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Beta Xi
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|Image= [[File:Beta_Xi.jpg|200px]]
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1902|05|12}}
|College= [httphttps://www.utexas.edu/ University of Texas at Austin]
|Location= Austin, TX
|Homepage= [https://chaptersutexas.kappakappagammakappa.org/betaxi/ Beta Xi Homepage]|Media= [httphttps://wiki.kappakappagammakkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Beta_Xi Media related to Beta Xi Chapter]}}
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'''4,448 817 initiates (as of June 20132018)'''
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'''Some of Beta Xi’s Outstanding MembersCharter members:''' (If you have chapter alumnae who have received recognition in any of these three categories Olatia Crane, please list them with the date(s) of recognitionHelen Olive Devine, Fanny West Harris, Alma Keturah Jones, Minnie Avelyn Petty, Marian Leigh Rather, Katherine Andrews Searcy, Eva Miriam Sodekson, Josephine Lucile Wathen.)
'''Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:'''
Helen Knox, 1952, banker, author, Red Cross volunteer;
Prudence Mahaffey Mackintosh, 1988, author of books and magazines;
'''Additional Outstanding Beta Xi Alumnae:'''
Ann Haun (Barlow), Graduate Counselor 1961-1962;
Nancy Haun (Dozier), Graduate Counselor 1959-1960;
==Highlights of 2000-2010==
Beta Xi welcomed the new millenium millennium with a variety of new chapter activities. Each year, the sisters gathered at a chapter retreat in the fall to build and restore relationships within the chapter. New sisterhood programs included television nights, a makeover with a make-up artist, a cooking class, a yoga class, manicures, and a ceramics class. To prepare for Recruitment, a Work Week was held in which the entire chapter learned new skits, practiced old songs, and perfected Recruitment strategies. A leadership workshop for the outgoing and incoming officers, and their advisers, to aid in the transition process. The Vice President-Academic Excellence worked work ==Highlights of 2016== 2016 was a year characterized by strength, endurance, and evolution for Beta Xi. Still without our beloved house, the Kappas faced new challenges, bound together by friendship instead of the walls of the house itself. The campus climate was tumultuous. The chapter itself stumbled and fell on a few occasions. But as the year comes to improve a close, we can look back and say that in spite of all of that, we learned and we grew. We are finishing 2016 stronger, more unified, and better than when we began it. We are excited to move into our house come January! But before we transition into 2017, we want to look back and reflect on all we learned. In January, the chapter’s Gnew Beta Xi Chapter Council was eager to continue the legacy of great leadership of past officers, as well as accomplishing new goals for out chapter.PFor President, Ellen Crowe served; For Vice President Standards, Anna Wittenmeyer served; For Vice President Organization, Hailey Becker served; For Vice President Academic Excellence, Erin Kreindler served; For Recording Secretary, Ali Purnell served; For Corresponding Secretary, Charlotte Paine served; For Treasurer, Payton Scott served; For Assistant Treasurer, Camille Szelc served; For Registrar, Avery Travis served; For Marshal, Hannah Love served; For Education Chairman, Caroline Smyrl served; For House Chairman, Sara Shaw served; For Membership Chairman, Riley Longtain served; For New Member Chairman, Tai Massimilian served; For Panhellenic Delegate, Alex Page served; For Philanthropy Chairman, Berkley Johnson served; For Public Relations Chairman, Kathryn Stouffer served; For Risk Management Chairman, Grace Winston served; and For Event Chairman, Mallory Morris served.A Without our trusty senior girls to guide us and without a house to meet in, Chapter Council braved the unknown and began to meet. Ellen Crowe (President) began the year with efficiency and care, planning and leading Chapter Council meetings. by implementing They finalized edits on the chapter bylaws and standing rules, educated themselves on how to use the “Owl Jar” programKappa drive and webinars, which recognized and reviewed the expectations and responsibilities of Chapter Council members with the help of Hailey Becker (VP Organization). She went over goals for their hard workthe year, including chapter unity, continuing to revamp philanthropy, and introducing getting the chapter on board with the Risk Management policies, as well as the “Study Fairyrules and goals of Standards Committee. Chapter council discussed some ways to hold the chapter accountable for their actions at events and to reinforce new standards for behavior for everyone. We decided to change our buddy system from “bigs” and “littles,” to a “pick-a magical being who rewarded Kappas found studying on campus-buddy” system, where the girls signed up with a friend before events to be their accountability partner. Grace Winstonbus-riding attendance at events, while AnnaWittenmyer (VP Standards) streamlined the way we approach standards decisions.Sara Shaw
(House Chair) worked tirelessly alongside our House Board, as renovations plowed on. Kathryn
Stouffer (Public Relations Chairman) continued to educate members about the GIN system and
published yet another great issue of “Round Up”, the annual Kappa newsletter. The new leaders
conducted the first few chapter meetings with thoroughness and efficiency, growing more comfortable
meeting in the Student Union and in their new positions. The year started off with a bang, with an
organized Chapter Council and an excited group of Kappas.
Kathryn Stouffer, current member, outgoing PR Chair Sarah Shaw, current member, outgoing House
Chair Tricia Cury, former president and recent alum Chandler Foster, recent alum
Hannah Meehan, Beta Xi Chapter Council advisor
The Beta Xi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma had an excellent year of growth and bonding in2017. In January, a new group of Chapter Council members began meeting and carrying on thelegacy of excellent, cooperative leadership our chapter has had in recent years. Hannah Love wasPresident, Tai Massimilian was VP Standards, Kaki Miller was VP Organization, Payton Scott wasVP Academic Excellence, Lauren Fisher was Recording Secretary, Emily Parnell wasCorresponding Secretary, Cameron Shepherd was Membership Chairman, Sarah Gregory was NewMember Chairman, Camille Szelc was Treasurer, Jennifer Harbour was Assistant Treasurer,Emma Riddle was Philanthropy Chairman, Hallie Smith was Event Chairman, Caroline Smyrl wasRegistrar, Grace Winston was House Chairman, Charlotte Fitzpatrick was Marshal, AudreyHalbrook was Risk Management Chairman, Regan Ewing was Panhellenic Delegate, TessaLauritzen was the Public Relations Chairman, and Allison Ainsworth was Education Chairman.2017’s Chapter Council has worked tremendously hard to implement our strategic plan to get ourchapter back in good standing with both Kappa nationals and the university.By far the most exciting thing for our chapter in 2017 has been being able to be back in our newlyremodeled house! We have been so grateful for the Beta Xi House Board and all the time, money,energy, and thought that they put into the plans to remodel our historic chapter house. Before thebeginning of school, the House Board hosted an open house for alumnae, donors, families, andmembers to view the amazing changes to the house. It was such a priority special time for Beta Xi members of all ages to come together and share in the excitement of the opening. The very nextday, active members moved in, and the house immediately sprang to life. It has been such ablessing for the chapter to have a common meeting grounds again and to share meals together,study together, and have our meetings as a chapter in the house.Also in January, Hannah (President) began Chapter Council meetings by having all of ChapterCouncil read the twentyStrategic Plan for our chapter’s Warning of Probation and review the goals andcalendar we had set for the semester. Some of our goals included improvement in chaptermanagement, recruitment, new member experience and programming, standards and riskmanagement, and panhellenic leadership. Hannah also scheduled and coordinated a meetingbetween Chapter Council and Katherine Latta, our Leadership Development specialist, for aStrategic Plan workshop and a discussion over Start With Why , a book that all of Chapter Councilhad read over Christmas break. During our first Chapter meeting of the semester, Hannah wentover the strategic plan, emphasizing its importance for all members, and reading our ChapterMission Statement. Tai (VPS) also went over standards behavioral expectations during the firstmeeting and also held elections for the new Standards Committee members. Grace (House Chair)organized an Orientation for the in-house girls from House Board to explain the rules andorganization of the house. Grace and Tai also gave a presentation to the chapter during the first centurymeeting about respecting our newly remodeled house. Cameron (Membership Chair) also held aworkshop for the freshmen on a Sunday at the end of the month to teach them the ins and outs ofrecruitment on the other side and to emphasize the importance of our strategic goals for therecruitment process.February began with a visit from our Leadership Consultant, Maddy. Kaki (VPO) organized agreat week in Austin for her, and chapter council enjoyed spending time with her at the house andmeeting with her individually to discuss ways to improve each office. Hallie (Event Chair) andAudrey (Risk Management) planned a great Monmouth formal with the Pi Phis at Palm Door.Everyone had a great night with their dates, dancing with the band all night and taking pictures inthe photo booth. Emily (Corresponding Secretary) also gave a presentation to the chapter on theGIN system, which the officers have been using more effectively throughout the year tocommunicate information to the chapter. Sarah (New Member) also finalized the plans for the newmember bid day retreat in the Fall, which was something that our chapter had never done before.She did an excellent job planning and communicating to Chapter Council, and Reagan(Panhellenic) discussed our exciting plans with other chapters, who followed Kappas lead inimplementing an off-campus retreat in their bid day plans rather than releasing the girls aftermidnight. The March was another exciting month for Beta Xi with lots of events and activities for our actives to allbond. Cameron (Membership) hosted another recruitment workshop for the freshmen where shebegan to teach them the songs and dances. Her and her team began to familiarize the freshmenwith more details of recruitment week. They also met with the newly appointed area assistant todevelop strategies. In the middle of the month, the doors of Kappa locked and the chapter maintained traditions such dispersed across the country and the world for a fun-filled Spring Break! As soon as everyonereturned from their trips, Emma (Philanthropy) began getting everyone excited for the upcomingphilanthropy opportunities. In the week after Spring Break, she encouraged the entire chapter toget their families and friends to participate in the B+ Campaign. The campaign was acampus-wide competition before the Round Up weekend, and Kappa Klassic Pool Tournamentproudly raised around$4,000. Emma also planned our annual Pi Phi Kappa Karnival event, hosted at the Pi Phi housewith live music, snow cones, face painting, which and a petting zoo. Beta Xi raised almost $56,000 from Karnival todonate to RIF! During April, we said goodbye to our house mom, Ms. Judi. We are so grateful forthe years she spent making sure the Beta Xi house felt like a home for all the members. Hallie(Events) wrapped up the month by planning an awesome Dad’s Weekend. The chapter enjoyeddinner with their dad’s at Dirty Martin’s on Friday, and the next day everyone got to enjoy a tour ofthe Kappa house and a private tour of the Darrell K. Royal Memorial Football Stadium! We alsohad very productive chapter meetings during March. In fulfillment of our probation terms with theUniversity, we had an informative and interactive alcohol awareness presentation from UniversityHealth Services. Although it was a required program, the entire chapter found it interesting andhelpful to understand the best way to socialize responsible in a college environment. Kaki (VPO)also continued to work on making Committee Chapter Meetings a fun way for every member tofeel like they contribute to our chapter. She restructured the Committee Night schedule to makesure that committees completed their agendas.In April, the semester was in full swing and we had another great month for Beta Xi. At thebeginning of the month, we welcomed our new house mom, Ms. Sherri to the Beta Xi house! Wehave loved the life, love and warmth she has brought to her house with her constant cheeriness andfamous shortbread. Nicole Covert, our Recruitment Advisor, received the award for OutstandingAdvisor from University Fraternity and Sorority Life. Nicole is more than deserving of this award.Not only does she put in countless hours of work for our chapter, but she is an outstanding mom,friend, and volunteer. We are so proud and thankful to have her as part of our amazing advisoryboard! Tessa (PR) also planned an Easter Party at the Kappa house, with an Easter egg hunt,cookie decorating, pictures, and more fun. Hallie (Event Chair) planned two great events duringApril. We had another fun semi-formal, Kite and Key, with Theta at the Summit. She also plannedan awesome Mom’s Weekend, with a shopping event at Adelante on Friday, a dinner at Max’s, andbrunch at the house on Saturday. Cameron (Membership) closed out the month with achapter-wide recruitment workshop, the last workshop of the semester. In accordance with ourStrategic Plan, the recruitment team updated the members on Panhellenic and Kappa NationalsrulesIn May, things at the Beta Xi house started to quiet down as all the members began to prepare fortheir finals and the semester came to an end. Before everyone dispersed for the summer. Allison(Education) conducted the Senior Sendoff, a charity humorous and sentimental event where the seniorsget to share funny memories from their college years and share what their next chapter has in 2006storefor them as they leave UT and Kappa. Other philanthropic activities included holding The Alumnae Board also gave a presentation to the seniorsto tell them about the opportunities the Kappa alumnae network has for them. Caroline (Registrar)also put them on alumnae status on Key Reports. Chapter Council ended the spring by settinggoals and preparing for the upcoming semester. Grace (House) worked with the Sophomores toget roommate requests for the upcoming year. Sarah (New Member) and Cameron (Membership)continued to make plans for recruiting new members and making their experience in Kappa thebest ever.Over the summer, the members of Beta Xi parted ways for summer school, internships, and studyabroad experiences. Tessa (PR) collected photos from all the different adventures to post on ourchapter’s Tumblr, Instagram, and other social media accounts. Cameron, her team, and the areaassistants worked extremely hard all summer to prepare for recruitment week, and all of their effortpaid off. We had a fun and successful work week and recruitment week in August. We happilywelcomed 73 new members to their home at 2001 University Avenue on Bid Day! Sarah’s plan forthe new member bid day retreat at Camp Balcones Springs was very well received, and all the newKappas had an enjoyable and safe time playing games and getting to know their new sisters intheir pledge class.In September, school came in full swing, and the chapter enjoyed spending time together, eatingmeals at the house, studying together, and attending football games. Chapter Council worked tomake sure that the New Members really felt that the Beta Xi house was their home on campus.Grace (House) got all of their fingerprints in our lock system, and Emily (CorrespondingSecretary) and Caroline (Registrar) entered their contact information into Key Reports and the GinSystem to make sure they received all chapter correspondence. After a post-recruitment meetingwith Panhellenic, Tai was happy to report to the chapter that we had significantly reduced ourfines from previous years! Before the first date event, Tai also gave a presentation to the entirechapter during meeting to lay out expectations and the standards that we hold each other to insocial settings. Hallie and Audrey planned our fun destination date event, Kappa Kasual, at theOasis. Although the event was cut short by the event staff for behavioral problems, ChapterCouncil took the opportunity as an experience to make a better Risk Management plan for themembers before date functions. Tai, Hannah, and Hallie gave a presentation at chapter meetingthe following week to re-emphasize the importance of safety during social events and the privilegeit is for us to be able to have these functions. We also used our Committee Night to to get feedbackfrom the entire chapter and brainstorm ideas about how we can improve our date events to makethem as safe and enjoyable as possible! It was an excellent way for our members to come togetherand resolve a chapter-wide problem. Payton (VPAE) recognized the members who had received a4.0 GPA the previous semester during chapter and gave them a goody bag. Her and her committeealso decided to give goody bags to members who had made a 3.8, deciding that their hard workshould also be noted. Caroline (Registrar) also scheduled the composite photos for the chapter atthe end of the month.October was a Chili Cookoff busy month with many exciting chapter events to celebrate our heritage and history!Tai (VPS) and Audrey (Risk Management) continued to work on Risk Management policies forthe Trichapter and gave presentations before TX-OU Football weekend and our Owl-O-DeltsWeen Dateevent on safety and behavior. The members had a fun weekend in Dallas for the football game, volunteering spending time with each other and rocking all of their new Kappa t-shirts and gear made byFavors. Allison (Education) also planned a wonderful Founder’s Day dinner. The event was hostedat AT&T Conference center, and it was a great time for the chapter and Austin alumnae tocelebrate the history of our fraternity. We enjoyed a wonderful meal together, presentations fromthe advisors and house board, and music from Pickers. Charlotte (Marshal) and Emma(Philanthropy) rallied a group of our members to participate in Greek Get Down, a dancecompetition fundraiser hosted by AEPhi to support the B+ Foundation. The members whoparticipated had so much fun getting to know each other and representing Kappa at the event.Charlotte (Marshal) did an amazing job planning and coordinating Inspiration Week at the end ofOctober. The new members were put in their new Kappa families on big-little on Tuesday, Fridaywas Fireside, and on Saturday we happily initiated all of our new members as actives! Sarahplanned a brunch for the SPCA new actives and their families at AT&T following the Highland Park Elementary ceremony. Beforeour Owl-O-Ween date event with Chi-O, Audrey put a new wristband process and bus buddysystem into place to make sure that we did not repeat the same problems we had at Kasual. Hallie(Events) planned the event at Clearport and the night was a huge success. Tessa also planned aHalloween carnivalTrick-Or-Treat party at the house for alumnae to bring their kids. The in-house girlsdecorated their rooms, decorating put out candy, played with all of the kids, and had a great time!Nothing slowed down in November, with many events and lots of time together for the chapter tobond! Kaki hosted the Leadership Consultant, Casey, at the Kappa house and all of the officersenjoyed meeting her and hearing the ways that she thought we had improved within the last year.Hallie organized a fun Parent’s Weekend, with desserts on Friday night at Concrete Cowboy andBar-B-Que at the house before the football game on Saturday! Hallie finished her term as EventsChairman with a bang by planning our last semi-formal of the semester, Kappa Klassic, atSpeakeasy, and the chapter danced all night to the jazz band. Regan (Panhellenic) continued tomeet with Panhellenic to discuss changes to the bylaws and did an outstanding job of respectfullypresenting our chapter’s stance on the proposals. Our chapter also elected Riley Longtain as SlateChairman at the beginning of the month, and her and her committee put in so many hours pouringover applications and nominating officers for 2018. Elections were held, and we are so proud of andexcited for the upcoming Chapter Council! We know they will carry on the Children’s Hospital legacy of hard work andthoughtfulness that Beta Xi officers are known for various holidays!In December, hosting Easter the semester began to wrap up as the weather changed and Halloween parties finals approached. Kakiplanned a leadership brunch at the house for local childrenthe old Chapter Council, the new Chapter Council,and making Christmas cookies their advisors. It was a wonderful time to share all of the accomplishments of the past year andto transition the new officers into their positions. Emma also planned the final Philanthropy eventfor RIF at Wooldridge Elementary. The upperclassmen contributed to a book drive that Kappadonated to the school. The underclassmen got to spend a Saturday morning at Wooldridge,playing basketball with the kids, painting their faces, and getting them excited about their newbooks. 2017 has been a great year of unity and growth for hospitalized childrenBeta Xi. Children We have always so enjoyed being ableto spend time in our beautifully newly-renovated house, and we are excited for all the memoriesthat will come there in 2018!Describe the recent changes on your campus and describe the overall nature of your chapter.We welcomed a new football coach, Tom Herman, in 2017, and it has been a major focus an exciting time for ourteam as they continue to improve. There were also several emergency incidents on campus thisyear, causing the campus to unify and rally around support for mental health and campus safety.Our chapter is known on campus for being a well-rounded and open minded groupof youngladies. We are proud to have so many members involved in other organizations and makingimportant changes on our campus and in Austin. Beta Xi allows its members to be the bestversions of themselves, and we love that those things are reflected in our house as well as on ourcampus!Chapter Philanthropy:What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in 2008your community? Wooldridge Elementary, B+ FoundationWhy did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support?We have had a great relationship with Wooldridge Elementary School throughout the years. Severalof our members enjoy our RIF events so much at Wooldridge that they volunteer independentlythere as mentors. Our chapter even received an award from the Wooldridge Elementary School forour outstanding volunteer work with their school.Several sororities and fraternities on campus have also adopted B+ heroes, who are kids battlingcancer. Beta Xi has adopted a sweet little girl, named Moriah, who comes to the house about oncea week. We feel like Moriah is one of our sisters provided free winter coats , and it has been such a joy for our chapter to children support her and her family as she goes through Coats her journey. Moriah is one of the reasons ourchapter has been so passionate about fundraising for Kidsthe B+ Foundation, and we are proud of themoney we have raised for such an awesome organization!Chapter Facility:In what kind of a facility does your chapter meet? Please attach a clear photo of where you typically holdchapter meetings – whether in a classroom, chapter house or elsewhere.We have a beautiful newly renovated house. We use our main dining room as the chapter room,where hold meetings throughout the year.
==Highlights of 2018==
The 2018-19 school year began with a new Beta Xi Chapter Council ready to work hard and
continue the amazing work of the previous council. The new Chapter Council was comprised
of many new members, as well as some returning faces. Camille Szelc advanced from the role
of Treasurer to President, and Jennifer Harbour took her place, moving up from Assistant
Treasurer. Helen Williams took over the role as Assistant Treasurer, the only sophomore
position on Chapter Council. Emma Riddle and Tessa Lauritzen returned to their respective
positions of Philanthropy Chairman and Public Relations Chairman for the second year in a
row. Carter Pittman was VP Standards, Charlotte Fitzpatrick was VP Organization,Peyton
Travis was VPAE, Emily Parnell was Recording Secretary, Linda Castranova was Corresponding
Secretary, Caroline Cannan was Membership Chairman, Cameron Crawford was New Member
Chairman, Madison Rigby was Event Chairman, Cameron Shepherd was Registrar, Katie Bell
was House Chairman, Lexie Alexander was Marshal, Sarah Boatwright was Risk Management
Chairman, Kate Kaiser was Panhellenic Delegate, and Paige Nelson was Education Chair.
As the year began, Camille (President) got the Chapter Council in order by determining a set
time for weekly meetings. She efficiently created an easy way for all Council members to
communicate, set up a Google Drive folder for notes and forms, and reviewed the necessary
expectations and responsibilities of Chapter Council officers. The Council discussed their
personal and group goals for the semester, focusing mostly on encouraging attendance and
bolstering chapter morale throughout the year. To build a stronger community within the
chapter, Carter (VP Standards) created a Kappa Kompliments box where members could leave
encouraging notes to fellow Kappas to be read out at chapter. Cameron (Registrar) made sure
Key Reports was in order and allowed access to the new officers. Jennifer (Treasurer) worked
with the Chapter Council to set budgets for the 2018 spring semester and continued with
billing of the chapter for the new semester. Linda (Corresponding Secretary) introduced her
goal of moving everything over from the ListServe system to GinSystem and began the switch.
Peyton (VPAE) started off the year by creating a consistent schedule of study snacks, available
every Tuesday as a place for chapter members to take a mental break and grab a cookie or two. At
the first chapter of the year, Camille (President) did a great job of welcoming everyone
back and introduced transfers. The chapter voted on a new Standards Committee and AE
Committee. To begin the process of recruitment, Caroline (Membership) sent out Are
a Rush Captain Applications to be due at the end of the month. Sophomores are encouraged to apply
to be an Area Rush Captain as a fun way to get more involved in recruitment and assist the rush team in
the busy months to come.
In early February, the first formal chapter of the year was held. Camille (President) and four
other officers attended Ladder of Risk, a workshop designed to introduce the FIGP policy and
build a community between fellow sorority and fraternity leaders. Emma (Philanthropy) began
the application for GIRLS Academy, an opportunity for Kappa chapters to partner with and
mentor young girls from a local middle school. As a chapter, Beta Xi raised over $1,000 for RIF
at an event held by Outdoor Voices and was named one of the 20 highest donating KKG
chapters. Charlotte (VPO) did a great job of placing chapter members into their respective
committees, based off of their requests and needs of the officers. Kate (Panhellenic Delegate)
sought to build better relationships between the Beta Xi chapter and Panhellenic by
encouraging members to apply to be a Rho Gam for the following year’s recruitment.
Cameron (Registrar) planned “Rom Com of the Month” around Valentine’s Day, featuring a
night with popcorn, candy, and cheesy movies. The Kappas joined Pi Beta Phi for Monmouth,
a wonderful formal event held at The Belmont. Everyone had a blast at the Masquerade
themed party, spending the night dancing to the band, posing for photo booth pictures, or
coming up with a crazy design to request from the face painters. Paige (Education) planned an
interesting and informative program night about self-defense, focusing on what we can do as
women if we are placed in a threatening situation. The past two years of rush teams met with
Caroline (Membership) and her rush team at a triplicate meeting, allowing them to impart
their advice and wisdom. Caroline (Membership) also began meeting with Panhellenic at
bimonthly Recruitment Roundtables as a way to learn the rules and routines of recruitment
and led her first rush workshop with PC’ 17. On the last chapter of February, Alumnae
Relations Specialist for Theta District, Amy Sutton, visited to announce to the chapter that the
Warning of Probation had been lifted. The month ended with a Ritual Workshop held by Lexie
(Marshall) as a way to refresh the chapter’s memory of important Kappa history.
March came and went quickly with the nice week of Spring Break to give everyone a break
from school. Emma (Philanthropy) invited the founders of the B+ Foundation to come speak
to the chapter. They educated the chapter about their mission and main goals, while also
introducing their Roundup fundraising campaign. Peyton (VPAE) held a wonderful Professor
Dinner at the Kappa house, giving the members of our chapter a chance to get to know their
esteemed professors in a more intimate setting. She designed coffee cups as a party favor so
that each professor would remember the hospitality displayed by each girl. Before Spring
Break, the Not On My Campus committee gave a brief but informative presentation on staying
safe and watching out for your sisters during the break. The next week, Kappas set off all over
the country, exploring new places, relaxing at home, or visiting friends studying abroad in
foreign countries. After Spring Break, the chapter nominated Avery Campbell as the new
Nominating Committee Chair Representative. Emma (Philanthropy) also joined forces with Pi
Phi to throw Kappa Pi Phi Karnival. The event was held in the front yard of the
Pi Phi house with cotton candy, face paint, and even a mechanical bull! Chapter members sold wristbands
to their friends, encouraging them to stop by as a kickoff party for Roundup Weekend. Tessa
(PR) invited alumni and friends to the house that Sunday for a fun Easter party. Alumni were
welcome to bring their children for a fun afternoon of cookie decorating and egg hunting.
Cameron (New Member) began discussing Bid Day with Chapter Council, throwing around
ideas and asking for the opinions of the chapter. Madison (Event) planned a completely new event, naming
the party “Kappa Krush”. Chapter members secretly invited dates for their
friends, but the girls did not find out until their date found them wearing their tie at the party!
Everyone was excited to try something new, and the event held Vulcan was a huge success.
April was another busy month for the Beta Xi chapter as the school year began wrapping up.
Camille (President) and Kate (Panhellenic Delegate) presented the new Diversity and Inclusion
Statement written by Panhellenic to the chapter and encouraged members to apply for the
new Diversity and Inclusion committee. Katie (House) sent out new room assignments to the
sophomores eagerly awaiting their year living in the house. To continue boosting morale,
Carter (VP Standards) and the standards committee planned a night at the baseball park for
fun sisterhood event in early April. The Kappas took over the stands, eating hot dogs and
cheering on the UT baseball team as they took on the Baylor Bears. Peyton (VPAE) recognized
girls in the chapter who received a 4.0 in the fall and also announced that the chapter had
moved up in the UPC GPA rankings to the 7th position! The new members advanced even
higher, ranking 3rd. Chapter members visited Wooldridge Elementary for their biannual
Reading is Key event, engaging the students through basketball, bracelet making, and of
course, dance parties! Each student got to leave with a few books donated by the members of
our chapter. Cameron (Registrar) planned this month’s “Rom Com of the Month” around The
Bachelor, having a fun night of snacks and gossip as chapter members gathered together to
watch the finale. Caroline (Membership) held two recruitment workshops this month, re-
familiarizing the entire chapter with the songs, chants, and strategies soon to be used. The
recruitment team spent endless amounts of time meeting with the ARCs and taking on their
respective roles to prepare for the summer months. They did a great job of introducing new
changes and getting the chapter excited about a new season of recruitment!
Paige (Education) planned a final wrap up event for the seniors at Painting With a Twist. The seniors
got to visit a studio to recreate their own painting to take home, and they had a blast!
Madison (Event) was busy this month, planning both the last date event of the
year, Kite and Key, with Kappa Alpha Theta and Parent’s Weekend. The date event featured a fun band
Cedar Street Courtyard. Instead of doing separate Mom’s and Dad’s weekends, Madison
combined the two into one big Parent’s Weekend at the end of April. On
Friday, chapter members attended a joint shopping event and Happy Hour between Adelante and Santa Rita.
To show off the new house, Kappa hosted a brunch for all parents before the UT baseball
game. Towards the end of the month, the chapter welcomed back Casey, a Kappa Leadership
Consultant. Each Chapter Council officer met with Casey to get advice and set goals for the
next semester. Charlotte (VPO) did a great job in planning activities for Casey to introduce her
to more of Austin. As a whole, the chapter was so grateful that Casey was able to make time
to come back and visit again. The school year came to an end in May as Kappas began making their summer plans.
Paige (Education) brought back the tradition of Chapter Awards, much to the surprise and
excitement of the chapter. Outstanding Freshman went to Gigi Hanna, Outstanding
Sophomore went to Risk Management Chair Sarah Boatwright, Outstanding Junior went to
Peyton Bertram, and Outstanding Senior went to Hannah Love. Hannah was also presented
the Eleanor Niggli-Tyler Award for outstanding contributions to Beta Xi Chapter Kappa Kappa
Gamma. Kristen Graham won Lillian Lurker, a comedic award presented to a house girl who
spent hours in the Lillian, our beloved living room. For outstanding contribution to the
University of Texas and Kappa Kappa Gamma, senior Riley Longtain received the Braun-
Maynard Award. Last, Sally Cisarik won the Heather Lynn Dealy Award, nicknamed the
“Sunshine Award”. Paige (Education) also planned Senior Sendoff to honor those leaving us.
Each senior received a small present from the chapter and announced their future plans.
Jennifer (Treasurer) explained payment plans to the chapter, as she would begin billing for
the Fall semester in August. During the summer months, Beta Xi Kappas set off to do wonderful things all over the world.
Several members studied abroad, becoming familiar with the lifestyles in Spain, Italy, Croatia,
and more. Older Kappas began internships and summer jobs, hoping to gain experience and
make connections. Other members entered summer school or attended summer camps. To
keep in touch, Tessa (PR) kept up the chapter’s various social media accounts, gathering
pictures from everyone’s exciting summer experiences. Camille (President) and Emily
(Corresponding Secretary) took off to Denver to attend the Kappa Convention. They had an
incredible time getting to know Kappa chapters from all over the country and developing
stronger relations with the advisors who attended as well. Beta Xi was lucky enough to win
the advisory board of the year award for the chapter connections with the advisors. The most
notable part of their trip was the presentation by Lawrence Ross, who came to UT this past
Fall as well to discuss race relations in Sororities and Fraternities. Caroline (Recruitment) and
her rush team stayed busy reviewing letters of recommendation, planning out the fun days of
work week, and creating a strategy to use in the upcoming weeks. Chapter members moved
back to Austin in early August to participate in a week of preparing for recruitment. Caroline
(Recruitment) and her team even surprised the chapter with a swimming barge as a way to
cool off in the hot summer heat. A great work week led into an even better recruitment week.
Beta Xi was proud to show off the their unique personalities, and on Bid Day, we welcomed 68
amazing new girls into our chapter! The festivities planned by Cameron (New Member)
included dinner at Matt’s El Rancho, a dance party, and a sleepover at the house for all new
members. The girls loved getting to know their future sisters in a more intimate setting.
The school year started up again in September. Kappas welcomed the fall semester with open
arms, entering new classes and cheering on the Longhorns football team. Chapter Council
gathered together again on Sundays to communicate their semester goals and plan for how to
achieve them. After an orientation put on by Katie (House), PC’ 16 moved into the house,
enjoying the comfort of living so close to campus. The New Members eagerly explored
their new home, eating meals together, studying in the basement, and showing off the house to
their friends during guest lunches. They attended a New Member Orientation put on by
Panhellenic to learn all of the policies and responsibilities expected of new
members. Within Kappa,Cameron (Registrar) and Linda (Corresponding Secretary) worked with Cameron (New
Member) to gather all of the New Member information to input them into the various
systems. Linda (Corresponding Secretary) also gave a presentation on Ginsystem as the
chapter officially moved over from ListServe. Carter (Standards) elected a new member to the
Standards committee to replace the senior who graduated in May. Once again, Charlotte
(VPO) worked on organizing committees in time for the first committee night. Peyton (VPAE)
proudly announced that our chapter moved from 8th place to 4th place out of 14 sororities in
the UPC GPA rankings with an average GPA of 3.5581. Cameron (New Member) began the
New Member meetings before chapter each week to educate the New Members on various
aspects of Kappa, introduce them to the Chapter Council officers, and answer any questions
they had. The Kappas attended their first date event in late September, a fun, ranch
style joint date event with Tri Delta. Our chapter was approved for GIRLS Academy, so Emma
(Philanthropy) began working on those details. Tessa (PR) gathered pictures and stories from
the summer to publish the summer newsletter.
As October came around, energy in the house was at an all time high with the excitement of
Halloween, the Texas-OU game, and our date event with Chi Omega. The month began with
chapter composites planned by Cameron (Registrar). Avery Steen worked closely to pair the
sophomores and New Members for Key Sis dates, giving the newer members a chance to
spend time with their older sisters. Emma (Philanthropy) scheduled a bat tour for girls in the
chapter to spend time with Moriah, our B+ Hero. In preparation for the big game in Dallas,
Sarah (Risk Management) worked with the NOMC leaders to give a helpful presentation on
the risks of party weekends and how to stay safe. She also organized a list of girls going to the
game by fraternity so that all Kappas knew who to turn to if they needed help. On Friday,
Kappas loaded up buses and cars to head to the Red River Rivalry. After a nerve-wracking game,
the Longhorns came out on top with a 48-45 win. To celebrate Halloween, Madison
(Event) planned our annual Owl-o-ween with Chi O. From Ghostbusters to movie stars,
everyone enjoyed dressing up with their date. Tessa (PR) hosted a Halloween party at the
house for alumni and their children. In-house girls participated by handing out candy in a
mock trick-or-treat activity. Towards the end of the month, Kappas went back to Wooldridge
Elementary to host their fall Reading is Key event. Everyone loved seeing the children again,
and we even saw some returning faces! The month culminated with a sisterhood hangout
with Kappa Delta. Kate (Panhellenic) invited the KDs into our house to build ice c
ream sundaes and socialize.
November kicked off with a fun-filled Parent’s Weekend, featuring a great brunch at the
house before a big football game against West Virginia. The following week was an amazing
Inspiration Week planned by Lexie (Marshal). Casey the Leadership Consultant returned that
week to act as a guide and mentor through all of the Initiation rituals. Chapter Council was so
fortunate to have someone who knew our chapter so well to be there during this special
week. The week began with Big-Little reveal as the new members were welcomed into their
new families, dressing up and eating Amy’s ice cream. On Friday, Fireside was held at the
house. After bonding all night, the new members were finally initiated early Saturday
morning. To celebrate, Cameron (New Member) planned a wonderful brunch for the new
actives and their families. The weekend culminated with Founder’s Day, a special event held
each year to embrace our Kappa history and celebrate our esteemed alumni. This year, Paige
(Education) planned Founder’s Day at the Kappa House as a way to show off our beautiful
home and make the event more intimate. Kappa also participated in Greek Get Down, a
dance competition put on by AEPhi to raise money for their philanthropy. Peyton (VPAE) held
another Professor Dinner, giving the new actives a chance to talk to the people who led their
classes each day. On the last Thursday in November, Kappas attended Kappa Klassic, a semi-
formal held at Summit. Everyone had a blast, and Kappa commends Madison (Event) for the
wonderful job she did planning events all year. The Slate committee worked endless hours,
pouring over Chapter Council applications and debating who would be the next leaders of
Kappa. After long nights, they presented their nominations to the chapter, which were warmly
received. Kappa thanks Slate for the wonderful job they did, and we are all very excited for
the new Chapter Council to lead us into next year.
As the year came to a close, December was an important time for transitioning. New Chapter
Council members met with those who held their positions currently to learn the ins and outs
of each job. As a wrap-up and official transition day, Charlotte (VPO) planned the Leadership
brunch at the house. Old and new Chapter Council members gathered with their advisors to
celebrate everything that has been accomplished in the past year and discuss goals for the
semester to come. Chapter Council members also attended the State of Panhellenic dinner to
present what Kappa achieved in the last year. As a treat, Carter (VP Standards) and the
Standards committee replaced the last chapter with a sisterhood party. The house
transformed into a Winter Wonderland as chapter members took a break from studying to
enjoy free massages, cookie decorating, and a chocolate fountain. Overall, 2018 was a
remarkable year for Kappa as we transitioned off of a Warning of Probation, introduced a
wonderful new pledge class, and grew stronger together. We are very fortunate to have had
such an exciting year, and we anticipate that 2019 will be even better!
==Highlights of 2021==
Chapter Philanthropy
In the spring, the Beta Xi chapter raised money to help Austin’s homeless during the winter storms and raised $20,000 for two organizations that combat human trafficking. Throughout the year, our chapter supported the B+ Foundation, which supports the families of children who are fighting cancer. This fall, Christiane, an honorary Kappa who has Batten disease, joined our chapter. She frequently visits the Beta Xi house for Kappa lunch where she eats and socializes with chapter members. The chapter also had several canned food drives.
The chapter had a walk to raise money for NEDA and fundraised for the Jed Foundation.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
2021 was the first full year of the Beta Xi chapter having a DEI chair on chapter council. She promoted university-wide diversity and inclusion seminars, speeches, and student organizations. DEI presentations were given during chapter meetings that included promoting national heritage holidays. The DEI chair also gave a DEI presentation during work week to promote inclusivity during recruitment.