&lt;br /&gt;
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During the first new member Recruitment in 1998 the chapter pledged 30 new members. Party themes included &amp;quot;Kappa Kappa Chino&amp;quot; coffee house, &amp;quot;Kappa Academy Awards,&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;Kappa is Your Candle on the Water.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1998 Eta Gamma's President, Bridgett O'Neil was honored as the Greek Woman of the Year at USD.&lt;br /&gt;
Also, that year the chapter reported the highest GPA among the sororities on USD's campus.&lt;br /&gt;
The chapter goal in 1998 was P.P.U.R.C. - building a meaningful foundation through &amp;quot;Participation, Planning, Understanding, Respect, and Communication.&amp;quot; The chapter worked toward this goal through philanthropy, social, fraternity education, sisterhood, and scholarship efforts.&lt;br /&gt;
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Challenges facing the chapter in the 1990s included low participation and lack of communication.  The chapter instituted a variety of ways to improve both of these areas including attendance awards for individual members, email distribution groups, reminders of upcoming events, and personal notes read at the end of meetings.&lt;br /&gt;
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Eta Gamma members participated in many organizations and honorary societies on USD's campus.  Through their newsletter, the Eta Gamma Gazette, they shared events and current activities that the chapter was involved with to the greater Kappa sisterhood of readers.&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter incorporated some successful scholarship ideas that included honoring members with high GPAs, hosting Scoops Night by grouping members in majors to assist each other with choosing classes, and treating the members to massages and relaxation sessions during Kappa Relief Days before finals.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter participated in a variety of events that raised money and awareness, many of which were co-hosted with other campus fraternities or sororities.  These efforts included a book drive, after-school tutoring, volunteering at a resale clothing store, building homes in Mexico, and gift giving to needy families during the holiday season.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1999 the chapter members logged more than 2,000 volunteer hours in philanthropic efforts.&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the organizations that benefited from Eta Gamma's philanthropy included St. Vincent de Paul Center, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, Project Mercy, and the Children's Miracle Network.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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At the 34th Biennial Province Meeting, Eta Gamma received the Marian Williams-Mitch Pflugh Public Relations Award.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2000-2010== &lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter continued its member bonding through theme parties, sisterhood events, social exchanges with other Greek groups, retreats, campus-wide events, intramurals, Moms Weekend, and Dads Weekend.  The chapter also held theme nights for each class (sophomore, junior, and senior) to honor Eta Gamma members from each school year.&lt;br /&gt;
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Participation continued to be a challenge, and the chapter committees worked on innovative efforts to increase attendance at events.  These challenges also had an effect on finances, but the chapter was able to reorganize their budget to accommodate for the deficit. Also challenging the members were standards issues.  The Standards Committee, along with other committees/officers on Chapter Council strengthened communication and sisterhood through events and awareness in order to improve morale overall for the chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 2005 the chapter reported that they received the honorable USD Dean's Trophy for the sixth consecutive year.&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter continuously displayed archives for members to see during Recruitment and throughout the year at meetings.&lt;br /&gt;
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Eta Gamma hosted a successful Province Meeting in San Diego in 2009.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In 2010, the USD campus welcomed a new multicultural sorority; Sigma Theta Psi.&lt;br /&gt;
Through Recruitment in 2010 the chapter pledged 46 new members.  The chapter's many sisterhood activities, including Key Sis themed events, strengthened the relationships between actives and new members.&lt;br /&gt;
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Scholarship remained a core value, and members were rewarded for logging study hours and maintaining a high GPA.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strong philanthropy efforts continued through the support of AVID, Haiti earthquake relief (UNICEF), breast cancer awareness, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, MS Walk, Rady Children's Hospital, and STEP.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011-2019==&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011==&lt;br /&gt;
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In 2011, 54 new members were initiated - Eta Gamma's largest new member class to date. In 2011, the USD campus welcomed two new Greek organizations; Kappa Delta and Phi Gamma Delta. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2012==&lt;br /&gt;
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Eta Gamma Chapter has had a wonderful and successful 2012. Our spring recruitment brought us a pledge class of over 50 beautiful new members. These new girls have become an amazing asset to our chapter right from the get-go, and have continued to impress ever since. Our Bid Day consisted of an exciting bid reveal, followed by a fun filled trip to the bowling alley with froyo and dinner afterwards. The following weekend was our annual New Member retreat sleepover. New members mingled with actives and the Standards committee to learn traditional Kappa songs and chants, eat food, and bond over their new sisterhood. After that, our annual Presents date dash was held, where new members wore white and actives wore black. &lt;br /&gt;
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Immediately after their first week in Kappa, new members began getting to know the sophomore pledge class better through &amp;quot;Sapphire Sis&amp;quot; dates. Our chapter's New Member chairman paired each new member with an older girl each week over the course of 6 weeks, so that new members could begin figuring out who they would choose as their Big sisters and who the sophomore pledge class would pick for their Little sisters. The dates were left up to the sophomore pledge class, but usually involved eating out, grabbing coffee, or even activities like bike riding or stand-up paddle boarding. In March, the big sisters give clues to their little sisters over the course of a week, leading up to a small ceremony where the Big sis reveals herself and her family to her new Little Sis. &lt;br /&gt;
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The time immediately following Big Sis Reveal marks the beginning of Initiation. Girls strengthened the bond with their families as they went through Inspo Week, the week leading up to initiation. Each day was defined by a different color, and new members received gifts from their big sister's with different meanings on each day. This also gave active members the opportunity to explain to new member's exactly why they enjoy being a part of Kappa. On Blue Night, little sisters present handpainted keys to their big sister's, and big sister's give their little sisters pillows. This night helps girls to realize how Kappa has made a difference in the lives of other members. Following Blue Night, we have Fireside the evening prior to initiation at a YMCA in downtown San Diego. The following morning we iniated 54 beautiful new members.&lt;br /&gt;
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In the past year our Kappa chapter held many philanthropy, social and sisterhood events. After our Presents dance, we held a &amp;quot;Drop It Like It's Yacht&amp;quot; mixer with Fiji and Lamda Chi Alpha fraternities, and our spring formal. This fall we held a mixer with Phi Kappa Theta themed as &amp;quot;High School Cliques&amp;quot;, and we also held a &amp;quot;Kappa Klue&amp;quot; date dash, where girls invited guys and dressed as costumed pairs, like Barbie and Ken. We finished off the semester with our winter formal, held outdoors at the Boat House in Pacific Beach. Besides our dances, we held many sisterhood events as well as our annual Mom and Dad's weekends. We spent an entire day at Disneyland in November, and an evening shopping at Brandy Melville in Pacific Beach. We also spent a day at Balboa Park in Mission Beach, getting to bond and know each other better as sisters. Last semester we held a Bunco Night, and had prizes for people who won the Bunco games. We also had a sisterhood dinner, where large groups of girls got to know each other better at restaurants over yummy food. We also had a hypnotist come to campus and hypnotize some of our members, which led to many laughs and fond memories. Last spring also held our annual Mom's Weekend. The weekend began with cake decorating on campus, where girls and their mother's mingled with other girls from different pledge classes. The next morning, everybody met up at Torrey Pines park to go for a hike. To end the weekend, girls and their mother's went to brunch at a hotel in Pacific Beach. In the fall, we held Dad's weekend. The weekend started off with mini golf and a go karts outing, the next day featured a kayaking excursion and then the weekend ended with a beach harbor cruise.   &lt;br /&gt;
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Kappa followed through with its' commitment to philanthropy in 2012 by hosting many philanthropy events. We continued to hold our three main philanthropies: Ballers for Children, Journal Buddies, and Breastival. We held our annual Breastival in the fall. Breastival, a breast cancer themed carnival with activities such as &amp;quot;Nipple Ring Toss&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Milk Pong&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Guess the Celebrity Cup Size&amp;quot;. Throughout the semester we continued to hold our philanthropy, Journal Buddies, with underprivileged school children in the area. Each child is paired with a member of Kappa and they keep a journal throughout the semester in which they can communicate. At the end of the semester, we have a Journal Buddy Party, where the kids can meet the women that they have been writing to. We also held our Ballers for Children basketball tournament in the fall with the men of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Three on three teams compete in a bracket tournament to raise money for the Children's Hospital of San Diego. We had a great turn out, and many dressed up their teams with themes. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year, Kappa also held a new philanthropy event with the men of Phi Kappa Theta fraternity. Called Survivor, teams could register to participate in an obstacle course race at Mission Bay Park. Although it was helf on a windy day, we managed to raise over $10,000 to benefit Orange County Children's Hospitals. We also held a raffle that benefited charity with prizes like giftcards to local restuarants and shops.  We also participated in Greek Week with FIJI fraternity along with Sigma Theta Psi, the multicultural sorority, where all proceeds benefitted St. Jude's Children's Hospital. We got second place in Greek Week skits overall, and were a heavy contender in Penny Wars, with a light and friendly rivalry with Alpha Phi. Our skits were to the theme and music of the 80's, 90's and today. With the participation of FIJI men, we had a great time doing our skit, with costumes and fun backgrounds. &lt;br /&gt;
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As always, we were eager to help other fraternity's and sorority's with their own philanthropic causes. We had a team of girls compete in Alpha Chi Omega's Kick It tournament, girls who walked in Alpha Delta Pi's fashion show, and a large team of girls who competed in Alpha Phi's powderpuff football tournament. We also had our president, Kendall Gilmore, be nominated for Beta Theta Pi's Sweetheart, &lt;br /&gt;
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With so many great accomplishments, our Kappa chapter finished off the year strong. We grew as a chapter, both physically and figuratively, and became a lot closer. We worked hard and celebrated our academic accomplishments as well as each an individual member and the assets that she brings to the chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year, USD Greek Life was joined by Kappa Delta. Our chapter was eager to support them in their colonization, by attending their socials and informationals. Another exciting change was that our chapter was asked to be the &amp;quot;Big Sister&amp;quot; chapter to Kappa at Chapman University. Sisters are already planning how to help them during their recruitment and are thrilled to have the opportunity to create an entirely new Kappa chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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This past year, our chapter was put under an Academic Focus Plan. However, our sisters rose to the occasion and spent countless study hours together in the library and coffee houses on campus. This plan inspired a permanent change in sisters study habits- mandatory study hours became fun in library when groups of sisters were there. We finished the year second in GPA in all sororities on campus and third overall in all of Greek Life. It was a goal of ours to improve academic excellence in 2011 that was accomplished in 2012. It has helped us to become closer and to recognize our sisters' academic strengths.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter excelled this year on campus, and was awarded University of San Diego's chapter of the Order of Omega's Dean Trophy. This trophy is given to the best chapter on campus based in five different categories: academic excellence, social justice and selfless service, leadership, sisterhood and high social standards. Award winners are evaluated on how well these values are incorporated into the everyday life of our members. With a lot of hard work, our registrar, Kalie Flansberg, compiled a profile of every single member in our chapter to show just how great we are. It was an enormous accomplishment and something to truly be proud of.&lt;br /&gt;
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Eta Gamma was also awarded the privilege of The Gracious Living Award at Convention this year. It was another achievement to be celebrated in 2012.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2014==&lt;br /&gt;
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Eta Gamma had an amazing 2014! Our spring recruitment brought us 52 new members who were eager to get involved right from the start. The new members possess leadership skills unlike any other. Our exciting Bid Day consisted of getting to know each other over frozen  yogurt, painting picture frames, and a photo booth. The following weekend, actives and new members danced the night away at our annual Presents dance, where the actives wore black dresses and the new members wore white. One week later the new members enjoyed bonding with each other, the Standards committee, and several sophomores at their new member retreat. The retreat was a sleepover at one of the active's house where our members talked, ate dinner, learned Kappa songs, and watched movies. &lt;br /&gt;
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After their first week in Kappa, our new members had the opportunity to get to know the sophomore pledge class during &amp;quot;Sapphire Sis&amp;quot; dates. Our New Member chairman paired up an active with a new member so that the girls could get to know each other and start finding a big or little sister. They had four different Sapphire Sisters dates, in which active members treated the new girls with dinner, coffee, or just meeting up on campus. In March Kappa holds a small ceremony in which the Big Sis reveals her family to a new member. In the meantime, February also brought with it &amp;quot;class nights,&amp;quot; where the sophomore, junior, and senior pledge classes each hosted an activity with the new member class to get to know them better.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Big Sis Revealing is a very special and memorable time for us Kappas. Having a Kappa &amp;quot;family&amp;quot; allows us to develop an important lifetime bond with our sisters. The week leading up to initiation is called Inspo Week. Each day, a new member's big sis gives her a gift of a certain color or importance that teaches them something about what it means to be a Kappa. On Blue Night, big and little sis' exchange pillows and decorated keys, and new members have a chance to talk about what Kappa means to the active members. It is a special moment for the new members to understand the meaning of Kappa to the active members. Fireside was held the night before initiation at the YMCA in downtown San Diego. The next morning 52 new members were initiated--a very exciting and momentous day for our entire chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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Kappa held and participated in many philanthropy events on and off campus. This year we put on four main events: Journal Buddies, Ballers for Children, Survivor, and a brand new Surf for the Cure Event. Journal Buddies is a program where we write letters about college to underprivileged school children and then are able to meet them at our Journal Buddies party that we host on the USD campus. We like to encourage the students to aim for college by answering any questions they have and inspiring them with our own stories. Ballers for Children is the basketball tournament that we host with Lambda Chi Alpha to raise money Reading is Fundamental. This year we were thrilled to welcome a new event, Surf for a Cure, which our chapter hosted with Beta Theta Pi down on Mission Beach. This event combined our chapter’s Breastival and Beta’s Surf as One event. A fun day with music, carnival information games, and a surf competition the money raised helped support the Shades of Pink Foundation, the Scripps Foundation, and Life Rolls On Foundation. Kappas also participated in philanthropy events with other sororities and fraternities to benefit various organizations including letter writing for St. Jude's Children's Hospital and by providing teams for  Delta Tau Delta Dodgeball, Gamma Phi Beta's Almost Famous talent show, Sigma Phi Epsilon Soccer Tournament, Sigma Phi Epsilon Bowling tournament, Beta Theta Pi Surf Competition, and Sigma Pi Inner tube water polo. Kappas also showed their dedication by joining in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day. This year with 9 girls (the biggest team yet!) walked 60 miles from Del Mar, CA to Petco Park in Downtown San Diego. As a team they raised over $30,000 and had sisters cheering them on every mile. show including a beautiful background, great costumes and props, catchy music, an adorable theme, and fun choreography. &lt;br /&gt;
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Apart from the philanthropy events, Eta Gamma also had many memorable social and sisterhood events this past year. Along with Presents and Winter Formal, we also had many exciting events such an exchanges with Beta Theta Pi with a fun theme of &amp;quot;Stepford Wives&amp;amp;Saving Lives&amp;quot; and Fiji with &amp;quot;80’s Flicks and Kappa Chicks&amp;quot; and a theme of &amp;quot;Welcome to the Jungle&amp;quot; with Phi Kappa Theta. We had many memorable sisterhood events like picnics in a park, roller skating, dinner and a hypnotist show, and a sisterhood retreat. We also try to keep up our sisterhood throughout each semester by having &amp;quot;family&amp;quot; dinners with our big and little sisters and also having surprise sisterhood meetings, where we play fun games and participate in activities to build our sisterhood. Mom's Weekend was in the spring, where we started off the weekend with moms coming to a photobooth and then painting frames together. The moms and daughters spent the morning getting active with a zumba class by the bay and had a wonderful brunch Sunday at the Hotel Del Coronado. Dad's Weekend in the fall brought us together with our dads over a competitive day of Nerf Gun Wars, a classic viewing of “The Sandlot” and brunch on a cruise around the San Diego Bay. Both weekends were filled with sisters and their parents getting to know each other. We attended Founders Day Tea on the University of California, San Diego's campus. It was a moving experience to hear from many alumni about how Kappa has changed their lives and made an impact on what they chose to do after they graduated college. Seniors also participated in Senior Programming with fun activities such as cooking classes and yoga.&lt;br /&gt;
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With so many accomplishments, Eta Gamma ended 2014 on a very positive note. Not only did we strengthen our chapter while having fun, but we also celebrated our academic achievements. As of Spring 2015, Kappa ranked second out of all of Greek life for our overall GPA with improving from a 3.22 to a 3.46!! Our Smarty Panties, Geek of the Week and Kappa Academic Resource list helped us attain this accomplishment.&lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter- &lt;br /&gt;
Our chapter is comprised of 170 kind, funny, intelligent, and talented young women. Many of us have discussed how we did not know each other until we met in Kappa, but we are so glad that we are friends now. Through the latest recruitment, we have all become so much closer. We embrace each other's differences and strive to bring out the best in one another. We support each other by engaging in weekly &amp;quot;fleur-de-lis&amp;quot; friends, where members get paired up with other members and choose an activity to bond over, and learning about and understanding the positions on Chapter Council by utilizing our committees. Finally, we value the strengths of the five other panhellenic sororities on campus, Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Phi, Gamma Phi Beta, and Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Delta and Sigma Theta Psi USD's multicultural sorority.&lt;br /&gt;
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Campus-&lt;br /&gt;
The recent changes to our campus are the addition of a new wonderful chapter to the greek life at USD. Sigma Pi has been added to the greek system in order to help create a more inclusive greek life for more students at USD. Pi Beta Phi is colonizing Spring 2015 and Kappas have helped with tabling for information and meeting alumni at Sorority Recruitment Informationals. We are overly excited to welcome these chapters and make them feel at home at USD.  &lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter meetings are held in our campus's University Center Forum B. The UCs hold a lot of campus life including the school's main dining hall (The Student Life Pavilion-SLP), the to-go food market, Offices, the Student Leadership and Involvement Center, USD's own restaurant and soon USD's new bookstore. &lt;br /&gt;
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At USD there is no Greek housing, however, much of our chapter lives together on and off campus. Whether it's the dorms on campus, having your RA be a Kappa sister, or living with 7 other girls down at a house on Mission Beach there is no shortage of Kappas spending mornings cooking breakfast or sharing a laugh at dinner together at the SLP.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2015==&lt;br /&gt;
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Eta Gamma had an amazing 2015! Our spring recruitment brought us over 50 new members who were eager to get involved right from the start. The new members possess leadership skills unlike any other. Our exciting Bid Day consisted of getting to know each other over frozen  yogurt, painting picture frames, and a photo booth. Following in February actives and new members danced the night away at our annual Presents dance, where the actives wore black dresses and the new members wore white. One week later the new members enjoyed bonding with each other, the Standards committee, and several sophomores at their new member retreat. The retreat held on campus and consisted of ice breakers, kappa songs, and skits. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After their first week in Kappa, our new members had the opportunity to get to know the sophomore pledge class during &amp;quot;Sapphire Sis&amp;quot; dates. Our New Member chairman paired up an active with a new member so that the girls could get to know each other and start finding a big or little sister. They had four different Sapphire Sisters dates, in which active members treated the new girls with dinner, coffee, or just meeting up on campus. In March Kappa holds a small ceremony in which the Big Sis reveals her family to a new member. In the meantime, February also brought with it &amp;quot;class nights,&amp;quot; where the sophomore, junior, and senior pledge classes each hosted an activity with the new member class to get to know them better.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Big Sis Revealing is a very special and memorable time for us Kappas. Having a Kappa &amp;quot;family&amp;quot; allows us to develop an important lifetime bond with our sisters. The week leading up to initiation is called Inspo Week. Each day, a new member's big sis gives her a gift of a certain color or importance that teaches them something about what it means to be a Kappa. On Blue Night, big and little sis' exchange pillows and decorated keys, and new members have a chance to talk about what Kappa means to the active members. It is a special moment for the new members to understand the meaning of Kappa to the active members. Fireside was held the night before initiation at the YMCA in downtown San Diego. The next morning 52 new members were initiated--a very exciting and momentous day for our entire chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Kappa held and participated in many philanthropy events on and off campus. This year we put on four main events: Journal Buddies, Kappa’s Kampus Feud, Reading is Key at Sherman Elementary, and Strides for Survival. Journal Buddies is a program where we write letters about college to underprivileged school children and then are able to meet them at our Journal Buddies party that we host on the USD campus. We like to encourage the students to aim for college by answering any questions they have and inspiring them with our own stories. Kappa’s Kampus Feud was brought to the USD campus as a Family Feud style game show to raise money for the Reading is Key event we hosted in the fall. This year continuing with new philanthropy events, Strides for Survival was a 5k walk which brought together the students of USD and the San Diego community and we raised over $4,500. A fun day with music, walking around Mission Bay the money raised is to benefit the Shades of Pink Foundation. Kappas along took a Friday afternoon to go to Sherman Elementary in downtown San Diego to read Curious George to classrooms of first graders. Kappas also participated in philanthropy events with other sororities and fraternities to benefit various organizations including letter writing for St. Jude's Children's Hospital and by providing teams for Delta Tau Delta Dodgeball, Gamma Phi Beta's Almost Eta Gamma had an amazing 2015! Our spring recruitment brought us over 50 new members who were eager to get involved right from the start. The new members possess leadership skills unlike any other. Our exciting Bid Day consisted of getting to know each other over frozen  yogurt, painting picture frames, and a photo booth. Following in February actives and new members danced the night away at our annual Presents dance, where the actives wore black dresses and the new members wore white. One week later the new members enjoyed bonding with each other, the Standards committee, and several sophomores at their new member retreat. The retreat held on campus and consisted of ice breakers, kappa songs, and skits. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After their first week in Kappa, our new members had the opportunity to get to know the sophomore pledge class during &amp;quot;Sapphire Sis&amp;quot; dates. Our New Member chairman paired up an active with a new member so that the girls could get to know each other and start finding a big or little sister. They had four different Sapphire Sisters dates, in which active members treated the new girls with dinner, coffee, or just meeting up on campus. In March Kappa holds a small ceremony in which the Big Sis reveals her family to a new member. In the meantime, February also brought with it &amp;quot;class nights,&amp;quot; where the sophomore, junior, and senior pledge classes each hosted an activity with the new member class to get to know them better.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Big Sis Revealing is a very special and memorable time for us Kappas. Having a Kappa &amp;quot;family&amp;quot; allows us to develop an important lifetime bond with our sisters. The week leading up to initiation is called Inspo Week. Each day, a new member's big sis gives her a gift of a certain color or importance that teaches them something about what it means to be a Kappa. On Blue Night, big and little sis' exchange pillows and decorated keys, and new members have a chance to talk about what Kappa means to the active members. It is a special moment for the new members to understand the meaning of Kappa to the active members. Fireside was held the night before initiation at the YMCA in downtown San Diego. The next morning 52 new members were initiated--a very exciting and momentous day for our entire chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Kappa held and participated in many philanthropy events on and off campus. This year we put on four main events: Journal Buddies, Kappa’s Kampus Feud, Reading is Key at Sherman Elementary, and Strides for Survival. Journal Buddies is a program where we write letters about college to underprivileged school children and then are able to meet them at our Journal Buddies party that we host on the USD campus. We like to encourage the students to aim for college by answering any questions they have and inspiring them with our own stories. Kappa’s Kampus Feud was brought to the USD campus as a Family Feud style game show to raise money for the Reading is Key event we hosted in the fall. This year continuing with new philanthropy events, Strides for Survival was a 5k walk which brought together the students of USD and the San Diego community and we raised over $4,500. A fun day with music, walking around Mission Bay the money raised is to benefit the Shades of Pink Foundation. Kappas along took a Friday afternoon to go to Sherman Elementary in downtown San Diego to read Curious George to classrooms of first graders. Kappas also participated in philanthropy events with other sororities and fraternities to benefit various organizations including letter writing for St. Jude's Children's Hospital and by providing teams for Delta Tau Delta Dodgeball, Gamma Phi Beta's Almost Famous talent show, a 5k run for the Ronald McDonald House, and Sigma Pi’s Dancing with the Greeks. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Apart from the philanthropy events, Eta Gamma also had many memorable social and sisterhood events this past year. Along with Presents and Winter Formal, we also had many exciting events such an exchanges with Phi Gamma Delta, Pi Kappa Theta, and Lambda Chi Alpha. We had many memorable sisterhood events like picnics in a park, roller skating, and a sisterhood shopping event. We also try to keep up our sisterhood throughout each semester by having &amp;quot;family&amp;quot; dinners with our big and little sisters and also having surprise sisterhood meetings, where we play fun games and participate in activities to build our sisterhood. Mom's Weekend was in the spring. The moms and daughters spent the morning getting active with a yoga class by the bay and had a wonderful brunch Sunday in Downtown San Diego. Dad's Weekend in the fall brought us together with our dads over a competitive day Go-Kart Racing, a sunny day of Kayaking in La Jolla and a morning of breakfast burritos at the driving range. Both weekends were filled with sisters and their parents getting to know each other. We attended Founders Day Tea on the University of California, San Diego's campus. It was a moving experience to hear from many alumni about how Kappa has changed their lives and made an impact on what they chose to do after they graduated college. Seniors also participated in Senior Programming with fun activities such as cooking classes and yoga. &lt;br /&gt;
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With so many accomplishments, Eta Gamma ended spring 2015 with awards from the most improved GPA and the most improved chapter awarded by Panhellenic.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2016==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Eta Gamma had an amazing 2016! Our spring recruitment brought us 34 new members who were eager to get involved right from the start. The new members possess leadership skills unlike any other. Our exciting Bid Day consisted of getting to know each other over a game of Escape Room. Because of this, we learned how to work together and really bond. Following in February, actives and new members danced the night away at our annual Presents dance, where the active members wore black dresses and the new members wore white. A few weeks after, the new members enjoyed bonding with each other, the Standards committee, and several sophomores at their new member retreat. The retreat was held at an active member's house and consisted of ice breakers, kappa songs, and skits.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After their first week in Kappa, our new members had the opportunity to get to know the sophomore pledge class during &amp;quot;Sapphire Sis&amp;quot; dates. Our New Member chairman paired up an active with a new member so that the girls could get to know each other and start finding a big or little sister. They had hour different Sapphire Sister dates, in which active members treated the new girls with dinner, coffee, or just meeting up on campus. In March, Kappa holds a small ceremont in chihc the Big Sis reveals her family to a new member. In the meantime, February also brought with it &amp;quot;class nights,&amp;quot; where the sophomore, junior, and senior pledge classes each hosted an activity with the new member class to get to know them better.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Big Sis Revealing is a very special and memorable time for us in Kappa. Having a Kappa &amp;quot;family&amp;quot; allows us to develop an important lifetime bond with our sisters. The weeks leading up to initiation is called Inspo Week. Each day, a new member's big sis gives her a gift of a certain color or importance that teaches them something about what it means to be a Kappa. On Blue Night, big and little sis' exchange pillows and decorated keys, and new members have a chance to talk about what Kappa means to the active members. It is a special moment for the new members to understand the meaning of Kappa to the active members. Fireside was held the night before initation at the YMCA in downtown San Diego. The next morning 34 new members were initiated--avery exciting and momentous day for our entire chapter!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kappa held and participated in many philanthropy events on and off campus. This year we put on four main events: Journal Buddies, Field Day, Reading is Key at Sherman Elementary, and Strides for Survival. Journal Buddies is a program where we write letters about college to underprivileged school children and then are able to meet them at the end of the semester. We like to encourage the students to aim for college by answering any questions they have and inspiring them with our own stories. Kappa’s Field Day was put on with the fraternity Phi Kappa Theta to raise money for the Reading is Key event we hosted in the fall and the well-respected Children's Hospital of Orange County. This year continuing with new philanthropy events, Strides for Survival was a 5k walk which brought together the students of USD and the San Diego community and we raised over $3,200. This fun day was full of music and walking around Mission Bay. The money raised is to benefit the Shades of Pink Foundation. Kappas also took two Friday afternoons to go to Sherman Elementary in downtown San Diego to read books to classrooms of kinder to fifth graders. Kappas also participated in philanthropy events with other sororities and fraternities to benefit various organizations including letter writing for St. Jude's Childrens Hospital and by providing teams for Delta Tau Delta Dodgeball, Phi Gamma Delta's Knockout, and a 5k run for the Ronald McDonald House.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Apart from the philanthropy events, Eta Gamma also had many memorable social and sisterhood events this past year. Along with Presents and Sapphire Ball Formal, we also had many exciting events such an exchanges with Phi Gamma Delta, Beta Theta Pi, and Lambda Chi Alpha. We had many memorable sisterhood events like picnics in a park, roller skating, and a sisterhood shopping event. We also try to keep up our sisterhood throughout each semester by having &amp;quot;family&amp;quot; dinners with our big and little sisters and also having surprise sisterhood meetings, where we play fun games and participate in activities to build our sisterhood. Mom's Weekend was in the spring. The moms and daughters spent the morning getting active with a yoga class by the bay and had a wonderful brunch Sunday in beautiful La Jolla. Dad's Weekend in the fall brought us together with our dads over a competitive day of Go-Kart Racing and a morning of brunch in La Jolla. Both weekends were filled with sisters and their parents getting to know each other. We hosted Founders Day Tea on campus. It was a moving experience to hear from many alumni about how Kappa has changed their lives and made an impact on what they chose to do after they graduated college. Seniors also participated in Senior Programming with fun activities such as cooking classes and yoga.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Our chapter is comprised of kind, funny, intelligent, and talented young women. Many of us have discussed how we did not know each other until we met in Kappa, but we are so glad that we are friends now. Through the latest recruitment, we have all become so much closer. We embrace each other's differences and strive to bring out the best in one another. We support each other by engaging in weekly &amp;quot;fleur-de-lis&amp;quot; friends, where members get paired up with other members and choose an activity to bond over, and learning about and understanding the positions on Chapter council by utilizing our committees.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The recent changes to our campus are the addition of a new wonderful chapter to the Greek Life at USD. Last year Pi Beta Phi colonized in the Spring of 2015, and Kappas have helped their transition here on campus. Unfortunately, one of the chapters here on campus lost its charter. Because of this, however, Eta Gamma has learned to really value our chapter and the amazing women we call sisters.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Our chapter has continued to donate money to the KKG Foundation. We have also held an event called Strides for Survival, which is a 5k run/walk on Mission Bay. There were over 300 people in attendance. Over $5,000 was raised for the Shades of Pink Foundation. In addition, our Reading is Key event was a major success! We read a book to all students of kindergarten to fifth grade at a local elementary school, Sherman Elementary School. Afterwards we did an art project with the students, and each child received a book. To raise money for these books, our chapter put on an event called &amp;quot;Field Day,&amp;quot; where we invited the entire student body and the middle school class we were writing back and forth to (Journal Buddies!), to participate. There was outdoor events where each team competed and all money raised in sign-up fees, raffles and through a dunk tank went to RIF. The amount of money raised for RIF was $10,000. In addition, our chapter has also put on various community service events such as making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless, making blankets for the Ronald McDonald Foundation, hosting beach cleanups, and writing letters to soldiers for the holidays.&lt;br /&gt;
We are also very proud of sisters who participated in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk. This 3- day walk is 60 miles long, where women and men walk to fight to end breast cancer. We had three of our members participate in this walk this year.&lt;br /&gt;
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Eta Gamma is very passionate about helping fight to end breast cancer. The Shades of Pink Foundation support more than 115 women in five counties. Many women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have extra financial burdens places on them during treatment and recovery. Common issues are insurance payments, food, transportation, childcare, and other essentials of daily life. This Foundation offers temporary financial assistance during their time in need. We chose to support this organization because it is a local philanthropy that we are really passionate to help.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2017==&lt;br /&gt;
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[[File:Eta Gamma1.png|thumb|Eta Gamma Chapter, 2017]]&lt;br /&gt;
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Eta Gamma has had an outstanding 2017! Our spring recruitment brought us 34 new members who were eager to get involved and participate right from the start. Our eventful Bid Day consisted of getting to know each other over fun sisterhood games and delicious food. In March, actives and new members danced the night away at our annual Presents dance, where active members wore black dresses and the new members wore white. This is always such a special and fun event for both actives and new members. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After their first week in Kappa, our new members had the opportunity to get to know the sophomore pledge class during “Sapphire Sis” dates. Actives and new members were paired up so that the girls could get to know each other and start finding a big or little sister. They had four different Sapphire Sis dates, in which active members treated the new girls to dinner, coffee, frozen yogurt, or just meeting up on campus. After dates were done and girls were matched up, Kappa holds a Big-Little ceremony to introduce the big sis and the rest of the family to the little sis in a fun way. Afterwards, families go and get dinner together and bond! Big Sis reveal is a very special and memorable time for us in Kappa. Having a Kappa “family” allows us to develop an important lifetime bond with our sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The weeks leading up to initiation are called Inspo Week. Each day, a new member’s big sis gives her a gift of a certain color or importance that teaches them something about what it means to be a Kappa. On Blue Night, big and little sisters exchange pillows and decorated keys, and actives have a chance to talk about what Kappa means to them. It is a special moment for the new members to understand the meaning and value that Kappa holds to the active members. Fireside was held the night before initiation, and the next morning the new members were initiated. This is always such an exciting and momentous day for our chapter!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kappa held and participated in many philanthropy events on and off campus. This year, we put on three main events: Field Day, Reading is Key at Sherman Elementary, and Kappa Koncert. Kappa’s Field Day was put on in order to raise money for the Reading is Key event we hosted in the Fall semester. We ended up raising $2,400 for Reading is Key! Our Kappa Koncert featured students at USD displaying their vocal talent, and ended up raising $3,000 for Shades of Pink Foundation. Kappas also went to Sherman Elementary School on a Monday morning to read books to elementary school students. Kappas also participated in philanthropy events with other sororities and fraternities to benefit various organizations. &lt;br /&gt;
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Apart from philanthropy events, Eta Gamma also has had many memorable social and sisterhood events this past year. Along with Presents and Sapphire Ball Formal, we also had many exciting events such as exchanges with Phi Gamma Delta and Lambda Chi Alpha. We had many memorable sisterhood events, such as going to a pumpkin patch, having a kappa “Friendsgiving” with a catered thanksgiving meal, Disneyland, and planned dinners. We also have surprise sisterhood activities after some chapter meetings, where we play fun games and bond. Mom’s Weekend was in the spring, and featured a cooking class, a workout class, and a beautiful beachside brunch. Dad’s weekend was in the fall, and featured go cart racing, shopping at the Little Italy market, hanging out at the beach, and a fun brunch. Both weekends were filled with sisters and their parents getting to know each other. We hosted Founders Day Tea on campus, which was an incredibly special experience. It was so amazing to hear from so many alumni about their special experiences with Kappa and how many continue to participate in Kappa after graduation. Seniors also participated in Senior Programming activities such as yoga and sampling wines at a local winery. &lt;br /&gt;
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[[File:Eta Gamma2.png|thumb|Class of 2017, Eta Gamma Chapter]]&lt;br /&gt;
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Eta Gamma has also encouraged all members to donate to help Las Vegas shooting victims and victims of the California fires. Some members have been affected by these tragedies, and Eta Gamma’s Chapter Council has offered emotional support to these women.&lt;br /&gt;
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There was an addition of a wonderful new sorority, Pi Beta Phi, which was colonized in Spring 2015. Kappas have greatly welcomed their transition here on campus, and now they have grown into a flourishing chapter here at USD. Unfortunately, one of the chapters here on campus lost its charter last year. Because of this, however, Eta Gamma has learned to really value our chapter and the inspirational women we call sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter is comprised of kind, funny, intelligent, strong, and talented young women. Through the latest values-based recruitment, we have all become so much closer. We strive to continuously embrace each other’s differences. The Senior pledge class has gotten to know the new pledge class, as many of the Junior pledge class is abroad. Overall, we are always trying to plan sisterhood events to increase bonding, as this is very important to our chapter as a whole!&lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter has continued to donate money to the KKG Foundation. We have also hosted an event called Kappa Koncert, which was held at USD and featured many talented student singers from the USD student body (along with some of our own kappa sisters!). It was an amazing night, with beautiful pink decorations, Chipotle catering, raffles, photo booths, and great music. $3,000 was raised for the Shades of Pink Foundation. In addition, our Reading is Key event was a major success! We read books to students at a local elementary school, Sherman Elementary. We also were able to donate books to this school! To raise money for these books, our chapter put on an event called “Field Day,” where we invited the entire student body to participate. There were outdoor events where each team competed and all of the money that was raised in sign-up fees, raffles, and other activities went to RIF. The amount of money raised for RIF was $2,400. In addition, our chapter takes great pride in supporting other chapter’s philanthropy events, such as running in Alpha Delta Pi’s 5k run to support the Ronald McDonald House, and making teams in Delta Tau Delta’s Dodgeball tournament to raise money for JDRF (among many more!).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Eta Gamma is very passionate about helping fight to end breast cancer. The Shades of Pink Foundation supports more than 115 women in five countries. Many women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have extra financial burdens placed on them during treatment and recovery. Common issues are insurance payments, transportation, childcare, food expenses, and other essentials of daily life. This foundation offers temporary financial assistance during their time in need, so they can focus on improving their health and fighting cancer. We chose to support this organization because it is a local philanthropy that we are very passionate about. So many women are affected by breast cancer, and Eta Gamma strives to help!&lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter meetings are held in USD’s University Center Forum C. The UCs are the hub of campus life at USD, which includes the main dining hall in the Student Life Pavilion, a to-go food market, various offices, the Student Leadership and Involvement Center, USD’s own restaurant, USD’s bookstore, and a lounge for students to enjoy.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2018==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Program Meetings: &lt;br /&gt;
1. Nutrition and Mindfulness – We welcomed a life coach, Sarah Andersen, and a &lt;br /&gt;
Nutrition and Health coach, Kayleigh Clark to our chapter meeting. We learned about healthy eating habits, exercising, managing stress, and maintaining confidence and a positive body image &lt;br /&gt;
2. Fitness - Our Education Chair had an instructor come into our meeting to show us some moves we can try at home to promote a healthy lifestyle. &lt;br /&gt;
3. Kappa Careers - There were speakers from the Humane League, MeTyme Network, Ecology Center, and IPJ at USD. It was fascinating and inspiring getting to explore various careers, with some in nonprofit organizations and start ups. &lt;br /&gt;
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Philanthropy: &lt;br /&gt;
Spring: Kappa Kappa Gamma and Phi Kappa Theta Field Day  We raised $1,193.39 for Reading is Fundamental during our Field Day at Mission Beach! There were relay races, tug of war, flag football, and other events. Field Day is a well known and anticipated event &lt;br /&gt;
Fall: Kappa Koncert &lt;br /&gt;
Our fall philanthropy event raised $3,252 for the Shades of Pink Foundation through an on campus concert. Members of our chapter as well as student performers from USD put on a wonderful night of &lt;br /&gt;
music, food and friends. &lt;br /&gt;
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Events: &lt;br /&gt;
1. Advisor and Officer BBQ: &lt;br /&gt;
   a. At the start of spring semester, our advisor, Deanne Palmer, and our Chapter Council had a BBQ to kick off the semester, set goals, and plan upcoming events. &lt;br /&gt;
2. Greek Week: &lt;br /&gt;
   a. Eta Gamma participated in USD Greek Week teamed up with Phi Gamma Delta. While we did not win, we had an incredible week of philanthropy and Greek companionship. Rehearsal for Friday Skits went by &lt;br /&gt;
   quickly with the wonderful FIJI men. &lt;br /&gt;
3. Exchanges: &lt;br /&gt;
   a. We had exchanges in the Spring with Phi Gamma Delta and Lambda Chi Alpha. Our themed exchanged are a great time to dress up and interact with other members of the Greek community &lt;br /&gt;
4. Inspo Week Sisterhood Dinners: &lt;br /&gt;
   a. One night of Inspiration week, members went to dinners around San Diego with sisters to get excited about initiation and spend some quality time with their new families! &lt;br /&gt;
5. Kappa Mom’s Weekend: &lt;br /&gt;
   a. Before Mother’s Day, Eta Gamma hosted Kappa mom’s on campus and around San Diego for a cooking class, spin class, and brunch! &lt;br /&gt;
6. Kappa Dad’s Weekend: &lt;br /&gt;
   a. In the fall, Eta Gamma hosted Kappa dad’s on campus and around San Diego for go karting and brunch! &lt;br /&gt;
7. Kappa Christmas Party: &lt;br /&gt;
   a. In December, we had a Secret Santa gift exchange at a restaurant downtown to spend some quality time with each other before the stress of finals! &lt;br /&gt;
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Eta Gamma News &lt;br /&gt;
This fall, Eta Gamma introduced a new position on Chapter Council, Diversity Chairman. The position is currently filled by Lexie Rollings, an active member in the USD Women’s Center, USD LGBTQIA commons and a passionate member of the USD community. The Chapter Council nominated Lexie due to her compassion, commitment and grace. Every week during chapter, Lexie presents a few slides on relevant issues involving diversity. She presented on trans awareness, the sexuality spectrum and on the importance of hearing people with different opinions. Lexie will be working closely with our Membership Officer to ensure the members of Eta Gamma are well educated going into Spring 2019 recruitment. &lt;br /&gt;
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Last spring, Eta Gamma welcomed 34 new members to our chapter. After a terrific new member series, we had our Big Little Reveal at the Immaculata Fountain on campus. It was a beautiful event and we welcomed our littles into our families. Initiation soon followed, and we initiated all 34 new members into the chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
This summer, 4 of our chapter council members attended Convention in Denver, where they brainstormed, networked and had a blast meeting sisters from around the country. The creation of Diversity Chairman came from Convention.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2020s:==&lt;br /&gt;
The Eta Gamma Chapter had an extremely eventful and positive calendar year. We started with recruitment in January before classes began and got a fantastic group of girls that the whole chapter was so excited to welcome. Our bid day was a smashing success, and the theme was Great Gatsby, which all the new members adored! We transitioned to our new officers in February and worked closely with our chapter advisors to ensure everything was running smoothly. We continued having chapter, committee meetings, bid night, a sisterhood event, and even new member training meetings. Our chapter was recognized by nationals and received the new member education award. This award is given to the chapter that educates their new members extremely well and supports them to the best of their ability. Our chapter also received an honorable mention for the Communications/ Public Relations Award Association. This award is for chapters that best exemplify a well-rounded philanthropy program that develops member awareness of a commitment to the community. We also had a handful of girls within our chapter receive scholarships from nationals last spring. We were in the midst of planning numerous things for the chapter, such as our presents event and initiation ceremony. However, everything changed when the coronavirus pandemic hit in the middle of March.Most girls returned home for the remainder of the semester. We were able to initiate all of our new members virtually last May to ensure everyone in the chapter was an official member come the end of the school year. As a chapter council, we took the time from March-May to really re-solidify our chapter goals. We wanted to focus on sisterhood and build connections with one another when that was really all we had to lean on. One of our chapter members suggested a book that would be sent around from Kappa to Kappa within our chapter inspired by the movie &amp;quot;Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.&amp;quot; During quarantine and throughout the summer, the book was shipped from one member to the next and filled with anything from stories to recipes, words of wisdom, to a member's favorite memory in Kappa. In the chapter, several girls expressed that receiving the book lifted their spirits and allowed them to feel connected to their sisters during a time of isolation. During the fall 2020 semester, we chose not to gather as a chapter in person and held all of our chapter meetings via zoom. We had a total of three formal meetings via zoom as well. Since a moratorium was implemented for a select period (30 days) by Nationals, we held no in-person events as a chapter. We chose not to do so for the remainder of the semester for health and safety reasons.Regarding philanthropy, for our Perkins Elementary School Fundraiser event, which was all done remotely, we marketed through different social media platforms. We shared a video we created with our friends and family of the Perkins Elementary principal and the Philanthropy Chairs of the fraternity and sorority, explaining the demand the students and faculty need. In addition, the Eta Gamma Chapter at the University of San Diego donated $311 to the SD NAACP to address the political unrest our country has endured this past year. We wanted to help promote their mission to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of minority citizens of the United States and eliminate race prejudice. Despite the many obstacles the coronavirus pandemic caused our chapter to face this past calendar year, I believe we were still able to accomplish our main goals as a chapter. These include initiating our new members and teaching them how our chapter functions, pulling off a very successful philanthropy event and expanding our chapter's diversity and inclusion position. Lastly, and most importantly, we kept our sisterhood strong ensured that every member knew they could reach out to a sister anytime if they needed support. The University of San Diego used our chapter as an example of doing a fantastic job supporting their members during these trying times. We are so proud of everything the Eta Gamma Chapter has accomplished in the 2020 calendar year and look forward to what 2021 holds!&lt;br /&gt;
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The Eta Gamma Chapter at the University of San Diego chose to pair with another fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, at the University of San Diego to support a local elementary school called Perkins Elementary School in San Diego, CA. 40% of the students in attendance at Perkins are homeless and 100% qualify for free or reduced lunch. We raised $18,800 remotely through Crowd Change over the course of a one week period to fund for new academic learning materials and school supplies as they navigate through these unprecedented times of COVID-19.&lt;br /&gt;
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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion&lt;br /&gt;
Before this past summer, the Diversity and Inclusion chair of KKG was responsible for educating members to be inclusive of&lt;br /&gt;
everyone regardless of race, sexuality, religion, and/or socioeconomic status through weekly discussions centered around equity and inclusion and initiating a “Diverse and Inclusive Recruitment” training during work week. With the resurfacing of the black lives matter movement in the summer, however, I had to think outside the box and do something bigger than simple conversations. With the help of my sisters, we were able to crowd fund over $500 to donate between two national bailout organizations,bring about social media awareness through the KKG Instagram page, and be the first sorority on campus to present the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chair to nationals. Now, Kappa Kappa Gamma officially has a DEI chair across the United States because of the groundwork laid by the Eta Gamma chapter and the support from other chapters nationally. To continue the work we have been putting in, I created the Anti-Racism newsletter this semester- a newsletter compiled by myself and five other Kappa women committed to educating the chapter on anti-racism. Though there is still a lot of work to be done, I am glad that I have been able to help guide the new D&amp;amp;I chairs from other chapters on campus to be leaders in their respective communities.&lt;br /&gt;
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&lt;br /&gt;
For our celebration of 150th KKG anniversary we,during one of our chapter meetings, had girls come forward and speak about their favorite memories in Kappa and what Kappa has meant to them. We also organized a trivia night over zoom during chapter where we asked questions about Kappa’s history! It was a fun and memorable way to celebrate Kappa’s 150th anniversary.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2021==&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter Summary&lt;br /&gt;
This past year, the Eta Gamma Chapter was able to reach major milestones while operating under the limitations of Covid-19. As my time as Marshal, I have worked hard to educate the chapter on tradition, ritual, history, and instill Kappa values within our chapter. The first term in my position we were virtual, which made this difficult, especially pertaining to formal meetings. I started a “Keeping up with Kappa” segment of my announcements in addition to the inspirational reading, which I usually get from initiation script or excerpts from The Key articles. The Keeping up with Kappa segment allows me the time to delve deeper into ritual, Kappa values, history, and tradition. Sometimes I include fun facts, like a quote about the first Kappa event ahead of our Mortician’s Ball which is also Halloween themes. I also showcase Kappa alumnae doing important work in society and achieving success in their aspirations. Goals of the chapter include being knowledgeable of Kappa ritual/values/history which we lost during the pandemic and getting comfortable with formal meeting process again, reestablishing connections and friendships within the chapter and strengthening bonds of sisterhood, continuing our work in supporting social justice causes, maintaining and continuing to improve our academic performance, and learn more about our new national philanthropy. One of our members received the panhellenic scholarship which provides financial support towards Chapter dues to women embodying Panhellenic values. &lt;br /&gt;
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Special events&lt;br /&gt;
Last semester, all events and chapters were held virtually. This semester we have been able to have in person events. We have had two sisterhood events, Pizza in the Park, and roller blading. In October we were able to have our first social event since the pandemic, Mortician’s Ball. Saturday, the fourth of December, we will have Sapphire Ball. This semester we celebrated Founder’s Day Tea during formal chapter, performing the Founder’s Day ritual, and concluding with snacks, beverages, and had decorations set up.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sisterhood, Lila Paul, on virtual sisterhood events  – &lt;br /&gt;
We did a candle pass via zoom last semester towards the end so that the new girls could feel included in a long-standing kappa tradition. Although it was virtual, people said some really meaningful things about their time in Kappa and we got some great feedback from it. Another thing we did is at the end of virtual chapter meetings we would do “Hot Seat”, which is when we choose a random girl and ask her questions about herself. This was a fun way to get to know girls in the sorority especially new members. Finally, we had a “virtual game night” for the new members and sophomores at the time, this was to help the girls bond with each other because they would be each others future bigs/littles. They played kahoot trivia which was really successful because all girls were able to participate equally and get to know one another &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In Spring 2021, Kappa in conjunction with Delta Tau Delta raised over $6,000 and collected over 100 food cans for Auntie Helen’s Community Thrift, a thrift store dedicated to feeding and clothing the homeless population of San Diego. Over the summer I had planned many opportunities for our chapter to be involved with Reading is Fundamental and Sherman Elementary, a local school we used to tutor in the past. However, with nationals changing our philanthropy to Mental Health and Wellbeing, I had to scrap all of my ideas and start over in September. We as a chapter decided to support the JED Foundation. In the final week of classes, KKG in partnership with Alpha Pi Sigma, a multicultural sorority, will be holding a wellness event for the entire USD community, including: friendship bracelet making, painting, an affirmation board where people can write positive notes to self, donuts/coffee, and therapy dogs. To support the Susan G. Komen foundation, five Kappas set out to raise $2,300 each in order to participate in the 3-Day Walk, an event that consists of 60 miles to raise money for breast cancer research. Our team did a 10 mile training walk in Torrey Pines to prepare. By asking our fellow Kappas, family members, and members of our community, all five of us managed to raise over $2,300 each. Our chapter participates in the walk every year. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Education chairwoman, Riley Steinly – &lt;br /&gt;
As Education Chairman this semester, I worked on strengthening relationships with campus organizations such as the newly founded Gender Equity and Sex Positivity club. I met with our campus FSL director to design an alcohol and drug awareness program meeting for February that addresses the specific needs of our chapter. I reached out and developed stronger relationships with the senior class to better craft the senior experience in a way that was beneficial for all. I planned and put together an individual Founders Day Tea event for our chapter that expressed the significance of our founding sisters while bringing our girls together in a way that followed covid protocols. Our chapter also met or surpassed the necessary attendance for all Kappa mandated programs this past year. Most recently, we were able to support one of our own on her journey for Miss Volunteer America by giving her a platform to educate us on the ties between gut health and mental health. Throughout the year I’ve done my best to keep the girls updated on pressing social and environmental issues on a national and campus level&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
VP Academic Excellence, Emma Jesanis – &lt;br /&gt;
As VPAE this year it has been amazing to see the academic accomplishments we as a chapter have made. Our biggest accomplishment as a chapter is our GPA improvement. From last year, we had a significant increase in our overall average chapter GPA. This resulted in us being second overall in ranking for sorority GPA’s on campus this year! This is huge for Kappa Kappa Gamma because it shows how much our women value education and how much everyone’s hard work pays off. I know everyone is working their absolute hardest and have no doubt that grade reports will be great again after this semester comes to a close!&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter Philanthropy&lt;br /&gt;
What local organization does the chapter support and why?  Every year we change our local philanthropy to support causes that our chapter members care about and are passionate about. This way we can best represent the needs and current interests of the chapter. In the Spring, we decided to support Auntie Helen’s Community Thrift, to help the homeless community in San Diego, which is significant within our city, and was especially in need during the pandemic.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This semester, our chapter as a whole, voted to support the Jed Foundation. We felt it was the best fit for our chapter as it is centers around mental health of teens and young adults, with many if not all, of us young women having struggled in some way in regard to mental health in our lives. It is a cause we deeply care about and feels personal to us. We were extremely excited to hear about the change in Kappa’s philanthropy to mental well being, with many of us feeling heard and supported by the decision. Next week, KKG in partnership with Alpha Pi Sigma, a multicultural sorority, will be holding a wellness event for the entire USD community, including: friendship bracelet making, painting, an affirmation board where people can write positive notes to self, donuts/coffee, and therapy dogs&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Previous DEI chair, Astrid Najarro –&lt;br /&gt;
As the first official DEI chair not only of Kappa nationally, but of all of FSL at USD, there were many things I had to learn on my own. Before the summer of 2020, the Diversity and Inclusion chair of KKG was responsible for educating members to be inclusive of everyone regardless of race, sexuality, religion, and/or socioeconomic status through weekly discussions centered around equity and inclusion and initiating a “Diverse and Inclusive Recruitment” training during work week. With the resurfacing of the black lives matter movement in the summer, however, I had to think outside the box and do something bigger than simple conversations. With the help of my sisters, we were able to crowdfund over $500 to donate between two national bailout organizations, bring about social media awareness through the KKG Instagram page, and be the first sorority on campus to present the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chair to nationals. Now, Kappa Kappa Gamma officially has a DEI chair across the United States because of the groundwork laid by the Eta Gamma chapter and the support from other chapters nationally. To continue the work we have been putting in, I created the weekly Anti-Racism newsletter this semester- a newsletter compiled by myself and five other Kappa women committed to educating the chapter on anti-racism. Though there is still a lot of work to be done, I am glad that I have been able to help guide the new D&amp;amp;I chairs from other chapters on campus to be leaders in their respective communities.&lt;br /&gt;
Current DEI chair, Lena McZeal –&lt;br /&gt;
My goal is to have all members feel like this chapter is a safe place to be themselves and accept all members of the sorority for who they are. AS the DEI chairwoman, I work to combat issues of racial and identity discrimination not only within the campus community, but in our world today. I work to educate and support all members and love all the womxn in this sisterhood! &lt;br /&gt;
Our weekly DEI newsletter is emailed to all members, as well as posted on social media for the wider community and public to access. We also post Instagram stories pertaining to and educating on current social justice issues and sexual assault + relationship violence.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Panhellenic Respresentative, Avery Barrett - &lt;br /&gt;
The Relationship Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Committee (RSVA) focuses on ensuring the safety of the members of Kappa Kappa Gamma, Panhellenic, and the FSL community as a whole. We implement new ideas and forms of protection for our sisters, as well as meet with community leaders to create FSL wide legislation on protecting survivors and preventing relationship and sexual violence. Some of the things we have done so far are work to create sexual assault prevention trainings that will be put in place in Spring 2022, establish an event safety form to ensure someone’s abuser is not allowed to come to a date event, and plan for healing and care for survivors on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Spring of of 2021, we were all virtual due to COVID-19. Recruitment, initiation, chapter, and sisterhood events were all held virtually. It was difficult to maintain connection and grow relationships within Kappa as we couldn’t all be together in person. This semester has been a breath of fresh air as we are able to hold chapter in person and have in person events. Since being back in person, I have been able to educate and teach the chapter ritual, tradition, and Kappa values fully and in depth. Other than our pledge class, no other class has been able to experience in person Formal Chapter. I have done my best to get us back to our Kappa roots, but there is much more to be done and am hopeful the new Marshal will be able to continue the work I have begun.&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>VickiCarrigan</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Zeta_Upsilon&amp;diff=23008</id>
		<title>Zeta Upsilon</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Zeta_Upsilon&amp;diff=23008"/>
				<updated>2022-07-25T16:19:03Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;VickiCarrigan: &lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;div&gt;{{Infobox Fraternity&lt;br /&gt;
|Name= Zeta Upsilon&lt;br /&gt;
|GreekSymbol= ZΥ&lt;br /&gt;
|Image= [[File:Zeta_Upsilon.jpg|200px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1990|03|31}}&lt;br /&gt;
|College= [https://www.georgiasouthern.edu/ Georgia Southern University]&lt;br /&gt;
|Location= Statesboro, GA&lt;br /&gt;
|Homepage= [https://georgiasouthern.kappa.org/ Zeta Upsilon Homepage]&lt;br /&gt;
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Zeta_Upsilon Media related to Zeta Upsilon Chapter]}}&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Georgia Southern University established in 1906'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Zeta Upsilon founded March 31, 1990 - 76 charter members'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''1,263 initiates (as of June 2018)'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Outstanding Zeta Upsilon Alumnae''' (If you have chapter alumnae who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.)&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Council Members'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Loyalty Award'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Additional Outstanding Zeta Upsilon Alumnae'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Lynne Stanton Whinnem: Province Director of Chapters (2013-2016), Membership Specialist (2015-2021), Graduate Scholarship Reader (2019), District Director (2020-2024).&lt;br /&gt;
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Kelcey Schmidt, Leadership Consultant 2011-2012.&lt;br /&gt;
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==History of Georgia Southern University==&lt;br /&gt;
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On December 1, 1906, the newly appointed First District Board of Trustees convened in Savannah, Georgia. It was one of 11 such boards created for each congressional district by state legislation that year to build and oversee agricultural and mechanical schools for elementary and secondary students. The trustees listened to bids from local leaders who wanted the First District A&amp;amp;M School to be built in their communities and were willing to provide the funding to do so. &lt;br /&gt;
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Among the bidders were 50 representatives from Bulloch County who had journeyed from Statesboro on a train called the “College Special.” Their bid of $125,000 in cash and in-kind contributions, including a donation of 300 acres for a campus, won handily. Early in 1908, just outside Statesboro (on a site called “Collegeboro”), the First District A&amp;amp;M School opened its doors with 15 students, four faculty members, and three buildings.&lt;br /&gt;
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By 1920, the First District A&amp;amp;M School had 150 students and was fielding teams in football and baseball; the “Aggies” typically won more than half their games in any given season. But by 1921, a combination of rapidly growing debt and drastically declining enrollments almost spelled the end of the fledgling school.&lt;br /&gt;
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Hard work and commitment prevailed, however, and by 1924, not only were the school’s finances and enrollments back on track, but the Georgia General Assembly upgraded the school to a two-year college for teacher training and retitled it the Georgia Normal School, one of three in the state. With this first change in the school’s status, “Principal” Ernest V. Hollis became “President” Hollis, Georgia Southern University’s first president. The following year, private donors funded the first scholarships for the campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1929, the General Assembly was persuaded that another major institutional promotion was due, and the Georgia Normal School became the South Georgia Teachers College via state legislation, converting the Statesboro campus from a two-year junior college to a four-year teachers college. The Aggies had receded, and the “Blue Tide” had rolled in, bringing programs not only in football and baseball, but also in basketball and track; basketball was played in a tobacco warehouse until the first gymnasium was built in 1931.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1939, South Georgia Teachers College became Georgia Teachers College by action of the Board of Regents. This new title represented less a change of status for the college and more a recognition by the Regents that the Statesboro campus was the statewide college for teacher education. Later, the “Blue Tide” receded, and “The Professors” became the official name of Georgia Teachers College’s intercollegiate teams.&lt;br /&gt;
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When Eugene Talmadge was elected governor in 1940, he remembered, according to some observers, that the electoral district dominated by Georgia Teachers College had voted for his opponent. Within a year, the governor had initiated an effort to remove President Marvin Pittman on charges that included advocating “racial equality and teaching communism” (the latter conclusively disproved). President Pittman was fired, and as a direct result of his dismissal, all state-supported institutions of higher education in Georgia saw their regional academic accreditation withdrawn by what is now the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 1942, a new governor was elected, and the Board of Regents was reorganized; a year later, Georgia Teachers College and the University System of Georgia were reaccredited, and Dr. Pittman was reinstated by the Board as president of Georgia Teachers College.&lt;br /&gt;
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This incident, which received international media coverage at the time, was a formative and symbolic experience in the history of Georgia Southern University and a measure of its resilience in the defense of academic and institutional integrity, qualities that remain today.&lt;br /&gt;
In 1957, the college in Statesboro was authorized by the Board of Regents to offer its first graduate degree, a Master of Education. In some ways, that benchmark was the beginning of the ultimate evolution from a college to a university.&lt;br /&gt;
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Only two years later, Georgia Teachers College was upgraded by the Board of Regents to Georgia Southern College, recognition by Georgia’s policymakers that the College was now a comprehensive institution with responsibilities well beyond the specialized mission of educating teachers. In 1960, the “Professors” was retired as the name of Georgia Southern’s intercollegiate teams, and by student vote, the “Eagles” was hatched.&lt;br /&gt;
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The first fraternities and sororities were chartered on the campus in 1967 and 1968. In 1981, football was reintroduced to Georgia Southern after a hiatus of almost 40 years, inaugurating a new winning tradition of Division I intercollegiate sports.&lt;br /&gt;
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Beginning in the early 1970s, a resurgent effort to acquire university status for the Statesboro campus emerged, culminating in 1989 with the Board of Regents’ vote to promote Georgia Southern College to Georgia Southern University. &lt;br /&gt;
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When university status became effective on July 1, 1990, Georgia Southern received its sixth and final name. Georgia Southern University became the first new university in Georgia in 21 years and the third largest university in the state. In 1992, the Regents authorized Georgia Southern University to initiate its first doctoral program, the Doctorate of Education, which was the first doctorate to be offered by an institution located in South Georgia. In 2006, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classified Georgia Southern University as a doctoral/research institution.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Colonization and Installation==&lt;br /&gt;
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Zeta Upsilon Chapter was installed March 31, 1990, at Georgia Southern College in Statesboro, Georgia. Located near Savannah, Southern is a rapidly growing school with an enrollment of approximately 11,000 students. By fall, the college will have attained university status and will become the third largest state-supported school in Georgia.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Kappa Kappa Gamma is proud to join six other National Panhellenic groups on this campus: Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Omicron Pi, Chi Omega, Kappa Delta, Phi Mu, and Zeta Tau Alpha. &lt;br /&gt;
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The exciting festivities began on Thursday when the Installation Team became acquainted with the colony pledges. Zeta Upsilon was indeed honored to have three Fraternity Presidents participating in the installation: Kay Smith Larson, Washington, Fraternity President; Marian Klingbeil Williams, Missouri, immediate former President and now serving as Extension Chairman; and Jean Hess Wells, Georgia, President 1976-80 and Fraternity Ritualist. Other members of the Installation Team were: Carol Lash Armstrong, Miami (Ohio), Director of Membership and Council Officer for Zeta Upsilon; Frances Davis Roberts, Georgia, Mu North PDC; Ann Sappenfield Tuttle, William and Mary, Mu South PDC; Karen Anderson Gregorio, Arizona State, Mu North PDA; Karen Stevens Pinkney, Georgia, Mu South PDA; Martha Hay Streibig, Indiana, Coordinator of Chapter Development; Heather Hartmann, Massachusetts, Chapter Consultant; Linda Finnegan, Washington State, Sheri Gosliner, UCLA, Laura Hedges, Kansas, and Denise Rugani, UC Davis, Traveling Consultants. &lt;br /&gt;
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Volunteering assistance during their spring breaks were Chapter Consultants Teresa Cox, South Carolina, CC at North Texas (who will be the new Zeta Upsilon CC for 1990-91), and Marnie O'Brien, Denison, CC at Washington and Lee. &lt;br /&gt;
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In attendance were Mu Province Notables: Fraternity Treasurer Susannah Erck Howard, Florida State; former Council member Carol Engels Harmon, Miami (Ohio); and former Mu Province Officers Loraine Heaton Livesay, St. Lawrence, and Ann Treadway Henry, Mississippi. &lt;br /&gt;
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Big sisters to the colony were members of the four Mu North chapters: Clemson, Emory, Georgia, and South Carolina. All chapters in Mu South - Florida, Florida State, Miami, and Rollins - also joined the festivities.&lt;br /&gt;
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The Fireside Service was held on Friday evening, followed by a reception at which many lovely gifts were presented from Kappa alumnae groups, chapters, and friends. &lt;br /&gt;
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Initiation for 75 members was held Saturday morning. In the afternoon Zeta Upsilon was honored at a reception given by the Fraternity and attended by more than 300 parents, relatives, friends, university administrators, and representatives of other campus Greek organizations. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the Installation Banquet the Atlanta Alumnae Association presented the Fraternity with a lovely badge to be worn by Zeta Upsilon Chapter Presidents. The closing ritual ended the banquet and provided a perfect finish to a wonderful weekend and exciting beginning of Kappa's 121st active chapter - welcome, Zeta Upsilon!  The Key, Fall, 1990&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Traditions'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Many events and activities were organized to celebrate our connection to one another. These activities were New Member retreats, Kappa Kampout, Big/little week, and Senior Picnic.  The chapter was a strong supporter of the Eagles football team. The members loved to get dressed up in GSU gear and go to a variety of tailgates. At the games members enjoyed sitting together and rooting on the team as well as showing off  Kappa pride with t-shirts and matching pins designed for football season. &lt;br /&gt;
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Georgia Southern football has always been a favorite tradition for students, alumnae, parents and faculty. Game days began early with the loud chanting of &amp;quot;GEORGIA&amp;quot;... &amp;quot;SOUTHERN&amp;quot;... that can be heard across town.  The Homecoming game is one of Kappa's favorite games of the football season! To celebrate, Kappa pairs up with a fraternity and participates in various Homecoming events in the week leading up to the game. On the game day Alum are invited to a quick visitation at the House before heading over to Paulson Stadium to watch the game!&lt;br /&gt;
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Parents Weekend occurred each year in early October, and gave parents a chance to visit their daughters, attend an Eagles football game, and see what Kappa is all about! During Parents Weekend a tailgate was held at Kappa house where parents and daughters could enjoy getting to know other families while eating hot dogs and hamburgers.&lt;br /&gt;
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Every year, Kappa hosted Mother-Daughter day. Kappas and their moms enjoyed a beautiful tea and pottery event hosted at the house. Mother-Daughter day is a great chance for Mothers to spend a fun day with their daughters as well as meet other Kappa moms.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1990s==&lt;br /&gt;
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There are no chapter history reports in the chapter’s current archives from this time period except for the 1992-1993 report. In this report, the chapter claimed that the year was full of prosperity. The chapter had a chapter consultant that year, Jackie Moore, and felt after her term that their chapter had finally become established on campus. One Kappa won the &amp;quot;Greek Woman of the Year&amp;quot; Award in 1999.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1990, the chapter had a Halloween philanthropy at a local nursing home. The first annual Kappa Karnival was held in the spring of 1991 to benefit a group of handicapped adults. Kappa Karnvial lasted until 1993. In the fall of 1992, the chapter served a Thanksgiving dinner to the elderly through Concerted Services. In the spring of 1993, the philanthropy committee organized a large donation for “High Hope”. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Gracious Living Award, Winner- Unhoused (1994-1996);&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter/AB Relations Award, Honorable Mention (1994-1996);&lt;br /&gt;
Fraternity Appreciation Award, Honorable Mention (1994-1996)&lt;br /&gt;
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==A New Millennium - Highlights of 2000-2010==&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Housing:''' &lt;br /&gt;
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In the fall of 2000, Zeta Upsilon held a groundbreaking ceremony for the house on Greek Row. In the fall of 2002, the house was completed and the chapter held a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony. The two-story house accommodated 15 live-in members, the housemother and a commercial kitchen. The inaugural live-in class was in the fall of 2002. &lt;br /&gt;
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Built in 2001, the Zeta Upsilon chapter house was the newest house on Greek Row at Georgia Southern University and has space for 15 live-in women.  The house offers many things including a spacious chapter room for meetings and Tuesday night dinners, a study, guest room, back patio, double front porch, and comfy parlor for late night movie marathons.  While the house provided a place to live, it means so much more to its members.  While living in the house a member would develop life-long friendships, memories, and a permanent connection to Kappa. It wasn’t uncommon for women to describe their experience living at the Kappa House as “the best time of their lives.”  &lt;br /&gt;
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After being suspended by the Fraternity in 2004, Zeta Upsilon was reinstated to Georgia Southern’s campus in the fall of 2006. The Fraternity reestablished Zeta Upsilon chapter at Georgia Southern University. The Fraternity’s membership team, led by Elizabeth Bailey, Mississippi, Mu Province Director of Chapters and Mary Tileston Wagner, San Diego, Mu Province Director of Alumnae found women with leadership skills to get the chapter off to a bright new start. They looked for potential members on campus who were leaders within their communities who would carry on Kappa’s Tradition of Leadership. The challenges the women faced included: coming back to campus, finding respect among all members (officers and actives), chapter involvement, and how to have a positive attitude within Zeta Upsilon as actives. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2007, Georgia Southern was continued to grow rapidly and expanded the campus. There were many building construction projects such a brand new state of the art library and art building. During this period, Zeta Upsilon struggled with chapter efficiency and worked hard to pull it up its grade point to third on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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In spring of 2008, Zeta Upsilon had the second hightest G.P.A amongst the Panhellenic Association, and the spring pledge class had the highest New Member G.P.A.. In the fall two  chapter women won Greek Woman of the Year and the GSU Greek Housing Scholarship which were both presented by the Panhellenic Association. On campus that year, Georgia Southern added a brand new recreational activities center. The chapter continued to grow in numbers as well as in their recognition on campus. Some challenges that Zeta Upsilon faced in 2008 was getting its name out on campus, working on grades, and participation by the chapter members. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2009, the chapter received the four-star-chapter award on the campus’ Five Star Chapter program. In 2009, the chapter faced challenges such as facing stereotypes on campus, becoming more active on campus, and improving chapter G.P.A.. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2010, the chapter’s homecoming candidate was voted top four and made Homecoming Court. Zeta Upsilon, again, received four- star-chapter in the campus’ Five Star Chapter program. One of the actives won the Greek Merit Scholarship by the Panhellenic Association. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring of 2000, the chapter visited local nursing homes and delivered handmade flowerpots made during Recruitment. A car-wash was held in the spring of 2000. That fall, Zeta Upsilon held a softball tournament for charity called “Kappa Klassic”. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2003, Zeta Upsilon started “Irises on the Green” putt-putt tournament benefiting Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2008, the chapter held it’s first “Low Country Boil” that benefited Safe Haven women’s shelter. Zeta Upsilon organized a “Battle in the Boro” paintball tournament and the proceeds benefited the Savannah, Georgia, Imperial Sugar Refinery Victims. In the spring of that year, Books and Bunnies was held by the chapter. It was an Easter egg hunt for local children. &lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring of 2009, Zeta Upsilon held it’s second annual “Battle in the Boro”. This year the proceeds benefited the local Boys and Girls Club of America and the Kappa Foundation.  That fall, the women also held their second annual “Low Country Boil” and again benefited Safe Haven women’s shelter. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2010, the chapter sold sorority bracelets to the other Panhellenic Association organizations on campus in support of the Kappa Foundation. That fall, the third annual “Low Country Boil” was held. It benefited Safe Haven and the Kappa Foundation. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Gracious Living Award, Honorable Mention (1998-2000);&lt;br /&gt;
Most Improved Scholarship (2000-2002)&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011 – 2019==&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011==&lt;br /&gt;
This past year was an incredible year for Zeta Upsilon. We added five lovely ladies in the spring to our chapter with a Dream Girls themed bid day. We collected recipes from chapter members to create a Kappa Cookbook for our Spring Philanthropy, which we sold to family, friends, and alumna. We also had a Mother Daughter tea in the Spring where sisters and their mothers painted pottery and enjoyed each others company. We closed out our spring semester with formal in Sylvania, GA at Shannon Vineyards. We had a wonderful recruitment once we returned from summer break where we welcomed the largest pledge class that Zeta Upsilon has ever seen. We held Big/Little week activities leading up to our reveal after which many of the new families went out for the latest craze of frozen yogurt. &lt;br /&gt;
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In October, we held our fourth annual Low Country Boil with Sigma Chi to raise money for both of our philanthropies. Sisters also attended other Greek philanthropy events such as Alpha Delta Pi’s Burgers and Fries. Initiation was very successful and our newly initiated members were very excited about finally being sisters. Our founder’s day went off without a hitch with many alumnae in attendance for brunch and ritual. We went to homecoming this year with Sigma Phi Epsilon and many of our sisters were able to participate in the activities sponsored by Georgia Southern University. Our nominee for Homecoming Queen was Hayden Harrison and every member was so proud of how far she went! We concluded the semester by receiving a five star standing in the Five Star Chapter program put on by our Panhellenic Association. Our chapter was extremely proud that all our hard work paid when we received five star and how much that we have grown as a chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Campus:''' Georgia Southern University is continuing to become one of the largest universities in the state of Georgia and is still growing. Our football team, the Georgia Southern Eagles, made it all the way to the semi-finals in the NCAA. Our campus has also invited another sorority to colonize on our campus this spring or next fall. The two sororities who have applied are Delta Phi Epsilon and Alpha Gamma Delta. With this new addition, our campus Greek life will experience growth. Even with this new addition there are so many different organizations on campus that every student can become involved in. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter:''' Zeta Upsilon has continued to thrive in 2011. As a chapter we have become stronger and have a higher morale than in years past. In the fall, we welcomed the largest pledge class ever. Our Public Relations chair has done a wonderful job in getting our chapter involved on campus and she made a wonderful Zeta Upsilon website. As a chapter, we are becoming more recognized and involved with the other Greek organizations on campus. Aside from hosting our own philanthropy events, we attended other organizations on campus. Every semester we are growing towards reaching chapter total of 125, and hopefully will see this number reached very soon. Zeta Upsilon is continuing to grow and become more successful as a chapter and every member is proud to be a part of something so special. &lt;br /&gt;
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Zeta Upsilon is still trying to overcome being the new chapter on campus and hopefully with the arrival of a new sorority it will help that transition more smoothly for both of us. Even though we have seen our chapter receive more recognition on campus we are still struggling with getting more and more actives to attend events. The same group of people continually are involved in all the activities and we are trying to motivate more members to get involved. To motivate members to come to more events we kept with the Sunshine Points system where the top three people with the most points received gift cards. The sisters really liked this method and more members showed up to events. We are still working on raising chapter morale with the newer pledge class with sisterhood events such as bunco nights, movie nights, family nights, etc. We also worked with Leadership Consultants in the beginning of the fall semester to help build our chapter morale as well. The results from recruitment showed how hard our chapter worked and really helped raise our spirits. As a chapter, we continue to increase our G.P.A. and are still utilizing our study hours with prizes for the three people who attended the most study hours. We all left 2011 behind us and are extremely excited for what 2012 holds for Zeta Upsilon.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2012==&lt;br /&gt;
Our philanthropy in the past year has been good, but can be improved. Last spring we did Laughter and Lupis which was an event at  Bliss Berry where 10% of the proceeds went to Walk for Lupus in Atlanta. This was in support of one of our sisters, Michaela Norman, who was diagnosed with Lupus. As always, we took part in other sororities and fraternities philanthropy events such as Sigma Chi's &amp;quot;Derby Days&amp;quot;, Alpha Delta Pi's &amp;quot;Burgers and Fries&amp;quot;, Zeta Tau Alpha's &amp;quot;Pack the House in Pink&amp;quot; . In the fall, we had our major event which is a Low Country Boil with Sigma Chi. This raised 3,726 dollars for the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, RIF, and Children's Miracle Network. &lt;br /&gt;
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We also volunteered at the Statesboro mall by giving away books and reading to children. Through out the year, we do Back Pack buddies where every month the chapter collects a certain item such as peanut butter to donate to local school children. Dealing with local and natural disasters, we created a t shirt for Hurricane Sandy victims and also sent letters to Kappa sisters affected by the Sandy Hook Shooting. We received the  Five star Chapter award and Philanthhropy award from Greek life in 2012. &lt;br /&gt;
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We were given the Heritage Award, House Board Advisory Award, and the Gracious Living Award at Mu Province. &lt;br /&gt;
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As a chapter we love our special events and have attended many Greek Life Speakers, had various speakers come to our chapter, socials, and sisterhood events.  During the fall we initiated 58 girls and are about to initiate one more of our new members at the University of South Carolina. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year we were chosen to be the trial chapter for LeadToday and had the amazing opportunity to learn from them. From that, we have made new chapter goals and are striving to work towards them. Some of these goals include increasing involvement, improving grades, and having better communication. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2013==&lt;br /&gt;
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In Spring 2013, Zeta Upsilon started their semester off with the first ever Kappa Kappa Gamma LeadToday program in January. Kappas from headquarters gave us an unforgettable experience and opportunity to help improve our chapter. The chapter set goals to help us achieve better academic accomplishments and improve the involvement throughout the chapter. In February, we did our annual “Kappa Kisses” across campus during the week of Valentine’s day, which is where we pass out cups of Hershey kisses to promote positive PR on campus. We also had our Kappa Krush date night at Gnats Landing, a social with Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and attended Phi Mu and Zeta Tau Alpha’s “Pack the House in Pink” event during a basketball game during February. In March, we participated in SAE’s philanthropy event, Paddy Murphy, as well as Delta Phi Epsilon’s Color Run. During March, we also held a successful Mother’s weekend filled with bowling and dinner. During April, we had a successful formal in the outskirts of Statesboro. Also during April, we won Sigma Chi’s philanthropy event, Derby Days, for the first time ever which is a huge accomplishment as we helped them raised hundreds of dollars towards their philanthropy. We also co-hosted a 5K with Enactus in Statesboro called “5K to “Cap” Alzheimer’s” where participants wore all sorts of crazy and funky hats during their run. &lt;br /&gt;
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During Fall 2013, our recruitment chair, Holly Ryan, held 2 weeks of successful recruitment workshops to help us achieve handing out 60 bids to potential new members in August. The bid day theme was NFL where we celebrated the new Kappas with a party at a local hotel.  The new members had a popular new member retreat a Tybee Island during the day and a sleepover at the Kappa house for the night. In September, we hosted our annual Low Country Boil with Sigma Chi and were able to raise around $4000 for the Kappa Foundation and the Huntsmen Cancer Foundation. We also sent a member to Leadership Academy in September in Ohio and she had a great time getting to know sisters from all across that nation. &lt;br /&gt;
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Zeta Upsilon initiated 55 members on October 12, 2013 with many fun I-Week activities the week before including cookie decorating, frozen yogurt, and a trip to the local corn maze. Also in October, we held our awesome semi-formal at 40 East Grill. Throughout the semester, we were excited to have had socials with the men of Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Alpha Order, and an extremely successful homecoming week with Delta Tau Delta. During homecoming week, we were able to donate hundreds of items towards the local food bank as well as have over 20 members donate blood that week. During the same week, our step team won 2nd place in the annual Doodah/Step competition held by Georgia Southern. &lt;br /&gt;
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After extreme campaigning that week for our queen candidate, Jordan Conway, she was placed on homecoming court, which was a true honor for Jordan and Kappa Kappa Gamma. In November, we were lucky enough to win the 5-Star chapter award at Georgia Southern’s Greek Life Awards, which is the highest level of achievement for a chapter; we were able to earn that because of our involvement on campus, our philanthropy efforts, academics, and other categories. At the Greek Life Awards, Jordan Conway was also named “Greek Woman of the Year.” In November, we also held Parent’s Weekend with dinner at Van Gogh’s and a breakfast tailgate on Saturday before the football game. In December, we held our Tacky Christmas date night. Also in December, we were able to install the new council for the 2014 year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Overall, we participated in many philanthropy events across town and improved our relations with other organizations in Greek life. Our grades still need improvement but we are on our way to a successful year with new ideas from the new chapter council. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2013, chapter total for sororities was increased from 125 to 171. Quota for fall formal recruitment was 59 and we gave out 60 bids. We have made many great strides throughout this past year and we are looking forward to constantly improving our chapter and maintaining the “nicest girls on row” reputation. Georgia Southern had around 22,000 students with 11% in Greek life.&lt;br /&gt;
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One major change to our campus this year was the adding of a new sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon. This past fall, Georgia Southern had a large growth of students which in turn helped Kappa to have the biggest pledge class on row. Recruitment made major changes by deciding to change skit day to sisterhood day, and added more restrictive rules.  At the end of the first semester, we elected new officers and also got a new Director Of Greek life.  Over the past year our chapter has become more involved and determined to better our sorority.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2014==&lt;br /&gt;
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In spring 2014, the chapter set goals to help us achieve better academic accomplishments and improve involvement throughout the chapter. In February, we held our annual “Kappa Kisses” across campus during the week of Valentine’s Day, which is where we pass out cups of Hershey’s kisses to promote positive PR on campus. We also had Kappa Krush date night at South City, and attended Phi Mu’s and Zeta Tau Alpha’s “Pack the House in Pink” event during a basketball game in February. In March, we participated in SAE’s philanthropy event, Paddy Murphy. During April, we had a successful formal at the Hyatt on River Street in Savannah. Also during April, we participated in Sigma Chi’s philanthropy, Derby Days, helping raise hundreds of dollars towards their philanthropy. We also participated in Relay For Life in which we raised $4,125, the most raised by any Greek and non-Greek organization. Also, members of Kappa were awarded Panhellenic Merritt Scholarship and Panhellenic Southern Greek Housing Scholarship. In June, the President and Vice President attended General Convention where we received an honorable mention for membership and we also became part of the Adelphae Society for donating over $10,000 to Kappa’s Foundation since ZY’s founding. &lt;br /&gt;
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During fall 2014, our Recruitment Chairman, Christian Lienmiller, held two weeks of successful recruitment workshops to help us achieve handing out 68 bids to potential new members in August. The bid day theme was “Destination Kappa” where we celebrated the new Kappas with a celebration located at the house.  The new members went to St. Simons, where they stayed at Epworth By the Sea. In September, we hosted our annual Low Country Boil with Sigma Chi and were able to raise money for the Kappa Foundation and the Huntsmen Cancer Foundation. Zeta Upsilon initiated 66 members on October 11, 2014, with many fun I-Week activities the week before including cookie decorating, movie night, and a trip to the local corn maze. We participated in Trick or Treat on Greek Street, where we handed out candy to kids from the Statesboro community. Also in October, we held our semi-formal at 40 East Grill. We celebrated Founders Day at the house with a barbeque and had alumnae attend. With the help of an alumna, trips were taken to Memorial Hospital where groups of Kappa’s entertained and read to children there. Throughout the semester, we were excited to have had socials with the men of Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Alpha Order, and an extremely successful homecoming week with Pi Kappa Alpha. During homecoming week, our step team won second place in the annual Doodah/Step competition held by Georgia Southern. At the end of the week Kappa Kappa Gamma received first place overall. In November, we were lucky enough to win the 5-Star chapter award at Georgia Southern’s Greek Life Awards, which is the highest level of achievement for a chapter; we were able to earn that because of our involvement on campus, our philanthropy efforts, academics, and other categories. In November, we also held Parents Weekend with barbeque at the Kappa house before the football game and trivia at Retrievers. A responsible drinking program was held during November which was held by our President who is Serve Safe Alcohol Certified. In December, we held our Tacky Christmas date night. Also in December, we were able to install the new council for the 2015 year. &lt;br /&gt;
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In addition to the Advisory Board, a committee was formed to plan the 25th anniversary of Zeta Upsilon which will be held April 24-26, 2015. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our House Board made many updates this year, including beautiful new wooden doors, a redecorated parlor, and converted one bedroom into an upstairs lounge with a T.V. There are currently 188 members of Zeta Upsilon with 11 living in the house. Currently we are not able to fit into the chapter room comfortably for meetings so House Board has begun exploring opportunities to expand the house or build an addition.&lt;br /&gt;
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Overall, we participated in many philanthropy events across town and improved our relations with other organizations in Greek life. Our grades still need improvement but we are on our way to a successful year with new ideas from the new chapter council. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2014, chapter total for sororities was increased from 171 to 188. Quota for fall formal recruitment was 66 and we gave out 66 bids. We have made many great strides throughout this past year and we are looking forward to constantly improving our chapter and maintaining the “nicest girls on row” reputation. Georgia Southern had around 22,000 students with 11% in Greek life.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2015==&lt;br /&gt;
In spring 2015, we held spring rush and added 12 amazing new members to our chapter. In February, we held our annual “Kappa Kisses” across campus during the week of Valentine’s Day, which is where we pass out cups of Hershey’s kisses to promote positive PR on campus. We also had our Kappa Krush date night at a local Winery. Parents were invited to attend our Parents weekend, where they could attend a Georgia Southern baseball game and have brunch at the Kappa house. &lt;br /&gt;
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In March, we participated SAE’s philanthropy event, Paddy Murphy. We helped raise hundreds of dollars throughout the week and won in the end. March 31, was the 25th anniversary of Zeta Upsilon chapter. During April, we invited over 150 alumnae to come celebrate 25 years of Zeta Upsilon with a weekend packed full of events. Our formal was held at the Mackey House Barn in Savannah. Also during April, we participated in Sigma Chi’s philanthropy, Derby Days. We also participated in Relay For Life in which we raised $11,000, the most raised by any Greek and non-Greek organization. At the end of April, Georgia Southern community suffered a tragic loss of 5 nurse’s students. We opened our Barbeque Blues event to all Georgia southern students, offering free barbecue and comfort to those who needed it. &lt;br /&gt;
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During fall 2014, our Recruitment Chairman, Claire Dwyer, ran a successful recruitment where we handed out 74 bids to potential new members in August. The bid day theme was Madri Gras, with a celebration located at the house. Zeta Upsilon initiated 72 members on October 10, 2015, with many fun I-Week activities the week before. Also in October, we held our semi-formal at a local winery.  Our chapter participated in an Aspen Heights Photo competition, where they would donate $1,000 to a foundation of our choice. We won the local competition and were entered into the national competition. Our chapter won both local and national levels of the competition. From the Aspen Heights competitions we won a total of $6,000 which will be put towards funding our GIRLS Academy event. At the end of October we held our annual “Trick or Treat on Greek Street” where locals from Statesboro could bring their kids to get candy and play games. Throughout the semester, we were excited to have had socials with the men of Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Alpha Order, and an extremely successful homecoming week with Sigma Nu. In November, we were lucky enough to win the 5-Star chapter award at Georgia Southern’s Greek Life Awards, which is the highest level of achievement for a chapter; we were able to earn that because of our involvement on campus, our philanthropy efforts, academics, and other categories. In December, we held our Tacky Christmas date night. Also in December, we were able to install the new council for the 2016 year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Overall, we participated in many philanthropy events across town and improved our relations with other organizations in Greek life. Our grades still need improvement but we did move up in our GPA ranking. We are on our way to a successful year with new ideas from the new chapter council. One major change to out campus is the addition of another sorority, Chi Omega.  &lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter Philanthropy:&lt;br /&gt;
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What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?&lt;br /&gt;
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The past few years we have participated in Relay for Life on our local campus. We donate books to local schools and libraries. We also go to these schools and libraries to have Reading is Key events. Within the past year we went to Savannahs Memorial Hospital to volunteer.  &lt;br /&gt;
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Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support?  &lt;br /&gt;
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Relay for Life became very important to our chapter, last year one of our active members found out she has cancer and has been battling it since. We choose to volunteer at Savannahs Memorial Hospital because they are alumnae that help coordinate the volunteer days and because of the short distance.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2016==  &lt;br /&gt;
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The past year got off to a great start with our annual Kappa Krush date night at South City. During the week of Valentine’s Day, we held our annual “Kappa Kisses” event where we handed out cups filled with Hershey’s Kisses on campus to promote good PR. This was followed by our first time hosting GIRLS Academy in conjunction with William James Middle School in Statesboro. In March, we participated in SAE’s philanthropy event, Paddy Murphy, winning first place and $500 toward our philanthropy. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was an exciting month because we hosted a formal at Savannah Quarters Country Club and held Parents Weekend with dinner at Meinhart Winery on a Saturday night and a Georgia Southern baseball game on Sunday. We also hosted a Reading Is Key event with reading and coloring activities at the local Books A Million store. We finished the semester with a sisterhood event at Sk8 City, a roller rink in Pooler, Georgia, which was an exciting and entertaining time as we watched each other attempt to skate the afternoon away. &lt;br /&gt;
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Despite our busy schedules throughout the year, we made ample time to study and attend class, finishing the semester with a chapter GPA average of 3.11. This GPA was an improvement as we moved up from sixth to fifth place in grades, and the grade differential between organizations was very minimal. &lt;br /&gt;
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In July, Allison McInerney, Chapter President and Abby Layfield, Vice President-Standards, attended Kappa’s General Convention in San Diego, California. While at Convention, Zeta Upsilon received an Honorable Mention for Philanthropy, as well as the Recruitment Award for our Panhellenic size! As the summer continued, our Membership Chairman, Abby Stegall, prepared for the upcoming Recruitment with recruitment workshops and sisterhood events, such as donut decorating and an afternoon to ourselves at Splash In the ‘Boro Waterpark. &lt;br /&gt;
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Before we knew it, August arrived and formal Recruitment was in full swing. A major change to our campus was that Chi Omega was added as a Panhellenic sorority. The long days of singing, clapping and icebreakers finally paid off when we welcomed 73 new members home to Kappa on Bid Day and showed them just how “Wild About Kappa” we are. In September, we hosted our first annual Kappa Kon Queso philanthropy event at the Kappa house, where we sold bowls of nachos and queso cheese to raise money for the next GIRLS Academy we plan to host in fall 2017. We were excited to raise $3,000 at our first Kappa Kon Queso event and look forward to making it an annual event. &lt;br /&gt;
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In normal Georgia Southern fashion, we cheered on the Eagles each game day. We were able to have parents and families join us one Saturday for another Parents Weekend in September. Parents were able to grab a bite to eat while listening to a local Statesboro band before heading to Paulson Stadium to root the eagles on to victory against Louisiana-Monroe. At the end of September, our new members bonded on Tybee Island for their New Member Retreat.&lt;br /&gt;
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On October 13, we celebrated Founders Day by hosting a formal dinner at our house for our chapter members and alumnae. Originally, Initiation was scheduled of the beginning of October, but because of Hurricane Matthew, school was canceled and therefore we postponed Initiation until the end of the month. Fortunately, the Kappa house did not sustain any damage from the hurricane. Next, we participated in Trick-or-Treat on Greek Street, hosted for local children, as well as Downtown Statesboro’s Scare on the Square, a city-wide Halloween event. And finally, after months of learning Kappa’s values and history, Angelica Concepcion, our New Member Chairman, presented the new members to the chapter for Initiation on October 28 and 29, 2016. &lt;br /&gt;
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November started out strong with campaigning for our Homecoming queen candidate, Natalie Morris. During Georgia Southern’s annual Greek Life awards, we took home the PHA Outstanding Leadership award as well as the 5-Star chapter award, which is the highest level of achievement for a chapter based on involvement on campus, philanthropy efforts, academics and more. Leadership Consultant Claire Kozel returned in November for a second visit and sisters enjoyed meals with her as well as doing online workout videos. After Claire left we held officer elections for the 2017-2018 Chapter Council and our new officers were installed at the end of November, with Megan Caudell installed as Chapter President. Also in November we held an appreciation week for our longtime house director, Ms. Fraser. This past year was amazing and exciting for Zeta Upsilon, and it is truly shocking how fast the time went by. We look forward to the upcoming semesters, especially the fall of 2017 when our house expansion will finally be complete! In December 2016, the live-in girls moved out so that construction of the remodel and addition can begin the day after the semester ends. Zeta Upsilon’s House Board is continuing to work on a fundraising campaign to complete this remodel that will enlarge our chapter room to accommodate our growing chapter. This year we soared well past 200 members and expect another large class in the fall of 2017. &lt;br /&gt;
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On behalf of the members of Zeta Upsilon, we would like to personally thank all of the alumnae who have helped make this chapter grow and become the amazing home it is today for so many women. We hope you continue with us in the upcoming years on this journey of friendship, scholarship and leadership that we call Kappa.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
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This year, as a chapter, we raised money for and donated hours to; Reading is Fundamental, GIRLS Academy at William James Middle School, Relay for Life, Backpack Buddies, and Scare on the Square. We choose to support RIF in our community because Bulloch County has many impoverished communities which leads to a decline in literacy rates. GIRLS Academy is important to our chapter because we have each encountered the struggles of being a woman and we are fond on empowering womanhood and helping young girls understand they can achieve anything one may set their mind too. Relay for Life is a philanthropy near and dear to our chapter because one of our sisters was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. Everyone knows someone that has been affected in some form or fashion and coming together for the cause unifies the Georgia Southern community. We choose to donate goods to backpack buddies each month because of the poverty levels in Statesboro. Some children leave school Friday and do not have another meal until Monday morning at school. It is important to us to reach out and help our community in whichever ways we can. Scare on the square was an event to celebrate halloween in Bulloch County. We chose to volunteer and assist in any way we could during the event to become more involved in the community and with other organizations.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2017==  &lt;br /&gt;
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In the Spring of 2017, we started the semester off slightly different than normal. The Zeta Upsilon’s chapter house started construction for the expansion in January. It was quite the adjustment for the chapter. We did not get to have our weekly Tuesday night dinners and chapter was held in the Education Building on campus. But, we overcame that difficulty. We also held our annual Back to School Bash date night at South City in the month of January. In February, we stayed very busy. We held our annual, “Kappa Kisses”, across campus during the week of Valentine’s Day, which is where we pass out cups of Hershey’s kisses to promote positive public relations on campus. We also held our annual Valentine’s Day date night, Kappa Krush, at the Hall on Vine. Our philanthropy chairman, Jeanne Whitley, held a very successful Reading is Fundamental event at the downtown Statesboro library. She had snacks, raffles, games, and books for the children to participate in. Jeanne also coordinated a spirit night at Mellow Mushroom in the month of February, where a certain percentage of all sales were donated to GIRLS Academy. In the month of February, we had a visit from leadership consultant, Claire Kozel, and Mu district director, Barb Goettelman. During the visit, Zeta Upsilon was placed on a temporary focus letter. The focus letter was set in place to help guide the advisors, chapter council, and chapter members in the right direction moving forward. Each individual chapter council member had her own requirements involving the focus letter. In the month of March, our parents were invited to attend our Parent’s weekend. Where they could attend a dinner at South City and have brunch at Sweet Heart Circle. We held a Rhyme Without Reason date night, which was a lot of fun. We participated in Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s annual philanthropy event, Paddy Murphy. We helped raised hundreds of dollars throughout the week and won 2nd place at the end of the week. Our philanthropy chairman, Jeanne, planned a spirit night at Three Tree Coffee during the month of March, where the proceeds went to the upcoming GIRLS Academy. Our corresponding secretary, Michaela O’Larry, did a wonderful job promoting International Badge Day during the month of March. Also, our Vice President of Academics, Erin Moore, hosted the academic banquet, which recognized the chapter member’s academic success and the chapter members who received a 4.0 GPA were awarded with a pearl to go on her badge. During the month of April, our chapter stayed busy. Our social chairman and risk management chairman, Jacqueline Ferree and Julia Ling, planned a beautiful formal at the Richmond Hill Civic Center in Richmondhill, Georgia. We participated in Georgia Southern University’s annual Greek Week. During the week, different chapters of Interfraternity Council, Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Panhellenic Association are paired together to compete in different activities. Kappa Kappa Gamma was paired with Delta Tau Delta, Alpha Sigma Phi, and Kappa Alpha Psi. Our philanthropy chairman, Jeanne, stayed busy and hosted spirit nights at Gnat’s Landing and El Jalapeño, which benefitted Relay for Life. The chapter participated in Statesboro’s Relay for Life in the month of April, as well. We had a visit from the leadership consultant Kendall Michaud. During Kendall’s visit, our chapter held the first ever Kappa Karaoke philanthropy event at the Hall on Vine, which benefitted GIRLS Academy. Individuals, who purchased a ticket, were allowed to enter the karaoke contest and sing in front of a panel of judges and at the end of the evening the winner was announced, even Kendall got on stage with our Vice President of Organization, Lindsay Futch, and sang a song. In the month of April, we participated in Sigma Chi’s annual philanthropy event, Derby Days, where thousands of dollars were raised to benefit the Huntsman Cancer Foundation. Our Vice President of Standards, Olivia Currie, planned the first ever Kappa Karnival sisterhood event. She had blowups, cotton candy, popcorn, and many other fun activities. Several of our chapter members participated in Phi Beta Sigma’s, Wiggle like a Sigma, which was a step competition that promoted their organization. Our Education Chairman, Kaylee Moody, planned a brunch at the Hall on Vine for the graduating seniors to educate the women on what it means to become an alumna of Kappa Kappa Gamma. During the spring semester, we held socials with the brothers of Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, and Kappa Sigma. &lt;br /&gt;
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[[File:ZY Chapter Room.png|thumb|Zeta Upsilon House Renovation New Chapter Room]]&lt;br /&gt;
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To kick off the Fall 2017 semester, our newly renovated house was reopened. Our Membership Chairman, Aubrey Garrido, planned a successful all member workweek prior to the week of recruitment. During that week, members practiced songs and recruiting techniques. We were lucky enough to have two leadership consultants with us, Natalie Kinder and Catie Ross. Our New Member Chairman, Rachel Clardy, planned an awesome Bid Day. The theme was, “Old and New, Blue and Blue Looks Good on You”, where chapter members were decked out in all blue. We welcomed 56 new members into our chapter on Bid Day. Chapter Member Amanda Haney pledged Kappa this past Fall and her mother Terri Bohmer Haney was a charter member for Zeta Upsilon. Chi Omega returned to our campus and participated in Recruitment for the first time in many years.&lt;br /&gt;
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The following weekend the New Member Chairman, Rachel, hosted the New Member Retreat at the WW Mann Center in Statesboro. During the month of August, we held our annual Back to School Bash at Eagle’s Creek Brewery. Vice President of Standards, Olivia Currie, planned a Planner Party sisterhood and a “Donut You Want to be a Kappa” sisterhood in the month of August. Philanthropy Chairman, Jeanne Whitley, hosted a spirit night at Mellow Mushroom, which benefitted GIRLS Academy during the month of August, as well. The month of September was an extra busy month for ZY. The second week in September, Georgia Southern University students were encouraged to evacuate due to Hurricane Irma. We school was cancelled for 6 days. Once we returned, our Vice President of Standards Chairman, Olivia, planned a, Beauty and the Beast, movie night at the house, where we had a popcorn bar. She also planned a Tie-Dye sisterhood, where each chapter member was able to tie-dye a Kappa shirt. The Philanthropy Chairman, Jeanne, planned a spirit night at Chick-Fil-A and hosted our second annual Kappa Con Queso. Kappa Con Queso benefitted GIRLS Academy and we had a nacho bar, music, and games. During the month of October, leadership consultant, Natalie Kinder, returned to ZY for Inspiration Week. Chapter Marshal, Macy Collins, planned an exciting Inspiration Week, which included family pictures and a movie night at the local movie theater, where we saw, Home Again. Inspiration Week was followed by Fireside on Friday night and initiation on Saturday morning. Chapter President, Megan Caudell, did a beautiful job speaking at initiation. ZY was so excited to welcome the 56 new members as our official sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
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House chairman, Tori Hiles, planned a beautiful House Dedication ceremony, where we had a ribbon cutting and snacks. ZY alumni were invited to join us for the ceremony. House Board President, Ellen Wooditch, and House Board Treasurer, Emily Cannon, worked countless hours making sure ZY’s new home was perfect. In the study, which is where the house girls spend most of their time, there are pictures of the ZY Kappas from the early 1990s displayed on the wall.&lt;br /&gt;
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[[File:ZY Photo Display.png|thumb|Zeta Upsilon House Renovation Wall Display]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The week of homecoming was an exciting week during the month of October. The brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon asked us to homecoming. New Member Chairman, Rachel, was ZY’s homecoming candidate. The week was full of lots of different homecoming activities and traditions. Panhellenic Delegate, Elizabeth Young, planned a successful Circle of Sisterhood with all 7 of the other Panhellenic Association organizations on campus during the month of October, as well as Trick or Treat on Greek Street. Trick-or-Treat on Greek Street is an annual Halloween event held on Greek Row where Georgia Southern University’s faculty and Statesboro local residents are able to bring their children to do fun Halloween activities at each sorority and fraternity house. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
During the month of October, Education Chairman, Kaylee, planned a lovely Founders Day ceremony at the Kappa house, where we had Olive Garden and celebrated the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Vice President of Standards, Olivia, held the most successful sisterhood of the semester. She coordinated with Miss. America 2017, Savvy Shields, who is a Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Arkansas, Nu Gamma Chapter. Savvy spoke about body image, her reign as Miss America, and empowerment. She took the time to speak with every chapter member in attendance and take lots of photos. During the month of October, Social Chairman, Jaqueline, planned a fun Semi-Formal event at the Hall on Vine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
ZY wrapped up the month of October by hosting our second GIRLS Academy. Mu District Director, Barb Goettelman, and Leadership Development Specialist, Kelsey Ryan, who is a Zeta Upsilon alumni, joined us for the event. The GIRLS Academy event was held at William James Middle School in Statesboro. Our chapter members, as well as the middle school girls, had a busy, educational, and fun weekend. Our Philanthropy Chairman, Jeanne, did an outstanding job with the event, as well as all others involved. Hosting GIRLS Academy is always an eye-opening but heart-warming experience. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the month of November, Public Relations Chairman, Marissa Rubin, planned a successful Fall Parents Weekend. The weekend was full of good food and Georgia Southern Football. Education Chairman, Kaylee, planned a movie night senior sisterhood, which was held at the Kappa house. Kaylee also coordinated an alumna education event for the seniors who are graduating in the month of December. In the month of November, we held our annual Thanksgiving Tuesday Night Dinner. The nominating committee presented the slate for the upcoming council during the month of November and the current council was able to install the newest chapter council. The month of December was jammed packed with studying and finals. During the fall semester, we had socials with the brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Nu, and Delta Tau Delta. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The overall nature of our chapter is involved. Many of our members are involved in other organizations across Georgia Southern University's campus, some of which include, Phi Alpha Delta (Pre-Law Fraternity), Pre-Physicians Assistant Association, Public Relations Society of Students in America, and Phi Delta Epsilon (Pre-Medical Fraternity). &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Reading is Fundamental -- our chapter held RIF events at the local Statesboro Library. We donated books and played games with the children. &lt;br /&gt;
Relay for Life -- our chapter participates in Statesboro's Relay for Life each year. This year our tent's theme was Dr. Seuss. &lt;br /&gt;
GIRLS Academy -- our chapter held our second annual GIRLS Academy event at William James Middle School.  &lt;br /&gt;
Reading is Fundamental and GIRLS Academy are Kappa's national philanthropies. We began participating heavily in Relay for Life starting in 2015 when one of our members was diagnosed with cancer.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Highlights of 2018== &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Coming back to school in January we jumped right back into things. On Sundays we would have chapter council meetings and Mondays we would hold chapter, both at the kappa house. Our Standards chair planned a sisterhood the second week of getting back where sisters all got together and enjoyed a planner party. Then we got right into spring recruitment with 3 nights of recruitment rounds and then a bid day. The bid day was baseball themed and we welcomed 5 new members. The new girls got to enjoy a new member retreat where they got to know each other more while bowling! Then our Philanthropy chairman planned a service day at Haven House. At the service day we were able to help renovate the facilities for the women in need. With February and valentine's day feel in full swing our Public Relations chairman planned a PR event called Kappa Kisses where we were able to hand out sweet Hershey kisses to the University. Following that our Event chairman planned our annual Kappa Krush event where girls were able to bring a date and dance the night away. Soon after we had our first social event that semester with the men of Theta Xi Fraternity and we were able to get to know each other all decked out in a Mardi Gras theme clothes. The next day we had a trivia sisterhood where teams won prizes and were able to test their fun fact knowledge together. We also participated in Pi Kappa Phi Fraternities philanthropy event called War of the Roses where we ended up winning the whole week and winning money for our philanthropies. Ending the month we had big little week where the spring new member class was able to be surprised by their bigs at the end of the week. March quickly snuck up on us but we were happily busy. We had a group of girls compete in Kappa Sigma Fraternities annual lip sync competition. Girls then got a week break for spring break where we went all over including Disney, the beach, and even just home. St Patrick's Day finished off the week of spring break and many celebrated all over including in Savannah. When we got back from the week we had initiation for the spring new member class. Sisters were able to go to Tuesday night dinner and have their Kappa family pictures taken, as well as, a study night because academics were in full swing. Our Membership chair was able to have a movie night to film our sisterhood video and we watched The Greatest Showman. The following week we participated in Greek Week where we were paired with Delta Tau Delta and Alpha Sigma. Throughout the week we participated in many events including field day where we played games like bubble soccer and tug of war with the organizations we were paired with. Also during that week we had Frazier Appreciation day which was a dinner where we celebrated our house mom and all she does for us. We also had a senior sisterhood for the 2018 spring graduates put on by our Education chairman, they got to make banana pudding. April then started with Easter Sunday. We had a Backyard BBQ philanthropy event with Delta Tau Delta Fraternity to benefit Girls Academy and JDRF. Formal was at the end of that week and everyone had a great time dancing in the rain. Then mid April we had spring parents weekend where girls were able to hang out with their families in and out of Statesboro. We then had a few more weeks and all the sudden it was finals week and graduation, just like that we were on summer break. Over the summer, girls in our chapter did many things. Some girls studied abroad (even together), worked at home, had internships, went on new adventures, and everything in between. The end of July came fast where we had one work week for the newest pledge classes and then we had work weeks for all members for recruitment. Recruitment then happened where we worked hard together to bring in the new member class of  fall 2018 where we welcomed 62 girls. Bid day rounded out the week where we got to celebrate with the new members themed in the 70s. Right after bid day we jumped right back into school. We happily had another planner party where girls got to fill out their new planners together to get ready for the semester. Then we had our annual Back to School date night and everyone got to bring a date and all hang out together. We also started having our weekly Tuesday night dinners again which included food from places like Chicken Salad Chick, Rjs, Honey Cafe, and more. In September, we had Labor Day and got a day off of school and at the end of that week we got to have our fall Parents Weekend. We got to hang out with our parents and show them Georgia Southern spirit at a football game that Saturday. We then had a Kappa only social to hang out and get to know each other with a vine theme and all had a good laugh. Then came a busy week with Big/Little week for the new members we gained in the fall. In the same week we had our annual Kappa Con Queso philanthropy event where we raised money for Girls Academy. Then it was already October. We kicked off the month with Homecoming week where we did events with the men of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Some events including can sculpture contest, lip singing competition, sheet sign contest and many more. We also ended up placing 1st in GSU annual Doodah dance competition where we were awarded money to benefit our philanthropies. Other events we did throughout the week included Social events during the week with SAE and we all got to enjoy homecoming. We then were supposed to have initiation but Hurricane Michael came through Statesboro giving us days off school. Then we had semi formal which was at Eagle Creek Brewery and were able to hang out with sisters. Then we jumped right into November where we had Fireside and Initiation, we ended up initiating 57 new members. Then we had to have a mini Initiation where we initiated the 5 other new members rounding our Fall 18 pledge class out to 62 newly initiated members. To round out the year we elected a new chapter council and had 11 fall graduates. We ended the year off with a Tacky Holiday date night to celebrate the holidays! &lt;br /&gt;
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Georgia Southern University expanded their campus to now owning Armstrong in Savannah, Georgia. We also had a new building open up that holds classes for language classes, fashion classes, and many more. Overall, Students had to adjust to the addition of the other campus because it has changed many aspects of our campuses. With Kappa we have grown stronger and have been doing well as a chapter. Whenever there has been hard times we have been there for one another. Overall, it has been a great year for Zeta Upsilon and we cannot wait for the next one. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
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GIRLS Academy, Reading Is Fundamental&lt;br /&gt;
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[[File:Zeta Upsilon House.jpg|thumb|Zeta Upsilon House]]&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2019== &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Throughout the past calendar year, the Zeta Upsilon chapter has been very active both on and off campus to promote not only our chapter’s ideals, but also to promote community, unity and teamwork within our chapter and with others outside of our chapter. Through our involvement and passion for growth with our school, ZY was awarded a Platinum WINGS award, which was only given to 3 organizations out of the hundreds that are on our campus. To receive this award, organizations must attend a certain number of informational sessions hosted on campus throughout the year. Sisterhoods were held every month of the year to help the chapter feel included and welcomed, including painting sisterhoods, a yoga sisterhood, and our annual t-shirt tie dye sisterhood. Our philanthropy chair offered service opportunities every month to help women take advantage of outside opportunities and be able to give back to our community. Ritual and recruitment practices were also held throughout the semester to prepare for upcoming Initiation services and recruitment. Chapter meetings were held every Monday at 7 p.m., Chapter Council was held every Sunday at 6 p.m., and weekly dinners were still held on Tuesday nights.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In January of this year, we welcomed 7 new women to our chapter with our Spring 2019 pledge class. They were able to grow and learn what it truly means to be a Kappa woman throughout their new member period and were initiated on April 6 after experiencing Fireside and a pledge class sleepover the night before.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In February, our Public Relations Chairman coordinated our annual Kappa Kisses event, where we passed out cups full of Hershey’s kisses on campus. Additionally, we had our annual Kappa Krush, which was planned by our event chair and is a date night that embodies the spirit of Valentine’s Day, with most members dressing in some variety of pink, red or purple and taking photos with props that add to the Valentine’s Day feel. Our chapter hosted GIRLS Academy on February 9, where we were able to guide middle school girls and mentor them in various ways.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
March and April are busy months for ZY, as we participate in other chapters’ philanthropy events, prepare for initiation of our new members, support Greek Life with our PHA, NPHC and IFC partners during Greek Week, go on spring break, have formal and study for finals. Some of the philanthropy events we participated in were Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s Paddy Murphy Week, Sigma Chi’s Derby Days, Sigma Nu’s volleyball tournament, Kappa Delta’s War of the Wings, Alpha Omicron Pi’s “Strike Out for Arthritis&amp;quot; and so many more. We had a social with Delta Chi that was themed &amp;quot;Throw Down for Your Hometown&amp;quot; where everyone dressed in old high school uniforms or other costumes that reminded them from their hometown. Our sisters spent their spring breaks in so many fun places, including destinations in the U.S. as well as abroad. Formal was held in April as well as our spring Parents Weekend, which are two of our chapter's favorite springtime events!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In May, many of our sisters became Alumnae of Kappa Kappa Gamma and started their lives outside of Statesboro. Over the summer, our active members took classes, studied abroad, went on service trips, had internships and everything in between. Work Week and recruitment snuck up on us quickly, and we were all back together in late July to prepare for Fall 2019 formal recruitment.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In August, Zeta Upsilon broke chapter and school records by welcoming an amazing pledge class of 102 women. We celebrated our hard work and new members on Bid Day with a &amp;quot;Kappa World&amp;quot; bid day theme, which was a homage to the Spice Girls and everyone had a great time getting to dress up as a different member of the group. Right after bid day, the academic year was back in full swing and our members got right back into the routine of school. We had our annual Back to School date night and football season was upon us, which everyone always loves!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In September, we held our annual philanthropy event which has been named Chips, Cheese and KKGs where we had a nacho bar, music and raffle gifts to help raise money for RIF and the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. The event, as usual, was a huge success and we raised over $5,000.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Big Little Reveal was the first week of October, where all of our amazing new members were able to find their families within our chapter. It was held at Paulson Stadium and was a great time. Shortly after, we welcomed our Fall 2019 pledge class into membership with initiation on October 12 and celebrated our Founders Day the same evening with dinner from Longhorn, cake, and a beautiful ceremony that was coordinated by our Education Chairman. Homecoming came right after that, where we worked with Delta Chi (our homecoming partner) to support our candidates and promote our platforms of diversity and inclusion around campus. We tabled during the day, went to competitions in the afternoon and were able to have some fun at night with a few date nights that were planned for homecoming week.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In November, the semester started to wind down. Semi-formal was held and chapter council prepared for voting and training the new council that would shortly take over. We ended our semester in December with our annual Tacky Holiday date night, elections for the new chapter council and celebrating our sisters' achievements. Beyond our sisters who graduated in December, two of our members were elected to the school's Panhellenic Council. Hannah Conway, our former secretary, was elected to serve as PHA President and Elizabeth Baney, our former House chairman, was elected to serve as Vice President of Finance. We are very proud of all of our sisters' hard work and dedication and are excited to see what they do next year!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We celebrated Founders Day the same day of Fall Initiation (October 12). We chose this day because it is the day before Founders Day and was the perfect weekend to celebrate because our newly initiated members would be able to participate in the ritual that occurs during Founders Day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The biggest changes on campus have come from recruitment. With changes in how houses recruit and the number of chapters that are recruiting/the number of members they currently have, chapter totals were changed and affected recruitment. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
RIF, Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, GIRLS Academy are organizations near and dear to our hearts. Supporting GIRLS Academy is so important to us because we see and hear the impact it has on the young women in our community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Highlights of 2020== &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Spring Semester 2020 was cut short due to a virus outbreak that shut down in person school starting after spring break (March 15th) and finished out the semester virtually. This required the 8 new members who had joined Kappa in the spring to be one of the first ever virtual Invitations, and it went very smoothly. We were also planning a 30th anniversary for our chapter, which unfortunately had to be cancelled. On a positive note, to stay in touch with our sisters we have started a pen-pal letter writing activity between sisters, so that we can write each other letters and stay close through the pandemic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This year we had our first ever fully virtual recruitment and work week. Our recruitment chair worked extremely hard to pull off a great work week and prepared the chapter for recruitment. It was a success, and we got a new member class of 77 girls. Since COVID-19 was still prevalent during the fall semester, Initiation was virtual again and was done in multiple sessions. It was again a successful Initiation. Since we had some experience with virtual Initiation, we had the opportunity to allow members of the chapter to be more involved in Initiation, reading the various ceremony roles as they normally are done.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Zeta Upsilon 2020.png|thumb|Zeta Upsilon 2020]]&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Our philanthropy chair also wanted to have philanthropy events, despite the pandemic restrictions. We were able to hold a virtual book drive and donated about 100 books to our local elementary school, Julia P. Bryant. We also held a wonderful safe in-person Chips, Cheese and KKGs, where we raised about $700. Another philanthropy opportunity we had was to have a percentage night with a multicultural organization at a local business, Rolling Monkey. A very popular sisterhood we have annually is a t-shirt tye dye, and this year we decided to try something new and instead of tye dying, we bleached the shirt.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We support our local elementary school because it allows us and the kids to have hands-on experiences that will last a lifetime. When we have had the chances to host G.I.R.L.S academy the impacts we have in the girls at the local middle school are amazing. It is an inspiring experience for members of our chapter as well as the young girls who get to be involved.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We appointed a DEI officer who was also our Education chairman. She reached out to multicultural organizations on campus to establish good communication between each other. We also hosted a philanthropy event with a multicultural sorority that was very fun and successful.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Sesquicentennial'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Our chapter held a small virtual ceremony over Zoom during our chapter meeting on October 12th. Our education chair put together a wonderful slide show to play for the members and alumnae who attended and had members of the chapter read the script of the Founders.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2021==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The first half of 2021, we were still under COVID-19 guidelines. This limited events that were possible, and the events we did have required masks to be worn, social distancing, and a limited number of people in attendance. Our major sisterhood in the spring included a virtual concert with the band Velcro Pygmies, which we invited actives and alumni to attend via zoom! We had another virtual initiation for our wonderful spring pledge class of 6 women. In the fall of 2021, the world was becoming normal again in Statesboro, Georgia. Mask mandates were lifted, and classes and events resumed completely normal. Recruitment this year was half virtual, half in person, and we were finally able to have a normal bid day again! Big little reveal was in person in the spring and fall! On October 2nd, 2021, we welcomed 62 amazing new members into our chapter at Zeta Upsilon’s first normal initiation since 2019! We were also able to raise our sisterhood attendance this fall! Some favorite sisterhood events included our bleach tie-dye sisterhood, a vision board sisterhood, and a Friendsgiving sisterhood that was planned by our fall ’21 girls! Zeta Upsilon was awarded platinum for Georgia Southern’s wings points again this year. We held a Founders Day brunch on October 9th. We also had a lot of firsts this semester, including our first combined trunk show with Chi Omega and Phi Mu. Zeta Upsilon held its first ever philanthropy week! This included events such as Kappa Karaoke and a cornhole tournament, as well as a raffle and our annual dinner to raise money!     &lt;br /&gt;
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[[File:Zeta Upsilon Chapter Members 2021.png|thumb|Zeta Upsilon Chapter Members 2021]]&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zeta Upsilon locally supports G.I.R.L.S academy and the philanthropies of the winners of our first philanthropy week. These include Beta Upsilon Chi, Theta Xi, and Kappa Sigma. These are supported through our money raised from the raffle and dinner!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Our chapter hosted its first philanthropy week, as well as Kappa Kountry Dinner, which is an annual dinner formally known as Chips, Cheese, and KKGs. Zeta Upsilon also had percentage nights throughout the year at different restaurants around Statesboro to raise money. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We made a plan to incorporate DEI in the new member experience, had guest speakers at chapter, had the courage to commit program, gave DEI presentations during recruitment work week and chapter, and made a DEI plans &amp;amp; goals document for future DEI chairs as part of the action plan.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Operating in a Pandemic'''&lt;br /&gt;
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It mainly affected our spring semester. We had to have virtual sisterhoods, as well as having Tuesday night dinners pick-up only. Chapters were held via zoom. Spring initiation was also virtual. By the time of fall recruitment, we were able to have work weeks in person, until halfway through they had to go virtual due to a few COVID cases around campus. We then had the first few rounds of recruitment virtually through zoom. Sisterhood day and Preference round were able to be held in person! Bid day was in person as well, and such a fun time to all be together again! With guidelines and mandates lifted, we were returning to normal and had sisterhoods, chapters, Initiation and dinners in person again!&lt;br /&gt;
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------------------------&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Note to Chapter Registrar:''' &lt;br /&gt;
Please refer to your chapter archives including chapter meeting minutes and back issues of The Key to fill in any gaps in the above historical highlights. If your chapter archives are not complete, please research your university library, campus newspaper and yearbook archives for newsworthy information about your chapter. Please double check your work for accuracy. Contact chapter Advisory or House Board members, local Alumnae Association members, or your Province Director of Chapters for assistance.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Your efforts will ensure a complete and accurate history of your chapter for future generations to enjoy!&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>VickiCarrigan</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Zeta_Upsilon&amp;diff=23007</id>
		<title>Zeta Upsilon</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Zeta_Upsilon&amp;diff=23007"/>
				<updated>2022-07-25T16:18:37Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;VickiCarrigan: &lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;div&gt;{{Infobox Fraternity&lt;br /&gt;
|Name= Zeta Upsilon&lt;br /&gt;
|GreekSymbol= ZΥ&lt;br /&gt;
|Image= [[File:Zeta_Upsilon.jpg|200px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1990|03|31}}&lt;br /&gt;
|College= [https://www.georgiasouthern.edu/ Georgia Southern University]&lt;br /&gt;
|Location= Statesboro, GA&lt;br /&gt;
|Homepage= [https://georgiasouthern.kappa.org/ Zeta Upsilon Homepage]&lt;br /&gt;
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Zeta_Upsilon Media related to Zeta Upsilon Chapter]}}&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Georgia Southern University established in 1906'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Zeta Upsilon founded March 31, 1990 - 76 charter members'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''1,263 initiates (as of June 2018)'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Outstanding Zeta Upsilon Alumnae''' (If you have chapter alumnae who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.)&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Council Members'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Loyalty Award'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Additional Outstanding Zeta Upsilon Alumnae'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Lynne Stanton Whinnem: Province Director of Chapters (2013-2016), Membership Specialist (2015-2021), Graduate Scholarship Reader (2019), District Director (2020-2024).&lt;br /&gt;
Kelcey Schmidt, Leadership Consultant 2011-2012.&lt;br /&gt;
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==History of Georgia Southern University==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On December 1, 1906, the newly appointed First District Board of Trustees convened in Savannah, Georgia. It was one of 11 such boards created for each congressional district by state legislation that year to build and oversee agricultural and mechanical schools for elementary and secondary students. The trustees listened to bids from local leaders who wanted the First District A&amp;amp;M School to be built in their communities and were willing to provide the funding to do so. &lt;br /&gt;
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Among the bidders were 50 representatives from Bulloch County who had journeyed from Statesboro on a train called the “College Special.” Their bid of $125,000 in cash and in-kind contributions, including a donation of 300 acres for a campus, won handily. Early in 1908, just outside Statesboro (on a site called “Collegeboro”), the First District A&amp;amp;M School opened its doors with 15 students, four faculty members, and three buildings.&lt;br /&gt;
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By 1920, the First District A&amp;amp;M School had 150 students and was fielding teams in football and baseball; the “Aggies” typically won more than half their games in any given season. But by 1921, a combination of rapidly growing debt and drastically declining enrollments almost spelled the end of the fledgling school.&lt;br /&gt;
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Hard work and commitment prevailed, however, and by 1924, not only were the school’s finances and enrollments back on track, but the Georgia General Assembly upgraded the school to a two-year college for teacher training and retitled it the Georgia Normal School, one of three in the state. With this first change in the school’s status, “Principal” Ernest V. Hollis became “President” Hollis, Georgia Southern University’s first president. The following year, private donors funded the first scholarships for the campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1929, the General Assembly was persuaded that another major institutional promotion was due, and the Georgia Normal School became the South Georgia Teachers College via state legislation, converting the Statesboro campus from a two-year junior college to a four-year teachers college. The Aggies had receded, and the “Blue Tide” had rolled in, bringing programs not only in football and baseball, but also in basketball and track; basketball was played in a tobacco warehouse until the first gymnasium was built in 1931.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1939, South Georgia Teachers College became Georgia Teachers College by action of the Board of Regents. This new title represented less a change of status for the college and more a recognition by the Regents that the Statesboro campus was the statewide college for teacher education. Later, the “Blue Tide” receded, and “The Professors” became the official name of Georgia Teachers College’s intercollegiate teams.&lt;br /&gt;
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When Eugene Talmadge was elected governor in 1940, he remembered, according to some observers, that the electoral district dominated by Georgia Teachers College had voted for his opponent. Within a year, the governor had initiated an effort to remove President Marvin Pittman on charges that included advocating “racial equality and teaching communism” (the latter conclusively disproved). President Pittman was fired, and as a direct result of his dismissal, all state-supported institutions of higher education in Georgia saw their regional academic accreditation withdrawn by what is now the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 1942, a new governor was elected, and the Board of Regents was reorganized; a year later, Georgia Teachers College and the University System of Georgia were reaccredited, and Dr. Pittman was reinstated by the Board as president of Georgia Teachers College.&lt;br /&gt;
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This incident, which received international media coverage at the time, was a formative and symbolic experience in the history of Georgia Southern University and a measure of its resilience in the defense of academic and institutional integrity, qualities that remain today.&lt;br /&gt;
In 1957, the college in Statesboro was authorized by the Board of Regents to offer its first graduate degree, a Master of Education. In some ways, that benchmark was the beginning of the ultimate evolution from a college to a university.&lt;br /&gt;
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Only two years later, Georgia Teachers College was upgraded by the Board of Regents to Georgia Southern College, recognition by Georgia’s policymakers that the College was now a comprehensive institution with responsibilities well beyond the specialized mission of educating teachers. In 1960, the “Professors” was retired as the name of Georgia Southern’s intercollegiate teams, and by student vote, the “Eagles” was hatched.&lt;br /&gt;
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The first fraternities and sororities were chartered on the campus in 1967 and 1968. In 1981, football was reintroduced to Georgia Southern after a hiatus of almost 40 years, inaugurating a new winning tradition of Division I intercollegiate sports.&lt;br /&gt;
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Beginning in the early 1970s, a resurgent effort to acquire university status for the Statesboro campus emerged, culminating in 1989 with the Board of Regents’ vote to promote Georgia Southern College to Georgia Southern University. &lt;br /&gt;
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When university status became effective on July 1, 1990, Georgia Southern received its sixth and final name. Georgia Southern University became the first new university in Georgia in 21 years and the third largest university in the state. In 1992, the Regents authorized Georgia Southern University to initiate its first doctoral program, the Doctorate of Education, which was the first doctorate to be offered by an institution located in South Georgia. In 2006, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classified Georgia Southern University as a doctoral/research institution.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Colonization and Installation==&lt;br /&gt;
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Zeta Upsilon Chapter was installed March 31, 1990, at Georgia Southern College in Statesboro, Georgia. Located near Savannah, Southern is a rapidly growing school with an enrollment of approximately 11,000 students. By fall, the college will have attained university status and will become the third largest state-supported school in Georgia.&lt;br /&gt;
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Kappa Kappa Gamma is proud to join six other National Panhellenic groups on this campus: Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Omicron Pi, Chi Omega, Kappa Delta, Phi Mu, and Zeta Tau Alpha. &lt;br /&gt;
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The exciting festivities began on Thursday when the Installation Team became acquainted with the colony pledges. Zeta Upsilon was indeed honored to have three Fraternity Presidents participating in the installation: Kay Smith Larson, Washington, Fraternity President; Marian Klingbeil Williams, Missouri, immediate former President and now serving as Extension Chairman; and Jean Hess Wells, Georgia, President 1976-80 and Fraternity Ritualist. Other members of the Installation Team were: Carol Lash Armstrong, Miami (Ohio), Director of Membership and Council Officer for Zeta Upsilon; Frances Davis Roberts, Georgia, Mu North PDC; Ann Sappenfield Tuttle, William and Mary, Mu South PDC; Karen Anderson Gregorio, Arizona State, Mu North PDA; Karen Stevens Pinkney, Georgia, Mu South PDA; Martha Hay Streibig, Indiana, Coordinator of Chapter Development; Heather Hartmann, Massachusetts, Chapter Consultant; Linda Finnegan, Washington State, Sheri Gosliner, UCLA, Laura Hedges, Kansas, and Denise Rugani, UC Davis, Traveling Consultants. &lt;br /&gt;
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Volunteering assistance during their spring breaks were Chapter Consultants Teresa Cox, South Carolina, CC at North Texas (who will be the new Zeta Upsilon CC for 1990-91), and Marnie O'Brien, Denison, CC at Washington and Lee. &lt;br /&gt;
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In attendance were Mu Province Notables: Fraternity Treasurer Susannah Erck Howard, Florida State; former Council member Carol Engels Harmon, Miami (Ohio); and former Mu Province Officers Loraine Heaton Livesay, St. Lawrence, and Ann Treadway Henry, Mississippi. &lt;br /&gt;
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Big sisters to the colony were members of the four Mu North chapters: Clemson, Emory, Georgia, and South Carolina. All chapters in Mu South - Florida, Florida State, Miami, and Rollins - also joined the festivities.&lt;br /&gt;
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The Fireside Service was held on Friday evening, followed by a reception at which many lovely gifts were presented from Kappa alumnae groups, chapters, and friends. &lt;br /&gt;
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Initiation for 75 members was held Saturday morning. In the afternoon Zeta Upsilon was honored at a reception given by the Fraternity and attended by more than 300 parents, relatives, friends, university administrators, and representatives of other campus Greek organizations. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the Installation Banquet the Atlanta Alumnae Association presented the Fraternity with a lovely badge to be worn by Zeta Upsilon Chapter Presidents. The closing ritual ended the banquet and provided a perfect finish to a wonderful weekend and exciting beginning of Kappa's 121st active chapter - welcome, Zeta Upsilon!  The Key, Fall, 1990&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Traditions'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Many events and activities were organized to celebrate our connection to one another. These activities were New Member retreats, Kappa Kampout, Big/little week, and Senior Picnic.  The chapter was a strong supporter of the Eagles football team. The members loved to get dressed up in GSU gear and go to a variety of tailgates. At the games members enjoyed sitting together and rooting on the team as well as showing off  Kappa pride with t-shirts and matching pins designed for football season. &lt;br /&gt;
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Georgia Southern football has always been a favorite tradition for students, alumnae, parents and faculty. Game days began early with the loud chanting of &amp;quot;GEORGIA&amp;quot;... &amp;quot;SOUTHERN&amp;quot;... that can be heard across town.  The Homecoming game is one of Kappa's favorite games of the football season! To celebrate, Kappa pairs up with a fraternity and participates in various Homecoming events in the week leading up to the game. On the game day Alum are invited to a quick visitation at the House before heading over to Paulson Stadium to watch the game!&lt;br /&gt;
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Parents Weekend occurred each year in early October, and gave parents a chance to visit their daughters, attend an Eagles football game, and see what Kappa is all about! During Parents Weekend a tailgate was held at Kappa house where parents and daughters could enjoy getting to know other families while eating hot dogs and hamburgers.&lt;br /&gt;
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Every year, Kappa hosted Mother-Daughter day. Kappas and their moms enjoyed a beautiful tea and pottery event hosted at the house. Mother-Daughter day is a great chance for Mothers to spend a fun day with their daughters as well as meet other Kappa moms.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1990s==&lt;br /&gt;
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There are no chapter history reports in the chapter’s current archives from this time period except for the 1992-1993 report. In this report, the chapter claimed that the year was full of prosperity. The chapter had a chapter consultant that year, Jackie Moore, and felt after her term that their chapter had finally become established on campus. One Kappa won the &amp;quot;Greek Woman of the Year&amp;quot; Award in 1999.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1990, the chapter had a Halloween philanthropy at a local nursing home. The first annual Kappa Karnival was held in the spring of 1991 to benefit a group of handicapped adults. Kappa Karnvial lasted until 1993. In the fall of 1992, the chapter served a Thanksgiving dinner to the elderly through Concerted Services. In the spring of 1993, the philanthropy committee organized a large donation for “High Hope”. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Gracious Living Award, Winner- Unhoused (1994-1996);&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter/AB Relations Award, Honorable Mention (1994-1996);&lt;br /&gt;
Fraternity Appreciation Award, Honorable Mention (1994-1996)&lt;br /&gt;
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==A New Millennium - Highlights of 2000-2010==&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Housing:''' &lt;br /&gt;
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In the fall of 2000, Zeta Upsilon held a groundbreaking ceremony for the house on Greek Row. In the fall of 2002, the house was completed and the chapter held a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony. The two-story house accommodated 15 live-in members, the housemother and a commercial kitchen. The inaugural live-in class was in the fall of 2002. &lt;br /&gt;
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Built in 2001, the Zeta Upsilon chapter house was the newest house on Greek Row at Georgia Southern University and has space for 15 live-in women.  The house offers many things including a spacious chapter room for meetings and Tuesday night dinners, a study, guest room, back patio, double front porch, and comfy parlor for late night movie marathons.  While the house provided a place to live, it means so much more to its members.  While living in the house a member would develop life-long friendships, memories, and a permanent connection to Kappa. It wasn’t uncommon for women to describe their experience living at the Kappa House as “the best time of their lives.”  &lt;br /&gt;
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After being suspended by the Fraternity in 2004, Zeta Upsilon was reinstated to Georgia Southern’s campus in the fall of 2006. The Fraternity reestablished Zeta Upsilon chapter at Georgia Southern University. The Fraternity’s membership team, led by Elizabeth Bailey, Mississippi, Mu Province Director of Chapters and Mary Tileston Wagner, San Diego, Mu Province Director of Alumnae found women with leadership skills to get the chapter off to a bright new start. They looked for potential members on campus who were leaders within their communities who would carry on Kappa’s Tradition of Leadership. The challenges the women faced included: coming back to campus, finding respect among all members (officers and actives), chapter involvement, and how to have a positive attitude within Zeta Upsilon as actives. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2007, Georgia Southern was continued to grow rapidly and expanded the campus. There were many building construction projects such a brand new state of the art library and art building. During this period, Zeta Upsilon struggled with chapter efficiency and worked hard to pull it up its grade point to third on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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In spring of 2008, Zeta Upsilon had the second hightest G.P.A amongst the Panhellenic Association, and the spring pledge class had the highest New Member G.P.A.. In the fall two  chapter women won Greek Woman of the Year and the GSU Greek Housing Scholarship which were both presented by the Panhellenic Association. On campus that year, Georgia Southern added a brand new recreational activities center. The chapter continued to grow in numbers as well as in their recognition on campus. Some challenges that Zeta Upsilon faced in 2008 was getting its name out on campus, working on grades, and participation by the chapter members. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2009, the chapter received the four-star-chapter award on the campus’ Five Star Chapter program. In 2009, the chapter faced challenges such as facing stereotypes on campus, becoming more active on campus, and improving chapter G.P.A.. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2010, the chapter’s homecoming candidate was voted top four and made Homecoming Court. Zeta Upsilon, again, received four- star-chapter in the campus’ Five Star Chapter program. One of the actives won the Greek Merit Scholarship by the Panhellenic Association. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring of 2000, the chapter visited local nursing homes and delivered handmade flowerpots made during Recruitment. A car-wash was held in the spring of 2000. That fall, Zeta Upsilon held a softball tournament for charity called “Kappa Klassic”. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2003, Zeta Upsilon started “Irises on the Green” putt-putt tournament benefiting Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2008, the chapter held it’s first “Low Country Boil” that benefited Safe Haven women’s shelter. Zeta Upsilon organized a “Battle in the Boro” paintball tournament and the proceeds benefited the Savannah, Georgia, Imperial Sugar Refinery Victims. In the spring of that year, Books and Bunnies was held by the chapter. It was an Easter egg hunt for local children. &lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring of 2009, Zeta Upsilon held it’s second annual “Battle in the Boro”. This year the proceeds benefited the local Boys and Girls Club of America and the Kappa Foundation.  That fall, the women also held their second annual “Low Country Boil” and again benefited Safe Haven women’s shelter. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2010, the chapter sold sorority bracelets to the other Panhellenic Association organizations on campus in support of the Kappa Foundation. That fall, the third annual “Low Country Boil” was held. It benefited Safe Haven and the Kappa Foundation. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Gracious Living Award, Honorable Mention (1998-2000);&lt;br /&gt;
Most Improved Scholarship (2000-2002)&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011 – 2019==&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011==&lt;br /&gt;
This past year was an incredible year for Zeta Upsilon. We added five lovely ladies in the spring to our chapter with a Dream Girls themed bid day. We collected recipes from chapter members to create a Kappa Cookbook for our Spring Philanthropy, which we sold to family, friends, and alumna. We also had a Mother Daughter tea in the Spring where sisters and their mothers painted pottery and enjoyed each others company. We closed out our spring semester with formal in Sylvania, GA at Shannon Vineyards. We had a wonderful recruitment once we returned from summer break where we welcomed the largest pledge class that Zeta Upsilon has ever seen. We held Big/Little week activities leading up to our reveal after which many of the new families went out for the latest craze of frozen yogurt. &lt;br /&gt;
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In October, we held our fourth annual Low Country Boil with Sigma Chi to raise money for both of our philanthropies. Sisters also attended other Greek philanthropy events such as Alpha Delta Pi’s Burgers and Fries. Initiation was very successful and our newly initiated members were very excited about finally being sisters. Our founder’s day went off without a hitch with many alumnae in attendance for brunch and ritual. We went to homecoming this year with Sigma Phi Epsilon and many of our sisters were able to participate in the activities sponsored by Georgia Southern University. Our nominee for Homecoming Queen was Hayden Harrison and every member was so proud of how far she went! We concluded the semester by receiving a five star standing in the Five Star Chapter program put on by our Panhellenic Association. Our chapter was extremely proud that all our hard work paid when we received five star and how much that we have grown as a chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Campus:''' Georgia Southern University is continuing to become one of the largest universities in the state of Georgia and is still growing. Our football team, the Georgia Southern Eagles, made it all the way to the semi-finals in the NCAA. Our campus has also invited another sorority to colonize on our campus this spring or next fall. The two sororities who have applied are Delta Phi Epsilon and Alpha Gamma Delta. With this new addition, our campus Greek life will experience growth. Even with this new addition there are so many different organizations on campus that every student can become involved in. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter:''' Zeta Upsilon has continued to thrive in 2011. As a chapter we have become stronger and have a higher morale than in years past. In the fall, we welcomed the largest pledge class ever. Our Public Relations chair has done a wonderful job in getting our chapter involved on campus and she made a wonderful Zeta Upsilon website. As a chapter, we are becoming more recognized and involved with the other Greek organizations on campus. Aside from hosting our own philanthropy events, we attended other organizations on campus. Every semester we are growing towards reaching chapter total of 125, and hopefully will see this number reached very soon. Zeta Upsilon is continuing to grow and become more successful as a chapter and every member is proud to be a part of something so special. &lt;br /&gt;
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Zeta Upsilon is still trying to overcome being the new chapter on campus and hopefully with the arrival of a new sorority it will help that transition more smoothly for both of us. Even though we have seen our chapter receive more recognition on campus we are still struggling with getting more and more actives to attend events. The same group of people continually are involved in all the activities and we are trying to motivate more members to get involved. To motivate members to come to more events we kept with the Sunshine Points system where the top three people with the most points received gift cards. The sisters really liked this method and more members showed up to events. We are still working on raising chapter morale with the newer pledge class with sisterhood events such as bunco nights, movie nights, family nights, etc. We also worked with Leadership Consultants in the beginning of the fall semester to help build our chapter morale as well. The results from recruitment showed how hard our chapter worked and really helped raise our spirits. As a chapter, we continue to increase our G.P.A. and are still utilizing our study hours with prizes for the three people who attended the most study hours. We all left 2011 behind us and are extremely excited for what 2012 holds for Zeta Upsilon.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2012==&lt;br /&gt;
Our philanthropy in the past year has been good, but can be improved. Last spring we did Laughter and Lupis which was an event at  Bliss Berry where 10% of the proceeds went to Walk for Lupus in Atlanta. This was in support of one of our sisters, Michaela Norman, who was diagnosed with Lupus. As always, we took part in other sororities and fraternities philanthropy events such as Sigma Chi's &amp;quot;Derby Days&amp;quot;, Alpha Delta Pi's &amp;quot;Burgers and Fries&amp;quot;, Zeta Tau Alpha's &amp;quot;Pack the House in Pink&amp;quot; . In the fall, we had our major event which is a Low Country Boil with Sigma Chi. This raised 3,726 dollars for the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, RIF, and Children's Miracle Network. &lt;br /&gt;
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We also volunteered at the Statesboro mall by giving away books and reading to children. Through out the year, we do Back Pack buddies where every month the chapter collects a certain item such as peanut butter to donate to local school children. Dealing with local and natural disasters, we created a t shirt for Hurricane Sandy victims and also sent letters to Kappa sisters affected by the Sandy Hook Shooting. We received the  Five star Chapter award and Philanthhropy award from Greek life in 2012. &lt;br /&gt;
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We were given the Heritage Award, House Board Advisory Award, and the Gracious Living Award at Mu Province. &lt;br /&gt;
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As a chapter we love our special events and have attended many Greek Life Speakers, had various speakers come to our chapter, socials, and sisterhood events.  During the fall we initiated 58 girls and are about to initiate one more of our new members at the University of South Carolina. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year we were chosen to be the trial chapter for LeadToday and had the amazing opportunity to learn from them. From that, we have made new chapter goals and are striving to work towards them. Some of these goals include increasing involvement, improving grades, and having better communication. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2013==&lt;br /&gt;
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In Spring 2013, Zeta Upsilon started their semester off with the first ever Kappa Kappa Gamma LeadToday program in January. Kappas from headquarters gave us an unforgettable experience and opportunity to help improve our chapter. The chapter set goals to help us achieve better academic accomplishments and improve the involvement throughout the chapter. In February, we did our annual “Kappa Kisses” across campus during the week of Valentine’s day, which is where we pass out cups of Hershey kisses to promote positive PR on campus. We also had our Kappa Krush date night at Gnats Landing, a social with Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and attended Phi Mu and Zeta Tau Alpha’s “Pack the House in Pink” event during a basketball game during February. In March, we participated in SAE’s philanthropy event, Paddy Murphy, as well as Delta Phi Epsilon’s Color Run. During March, we also held a successful Mother’s weekend filled with bowling and dinner. During April, we had a successful formal in the outskirts of Statesboro. Also during April, we won Sigma Chi’s philanthropy event, Derby Days, for the first time ever which is a huge accomplishment as we helped them raised hundreds of dollars towards their philanthropy. We also co-hosted a 5K with Enactus in Statesboro called “5K to “Cap” Alzheimer’s” where participants wore all sorts of crazy and funky hats during their run. &lt;br /&gt;
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During Fall 2013, our recruitment chair, Holly Ryan, held 2 weeks of successful recruitment workshops to help us achieve handing out 60 bids to potential new members in August. The bid day theme was NFL where we celebrated the new Kappas with a party at a local hotel.  The new members had a popular new member retreat a Tybee Island during the day and a sleepover at the Kappa house for the night. In September, we hosted our annual Low Country Boil with Sigma Chi and were able to raise around $4000 for the Kappa Foundation and the Huntsmen Cancer Foundation. We also sent a member to Leadership Academy in September in Ohio and she had a great time getting to know sisters from all across that nation. &lt;br /&gt;
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Zeta Upsilon initiated 55 members on October 12, 2013 with many fun I-Week activities the week before including cookie decorating, frozen yogurt, and a trip to the local corn maze. Also in October, we held our awesome semi-formal at 40 East Grill. Throughout the semester, we were excited to have had socials with the men of Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Alpha Order, and an extremely successful homecoming week with Delta Tau Delta. During homecoming week, we were able to donate hundreds of items towards the local food bank as well as have over 20 members donate blood that week. During the same week, our step team won 2nd place in the annual Doodah/Step competition held by Georgia Southern. &lt;br /&gt;
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After extreme campaigning that week for our queen candidate, Jordan Conway, she was placed on homecoming court, which was a true honor for Jordan and Kappa Kappa Gamma. In November, we were lucky enough to win the 5-Star chapter award at Georgia Southern’s Greek Life Awards, which is the highest level of achievement for a chapter; we were able to earn that because of our involvement on campus, our philanthropy efforts, academics, and other categories. At the Greek Life Awards, Jordan Conway was also named “Greek Woman of the Year.” In November, we also held Parent’s Weekend with dinner at Van Gogh’s and a breakfast tailgate on Saturday before the football game. In December, we held our Tacky Christmas date night. Also in December, we were able to install the new council for the 2014 year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Overall, we participated in many philanthropy events across town and improved our relations with other organizations in Greek life. Our grades still need improvement but we are on our way to a successful year with new ideas from the new chapter council. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2013, chapter total for sororities was increased from 125 to 171. Quota for fall formal recruitment was 59 and we gave out 60 bids. We have made many great strides throughout this past year and we are looking forward to constantly improving our chapter and maintaining the “nicest girls on row” reputation. Georgia Southern had around 22,000 students with 11% in Greek life.&lt;br /&gt;
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One major change to our campus this year was the adding of a new sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon. This past fall, Georgia Southern had a large growth of students which in turn helped Kappa to have the biggest pledge class on row. Recruitment made major changes by deciding to change skit day to sisterhood day, and added more restrictive rules.  At the end of the first semester, we elected new officers and also got a new Director Of Greek life.  Over the past year our chapter has become more involved and determined to better our sorority.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2014==&lt;br /&gt;
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In spring 2014, the chapter set goals to help us achieve better academic accomplishments and improve involvement throughout the chapter. In February, we held our annual “Kappa Kisses” across campus during the week of Valentine’s Day, which is where we pass out cups of Hershey’s kisses to promote positive PR on campus. We also had Kappa Krush date night at South City, and attended Phi Mu’s and Zeta Tau Alpha’s “Pack the House in Pink” event during a basketball game in February. In March, we participated in SAE’s philanthropy event, Paddy Murphy. During April, we had a successful formal at the Hyatt on River Street in Savannah. Also during April, we participated in Sigma Chi’s philanthropy, Derby Days, helping raise hundreds of dollars towards their philanthropy. We also participated in Relay For Life in which we raised $4,125, the most raised by any Greek and non-Greek organization. Also, members of Kappa were awarded Panhellenic Merritt Scholarship and Panhellenic Southern Greek Housing Scholarship. In June, the President and Vice President attended General Convention where we received an honorable mention for membership and we also became part of the Adelphae Society for donating over $10,000 to Kappa’s Foundation since ZY’s founding. &lt;br /&gt;
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During fall 2014, our Recruitment Chairman, Christian Lienmiller, held two weeks of successful recruitment workshops to help us achieve handing out 68 bids to potential new members in August. The bid day theme was “Destination Kappa” where we celebrated the new Kappas with a celebration located at the house.  The new members went to St. Simons, where they stayed at Epworth By the Sea. In September, we hosted our annual Low Country Boil with Sigma Chi and were able to raise money for the Kappa Foundation and the Huntsmen Cancer Foundation. Zeta Upsilon initiated 66 members on October 11, 2014, with many fun I-Week activities the week before including cookie decorating, movie night, and a trip to the local corn maze. We participated in Trick or Treat on Greek Street, where we handed out candy to kids from the Statesboro community. Also in October, we held our semi-formal at 40 East Grill. We celebrated Founders Day at the house with a barbeque and had alumnae attend. With the help of an alumna, trips were taken to Memorial Hospital where groups of Kappa’s entertained and read to children there. Throughout the semester, we were excited to have had socials with the men of Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Alpha Order, and an extremely successful homecoming week with Pi Kappa Alpha. During homecoming week, our step team won second place in the annual Doodah/Step competition held by Georgia Southern. At the end of the week Kappa Kappa Gamma received first place overall. In November, we were lucky enough to win the 5-Star chapter award at Georgia Southern’s Greek Life Awards, which is the highest level of achievement for a chapter; we were able to earn that because of our involvement on campus, our philanthropy efforts, academics, and other categories. In November, we also held Parents Weekend with barbeque at the Kappa house before the football game and trivia at Retrievers. A responsible drinking program was held during November which was held by our President who is Serve Safe Alcohol Certified. In December, we held our Tacky Christmas date night. Also in December, we were able to install the new council for the 2015 year. &lt;br /&gt;
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In addition to the Advisory Board, a committee was formed to plan the 25th anniversary of Zeta Upsilon which will be held April 24-26, 2015. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our House Board made many updates this year, including beautiful new wooden doors, a redecorated parlor, and converted one bedroom into an upstairs lounge with a T.V. There are currently 188 members of Zeta Upsilon with 11 living in the house. Currently we are not able to fit into the chapter room comfortably for meetings so House Board has begun exploring opportunities to expand the house or build an addition.&lt;br /&gt;
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Overall, we participated in many philanthropy events across town and improved our relations with other organizations in Greek life. Our grades still need improvement but we are on our way to a successful year with new ideas from the new chapter council. &lt;br /&gt;
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In 2014, chapter total for sororities was increased from 171 to 188. Quota for fall formal recruitment was 66 and we gave out 66 bids. We have made many great strides throughout this past year and we are looking forward to constantly improving our chapter and maintaining the “nicest girls on row” reputation. Georgia Southern had around 22,000 students with 11% in Greek life.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2015==&lt;br /&gt;
In spring 2015, we held spring rush and added 12 amazing new members to our chapter. In February, we held our annual “Kappa Kisses” across campus during the week of Valentine’s Day, which is where we pass out cups of Hershey’s kisses to promote positive PR on campus. We also had our Kappa Krush date night at a local Winery. Parents were invited to attend our Parents weekend, where they could attend a Georgia Southern baseball game and have brunch at the Kappa house. &lt;br /&gt;
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In March, we participated SAE’s philanthropy event, Paddy Murphy. We helped raise hundreds of dollars throughout the week and won in the end. March 31, was the 25th anniversary of Zeta Upsilon chapter. During April, we invited over 150 alumnae to come celebrate 25 years of Zeta Upsilon with a weekend packed full of events. Our formal was held at the Mackey House Barn in Savannah. Also during April, we participated in Sigma Chi’s philanthropy, Derby Days. We also participated in Relay For Life in which we raised $11,000, the most raised by any Greek and non-Greek organization. At the end of April, Georgia Southern community suffered a tragic loss of 5 nurse’s students. We opened our Barbeque Blues event to all Georgia southern students, offering free barbecue and comfort to those who needed it. &lt;br /&gt;
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During fall 2014, our Recruitment Chairman, Claire Dwyer, ran a successful recruitment where we handed out 74 bids to potential new members in August. The bid day theme was Madri Gras, with a celebration located at the house. Zeta Upsilon initiated 72 members on October 10, 2015, with many fun I-Week activities the week before. Also in October, we held our semi-formal at a local winery.  Our chapter participated in an Aspen Heights Photo competition, where they would donate $1,000 to a foundation of our choice. We won the local competition and were entered into the national competition. Our chapter won both local and national levels of the competition. From the Aspen Heights competitions we won a total of $6,000 which will be put towards funding our GIRLS Academy event. At the end of October we held our annual “Trick or Treat on Greek Street” where locals from Statesboro could bring their kids to get candy and play games. Throughout the semester, we were excited to have had socials with the men of Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Alpha Order, and an extremely successful homecoming week with Sigma Nu. In November, we were lucky enough to win the 5-Star chapter award at Georgia Southern’s Greek Life Awards, which is the highest level of achievement for a chapter; we were able to earn that because of our involvement on campus, our philanthropy efforts, academics, and other categories. In December, we held our Tacky Christmas date night. Also in December, we were able to install the new council for the 2016 year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Overall, we participated in many philanthropy events across town and improved our relations with other organizations in Greek life. Our grades still need improvement but we did move up in our GPA ranking. We are on our way to a successful year with new ideas from the new chapter council. One major change to out campus is the addition of another sorority, Chi Omega.  &lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter Philanthropy:&lt;br /&gt;
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What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?&lt;br /&gt;
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The past few years we have participated in Relay for Life on our local campus. We donate books to local schools and libraries. We also go to these schools and libraries to have Reading is Key events. Within the past year we went to Savannahs Memorial Hospital to volunteer.  &lt;br /&gt;
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Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support?  &lt;br /&gt;
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Relay for Life became very important to our chapter, last year one of our active members found out she has cancer and has been battling it since. We choose to volunteer at Savannahs Memorial Hospital because they are alumnae that help coordinate the volunteer days and because of the short distance.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2016==  &lt;br /&gt;
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The past year got off to a great start with our annual Kappa Krush date night at South City. During the week of Valentine’s Day, we held our annual “Kappa Kisses” event where we handed out cups filled with Hershey’s Kisses on campus to promote good PR. This was followed by our first time hosting GIRLS Academy in conjunction with William James Middle School in Statesboro. In March, we participated in SAE’s philanthropy event, Paddy Murphy, winning first place and $500 toward our philanthropy. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was an exciting month because we hosted a formal at Savannah Quarters Country Club and held Parents Weekend with dinner at Meinhart Winery on a Saturday night and a Georgia Southern baseball game on Sunday. We also hosted a Reading Is Key event with reading and coloring activities at the local Books A Million store. We finished the semester with a sisterhood event at Sk8 City, a roller rink in Pooler, Georgia, which was an exciting and entertaining time as we watched each other attempt to skate the afternoon away. &lt;br /&gt;
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Despite our busy schedules throughout the year, we made ample time to study and attend class, finishing the semester with a chapter GPA average of 3.11. This GPA was an improvement as we moved up from sixth to fifth place in grades, and the grade differential between organizations was very minimal. &lt;br /&gt;
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In July, Allison McInerney, Chapter President and Abby Layfield, Vice President-Standards, attended Kappa’s General Convention in San Diego, California. While at Convention, Zeta Upsilon received an Honorable Mention for Philanthropy, as well as the Recruitment Award for our Panhellenic size! As the summer continued, our Membership Chairman, Abby Stegall, prepared for the upcoming Recruitment with recruitment workshops and sisterhood events, such as donut decorating and an afternoon to ourselves at Splash In the ‘Boro Waterpark. &lt;br /&gt;
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Before we knew it, August arrived and formal Recruitment was in full swing. A major change to our campus was that Chi Omega was added as a Panhellenic sorority. The long days of singing, clapping and icebreakers finally paid off when we welcomed 73 new members home to Kappa on Bid Day and showed them just how “Wild About Kappa” we are. In September, we hosted our first annual Kappa Kon Queso philanthropy event at the Kappa house, where we sold bowls of nachos and queso cheese to raise money for the next GIRLS Academy we plan to host in fall 2017. We were excited to raise $3,000 at our first Kappa Kon Queso event and look forward to making it an annual event. &lt;br /&gt;
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In normal Georgia Southern fashion, we cheered on the Eagles each game day. We were able to have parents and families join us one Saturday for another Parents Weekend in September. Parents were able to grab a bite to eat while listening to a local Statesboro band before heading to Paulson Stadium to root the eagles on to victory against Louisiana-Monroe. At the end of September, our new members bonded on Tybee Island for their New Member Retreat.&lt;br /&gt;
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On October 13, we celebrated Founders Day by hosting a formal dinner at our house for our chapter members and alumnae. Originally, Initiation was scheduled of the beginning of October, but because of Hurricane Matthew, school was canceled and therefore we postponed Initiation until the end of the month. Fortunately, the Kappa house did not sustain any damage from the hurricane. Next, we participated in Trick-or-Treat on Greek Street, hosted for local children, as well as Downtown Statesboro’s Scare on the Square, a city-wide Halloween event. And finally, after months of learning Kappa’s values and history, Angelica Concepcion, our New Member Chairman, presented the new members to the chapter for Initiation on October 28 and 29, 2016. &lt;br /&gt;
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November started out strong with campaigning for our Homecoming queen candidate, Natalie Morris. During Georgia Southern’s annual Greek Life awards, we took home the PHA Outstanding Leadership award as well as the 5-Star chapter award, which is the highest level of achievement for a chapter based on involvement on campus, philanthropy efforts, academics and more. Leadership Consultant Claire Kozel returned in November for a second visit and sisters enjoyed meals with her as well as doing online workout videos. After Claire left we held officer elections for the 2017-2018 Chapter Council and our new officers were installed at the end of November, with Megan Caudell installed as Chapter President. Also in November we held an appreciation week for our longtime house director, Ms. Fraser. This past year was amazing and exciting for Zeta Upsilon, and it is truly shocking how fast the time went by. We look forward to the upcoming semesters, especially the fall of 2017 when our house expansion will finally be complete! In December 2016, the live-in girls moved out so that construction of the remodel and addition can begin the day after the semester ends. Zeta Upsilon’s House Board is continuing to work on a fundraising campaign to complete this remodel that will enlarge our chapter room to accommodate our growing chapter. This year we soared well past 200 members and expect another large class in the fall of 2017. &lt;br /&gt;
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On behalf of the members of Zeta Upsilon, we would like to personally thank all of the alumnae who have helped make this chapter grow and become the amazing home it is today for so many women. We hope you continue with us in the upcoming years on this journey of friendship, scholarship and leadership that we call Kappa.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
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This year, as a chapter, we raised money for and donated hours to; Reading is Fundamental, GIRLS Academy at William James Middle School, Relay for Life, Backpack Buddies, and Scare on the Square. We choose to support RIF in our community because Bulloch County has many impoverished communities which leads to a decline in literacy rates. GIRLS Academy is important to our chapter because we have each encountered the struggles of being a woman and we are fond on empowering womanhood and helping young girls understand they can achieve anything one may set their mind too. Relay for Life is a philanthropy near and dear to our chapter because one of our sisters was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. Everyone knows someone that has been affected in some form or fashion and coming together for the cause unifies the Georgia Southern community. We choose to donate goods to backpack buddies each month because of the poverty levels in Statesboro. Some children leave school Friday and do not have another meal until Monday morning at school. It is important to us to reach out and help our community in whichever ways we can. Scare on the square was an event to celebrate halloween in Bulloch County. We chose to volunteer and assist in any way we could during the event to become more involved in the community and with other organizations.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2017==  &lt;br /&gt;
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In the Spring of 2017, we started the semester off slightly different than normal. The Zeta Upsilon’s chapter house started construction for the expansion in January. It was quite the adjustment for the chapter. We did not get to have our weekly Tuesday night dinners and chapter was held in the Education Building on campus. But, we overcame that difficulty. We also held our annual Back to School Bash date night at South City in the month of January. In February, we stayed very busy. We held our annual, “Kappa Kisses”, across campus during the week of Valentine’s Day, which is where we pass out cups of Hershey’s kisses to promote positive public relations on campus. We also held our annual Valentine’s Day date night, Kappa Krush, at the Hall on Vine. Our philanthropy chairman, Jeanne Whitley, held a very successful Reading is Fundamental event at the downtown Statesboro library. She had snacks, raffles, games, and books for the children to participate in. Jeanne also coordinated a spirit night at Mellow Mushroom in the month of February, where a certain percentage of all sales were donated to GIRLS Academy. In the month of February, we had a visit from leadership consultant, Claire Kozel, and Mu district director, Barb Goettelman. During the visit, Zeta Upsilon was placed on a temporary focus letter. The focus letter was set in place to help guide the advisors, chapter council, and chapter members in the right direction moving forward. Each individual chapter council member had her own requirements involving the focus letter. In the month of March, our parents were invited to attend our Parent’s weekend. Where they could attend a dinner at South City and have brunch at Sweet Heart Circle. We held a Rhyme Without Reason date night, which was a lot of fun. We participated in Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s annual philanthropy event, Paddy Murphy. We helped raised hundreds of dollars throughout the week and won 2nd place at the end of the week. Our philanthropy chairman, Jeanne, planned a spirit night at Three Tree Coffee during the month of March, where the proceeds went to the upcoming GIRLS Academy. Our corresponding secretary, Michaela O’Larry, did a wonderful job promoting International Badge Day during the month of March. Also, our Vice President of Academics, Erin Moore, hosted the academic banquet, which recognized the chapter member’s academic success and the chapter members who received a 4.0 GPA were awarded with a pearl to go on her badge. During the month of April, our chapter stayed busy. Our social chairman and risk management chairman, Jacqueline Ferree and Julia Ling, planned a beautiful formal at the Richmond Hill Civic Center in Richmondhill, Georgia. We participated in Georgia Southern University’s annual Greek Week. During the week, different chapters of Interfraternity Council, Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Panhellenic Association are paired together to compete in different activities. Kappa Kappa Gamma was paired with Delta Tau Delta, Alpha Sigma Phi, and Kappa Alpha Psi. Our philanthropy chairman, Jeanne, stayed busy and hosted spirit nights at Gnat’s Landing and El Jalapeño, which benefitted Relay for Life. The chapter participated in Statesboro’s Relay for Life in the month of April, as well. We had a visit from the leadership consultant Kendall Michaud. During Kendall’s visit, our chapter held the first ever Kappa Karaoke philanthropy event at the Hall on Vine, which benefitted GIRLS Academy. Individuals, who purchased a ticket, were allowed to enter the karaoke contest and sing in front of a panel of judges and at the end of the evening the winner was announced, even Kendall got on stage with our Vice President of Organization, Lindsay Futch, and sang a song. In the month of April, we participated in Sigma Chi’s annual philanthropy event, Derby Days, where thousands of dollars were raised to benefit the Huntsman Cancer Foundation. Our Vice President of Standards, Olivia Currie, planned the first ever Kappa Karnival sisterhood event. She had blowups, cotton candy, popcorn, and many other fun activities. Several of our chapter members participated in Phi Beta Sigma’s, Wiggle like a Sigma, which was a step competition that promoted their organization. Our Education Chairman, Kaylee Moody, planned a brunch at the Hall on Vine for the graduating seniors to educate the women on what it means to become an alumna of Kappa Kappa Gamma. During the spring semester, we held socials with the brothers of Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, and Kappa Sigma. &lt;br /&gt;
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[[File:ZY Chapter Room.png|thumb|Zeta Upsilon House Renovation New Chapter Room]]&lt;br /&gt;
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To kick off the Fall 2017 semester, our newly renovated house was reopened. Our Membership Chairman, Aubrey Garrido, planned a successful all member workweek prior to the week of recruitment. During that week, members practiced songs and recruiting techniques. We were lucky enough to have two leadership consultants with us, Natalie Kinder and Catie Ross. Our New Member Chairman, Rachel Clardy, planned an awesome Bid Day. The theme was, “Old and New, Blue and Blue Looks Good on You”, where chapter members were decked out in all blue. We welcomed 56 new members into our chapter on Bid Day. Chapter Member Amanda Haney pledged Kappa this past Fall and her mother Terri Bohmer Haney was a charter member for Zeta Upsilon. Chi Omega returned to our campus and participated in Recruitment for the first time in many years.&lt;br /&gt;
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The following weekend the New Member Chairman, Rachel, hosted the New Member Retreat at the WW Mann Center in Statesboro. During the month of August, we held our annual Back to School Bash at Eagle’s Creek Brewery. Vice President of Standards, Olivia Currie, planned a Planner Party sisterhood and a “Donut You Want to be a Kappa” sisterhood in the month of August. Philanthropy Chairman, Jeanne Whitley, hosted a spirit night at Mellow Mushroom, which benefitted GIRLS Academy during the month of August, as well. The month of September was an extra busy month for ZY. The second week in September, Georgia Southern University students were encouraged to evacuate due to Hurricane Irma. We school was cancelled for 6 days. Once we returned, our Vice President of Standards Chairman, Olivia, planned a, Beauty and the Beast, movie night at the house, where we had a popcorn bar. She also planned a Tie-Dye sisterhood, where each chapter member was able to tie-dye a Kappa shirt. The Philanthropy Chairman, Jeanne, planned a spirit night at Chick-Fil-A and hosted our second annual Kappa Con Queso. Kappa Con Queso benefitted GIRLS Academy and we had a nacho bar, music, and games. During the month of October, leadership consultant, Natalie Kinder, returned to ZY for Inspiration Week. Chapter Marshal, Macy Collins, planned an exciting Inspiration Week, which included family pictures and a movie night at the local movie theater, where we saw, Home Again. Inspiration Week was followed by Fireside on Friday night and initiation on Saturday morning. Chapter President, Megan Caudell, did a beautiful job speaking at initiation. ZY was so excited to welcome the 56 new members as our official sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
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House chairman, Tori Hiles, planned a beautiful House Dedication ceremony, where we had a ribbon cutting and snacks. ZY alumni were invited to join us for the ceremony. House Board President, Ellen Wooditch, and House Board Treasurer, Emily Cannon, worked countless hours making sure ZY’s new home was perfect. In the study, which is where the house girls spend most of their time, there are pictures of the ZY Kappas from the early 1990s displayed on the wall.&lt;br /&gt;
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[[File:ZY Photo Display.png|thumb|Zeta Upsilon House Renovation Wall Display]]&lt;br /&gt;
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The week of homecoming was an exciting week during the month of October. The brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon asked us to homecoming. New Member Chairman, Rachel, was ZY’s homecoming candidate. The week was full of lots of different homecoming activities and traditions. Panhellenic Delegate, Elizabeth Young, planned a successful Circle of Sisterhood with all 7 of the other Panhellenic Association organizations on campus during the month of October, as well as Trick or Treat on Greek Street. Trick-or-Treat on Greek Street is an annual Halloween event held on Greek Row where Georgia Southern University’s faculty and Statesboro local residents are able to bring their children to do fun Halloween activities at each sorority and fraternity house. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the month of October, Education Chairman, Kaylee, planned a lovely Founders Day ceremony at the Kappa house, where we had Olive Garden and celebrated the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Vice President of Standards, Olivia, held the most successful sisterhood of the semester. She coordinated with Miss. America 2017, Savvy Shields, who is a Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Arkansas, Nu Gamma Chapter. Savvy spoke about body image, her reign as Miss America, and empowerment. She took the time to speak with every chapter member in attendance and take lots of photos. During the month of October, Social Chairman, Jaqueline, planned a fun Semi-Formal event at the Hall on Vine.&lt;br /&gt;
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ZY wrapped up the month of October by hosting our second GIRLS Academy. Mu District Director, Barb Goettelman, and Leadership Development Specialist, Kelsey Ryan, who is a Zeta Upsilon alumni, joined us for the event. The GIRLS Academy event was held at William James Middle School in Statesboro. Our chapter members, as well as the middle school girls, had a busy, educational, and fun weekend. Our Philanthropy Chairman, Jeanne, did an outstanding job with the event, as well as all others involved. Hosting GIRLS Academy is always an eye-opening but heart-warming experience. &lt;br /&gt;
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In the month of November, Public Relations Chairman, Marissa Rubin, planned a successful Fall Parents Weekend. The weekend was full of good food and Georgia Southern Football. Education Chairman, Kaylee, planned a movie night senior sisterhood, which was held at the Kappa house. Kaylee also coordinated an alumna education event for the seniors who are graduating in the month of December. In the month of November, we held our annual Thanksgiving Tuesday Night Dinner. The nominating committee presented the slate for the upcoming council during the month of November and the current council was able to install the newest chapter council. The month of December was jammed packed with studying and finals. During the fall semester, we had socials with the brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Nu, and Delta Tau Delta. &lt;br /&gt;
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The overall nature of our chapter is involved. Many of our members are involved in other organizations across Georgia Southern University's campus, some of which include, Phi Alpha Delta (Pre-Law Fraternity), Pre-Physicians Assistant Association, Public Relations Society of Students in America, and Phi Delta Epsilon (Pre-Medical Fraternity). &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Reading is Fundamental -- our chapter held RIF events at the local Statesboro Library. We donated books and played games with the children. &lt;br /&gt;
Relay for Life -- our chapter participates in Statesboro's Relay for Life each year. This year our tent's theme was Dr. Seuss. &lt;br /&gt;
GIRLS Academy -- our chapter held our second annual GIRLS Academy event at William James Middle School.  &lt;br /&gt;
Reading is Fundamental and GIRLS Academy are Kappa's national philanthropies. We began participating heavily in Relay for Life starting in 2015 when one of our members was diagnosed with cancer.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2018== &lt;br /&gt;
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Coming back to school in January we jumped right back into things. On Sundays we would have chapter council meetings and Mondays we would hold chapter, both at the kappa house. Our Standards chair planned a sisterhood the second week of getting back where sisters all got together and enjoyed a planner party. Then we got right into spring recruitment with 3 nights of recruitment rounds and then a bid day. The bid day was baseball themed and we welcomed 5 new members. The new girls got to enjoy a new member retreat where they got to know each other more while bowling! Then our Philanthropy chairman planned a service day at Haven House. At the service day we were able to help renovate the facilities for the women in need. With February and valentine's day feel in full swing our Public Relations chairman planned a PR event called Kappa Kisses where we were able to hand out sweet Hershey kisses to the University. Following that our Event chairman planned our annual Kappa Krush event where girls were able to bring a date and dance the night away. Soon after we had our first social event that semester with the men of Theta Xi Fraternity and we were able to get to know each other all decked out in a Mardi Gras theme clothes. The next day we had a trivia sisterhood where teams won prizes and were able to test their fun fact knowledge together. We also participated in Pi Kappa Phi Fraternities philanthropy event called War of the Roses where we ended up winning the whole week and winning money for our philanthropies. Ending the month we had big little week where the spring new member class was able to be surprised by their bigs at the end of the week. March quickly snuck up on us but we were happily busy. We had a group of girls compete in Kappa Sigma Fraternities annual lip sync competition. Girls then got a week break for spring break where we went all over including Disney, the beach, and even just home. St Patrick's Day finished off the week of spring break and many celebrated all over including in Savannah. When we got back from the week we had initiation for the spring new member class. Sisters were able to go to Tuesday night dinner and have their Kappa family pictures taken, as well as, a study night because academics were in full swing. Our Membership chair was able to have a movie night to film our sisterhood video and we watched The Greatest Showman. The following week we participated in Greek Week where we were paired with Delta Tau Delta and Alpha Sigma. Throughout the week we participated in many events including field day where we played games like bubble soccer and tug of war with the organizations we were paired with. Also during that week we had Frazier Appreciation day which was a dinner where we celebrated our house mom and all she does for us. We also had a senior sisterhood for the 2018 spring graduates put on by our Education chairman, they got to make banana pudding. April then started with Easter Sunday. We had a Backyard BBQ philanthropy event with Delta Tau Delta Fraternity to benefit Girls Academy and JDRF. Formal was at the end of that week and everyone had a great time dancing in the rain. Then mid April we had spring parents weekend where girls were able to hang out with their families in and out of Statesboro. We then had a few more weeks and all the sudden it was finals week and graduation, just like that we were on summer break. Over the summer, girls in our chapter did many things. Some girls studied abroad (even together), worked at home, had internships, went on new adventures, and everything in between. The end of July came fast where we had one work week for the newest pledge classes and then we had work weeks for all members for recruitment. Recruitment then happened where we worked hard together to bring in the new member class of  fall 2018 where we welcomed 62 girls. Bid day rounded out the week where we got to celebrate with the new members themed in the 70s. Right after bid day we jumped right back into school. We happily had another planner party where girls got to fill out their new planners together to get ready for the semester. Then we had our annual Back to School date night and everyone got to bring a date and all hang out together. We also started having our weekly Tuesday night dinners again which included food from places like Chicken Salad Chick, Rjs, Honey Cafe, and more. In September, we had Labor Day and got a day off of school and at the end of that week we got to have our fall Parents Weekend. We got to hang out with our parents and show them Georgia Southern spirit at a football game that Saturday. We then had a Kappa only social to hang out and get to know each other with a vine theme and all had a good laugh. Then came a busy week with Big/Little week for the new members we gained in the fall. In the same week we had our annual Kappa Con Queso philanthropy event where we raised money for Girls Academy. Then it was already October. We kicked off the month with Homecoming week where we did events with the men of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Some events including can sculpture contest, lip singing competition, sheet sign contest and many more. We also ended up placing 1st in GSU annual Doodah dance competition where we were awarded money to benefit our philanthropies. Other events we did throughout the week included Social events during the week with SAE and we all got to enjoy homecoming. We then were supposed to have initiation but Hurricane Michael came through Statesboro giving us days off school. Then we had semi formal which was at Eagle Creek Brewery and were able to hang out with sisters. Then we jumped right into November where we had Fireside and Initiation, we ended up initiating 57 new members. Then we had to have a mini Initiation where we initiated the 5 other new members rounding our Fall 18 pledge class out to 62 newly initiated members. To round out the year we elected a new chapter council and had 11 fall graduates. We ended the year off with a Tacky Holiday date night to celebrate the holidays! &lt;br /&gt;
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Georgia Southern University expanded their campus to now owning Armstrong in Savannah, Georgia. We also had a new building open up that holds classes for language classes, fashion classes, and many more. Overall, Students had to adjust to the addition of the other campus because it has changed many aspects of our campuses. With Kappa we have grown stronger and have been doing well as a chapter. Whenever there has been hard times we have been there for one another. Overall, it has been a great year for Zeta Upsilon and we cannot wait for the next one. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
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GIRLS Academy, Reading Is Fundamental&lt;br /&gt;
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[[File:Zeta Upsilon House.jpg|thumb|Zeta Upsilon House]]&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2019== &lt;br /&gt;
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Throughout the past calendar year, the Zeta Upsilon chapter has been very active both on and off campus to promote not only our chapter’s ideals, but also to promote community, unity and teamwork within our chapter and with others outside of our chapter. Through our involvement and passion for growth with our school, ZY was awarded a Platinum WINGS award, which was only given to 3 organizations out of the hundreds that are on our campus. To receive this award, organizations must attend a certain number of informational sessions hosted on campus throughout the year. Sisterhoods were held every month of the year to help the chapter feel included and welcomed, including painting sisterhoods, a yoga sisterhood, and our annual t-shirt tie dye sisterhood. Our philanthropy chair offered service opportunities every month to help women take advantage of outside opportunities and be able to give back to our community. Ritual and recruitment practices were also held throughout the semester to prepare for upcoming Initiation services and recruitment. Chapter meetings were held every Monday at 7 p.m., Chapter Council was held every Sunday at 6 p.m., and weekly dinners were still held on Tuesday nights.&lt;br /&gt;
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In January of this year, we welcomed 7 new women to our chapter with our Spring 2019 pledge class. They were able to grow and learn what it truly means to be a Kappa woman throughout their new member period and were initiated on April 6 after experiencing Fireside and a pledge class sleepover the night before.&lt;br /&gt;
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In February, our Public Relations Chairman coordinated our annual Kappa Kisses event, where we passed out cups full of Hershey’s kisses on campus. Additionally, we had our annual Kappa Krush, which was planned by our event chair and is a date night that embodies the spirit of Valentine’s Day, with most members dressing in some variety of pink, red or purple and taking photos with props that add to the Valentine’s Day feel. Our chapter hosted GIRLS Academy on February 9, where we were able to guide middle school girls and mentor them in various ways.&lt;br /&gt;
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March and April are busy months for ZY, as we participate in other chapters’ philanthropy events, prepare for initiation of our new members, support Greek Life with our PHA, NPHC and IFC partners during Greek Week, go on spring break, have formal and study for finals. Some of the philanthropy events we participated in were Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s Paddy Murphy Week, Sigma Chi’s Derby Days, Sigma Nu’s volleyball tournament, Kappa Delta’s War of the Wings, Alpha Omicron Pi’s “Strike Out for Arthritis&amp;quot; and so many more. We had a social with Delta Chi that was themed &amp;quot;Throw Down for Your Hometown&amp;quot; where everyone dressed in old high school uniforms or other costumes that reminded them from their hometown. Our sisters spent their spring breaks in so many fun places, including destinations in the U.S. as well as abroad. Formal was held in April as well as our spring Parents Weekend, which are two of our chapter's favorite springtime events!&lt;br /&gt;
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In May, many of our sisters became Alumnae of Kappa Kappa Gamma and started their lives outside of Statesboro. Over the summer, our active members took classes, studied abroad, went on service trips, had internships and everything in between. Work Week and recruitment snuck up on us quickly, and we were all back together in late July to prepare for Fall 2019 formal recruitment.&lt;br /&gt;
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In August, Zeta Upsilon broke chapter and school records by welcoming an amazing pledge class of 102 women. We celebrated our hard work and new members on Bid Day with a &amp;quot;Kappa World&amp;quot; bid day theme, which was a homage to the Spice Girls and everyone had a great time getting to dress up as a different member of the group. Right after bid day, the academic year was back in full swing and our members got right back into the routine of school. We had our annual Back to School date night and football season was upon us, which everyone always loves!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In September, we held our annual philanthropy event which has been named Chips, Cheese and KKGs where we had a nacho bar, music and raffle gifts to help raise money for RIF and the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. The event, as usual, was a huge success and we raised over $5,000.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Big Little Reveal was the first week of October, where all of our amazing new members were able to find their families within our chapter. It was held at Paulson Stadium and was a great time. Shortly after, we welcomed our Fall 2019 pledge class into membership with initiation on October 12 and celebrated our Founders Day the same evening with dinner from Longhorn, cake, and a beautiful ceremony that was coordinated by our Education Chairman. Homecoming came right after that, where we worked with Delta Chi (our homecoming partner) to support our candidates and promote our platforms of diversity and inclusion around campus. We tabled during the day, went to competitions in the afternoon and were able to have some fun at night with a few date nights that were planned for homecoming week.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In November, the semester started to wind down. Semi-formal was held and chapter council prepared for voting and training the new council that would shortly take over. We ended our semester in December with our annual Tacky Holiday date night, elections for the new chapter council and celebrating our sisters' achievements. Beyond our sisters who graduated in December, two of our members were elected to the school's Panhellenic Council. Hannah Conway, our former secretary, was elected to serve as PHA President and Elizabeth Baney, our former House chairman, was elected to serve as Vice President of Finance. We are very proud of all of our sisters' hard work and dedication and are excited to see what they do next year!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We celebrated Founders Day the same day of Fall Initiation (October 12). We chose this day because it is the day before Founders Day and was the perfect weekend to celebrate because our newly initiated members would be able to participate in the ritual that occurs during Founders Day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The biggest changes on campus have come from recruitment. With changes in how houses recruit and the number of chapters that are recruiting/the number of members they currently have, chapter totals were changed and affected recruitment. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
RIF, Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, GIRLS Academy are organizations near and dear to our hearts. Supporting GIRLS Academy is so important to us because we see and hear the impact it has on the young women in our community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Highlights of 2020== &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Spring Semester 2020 was cut short due to a virus outbreak that shut down in person school starting after spring break (March 15th) and finished out the semester virtually. This required the 8 new members who had joined Kappa in the spring to be one of the first ever virtual Invitations, and it went very smoothly. We were also planning a 30th anniversary for our chapter, which unfortunately had to be cancelled. On a positive note, to stay in touch with our sisters we have started a pen-pal letter writing activity between sisters, so that we can write each other letters and stay close through the pandemic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This year we had our first ever fully virtual recruitment and work week. Our recruitment chair worked extremely hard to pull off a great work week and prepared the chapter for recruitment. It was a success, and we got a new member class of 77 girls. Since COVID-19 was still prevalent during the fall semester, Initiation was virtual again and was done in multiple sessions. It was again a successful Initiation. Since we had some experience with virtual Initiation, we had the opportunity to allow members of the chapter to be more involved in Initiation, reading the various ceremony roles as they normally are done.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Zeta Upsilon 2020.png|thumb|Zeta Upsilon 2020]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Our philanthropy chair also wanted to have philanthropy events, despite the pandemic restrictions. We were able to hold a virtual book drive and donated about 100 books to our local elementary school, Julia P. Bryant. We also held a wonderful safe in-person Chips, Cheese and KKGs, where we raised about $700. Another philanthropy opportunity we had was to have a percentage night with a multicultural organization at a local business, Rolling Monkey. A very popular sisterhood we have annually is a t-shirt tye dye, and this year we decided to try something new and instead of tye dying, we bleached the shirt.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We support our local elementary school because it allows us and the kids to have hands-on experiences that will last a lifetime. When we have had the chances to host G.I.R.L.S academy the impacts we have in the girls at the local middle school are amazing. It is an inspiring experience for members of our chapter as well as the young girls who get to be involved.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We appointed a DEI officer who was also our Education chairman. She reached out to multicultural organizations on campus to establish good communication between each other. We also hosted a philanthropy event with a multicultural sorority that was very fun and successful.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Sesquicentennial'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Our chapter held a small virtual ceremony over Zoom during our chapter meeting on October 12th. Our education chair put together a wonderful slide show to play for the members and alumnae who attended and had members of the chapter read the script of the Founders.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Highlights of 2021==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The first half of 2021, we were still under COVID-19 guidelines. This limited events that were possible, and the events we did have required masks to be worn, social distancing, and a limited number of people in attendance. Our major sisterhood in the spring included a virtual concert with the band Velcro Pygmies, which we invited actives and alumni to attend via zoom! We had another virtual initiation for our wonderful spring pledge class of 6 women. In the fall of 2021, the world was becoming normal again in Statesboro, Georgia. Mask mandates were lifted, and classes and events resumed completely normal. Recruitment this year was half virtual, half in person, and we were finally able to have a normal bid day again! Big little reveal was in person in the spring and fall! On October 2nd, 2021, we welcomed 62 amazing new members into our chapter at Zeta Upsilon’s first normal initiation since 2019! We were also able to raise our sisterhood attendance this fall! Some favorite sisterhood events included our bleach tie-dye sisterhood, a vision board sisterhood, and a Friendsgiving sisterhood that was planned by our fall ’21 girls! Zeta Upsilon was awarded platinum for Georgia Southern’s wings points again this year. We held a Founders Day brunch on October 9th. We also had a lot of firsts this semester, including our first combined trunk show with Chi Omega and Phi Mu. Zeta Upsilon held its first ever philanthropy week! This included events such as Kappa Karaoke and a cornhole tournament, as well as a raffle and our annual dinner to raise money!     &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Zeta Upsilon Chapter Members 2021.png|thumb|Zeta Upsilon Chapter Members 2021]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Philanthropy'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zeta Upsilon locally supports G.I.R.L.S academy and the philanthropies of the winners of our first philanthropy week. These include Beta Upsilon Chi, Theta Xi, and Kappa Sigma. These are supported through our money raised from the raffle and dinner!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Our chapter hosted its first philanthropy week, as well as Kappa Kountry Dinner, which is an annual dinner formally known as Chips, Cheese, and KKGs. Zeta Upsilon also had percentage nights throughout the year at different restaurants around Statesboro to raise money. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
We made a plan to incorporate DEI in the new member experience, had guest speakers at chapter, had the courage to commit program, gave DEI presentations during recruitment work week and chapter, and made a DEI plans &amp;amp; goals document for future DEI chairs as part of the action plan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Operating in a Pandemic'''&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It mainly affected our spring semester. We had to have virtual sisterhoods, as well as having Tuesday night dinners pick-up only. Chapters were held via zoom. Spring initiation was also virtual. By the time of fall recruitment, we were able to have work weeks in person, until halfway through they had to go virtual due to a few COVID cases around campus. We then had the first few rounds of recruitment virtually through zoom. Sisterhood day and Preference round were able to be held in person! Bid day was in person as well, and such a fun time to all be together again! With guidelines and mandates lifted, we were returning to normal and had sisterhoods, chapters, Initiation and dinners in person again!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
------------------------&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
'''Note to Chapter Registrar:''' &lt;br /&gt;
Please refer to your chapter archives including chapter meeting minutes and back issues of The Key to fill in any gaps in the above historical highlights. If your chapter archives are not complete, please research your university library, campus newspaper and yearbook archives for newsworthy information about your chapter. Please double check your work for accuracy. Contact chapter Advisory or House Board members, local Alumnae Association members, or your Province Director of Chapters for assistance.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Your efforts will ensure a complete and accurate history of your chapter for future generations to enjoy!&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>VickiCarrigan</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23006</id>
		<title>Epsilon Pi</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23006"/>
				<updated>2022-07-25T16:14:38Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;VickiCarrigan: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Infobox Fraternity&lt;br /&gt;
|Name= Epsilon Pi&lt;br /&gt;
|GreekSymbol= EΠ&lt;br /&gt;
|Image= [[File:Epsilon_Pi.jpeg|200px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1976|02|07}}&lt;br /&gt;
|College= [https://www.ucr.edu/ University of California, Riverside]&lt;br /&gt;
|Location= Riverside, CA&lt;br /&gt;
|Homepage= [https://ucr.kappa.org/ Epsilon Pi Homepage]&lt;br /&gt;
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Epsilon_Pi Media related to Epsilon Pi Chapter]}}&lt;br /&gt;
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'''University of California at Riverside, 1954'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Epsilon Pi founded February 7, 1976'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''1,127 initiates (as of June 2018)'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Some of Chapter’s Outstanding Alumnae:''' (If you have chapter alumna who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.)&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Council Officers:'''&lt;br /&gt;
Kyle Donnelly, Fraternity Treasurer, 2022-2024&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Additional Outstanding Epsilon Pi Alumnae:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Kyle Donnelly: Fraternity Finance Committee (2006-2008), Province Director of Chapters (2008-2011), Assistant to Fraternity Treasurer (2011-2014), Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Finance Committee (2011-2012), Scholarship Reader (2015-2018), Fraternity House Board Chairman (2018-2020).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ella Gaumer Vieria: Traveling Consultant (2000-2001), Province Director of Chapters (2005-2009), Technology Committee (2009-2010), Regional Director of Chapters (2010-2012, 2012-2014), Long Range Planning Task Force (2013-2016), Assistant to Director of Chapters (2014-2016), Public Relations Content Director (2016-2018), Leadership Education and Development Committee (2018).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Yvonne Kim: Province Director of Chapters (2011-2015).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Vicki Hill Carrigan: Kappa Trainer (2010-2016), Publications Committee (2010-2014), Technology Committee (2010-2014), Leadership Academy Facilitator (2012, 2016, 2017), Betty Brady Award (1995), Coordinator of Chapter Support (2014-2016), Convention Committee - Music Chairman (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022), Adviser Academy Facilitator (2016), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Ritual &amp;amp; History Specialist (2019 - 2021).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Jessica Coffield: Nominating Committee (2014-2016), Standards Specialist (2016-2020), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Standards Director (2020-2024).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traci Evans: Programming Specialist (2016-2018), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), District Director (2022-2024).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stephanie Hammond: Public Relations Specialist (2019-2021).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kim Braun Padulo: Province Director of Chapters (1987-1988), Province Director of Alumnae (1989-1990).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hailey Grisel: Leadership Consultant (2015-2016), Philanthropy Specialist (2016-2017).&lt;br /&gt;
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Meredith Hutcheson Reuter: Chapter Consultant (1990-1991), Province Director of Chapters (1993-1995).&lt;br /&gt;
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Lise Haxton: Traveling Consultant (1993-1994), Chapter Consultant (1994-1995), Chapter Support Committee (2004-2005)&lt;br /&gt;
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&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
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==The Early Years -- Colonization and Installation==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Love and guidance by many caring Kappas allowed Epsilon Pi chapter to enjoy a great beginning. The culmination of this love and concern was exemplified in the beautiful Installation held the first weekend in February 1976 when 13 new members of Epsilon Pi Colony were initiated as charter members of Epsilon Pi Chapter at the University of California at Riverside.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Installing officer Marian Schroeder Graham, Beta Phi—Montana, Fraternity President, was assisted by many others including Phyllis Brinton Pryor, Beta Mu—Colorado, National Panhellenic Conference Delegate and colonizing officer; Patti Ball Hillyard, Delta Chi—San Jose State, installation chairman and President of the Riverside Alumnae Club; Lyn Conway Madding, Delta Gamma—Michigan State, Kappa Province Director of Alumnae; Kay Reid Tennison, Epsilon Delta—Arizona State, Kappa Province Director of Chapters; and Janeen Gould, Beta Beta Deuteron—St. Lawrence, Epsilon Pi Graduate Counselor. Also, several advisers and Graduate Counselors to California chapters and alumnae from all over southern California gathered to participate in and to honor the Installation of Kappa’s 95th chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The setting for the ceremonies was the chapter house of Epsilon Pi’s sister chapter, Delta Tau—Southern California. It was agreed by all and well stated by Phyllis Pryor that “no more perfect arrangements could have been made for an unhoused chapter to be assimilated into a totally Kappa setting where a true feeling of belonging could be imparted. The cooperation and hospitality of those members of Delta Tau who made this possible will be long remembered as a very vital aspect of the happy Initiation of Epsilon Pi.” She also noted that “the beautiful, warm, very adequate facilities of the Delta Tau house accommodated the influx of extra people and activities gracefully and with no evidence of inconvenience or interruption.” &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fern Crane, Delta Tau Housemother; Katie Finnegan, Delta Tau President; Kris Kline, chapter coordinator, and chapter members were thanked for their superb planning and for making the guests and participants feel welcomed and prepared.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It was here that the scene for the entire weekend, including a lovely Friday night Fireside Service and dinner. Delta Tau members added to the beauty by sharing some of their traditional pre-initiation thoughts and songs.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many gifts to the new chapter were recognized at the luncheon banquet, which was held at the University Hilton Hotel following Saturday’s Installation. Two special gifts were award badges for outstanding new members, one given to the new member class president, Debbie Dietrich, and one to Robin Rose, Recruitment Chairman, for scholarship.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Greetings to the new chapter increased even more when more than 150 guests came in heavy rain to a reception Sunday afternoon in Riverside at the home of a recent Delta Tau active. UC Riverside administrators and Panhellenic representatives and members of other Greek-letter groups on campus along with friends and family members of the new chapter members honored Epsilon Pi with their attendance.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to Installation, the Epsilon Pi new members were busy with campus activities including selling cotton candy during Homecoming, a pizza party with alumnae, a new member retreat and joining the other fraternities and sororities in the Greek cheering section for football games and for Christmas caroling before the winter break. Epsilon Pi members also created a wooden plaque with pictures of the charter members, and they worked together on a hooked rug with an owl design for Delta Tau Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
The previous information was excerpted from (unknown source-most likely The Key.)&lt;br /&gt;
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The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to update its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1970s==      &lt;br /&gt;
              &lt;br /&gt;
From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The chapter’s first formal, called “Sea and Sky”, was held in a multipurpose room in one of the apartment complexes near campus since the budget for the event was only $75; $25 was spent on decorations and $50 was spent on a band.  One sister, who was dating a Sigma Alpha Epsilon from UCLA, had him fix up some of the Kappas with blind dates with his brothers. Charter President Kim Braun Padulo recalled the surprised reaction of the boys when they entered the room as it was not the kind of reception they were used to.&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi faced its challenges head on and ultimately succeeded.  In the fall of 1976, they welcomed a second pledge class that nearly doubled the size of the chapter.  Following soon after, in spring quarter the women had to write their chapter Bylaws. After getting the foundations of the chapter set, the women focused on their sisterhood. To improve this Epsilon Pi chapter participated in a potluck with the Northern Orange County Alumnae Association. The theme was to bring with you your favorite Kappa memory to share. After doing so, the women realized that while they were close, a house would bring them much closer to each other.  They hoped that one day they would reach this goal for Epsilon Pi to have a chapter house. &lt;br /&gt;
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October of 1977, thirteen more lovely ladies were pledged after an informal Yell-in, and on Inspiration week, in October 24-29; the women were initiated. With rush again in the spring the chapter was able to grow from 13 actives to 30 by 1978.  &lt;br /&gt;
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1979 was kicked off with Formal Fall Rush. The first night the girls attended open house and had sandwiches while getting to know each other. The second night was theme night, in which the chapter put on their annual performance of “Kapparet”.  On the second to last night the chapter had project night in which the women used felt letters and animals to spell their names, these where then to be used for philanthropy. The final night, was preference night. Here the women all dressed up formally, and had dessert together while sharing stories in a circle. Epsilon Pi once again initiated more women, making the chapter grow a little bigger every year.  With the goal to become one of the largest chapters, Epsilon Pi continued learning ways of improving and growing closer in sisterhood.  To do so, their goal was set to focus on social graciousness, organization, and sisterhood (SOS). Memorable events from the 70s include hanging out at the pool at Bannockburn, yearly pledge class songs, and exchanges with other groups on campus. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1980s:==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Small &amp;quot;get to know each other&amp;quot; parties were held at the Bannockburn pool, so that all the women could get to know each other better and create stronger sisterhoods. They also held exchanges. Epsilon Pi had an annual &amp;quot;walkout&amp;quot; in which the pledges would plan to &amp;quot;kidnap&amp;quot; actives and have them do funny antics like sing Kappa songs and Kappa Dances at different stops on campus like the library, residence halls, and classrooms.  Every stop would earn them a clue that would lead them to the location that the pledges had chosen to host them for dinner. They experienced the debut of MTV and this spurred lip-synching contests in the dorms, which were a blast! &lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
After just a few years of being established Epsilon Pi was honored to participate in founding of new chapters of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of California, Irvine and University of California, San Diego.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi held many different Philanthropy events such as making rabbit-like Easter baskets to give to the Sunshine School in Riverside, dressing up around Halloween in costumes and visiting the Riverside Community Hospital patients with candy.  One popular tradition was a &amp;quot;Grandparent Adoption&amp;quot; from convalescent homes where the chapter women would visit their adoptee twice a month and bring them carnations and homemade spice ropes.&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter Convention Awards:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1990s==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the early 1990’s, the chapter was focused on scholarship, improving rush, and philanthropy. The chapter tied for the 2nd highest GPA on campus in 1991 and placed 35 members on the Dean’s List. And in 1993-94, the chapter received the Dean’s Scholarship Trophy for the highest percentage of members on the Dean’s List.  The chapter maintained a high level of academic excellence throughout the decade, due in part to weekly mandatory study hours for actives and pledges.&lt;br /&gt;
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To prepare for rush, the chapter started early the prior school year with a 10 day work week. Rush quota gradually decreased on the UCR campus in the early 90’s. Quota was 32 in 1991, 24 in 1993, to 16 in 1994, and 13 in 1995. However, quota was back up in the 20’s by 2000. These smaller pledge classes, however, allowed the chapter to be fully involve the new members in all aspects of chapter life.&lt;br /&gt;
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Early in the decade, the chapter accepted the Challenge to Excellence issued to all chapters by the Fraternity. Work on the Challenge to Excellence continued during the rest of the 1990’s. It strengthened the chapter and brought the members closer together.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991, nine of the 13 founders of Epsilon Pi were present for the Founders Day brunch. In 1995, the chapter celebrated Kappa Kappa Gamma’s 125th birthday with Zeta Eta at UC Irvine.&lt;br /&gt;
On the social front, the chapter continued with its annual Sea and Sky formal, Monmouth Duo with Pi Beta Phil, and Kappa Krush dances. Epsilon Pi also participated in many sporting competitions on campus, such as the annual inter-sorority volleyball tournament, Sports week, the Greek Games and the annual Run to the C. The chapter also hosted a Parent’s Day each year.&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter focus shifted to sisterhood, public relations and participation in the mid-1990’s.&lt;br /&gt;
Housing:&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991 the chapter lounge was redecorated. The last update was 16 years prior! Also in this year, the university offered sororities a hall in one of the dorms to have as their own. The chapter felt this would be a good way to improve chapter bonds, and would show the university that they were serious about having a house in the future.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi won the Philanthropy Award at the 1991 Kappa Province Meeting. The chapter participated in the Cystic Fibrosis Walkathon and helped clean up downtown Riverside. They also continued their tradition of visiting the Sunshine House and their association with the Riverside section of the California School of Deaf. In the mid-1990’s, Epsilon Pi began a new philanthropy called Night Run.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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1992 Efficiency Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Standards Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Scholarship Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1996 Scholarship Award Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2000-2010==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The chapter actively participated in campus events such as BEAR Facts Orientation, Block Party, Homecoming and Spring Splash as well as Panhellenic sponsored events such as Sports Week, Greek Unity Week with Greek Pyramid, and Presents. Founders Day was often celebrated with Zeta Eta, UC Irvine and the Orange County Alumnae Association. A yearly Scholarship Dinner was held to honor the sisters with the highest GPA, most improved GPA, and all sisters with a 4.0 in a quarter. Yearly chapter events included a fall Date Party, a winter Scholarship Banquet, and a Parent’s Day in the spring.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Housing:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi was the first Greek organization to be invited to participate in UCR’s Greek Housing Pilot Program.  The chapter was able to rent five units in an apartment complex near campus and 10 members lived there during the 2009-2010 school year.  However, due to a lack of contracts and security, the program was discontinued.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Members of Epsilon Pi volunteered yearly for a local breast cancer fundraiser put on by the Inland Agency, called “Shop to Stop Breast Cancer.”  Each year, chapter members volunteered to read to students at Madison Elementary School on Dr. Suess day. In Spring 2009, the members of Epsilon Pi hosted sixth grade students for “A Day In The Life” at UCR.  The Kappas gave them tours of the campus and the sixth graders got to meet the Men’s Basketball Team and the UCR Cheerleaders and Dance Team. The finale of the day was lunch on the commons lawn where the sixth graders read their favorite books to the Kappas.  &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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2008 Rose McGill Award&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011-2019==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011==&lt;br /&gt;
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2011 was a busy and great year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. Winter quarter started out with the nomination process, leading to the election of a strong, new Chapter Council. That quarter we participated in two philanthropic events at Madison Elementary School, Where the Wild Things Read and Dr. Seuss Day. Both events involved reading to the students and encouraging literacy. Greek Unity Week also took place during the winter. Our members were paired with the men of Pi Kappa Alpha to compete in various activities throughout the week meant to strengthen Greek unity on campus. As our winter quarter event, the chapter had a “Finally Famous” themed semi-formal, in which couples dressed as famous couples throughout history. &lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter also enjoyed a scholarship dinner at Ciao Bella restaurant and a go-cart racing sisterhood event held at K1 Speedway. For the spring quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter continued its emphasis on philanthropy. We volunteered at the Inland Agency’s Shop to Stop Breast Cancer event. Also, our sister Brittany Altamirano competed in and won the 2011 Delta Queen Pageant hosted by the men of Delta Tau Delta, raising around $7000 for City of Hope cancer research. During this quarter, the campus’ Fraternity and Sorority Involvement Center hosted a Pillar’s Reception where Epsilon Pi was proud to receive the Friendship Pillar Award. The Chapter hosted Parent’s Day at the Benedict Castle and a formal at the Pomona Valley Mining Co. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another major accomplishment for the chapter during spring was our Sports Week participation. Members assembled teams for volleyball and football, and did excellent in both sports, taking home the overall win for Sports Week. In April, a few members of our chapter went to Kappa Province in Tucson, AZ, where we were awarded the Rose McGill Magazine Award. As fall quarter began, the members of Epsilon Pi were eager for recruitment, to gain more assets to our chapter. After going through formal recruitment, the chapter welcomed 31 New Members on Bid Day. The New Members were taken to a taco dinner afterwards to celebrate and get to know the chapter. This year, the chapter invited local alumnae and the women of the Zeta Eta Chapter at UC Irvine to our Founder’s Day brunch at the Riverside Art Museum. Many of our members also participated in the Pink on Parade breast cancer walk, as well as the 5K run held by the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Our chapter enjoyed a movie night sisterhood as we went to go see the film 50/50, as well as a Thanksgiving potluck themed meeting to end the quarter. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Campus:''' This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus tried to really encourage unity among the Greek community, but the panhellenic organizations in particular. Kappa encouraged this as well, as we participated in Panhellenic’s Cookies and Crafts event. All 6 of the panhellenic organizations came together to get to know each other better, as well as learn more about one another’s philanthropies. We also participated in the kickball tournament thrown by the women of Gamma Phi Beta, to further demonstrate our support of panhellenic. The campus hosted many annual events like Spring Splash, Bear Facts Orientation, and Block Party, all of which Epsilon Pi participated in. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter:''' If one word were chosen to describe the overall nature of our chapter in 2011 it would be growth. We suffered some minor setbacks, but with positive mindsets and a strong chapter council, we pushed through and began making necessary changes for our chapter to head in the right direction. Epsilon Pi has taken pride in both its diversity and large chapter size and has used both of those factors to strengthen the chapter as a whole. &lt;br /&gt;
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One main challenge for the chapter was attendance. With such a large chapter size, we expected high numbers of attendance, but were not seeing that. Chapter Council began a point system for attendance. A minimum requirement of points was made necessary for fun/positive things later on, such as getting a little sister in the fall. In addition, our VP Standards took attendance into account as she looked over members who needed standards appointments. She stressed the importance of going to mandatory events in these meetings and the consequences of not doing so. The attendance problem was not completely erased, but the chapter hopes to see improvements, continuously reminding members of the attendance policy in our chapter’s bylaws and standing rules. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2012==&lt;br /&gt;
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Each year Epsilon Pi chapter continues to reach and exceed previous years' achievements. 2011 was an amazing and notable year for Epsilon Pi chapter. In January, we began with inspiration week filled with a variety of big and little and sisterhood bonding events. Soon after, the Alpha Omega pledge class was initiated. It was a beautiful and special ceremony that we were able to share with the newest members of our wonderful chapter. The following week we had an amazing Semi Formal which was hosted at the Caspian in Irvine, where we enjoyed an Arabian night filled with kabobs and belly dancers. Soon after we had elections and welcomed the newly elected chapter council. During that time period we were graced with the Leadership Officer and received an abundance of tips and advice on how to make our chapter even stronger than what it was then. &lt;br /&gt;
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Following elections and the LC visit, we had Greek Unity week on campus which brings the Greek and cultural sorority and fraternities together. This year we were paired with the men of Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. During this week we are separated into teams and participate in a variety of team and at the end of the week perform a team dance that is appreciated by the whole Greek community. &lt;br /&gt;
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As we continued into winter quarter we held two amazing philanthropies at Madison Elementary School; Kappa Kamp and Dr. Seuss Day. Both event encouraged the students to read and enjoy books. We also had a delicious scholarship dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory where we acknowledged our hard working sisters that make the Dean's List, have the most study hours, and the highest overall GPA. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of winter quarter we held our Leadership Day, which aimed at better training our newly elected chapter council to ensure that they would be confident in achieving everything their position asked them to, as well as doing their little perfectly.&lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring quarter, our sisterhood took a great start with having a fun and exciting event at Dave and Buster. This quarter we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Lauren Montes, won the Delta Queen Pageant raising $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices. This quarter we also had our annual formal, &amp;quot;A Night In Spain&amp;quot;, which was held at the Green River Gold Club in Corona. It was an amazing event where we danced the night away and appreciated the seniors, as it was their last formal with the chapter. As the quarter continued, we hosted &amp;quot;A Day In The Life&amp;quot; where we hosted students from Madison Elementary School and showed them the campus. We introduced them to the soccer team and cheer leaders and gave them a tour of the campus. We wanted to encourage the sixth graders to continue on to college to get a higher education and to show them that anyone can achieve that with hard work and dedication. We ended this quarter with a fun filled water themed sisterhood at our president, Brittany Altamirano's house. There was a water maze, water guns, and of course water balloons. The sisterhood definitely helped relieve some stress that we had pertaining to the upcoming finals. Later that weekend we also had our annual Parent's Day at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we had a nice lunch with all our sisters and their parents. We also appreciated our sisters who stood out exceptionally in being a good sister and kappa and sisters that stood our academically as well.&lt;br /&gt;
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After returning from summer vacation, Epsilon Pi was eager for recruitment and to gain new assets to our ever growing sisterhood. Following formal recruitment we were more than happy to welcome the 30 Beta Alpha new member class. After bid day on campus we took them to one of our sister's house to have dinner and meet the chapter; there were also an abundance of ice breaking games. This year, the Orange County Alumni Association hosted Founder's Day at the Tustin Senior Center. After thoroughly educating the Beta Alpha new member class with Kappa history and creating a new love for Kappa we had Inspiration Week and Initiation. It was again a beautiful ceremony where each sister was able to appreciate and remember why we joined one of the strongest sisterhoods. We concluded this quarter with our Kappa Thanksgiving, which brought our chapter together once again. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus was continuing to encourage unity among the Greek community. The board hosted many events where each sorority could come and support panhellenic. Such events were &amp;quot;blankets for babies&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;cookies and crafts&amp;quot;, and staff appreciation. Kappa supports the board and tries to get more involved by participating. Kappa also participates in Block Party, Spring Spash, and Bear Facts orientation.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2013==&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi had a truly remarkable year in 2013 with all that we accomplished and participated in. As our winter quarter began, we had the opportunity to help recruit members for the new chapter that was established at Chapman University with our sisters from USC. The recruitment was so successful that we had the amazing honor to be apart of their initiation ceremony and be their big sis chapter. Towards the end of the quarter we were partnered up with the men of Phi Gamma Delta and the women of Omega Zeta Chi to participate in a week of Greek Unity. The main event was a dance competition in which we were elated and humbled to have won first place. &lt;br /&gt;
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As the quarter continued we participated in our annual philanthropy of “Reading is Key” in which we traveled to Madison Elementary school and spent the day reading and doing crafts with the children. We also had a delicious Scholarship dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in which we gave awards to the sisters who had accomplishments such as the most study hours, highest GPA, and being on the dean’s list. The last major event of winter quarter was our semi-formal in which we went to a lovely Italian restaurant and had a great time dancing the night away with our sisters and dates. &lt;br /&gt;
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Spring quarter began with 6 sisters attending Kappa Province. In addition to learning valuable skills and information for our chapter, Epsilon Pi was honored to have received 2 awards: the New Member Program Award and the Norma Dow Patton Gracious Living Award. Soon after, we had a visit from the LC, which gave the new officers a chance to get ideas and information about her new positions in personal meetings that were set-up. We also had our formal at a beautiful venue at the Glen Ivy Spa and golf course in which we had a great night taking pictures in a photo booth, eating delicious food, and giving out senior recognition awards. &lt;br /&gt;
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This quarter was also very philanthropic. Not only did we host our annual “Day in the Life” event for Madison elementary school children to come and see what it is like to be a college student, but we also partnered up with the women of Pi Beta Phi to create our very own join philanthropy on campus called “Words with Friends”. It was a spelling bee and speed read event in which all the organizations could compete with each other and donate either money or books to our philanthropy. This quarter, as well as supporting many other philanthropies throughout the year, we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Hailey Grisel, received second place and remarkably raised $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. &lt;br /&gt;
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We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices because we ended up winning the entire event. Later that month we had parent’s day which was so special in being able to show our families a little bit of what Kappa is like. We were able to honor the sisters who truly embody what Kappa is and also got to see what our chapter used to be like through the heritage display. &lt;br /&gt;
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There is also an annual awards ceremony for the Greek community on our campus in which we were honored to have received the University of California, Riverside Marguleas Sororotiy/Fraternity Service Award in recognition of our leadership and philanthropic efforts in our community. To finish off the quarter and the academic year we had a sisterhood in which we were able to go go kart racing. We had such a fun time competing with each other for the fastest time and just be able to spend time bonding together. Fall quarter was a very hectic quarter for Epsilon Pi. We had another LC visit during recruitment which helped us make sure we were going about things as best as we could. Although we did not expect for the large increase in the size of our new pledge class, we were so grateful to welcome 45 new amazing women into our organization. Soon after, we celebrated founder’s day with our lovely Chapman sisters which was special because we got to see them experience it for the very first time as a chapter. It was so touching to see alumni from decades ago being recognized and pinned and being able to do our ritual together. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter also hosted an amazing event called “Finding Kind” in which we had the screening of the documentary to fight against female teen bulling. We then all took individual pledges to better ourselves and the way that we treat others. We were so pleased to see how many women from different organizations on campus came to support this cause. Towards the end of the quarter, we had a super hero themed date party in which we got to go to Sky Town and jump around and play various games involving foam pits and trampolines. Inspiration week and Initiation of our new Beta Beta pledge class was a very special week for all of us. We were so happy to officially welcome them into our chapter and share our ritual with them during such a beautiful and special ceremony. We also had fun during that week roller-skating and playing laser tag together during our big/little night. To finish off the quarter, we had a sisterhood the week before finals at the movie theater in which we were able to take a couple hours away from studying to relax and laugh with our sisters while watching Grown Ups 2. It had been events like this that keep us close and strong as a chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year brought changes that mainly affected our recruitment. Since our school decided to admit more students, there were more women that went through recruitment that the sororities were not prepared for. Although we thought it would be overwhelming and near impossible to have such a large pledge class, we pulled through together and were blessed to have received 45 new members instead of our anticipated 30.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2014==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year has been one of glee, many accomplishments, and ongoing improvement for Epsilon Pi Chapter. We commenced the year after a refreshing winter break with the privilege of participating in a leadership conference, Lead Today. Lead Today took place on January 22 on our campus with our entire chapter and alumnae. Coordinators were trained to help us grow and prosper as a chapter with novel leadership skills and progression in areas needing improvement. We participated in various hands on activities, games and discussions concerning the vitality of management, organization, and the overall aspect of a chapter working and developing in unison. Epsilon Pi Chapter was so thankful and gained an immense appreciation and understanding for leadership and how to use it, not only in Kappa, but in our everyday lives. This conference could not have come at a better time, due to the fact that elections were right around the corner. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our Kappa sisters did a wonderful job selecting our new Chapter Council and we knew Epsilon Pi Chapter was in good hands. Shortly after, we had our annual scholarship dinner to honor all of our hard working members who did exceptional in their academics. This year, we dressed in key attire and ventured out to The Old Spaghetti Factory located in Downtown Riverside. We loaded up on carbs and applauded our accomplished sisters when they received awards for most study hours, improved G.P.A., highest G.P.A., and many more. This night allowed our sisters to feel honored and made others strive to improve. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a few weeks of being back in school, it was time for Semi-Formal. Semi was held at Aroma Grill in Upland, CA. We all got dolled up in cute cocktail dresses and invited dates to escort us. Kappas danced the night away on the dance floor, took a plethora of photos in the photo booth and in front of the backdrop with a professional photographer, and ate a delicious variety of food. To end the month of February, our sisters headed to K1 Speed Zone for a fun packed sisterhood. Our sisters headed to the race tracks and raced in full geared helmets and mask and hopped in go-carts for some competitive fun. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, we had our first social of the quarter with the men of Phi Kappa Psi. Together, we had so much fun playing laser tag dressed up as Disney characters. Originally, we were supposed to go roller blading, however, the outdoor rink got rained out. Yet, Kappas always know how to make the best of things and we ended the night having a jovial time. To end our quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted our Reading is Key Philanthropy at our adopted school, Madison Elementary.  This year's theme was &amp;quot;Under the Sea&amp;quot; and the book we gave every student who attended was &amp;quot;The Magic School Bus Live on the Ocean Floor&amp;quot;. We loved seeing the students' faces light up as they read to us, crafted with us, and enjoyed some delicious snacks. The whole cafeteria was neatly decorated with fish, kelp, and other underwater creatures to create a fun, aquatic atmosphere. We donated books to their library and hoped to encourage them and show them how important, and intriguing, reading can be. This experience was so rewarding due to the fact that many of these students are from underprivileged households and the books we give them are usually their first books. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the start of Spring Quarter, we attended an annual philanthropy conducted by the fraternity Delta Tau Delta. They hosted a pageant that every sorority participated in by nominating one representative to compete in the event. This event raised money for The City of Hope through fundraisers and donations. This year, we selected Justine Sterling, who perfectly embodies Kappa as a whole. Justine worked extremely hard raising funds via bake sales on campus (Kappa Kappacino), and Karaoke singing night (Kappa Karaoke), as well as various dining and recreational events. Justine rasied over $4,000 for The City of Hope and took home the crown as Miss Delta Queen 2014. Her hard work and dedication paid off making all of us proud. Not to mention, we loved watching her in the pageant, especially her talent portion of rapping. In the month of April, we hosted our joint philanthropy event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Since we both share a philanthropy centered on literacy, our competitions were focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $2,000 and over a hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF. &lt;br /&gt;
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Every year, UCR hosts a sports week where each sorority comes up with teams to play dodge ball, volleyball, and football with different fraternities coaching and arranging practices. This whole week is filled with friendly competition and unity between our sorority and the whole Greek community. This year, we worked hard at many practices and came up in second place. Who knew we were so athletic? After sports week, we decided to have a social with the men of Phi Gamma Delta, who were our coaches for sports week. Bowling for strikes and spares was the event of the night while dressed in our Hawaiian skirts, shirts, and leis. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another event UCR hosts every year is Pillars Week. Pillars Week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All Greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of Greeks at our school. With Epsilon Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and Greek unity, we worked so hard and ended up placing first along with our team. &lt;br /&gt;
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During this same week we had one of our favorite philanthropies, A Day In The Life. For this event, we bring sixth grade students from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for higher education. This year we divided into different tour guiding groups and played interactive games such as red rover. It was a perfect day to have the students on campus because they were all able to see a busy campus full of students due to the fact that it was Pillars Week. These students had such a great time that even some boys flashed the Kappa sign in pictures as the proclaimed &amp;quot;I can't wait to go here!&amp;quot; &lt;br /&gt;
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With school coming to an end in a few months, it was the perfect time for our Beta Beta New Member retreat. Our New Member chair planned a daring evening of rock climbing at a local rock climbing gym, Hangar 18. Girls harnessed in and chalked their hands as they used their upper body strength and raced to the top of the rock walls. It was a perfect night for Beta Beta to be reconnected and have a little fun work out. For one of the last meetings of the year, our whole chapter went to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor to feast on all different flavors of ice cream, while discussing business, of course. This event is one of our most delicious sisterhood events since we get to eat all the ice cream we want, be sung to by Farrell's employees, and get to be with our sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
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For the last event of the year, Epsilon Pi Chapter boarded buses with our dates for a special night at Green Rivers Country Club. This year's Formal was eventful and filled with memories. Girls piled into the photo booth to take adorable pictures while some danced the night away and others ate their gourmet meal. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes. Formal was the perfect way to end the 2013-2014 school year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Although college may have been over for some, many girls who had just decided to come to UCR were making their way on campus for summer orientation in the months of July and August. During every orientation, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. We hoped to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Not only that, but almost as a summer reunion, all of our girls got together to film our, almost famous, recruitment video. We went to the beach, our campus, and the park to film a short video embodying Kappa and our strong sisterhood. It turned out to be a hit on our campus and with other chapters from other campuses as well. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a nice, long break of heading to the beach, relaxing, and a lot of studying abroad, Kappa sisters united for a week of practices for upcoming recruitment. Our sisters sang their hearts out and danced their best as we learned songs and polished ourselves so we could be the best Kappas we could be for recruitment. During the week our bonds of sisterhood grew exponentially stronger and our love for Kappa radiated in preparation of finding our newest members. On the weekend of October 3, we spent 3 days socializing and spreading our love and excitement to every potential new member who entered our room. We fell in love with so many girls and worked so hard that this turned out to be one of our most successful recruitments ever, bringing in our biggest New Member class of 53 girls. &lt;br /&gt;
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The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular New Members with &amp;quot;Key to Paradise&amp;quot; tank tops and a BBQ fit for beach queens. Our chapter transitioned so quickly to this shocking number of new ladies, and chapter council immediately understood that with a larger chapter, we would all have to grow together, and that is exactly what we did. New Members went to meetings every week to get acquainted with Kappa policies and jumped right into Kappa activities with our first sisterhood of the 2014-2015 school year. Our VPS planned a morning yoga session in a peaceful park for all of our members. It was relaxing and just what everyone needed as a de-stressor. Our New Members were also able to attend our Date Party at a roller skating rink sponsored by the Anaheim Ducks hockey team. Every member received a glitter Kappa snap back and Beyonce themed tank tops, while their dates received a Jay-Z themed crew neck. Everyone was so exited for their new Kappa clothes. Soon after, our New Members received their Big Sisters in such a cute and creative reveal. New Members were given a key to a specific car in the school's parking lot and had to find the right car to which the key belonged. Inside the car trunk, driver seat, or back seat was their Big. The excitement of the whole chapter was present as girls embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, New Members were ushered to their New Member sleepover where they bonded over games, learned about our Founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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A couple weeks later, Bigs drove their Littles to our fall social with the men of Sigma Psi Epsilon. Since it was the Halloween season, girls paired up with a Sig-Ep and carved pumpkins. This was one of our most attended and loved socials. As initiation approached, our Marshal hosted  Big and Little Night at a local ice skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as sisters. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our New Members of the Beta Gamma class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of the biggest changes to our campus occurred just this Fall quarter. In the past year, recruitment has grown as more and more girls become interested in sorority life at UCR. One of the biggest changes to our chapter was the welcoming of the biggest new member class we have ever welcomed. Our chapter almost doubled, but our chapter handled the change smoothly without a falter. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also due to the immense interest in panhellenic, the whole panhellenic community got together to listen to presentations from three possible new sororities hoping to colonize on the UCR campus. In the end, our chapter was more than happy to hear about a new sorority expanding our panhellenic community. Epsilon Pi Chapter is so strong in our bonds of sisterhood that we are more than willing to help the new chapter get accommodated to UCR. &lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter meetings are held in various on campus lecture halls and classrooms. This makes it easier for members to go to meeting since most new members live on campus and other members live near by.  Our chapter does not have a house and has not had a house in the past. We have a storage unit near campus where we keep and organize our supplies. For living situations, some girls live on campus, but most members rent houses where some members live together and sometimes end up living with other panhellenic women. Our living situations are perfect for building sisterhood and provide various places for members to hangout, study, and host various gatherings.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2015==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year, Epsilon Pi has had many defining moments that continue to shape each of our member’s college experiences. After coming back from a very well deserved winter break surrounded by family and sisters, we began a new quarter in January and quickly put our heads back in to the game, starting with elections. As always, our sisters made excellent decisions when selecting our new Chapter Council that consist of strong, efficient, Kappa leaders. &lt;br /&gt;
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Shortly after, our Event Chair planned our first social of the quarter at a nearby community park with one of the IFC fraternities on campus. Our members and the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta decked out in white apparel in preparation for a fun night filled with glow in the dark paint and athletic activities. We separated into teams and Kappas proudly showed off their flag football skills, all while glowing in the dark. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of the month Beta Gamma, our newest pledge class, attended a retreat. This retreat took place at our newly remodeled recreation center on campus. There was a rock climbing wall and a ropes course. They participated in activities that all revolved around teamwork and some critical thinking. During one of the activities, sisters had to figure out a way to get a rope to the other side without moving by working together. They were also blindfolded and were instructed to give clues to one another in order to find certain objects. They participated in multiple obstacle courses and activities that strengthened the Beta Gamma pledge class.  Overall, Beta Gamma had the opportunity to bond with their pledge class sisters and learn how to help each other out by using teamwork. This was an excellent way to prove that any challenge can be overcome with sisters by our sides. &lt;br /&gt;
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There was no better way to begin the month of February than by having our annual scholarship dinner. Our Vice President of Academic Excellence worked very hard in order to recognize and honor our smart, studious sisters and give them the credit they deserve. We all met at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside in our sharpest key attire. We were excited and anxious to eat delicious Italian food and hear all about our sister’s amazing accomplishments. Some of the awards included most study hours, highest GPA, most improved GPA, and many more. This was a proud night for many, as well as an encouraging one for other girls who decided they want to work even harder than usual and strive to be the best Kappas they can be. This night was filled with positive and uplifting words that reminded and encouraged all Kappas to make academics a priority. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, it was time for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular Semi was located in Redlands, at the Fox Event Center. We got ready in our best cocktail dresses and every Kappa looked extraordinary. As we arrived, the words “Kappa Kappa Gamma” beautifully lit up on the outside billboard of the venue. We ate a delicious dinner of various foods and danced the night away on a beautifully set dance floor that was beneath sparkly chandeliers. If sisters weren’t dancing, many of them were also taking a galore of pictures to capture all of the fun and lavish moments. A professional photographer was also available at our photo booth, which was set up using a bohemian backdrop that was of course, dark and light blue. This magical and fun night with our sisters and dates couldn’t have been better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a circus theme. All of our sisters received a red shirt with an owl in the middle portrayed as a ringmaster and circus animals surrounding it. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with circus posters, popcorn machines, and face painting. Sisters enjoyed painting everyone’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative circus animals. The book we chose to read was Clifford Goes to the Circus, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. This philanthropic event was also extra special because our leadership consultant from the previous year joined to help and support us. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids.&lt;br /&gt;
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To end the month, we had a very eventful sisterhood. Kappas loaded their cars with tents, blankets, jackets and firewood, and were off to camp overnight at Lake Perris. We began by forming groups to build the tents. Building them was no easy task, and just when we thought it couldn’t get any harder, rain started to pour on us. We laughed off our struggles, and tried to finish up quickly. Although the rain was on and off throughout the night, Kappas always know how to have a good time, and our camping experience was nothing but fun and adventure. We walked to the beautiful lake that was surrounded by mountains, ate pizza, sat by the campfire, and ate an abundant amount of smores. Connecting with nature with our sisters by our side was truly a memorable day, and Kappa camping was a success despite some obstacles.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our Spring Quarter began by participating in the fraternity Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Krystal Neag. A few of the many fundraisers Krystal put together were Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, Kappa Karaoke, where tickets were sold to sing one’s heart out, and a fundraiser at Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt, where people were able to satisfy their sweet tooth. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances, including a dance that was based on different decades. Krystal won Highest Fundraiser, and raised one-third of the total of the money, which was very impressive.&lt;br /&gt;
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During the month of April we also held our joint philanthropic event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Both of our philanthropies revolve around literacy, so this competitive event is focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed-reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $1,250 and five hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF.&lt;br /&gt;
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The month of May was full of many events and festivities, starting with Parents Day. Sisters and parents gathered at the Indian Hills Golf Club to proudly demonstrate what our organization is all about. We ate a delicious brunch together, sang to them, and had tables displaying our history, crafts, and awards. It was a great time, and every parent fell even more in love with Kappa Kappa Gamma. To deal with the hot Riverside weather, our sisters collaborated with the brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi a couple weeks later and had a fun day at the park with water balloons and ice cream. Water splashing on us and the cold taste of ice cream in our mouths was a perfect way to combat the heat.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our last, and a top favorite, philanthropy of the 2015-year was Day in the Life. We bring sixth graders from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for a higher education. Sisters are divided into different touring groups in order to get to know the kids personally and be able to be more hands on and interactive. We teach them spirit chants and walk around the busy hallways of campus so they can experience for themselves what its like to be a college student. This philanthropy is so rewarding because every student anticipates going to college, UCR in specific, at the end of the day. They also fall in love with our amazing organization and want to be future Kappas, even the boys.&lt;br /&gt;
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Before heading into summer, we had one last sisterhood at the drive-in. Sisters dressed up in their best 50’s themed clothes while watching movies in their cars and eating yummy snacks. The group of girls with the best outfits received a gift certificate to make a sweatshirt with our letters imprinted, which was a big plus. After anxiously waiting for our Formal throughout the year, Kappas got dolled up and boarded buses to the Reef Restaurant in Long Beach to have a spectacular night with their dates. The venue was right on the bay, which was perfect for capturing memorable pictures. We ate a delicious gourmet meal, and danced the night away in front of the gorgeous waterfront view. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. With Epilson Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and greek unity, we worked hard and won awards including Chapter of the Year, Highest GPA, and Best Collaborative Program. Everyone was so Kappa proud and this was an excellent way to end the school year.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although it was summer for some, Kappas were still working hard on campus partaking in every freshman orientation in order to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. During the summer, we also reunited to film our recruitment video. Some of the places we went to included the beach, an amusement park, and one of our sister's beautiful home. Our amazing video embodied Kappa and our strong sisterhood very accurately.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although our fun-filled, adventurous summer was coming to an end, Kappa’s were excited to go back to school for recruitment. On the weekend of October 2nd, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular new members with baseball themed apparel, and had hot dogs and burgers for dinner. It was definitely one of the best ball games for our Kappa sisters. After a week of clues, room decorating, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Littles unwrapped their Bigs and embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories.&lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of asking dates to our Kappa Date Party. We received matching carnival crewnecks, and headed to Scandia Amusement Park. We spent the night playing mini-golf, riding rollercoasters, driving bumper cars, and eating delicious fair food. Quickly after, initiation week approached. Our Marshal hosted a Big and Little night at a local ice-skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as big and little. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Delta class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our most recent changes on campus is the addition of a new sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. This was very exciting for Epsilon Pi, and an excellent opportunity to help colonize and make new friends. There are now seven panhellenic sororities at UCR, and there has been an overall increase in interest in the Greek community. With so many more girls interested in the recruiting process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a great amount of new members. Our chapter has handled the increase well, and has accommodated accordingly. We are always happy and ecstatic to welcome new chapters, and new girls.&lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter Philanthropy:&lt;br /&gt;
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?&lt;br /&gt;
The organization Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for is Madison Elementary, our adopted underprivileged elementary school in our area. We put three events for them throughout the year, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? &lt;br /&gt;
We chose to support this organization because our chapter enjoys working hands on with the children in our area, and we know our service and donations are impacting them directly. We prefer actual interaction, rather than simply handing a check. It is very rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these children for the better.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2016==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the past year, the members of Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma have created many amazing memories that have enriched their college experience. Our chapter started the year off strong by holding elections in January after our lovely winter break which was quite a bit longer this year then in years past. As usual our sisters chose extraordinary women to help lead the chapter as Chapter Council. Shortly after, our education chair held the first education program of the year. The education program was all about proper etiquette, as a chapter we all ate California Pizza Kitchen and watched the presentation that our education chairman gave on good vs poor etiquette.&lt;br /&gt;
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On February 25th our chapter got together to do what we do best, eat. We had an amazing sister hood that was at the Kickn Crab, we all bonded over a very messy meal and made lasting memories with our sisters. A few days after our sister hood our chapter got together yet again for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular semi formal was located at a beautiful club in Long Beach. We all got dressed up in our best cocktail attire and every Kappa and their dates looked fantastic. Kappa’s all danced the night away and took many lavish photos. At the venue itself there was a professional photographer who helped to capture every moment of the stupendous night. This extraordinary night with sisters and their dates couldn’t have gone better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a day at the zoo. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with zebra and cheetah print decorations, face painting station, and a reading station. Sisters enjoyed painting the children’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative zoo animals. The book we chose to read was Animal Strike at the Zoo, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the beginning of the month of March our philanthropy chair planned an amazing event with Madison Square elementary school in honor of Dr. Seuss day. All of our sisters went to the school dressed in their best Dr. Seuss attire, and read to the children. This was such an amazing experience for us to see the joy on the children’s faces as we read the silliest of Dr. Seuss books to them. Later on in the month of March the newest member class Beta Delta got together for a new member retreat. The retreat was held on our campus at the student recreational centers excursion course. The new members all had a wonderful experience as they tried to climb up rock walls, ropes and ladders. The new member retreat was such a great bonding experience for Beta Delta. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of April we welcomed all of our lovely parents to our Annual Parents Day at Indian Hills Country Club. This was a fantastic day that allowed us to share why Kappa Kappa Gamma means so much to each of us with the parents . Awards were given out to Kappa’s for their academic excellence and for their spirit and dedication to the Epsilon Pi Chapter. Parents and Kappa’s all sat and ate a wonderful brunch and learned all about the amazing things that we have accomplished throughout the year. Later into the month of April our philanthropy chair organized one of our three main philanthropic events Words With Friends. It was a night to remember as we watched many of the students form the Greek community participate in our speed read and games. The entry fee to the event was a children’s books and all of the books raised where donated to the children of Madison elementary school. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also in the month of April Epsilon Pi participated in the fraternity, Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Sarah Lopinski. Sarah put together many fundraisers for the event including  Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, and Kappa Karaoke, where sisters and friends got together and sang their hearts out. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of May we had our annual philanthropy Day in the Life, where we bus over 6th graders from Madison Elementary to UCR. We get the opportunity to show these young children what its like to not only be a college student but what its like to be a Kappa. We give all the students a tour of our beautiful campus and teach them different UCR cheers. After the tours are over, we all eat lunch together on the grass by our famous bell tower and play fun games with the children. By the end of the day all the children are telling us how they are so excited to go to college, this is such an amazing feeling knowing that you have done a part in getting one more child excited to shoot for a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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After patiently waiting all year for one of Epsilon Pi's favorite events the time had finally come for our annual Formal. This years formal was held at a beautiful country club located in Costa Mesa. This night was one to remember with lots of beautiful pictures, and delicious food Before heading into summer we had one last sisterhood in which we spent the night in a mansion in Corona. We all began by taking cute photos with the many kappa props that we had brought on the outside of the mansion by the beautiful pool. Later on that night we got together and watched a scary movie in the home theatre that the house had. We all snuggled up in beds together hoping that we could sleep after watching such a scary movie. This sisterhood was such a great experience since Epsilon Pi does not have a sorority house we all got to experience for once what it would be like to be living together. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the months of summer some of the us got together to film for our recruitment video. We filmed in multiple locations in riverside including one of our sisters beautiful homes. After a fun filled exciting summer all of our sister where excited to be reunited once again for recruitment. On the  first weekend of October 2,, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we as Kappa’s do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. Sunday night we held our Bid Day, we welcomed all of our  new members with life guard themed apparel, and had an assortment of Mexican food for dinner. After a fun week of  room decorating, clues, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Little’s found the matching pair of sock behind a sheet and when the sheet dropped their Big’s were revealed. Big’s and little’s embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of the event our wonderful Marshal hosted, a sisterhood night were we all skated around the roller rink together in our matching inspo week shirts. The most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Epsilon class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. To finish of the year we had on of our most fun events  Kappa Date Party. We received matching shirts that were designed by one of our own sisters and headed to Boomers Amusement Park in Irvine. We spent the night riding bumper cars, go karts, climbing rock walls, playing laser tag, and miniature golf. Overall it has been a successful year for the Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. &lt;br /&gt;
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The most recent change on campus this year is most definitely the amount of students that now attend the University of California Riverside. For the first time in history Riverside received more than 50,000 student applications for admission. With that many more incoming students of course there where quite a few more women who signed up for recruitment this year as well. With so many more women interested in the recruitment process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a many more new members. We are always ecstatic to welcome new members into our chapter and we have been handling the size increase quit well. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for our adopted local underprivileged elementary school, Madison Elementary. Throughout the year we hold three philanthropic events for them, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi choses to support this organization because it gives us the opportunity to work hands on with the youth in our area. It is amazing to see our service and donations impact the the lives of the future of our community. Epsilon Pi prefers the face to face interaction that we get from our events such as Day in The Life and Reading is Key, rather then simply just raising money and handing in a check. It is so rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these young students for the better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi typically meets once a week for chapter meeting in a larger classroom or lecture hall on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2017==&lt;br /&gt;
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In 2017 Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma achieved many things and participated in many philanthropic and social events within our greek community and the real community surrounding Riverside. At our Pillars Award ceremony, hosted by Panhellenic, we were rewarded with the award of Best Chapter Management honoring our Chapter Councils hard work in managing our chapters affairs. Starting slow in January with fewer events following our winter break, we kicked the year off with the Scholarship Dinner which was held on January 26th. Our Scholarship Dinner was put on by our Vice President of Academic Excellence with the help of her committee. It was held at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside. Every girl was provided with dinner along with our advisors and various alumnae who attended. Throughout the night the Vice President of Academic Excellence gave out awards based on members' various academic achievements the previous year. This event celebrated members who may have had great academic improvements ad promoted the importance of academic achievement in our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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In the following month Epsilon Pi was a bit more busy. The first event in February was a sisterhood event which was put on by our Vice President Standards. This sisterhood was held at Build-a-Bear where members each made two bears. One for the member to take home and one to donate to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital. This sisterhood was a good way for members to get together and bond as well as do something good for the community. The following weekend on February a team of Kappa sisters participated in Gamma Phi Beta’s annual Moonball which is a volleyball tournament that helps raise money for Gamma Phi Beta’s philanthropy. Not only did members play in the tournament, they also came out to support and cheer on their sisters who played in the tournament. February 10th is when Epsilon Pi held their annual winter philanthropic event, Reading is Key. During this event the chapter went to a local elementary school, Madison Elementary, and decorated their multipurpose room up to the theme which was carnival. First grade classes got to come to the MPR throughout the day and the chapter facilitated many activities for the kids to do. These activities were things such as face painting, coloring, and the final station being chapter members reading a book to the children. At the end of the day each child got to go home with a book of their own. Also, the chapter donated books to the school as well. The final event Epsilon Pi held in the month of February was a sisterhood with Gamma Phi Beta. The chapters came together and decorated cookies for Valentines Day. The chapters also did Ice Breaker games and just bonded. Lastly, in the month of February chapter elections were held. The new chapter council was elected and joint Chapter Council Meeting was held the last week of February. &lt;br /&gt;
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March of 2017 kicked off strong with a sisterhood held with the girls of Delta Gamma. Our chapters got together and tie dyed shirts together and hung out at a local park. This sisterhood allowed our chapter to bond with a Panhellenic sister which we don’t often get to do much with strengthening our Panhellenic bonds. On March 3rd a group of Epsilon Pi members volunteered for Read Across America at a local elementary school. They got to spend the day reading and promoting literacy to the children in our surrounding community. Later that evening on March 3rd, we held our Semi Formal put on by our Event Chairman along with the help of her committee. It was held at a local country club and many Alumni joined and it was a successful event barring a few mishaps along the way. Following Semi Formal Leadership day was held for the new and old Chapter Council members on March 5th. Leadership day was planned by our Vice President of Organization in order to allow the time for old Chapter Council members to teach new Chapter Council members what their new job entailed and all the responsibilities their new job required. At the event all the advisors for the various Chapter Council positions were there and also met with their new officer. Also the new Chapter Council got to discuss goals that they wanted to achieve in their time in office and all the things they wanted to improve within the chapter. Many things were discussed that day and the new Chapter Council got a great start and great motivation from each other and the advisors to start their position strong and make some good changes within the chapter. The following meeting the new Chapter Council members were installed into their positions.&lt;br /&gt;
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Throughout the next couple of weeks Epsilon Pi was involved in a philanthropy called Miss Minerva held by a fraternity on our campus, Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This was a pageant type fundraiser that helped raise thousands of dollars for their philanthropy with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Kappa helped in this by having one girl volunteer to represent our chapter and do various fundraisers throughout the weeks leading up to the competition. Epsilon Pi also participated in a similar philanthropy held by another fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, titled Delta Queen this philanthropy helped raise money for the City of Hope Cancer Research Foundation. Both the representatives for both events held many small events to raise money for each chapter’s philanthropies. These events varied from holding fundraises at local restaurants to coming up with small clever fundraisers to do on campus at letters. One example of a small fundraiser held by our Delta Queen was titled Kolor a Kappa where people paid money to throw paint at members of our chapter. Although it doesn’t sound very eventful it was a vey successful event help on our campus. Epsilon Pi itself helped raise a large amount of money that we donated to each chapter’s philanthropies. These events also strengthened our ties within our Panhellenic community because every chapter had a representative and all the chapters competed against each other hopes to win the pageant. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a rather slow month compared to March aside from the various activities going on with both Miss Minerva and Delta Queen. April 22nd Epsilon Pi held a social event with fellow Fraternity on campus, Delta Chi. Members of both organizations got together on Earth day and volunteered at our campus garden the R’garden. Members planted plants and tended to the garden at our school. The following week Epsilon Pi had a visit from a Leadership Consultant. She stayed with our Vice President of Organization. While she was here she attended our chapter council meeting and visited with each member of Chapter Council to see how they were adapting to their new position. The Leadership Consultant was very helpful to our chapter giving the Chapter Council guidance onto how to deal with the problems in our chapter. On April 25th Epsilon Pi held another sisterhood event which was a kickboxing class held at the local UFC gym. The members of Epsilon Pi all joined together sweated and laughed while working out all together. On April 29th Epsilon Pi was involved in Alpha Chi Omega's annual philanthropy the Carnation Carnival. Epsilon Pi held a both making Kappachinos and a both doing a coin toss at the event. Sisters volunteered to work both booths throughout the day. The following day Epsilon Pi participated in Delta Gamma’s annual philanthropy titled Anchor Splash. A group of girls got together to compete in various competitions throughout the day. Epsilon Pi winning one of the events which was synchronized swimming. All in all the busy weekend was a success for Epsilon Pi. &lt;br /&gt;
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May 2017 was a very busy month for Epsilon Pi starting off with Salads with Seniors an event for the seniors and alumnae to get together and to have a lunch starting the seniors' transition from active member to&lt;br /&gt;
an alumnae. On May 5th Epsilon Pi participated in a powderpuff football tournament held by Fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. A group of sisters got together and formed a team competing against other chapters in a football tournament. On May 11th Epsilon Pi’s annual Sapphire Ball was held at a local venue in Downtown Riverside. This event was thrown by our Event Chairman throughout the night seniors got recognized and celebrated as this is their last formal Kappa event of college. On May 17th Epsilon Pi held another philanthropic event called Day in the Life. At this event Epsilon Pi bused over 6th grade students from Madison Elementary, the same elementary school that was collaborated with for Reading is Key, and did many activities with them. The 6th graders were given a tour of our campus and done various smaller activities with. This philanthropy is very near and dear to our hearts because it allows us to promote higher education to kids who may have no knowledge of what college is like or why it is important.&lt;br /&gt;
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Parents' Day was held on May 21st at Indian Hills Golf Club. Thrown by the Public Relation Chairman, Parents' Day was a brunch for both members of Epsilon Pi and their parents. During the brunch, awards were given out to outstanding members of our chapter. Also, during the brunch presentations were given to the parents from various Chapter Council members, such as registrar and education chairman, about the history of Kappa Kappa Gamma as a whole and Epsilon Pi Chapter itself. Overall Parents Day was successful in showing the parents why Kappa Kappa Gamma is such an important organization and what it does for their daughters. The week of May 22nd was Pillars week where our whole Greek community comes together to do various activities throughout the wee, some competitive activities and others to raise money. At the end of this week a banquet is held to give out awards to chapters for various achievements throughout the year. Epsilon Pi was awarded with Best Chapter Management celebrating our Chapter Council's recent achievements. On May 24th the Education Chairmen held a final sisterhood for the seniors. This sisterhood was held at a local trampoline park, Skyline, where the seniors were allowed to jump and hang out with each other one last time all together. The sisterhood retreat was held on May 27th and 28th at a house in Corona. Sisters got together and had a giant sleepover at a house. During this sleepover sisters bonded doing various ice breaker activities and watching movies and such. It was very successful in the bonding of our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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The next week starting May 30th through to the beginning of June was sports week for our Greek community. Epsilon Pi participated in many of the sports such as football, soccer, and volleyball it was very successful having teams in every event throughout the week. June 3rd was another philanthropy that Epsilon Pi held in order to raise money to donate to Reading is Fundamental. This philanthropy was a Kappa Karwash. Sisters got together at a local burger joint and washed cars in order to raise money for Kappa’s national philanthropy. The next few weeks of June events died down because it was the end of the quarter and finals were nearing but our Vice President of Academic Excellence did hold a Kappa Study Party on June 11th for all our members. She rented out a study room at one of our campus libraries and held a study party for all our members. At the study party she provided many things for our sisters such as scantrons, blue books, and pencils sisters might need for their finals. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the moths of July and August sisters were home for the summer, yet the recruitment chair along with the help of her committee started to prepare for recruitment. In September the week before school started recruitment workshops were held September 21st through the 26th. At these workshops sisters learned songs and practiced all the things that needed to be perfected before formal recruitment. Formal recruitment was held October 5th through the 8th. Bid day was then held on October 8th at a fellow sister's house welcoming home our new pledge class Beta Zeta. That following Monday, October 9th, the new pledge class was formally pinned and their new member education began. October 14th our Founders Day brunch was held at Canyon Crest Country Club. It was a brunch held by our Education Chairman in which celebrated our Founders Day. It was a very successful first event with our new pledge class setting the tone for them for the rest of the year. In the following weeks new members got to meet with the sapphires weekly leading up to big and little week which occurred the week of October 23rd. That Friday, October 27th, big and little reveal was facilitated by our New Member Chairman on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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Following reveal the new members were driven to an active's house where they had their first sleepover as a pledge class. They bonded with the New Member Chairman and with each other throughout the night. Sunday October 29th was Epsilon Pi’s October Sisterhood which was held at The Pumpkin Factory, a local pumpkin patch. Sisters got to bond with their new littles and with the new pledge class. The Week of October 29th through November 3rd Epsilon Pi was visited by another Leadership Consultant who checked up with Chapter Council’s progress that they have made this year. The Leadership Consultant also was able to come to chapter meeting to meet with new members and give a presentation to the whole chapter on the importance of attendance. The Leadership Consultant visit was successful in that she was able to help out chapter council with any guidance they needed leading their way into initiated the new pledge class. &lt;br /&gt;
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On November 4th Epsilon Pi participated in a philanthropy held by fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This philanthropy was a soccer tournament for the various sororities to compete against each other and raise money Epsilon Pi had two teams competing in the event and took both second and first place in the tournament. On November 10th Epsilon Pi competed in another sports related philanthropic event held by Phi Kappa Sigma. This event was titled The Phi Kap Olympics in which teams competed in various activities and games. Epsilon Pi also took first in this philanthropic event as well. Inspiration Week started on November 13th, this being the period before initiation where girls sit back and think about Kappa and the true meaning and values that Kappa instills in each of its members. Throughout that week our Philanthropy chair held Epsilon Pi’s first philanthropy event for the school year being a Kappa Canned food drive. Epsilon Pi collected cans and donations from various greek organizations on our campus with an incentive that the organization that donates the most cans will get a $100 check written out to their philanthropy. This however was a bigger success than our philanthropy chair had expected with around two thousand of cans donated and around $350 raised. On Thursday November 16th Epsilon Pi held their Big and Little Night put on by our Marshall. Big and Little Night was held at a local ice rink, IceTown, where sisters skated and bonded with their family lines. November 17th Fireside was held for the new members followed by initiation the next morning. On November 27th chapter elections will be held for the new Chapter Council. On November 30th Epsilon Pi held their Date Party at a minor league basketball game. On December 3rd Epsilon Pi’s Vice President of Academic Excellence planned a Kappa Study Party so sisters can get together and study before finals in our on campus library. On December 6th the Education Chairman held a senior sisterhood where the seniors meet at a sisters house and decorated ornaments and cookies to celebrate the holidays. Through all these success for Epsilon Pi Chapter throughout 2017 the chapter’s morale has gained strength. All in all 2017 was a good year for Epsilon Pi.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2018==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Over the year, the Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has participated in many events on the UC Riverside campus, and has been tremendously rewarded for its involvement and service in the community. We started off the year in January when we welcomed and transitioned the new leaders of the chapter during leadership day. This was a special time because the new officers were transitioning into their new positions and learned from the old officers everything their position entails. &lt;br /&gt;
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In February, the new chapter council was excited to start working on Parent’s Day which is a day where all the girls bring their parents together to show them what Kappa is all about. Our Parent’s Day was February 24, celebrated with brunch and set up by the Public Relations Chairman. Throughout the day, we awarded advisors and members for their dedication to the chapter, and had presentations about our chapter history. There were tables setup that displayed old archives like old composites, and scrapbooks for the parents to see. It was a great time for the members and their families to come together to take pictures, and learn Kappa’s history. We also had our sisterhood in February, where all the girls dressed in cute pajamas and went to the movie theatre where they had a viewing of Pitch Perfect. Many sisters came in matching pajamas, especially bigs and littles. The chapter even had a contest for the cutest pajamas, and the winner got a prize. Our biggest event in February would have to be Reading is Key, our philanthropy that is put together entirely by the Philanthropy Chairman. We went to a local elementary school, where we held many activities such as face painting and crafts for the kids to do. The theme for the day was “Under the Sea”, with many decorations and books set up for the day. The whole chapter came throughout the day and managed the different stations for the children to go through. Our goal was to show the kids how much fun reading and learning can be, so we had many books for them to see and an individual copy for them to take home. The kids were very excited and we even had a few sisters get on stage and do a reading of the books to the children. &lt;br /&gt;
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In March, we started the month with composites. All the girls met in the Highlander Union Building and got their portraits taken, which was set up by the chapter’s Registrar. We ended the month with our semi-formal, set up by our Event Chair, where the whole chapter comes together for food and music. Our semi-formal was March 3rd in Downtown Riverside, where we celebrated a lovely evening with appetizers, a photobooth, and dancing. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a very busy month with many fundraisers and awards. We kicked it off with winning Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash, where the members in the chapters won a dance and swimming competition. Our team came together and held many practices in order to make sure their routine was perfect. Not only did we participate in Anchor Splash, but we also were involved with the blood drive, and held a yogurtland fundraiser for our philanthropy. Mid April, we held our scholarship dinner at Cheesecake Factory where the chapter was awarded with their academic achievements. Throughout the night, there were a lot of awards to give considering the drastic rise in our chapter’s GPA. This was put together by our VP Academic Excellence and there were different awards such as ‘Highest GPA’ or ‘Most Improved GPA’. It was a great way to celebrate the academic achievements of the chapter and recognize all the hard work we put into for school. We ended the successful month off with our participation in Powderpuff which is a greek soccer tournament held by Phi Kappa Psi.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to the Pillar’s Awards, we have Pillar’s week, which is a week of competitions that organizations do on campus as teams. We were the red team, and our panhellenic chair along with our chapter council made sure we participated in all the tasks they gave us. The Chapter Council and the President put in countless hours filling in the forms and requirements for Pillars week. The award accounted for many things such as how involved the chapter is on campus, how much attendance does the chapter have at other organizations and philanthropy, and how well our academics and community service is. All the hard work paid off when our chapter won “Chapter of The Year” and the “Service Award”. It was a very exciting night that made the chapter very proud of its accomplishments. &lt;br /&gt;
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In May, we got to celebrate our achievements at our Formal, which is a night of celebration for the seniors. The chapter came together for food and dancing all put together by our Event Chair, where we handed out awards to all of the seniors for the end of the school year was approaching fast for them. We also kicked back and had our sisterhood, a kappa luau. Our VP Standards put together the luau where we hung out by the pool, got snacks, had cute hawaiian decorations and took pictures. It was a great way for our sisters to bond under the sun. We ended May with our second biggest philanthropy, A Day in the Life, which is also entirely put together by the philanthropy Chair. We had local middle schoolers come to UC Riverside, where we took the kids on tours, played fun games with them, and answered all their questions about college life. First we welcomed the kids to the campus, and played games with them to get know their names and interests. We then started by taking them on tours, based on their different teams, and ended the day with snacks and refreshments for the kids. The chapter showed them how great school and education can be, and hoped to inspire them to pursue a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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As June started, the school year was coming to an end and many sisters went home for summer vacation. While some sisters were doing internships, or going on cool vacations, the girls that stayed in town started working on recruitment. The membership chairman along with her committee spent many days tabling meeting the new students of UC Riverside, and answering all their questions about our chapter. Before the start of school, the chapter came together for recruitment workshops where we all learned songs and recruitment etiquette. It was five days of practice that really brought the chapter together in time for welcoming the potential new &lt;br /&gt;
members into recruitment. When school finally started again, it was time for Formal recruitment which was all managed by the Membership Chairman. The chapter was so excited to welcome home the class of Beta Eta at our olympic themed bid day put together by our New Member Chairman. Following Bid Day, the new members got a weekly sapphire that guided them throughout their first few weeks in the chapter. One important event in October was our Founder’s Day, put together by the Education Chairman. On October 10, the chapter came together at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we celebrate with brunch and presentations of the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma. We remember the six founders and the symbols that make Kappa so special to all of us.&lt;br /&gt;
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The new members finally got to find out who their bigs were during big and little reveal. During that week, bigs decorated their little’s rooms and gave them secret hints as to who they were. The bigs decorated cute boxes and popped out of them to surprise their littles, and the boxes had cute themes to them. In the month of November, the chapter had big and little night, which was put together by the Marshall and was held at a roller skating rink. Bigs and littles spent the night roller skating around and taking cute pictures in their matching outfits. We ended the month off with our participation in Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s soccer tournament to raise awareness for cancer. We had our strongest soccer players compete against other sororities and we were able to win first place. It was a great way for the chapter to come together, and for the Greek community as well to raise awareness for the cause. In the last meeting, November 26, elections were held for the new chapter council, and the chapter spends one last meeting together before the year ends. &lt;br /&gt;
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Ultimately, it has been a very successful year for Epsilon Pi. Not only did we win many awards, but we were very involved with other philanthropies and fundraisers. Our philanthropies main goal is to encourage kids to learn, read, and pursue a higher education. We do that by emphasizing the importance of reading and going to college, for these kids to understand that education is very important. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2020s==&lt;br /&gt;
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Starting out our Winter Quarter of 2020, on January 5th our newly elected chapter council had their first chapter council meeting as well as the following day, January 6th, we had our first formal meeting of the quarter where new officers got formally transitioned into their positions. On January 11th, we scheduled and attended our first leadership day where we invited advisors, outgoing cc, as well as incoming cc to create a smooth transition for new positions. On January 26th our newest pledge class had their new member retreat where they got to rock climb on the ropes course at UCR. On January 31st we were so fortunate to celebrate our 150th anniversary of the organization by being visited by the Minnie Stewart van! On February 6th we held a social with a Panhellenic organization, Alpha Chi Omega. On February 26th, we held our annual Reading is Key event at Madison Elementary where it was Alice in Wonderland themed and we read and did crafts with the 1st grade classes. On March 1st we held our Semi-formal event where we danced the night away with all of our sisters. On March 2nd, we participated in a joint philanthropy event with Sigma Pi Epsilon at a local elementary school reading to kids. On March 6th we held our Winter Sisterhood event at Hangar Trampoline Park. During the week of March18-22nd, we began our finals week while transitioning to a complete remote learning environment. Although many of us assumed we would be coming back after spring break, we ended up coming to terms that we would be having both our Spring and Fall Quarters completely online. On April 1st we held our first virtual meeting through zoom. On April 14th we began to review and evaluate the best and worst case for the budget with the treasurer. On April 26th we began to reevaluate and get on the same page for tackling the actions on our action plan. On April 29th we supported Denim Day virtually through our platforms. On May 27th we decided on the budget proposal and to put all of our members on a payment plan due to pandemic circumstances. On June 16th we raised and donated $2,700O to act able. On September 26th we began recruitment workshops every day until to 30th. On October 8th through the 11th we held formal recruitment through zoom. Although this process did look a bit different than usual years, everything ran very smoothly as we conducted conversations and voting on zoom and in break out rooms. On October 11th, we welcomed our newest pledge class, Beta Iota to the chapter as the bid day theme was Kappa and Co. We held our New member pinning ceremony on October 12th. On October 13th we all joined the zoom call with our chapter first to go over some history fun facts as well as conduct our founders day ceremony then joined the zoom call with our sisters across the nation to help celebrate our 150th milestone! On October 12-16th our lovely leadership consultant Cait Berosh held a virtual meeting with a majority of our chapter council members. On October 18th we held a virtual committee night.&lt;br /&gt;
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On October 22nd we held a virtual COB night where we welcome a few more members to our new member class. On October 25th we were visited by a facilitator from HQ for a Aspiring to a higher type of Sisterhood Workshop. On October 29th we held a Spooky fall quarter sisterhood where we all carved pumpkins together. On November 4th, we held a sisterhood where we made fun PowerPoint on random topics. On November 13th we held big little reveal where a majority of new members got their bigs. On November 16th-20th we began Inspiration week where we did various writing prompts to reflect on our values as well as had big little night on November 18th. On November 18th the rest of the new members who were COBs got their bigs as well. On November 20th, our new members were officially initiated into our chapter. On November 16th we were presented with the slate from the nominating committee. On November 23rd, we held chapter elections where we elected prospective new officers. On December 4th we held a virtual baking sisterhood with a Panhellenic organization Gamma Phi Beta. On December 7th, we held our last meeting of 2020 and the quarter and after finals we will begin winter break.&lt;br /&gt;
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We support our local Elementary School Madison Elementary which is in an under served community.We chose this school, to only because we’ve worked with them many years prior, but also because a alumna from Epsilon Pi Chapter hasworked as a teacher there in the past and explained how our chapter could positively impact the students&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chairman and she aided in all the programming that was being planned as well as sent out little reminders throughout the quarter on how to be inclusive and how to be more conscious through the group me.&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a sesquicentennial chairman who would kept us updated on new and fun stuff from HQ as well as would share various chapter history PowerPoints and we were so lucky to have been visited by the Minnie Steward Van to celebrate such an amazing milestone! During Founders Day we joined on zoom together as a chapter and did our Founders Day ceremony and then join the zoom call with all of our sisters nationwide to share this special moment in history.&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>VickiCarrigan</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23005</id>
		<title>Epsilon Pi</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23005"/>
				<updated>2022-07-25T16:13:29Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;VickiCarrigan: &lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;div&gt;{{Infobox Fraternity&lt;br /&gt;
|Name= Epsilon Pi&lt;br /&gt;
|GreekSymbol= EΠ&lt;br /&gt;
|Image= [[File:Epsilon_Pi.jpeg|200px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1976|02|07}}&lt;br /&gt;
|College= [https://www.ucr.edu/ University of California, Riverside]&lt;br /&gt;
|Location= Riverside, CA&lt;br /&gt;
|Homepage= [https://ucr.kappa.org/ Epsilon Pi Homepage]&lt;br /&gt;
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Epsilon_Pi Media related to Epsilon Pi Chapter]}}&lt;br /&gt;
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'''University of California at Riverside, 1954'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Epsilon Pi founded February 7, 1976'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''1,127 initiates (as of June 2018)'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Some of Chapter’s Outstanding Alumnae:''' (If you have chapter alumna who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.)&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Council Officers:'''&lt;br /&gt;
Kyle Donnelly, Fraternity Treasurer, 2022-2024&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Additional Outstanding Epsilon Pi Alumnae:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Kyle Donnelly: Fraternity Finance Committee (2006-2008), Province Director of Chapters (2008-2011), Assistant to Fraternity Treasurer (2011-2014), Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Finance Committee (2011-2012), Scholarship Reader (2015-2018), Fraternity House Board Chairman (2018-2020).&lt;br /&gt;
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Ella Gaumer Vieria: Traveling Consultant (2000-2001), Province Director of Chapters (2005-2009), Technology Committee (2009-2010), Regional Director of Chapters (2010-2012, 2012-2014), Long Range Planning Task Force (2013-2016), Assistant to Director of Chapters (2014-2016), Public Relations Content Director (2016-2018), Leadership Education and Development Committee (2018).&lt;br /&gt;
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Yvonne Kim: Province Director of Chapters (2011-2015).&lt;br /&gt;
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Vicki Hill Carrigan: Kappa Trainer (2010-2016), Publications Committee (2010-2014), Technology Committee (2010-2014), Leadership Academy Facilitator (2012, 2016, 2017), Betty Brady Award (1995), Coordinator of Chapter Support (2014-2016), Convention Committee - Music Chairman (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022), Adviser Academy Facilitator (2016), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Ritual &amp;amp; History Specialist (2019 - 2021).&lt;br /&gt;
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Jessica Coffield: Nominating Committee (2014-2016), Standards Specialist (2016-2020), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Standards Director (2020 - ).&lt;br /&gt;
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Traci Evans: Programming Specialist (2016-2018), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019).&lt;br /&gt;
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Stephanie Hammond: Public Relations Specialist (2019-2021).&lt;br /&gt;
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Kim Braun Padulo: Province Director of Chapters (1987-1988), Province Director of Alumnae (1989-1990).&lt;br /&gt;
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Hailey Grisel: Leadership Consultant (2015-2016), Philanthropy Specialist (2016-2017).&lt;br /&gt;
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Meredith Hutcheson Reuter: Chapter Consultant (1990-1991), Province Director of Chapters (1993-1995).&lt;br /&gt;
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Lise Haxton: Traveling Consultant (1993-1994), Chapter Consultant (1994-1995), Chapter Support Committee (2004-2005)&lt;br /&gt;
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==The Early Years -- Colonization and Installation==&lt;br /&gt;
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Love and guidance by many caring Kappas allowed Epsilon Pi chapter to enjoy a great beginning. The culmination of this love and concern was exemplified in the beautiful Installation held the first weekend in February 1976 when 13 new members of Epsilon Pi Colony were initiated as charter members of Epsilon Pi Chapter at the University of California at Riverside.&lt;br /&gt;
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Installing officer Marian Schroeder Graham, Beta Phi—Montana, Fraternity President, was assisted by many others including Phyllis Brinton Pryor, Beta Mu—Colorado, National Panhellenic Conference Delegate and colonizing officer; Patti Ball Hillyard, Delta Chi—San Jose State, installation chairman and President of the Riverside Alumnae Club; Lyn Conway Madding, Delta Gamma—Michigan State, Kappa Province Director of Alumnae; Kay Reid Tennison, Epsilon Delta—Arizona State, Kappa Province Director of Chapters; and Janeen Gould, Beta Beta Deuteron—St. Lawrence, Epsilon Pi Graduate Counselor. Also, several advisers and Graduate Counselors to California chapters and alumnae from all over southern California gathered to participate in and to honor the Installation of Kappa’s 95th chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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The setting for the ceremonies was the chapter house of Epsilon Pi’s sister chapter, Delta Tau—Southern California. It was agreed by all and well stated by Phyllis Pryor that “no more perfect arrangements could have been made for an unhoused chapter to be assimilated into a totally Kappa setting where a true feeling of belonging could be imparted. The cooperation and hospitality of those members of Delta Tau who made this possible will be long remembered as a very vital aspect of the happy Initiation of Epsilon Pi.” She also noted that “the beautiful, warm, very adequate facilities of the Delta Tau house accommodated the influx of extra people and activities gracefully and with no evidence of inconvenience or interruption.” &lt;br /&gt;
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Fern Crane, Delta Tau Housemother; Katie Finnegan, Delta Tau President; Kris Kline, chapter coordinator, and chapter members were thanked for their superb planning and for making the guests and participants feel welcomed and prepared.&lt;br /&gt;
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It was here that the scene for the entire weekend, including a lovely Friday night Fireside Service and dinner. Delta Tau members added to the beauty by sharing some of their traditional pre-initiation thoughts and songs.&lt;br /&gt;
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Many gifts to the new chapter were recognized at the luncheon banquet, which was held at the University Hilton Hotel following Saturday’s Installation. Two special gifts were award badges for outstanding new members, one given to the new member class president, Debbie Dietrich, and one to Robin Rose, Recruitment Chairman, for scholarship.&lt;br /&gt;
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Greetings to the new chapter increased even more when more than 150 guests came in heavy rain to a reception Sunday afternoon in Riverside at the home of a recent Delta Tau active. UC Riverside administrators and Panhellenic representatives and members of other Greek-letter groups on campus along with friends and family members of the new chapter members honored Epsilon Pi with their attendance.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to Installation, the Epsilon Pi new members were busy with campus activities including selling cotton candy during Homecoming, a pizza party with alumnae, a new member retreat and joining the other fraternities and sororities in the Greek cheering section for football games and for Christmas caroling before the winter break. Epsilon Pi members also created a wooden plaque with pictures of the charter members, and they worked together on a hooked rug with an owl design for Delta Tau Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
The previous information was excerpted from (unknown source-most likely The Key.)&lt;br /&gt;
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The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to update its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1970s==      &lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter’s first formal, called “Sea and Sky”, was held in a multipurpose room in one of the apartment complexes near campus since the budget for the event was only $75; $25 was spent on decorations and $50 was spent on a band.  One sister, who was dating a Sigma Alpha Epsilon from UCLA, had him fix up some of the Kappas with blind dates with his brothers. Charter President Kim Braun Padulo recalled the surprised reaction of the boys when they entered the room as it was not the kind of reception they were used to.&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi faced its challenges head on and ultimately succeeded.  In the fall of 1976, they welcomed a second pledge class that nearly doubled the size of the chapter.  Following soon after, in spring quarter the women had to write their chapter Bylaws. After getting the foundations of the chapter set, the women focused on their sisterhood. To improve this Epsilon Pi chapter participated in a potluck with the Northern Orange County Alumnae Association. The theme was to bring with you your favorite Kappa memory to share. After doing so, the women realized that while they were close, a house would bring them much closer to each other.  They hoped that one day they would reach this goal for Epsilon Pi to have a chapter house. &lt;br /&gt;
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October of 1977, thirteen more lovely ladies were pledged after an informal Yell-in, and on Inspiration week, in October 24-29; the women were initiated. With rush again in the spring the chapter was able to grow from 13 actives to 30 by 1978.  &lt;br /&gt;
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1979 was kicked off with Formal Fall Rush. The first night the girls attended open house and had sandwiches while getting to know each other. The second night was theme night, in which the chapter put on their annual performance of “Kapparet”.  On the second to last night the chapter had project night in which the women used felt letters and animals to spell their names, these where then to be used for philanthropy. The final night, was preference night. Here the women all dressed up formally, and had dessert together while sharing stories in a circle. Epsilon Pi once again initiated more women, making the chapter grow a little bigger every year.  With the goal to become one of the largest chapters, Epsilon Pi continued learning ways of improving and growing closer in sisterhood.  To do so, their goal was set to focus on social graciousness, organization, and sisterhood (SOS). Memorable events from the 70s include hanging out at the pool at Bannockburn, yearly pledge class songs, and exchanges with other groups on campus. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1980s:==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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Small &amp;quot;get to know each other&amp;quot; parties were held at the Bannockburn pool, so that all the women could get to know each other better and create stronger sisterhoods. They also held exchanges. Epsilon Pi had an annual &amp;quot;walkout&amp;quot; in which the pledges would plan to &amp;quot;kidnap&amp;quot; actives and have them do funny antics like sing Kappa songs and Kappa Dances at different stops on campus like the library, residence halls, and classrooms.  Every stop would earn them a clue that would lead them to the location that the pledges had chosen to host them for dinner. They experienced the debut of MTV and this spurred lip-synching contests in the dorms, which were a blast! &lt;br /&gt;
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After just a few years of being established Epsilon Pi was honored to participate in founding of new chapters of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of California, Irvine and University of California, San Diego.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi held many different Philanthropy events such as making rabbit-like Easter baskets to give to the Sunshine School in Riverside, dressing up around Halloween in costumes and visiting the Riverside Community Hospital patients with candy.  One popular tradition was a &amp;quot;Grandparent Adoption&amp;quot; from convalescent homes where the chapter women would visit their adoptee twice a month and bring them carnations and homemade spice ropes.&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter Convention Awards:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1990s==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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In the early 1990’s, the chapter was focused on scholarship, improving rush, and philanthropy. The chapter tied for the 2nd highest GPA on campus in 1991 and placed 35 members on the Dean’s List. And in 1993-94, the chapter received the Dean’s Scholarship Trophy for the highest percentage of members on the Dean’s List.  The chapter maintained a high level of academic excellence throughout the decade, due in part to weekly mandatory study hours for actives and pledges.&lt;br /&gt;
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To prepare for rush, the chapter started early the prior school year with a 10 day work week. Rush quota gradually decreased on the UCR campus in the early 90’s. Quota was 32 in 1991, 24 in 1993, to 16 in 1994, and 13 in 1995. However, quota was back up in the 20’s by 2000. These smaller pledge classes, however, allowed the chapter to be fully involve the new members in all aspects of chapter life.&lt;br /&gt;
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Early in the decade, the chapter accepted the Challenge to Excellence issued to all chapters by the Fraternity. Work on the Challenge to Excellence continued during the rest of the 1990’s. It strengthened the chapter and brought the members closer together.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991, nine of the 13 founders of Epsilon Pi were present for the Founders Day brunch. In 1995, the chapter celebrated Kappa Kappa Gamma’s 125th birthday with Zeta Eta at UC Irvine.&lt;br /&gt;
On the social front, the chapter continued with its annual Sea and Sky formal, Monmouth Duo with Pi Beta Phil, and Kappa Krush dances. Epsilon Pi also participated in many sporting competitions on campus, such as the annual inter-sorority volleyball tournament, Sports week, the Greek Games and the annual Run to the C. The chapter also hosted a Parent’s Day each year.&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter focus shifted to sisterhood, public relations and participation in the mid-1990’s.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991 the chapter lounge was redecorated. The last update was 16 years prior! Also in this year, the university offered sororities a hall in one of the dorms to have as their own. The chapter felt this would be a good way to improve chapter bonds, and would show the university that they were serious about having a house in the future.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi won the Philanthropy Award at the 1991 Kappa Province Meeting. The chapter participated in the Cystic Fibrosis Walkathon and helped clean up downtown Riverside. They also continued their tradition of visiting the Sunshine House and their association with the Riverside section of the California School of Deaf. In the mid-1990’s, Epsilon Pi began a new philanthropy called Night Run.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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1992 Efficiency Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Standards Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Scholarship Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1996 Scholarship Award Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2000-2010==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter actively participated in campus events such as BEAR Facts Orientation, Block Party, Homecoming and Spring Splash as well as Panhellenic sponsored events such as Sports Week, Greek Unity Week with Greek Pyramid, and Presents. Founders Day was often celebrated with Zeta Eta, UC Irvine and the Orange County Alumnae Association. A yearly Scholarship Dinner was held to honor the sisters with the highest GPA, most improved GPA, and all sisters with a 4.0 in a quarter. Yearly chapter events included a fall Date Party, a winter Scholarship Banquet, and a Parent’s Day in the spring.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Housing:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi was the first Greek organization to be invited to participate in UCR’s Greek Housing Pilot Program.  The chapter was able to rent five units in an apartment complex near campus and 10 members lived there during the 2009-2010 school year.  However, due to a lack of contracts and security, the program was discontinued.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Members of Epsilon Pi volunteered yearly for a local breast cancer fundraiser put on by the Inland Agency, called “Shop to Stop Breast Cancer.”  Each year, chapter members volunteered to read to students at Madison Elementary School on Dr. Suess day. In Spring 2009, the members of Epsilon Pi hosted sixth grade students for “A Day In The Life” at UCR.  The Kappas gave them tours of the campus and the sixth graders got to meet the Men’s Basketball Team and the UCR Cheerleaders and Dance Team. The finale of the day was lunch on the commons lawn where the sixth graders read their favorite books to the Kappas.  &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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2008 Rose McGill Award&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011-2019==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011==&lt;br /&gt;
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2011 was a busy and great year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. Winter quarter started out with the nomination process, leading to the election of a strong, new Chapter Council. That quarter we participated in two philanthropic events at Madison Elementary School, Where the Wild Things Read and Dr. Seuss Day. Both events involved reading to the students and encouraging literacy. Greek Unity Week also took place during the winter. Our members were paired with the men of Pi Kappa Alpha to compete in various activities throughout the week meant to strengthen Greek unity on campus. As our winter quarter event, the chapter had a “Finally Famous” themed semi-formal, in which couples dressed as famous couples throughout history. &lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter also enjoyed a scholarship dinner at Ciao Bella restaurant and a go-cart racing sisterhood event held at K1 Speedway. For the spring quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter continued its emphasis on philanthropy. We volunteered at the Inland Agency’s Shop to Stop Breast Cancer event. Also, our sister Brittany Altamirano competed in and won the 2011 Delta Queen Pageant hosted by the men of Delta Tau Delta, raising around $7000 for City of Hope cancer research. During this quarter, the campus’ Fraternity and Sorority Involvement Center hosted a Pillar’s Reception where Epsilon Pi was proud to receive the Friendship Pillar Award. The Chapter hosted Parent’s Day at the Benedict Castle and a formal at the Pomona Valley Mining Co. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another major accomplishment for the chapter during spring was our Sports Week participation. Members assembled teams for volleyball and football, and did excellent in both sports, taking home the overall win for Sports Week. In April, a few members of our chapter went to Kappa Province in Tucson, AZ, where we were awarded the Rose McGill Magazine Award. As fall quarter began, the members of Epsilon Pi were eager for recruitment, to gain more assets to our chapter. After going through formal recruitment, the chapter welcomed 31 New Members on Bid Day. The New Members were taken to a taco dinner afterwards to celebrate and get to know the chapter. This year, the chapter invited local alumnae and the women of the Zeta Eta Chapter at UC Irvine to our Founder’s Day brunch at the Riverside Art Museum. Many of our members also participated in the Pink on Parade breast cancer walk, as well as the 5K run held by the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Our chapter enjoyed a movie night sisterhood as we went to go see the film 50/50, as well as a Thanksgiving potluck themed meeting to end the quarter. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Campus:''' This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus tried to really encourage unity among the Greek community, but the panhellenic organizations in particular. Kappa encouraged this as well, as we participated in Panhellenic’s Cookies and Crafts event. All 6 of the panhellenic organizations came together to get to know each other better, as well as learn more about one another’s philanthropies. We also participated in the kickball tournament thrown by the women of Gamma Phi Beta, to further demonstrate our support of panhellenic. The campus hosted many annual events like Spring Splash, Bear Facts Orientation, and Block Party, all of which Epsilon Pi participated in. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter:''' If one word were chosen to describe the overall nature of our chapter in 2011 it would be growth. We suffered some minor setbacks, but with positive mindsets and a strong chapter council, we pushed through and began making necessary changes for our chapter to head in the right direction. Epsilon Pi has taken pride in both its diversity and large chapter size and has used both of those factors to strengthen the chapter as a whole. &lt;br /&gt;
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One main challenge for the chapter was attendance. With such a large chapter size, we expected high numbers of attendance, but were not seeing that. Chapter Council began a point system for attendance. A minimum requirement of points was made necessary for fun/positive things later on, such as getting a little sister in the fall. In addition, our VP Standards took attendance into account as she looked over members who needed standards appointments. She stressed the importance of going to mandatory events in these meetings and the consequences of not doing so. The attendance problem was not completely erased, but the chapter hopes to see improvements, continuously reminding members of the attendance policy in our chapter’s bylaws and standing rules. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2012==&lt;br /&gt;
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Each year Epsilon Pi chapter continues to reach and exceed previous years' achievements. 2011 was an amazing and notable year for Epsilon Pi chapter. In January, we began with inspiration week filled with a variety of big and little and sisterhood bonding events. Soon after, the Alpha Omega pledge class was initiated. It was a beautiful and special ceremony that we were able to share with the newest members of our wonderful chapter. The following week we had an amazing Semi Formal which was hosted at the Caspian in Irvine, where we enjoyed an Arabian night filled with kabobs and belly dancers. Soon after we had elections and welcomed the newly elected chapter council. During that time period we were graced with the Leadership Officer and received an abundance of tips and advice on how to make our chapter even stronger than what it was then. &lt;br /&gt;
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Following elections and the LC visit, we had Greek Unity week on campus which brings the Greek and cultural sorority and fraternities together. This year we were paired with the men of Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. During this week we are separated into teams and participate in a variety of team and at the end of the week perform a team dance that is appreciated by the whole Greek community. &lt;br /&gt;
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As we continued into winter quarter we held two amazing philanthropies at Madison Elementary School; Kappa Kamp and Dr. Seuss Day. Both event encouraged the students to read and enjoy books. We also had a delicious scholarship dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory where we acknowledged our hard working sisters that make the Dean's List, have the most study hours, and the highest overall GPA. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of winter quarter we held our Leadership Day, which aimed at better training our newly elected chapter council to ensure that they would be confident in achieving everything their position asked them to, as well as doing their little perfectly.&lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring quarter, our sisterhood took a great start with having a fun and exciting event at Dave and Buster. This quarter we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Lauren Montes, won the Delta Queen Pageant raising $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices. This quarter we also had our annual formal, &amp;quot;A Night In Spain&amp;quot;, which was held at the Green River Gold Club in Corona. It was an amazing event where we danced the night away and appreciated the seniors, as it was their last formal with the chapter. As the quarter continued, we hosted &amp;quot;A Day In The Life&amp;quot; where we hosted students from Madison Elementary School and showed them the campus. We introduced them to the soccer team and cheer leaders and gave them a tour of the campus. We wanted to encourage the sixth graders to continue on to college to get a higher education and to show them that anyone can achieve that with hard work and dedication. We ended this quarter with a fun filled water themed sisterhood at our president, Brittany Altamirano's house. There was a water maze, water guns, and of course water balloons. The sisterhood definitely helped relieve some stress that we had pertaining to the upcoming finals. Later that weekend we also had our annual Parent's Day at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we had a nice lunch with all our sisters and their parents. We also appreciated our sisters who stood out exceptionally in being a good sister and kappa and sisters that stood our academically as well.&lt;br /&gt;
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After returning from summer vacation, Epsilon Pi was eager for recruitment and to gain new assets to our ever growing sisterhood. Following formal recruitment we were more than happy to welcome the 30 Beta Alpha new member class. After bid day on campus we took them to one of our sister's house to have dinner and meet the chapter; there were also an abundance of ice breaking games. This year, the Orange County Alumni Association hosted Founder's Day at the Tustin Senior Center. After thoroughly educating the Beta Alpha new member class with Kappa history and creating a new love for Kappa we had Inspiration Week and Initiation. It was again a beautiful ceremony where each sister was able to appreciate and remember why we joined one of the strongest sisterhoods. We concluded this quarter with our Kappa Thanksgiving, which brought our chapter together once again. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus was continuing to encourage unity among the Greek community. The board hosted many events where each sorority could come and support panhellenic. Such events were &amp;quot;blankets for babies&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;cookies and crafts&amp;quot;, and staff appreciation. Kappa supports the board and tries to get more involved by participating. Kappa also participates in Block Party, Spring Spash, and Bear Facts orientation.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2013==&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi had a truly remarkable year in 2013 with all that we accomplished and participated in. As our winter quarter began, we had the opportunity to help recruit members for the new chapter that was established at Chapman University with our sisters from USC. The recruitment was so successful that we had the amazing honor to be apart of their initiation ceremony and be their big sis chapter. Towards the end of the quarter we were partnered up with the men of Phi Gamma Delta and the women of Omega Zeta Chi to participate in a week of Greek Unity. The main event was a dance competition in which we were elated and humbled to have won first place. &lt;br /&gt;
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As the quarter continued we participated in our annual philanthropy of “Reading is Key” in which we traveled to Madison Elementary school and spent the day reading and doing crafts with the children. We also had a delicious Scholarship dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in which we gave awards to the sisters who had accomplishments such as the most study hours, highest GPA, and being on the dean’s list. The last major event of winter quarter was our semi-formal in which we went to a lovely Italian restaurant and had a great time dancing the night away with our sisters and dates. &lt;br /&gt;
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Spring quarter began with 6 sisters attending Kappa Province. In addition to learning valuable skills and information for our chapter, Epsilon Pi was honored to have received 2 awards: the New Member Program Award and the Norma Dow Patton Gracious Living Award. Soon after, we had a visit from the LC, which gave the new officers a chance to get ideas and information about her new positions in personal meetings that were set-up. We also had our formal at a beautiful venue at the Glen Ivy Spa and golf course in which we had a great night taking pictures in a photo booth, eating delicious food, and giving out senior recognition awards. &lt;br /&gt;
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This quarter was also very philanthropic. Not only did we host our annual “Day in the Life” event for Madison elementary school children to come and see what it is like to be a college student, but we also partnered up with the women of Pi Beta Phi to create our very own join philanthropy on campus called “Words with Friends”. It was a spelling bee and speed read event in which all the organizations could compete with each other and donate either money or books to our philanthropy. This quarter, as well as supporting many other philanthropies throughout the year, we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Hailey Grisel, received second place and remarkably raised $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. &lt;br /&gt;
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We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices because we ended up winning the entire event. Later that month we had parent’s day which was so special in being able to show our families a little bit of what Kappa is like. We were able to honor the sisters who truly embody what Kappa is and also got to see what our chapter used to be like through the heritage display. &lt;br /&gt;
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There is also an annual awards ceremony for the Greek community on our campus in which we were honored to have received the University of California, Riverside Marguleas Sororotiy/Fraternity Service Award in recognition of our leadership and philanthropic efforts in our community. To finish off the quarter and the academic year we had a sisterhood in which we were able to go go kart racing. We had such a fun time competing with each other for the fastest time and just be able to spend time bonding together. Fall quarter was a very hectic quarter for Epsilon Pi. We had another LC visit during recruitment which helped us make sure we were going about things as best as we could. Although we did not expect for the large increase in the size of our new pledge class, we were so grateful to welcome 45 new amazing women into our organization. Soon after, we celebrated founder’s day with our lovely Chapman sisters which was special because we got to see them experience it for the very first time as a chapter. It was so touching to see alumni from decades ago being recognized and pinned and being able to do our ritual together. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter also hosted an amazing event called “Finding Kind” in which we had the screening of the documentary to fight against female teen bulling. We then all took individual pledges to better ourselves and the way that we treat others. We were so pleased to see how many women from different organizations on campus came to support this cause. Towards the end of the quarter, we had a super hero themed date party in which we got to go to Sky Town and jump around and play various games involving foam pits and trampolines. Inspiration week and Initiation of our new Beta Beta pledge class was a very special week for all of us. We were so happy to officially welcome them into our chapter and share our ritual with them during such a beautiful and special ceremony. We also had fun during that week roller-skating and playing laser tag together during our big/little night. To finish off the quarter, we had a sisterhood the week before finals at the movie theater in which we were able to take a couple hours away from studying to relax and laugh with our sisters while watching Grown Ups 2. It had been events like this that keep us close and strong as a chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year brought changes that mainly affected our recruitment. Since our school decided to admit more students, there were more women that went through recruitment that the sororities were not prepared for. Although we thought it would be overwhelming and near impossible to have such a large pledge class, we pulled through together and were blessed to have received 45 new members instead of our anticipated 30.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2014==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year has been one of glee, many accomplishments, and ongoing improvement for Epsilon Pi Chapter. We commenced the year after a refreshing winter break with the privilege of participating in a leadership conference, Lead Today. Lead Today took place on January 22 on our campus with our entire chapter and alumnae. Coordinators were trained to help us grow and prosper as a chapter with novel leadership skills and progression in areas needing improvement. We participated in various hands on activities, games and discussions concerning the vitality of management, organization, and the overall aspect of a chapter working and developing in unison. Epsilon Pi Chapter was so thankful and gained an immense appreciation and understanding for leadership and how to use it, not only in Kappa, but in our everyday lives. This conference could not have come at a better time, due to the fact that elections were right around the corner. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our Kappa sisters did a wonderful job selecting our new Chapter Council and we knew Epsilon Pi Chapter was in good hands. Shortly after, we had our annual scholarship dinner to honor all of our hard working members who did exceptional in their academics. This year, we dressed in key attire and ventured out to The Old Spaghetti Factory located in Downtown Riverside. We loaded up on carbs and applauded our accomplished sisters when they received awards for most study hours, improved G.P.A., highest G.P.A., and many more. This night allowed our sisters to feel honored and made others strive to improve. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a few weeks of being back in school, it was time for Semi-Formal. Semi was held at Aroma Grill in Upland, CA. We all got dolled up in cute cocktail dresses and invited dates to escort us. Kappas danced the night away on the dance floor, took a plethora of photos in the photo booth and in front of the backdrop with a professional photographer, and ate a delicious variety of food. To end the month of February, our sisters headed to K1 Speed Zone for a fun packed sisterhood. Our sisters headed to the race tracks and raced in full geared helmets and mask and hopped in go-carts for some competitive fun. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, we had our first social of the quarter with the men of Phi Kappa Psi. Together, we had so much fun playing laser tag dressed up as Disney characters. Originally, we were supposed to go roller blading, however, the outdoor rink got rained out. Yet, Kappas always know how to make the best of things and we ended the night having a jovial time. To end our quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted our Reading is Key Philanthropy at our adopted school, Madison Elementary.  This year's theme was &amp;quot;Under the Sea&amp;quot; and the book we gave every student who attended was &amp;quot;The Magic School Bus Live on the Ocean Floor&amp;quot;. We loved seeing the students' faces light up as they read to us, crafted with us, and enjoyed some delicious snacks. The whole cafeteria was neatly decorated with fish, kelp, and other underwater creatures to create a fun, aquatic atmosphere. We donated books to their library and hoped to encourage them and show them how important, and intriguing, reading can be. This experience was so rewarding due to the fact that many of these students are from underprivileged households and the books we give them are usually their first books. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the start of Spring Quarter, we attended an annual philanthropy conducted by the fraternity Delta Tau Delta. They hosted a pageant that every sorority participated in by nominating one representative to compete in the event. This event raised money for The City of Hope through fundraisers and donations. This year, we selected Justine Sterling, who perfectly embodies Kappa as a whole. Justine worked extremely hard raising funds via bake sales on campus (Kappa Kappacino), and Karaoke singing night (Kappa Karaoke), as well as various dining and recreational events. Justine rasied over $4,000 for The City of Hope and took home the crown as Miss Delta Queen 2014. Her hard work and dedication paid off making all of us proud. Not to mention, we loved watching her in the pageant, especially her talent portion of rapping. In the month of April, we hosted our joint philanthropy event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Since we both share a philanthropy centered on literacy, our competitions were focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $2,000 and over a hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF. &lt;br /&gt;
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Every year, UCR hosts a sports week where each sorority comes up with teams to play dodge ball, volleyball, and football with different fraternities coaching and arranging practices. This whole week is filled with friendly competition and unity between our sorority and the whole Greek community. This year, we worked hard at many practices and came up in second place. Who knew we were so athletic? After sports week, we decided to have a social with the men of Phi Gamma Delta, who were our coaches for sports week. Bowling for strikes and spares was the event of the night while dressed in our Hawaiian skirts, shirts, and leis. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another event UCR hosts every year is Pillars Week. Pillars Week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All Greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of Greeks at our school. With Epsilon Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and Greek unity, we worked so hard and ended up placing first along with our team. &lt;br /&gt;
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During this same week we had one of our favorite philanthropies, A Day In The Life. For this event, we bring sixth grade students from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for higher education. This year we divided into different tour guiding groups and played interactive games such as red rover. It was a perfect day to have the students on campus because they were all able to see a busy campus full of students due to the fact that it was Pillars Week. These students had such a great time that even some boys flashed the Kappa sign in pictures as the proclaimed &amp;quot;I can't wait to go here!&amp;quot; &lt;br /&gt;
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With school coming to an end in a few months, it was the perfect time for our Beta Beta New Member retreat. Our New Member chair planned a daring evening of rock climbing at a local rock climbing gym, Hangar 18. Girls harnessed in and chalked their hands as they used their upper body strength and raced to the top of the rock walls. It was a perfect night for Beta Beta to be reconnected and have a little fun work out. For one of the last meetings of the year, our whole chapter went to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor to feast on all different flavors of ice cream, while discussing business, of course. This event is one of our most delicious sisterhood events since we get to eat all the ice cream we want, be sung to by Farrell's employees, and get to be with our sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
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For the last event of the year, Epsilon Pi Chapter boarded buses with our dates for a special night at Green Rivers Country Club. This year's Formal was eventful and filled with memories. Girls piled into the photo booth to take adorable pictures while some danced the night away and others ate their gourmet meal. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes. Formal was the perfect way to end the 2013-2014 school year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Although college may have been over for some, many girls who had just decided to come to UCR were making their way on campus for summer orientation in the months of July and August. During every orientation, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. We hoped to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Not only that, but almost as a summer reunion, all of our girls got together to film our, almost famous, recruitment video. We went to the beach, our campus, and the park to film a short video embodying Kappa and our strong sisterhood. It turned out to be a hit on our campus and with other chapters from other campuses as well. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a nice, long break of heading to the beach, relaxing, and a lot of studying abroad, Kappa sisters united for a week of practices for upcoming recruitment. Our sisters sang their hearts out and danced their best as we learned songs and polished ourselves so we could be the best Kappas we could be for recruitment. During the week our bonds of sisterhood grew exponentially stronger and our love for Kappa radiated in preparation of finding our newest members. On the weekend of October 3, we spent 3 days socializing and spreading our love and excitement to every potential new member who entered our room. We fell in love with so many girls and worked so hard that this turned out to be one of our most successful recruitments ever, bringing in our biggest New Member class of 53 girls. &lt;br /&gt;
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The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular New Members with &amp;quot;Key to Paradise&amp;quot; tank tops and a BBQ fit for beach queens. Our chapter transitioned so quickly to this shocking number of new ladies, and chapter council immediately understood that with a larger chapter, we would all have to grow together, and that is exactly what we did. New Members went to meetings every week to get acquainted with Kappa policies and jumped right into Kappa activities with our first sisterhood of the 2014-2015 school year. Our VPS planned a morning yoga session in a peaceful park for all of our members. It was relaxing and just what everyone needed as a de-stressor. Our New Members were also able to attend our Date Party at a roller skating rink sponsored by the Anaheim Ducks hockey team. Every member received a glitter Kappa snap back and Beyonce themed tank tops, while their dates received a Jay-Z themed crew neck. Everyone was so exited for their new Kappa clothes. Soon after, our New Members received their Big Sisters in such a cute and creative reveal. New Members were given a key to a specific car in the school's parking lot and had to find the right car to which the key belonged. Inside the car trunk, driver seat, or back seat was their Big. The excitement of the whole chapter was present as girls embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, New Members were ushered to their New Member sleepover where they bonded over games, learned about our Founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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A couple weeks later, Bigs drove their Littles to our fall social with the men of Sigma Psi Epsilon. Since it was the Halloween season, girls paired up with a Sig-Ep and carved pumpkins. This was one of our most attended and loved socials. As initiation approached, our Marshal hosted  Big and Little Night at a local ice skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as sisters. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our New Members of the Beta Gamma class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of the biggest changes to our campus occurred just this Fall quarter. In the past year, recruitment has grown as more and more girls become interested in sorority life at UCR. One of the biggest changes to our chapter was the welcoming of the biggest new member class we have ever welcomed. Our chapter almost doubled, but our chapter handled the change smoothly without a falter. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also due to the immense interest in panhellenic, the whole panhellenic community got together to listen to presentations from three possible new sororities hoping to colonize on the UCR campus. In the end, our chapter was more than happy to hear about a new sorority expanding our panhellenic community. Epsilon Pi Chapter is so strong in our bonds of sisterhood that we are more than willing to help the new chapter get accommodated to UCR. &lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter meetings are held in various on campus lecture halls and classrooms. This makes it easier for members to go to meeting since most new members live on campus and other members live near by.  Our chapter does not have a house and has not had a house in the past. We have a storage unit near campus where we keep and organize our supplies. For living situations, some girls live on campus, but most members rent houses where some members live together and sometimes end up living with other panhellenic women. Our living situations are perfect for building sisterhood and provide various places for members to hangout, study, and host various gatherings.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2015==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year, Epsilon Pi has had many defining moments that continue to shape each of our member’s college experiences. After coming back from a very well deserved winter break surrounded by family and sisters, we began a new quarter in January and quickly put our heads back in to the game, starting with elections. As always, our sisters made excellent decisions when selecting our new Chapter Council that consist of strong, efficient, Kappa leaders. &lt;br /&gt;
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Shortly after, our Event Chair planned our first social of the quarter at a nearby community park with one of the IFC fraternities on campus. Our members and the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta decked out in white apparel in preparation for a fun night filled with glow in the dark paint and athletic activities. We separated into teams and Kappas proudly showed off their flag football skills, all while glowing in the dark. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of the month Beta Gamma, our newest pledge class, attended a retreat. This retreat took place at our newly remodeled recreation center on campus. There was a rock climbing wall and a ropes course. They participated in activities that all revolved around teamwork and some critical thinking. During one of the activities, sisters had to figure out a way to get a rope to the other side without moving by working together. They were also blindfolded and were instructed to give clues to one another in order to find certain objects. They participated in multiple obstacle courses and activities that strengthened the Beta Gamma pledge class.  Overall, Beta Gamma had the opportunity to bond with their pledge class sisters and learn how to help each other out by using teamwork. This was an excellent way to prove that any challenge can be overcome with sisters by our sides. &lt;br /&gt;
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There was no better way to begin the month of February than by having our annual scholarship dinner. Our Vice President of Academic Excellence worked very hard in order to recognize and honor our smart, studious sisters and give them the credit they deserve. We all met at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside in our sharpest key attire. We were excited and anxious to eat delicious Italian food and hear all about our sister’s amazing accomplishments. Some of the awards included most study hours, highest GPA, most improved GPA, and many more. This was a proud night for many, as well as an encouraging one for other girls who decided they want to work even harder than usual and strive to be the best Kappas they can be. This night was filled with positive and uplifting words that reminded and encouraged all Kappas to make academics a priority. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, it was time for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular Semi was located in Redlands, at the Fox Event Center. We got ready in our best cocktail dresses and every Kappa looked extraordinary. As we arrived, the words “Kappa Kappa Gamma” beautifully lit up on the outside billboard of the venue. We ate a delicious dinner of various foods and danced the night away on a beautifully set dance floor that was beneath sparkly chandeliers. If sisters weren’t dancing, many of them were also taking a galore of pictures to capture all of the fun and lavish moments. A professional photographer was also available at our photo booth, which was set up using a bohemian backdrop that was of course, dark and light blue. This magical and fun night with our sisters and dates couldn’t have been better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a circus theme. All of our sisters received a red shirt with an owl in the middle portrayed as a ringmaster and circus animals surrounding it. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with circus posters, popcorn machines, and face painting. Sisters enjoyed painting everyone’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative circus animals. The book we chose to read was Clifford Goes to the Circus, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. This philanthropic event was also extra special because our leadership consultant from the previous year joined to help and support us. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids.&lt;br /&gt;
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To end the month, we had a very eventful sisterhood. Kappas loaded their cars with tents, blankets, jackets and firewood, and were off to camp overnight at Lake Perris. We began by forming groups to build the tents. Building them was no easy task, and just when we thought it couldn’t get any harder, rain started to pour on us. We laughed off our struggles, and tried to finish up quickly. Although the rain was on and off throughout the night, Kappas always know how to have a good time, and our camping experience was nothing but fun and adventure. We walked to the beautiful lake that was surrounded by mountains, ate pizza, sat by the campfire, and ate an abundant amount of smores. Connecting with nature with our sisters by our side was truly a memorable day, and Kappa camping was a success despite some obstacles.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our Spring Quarter began by participating in the fraternity Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Krystal Neag. A few of the many fundraisers Krystal put together were Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, Kappa Karaoke, where tickets were sold to sing one’s heart out, and a fundraiser at Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt, where people were able to satisfy their sweet tooth. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances, including a dance that was based on different decades. Krystal won Highest Fundraiser, and raised one-third of the total of the money, which was very impressive.&lt;br /&gt;
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During the month of April we also held our joint philanthropic event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Both of our philanthropies revolve around literacy, so this competitive event is focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed-reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $1,250 and five hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF.&lt;br /&gt;
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The month of May was full of many events and festivities, starting with Parents Day. Sisters and parents gathered at the Indian Hills Golf Club to proudly demonstrate what our organization is all about. We ate a delicious brunch together, sang to them, and had tables displaying our history, crafts, and awards. It was a great time, and every parent fell even more in love with Kappa Kappa Gamma. To deal with the hot Riverside weather, our sisters collaborated with the brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi a couple weeks later and had a fun day at the park with water balloons and ice cream. Water splashing on us and the cold taste of ice cream in our mouths was a perfect way to combat the heat.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our last, and a top favorite, philanthropy of the 2015-year was Day in the Life. We bring sixth graders from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for a higher education. Sisters are divided into different touring groups in order to get to know the kids personally and be able to be more hands on and interactive. We teach them spirit chants and walk around the busy hallways of campus so they can experience for themselves what its like to be a college student. This philanthropy is so rewarding because every student anticipates going to college, UCR in specific, at the end of the day. They also fall in love with our amazing organization and want to be future Kappas, even the boys.&lt;br /&gt;
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Before heading into summer, we had one last sisterhood at the drive-in. Sisters dressed up in their best 50’s themed clothes while watching movies in their cars and eating yummy snacks. The group of girls with the best outfits received a gift certificate to make a sweatshirt with our letters imprinted, which was a big plus. After anxiously waiting for our Formal throughout the year, Kappas got dolled up and boarded buses to the Reef Restaurant in Long Beach to have a spectacular night with their dates. The venue was right on the bay, which was perfect for capturing memorable pictures. We ate a delicious gourmet meal, and danced the night away in front of the gorgeous waterfront view. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. With Epilson Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and greek unity, we worked hard and won awards including Chapter of the Year, Highest GPA, and Best Collaborative Program. Everyone was so Kappa proud and this was an excellent way to end the school year.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although it was summer for some, Kappas were still working hard on campus partaking in every freshman orientation in order to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. During the summer, we also reunited to film our recruitment video. Some of the places we went to included the beach, an amusement park, and one of our sister's beautiful home. Our amazing video embodied Kappa and our strong sisterhood very accurately.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although our fun-filled, adventurous summer was coming to an end, Kappa’s were excited to go back to school for recruitment. On the weekend of October 2nd, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular new members with baseball themed apparel, and had hot dogs and burgers for dinner. It was definitely one of the best ball games for our Kappa sisters. After a week of clues, room decorating, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Littles unwrapped their Bigs and embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories.&lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of asking dates to our Kappa Date Party. We received matching carnival crewnecks, and headed to Scandia Amusement Park. We spent the night playing mini-golf, riding rollercoasters, driving bumper cars, and eating delicious fair food. Quickly after, initiation week approached. Our Marshal hosted a Big and Little night at a local ice-skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as big and little. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Delta class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our most recent changes on campus is the addition of a new sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. This was very exciting for Epsilon Pi, and an excellent opportunity to help colonize and make new friends. There are now seven panhellenic sororities at UCR, and there has been an overall increase in interest in the Greek community. With so many more girls interested in the recruiting process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a great amount of new members. Our chapter has handled the increase well, and has accommodated accordingly. We are always happy and ecstatic to welcome new chapters, and new girls.&lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter Philanthropy:&lt;br /&gt;
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?&lt;br /&gt;
The organization Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for is Madison Elementary, our adopted underprivileged elementary school in our area. We put three events for them throughout the year, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? &lt;br /&gt;
We chose to support this organization because our chapter enjoys working hands on with the children in our area, and we know our service and donations are impacting them directly. We prefer actual interaction, rather than simply handing a check. It is very rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these children for the better.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2016==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the past year, the members of Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma have created many amazing memories that have enriched their college experience. Our chapter started the year off strong by holding elections in January after our lovely winter break which was quite a bit longer this year then in years past. As usual our sisters chose extraordinary women to help lead the chapter as Chapter Council. Shortly after, our education chair held the first education program of the year. The education program was all about proper etiquette, as a chapter we all ate California Pizza Kitchen and watched the presentation that our education chairman gave on good vs poor etiquette.&lt;br /&gt;
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On February 25th our chapter got together to do what we do best, eat. We had an amazing sister hood that was at the Kickn Crab, we all bonded over a very messy meal and made lasting memories with our sisters. A few days after our sister hood our chapter got together yet again for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular semi formal was located at a beautiful club in Long Beach. We all got dressed up in our best cocktail attire and every Kappa and their dates looked fantastic. Kappa’s all danced the night away and took many lavish photos. At the venue itself there was a professional photographer who helped to capture every moment of the stupendous night. This extraordinary night with sisters and their dates couldn’t have gone better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a day at the zoo. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with zebra and cheetah print decorations, face painting station, and a reading station. Sisters enjoyed painting the children’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative zoo animals. The book we chose to read was Animal Strike at the Zoo, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the beginning of the month of March our philanthropy chair planned an amazing event with Madison Square elementary school in honor of Dr. Seuss day. All of our sisters went to the school dressed in their best Dr. Seuss attire, and read to the children. This was such an amazing experience for us to see the joy on the children’s faces as we read the silliest of Dr. Seuss books to them. Later on in the month of March the newest member class Beta Delta got together for a new member retreat. The retreat was held on our campus at the student recreational centers excursion course. The new members all had a wonderful experience as they tried to climb up rock walls, ropes and ladders. The new member retreat was such a great bonding experience for Beta Delta. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of April we welcomed all of our lovely parents to our Annual Parents Day at Indian Hills Country Club. This was a fantastic day that allowed us to share why Kappa Kappa Gamma means so much to each of us with the parents . Awards were given out to Kappa’s for their academic excellence and for their spirit and dedication to the Epsilon Pi Chapter. Parents and Kappa’s all sat and ate a wonderful brunch and learned all about the amazing things that we have accomplished throughout the year. Later into the month of April our philanthropy chair organized one of our three main philanthropic events Words With Friends. It was a night to remember as we watched many of the students form the Greek community participate in our speed read and games. The entry fee to the event was a children’s books and all of the books raised where donated to the children of Madison elementary school. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also in the month of April Epsilon Pi participated in the fraternity, Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Sarah Lopinski. Sarah put together many fundraisers for the event including  Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, and Kappa Karaoke, where sisters and friends got together and sang their hearts out. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of May we had our annual philanthropy Day in the Life, where we bus over 6th graders from Madison Elementary to UCR. We get the opportunity to show these young children what its like to not only be a college student but what its like to be a Kappa. We give all the students a tour of our beautiful campus and teach them different UCR cheers. After the tours are over, we all eat lunch together on the grass by our famous bell tower and play fun games with the children. By the end of the day all the children are telling us how they are so excited to go to college, this is such an amazing feeling knowing that you have done a part in getting one more child excited to shoot for a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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After patiently waiting all year for one of Epsilon Pi's favorite events the time had finally come for our annual Formal. This years formal was held at a beautiful country club located in Costa Mesa. This night was one to remember with lots of beautiful pictures, and delicious food Before heading into summer we had one last sisterhood in which we spent the night in a mansion in Corona. We all began by taking cute photos with the many kappa props that we had brought on the outside of the mansion by the beautiful pool. Later on that night we got together and watched a scary movie in the home theatre that the house had. We all snuggled up in beds together hoping that we could sleep after watching such a scary movie. This sisterhood was such a great experience since Epsilon Pi does not have a sorority house we all got to experience for once what it would be like to be living together. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the months of summer some of the us got together to film for our recruitment video. We filmed in multiple locations in riverside including one of our sisters beautiful homes. After a fun filled exciting summer all of our sister where excited to be reunited once again for recruitment. On the  first weekend of October 2,, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we as Kappa’s do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. Sunday night we held our Bid Day, we welcomed all of our  new members with life guard themed apparel, and had an assortment of Mexican food for dinner. After a fun week of  room decorating, clues, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Little’s found the matching pair of sock behind a sheet and when the sheet dropped their Big’s were revealed. Big’s and little’s embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of the event our wonderful Marshal hosted, a sisterhood night were we all skated around the roller rink together in our matching inspo week shirts. The most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Epsilon class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. To finish of the year we had on of our most fun events  Kappa Date Party. We received matching shirts that were designed by one of our own sisters and headed to Boomers Amusement Park in Irvine. We spent the night riding bumper cars, go karts, climbing rock walls, playing laser tag, and miniature golf. Overall it has been a successful year for the Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. &lt;br /&gt;
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The most recent change on campus this year is most definitely the amount of students that now attend the University of California Riverside. For the first time in history Riverside received more than 50,000 student applications for admission. With that many more incoming students of course there where quite a few more women who signed up for recruitment this year as well. With so many more women interested in the recruitment process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a many more new members. We are always ecstatic to welcome new members into our chapter and we have been handling the size increase quit well. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for our adopted local underprivileged elementary school, Madison Elementary. Throughout the year we hold three philanthropic events for them, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi choses to support this organization because it gives us the opportunity to work hands on with the youth in our area. It is amazing to see our service and donations impact the the lives of the future of our community. Epsilon Pi prefers the face to face interaction that we get from our events such as Day in The Life and Reading is Key, rather then simply just raising money and handing in a check. It is so rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these young students for the better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi typically meets once a week for chapter meeting in a larger classroom or lecture hall on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2017==&lt;br /&gt;
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In 2017 Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma achieved many things and participated in many philanthropic and social events within our greek community and the real community surrounding Riverside. At our Pillars Award ceremony, hosted by Panhellenic, we were rewarded with the award of Best Chapter Management honoring our Chapter Councils hard work in managing our chapters affairs. Starting slow in January with fewer events following our winter break, we kicked the year off with the Scholarship Dinner which was held on January 26th. Our Scholarship Dinner was put on by our Vice President of Academic Excellence with the help of her committee. It was held at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside. Every girl was provided with dinner along with our advisors and various alumnae who attended. Throughout the night the Vice President of Academic Excellence gave out awards based on members' various academic achievements the previous year. This event celebrated members who may have had great academic improvements ad promoted the importance of academic achievement in our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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In the following month Epsilon Pi was a bit more busy. The first event in February was a sisterhood event which was put on by our Vice President Standards. This sisterhood was held at Build-a-Bear where members each made two bears. One for the member to take home and one to donate to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital. This sisterhood was a good way for members to get together and bond as well as do something good for the community. The following weekend on February a team of Kappa sisters participated in Gamma Phi Beta’s annual Moonball which is a volleyball tournament that helps raise money for Gamma Phi Beta’s philanthropy. Not only did members play in the tournament, they also came out to support and cheer on their sisters who played in the tournament. February 10th is when Epsilon Pi held their annual winter philanthropic event, Reading is Key. During this event the chapter went to a local elementary school, Madison Elementary, and decorated their multipurpose room up to the theme which was carnival. First grade classes got to come to the MPR throughout the day and the chapter facilitated many activities for the kids to do. These activities were things such as face painting, coloring, and the final station being chapter members reading a book to the children. At the end of the day each child got to go home with a book of their own. Also, the chapter donated books to the school as well. The final event Epsilon Pi held in the month of February was a sisterhood with Gamma Phi Beta. The chapters came together and decorated cookies for Valentines Day. The chapters also did Ice Breaker games and just bonded. Lastly, in the month of February chapter elections were held. The new chapter council was elected and joint Chapter Council Meeting was held the last week of February. &lt;br /&gt;
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March of 2017 kicked off strong with a sisterhood held with the girls of Delta Gamma. Our chapters got together and tie dyed shirts together and hung out at a local park. This sisterhood allowed our chapter to bond with a Panhellenic sister which we don’t often get to do much with strengthening our Panhellenic bonds. On March 3rd a group of Epsilon Pi members volunteered for Read Across America at a local elementary school. They got to spend the day reading and promoting literacy to the children in our surrounding community. Later that evening on March 3rd, we held our Semi Formal put on by our Event Chairman along with the help of her committee. It was held at a local country club and many Alumni joined and it was a successful event barring a few mishaps along the way. Following Semi Formal Leadership day was held for the new and old Chapter Council members on March 5th. Leadership day was planned by our Vice President of Organization in order to allow the time for old Chapter Council members to teach new Chapter Council members what their new job entailed and all the responsibilities their new job required. At the event all the advisors for the various Chapter Council positions were there and also met with their new officer. Also the new Chapter Council got to discuss goals that they wanted to achieve in their time in office and all the things they wanted to improve within the chapter. Many things were discussed that day and the new Chapter Council got a great start and great motivation from each other and the advisors to start their position strong and make some good changes within the chapter. The following meeting the new Chapter Council members were installed into their positions.&lt;br /&gt;
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Throughout the next couple of weeks Epsilon Pi was involved in a philanthropy called Miss Minerva held by a fraternity on our campus, Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This was a pageant type fundraiser that helped raise thousands of dollars for their philanthropy with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Kappa helped in this by having one girl volunteer to represent our chapter and do various fundraisers throughout the weeks leading up to the competition. Epsilon Pi also participated in a similar philanthropy held by another fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, titled Delta Queen this philanthropy helped raise money for the City of Hope Cancer Research Foundation. Both the representatives for both events held many small events to raise money for each chapter’s philanthropies. These events varied from holding fundraises at local restaurants to coming up with small clever fundraisers to do on campus at letters. One example of a small fundraiser held by our Delta Queen was titled Kolor a Kappa where people paid money to throw paint at members of our chapter. Although it doesn’t sound very eventful it was a vey successful event help on our campus. Epsilon Pi itself helped raise a large amount of money that we donated to each chapter’s philanthropies. These events also strengthened our ties within our Panhellenic community because every chapter had a representative and all the chapters competed against each other hopes to win the pageant. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a rather slow month compared to March aside from the various activities going on with both Miss Minerva and Delta Queen. April 22nd Epsilon Pi held a social event with fellow Fraternity on campus, Delta Chi. Members of both organizations got together on Earth day and volunteered at our campus garden the R’garden. Members planted plants and tended to the garden at our school. The following week Epsilon Pi had a visit from a Leadership Consultant. She stayed with our Vice President of Organization. While she was here she attended our chapter council meeting and visited with each member of Chapter Council to see how they were adapting to their new position. The Leadership Consultant was very helpful to our chapter giving the Chapter Council guidance onto how to deal with the problems in our chapter. On April 25th Epsilon Pi held another sisterhood event which was a kickboxing class held at the local UFC gym. The members of Epsilon Pi all joined together sweated and laughed while working out all together. On April 29th Epsilon Pi was involved in Alpha Chi Omega's annual philanthropy the Carnation Carnival. Epsilon Pi held a both making Kappachinos and a both doing a coin toss at the event. Sisters volunteered to work both booths throughout the day. The following day Epsilon Pi participated in Delta Gamma’s annual philanthropy titled Anchor Splash. A group of girls got together to compete in various competitions throughout the day. Epsilon Pi winning one of the events which was synchronized swimming. All in all the busy weekend was a success for Epsilon Pi. &lt;br /&gt;
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May 2017 was a very busy month for Epsilon Pi starting off with Salads with Seniors an event for the seniors and alumnae to get together and to have a lunch starting the seniors' transition from active member to&lt;br /&gt;
an alumnae. On May 5th Epsilon Pi participated in a powderpuff football tournament held by Fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. A group of sisters got together and formed a team competing against other chapters in a football tournament. On May 11th Epsilon Pi’s annual Sapphire Ball was held at a local venue in Downtown Riverside. This event was thrown by our Event Chairman throughout the night seniors got recognized and celebrated as this is their last formal Kappa event of college. On May 17th Epsilon Pi held another philanthropic event called Day in the Life. At this event Epsilon Pi bused over 6th grade students from Madison Elementary, the same elementary school that was collaborated with for Reading is Key, and did many activities with them. The 6th graders were given a tour of our campus and done various smaller activities with. This philanthropy is very near and dear to our hearts because it allows us to promote higher education to kids who may have no knowledge of what college is like or why it is important.&lt;br /&gt;
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Parents' Day was held on May 21st at Indian Hills Golf Club. Thrown by the Public Relation Chairman, Parents' Day was a brunch for both members of Epsilon Pi and their parents. During the brunch, awards were given out to outstanding members of our chapter. Also, during the brunch presentations were given to the parents from various Chapter Council members, such as registrar and education chairman, about the history of Kappa Kappa Gamma as a whole and Epsilon Pi Chapter itself. Overall Parents Day was successful in showing the parents why Kappa Kappa Gamma is such an important organization and what it does for their daughters. The week of May 22nd was Pillars week where our whole Greek community comes together to do various activities throughout the wee, some competitive activities and others to raise money. At the end of this week a banquet is held to give out awards to chapters for various achievements throughout the year. Epsilon Pi was awarded with Best Chapter Management celebrating our Chapter Council's recent achievements. On May 24th the Education Chairmen held a final sisterhood for the seniors. This sisterhood was held at a local trampoline park, Skyline, where the seniors were allowed to jump and hang out with each other one last time all together. The sisterhood retreat was held on May 27th and 28th at a house in Corona. Sisters got together and had a giant sleepover at a house. During this sleepover sisters bonded doing various ice breaker activities and watching movies and such. It was very successful in the bonding of our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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The next week starting May 30th through to the beginning of June was sports week for our Greek community. Epsilon Pi participated in many of the sports such as football, soccer, and volleyball it was very successful having teams in every event throughout the week. June 3rd was another philanthropy that Epsilon Pi held in order to raise money to donate to Reading is Fundamental. This philanthropy was a Kappa Karwash. Sisters got together at a local burger joint and washed cars in order to raise money for Kappa’s national philanthropy. The next few weeks of June events died down because it was the end of the quarter and finals were nearing but our Vice President of Academic Excellence did hold a Kappa Study Party on June 11th for all our members. She rented out a study room at one of our campus libraries and held a study party for all our members. At the study party she provided many things for our sisters such as scantrons, blue books, and pencils sisters might need for their finals. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the moths of July and August sisters were home for the summer, yet the recruitment chair along with the help of her committee started to prepare for recruitment. In September the week before school started recruitment workshops were held September 21st through the 26th. At these workshops sisters learned songs and practiced all the things that needed to be perfected before formal recruitment. Formal recruitment was held October 5th through the 8th. Bid day was then held on October 8th at a fellow sister's house welcoming home our new pledge class Beta Zeta. That following Monday, October 9th, the new pledge class was formally pinned and their new member education began. October 14th our Founders Day brunch was held at Canyon Crest Country Club. It was a brunch held by our Education Chairman in which celebrated our Founders Day. It was a very successful first event with our new pledge class setting the tone for them for the rest of the year. In the following weeks new members got to meet with the sapphires weekly leading up to big and little week which occurred the week of October 23rd. That Friday, October 27th, big and little reveal was facilitated by our New Member Chairman on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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Following reveal the new members were driven to an active's house where they had their first sleepover as a pledge class. They bonded with the New Member Chairman and with each other throughout the night. Sunday October 29th was Epsilon Pi’s October Sisterhood which was held at The Pumpkin Factory, a local pumpkin patch. Sisters got to bond with their new littles and with the new pledge class. The Week of October 29th through November 3rd Epsilon Pi was visited by another Leadership Consultant who checked up with Chapter Council’s progress that they have made this year. The Leadership Consultant also was able to come to chapter meeting to meet with new members and give a presentation to the whole chapter on the importance of attendance. The Leadership Consultant visit was successful in that she was able to help out chapter council with any guidance they needed leading their way into initiated the new pledge class. &lt;br /&gt;
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On November 4th Epsilon Pi participated in a philanthropy held by fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This philanthropy was a soccer tournament for the various sororities to compete against each other and raise money Epsilon Pi had two teams competing in the event and took both second and first place in the tournament. On November 10th Epsilon Pi competed in another sports related philanthropic event held by Phi Kappa Sigma. This event was titled The Phi Kap Olympics in which teams competed in various activities and games. Epsilon Pi also took first in this philanthropic event as well. Inspiration Week started on November 13th, this being the period before initiation where girls sit back and think about Kappa and the true meaning and values that Kappa instills in each of its members. Throughout that week our Philanthropy chair held Epsilon Pi’s first philanthropy event for the school year being a Kappa Canned food drive. Epsilon Pi collected cans and donations from various greek organizations on our campus with an incentive that the organization that donates the most cans will get a $100 check written out to their philanthropy. This however was a bigger success than our philanthropy chair had expected with around two thousand of cans donated and around $350 raised. On Thursday November 16th Epsilon Pi held their Big and Little Night put on by our Marshall. Big and Little Night was held at a local ice rink, IceTown, where sisters skated and bonded with their family lines. November 17th Fireside was held for the new members followed by initiation the next morning. On November 27th chapter elections will be held for the new Chapter Council. On November 30th Epsilon Pi held their Date Party at a minor league basketball game. On December 3rd Epsilon Pi’s Vice President of Academic Excellence planned a Kappa Study Party so sisters can get together and study before finals in our on campus library. On December 6th the Education Chairman held a senior sisterhood where the seniors meet at a sisters house and decorated ornaments and cookies to celebrate the holidays. Through all these success for Epsilon Pi Chapter throughout 2017 the chapter’s morale has gained strength. All in all 2017 was a good year for Epsilon Pi.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2018==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the year, the Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has participated in many events on the UC Riverside campus, and has been tremendously rewarded for its involvement and service in the community. We started off the year in January when we welcomed and transitioned the new leaders of the chapter during leadership day. This was a special time because the new officers were transitioning into their new positions and learned from the old officers everything their position entails. &lt;br /&gt;
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In February, the new chapter council was excited to start working on Parent’s Day which is a day where all the girls bring their parents together to show them what Kappa is all about. Our Parent’s Day was February 24, celebrated with brunch and set up by the Public Relations Chairman. Throughout the day, we awarded advisors and members for their dedication to the chapter, and had presentations about our chapter history. There were tables setup that displayed old archives like old composites, and scrapbooks for the parents to see. It was a great time for the members and their families to come together to take pictures, and learn Kappa’s history. We also had our sisterhood in February, where all the girls dressed in cute pajamas and went to the movie theatre where they had a viewing of Pitch Perfect. Many sisters came in matching pajamas, especially bigs and littles. The chapter even had a contest for the cutest pajamas, and the winner got a prize. Our biggest event in February would have to be Reading is Key, our philanthropy that is put together entirely by the Philanthropy Chairman. We went to a local elementary school, where we held many activities such as face painting and crafts for the kids to do. The theme for the day was “Under the Sea”, with many decorations and books set up for the day. The whole chapter came throughout the day and managed the different stations for the children to go through. Our goal was to show the kids how much fun reading and learning can be, so we had many books for them to see and an individual copy for them to take home. The kids were very excited and we even had a few sisters get on stage and do a reading of the books to the children. &lt;br /&gt;
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In March, we started the month with composites. All the girls met in the Highlander Union Building and got their portraits taken, which was set up by the chapter’s Registrar. We ended the month with our semi-formal, set up by our Event Chair, where the whole chapter comes together for food and music. Our semi-formal was March 3rd in Downtown Riverside, where we celebrated a lovely evening with appetizers, a photobooth, and dancing. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a very busy month with many fundraisers and awards. We kicked it off with winning Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash, where the members in the chapters won a dance and swimming competition. Our team came together and held many practices in order to make sure their routine was perfect. Not only did we participate in Anchor Splash, but we also were involved with the blood drive, and held a yogurtland fundraiser for our philanthropy. Mid April, we held our scholarship dinner at Cheesecake Factory where the chapter was awarded with their academic achievements. Throughout the night, there were a lot of awards to give considering the drastic rise in our chapter’s GPA. This was put together by our VP Academic Excellence and there were different awards such as ‘Highest GPA’ or ‘Most Improved GPA’. It was a great way to celebrate the academic achievements of the chapter and recognize all the hard work we put into for school. We ended the successful month off with our participation in Powderpuff which is a greek soccer tournament held by Phi Kappa Psi.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to the Pillar’s Awards, we have Pillar’s week, which is a week of competitions that organizations do on campus as teams. We were the red team, and our panhellenic chair along with our chapter council made sure we participated in all the tasks they gave us. The Chapter Council and the President put in countless hours filling in the forms and requirements for Pillars week. The award accounted for many things such as how involved the chapter is on campus, how much attendance does the chapter have at other organizations and philanthropy, and how well our academics and community service is. All the hard work paid off when our chapter won “Chapter of The Year” and the “Service Award”. It was a very exciting night that made the chapter very proud of its accomplishments. &lt;br /&gt;
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In May, we got to celebrate our achievements at our Formal, which is a night of celebration for the seniors. The chapter came together for food and dancing all put together by our Event Chair, where we handed out awards to all of the seniors for the end of the school year was approaching fast for them. We also kicked back and had our sisterhood, a kappa luau. Our VP Standards put together the luau where we hung out by the pool, got snacks, had cute hawaiian decorations and took pictures. It was a great way for our sisters to bond under the sun. We ended May with our second biggest philanthropy, A Day in the Life, which is also entirely put together by the philanthropy Chair. We had local middle schoolers come to UC Riverside, where we took the kids on tours, played fun games with them, and answered all their questions about college life. First we welcomed the kids to the campus, and played games with them to get know their names and interests. We then started by taking them on tours, based on their different teams, and ended the day with snacks and refreshments for the kids. The chapter showed them how great school and education can be, and hoped to inspire them to pursue a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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As June started, the school year was coming to an end and many sisters went home for summer vacation. While some sisters were doing internships, or going on cool vacations, the girls that stayed in town started working on recruitment. The membership chairman along with her committee spent many days tabling meeting the new students of UC Riverside, and answering all their questions about our chapter. Before the start of school, the chapter came together for recruitment workshops where we all learned songs and recruitment etiquette. It was five days of practice that really brought the chapter together in time for welcoming the potential new &lt;br /&gt;
members into recruitment. When school finally started again, it was time for Formal recruitment which was all managed by the Membership Chairman. The chapter was so excited to welcome home the class of Beta Eta at our olympic themed bid day put together by our New Member Chairman. Following Bid Day, the new members got a weekly sapphire that guided them throughout their first few weeks in the chapter. One important event in October was our Founder’s Day, put together by the Education Chairman. On October 10, the chapter came together at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we celebrate with brunch and presentations of the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma. We remember the six founders and the symbols that make Kappa so special to all of us.&lt;br /&gt;
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The new members finally got to find out who their bigs were during big and little reveal. During that week, bigs decorated their little’s rooms and gave them secret hints as to who they were. The bigs decorated cute boxes and popped out of them to surprise their littles, and the boxes had cute themes to them. In the month of November, the chapter had big and little night, which was put together by the Marshall and was held at a roller skating rink. Bigs and littles spent the night roller skating around and taking cute pictures in their matching outfits. We ended the month off with our participation in Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s soccer tournament to raise awareness for cancer. We had our strongest soccer players compete against other sororities and we were able to win first place. It was a great way for the chapter to come together, and for the Greek community as well to raise awareness for the cause. In the last meeting, November 26, elections were held for the new chapter council, and the chapter spends one last meeting together before the year ends. &lt;br /&gt;
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Ultimately, it has been a very successful year for Epsilon Pi. Not only did we win many awards, but we were very involved with other philanthropies and fundraisers. Our philanthropies main goal is to encourage kids to learn, read, and pursue a higher education. We do that by emphasizing the importance of reading and going to college, for these kids to understand that education is very important. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2020s==&lt;br /&gt;
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Starting out our Winter Quarter of 2020, on January 5th our newly elected chapter council had their first chapter council meeting as well as the following day, January 6th, we had our first formal meeting of the quarter where new officers got formally transitioned into their positions. On January 11th, we scheduled and attended our first leadership day where we invited advisors, outgoing cc, as well as incoming cc to create a smooth transition for new positions. On January 26th our newest pledge class had their new member retreat where they got to rock climb on the ropes course at UCR. On January 31st we were so fortunate to celebrate our 150th anniversary of the organization by being visited by the Minnie Stewart van! On February 6th we held a social with a Panhellenic organization, Alpha Chi Omega. On February 26th, we held our annual Reading is Key event at Madison Elementary where it was Alice in Wonderland themed and we read and did crafts with the 1st grade classes. On March 1st we held our Semi-formal event where we danced the night away with all of our sisters. On March 2nd, we participated in a joint philanthropy event with Sigma Pi Epsilon at a local elementary school reading to kids. On March 6th we held our Winter Sisterhood event at Hangar Trampoline Park. During the week of March18-22nd, we began our finals week while transitioning to a complete remote learning environment. Although many of us assumed we would be coming back after spring break, we ended up coming to terms that we would be having both our Spring and Fall Quarters completely online. On April 1st we held our first virtual meeting through zoom. On April 14th we began to review and evaluate the best and worst case for the budget with the treasurer. On April 26th we began to reevaluate and get on the same page for tackling the actions on our action plan. On April 29th we supported Denim Day virtually through our platforms. On May 27th we decided on the budget proposal and to put all of our members on a payment plan due to pandemic circumstances. On June 16th we raised and donated $2,700O to act able. On September 26th we began recruitment workshops every day until to 30th. On October 8th through the 11th we held formal recruitment through zoom. Although this process did look a bit different than usual years, everything ran very smoothly as we conducted conversations and voting on zoom and in break out rooms. On October 11th, we welcomed our newest pledge class, Beta Iota to the chapter as the bid day theme was Kappa and Co. We held our New member pinning ceremony on October 12th. On October 13th we all joined the zoom call with our chapter first to go over some history fun facts as well as conduct our founders day ceremony then joined the zoom call with our sisters across the nation to help celebrate our 150th milestone! On October 12-16th our lovely leadership consultant Cait Berosh held a virtual meeting with a majority of our chapter council members. On October 18th we held a virtual committee night.&lt;br /&gt;
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On October 22nd we held a virtual COB night where we welcome a few more members to our new member class. On October 25th we were visited by a facilitator from HQ for a Aspiring to a higher type of Sisterhood Workshop. On October 29th we held a Spooky fall quarter sisterhood where we all carved pumpkins together. On November 4th, we held a sisterhood where we made fun PowerPoint on random topics. On November 13th we held big little reveal where a majority of new members got their bigs. On November 16th-20th we began Inspiration week where we did various writing prompts to reflect on our values as well as had big little night on November 18th. On November 18th the rest of the new members who were COBs got their bigs as well. On November 20th, our new members were officially initiated into our chapter. On November 16th we were presented with the slate from the nominating committee. On November 23rd, we held chapter elections where we elected prospective new officers. On December 4th we held a virtual baking sisterhood with a Panhellenic organization Gamma Phi Beta. On December 7th, we held our last meeting of 2020 and the quarter and after finals we will begin winter break.&lt;br /&gt;
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We support our local Elementary School Madison Elementary which is in an under served community.We chose this school, to only because we’ve worked with them many years prior, but also because a alumna from Epsilon Pi Chapter hasworked as a teacher there in the past and explained how our chapter could positively impact the students&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chairman and she aided in all the programming that was being planned as well as sent out little reminders throughout the quarter on how to be inclusive and how to be more conscious through the group me.&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a sesquicentennial chairman who would kept us updated on new and fun stuff from HQ as well as would share various chapter history PowerPoints and we were so lucky to have been visited by the Minnie Steward Van to celebrate such an amazing milestone! During Founders Day we joined on zoom together as a chapter and did our Founders Day ceremony and then join the zoom call with all of our sisters nationwide to share this special moment in history.&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>VickiCarrigan</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23004</id>
		<title>Epsilon Pi</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Epsilon_Pi&amp;diff=23004"/>
				<updated>2022-07-25T16:12:43Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;VickiCarrigan: &lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;div&gt;{{Infobox Fraternity&lt;br /&gt;
|Name= Epsilon Pi&lt;br /&gt;
|GreekSymbol= EΠ&lt;br /&gt;
|Image= [[File:Epsilon_Pi.jpeg|200px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1976|02|07}}&lt;br /&gt;
|College= [https://www.ucr.edu/ University of California, Riverside]&lt;br /&gt;
|Location= Riverside, CA&lt;br /&gt;
|Homepage= [https://ucr.kappa.org/ Epsilon Pi Homepage]&lt;br /&gt;
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Epsilon_Pi Media related to Epsilon Pi Chapter]}}&lt;br /&gt;
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'''University of California at Riverside, 1954'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Epsilon Pi founded February 7, 1976'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''1,127 initiates (as of June 2018)'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Some of Chapter’s Outstanding Alumnae:''' (If you have chapter alumna who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.)&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Council Officers:'''&lt;br /&gt;
Kyle Donnelly, Fraternity Treasurer, 2022-2024&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Additional Outstanding Epsilon Pi Alumnae:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Kyle Donnelly: Fraternity Finance Committee (2006-2008), Province Director of Chapters (2008-2011), Assistant to Fraternity Treasurer (2011-2014), Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Finance Committee (2011-2012), Scholarship Reader (2015-2018), Fraternity House Board Chairman (2018-2020).&lt;br /&gt;
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Ella Gaumer Vieria: Traveling Consultant (2000-2001), Province Director of Chapters (2005-2009), Technology Committee (2009-2010), Regional Director of Chapters (2010-2012, 2012-2014), Long Range Planning Task Force (2013-2016), Assistant to Director of Chapters (2014-2016), Public Relations Content Director (2016-2018), Leadership Education and Development Committee (2018).&lt;br /&gt;
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Yvonne Kim: Province Director of Chapters (2011-2015).&lt;br /&gt;
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Vicki Hill Carrigan: Kappa Trainer (2010-2016), Publications Committee (2010-2014), Technology Committee (2010-2014), Leadership Academy Facilitator (2012, 2016, 2017), Betty Brady Award (1995), Coordinator of Chapter Support (2014-2016), Convention Committee - Music Chairman (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020), Adviser Academy Facilitator (2016), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Ritual &amp;amp; History Specialist (2019 - 2021).&lt;br /&gt;
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Jessica Coffield: Nominating Committee (2014-2016), Standards Specialist (2016-2020), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019), Standards Director (2020 - ).&lt;br /&gt;
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Traci Evans: Programming Specialist (2016-2018), Kappa Leadership Conference Facilitator (2018-2019).&lt;br /&gt;
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Stephanie Hammond: Public Relations Specialist (2019-2021).&lt;br /&gt;
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Kim Braun Padulo: Province Director of Chapters (1987-1988), Province Director of Alumnae (1989-1990).&lt;br /&gt;
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Hailey Grisel: Leadership Consultant (2015-2016), Philanthropy Specialist (2016-2017).&lt;br /&gt;
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Meredith Hutcheson Reuter: Chapter Consultant (1990-1991), Province Director of Chapters (1993-1995).&lt;br /&gt;
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Lise Haxton: Traveling Consultant (1993-1994), Chapter Consultant (1994-1995), Chapter Support Committee (2004-2005)&lt;br /&gt;
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==The Early Years -- Colonization and Installation==&lt;br /&gt;
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Love and guidance by many caring Kappas allowed Epsilon Pi chapter to enjoy a great beginning. The culmination of this love and concern was exemplified in the beautiful Installation held the first weekend in February 1976 when 13 new members of Epsilon Pi Colony were initiated as charter members of Epsilon Pi Chapter at the University of California at Riverside.&lt;br /&gt;
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Installing officer Marian Schroeder Graham, Beta Phi—Montana, Fraternity President, was assisted by many others including Phyllis Brinton Pryor, Beta Mu—Colorado, National Panhellenic Conference Delegate and colonizing officer; Patti Ball Hillyard, Delta Chi—San Jose State, installation chairman and President of the Riverside Alumnae Club; Lyn Conway Madding, Delta Gamma—Michigan State, Kappa Province Director of Alumnae; Kay Reid Tennison, Epsilon Delta—Arizona State, Kappa Province Director of Chapters; and Janeen Gould, Beta Beta Deuteron—St. Lawrence, Epsilon Pi Graduate Counselor. Also, several advisers and Graduate Counselors to California chapters and alumnae from all over southern California gathered to participate in and to honor the Installation of Kappa’s 95th chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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The setting for the ceremonies was the chapter house of Epsilon Pi’s sister chapter, Delta Tau—Southern California. It was agreed by all and well stated by Phyllis Pryor that “no more perfect arrangements could have been made for an unhoused chapter to be assimilated into a totally Kappa setting where a true feeling of belonging could be imparted. The cooperation and hospitality of those members of Delta Tau who made this possible will be long remembered as a very vital aspect of the happy Initiation of Epsilon Pi.” She also noted that “the beautiful, warm, very adequate facilities of the Delta Tau house accommodated the influx of extra people and activities gracefully and with no evidence of inconvenience or interruption.” &lt;br /&gt;
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Fern Crane, Delta Tau Housemother; Katie Finnegan, Delta Tau President; Kris Kline, chapter coordinator, and chapter members were thanked for their superb planning and for making the guests and participants feel welcomed and prepared.&lt;br /&gt;
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It was here that the scene for the entire weekend, including a lovely Friday night Fireside Service and dinner. Delta Tau members added to the beauty by sharing some of their traditional pre-initiation thoughts and songs.&lt;br /&gt;
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Many gifts to the new chapter were recognized at the luncheon banquet, which was held at the University Hilton Hotel following Saturday’s Installation. Two special gifts were award badges for outstanding new members, one given to the new member class president, Debbie Dietrich, and one to Robin Rose, Recruitment Chairman, for scholarship.&lt;br /&gt;
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Greetings to the new chapter increased even more when more than 150 guests came in heavy rain to a reception Sunday afternoon in Riverside at the home of a recent Delta Tau active. UC Riverside administrators and Panhellenic representatives and members of other Greek-letter groups on campus along with friends and family members of the new chapter members honored Epsilon Pi with their attendance.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to Installation, the Epsilon Pi new members were busy with campus activities including selling cotton candy during Homecoming, a pizza party with alumnae, a new member retreat and joining the other fraternities and sororities in the Greek cheering section for football games and for Christmas caroling before the winter break. Epsilon Pi members also created a wooden plaque with pictures of the charter members, and they worked together on a hooked rug with an owl design for Delta Tau Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
The previous information was excerpted from (unknown source-most likely The Key.)&lt;br /&gt;
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The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to update its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1970s==      &lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter’s first formal, called “Sea and Sky”, was held in a multipurpose room in one of the apartment complexes near campus since the budget for the event was only $75; $25 was spent on decorations and $50 was spent on a band.  One sister, who was dating a Sigma Alpha Epsilon from UCLA, had him fix up some of the Kappas with blind dates with his brothers. Charter President Kim Braun Padulo recalled the surprised reaction of the boys when they entered the room as it was not the kind of reception they were used to.&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi faced its challenges head on and ultimately succeeded.  In the fall of 1976, they welcomed a second pledge class that nearly doubled the size of the chapter.  Following soon after, in spring quarter the women had to write their chapter Bylaws. After getting the foundations of the chapter set, the women focused on their sisterhood. To improve this Epsilon Pi chapter participated in a potluck with the Northern Orange County Alumnae Association. The theme was to bring with you your favorite Kappa memory to share. After doing so, the women realized that while they were close, a house would bring them much closer to each other.  They hoped that one day they would reach this goal for Epsilon Pi to have a chapter house. &lt;br /&gt;
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October of 1977, thirteen more lovely ladies were pledged after an informal Yell-in, and on Inspiration week, in October 24-29; the women were initiated. With rush again in the spring the chapter was able to grow from 13 actives to 30 by 1978.  &lt;br /&gt;
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1979 was kicked off with Formal Fall Rush. The first night the girls attended open house and had sandwiches while getting to know each other. The second night was theme night, in which the chapter put on their annual performance of “Kapparet”.  On the second to last night the chapter had project night in which the women used felt letters and animals to spell their names, these where then to be used for philanthropy. The final night, was preference night. Here the women all dressed up formally, and had dessert together while sharing stories in a circle. Epsilon Pi once again initiated more women, making the chapter grow a little bigger every year.  With the goal to become one of the largest chapters, Epsilon Pi continued learning ways of improving and growing closer in sisterhood.  To do so, their goal was set to focus on social graciousness, organization, and sisterhood (SOS). Memorable events from the 70s include hanging out at the pool at Bannockburn, yearly pledge class songs, and exchanges with other groups on campus. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1980s:==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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Small &amp;quot;get to know each other&amp;quot; parties were held at the Bannockburn pool, so that all the women could get to know each other better and create stronger sisterhoods. They also held exchanges. Epsilon Pi had an annual &amp;quot;walkout&amp;quot; in which the pledges would plan to &amp;quot;kidnap&amp;quot; actives and have them do funny antics like sing Kappa songs and Kappa Dances at different stops on campus like the library, residence halls, and classrooms.  Every stop would earn them a clue that would lead them to the location that the pledges had chosen to host them for dinner. They experienced the debut of MTV and this spurred lip-synching contests in the dorms, which were a blast! &lt;br /&gt;
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After just a few years of being established Epsilon Pi was honored to participate in founding of new chapters of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of California, Irvine and University of California, San Diego.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi held many different Philanthropy events such as making rabbit-like Easter baskets to give to the Sunshine School in Riverside, dressing up around Halloween in costumes and visiting the Riverside Community Hospital patients with candy.  One popular tradition was a &amp;quot;Grandparent Adoption&amp;quot; from convalescent homes where the chapter women would visit their adoptee twice a month and bring them carnations and homemade spice ropes.&lt;br /&gt;
Chapter Convention Awards:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of the 1990s==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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In the early 1990’s, the chapter was focused on scholarship, improving rush, and philanthropy. The chapter tied for the 2nd highest GPA on campus in 1991 and placed 35 members on the Dean’s List. And in 1993-94, the chapter received the Dean’s Scholarship Trophy for the highest percentage of members on the Dean’s List.  The chapter maintained a high level of academic excellence throughout the decade, due in part to weekly mandatory study hours for actives and pledges.&lt;br /&gt;
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To prepare for rush, the chapter started early the prior school year with a 10 day work week. Rush quota gradually decreased on the UCR campus in the early 90’s. Quota was 32 in 1991, 24 in 1993, to 16 in 1994, and 13 in 1995. However, quota was back up in the 20’s by 2000. These smaller pledge classes, however, allowed the chapter to be fully involve the new members in all aspects of chapter life.&lt;br /&gt;
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Early in the decade, the chapter accepted the Challenge to Excellence issued to all chapters by the Fraternity. Work on the Challenge to Excellence continued during the rest of the 1990’s. It strengthened the chapter and brought the members closer together.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991, nine of the 13 founders of Epsilon Pi were present for the Founders Day brunch. In 1995, the chapter celebrated Kappa Kappa Gamma’s 125th birthday with Zeta Eta at UC Irvine.&lt;br /&gt;
On the social front, the chapter continued with its annual Sea and Sky formal, Monmouth Duo with Pi Beta Phil, and Kappa Krush dances. Epsilon Pi also participated in many sporting competitions on campus, such as the annual inter-sorority volleyball tournament, Sports week, the Greek Games and the annual Run to the C. The chapter also hosted a Parent’s Day each year.&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter focus shifted to sisterhood, public relations and participation in the mid-1990’s.&lt;br /&gt;
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In 1991 the chapter lounge was redecorated. The last update was 16 years prior! Also in this year, the university offered sororities a hall in one of the dorms to have as their own. The chapter felt this would be a good way to improve chapter bonds, and would show the university that they were serious about having a house in the future.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Philanthropy:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi won the Philanthropy Award at the 1991 Kappa Province Meeting. The chapter participated in the Cystic Fibrosis Walkathon and helped clean up downtown Riverside. They also continued their tradition of visiting the Sunshine House and their association with the Riverside section of the California School of Deaf. In the mid-1990’s, Epsilon Pi began a new philanthropy called Night Run.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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1992 Efficiency Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Standards Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1994 Scholarship Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
1996 Scholarship Award Honorable Mention&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2000-2010==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter actively participated in campus events such as BEAR Facts Orientation, Block Party, Homecoming and Spring Splash as well as Panhellenic sponsored events such as Sports Week, Greek Unity Week with Greek Pyramid, and Presents. Founders Day was often celebrated with Zeta Eta, UC Irvine and the Orange County Alumnae Association. A yearly Scholarship Dinner was held to honor the sisters with the highest GPA, most improved GPA, and all sisters with a 4.0 in a quarter. Yearly chapter events included a fall Date Party, a winter Scholarship Banquet, and a Parent’s Day in the spring.&lt;br /&gt;
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'''Housing:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi was the first Greek organization to be invited to participate in UCR’s Greek Housing Pilot Program.  The chapter was able to rent five units in an apartment complex near campus and 10 members lived there during the 2009-2010 school year.  However, due to a lack of contracts and security, the program was discontinued.&lt;br /&gt;
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Members of Epsilon Pi volunteered yearly for a local breast cancer fundraiser put on by the Inland Agency, called “Shop to Stop Breast Cancer.”  Each year, chapter members volunteered to read to students at Madison Elementary School on Dr. Suess day. In Spring 2009, the members of Epsilon Pi hosted sixth grade students for “A Day In The Life” at UCR.  The Kappas gave them tours of the campus and the sixth graders got to meet the Men’s Basketball Team and the UCR Cheerleaders and Dance Team. The finale of the day was lunch on the commons lawn where the sixth graders read their favorite books to the Kappas.  &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter Convention Awards:'''&lt;br /&gt;
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2008 Rose McGill Award&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011-2019==&lt;br /&gt;
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From chapter’s History Report: Scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.:&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2011==&lt;br /&gt;
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2011 was a busy and great year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. Winter quarter started out with the nomination process, leading to the election of a strong, new Chapter Council. That quarter we participated in two philanthropic events at Madison Elementary School, Where the Wild Things Read and Dr. Seuss Day. Both events involved reading to the students and encouraging literacy. Greek Unity Week also took place during the winter. Our members were paired with the men of Pi Kappa Alpha to compete in various activities throughout the week meant to strengthen Greek unity on campus. As our winter quarter event, the chapter had a “Finally Famous” themed semi-formal, in which couples dressed as famous couples throughout history. &lt;br /&gt;
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The chapter also enjoyed a scholarship dinner at Ciao Bella restaurant and a go-cart racing sisterhood event held at K1 Speedway. For the spring quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter continued its emphasis on philanthropy. We volunteered at the Inland Agency’s Shop to Stop Breast Cancer event. Also, our sister Brittany Altamirano competed in and won the 2011 Delta Queen Pageant hosted by the men of Delta Tau Delta, raising around $7000 for City of Hope cancer research. During this quarter, the campus’ Fraternity and Sorority Involvement Center hosted a Pillar’s Reception where Epsilon Pi was proud to receive the Friendship Pillar Award. The Chapter hosted Parent’s Day at the Benedict Castle and a formal at the Pomona Valley Mining Co. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another major accomplishment for the chapter during spring was our Sports Week participation. Members assembled teams for volleyball and football, and did excellent in both sports, taking home the overall win for Sports Week. In April, a few members of our chapter went to Kappa Province in Tucson, AZ, where we were awarded the Rose McGill Magazine Award. As fall quarter began, the members of Epsilon Pi were eager for recruitment, to gain more assets to our chapter. After going through formal recruitment, the chapter welcomed 31 New Members on Bid Day. The New Members were taken to a taco dinner afterwards to celebrate and get to know the chapter. This year, the chapter invited local alumnae and the women of the Zeta Eta Chapter at UC Irvine to our Founder’s Day brunch at the Riverside Art Museum. Many of our members also participated in the Pink on Parade breast cancer walk, as well as the 5K run held by the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Our chapter enjoyed a movie night sisterhood as we went to go see the film 50/50, as well as a Thanksgiving potluck themed meeting to end the quarter. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Campus:''' This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus tried to really encourage unity among the Greek community, but the panhellenic organizations in particular. Kappa encouraged this as well, as we participated in Panhellenic’s Cookies and Crafts event. All 6 of the panhellenic organizations came together to get to know each other better, as well as learn more about one another’s philanthropies. We also participated in the kickball tournament thrown by the women of Gamma Phi Beta, to further demonstrate our support of panhellenic. The campus hosted many annual events like Spring Splash, Bear Facts Orientation, and Block Party, all of which Epsilon Pi participated in. &lt;br /&gt;
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'''Chapter:''' If one word were chosen to describe the overall nature of our chapter in 2011 it would be growth. We suffered some minor setbacks, but with positive mindsets and a strong chapter council, we pushed through and began making necessary changes for our chapter to head in the right direction. Epsilon Pi has taken pride in both its diversity and large chapter size and has used both of those factors to strengthen the chapter as a whole. &lt;br /&gt;
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One main challenge for the chapter was attendance. With such a large chapter size, we expected high numbers of attendance, but were not seeing that. Chapter Council began a point system for attendance. A minimum requirement of points was made necessary for fun/positive things later on, such as getting a little sister in the fall. In addition, our VP Standards took attendance into account as she looked over members who needed standards appointments. She stressed the importance of going to mandatory events in these meetings and the consequences of not doing so. The attendance problem was not completely erased, but the chapter hopes to see improvements, continuously reminding members of the attendance policy in our chapter’s bylaws and standing rules. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2012==&lt;br /&gt;
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Each year Epsilon Pi chapter continues to reach and exceed previous years' achievements. 2011 was an amazing and notable year for Epsilon Pi chapter. In January, we began with inspiration week filled with a variety of big and little and sisterhood bonding events. Soon after, the Alpha Omega pledge class was initiated. It was a beautiful and special ceremony that we were able to share with the newest members of our wonderful chapter. The following week we had an amazing Semi Formal which was hosted at the Caspian in Irvine, where we enjoyed an Arabian night filled with kabobs and belly dancers. Soon after we had elections and welcomed the newly elected chapter council. During that time period we were graced with the Leadership Officer and received an abundance of tips and advice on how to make our chapter even stronger than what it was then. &lt;br /&gt;
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Following elections and the LC visit, we had Greek Unity week on campus which brings the Greek and cultural sorority and fraternities together. This year we were paired with the men of Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. During this week we are separated into teams and participate in a variety of team and at the end of the week perform a team dance that is appreciated by the whole Greek community. &lt;br /&gt;
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As we continued into winter quarter we held two amazing philanthropies at Madison Elementary School; Kappa Kamp and Dr. Seuss Day. Both event encouraged the students to read and enjoy books. We also had a delicious scholarship dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory where we acknowledged our hard working sisters that make the Dean's List, have the most study hours, and the highest overall GPA. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of winter quarter we held our Leadership Day, which aimed at better training our newly elected chapter council to ensure that they would be confident in achieving everything their position asked them to, as well as doing their little perfectly.&lt;br /&gt;
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In the spring quarter, our sisterhood took a great start with having a fun and exciting event at Dave and Buster. This quarter we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Lauren Montes, won the Delta Queen Pageant raising $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices. This quarter we also had our annual formal, &amp;quot;A Night In Spain&amp;quot;, which was held at the Green River Gold Club in Corona. It was an amazing event where we danced the night away and appreciated the seniors, as it was their last formal with the chapter. As the quarter continued, we hosted &amp;quot;A Day In The Life&amp;quot; where we hosted students from Madison Elementary School and showed them the campus. We introduced them to the soccer team and cheer leaders and gave them a tour of the campus. We wanted to encourage the sixth graders to continue on to college to get a higher education and to show them that anyone can achieve that with hard work and dedication. We ended this quarter with a fun filled water themed sisterhood at our president, Brittany Altamirano's house. There was a water maze, water guns, and of course water balloons. The sisterhood definitely helped relieve some stress that we had pertaining to the upcoming finals. Later that weekend we also had our annual Parent's Day at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we had a nice lunch with all our sisters and their parents. We also appreciated our sisters who stood out exceptionally in being a good sister and kappa and sisters that stood our academically as well.&lt;br /&gt;
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After returning from summer vacation, Epsilon Pi was eager for recruitment and to gain new assets to our ever growing sisterhood. Following formal recruitment we were more than happy to welcome the 30 Beta Alpha new member class. After bid day on campus we took them to one of our sister's house to have dinner and meet the chapter; there were also an abundance of ice breaking games. This year, the Orange County Alumni Association hosted Founder's Day at the Tustin Senior Center. After thoroughly educating the Beta Alpha new member class with Kappa history and creating a new love for Kappa we had Inspiration Week and Initiation. It was again a beautiful ceremony where each sister was able to appreciate and remember why we joined one of the strongest sisterhoods. We concluded this quarter with our Kappa Thanksgiving, which brought our chapter together once again. &lt;br /&gt;
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This year, the Panhellenic Board on campus was continuing to encourage unity among the Greek community. The board hosted many events where each sorority could come and support panhellenic. Such events were &amp;quot;blankets for babies&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;cookies and crafts&amp;quot;, and staff appreciation. Kappa supports the board and tries to get more involved by participating. Kappa also participates in Block Party, Spring Spash, and Bear Facts orientation.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2013==&lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi had a truly remarkable year in 2013 with all that we accomplished and participated in. As our winter quarter began, we had the opportunity to help recruit members for the new chapter that was established at Chapman University with our sisters from USC. The recruitment was so successful that we had the amazing honor to be apart of their initiation ceremony and be their big sis chapter. Towards the end of the quarter we were partnered up with the men of Phi Gamma Delta and the women of Omega Zeta Chi to participate in a week of Greek Unity. The main event was a dance competition in which we were elated and humbled to have won first place. &lt;br /&gt;
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As the quarter continued we participated in our annual philanthropy of “Reading is Key” in which we traveled to Madison Elementary school and spent the day reading and doing crafts with the children. We also had a delicious Scholarship dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in which we gave awards to the sisters who had accomplishments such as the most study hours, highest GPA, and being on the dean’s list. The last major event of winter quarter was our semi-formal in which we went to a lovely Italian restaurant and had a great time dancing the night away with our sisters and dates. &lt;br /&gt;
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Spring quarter began with 6 sisters attending Kappa Province. In addition to learning valuable skills and information for our chapter, Epsilon Pi was honored to have received 2 awards: the New Member Program Award and the Norma Dow Patton Gracious Living Award. Soon after, we had a visit from the LC, which gave the new officers a chance to get ideas and information about her new positions in personal meetings that were set-up. We also had our formal at a beautiful venue at the Glen Ivy Spa and golf course in which we had a great night taking pictures in a photo booth, eating delicious food, and giving out senior recognition awards. &lt;br /&gt;
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This quarter was also very philanthropic. Not only did we host our annual “Day in the Life” event for Madison elementary school children to come and see what it is like to be a college student, but we also partnered up with the women of Pi Beta Phi to create our very own join philanthropy on campus called “Words with Friends”. It was a spelling bee and speed read event in which all the organizations could compete with each other and donate either money or books to our philanthropy. This quarter, as well as supporting many other philanthropies throughout the year, we also supported the men of Delta Tau Delta's annual Delta Queen Pageant. Our sister, Hailey Grisel, received second place and remarkably raised $6,000 for the City of Hope cancer research. &lt;br /&gt;
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We continued to support our chapter and partook in the annual Sports Week, where each sorority competes against each other in track and field, volleyball, and football. Our sisters did an amazing job playing and dedicating their time to practices because we ended up winning the entire event. Later that month we had parent’s day which was so special in being able to show our families a little bit of what Kappa is like. We were able to honor the sisters who truly embody what Kappa is and also got to see what our chapter used to be like through the heritage display. &lt;br /&gt;
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There is also an annual awards ceremony for the Greek community on our campus in which we were honored to have received the University of California, Riverside Marguleas Sororotiy/Fraternity Service Award in recognition of our leadership and philanthropic efforts in our community. To finish off the quarter and the academic year we had a sisterhood in which we were able to go go kart racing. We had such a fun time competing with each other for the fastest time and just be able to spend time bonding together. Fall quarter was a very hectic quarter for Epsilon Pi. We had another LC visit during recruitment which helped us make sure we were going about things as best as we could. Although we did not expect for the large increase in the size of our new pledge class, we were so grateful to welcome 45 new amazing women into our organization. Soon after, we celebrated founder’s day with our lovely Chapman sisters which was special because we got to see them experience it for the very first time as a chapter. It was so touching to see alumni from decades ago being recognized and pinned and being able to do our ritual together. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our chapter also hosted an amazing event called “Finding Kind” in which we had the screening of the documentary to fight against female teen bulling. We then all took individual pledges to better ourselves and the way that we treat others. We were so pleased to see how many women from different organizations on campus came to support this cause. Towards the end of the quarter, we had a super hero themed date party in which we got to go to Sky Town and jump around and play various games involving foam pits and trampolines. Inspiration week and Initiation of our new Beta Beta pledge class was a very special week for all of us. We were so happy to officially welcome them into our chapter and share our ritual with them during such a beautiful and special ceremony. We also had fun during that week roller-skating and playing laser tag together during our big/little night. To finish off the quarter, we had a sisterhood the week before finals at the movie theater in which we were able to take a couple hours away from studying to relax and laugh with our sisters while watching Grown Ups 2. It had been events like this that keep us close and strong as a chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year brought changes that mainly affected our recruitment. Since our school decided to admit more students, there were more women that went through recruitment that the sororities were not prepared for. Although we thought it would be overwhelming and near impossible to have such a large pledge class, we pulled through together and were blessed to have received 45 new members instead of our anticipated 30.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2014==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year has been one of glee, many accomplishments, and ongoing improvement for Epsilon Pi Chapter. We commenced the year after a refreshing winter break with the privilege of participating in a leadership conference, Lead Today. Lead Today took place on January 22 on our campus with our entire chapter and alumnae. Coordinators were trained to help us grow and prosper as a chapter with novel leadership skills and progression in areas needing improvement. We participated in various hands on activities, games and discussions concerning the vitality of management, organization, and the overall aspect of a chapter working and developing in unison. Epsilon Pi Chapter was so thankful and gained an immense appreciation and understanding for leadership and how to use it, not only in Kappa, but in our everyday lives. This conference could not have come at a better time, due to the fact that elections were right around the corner. &lt;br /&gt;
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Our Kappa sisters did a wonderful job selecting our new Chapter Council and we knew Epsilon Pi Chapter was in good hands. Shortly after, we had our annual scholarship dinner to honor all of our hard working members who did exceptional in their academics. This year, we dressed in key attire and ventured out to The Old Spaghetti Factory located in Downtown Riverside. We loaded up on carbs and applauded our accomplished sisters when they received awards for most study hours, improved G.P.A., highest G.P.A., and many more. This night allowed our sisters to feel honored and made others strive to improve. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a few weeks of being back in school, it was time for Semi-Formal. Semi was held at Aroma Grill in Upland, CA. We all got dolled up in cute cocktail dresses and invited dates to escort us. Kappas danced the night away on the dance floor, took a plethora of photos in the photo booth and in front of the backdrop with a professional photographer, and ate a delicious variety of food. To end the month of February, our sisters headed to K1 Speed Zone for a fun packed sisterhood. Our sisters headed to the race tracks and raced in full geared helmets and mask and hopped in go-carts for some competitive fun. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, we had our first social of the quarter with the men of Phi Kappa Psi. Together, we had so much fun playing laser tag dressed up as Disney characters. Originally, we were supposed to go roller blading, however, the outdoor rink got rained out. Yet, Kappas always know how to make the best of things and we ended the night having a jovial time. To end our quarter, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted our Reading is Key Philanthropy at our adopted school, Madison Elementary.  This year's theme was &amp;quot;Under the Sea&amp;quot; and the book we gave every student who attended was &amp;quot;The Magic School Bus Live on the Ocean Floor&amp;quot;. We loved seeing the students' faces light up as they read to us, crafted with us, and enjoyed some delicious snacks. The whole cafeteria was neatly decorated with fish, kelp, and other underwater creatures to create a fun, aquatic atmosphere. We donated books to their library and hoped to encourage them and show them how important, and intriguing, reading can be. This experience was so rewarding due to the fact that many of these students are from underprivileged households and the books we give them are usually their first books. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the start of Spring Quarter, we attended an annual philanthropy conducted by the fraternity Delta Tau Delta. They hosted a pageant that every sorority participated in by nominating one representative to compete in the event. This event raised money for The City of Hope through fundraisers and donations. This year, we selected Justine Sterling, who perfectly embodies Kappa as a whole. Justine worked extremely hard raising funds via bake sales on campus (Kappa Kappacino), and Karaoke singing night (Kappa Karaoke), as well as various dining and recreational events. Justine rasied over $4,000 for The City of Hope and took home the crown as Miss Delta Queen 2014. Her hard work and dedication paid off making all of us proud. Not to mention, we loved watching her in the pageant, especially her talent portion of rapping. In the month of April, we hosted our joint philanthropy event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Since we both share a philanthropy centered on literacy, our competitions were focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $2,000 and over a hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF. &lt;br /&gt;
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Every year, UCR hosts a sports week where each sorority comes up with teams to play dodge ball, volleyball, and football with different fraternities coaching and arranging practices. This whole week is filled with friendly competition and unity between our sorority and the whole Greek community. This year, we worked hard at many practices and came up in second place. Who knew we were so athletic? After sports week, we decided to have a social with the men of Phi Gamma Delta, who were our coaches for sports week. Bowling for strikes and spares was the event of the night while dressed in our Hawaiian skirts, shirts, and leis. &lt;br /&gt;
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Another event UCR hosts every year is Pillars Week. Pillars Week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All Greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of Greeks at our school. With Epsilon Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and Greek unity, we worked so hard and ended up placing first along with our team. &lt;br /&gt;
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During this same week we had one of our favorite philanthropies, A Day In The Life. For this event, we bring sixth grade students from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for higher education. This year we divided into different tour guiding groups and played interactive games such as red rover. It was a perfect day to have the students on campus because they were all able to see a busy campus full of students due to the fact that it was Pillars Week. These students had such a great time that even some boys flashed the Kappa sign in pictures as the proclaimed &amp;quot;I can't wait to go here!&amp;quot; &lt;br /&gt;
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With school coming to an end in a few months, it was the perfect time for our Beta Beta New Member retreat. Our New Member chair planned a daring evening of rock climbing at a local rock climbing gym, Hangar 18. Girls harnessed in and chalked their hands as they used their upper body strength and raced to the top of the rock walls. It was a perfect night for Beta Beta to be reconnected and have a little fun work out. For one of the last meetings of the year, our whole chapter went to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor to feast on all different flavors of ice cream, while discussing business, of course. This event is one of our most delicious sisterhood events since we get to eat all the ice cream we want, be sung to by Farrell's employees, and get to be with our sisters. &lt;br /&gt;
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For the last event of the year, Epsilon Pi Chapter boarded buses with our dates for a special night at Green Rivers Country Club. This year's Formal was eventful and filled with memories. Girls piled into the photo booth to take adorable pictures while some danced the night away and others ate their gourmet meal. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes. Formal was the perfect way to end the 2013-2014 school year. &lt;br /&gt;
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Although college may have been over for some, many girls who had just decided to come to UCR were making their way on campus for summer orientation in the months of July and August. During every orientation, Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. We hoped to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Not only that, but almost as a summer reunion, all of our girls got together to film our, almost famous, recruitment video. We went to the beach, our campus, and the park to film a short video embodying Kappa and our strong sisterhood. It turned out to be a hit on our campus and with other chapters from other campuses as well. &lt;br /&gt;
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After a nice, long break of heading to the beach, relaxing, and a lot of studying abroad, Kappa sisters united for a week of practices for upcoming recruitment. Our sisters sang their hearts out and danced their best as we learned songs and polished ourselves so we could be the best Kappas we could be for recruitment. During the week our bonds of sisterhood grew exponentially stronger and our love for Kappa radiated in preparation of finding our newest members. On the weekend of October 3, we spent 3 days socializing and spreading our love and excitement to every potential new member who entered our room. We fell in love with so many girls and worked so hard that this turned out to be one of our most successful recruitments ever, bringing in our biggest New Member class of 53 girls. &lt;br /&gt;
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The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular New Members with &amp;quot;Key to Paradise&amp;quot; tank tops and a BBQ fit for beach queens. Our chapter transitioned so quickly to this shocking number of new ladies, and chapter council immediately understood that with a larger chapter, we would all have to grow together, and that is exactly what we did. New Members went to meetings every week to get acquainted with Kappa policies and jumped right into Kappa activities with our first sisterhood of the 2014-2015 school year. Our VPS planned a morning yoga session in a peaceful park for all of our members. It was relaxing and just what everyone needed as a de-stressor. Our New Members were also able to attend our Date Party at a roller skating rink sponsored by the Anaheim Ducks hockey team. Every member received a glitter Kappa snap back and Beyonce themed tank tops, while their dates received a Jay-Z themed crew neck. Everyone was so exited for their new Kappa clothes. Soon after, our New Members received their Big Sisters in such a cute and creative reveal. New Members were given a key to a specific car in the school's parking lot and had to find the right car to which the key belonged. Inside the car trunk, driver seat, or back seat was their Big. The excitement of the whole chapter was present as girls embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, New Members were ushered to their New Member sleepover where they bonded over games, learned about our Founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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A couple weeks later, Bigs drove their Littles to our fall social with the men of Sigma Psi Epsilon. Since it was the Halloween season, girls paired up with a Sig-Ep and carved pumpkins. This was one of our most attended and loved socials. As initiation approached, our Marshal hosted  Big and Little Night at a local ice skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as sisters. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our New Members of the Beta Gamma class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of the biggest changes to our campus occurred just this Fall quarter. In the past year, recruitment has grown as more and more girls become interested in sorority life at UCR. One of the biggest changes to our chapter was the welcoming of the biggest new member class we have ever welcomed. Our chapter almost doubled, but our chapter handled the change smoothly without a falter. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also due to the immense interest in panhellenic, the whole panhellenic community got together to listen to presentations from three possible new sororities hoping to colonize on the UCR campus. In the end, our chapter was more than happy to hear about a new sorority expanding our panhellenic community. Epsilon Pi Chapter is so strong in our bonds of sisterhood that we are more than willing to help the new chapter get accommodated to UCR. &lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter meetings are held in various on campus lecture halls and classrooms. This makes it easier for members to go to meeting since most new members live on campus and other members live near by.  Our chapter does not have a house and has not had a house in the past. We have a storage unit near campus where we keep and organize our supplies. For living situations, some girls live on campus, but most members rent houses where some members live together and sometimes end up living with other panhellenic women. Our living situations are perfect for building sisterhood and provide various places for members to hangout, study, and host various gatherings.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2015==&lt;br /&gt;
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This past year, Epsilon Pi has had many defining moments that continue to shape each of our member’s college experiences. After coming back from a very well deserved winter break surrounded by family and sisters, we began a new quarter in January and quickly put our heads back in to the game, starting with elections. As always, our sisters made excellent decisions when selecting our new Chapter Council that consist of strong, efficient, Kappa leaders. &lt;br /&gt;
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Shortly after, our Event Chair planned our first social of the quarter at a nearby community park with one of the IFC fraternities on campus. Our members and the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta decked out in white apparel in preparation for a fun night filled with glow in the dark paint and athletic activities. We separated into teams and Kappas proudly showed off their flag football skills, all while glowing in the dark. &lt;br /&gt;
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Towards the end of the month Beta Gamma, our newest pledge class, attended a retreat. This retreat took place at our newly remodeled recreation center on campus. There was a rock climbing wall and a ropes course. They participated in activities that all revolved around teamwork and some critical thinking. During one of the activities, sisters had to figure out a way to get a rope to the other side without moving by working together. They were also blindfolded and were instructed to give clues to one another in order to find certain objects. They participated in multiple obstacle courses and activities that strengthened the Beta Gamma pledge class.  Overall, Beta Gamma had the opportunity to bond with their pledge class sisters and learn how to help each other out by using teamwork. This was an excellent way to prove that any challenge can be overcome with sisters by our sides. &lt;br /&gt;
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There was no better way to begin the month of February than by having our annual scholarship dinner. Our Vice President of Academic Excellence worked very hard in order to recognize and honor our smart, studious sisters and give them the credit they deserve. We all met at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside in our sharpest key attire. We were excited and anxious to eat delicious Italian food and hear all about our sister’s amazing accomplishments. Some of the awards included most study hours, highest GPA, most improved GPA, and many more. This was a proud night for many, as well as an encouraging one for other girls who decided they want to work even harder than usual and strive to be the best Kappas they can be. This night was filled with positive and uplifting words that reminded and encouraged all Kappas to make academics a priority. &lt;br /&gt;
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A few weeks later, it was time for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular Semi was located in Redlands, at the Fox Event Center. We got ready in our best cocktail dresses and every Kappa looked extraordinary. As we arrived, the words “Kappa Kappa Gamma” beautifully lit up on the outside billboard of the venue. We ate a delicious dinner of various foods and danced the night away on a beautifully set dance floor that was beneath sparkly chandeliers. If sisters weren’t dancing, many of them were also taking a galore of pictures to capture all of the fun and lavish moments. A professional photographer was also available at our photo booth, which was set up using a bohemian backdrop that was of course, dark and light blue. This magical and fun night with our sisters and dates couldn’t have been better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a circus theme. All of our sisters received a red shirt with an owl in the middle portrayed as a ringmaster and circus animals surrounding it. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with circus posters, popcorn machines, and face painting. Sisters enjoyed painting everyone’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative circus animals. The book we chose to read was Clifford Goes to the Circus, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. This philanthropic event was also extra special because our leadership consultant from the previous year joined to help and support us. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids.&lt;br /&gt;
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To end the month, we had a very eventful sisterhood. Kappas loaded their cars with tents, blankets, jackets and firewood, and were off to camp overnight at Lake Perris. We began by forming groups to build the tents. Building them was no easy task, and just when we thought it couldn’t get any harder, rain started to pour on us. We laughed off our struggles, and tried to finish up quickly. Although the rain was on and off throughout the night, Kappas always know how to have a good time, and our camping experience was nothing but fun and adventure. We walked to the beautiful lake that was surrounded by mountains, ate pizza, sat by the campfire, and ate an abundant amount of smores. Connecting with nature with our sisters by our side was truly a memorable day, and Kappa camping was a success despite some obstacles.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our Spring Quarter began by participating in the fraternity Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Krystal Neag. A few of the many fundraisers Krystal put together were Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, Kappa Karaoke, where tickets were sold to sing one’s heart out, and a fundraiser at Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt, where people were able to satisfy their sweet tooth. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances, including a dance that was based on different decades. Krystal won Highest Fundraiser, and raised one-third of the total of the money, which was very impressive.&lt;br /&gt;
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During the month of April we also held our joint philanthropic event, Words With Friends, with the ladies of Pi Beta Phi. Both of our philanthropies revolve around literacy, so this competitive event is focused on spelling and reading. We had representatives from each sorority and fraternity competing in speed-reads and spelling bees while their organizations cheered them on from the stands. For this event, admission was bringing in a new book that we could donate or a fee of $5. In the end, we raised over $1,250 and five hundred books. We donated the books we received and part of the proceeds to Madison Elementary and the rest of the proceeds to RIF.&lt;br /&gt;
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The month of May was full of many events and festivities, starting with Parents Day. Sisters and parents gathered at the Indian Hills Golf Club to proudly demonstrate what our organization is all about. We ate a delicious brunch together, sang to them, and had tables displaying our history, crafts, and awards. It was a great time, and every parent fell even more in love with Kappa Kappa Gamma. To deal with the hot Riverside weather, our sisters collaborated with the brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi a couple weeks later and had a fun day at the park with water balloons and ice cream. Water splashing on us and the cold taste of ice cream in our mouths was a perfect way to combat the heat.&lt;br /&gt;
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Our last, and a top favorite, philanthropy of the 2015-year was Day in the Life. We bring sixth graders from Madison Elementary to UCR to visit, take a tour, have lunch, and play fun activities with us all in the hopes of inspiring these students to go to college and strive for a higher education. Sisters are divided into different touring groups in order to get to know the kids personally and be able to be more hands on and interactive. We teach them spirit chants and walk around the busy hallways of campus so they can experience for themselves what its like to be a college student. This philanthropy is so rewarding because every student anticipates going to college, UCR in specific, at the end of the day. They also fall in love with our amazing organization and want to be future Kappas, even the boys.&lt;br /&gt;
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Before heading into summer, we had one last sisterhood at the drive-in. Sisters dressed up in their best 50’s themed clothes while watching movies in their cars and eating yummy snacks. The group of girls with the best outfits received a gift certificate to make a sweatshirt with our letters imprinted, which was a big plus. After anxiously waiting for our Formal throughout the year, Kappas got dolled up and boarded buses to the Reef Restaurant in Long Beach to have a spectacular night with their dates. The venue was right on the bay, which was perfect for capturing memorable pictures. We ate a delicious gourmet meal, and danced the night away in front of the gorgeous waterfront view. During the celebrations, seniors were recognized, given crowns, and watched a video slide show of pictures that brought back many memories and even happy tears to many eyes.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. With Epilson Pi Chapter being so dedicated to these traits and greek unity, we worked hard and won awards including Chapter of the Year, Highest GPA, and Best Collaborative Program. Everyone was so Kappa proud and this was an excellent way to end the school year.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although it was summer for some, Kappas were still working hard on campus partaking in every freshman orientation in order to get incoming freshmen and transfer students excited for college and hopefully interested in becoming a Kappa. Epsilon Pi Chapter hosted a table where we answered questions about our organizations, sorority life, UCR and college in general. During the summer, we also reunited to film our recruitment video. Some of the places we went to included the beach, an amusement park, and one of our sister's beautiful home. Our amazing video embodied Kappa and our strong sisterhood very accurately.&lt;br /&gt;
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Although our fun-filled, adventurous summer was coming to an end, Kappa’s were excited to go back to school for recruitment. On the weekend of October 2nd, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. The Monday following recruitment, Bid Day, we welcomed all of our bright and spectacular new members with baseball themed apparel, and had hot dogs and burgers for dinner. It was definitely one of the best ball games for our Kappa sisters. After a week of clues, room decorating, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Littles unwrapped their Bigs and embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories.&lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of asking dates to our Kappa Date Party. We received matching carnival crewnecks, and headed to Scandia Amusement Park. We spent the night playing mini-golf, riding rollercoasters, driving bumper cars, and eating delicious fair food. Quickly after, initiation week approached. Our Marshal hosted a Big and Little night at a local ice-skating rink. Bigs and Littles dressed in matching outfits and skated together, fell together, and drew closer as big and little. Our last and most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Delta class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. It was the perfect way to end such a successful year for Epsilon Pi Chapter.&lt;br /&gt;
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One of our most recent changes on campus is the addition of a new sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. This was very exciting for Epsilon Pi, and an excellent opportunity to help colonize and make new friends. There are now seven panhellenic sororities at UCR, and there has been an overall increase in interest in the Greek community. With so many more girls interested in the recruiting process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a great amount of new members. Our chapter has handled the increase well, and has accommodated accordingly. We are always happy and ecstatic to welcome new chapters, and new girls.&lt;br /&gt;
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Chapter Philanthropy:&lt;br /&gt;
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?&lt;br /&gt;
The organization Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for is Madison Elementary, our adopted underprivileged elementary school in our area. We put three events for them throughout the year, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? &lt;br /&gt;
We chose to support this organization because our chapter enjoys working hands on with the children in our area, and we know our service and donations are impacting them directly. We prefer actual interaction, rather than simply handing a check. It is very rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these children for the better.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2016==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the past year, the members of Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma have created many amazing memories that have enriched their college experience. Our chapter started the year off strong by holding elections in January after our lovely winter break which was quite a bit longer this year then in years past. As usual our sisters chose extraordinary women to help lead the chapter as Chapter Council. Shortly after, our education chair held the first education program of the year. The education program was all about proper etiquette, as a chapter we all ate California Pizza Kitchen and watched the presentation that our education chairman gave on good vs poor etiquette.&lt;br /&gt;
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On February 25th our chapter got together to do what we do best, eat. We had an amazing sister hood that was at the Kickn Crab, we all bonded over a very messy meal and made lasting memories with our sisters. A few days after our sister hood our chapter got together yet again for our Semi-Formal. Our spectacular semi formal was located at a beautiful club in Long Beach. We all got dressed up in our best cocktail attire and every Kappa and their dates looked fantastic. Kappa’s all danced the night away and took many lavish photos. At the venue itself there was a professional photographer who helped to capture every moment of the stupendous night. This extraordinary night with sisters and their dates couldn’t have gone better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Reading Is Key, our winter philanthropy, quickly approached after. Our theme this year was a day at the zoo. We decorated Madison Elementary’s cafeteria accordingly with zebra and cheetah print decorations, face painting station, and a reading station. Sisters enjoyed painting the children’s face whether it was a simple design, or creative zoo animals. The book we chose to read was Animal Strike at the Zoo, and each kid received one of their very own to take home. This was very exciting for them since most of these kids are from under privileged households and the books we give them are usually the first books they own. We also donated many books to their library in hopes of exposing them to learn about how important and fun reading can be. Our day was filled with reading, crafting, and delicious snacks, and Kappa’s had such a fun time interacting with these wonderful kids. &lt;br /&gt;
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At the beginning of the month of March our philanthropy chair planned an amazing event with Madison Square elementary school in honor of Dr. Seuss day. All of our sisters went to the school dressed in their best Dr. Seuss attire, and read to the children. This was such an amazing experience for us to see the joy on the children’s faces as we read the silliest of Dr. Seuss books to them. Later on in the month of March the newest member class Beta Delta got together for a new member retreat. The retreat was held on our campus at the student recreational centers excursion course. The new members all had a wonderful experience as they tried to climb up rock walls, ropes and ladders. The new member retreat was such a great bonding experience for Beta Delta. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of April we welcomed all of our lovely parents to our Annual Parents Day at Indian Hills Country Club. This was a fantastic day that allowed us to share why Kappa Kappa Gamma means so much to each of us with the parents . Awards were given out to Kappa’s for their academic excellence and for their spirit and dedication to the Epsilon Pi Chapter. Parents and Kappa’s all sat and ate a wonderful brunch and learned all about the amazing things that we have accomplished throughout the year. Later into the month of April our philanthropy chair organized one of our three main philanthropic events Words With Friends. It was a night to remember as we watched many of the students form the Greek community participate in our speed read and games. The entry fee to the event was a children’s books and all of the books raised where donated to the children of Madison elementary school. &lt;br /&gt;
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Also in the month of April Epsilon Pi participated in the fraternity, Delta Tau Delta’s annual philanthropic pageant, which raises money for The City of Hope through donations and fundraisers. Each sorority on campus was to choose one participant to represent their chapter and compete in the event. Our chapter couldn’t think of a more perfect candidate other than our sister Sarah Lopinski. Sarah put together many fundraisers for the event including  Kappa Kappucino, where sisters helped sell baked goods on campus, and Kappa Karaoke, where sisters and friends got together and sang their hearts out. Our sisters had such a fun time supporting her and watching all of her outstanding performances. &lt;br /&gt;
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To start off the month of May we had our annual philanthropy Day in the Life, where we bus over 6th graders from Madison Elementary to UCR. We get the opportunity to show these young children what its like to not only be a college student but what its like to be a Kappa. We give all the students a tour of our beautiful campus and teach them different UCR cheers. After the tours are over, we all eat lunch together on the grass by our famous bell tower and play fun games with the children. By the end of the day all the children are telling us how they are so excited to go to college, this is such an amazing feeling knowing that you have done a part in getting one more child excited to shoot for a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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After patiently waiting all year for one of Epsilon Pi's favorite events the time had finally come for our annual Formal. This years formal was held at a beautiful country club located in Costa Mesa. This night was one to remember with lots of beautiful pictures, and delicious food Before heading into summer we had one last sisterhood in which we spent the night in a mansion in Corona. We all began by taking cute photos with the many kappa props that we had brought on the outside of the mansion by the beautiful pool. Later on that night we got together and watched a scary movie in the home theatre that the house had. We all snuggled up in beds together hoping that we could sleep after watching such a scary movie. This sisterhood was such a great experience since Epsilon Pi does not have a sorority house we all got to experience for once what it would be like to be living together. &lt;br /&gt;
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One of our last events before summer vacation was an event UCR holds every year, Pillars Week. Pillars week is a whole week dedicated to different traits necessary for a successful organization. All greek organizations were placed in teams that competed in competitions focused on a different trait each day starting with leadership, friendship, service, and scholarship. This whole week is dedicated to uniting the community of greeks at our school. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the months of summer some of the us got together to film for our recruitment video. We filmed in multiple locations in riverside including one of our sisters beautiful homes. After a fun filled exciting summer all of our sister where excited to be reunited once again for recruitment. On the  first weekend of October 2,, our chapter was able to socialize with girls and make them fall in love with everything that we as Kappa’s do. We showed them the meaning of Kappa, our values, and our philanthropy that we hold so dear to us. Our dedication and hard work paid off and we received an amazing new pledge class of well-rounded and kindhearted girls. Sunday night we held our Bid Day, we welcomed all of our  new members with life guard themed apparel, and had an assortment of Mexican food for dinner. After a fun week of  room decorating, clues, and anxiousness, we ended October with our Big Little Reveal. Little’s found the matching pair of sock behind a sheet and when the sheet dropped their Big’s were revealed. Big’s and little’s embraced in hugs and even tears of excitement and joy. That same night, new members were ushered to their new member sleep over where they bonded over games, learned about our founders, and laughed over stories. &lt;br /&gt;
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The start of November consisted of the event our wonderful Marshal hosted, a sisterhood night were we all skated around the roller rink together in our matching inspo week shirts. The most important event of the year was the initiation of our new members of the Beta Epsilon class. It was a beautiful ceremony welcoming our deserving members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. They discovered the true meaning of all our beliefs and values and finally understood what makes Kappa so strong. To finish of the year we had on of our most fun events  Kappa Date Party. We received matching shirts that were designed by one of our own sisters and headed to Boomers Amusement Park in Irvine. We spent the night riding bumper cars, go karts, climbing rock walls, playing laser tag, and miniature golf. Overall it has been a successful year for the Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. &lt;br /&gt;
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The most recent change on campus this year is most definitely the amount of students that now attend the University of California Riverside. For the first time in history Riverside received more than 50,000 student applications for admission. With that many more incoming students of course there where quite a few more women who signed up for recruitment this year as well. With so many more women interested in the recruitment process, each year our chapter seems to grow immensely with a many more new members. We are always ecstatic to welcome new members into our chapter and we have been handling the size increase quit well. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi traditionally raises money for our adopted local underprivileged elementary school, Madison Elementary. Throughout the year we hold three philanthropic events for them, Reading is Key, Words With Friends, and A Day in the Life. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi choses to support this organization because it gives us the opportunity to work hands on with the youth in our area. It is amazing to see our service and donations impact the the lives of the future of our community. Epsilon Pi prefers the face to face interaction that we get from our events such as Day in The Life and Reading is Key, rather then simply just raising money and handing in a check. It is so rewarding to see how our philanthropy affects these young students for the better. &lt;br /&gt;
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Epsilon Pi typically meets once a week for chapter meeting in a larger classroom or lecture hall on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2017==&lt;br /&gt;
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In 2017 Epsilon Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma achieved many things and participated in many philanthropic and social events within our greek community and the real community surrounding Riverside. At our Pillars Award ceremony, hosted by Panhellenic, we were rewarded with the award of Best Chapter Management honoring our Chapter Councils hard work in managing our chapters affairs. Starting slow in January with fewer events following our winter break, we kicked the year off with the Scholarship Dinner which was held on January 26th. Our Scholarship Dinner was put on by our Vice President of Academic Excellence with the help of her committee. It was held at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Riverside. Every girl was provided with dinner along with our advisors and various alumnae who attended. Throughout the night the Vice President of Academic Excellence gave out awards based on members' various academic achievements the previous year. This event celebrated members who may have had great academic improvements ad promoted the importance of academic achievement in our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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In the following month Epsilon Pi was a bit more busy. The first event in February was a sisterhood event which was put on by our Vice President Standards. This sisterhood was held at Build-a-Bear where members each made two bears. One for the member to take home and one to donate to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital. This sisterhood was a good way for members to get together and bond as well as do something good for the community. The following weekend on February a team of Kappa sisters participated in Gamma Phi Beta’s annual Moonball which is a volleyball tournament that helps raise money for Gamma Phi Beta’s philanthropy. Not only did members play in the tournament, they also came out to support and cheer on their sisters who played in the tournament. February 10th is when Epsilon Pi held their annual winter philanthropic event, Reading is Key. During this event the chapter went to a local elementary school, Madison Elementary, and decorated their multipurpose room up to the theme which was carnival. First grade classes got to come to the MPR throughout the day and the chapter facilitated many activities for the kids to do. These activities were things such as face painting, coloring, and the final station being chapter members reading a book to the children. At the end of the day each child got to go home with a book of their own. Also, the chapter donated books to the school as well. The final event Epsilon Pi held in the month of February was a sisterhood with Gamma Phi Beta. The chapters came together and decorated cookies for Valentines Day. The chapters also did Ice Breaker games and just bonded. Lastly, in the month of February chapter elections were held. The new chapter council was elected and joint Chapter Council Meeting was held the last week of February. &lt;br /&gt;
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March of 2017 kicked off strong with a sisterhood held with the girls of Delta Gamma. Our chapters got together and tie dyed shirts together and hung out at a local park. This sisterhood allowed our chapter to bond with a Panhellenic sister which we don’t often get to do much with strengthening our Panhellenic bonds. On March 3rd a group of Epsilon Pi members volunteered for Read Across America at a local elementary school. They got to spend the day reading and promoting literacy to the children in our surrounding community. Later that evening on March 3rd, we held our Semi Formal put on by our Event Chairman along with the help of her committee. It was held at a local country club and many Alumni joined and it was a successful event barring a few mishaps along the way. Following Semi Formal Leadership day was held for the new and old Chapter Council members on March 5th. Leadership day was planned by our Vice President of Organization in order to allow the time for old Chapter Council members to teach new Chapter Council members what their new job entailed and all the responsibilities their new job required. At the event all the advisors for the various Chapter Council positions were there and also met with their new officer. Also the new Chapter Council got to discuss goals that they wanted to achieve in their time in office and all the things they wanted to improve within the chapter. Many things were discussed that day and the new Chapter Council got a great start and great motivation from each other and the advisors to start their position strong and make some good changes within the chapter. The following meeting the new Chapter Council members were installed into their positions.&lt;br /&gt;
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Throughout the next couple of weeks Epsilon Pi was involved in a philanthropy called Miss Minerva held by a fraternity on our campus, Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This was a pageant type fundraiser that helped raise thousands of dollars for their philanthropy with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Kappa helped in this by having one girl volunteer to represent our chapter and do various fundraisers throughout the weeks leading up to the competition. Epsilon Pi also participated in a similar philanthropy held by another fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, titled Delta Queen this philanthropy helped raise money for the City of Hope Cancer Research Foundation. Both the representatives for both events held many small events to raise money for each chapter’s philanthropies. These events varied from holding fundraises at local restaurants to coming up with small clever fundraisers to do on campus at letters. One example of a small fundraiser held by our Delta Queen was titled Kolor a Kappa where people paid money to throw paint at members of our chapter. Although it doesn’t sound very eventful it was a vey successful event help on our campus. Epsilon Pi itself helped raise a large amount of money that we donated to each chapter’s philanthropies. These events also strengthened our ties within our Panhellenic community because every chapter had a representative and all the chapters competed against each other hopes to win the pageant. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a rather slow month compared to March aside from the various activities going on with both Miss Minerva and Delta Queen. April 22nd Epsilon Pi held a social event with fellow Fraternity on campus, Delta Chi. Members of both organizations got together on Earth day and volunteered at our campus garden the R’garden. Members planted plants and tended to the garden at our school. The following week Epsilon Pi had a visit from a Leadership Consultant. She stayed with our Vice President of Organization. While she was here she attended our chapter council meeting and visited with each member of Chapter Council to see how they were adapting to their new position. The Leadership Consultant was very helpful to our chapter giving the Chapter Council guidance onto how to deal with the problems in our chapter. On April 25th Epsilon Pi held another sisterhood event which was a kickboxing class held at the local UFC gym. The members of Epsilon Pi all joined together sweated and laughed while working out all together. On April 29th Epsilon Pi was involved in Alpha Chi Omega's annual philanthropy the Carnation Carnival. Epsilon Pi held a both making Kappachinos and a both doing a coin toss at the event. Sisters volunteered to work both booths throughout the day. The following day Epsilon Pi participated in Delta Gamma’s annual philanthropy titled Anchor Splash. A group of girls got together to compete in various competitions throughout the day. Epsilon Pi winning one of the events which was synchronized swimming. All in all the busy weekend was a success for Epsilon Pi. &lt;br /&gt;
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May 2017 was a very busy month for Epsilon Pi starting off with Salads with Seniors an event for the seniors and alumnae to get together and to have a lunch starting the seniors' transition from active member to&lt;br /&gt;
an alumnae. On May 5th Epsilon Pi participated in a powderpuff football tournament held by Fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. A group of sisters got together and formed a team competing against other chapters in a football tournament. On May 11th Epsilon Pi’s annual Sapphire Ball was held at a local venue in Downtown Riverside. This event was thrown by our Event Chairman throughout the night seniors got recognized and celebrated as this is their last formal Kappa event of college. On May 17th Epsilon Pi held another philanthropic event called Day in the Life. At this event Epsilon Pi bused over 6th grade students from Madison Elementary, the same elementary school that was collaborated with for Reading is Key, and did many activities with them. The 6th graders were given a tour of our campus and done various smaller activities with. This philanthropy is very near and dear to our hearts because it allows us to promote higher education to kids who may have no knowledge of what college is like or why it is important.&lt;br /&gt;
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Parents' Day was held on May 21st at Indian Hills Golf Club. Thrown by the Public Relation Chairman, Parents' Day was a brunch for both members of Epsilon Pi and their parents. During the brunch, awards were given out to outstanding members of our chapter. Also, during the brunch presentations were given to the parents from various Chapter Council members, such as registrar and education chairman, about the history of Kappa Kappa Gamma as a whole and Epsilon Pi Chapter itself. Overall Parents Day was successful in showing the parents why Kappa Kappa Gamma is such an important organization and what it does for their daughters. The week of May 22nd was Pillars week where our whole Greek community comes together to do various activities throughout the wee, some competitive activities and others to raise money. At the end of this week a banquet is held to give out awards to chapters for various achievements throughout the year. Epsilon Pi was awarded with Best Chapter Management celebrating our Chapter Council's recent achievements. On May 24th the Education Chairmen held a final sisterhood for the seniors. This sisterhood was held at a local trampoline park, Skyline, where the seniors were allowed to jump and hang out with each other one last time all together. The sisterhood retreat was held on May 27th and 28th at a house in Corona. Sisters got together and had a giant sleepover at a house. During this sleepover sisters bonded doing various ice breaker activities and watching movies and such. It was very successful in the bonding of our chapter. &lt;br /&gt;
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The next week starting May 30th through to the beginning of June was sports week for our Greek community. Epsilon Pi participated in many of the sports such as football, soccer, and volleyball it was very successful having teams in every event throughout the week. June 3rd was another philanthropy that Epsilon Pi held in order to raise money to donate to Reading is Fundamental. This philanthropy was a Kappa Karwash. Sisters got together at a local burger joint and washed cars in order to raise money for Kappa’s national philanthropy. The next few weeks of June events died down because it was the end of the quarter and finals were nearing but our Vice President of Academic Excellence did hold a Kappa Study Party on June 11th for all our members. She rented out a study room at one of our campus libraries and held a study party for all our members. At the study party she provided many things for our sisters such as scantrons, blue books, and pencils sisters might need for their finals. &lt;br /&gt;
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During the moths of July and August sisters were home for the summer, yet the recruitment chair along with the help of her committee started to prepare for recruitment. In September the week before school started recruitment workshops were held September 21st through the 26th. At these workshops sisters learned songs and practiced all the things that needed to be perfected before formal recruitment. Formal recruitment was held October 5th through the 8th. Bid day was then held on October 8th at a fellow sister's house welcoming home our new pledge class Beta Zeta. That following Monday, October 9th, the new pledge class was formally pinned and their new member education began. October 14th our Founders Day brunch was held at Canyon Crest Country Club. It was a brunch held by our Education Chairman in which celebrated our Founders Day. It was a very successful first event with our new pledge class setting the tone for them for the rest of the year. In the following weeks new members got to meet with the sapphires weekly leading up to big and little week which occurred the week of October 23rd. That Friday, October 27th, big and little reveal was facilitated by our New Member Chairman on campus.&lt;br /&gt;
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Following reveal the new members were driven to an active's house where they had their first sleepover as a pledge class. They bonded with the New Member Chairman and with each other throughout the night. Sunday October 29th was Epsilon Pi’s October Sisterhood which was held at The Pumpkin Factory, a local pumpkin patch. Sisters got to bond with their new littles and with the new pledge class. The Week of October 29th through November 3rd Epsilon Pi was visited by another Leadership Consultant who checked up with Chapter Council’s progress that they have made this year. The Leadership Consultant also was able to come to chapter meeting to meet with new members and give a presentation to the whole chapter on the importance of attendance. The Leadership Consultant visit was successful in that she was able to help out chapter council with any guidance they needed leading their way into initiated the new pledge class. &lt;br /&gt;
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On November 4th Epsilon Pi participated in a philanthropy held by fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This philanthropy was a soccer tournament for the various sororities to compete against each other and raise money Epsilon Pi had two teams competing in the event and took both second and first place in the tournament. On November 10th Epsilon Pi competed in another sports related philanthropic event held by Phi Kappa Sigma. This event was titled The Phi Kap Olympics in which teams competed in various activities and games. Epsilon Pi also took first in this philanthropic event as well. Inspiration Week started on November 13th, this being the period before initiation where girls sit back and think about Kappa and the true meaning and values that Kappa instills in each of its members. Throughout that week our Philanthropy chair held Epsilon Pi’s first philanthropy event for the school year being a Kappa Canned food drive. Epsilon Pi collected cans and donations from various greek organizations on our campus with an incentive that the organization that donates the most cans will get a $100 check written out to their philanthropy. This however was a bigger success than our philanthropy chair had expected with around two thousand of cans donated and around $350 raised. On Thursday November 16th Epsilon Pi held their Big and Little Night put on by our Marshall. Big and Little Night was held at a local ice rink, IceTown, where sisters skated and bonded with their family lines. November 17th Fireside was held for the new members followed by initiation the next morning. On November 27th chapter elections will be held for the new Chapter Council. On November 30th Epsilon Pi held their Date Party at a minor league basketball game. On December 3rd Epsilon Pi’s Vice President of Academic Excellence planned a Kappa Study Party so sisters can get together and study before finals in our on campus library. On December 6th the Education Chairman held a senior sisterhood where the seniors meet at a sisters house and decorated ornaments and cookies to celebrate the holidays. Through all these success for Epsilon Pi Chapter throughout 2017 the chapter’s morale has gained strength. All in all 2017 was a good year for Epsilon Pi.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2018==&lt;br /&gt;
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Over the year, the Epsilon Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has participated in many events on the UC Riverside campus, and has been tremendously rewarded for its involvement and service in the community. We started off the year in January when we welcomed and transitioned the new leaders of the chapter during leadership day. This was a special time because the new officers were transitioning into their new positions and learned from the old officers everything their position entails. &lt;br /&gt;
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In February, the new chapter council was excited to start working on Parent’s Day which is a day where all the girls bring their parents together to show them what Kappa is all about. Our Parent’s Day was February 24, celebrated with brunch and set up by the Public Relations Chairman. Throughout the day, we awarded advisors and members for their dedication to the chapter, and had presentations about our chapter history. There were tables setup that displayed old archives like old composites, and scrapbooks for the parents to see. It was a great time for the members and their families to come together to take pictures, and learn Kappa’s history. We also had our sisterhood in February, where all the girls dressed in cute pajamas and went to the movie theatre where they had a viewing of Pitch Perfect. Many sisters came in matching pajamas, especially bigs and littles. The chapter even had a contest for the cutest pajamas, and the winner got a prize. Our biggest event in February would have to be Reading is Key, our philanthropy that is put together entirely by the Philanthropy Chairman. We went to a local elementary school, where we held many activities such as face painting and crafts for the kids to do. The theme for the day was “Under the Sea”, with many decorations and books set up for the day. The whole chapter came throughout the day and managed the different stations for the children to go through. Our goal was to show the kids how much fun reading and learning can be, so we had many books for them to see and an individual copy for them to take home. The kids were very excited and we even had a few sisters get on stage and do a reading of the books to the children. &lt;br /&gt;
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In March, we started the month with composites. All the girls met in the Highlander Union Building and got their portraits taken, which was set up by the chapter’s Registrar. We ended the month with our semi-formal, set up by our Event Chair, where the whole chapter comes together for food and music. Our semi-formal was March 3rd in Downtown Riverside, where we celebrated a lovely evening with appetizers, a photobooth, and dancing. &lt;br /&gt;
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April was a very busy month with many fundraisers and awards. We kicked it off with winning Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash, where the members in the chapters won a dance and swimming competition. Our team came together and held many practices in order to make sure their routine was perfect. Not only did we participate in Anchor Splash, but we also were involved with the blood drive, and held a yogurtland fundraiser for our philanthropy. Mid April, we held our scholarship dinner at Cheesecake Factory where the chapter was awarded with their academic achievements. Throughout the night, there were a lot of awards to give considering the drastic rise in our chapter’s GPA. This was put together by our VP Academic Excellence and there were different awards such as ‘Highest GPA’ or ‘Most Improved GPA’. It was a great way to celebrate the academic achievements of the chapter and recognize all the hard work we put into for school. We ended the successful month off with our participation in Powderpuff which is a greek soccer tournament held by Phi Kappa Psi.&lt;br /&gt;
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Prior to the Pillar’s Awards, we have Pillar’s week, which is a week of competitions that organizations do on campus as teams. We were the red team, and our panhellenic chair along with our chapter council made sure we participated in all the tasks they gave us. The Chapter Council and the President put in countless hours filling in the forms and requirements for Pillars week. The award accounted for many things such as how involved the chapter is on campus, how much attendance does the chapter have at other organizations and philanthropy, and how well our academics and community service is. All the hard work paid off when our chapter won “Chapter of The Year” and the “Service Award”. It was a very exciting night that made the chapter very proud of its accomplishments. &lt;br /&gt;
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In May, we got to celebrate our achievements at our Formal, which is a night of celebration for the seniors. The chapter came together for food and dancing all put together by our Event Chair, where we handed out awards to all of the seniors for the end of the school year was approaching fast for them. We also kicked back and had our sisterhood, a kappa luau. Our VP Standards put together the luau where we hung out by the pool, got snacks, had cute hawaiian decorations and took pictures. It was a great way for our sisters to bond under the sun. We ended May with our second biggest philanthropy, A Day in the Life, which is also entirely put together by the philanthropy Chair. We had local middle schoolers come to UC Riverside, where we took the kids on tours, played fun games with them, and answered all their questions about college life. First we welcomed the kids to the campus, and played games with them to get know their names and interests. We then started by taking them on tours, based on their different teams, and ended the day with snacks and refreshments for the kids. The chapter showed them how great school and education can be, and hoped to inspire them to pursue a higher education. &lt;br /&gt;
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As June started, the school year was coming to an end and many sisters went home for summer vacation. While some sisters were doing internships, or going on cool vacations, the girls that stayed in town started working on recruitment. The membership chairman along with her committee spent many days tabling meeting the new students of UC Riverside, and answering all their questions about our chapter. Before the start of school, the chapter came together for recruitment workshops where we all learned songs and recruitment etiquette. It was five days of practice that really brought the chapter together in time for welcoming the potential new &lt;br /&gt;
members into recruitment. When school finally started again, it was time for Formal recruitment which was all managed by the Membership Chairman. The chapter was so excited to welcome home the class of Beta Eta at our olympic themed bid day put together by our New Member Chairman. Following Bid Day, the new members got a weekly sapphire that guided them throughout their first few weeks in the chapter. One important event in October was our Founder’s Day, put together by the Education Chairman. On October 10, the chapter came together at the Canyon Crest Country Club, where we celebrate with brunch and presentations of the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma. We remember the six founders and the symbols that make Kappa so special to all of us.&lt;br /&gt;
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The new members finally got to find out who their bigs were during big and little reveal. During that week, bigs decorated their little’s rooms and gave them secret hints as to who they were. The bigs decorated cute boxes and popped out of them to surprise their littles, and the boxes had cute themes to them. In the month of November, the chapter had big and little night, which was put together by the Marshall and was held at a roller skating rink. Bigs and littles spent the night roller skating around and taking cute pictures in their matching outfits. We ended the month off with our participation in Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s soccer tournament to raise awareness for cancer. We had our strongest soccer players compete against other sororities and we were able to win first place. It was a great way for the chapter to come together, and for the Greek community as well to raise awareness for the cause. In the last meeting, November 26, elections were held for the new chapter council, and the chapter spends one last meeting together before the year ends. &lt;br /&gt;
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Ultimately, it has been a very successful year for Epsilon Pi. Not only did we win many awards, but we were very involved with other philanthropies and fundraisers. Our philanthropies main goal is to encourage kids to learn, read, and pursue a higher education. We do that by emphasizing the importance of reading and going to college, for these kids to understand that education is very important. &lt;br /&gt;
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==Highlights of 2020s==&lt;br /&gt;
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Starting out our Winter Quarter of 2020, on January 5th our newly elected chapter council had their first chapter council meeting as well as the following day, January 6th, we had our first formal meeting of the quarter where new officers got formally transitioned into their positions. On January 11th, we scheduled and attended our first leadership day where we invited advisors, outgoing cc, as well as incoming cc to create a smooth transition for new positions. On January 26th our newest pledge class had their new member retreat where they got to rock climb on the ropes course at UCR. On January 31st we were so fortunate to celebrate our 150th anniversary of the organization by being visited by the Minnie Stewart van! On February 6th we held a social with a Panhellenic organization, Alpha Chi Omega. On February 26th, we held our annual Reading is Key event at Madison Elementary where it was Alice in Wonderland themed and we read and did crafts with the 1st grade classes. On March 1st we held our Semi-formal event where we danced the night away with all of our sisters. On March 2nd, we participated in a joint philanthropy event with Sigma Pi Epsilon at a local elementary school reading to kids. On March 6th we held our Winter Sisterhood event at Hangar Trampoline Park. During the week of March18-22nd, we began our finals week while transitioning to a complete remote learning environment. Although many of us assumed we would be coming back after spring break, we ended up coming to terms that we would be having both our Spring and Fall Quarters completely online. On April 1st we held our first virtual meeting through zoom. On April 14th we began to review and evaluate the best and worst case for the budget with the treasurer. On April 26th we began to reevaluate and get on the same page for tackling the actions on our action plan. On April 29th we supported Denim Day virtually through our platforms. On May 27th we decided on the budget proposal and to put all of our members on a payment plan due to pandemic circumstances. On June 16th we raised and donated $2,700O to act able. On September 26th we began recruitment workshops every day until to 30th. On October 8th through the 11th we held formal recruitment through zoom. Although this process did look a bit different than usual years, everything ran very smoothly as we conducted conversations and voting on zoom and in break out rooms. On October 11th, we welcomed our newest pledge class, Beta Iota to the chapter as the bid day theme was Kappa and Co. We held our New member pinning ceremony on October 12th. On October 13th we all joined the zoom call with our chapter first to go over some history fun facts as well as conduct our founders day ceremony then joined the zoom call with our sisters across the nation to help celebrate our 150th milestone! On October 12-16th our lovely leadership consultant Cait Berosh held a virtual meeting with a majority of our chapter council members. On October 18th we held a virtual committee night.&lt;br /&gt;
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On October 22nd we held a virtual COB night where we welcome a few more members to our new member class. On October 25th we were visited by a facilitator from HQ for a Aspiring to a higher type of Sisterhood Workshop. On October 29th we held a Spooky fall quarter sisterhood where we all carved pumpkins together. On November 4th, we held a sisterhood where we made fun PowerPoint on random topics. On November 13th we held big little reveal where a majority of new members got their bigs. On November 16th-20th we began Inspiration week where we did various writing prompts to reflect on our values as well as had big little night on November 18th. On November 18th the rest of the new members who were COBs got their bigs as well. On November 20th, our new members were officially initiated into our chapter. On November 16th we were presented with the slate from the nominating committee. On November 23rd, we held chapter elections where we elected prospective new officers. On December 4th we held a virtual baking sisterhood with a Panhellenic organization Gamma Phi Beta. On December 7th, we held our last meeting of 2020 and the quarter and after finals we will begin winter break.&lt;br /&gt;
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We support our local Elementary School Madison Elementary which is in an under served community.We chose this school, to only because we’ve worked with them many years prior, but also because a alumna from Epsilon Pi Chapter hasworked as a teacher there in the past and explained how our chapter could positively impact the students&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chairman and she aided in all the programming that was being planned as well as sent out little reminders throughout the quarter on how to be inclusive and how to be more conscious through the group me.&lt;br /&gt;
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We appointed a sesquicentennial chairman who would kept us updated on new and fun stuff from HQ as well as would share various chapter history PowerPoints and we were so lucky to have been visited by the Minnie Steward Van to celebrate such an amazing milestone! During Founders Day we joined on zoom together as a chapter and did our Founders Day ceremony and then join the zoom call with all of our sisters nationwide to share this special moment in history.&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>VickiCarrigan</name></author>	</entry>

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