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Gamma Epsilon
ΓE
Founded	February 21, 1919 (1919-02-21) (105 years ago)
College	University of Pittsburgh
Location	Pittsburgh, PA
Homepage	Gamma Epsilon Homepage
Media related to Gamma Epsilon Chapter

University of Pittsburgh – founded in 1787 as Pittsburgh Academy on what was then the American frontier. It is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of higher education in the United States.

Chapter founded as Gamma Epsilon in 1919

1,504 initiates (as of June 2012)

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.)

Fraternity Council Officers: Helena Flinn Ege, Fraternity Director of Alumnae 1944-1988, Fraternity President 1948-1952; Kelly Matyas Magyarics, Traveling Consultant 1995-1996; Leanne Aurich, Leadership Consultant 2009-2010

Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:

Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:

Additional Outstanding Gamma Epsilon Alumnae: Patricia Nealon (Burt), Graduate Counselor 1970-1972

The University of Pittsburgh was chartered in 1787 as the Pittsburgh Academy. It became Western University of Pennsylvania in 1819, and in 1908 was named the University of Pittsburgh. The Cathedral of Learning, focal point of the university, is a 42 story building occupying two acres. It contains the famed Commons Room, which is modeled after an English castle great hall, and the nationality classrooms, which are furnished with materials and decorations from the respective countries. The nationalities represented are those to be found in the make-up of the diverse people who built Pittsburgh.

The Early Years (From The History of Kappa Kappa Gamma 1870–1976)

Gamma Epsilon Chapter received its charter in 1919 and since then has stood continuity and innovative change in fraternity life at the University of Pittsburgh. A Panhellenic first in housing is listed among the innovative changes.

Epsilon Rho Omicron was formed February 22, 1916 with the purpose of petitioning Kappa Kappa Gamma for membership. On February, 1919, this dream came true when Grand President Lydia Voris Kolbe, Akron, conducted installation ceremonies for the fifteen charter members.

Home for Epsilon Rho Omicron had been a room in Carnegie Library, or a member’s house. As Kappas, meetings were held in Heinz House which is a building given by H.J. Heinz as a place of recreation for women of the university. In 1921 Kappas shared their first house at 4633 Center Avenue with the Chi Omegas. Neither could have managed alone. Gamma Epsilon moved into its first home, 272 Bellefield Avenue, on May 13, 1922.

The chapter loved this house but soon knew it needed a larger one, so in 1929 a move was make to 401 Neville Street, next door to the Theta chapter. These were happy years, but as the chapter continued to grow, the desire grew to own a house. The fall of 1938 found the group at 165 North Dithridge Street, a house that was bought later. The move was celebrated with a party for all Greeks on the campus and a visit from Grand President Elizabeth Bogert Schofield, Butler. All the women’s fraternity houses at Pitt were also student houses. There were many commuters and not enough Kappas living on campus to fill the house. Any woman student who was approved by the dean of women could live there. It was not until the 1959-60 school year that the house became all Kappa. By the time the mortgage burning celebration had been held for the house which twenty years before had been described as “the most beautifully decorated woman’s fraternity house on campus” and the future looked promising.

A bitter blow was struck in 1959. The university condemned the third floors of all the women’s houses as unsuitable for occupancy because of fire code violations. This made operation of the houses economically unsound. An so began the story of the building of the present Kappa house at 4401 Bayard Street, which is also the Kappa Alpha Theta house on Bellfield.

The first meeting of the Pittsburgh Kappas and Thetas took place at the suggestion of Executive Secretary Clara O. Pierce, Ohio State, on April 14, 1959. The decision of bother groups was that they did not want to move their chapters into the dormitory suites offered by the university so they chose to build together.

What seemed like hundreds of meetings later, money was raised by a joint Building Fund Committee. A Building Committee met with architects, builders and lawyers and the informal partnership became legal, establishing a Theta-Kappa Board of Management. Selling the Kappa house and tearing down the Theta house enable the cornerstone to be laid in January, 1964. On September 8, 1964, the two chapters moved into “their house.” It marked a Panhellenic first: the housing of two fraternity chapters in one building, financed by monies given by alumnae and actives of the two groups from all over the world.

The Kappa – Theta duplex provides identical, but separate units. Each unit contains a living room, chapter room – dining room, kitchen, ten bedrooms which house twenty girls, a house director’s room and bath, the usual storage rooms, powder rooms and bathrooms. The chapters share a central fire tower which separates one unit from the other, as well as the mechanical rooms, laundry rooms, sunken patio, roof, and driveway. Inside, except for the size, the rooms bear no resemblance to one another, for each group decorates according to its own wishes. From the outside the pink brick building has a “town house” appearance. The house’s rectangular shape and the corner lot enabled the Thetas to retain the old Bellfield address, while the Kappa entrance is on Bayard Street.

Even Dedication Day, October 4, 1964, was a joint Kappa – Theta affair, with each fraternity holding its own service, and then joining with an open house for all fraternity and university friends. Now, more than ten years later Kappas and Thetas continue to live happily in “their house”.

Through the years Gamma Epsilon have striven to maintain a chapter of which the Fraternity could be proud. There are members of Phi Beta Kappa, Mortar Board, Cwens, and many other honorary fraternities. Gamma Epsilon members have word the Homecoming Queen often, have been fraternity sweethearts many times, have been elected Senior Queen, and have served as president of the Women’s Self Government Association, Student Congress and Panhellenic members. Many editors of student publications have been Gamma Epsilons. Pitt’s Hall of Fame lists many Kappas, and each ear it is evident that Kappa keys are worn by student leaders. The chapter has taken first place in Greek Week, Greek Sing, and Homecoming, as well as other events. Gamma Epsilon has won both Fraternity and Beta Province awards for program and scholarship, including the Fraternity Finance Award and the Province Royalty Award.

Visits of Fraternity officers through the years have highlighted chapter meetings. A tea was given in honor of Helena Flinn Ege, Gamma Epsilon’s own charter member and former chapter president, when she became Fraternity president in 1948. Excitement, joy, and pride on such festive occasions were happily recorded.

The shape of the times is evident in the yearly chapter histories. They tell of banquets in the 1920s in the Schenley Hotel and the custom of making toasts. Members sold Fab soap to earn money to wallpaper a room. An influenza epidemic in 1928 forced cancellation of a formal dance. They tell of The Doll Cabaret used during rushing in 1929 when rushees were given French dolls to make and stuff by Kappas. Today owls are made for rushes.

The Kappa sponsored Sychor Club at Penn State, assisted in the installation of Delta Alpha in 1930 and in 1931, agonized over the Panhellenic ruling of “rushing without men.” The Gamma Epsilons purchased a baby grand piano in 1932, installing the first payphone in 1933, and christened it with a bottle of Coke.

The first annual Kappa –Delt reception for faculty took place in 1941. The Kappas sold Defense Bonds in 1942 and worked on benefit committees to earn money for the dean of women’s 12th floor. On its 25th anniversary in February, 1944, Gamma Epsilon helped install Delta Xi Chapter at Carnegie Institute of Technology (renamed Carnegie Mellon University in 1967). Chapter members attended the installation of Delta Phi Chapter at Bucknell University in 1948.

Pitt adjusted to the trimester plan in 1959 and the KKΓs lived in the dormitory suite while their house was being built in 1963. They rejoiced because the chapter limit was raised from 30 to 50 members and watched the demise of women’s self government and the establishment of student government.

Gamma Epsilon hosed Beta Province Convention in 1969 and celebrated Gamma Epsilon’s 50th anniversary at the same time, saying “thank you” to the wonderful alumnae who worked with the chapter as advisers and house board members through the years.

A Kappa was selected as the first Pitt Woman in 1972 and there was pride in the fact that the chapter president of 1969-1970, Patrica Nealon, was chosen to be a graduate counselor. Women students are important in the life of the university today, although it was not until 1895 that Pitt became coeducational. Today women are admitted to every school, and Gamma Epsilon members are currently enrolled in the schools of medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and law, in addition to those working for undergraduate and other graduate degrees. Today women are members of the faculty, administration, and even Board of Trustees. In 1971 for the first time, a member of the student body was appointed to the University’s Board of Trustees. The student was a woman, a member of Gamma Epsilon. It is the hope of the chapter that it will continue to contribute much to the University of Pittsburgh, and that it will continue to instill into the lives of its members the high standards of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

The previous information was excerpted from The History of Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity, 1870-1976. 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.

Highlights of the 1980s:

Housing: Paid off their mortgage in 1989

Philanthropy:

Chapter Convention Awards:

Trends:

After looking through the chapter scrapbooks, it was obvious that the members loved spandex, big hair, and bright colors, specifically neon, and denim. Ronald Regan was elected president in 1980, and the chapter participated by campaigning as a sisterhood together.

Highlights of the 1990s

In 1991, Gamma Epsilon became more recognized on campus by having four executives on Greek Week committee. High campus involvement continued after a sister was attacked in a campus building. The sisters ensured that campus was a safe place for studying and living with the help of Student Government to institute a shuttle and escort system. Sisters participated with MTV and their campaign “Rock the Vote” to get more students to vote.

Housing:

30-years after the house was built, each room received a facelift and the kitchen was renovated.

Philanthropy:

Every year, the sisters of Gamma Epsilon volunteered at a Halloween party benefiting the Children’s Hospital. They also worked for several years to gain the Cathedral Award through being involved in volunteer activities.

Highlights of 2000-2010

In remembrance of the one year anniversary of September 11th, sisters attended a ceremony wearing their letters to show chapter support. The chapter continued to show a strong presence on University of Pittburgh’s campus through having a high GPA and in 2010, they were awarded External Relations Award at the Cathedral Awards.

Housing: In 2006, Gamma Epsilon bought the other half of their house and moved in. After an initial struggle of filling the house, the women were excited to have the whole house to themselves. To help in the housing transition, for Founders Day each sister created a quilt square that included chapter memories and inspiring quotes about sisterhood.

Philanthropy: In 2009, Gamma Epsilon continued to hold many philanthropy events including Bowl-a-thon.

Convention Awards: 2002 Risk Management Award 2006 Greatest Scholarship Improvement Honorable Mention 2006 House Board Award 2006 Panhellenic Honorable Mention

Highlights of 2011-2019:

Philanthropy:

Housing:

Convention Awards:

Highlights of 2020s:

Philanthropy:

Housing:

Convention Awards:

Note to Chapter Registrar: 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.

Your efforts will ensure a complete and accurate history of your chapter for future generations to enjoy!