Changes
→Highlights of 2020
|Image= [[File:ISU_main.jpg|200px]]
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|2018|12|01}}
|College= [https://illinoisstate.edu/ Illinois State University]
|Location= Normal, Illinois
|District= Epsilon
|Homepage= [httphttps://illinoisstate.kappa.org/ Theta Beta Chapter Website]
|Media= [https://wiki.kkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Theta_Beta Media related to Theta Beta Chapter]}}
[[File:Thetabeta2.JPG|thumb|sisterhood]]
[[File:Thetabeta3.JPG|thumb|firelight]]
==Highlights of 2021==
This past year, Theta Beta chapter continued to adapt to the ongoing pandemic as we held virtual and socially distanced chapter meetings, philanthropy fundraisers, sisterhood events and more.
Our member engagement director and events director started the spring semester strong with some outside and socially distanced events including a drive-in movie sisterhood where members watched a movie projected on the side of our chapter house from their cars, and an ice-skating date night. Other events we held this semester included a virtual pen pals sisterhood with AOPI where we were able to connect with another sorority on campus and have a fun game night on Zoom, Women’s Day where our members showed gratitude for the women that mean the most to them with a day of painting and lunch, and our spring formal. Also, we were honored to have received the award for Most Improved Chapter at the SFL Greek Gala.
Our philanthropy director worked hard to plan a virtual fundraising event called Kappa Krush where we used Instagram to raise money for the local organization that we support, Project Oz. At the end of the semester, we held an in-person philanthropy event, Kickback with Kappa, in support of Reading is Fundamental where we welcomed Greek life and community members for an outdoor social event at our chapter house.
During the spring semester our COB director held a successful COB and we welcomed the Epsilon pledge class. These ladies were initiated through a virtual initiation on Zoom.
This year marked the start of the DEI Director position. Our DEI director put together presentations on mental health, racial and lqbtq+ topics and more.
To wrap up the spring semester, we held our first in-person chapter meeting in over a year at a park near campus and we welcomed Janet Meinheit from Kappa Headquarters who came to lead us through activities to further our DEI programming.
This fall semester, our chapter executed our first hybrid recruitment since being all online last year. We were excited to be back in-person at the chapter facility for a work week full of recruitment workshops, sisterhood events and bonding as we prepared for recruitment prior to the start of the semester. This recruitment was virtual for Welcome Rounds, in the Marriot Hotel ballroom for Philanthropy round, and in our facility for Sisterhood and Preference rounds. We had to adapt to the new challenges that this hybrid model came with, but we succeeded in meeting campus total. We formally pledged 36 new members after recruitment.
Because of the success of our recruitment, we did not hold any COB events this semester. If need be, COB may be held in the springtime. The COB director position is no longer and will serve as a coordinator underneath VP Membership if needed.
As the semester started, we were able to gather back in our chapter house for in person chapter meetings. We began ritual reviews, started having formal chapter meetings once again, and held practices for in-person initiation.
Our new member experience director worked hard to teach the new members about the pillars of Kappa and prepare them for initiation. In mid-November, we initiated 28 new members in our Zeta class. We welcomed women from Monmouth college to join in our initiation with four of their new members.
Our DEI director continued to put on presentations and programing to teach our chapter about diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the fall semester. Programming included presentations about inclusion during recruitment, education about holidays, and an eme about inclusion.
During our fall semester, our events and member engagement directors planned many great events for our chapter as we were able to be back together as a full chapter in-person. We had a dude’s day where members invited the special men in their lives for tailgating and a football game, we held our chapter’s first barn dance, we visited Monmouth College to learn about the place where the first Kappa chapter was founded, we had a yoga sisterhood, and we all gathered together for our Kappa Friendsgiving.
After a long year and a half of virtual events, our philanthropy director planned a semester full of events to support the organizations that mean so much to our chapter. With the change of Kappa’s national philanthropy to focus on mental health awareness, Theta Beta voted to support Active Minds as well as continuing to support the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation and the local organization, Project Oz. We had our first annual Kappa Klassic golf event, we volunteered at and participated in the Out of the Darkness walk for suicide awareness, and we had our first annual philanthropy spirit week filled with raffles baskets, fundraisers, and our Falling for Kappa events where we sold fall treats on the quad. We also enjoyed getting involved in other organizations’ philanthropy events throughout the year and showing our support for the Greek community.
While this semester has been very busy with a lot of events, we are incredibly grateful to be back in-person with our sisters and will forever cherish the memories we have made this year.