| Zeta Omicron | |
|---|---|
| ZO | |
 | |
| Founded | May 2, 1987 |
| College | University of Richmond |
| Location | Richmond, VA |
| Homepage | Zeta Omicron Homepage |
| Media related to Zeta Omicron Chapter | |
University of Richmond, Virginia, Founded in 1830. The second largest private university in the state of Virginia, with approximately 4,500 students.
Zeta Omicron founded May 2-4, 1987 -- 89 charter members
947 initiates (as of June 2012)
Some of Zeta Omicron’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:
Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients:
Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:
Contents
The Early Years
As early as 1906, university guidelines prohibited the establishment of sororities, but in 1985, the students voted to establish national sororities. In October 1985 a panel of faculty, administrators and students interviewed nine National Panhellenic Conference groups, and six were chosen to colonize: Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, Delta Delta Delta, Pi Beta Phi, Chi Omega and Delta Gamma. On February 6, 1987, colonization teams from these groups arrived on campus to spend a week entertaining, informing and getting to know more than 600 women who had signed interest forms. In a unique undertaking in the Panhellenic world, 540 women donned pledge pins and installations occurred the weekend of May 2-4, 1987. Fraternity president Marian Klingbeil Williams presided over the installation services for Zeta Omicron chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. The installation of six women's Greek groups at the University of Richmond was a landmark event not only on this campus but nationwide.
Highlights of the 1980s:
From chapter’s History Report: 1987 saw the pledging and initiation of the charter members. Important events of the year that brought this group together included a pledge retreat in April, a sorority formal with the other five sororities, our installation by Fraternity president Marian Klingbeil Williams, our first formal meeting in October, sharing Founders Day with the Richmond Alumnae Association, and preparing for our first recruitment in January of 1988, where we welcomed 49 new members.
Our first pledge class grew close through retreats and a philanthropy project. Sisters participated in Greek Week, the U of R Century Bike Race benefiting Habitat for Humanity and socials with other Greek organizations. Kappa Kidnap became an annual event, where the men kidnapped didn't know who their date was or where they were going.
Philanthropies included the bike race, visits to the Virginia Girls Club, a Thanksgiving food drive and a magazine drive for Rose McGill. Social events included a Kite and Key party with Kappa Alpha Theta, a parent-sister brunch on Parent's Weekend, a successful intramural team and spring formal.
In 1988 we attended our first Biennial Convention in Boca Raton, Florida, where we were officially seated and given the blue and gold Zeta Omicron patch which will remain with the president's robe. This year Alpha Phi joined our Panhellenic group on campus.
We ended the decade 93 members strong, active on campus in many organizations, represented in several honor societies and Dean's List, and involved in several philanthropies.
Philanthropy:
Virginia Girls Clubs, food drive for needy families, the U of R Century Bike Race to benefit Habitat for Humanity, magazine drive for Rose McGill, Phone-a-thons to support the Spider Athletic Club.
Chapter Convention Awards:
Highlights of the 1990s
From chapter’s History Report: The charter members of Zeta Omicron have all graduated but with each new pledge class we welcomed bright minds and fresh ideas and are becoming a wonderfully diverse chapter. Members work with the local Ronald McDonald House, with two girls volunteering their Friday and Saturday nights to sleep over at the house to act as managers. Volunteers also baked, played with the children, and helped families in any way possible. For the UR the Difference Day, Kappas went into the Richmond community and raked leaves for Catholic Charities. We are also planning an after-school program at the Girls Club and participate in phone-a-thons, bake sales, t-shirt sales to raise money for philanthropies like Teeter for Tots, a “seesaw-a-thon” for the Friends Association.
At the 1991 Lambda Province meeting in Chapel Hill, NC, Zeta Omicron won honorable mention for Efficiency and Finance, Membership Award, Personnel Award and Best Alumnae Association Award. By the mid-90s new philanthropies were added: a Spaghetti Pull, a Halloween Party at the Boys Club, Christmas Caroling at local nursing homes and helping out at soup kitchens. In 1995, knowing our scholarship needed help, we met our chapter goal of improving our GPA, and held a celebration recognizing those who made the Dean's List. We again met this goal in 1996. We ended the decade with two goals: “Strive for Pi” where each member tries to achieve a 3.14 GPA, and “Dedication Through Participation” where each sister tries to fulfill at least ten hours for our philanthropy or for community service each semester.
Philanthropy:
Kappa Klassic Golf Tournament supports the Kappa Foundation and YMCA. Volunteering at William Byrd Community House each month helping children enjoy arts and crafts, a carnival for inner-city children, selling Hershey Kisses to deliver to students on Valentine's Day, making crafts for the YWCA women's shelter. We participate in other Greek organization's philanthropies.
Chapter Convention Awards:
Highlights of 2000-2010
From chapter’s History Report: Zeta Omicron continued most of its traditional chapter activities while also adding some new ones. Memorable activities include participation in philanthropy projects such as Trick or Treat Street and Kappa Klassic Golf Tournament. In 2005 we held a contest to determine “Kappa King” to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. We began a “Kappa Kindness” project to strengthen the spirit of sisterhood. We worked during the mid-2000s to increase our knowledge and participation in Rituals with ritual reviews at chapter meetings, worked on strengthening our Recruitment, worked to strengthen our GPA and implemented a new e-mailing system with a Google Group to improve communication among members.
Chapter challenges included probationary sanctions from Panhellenic and the Fraternity, and we worked to improve our relationships with other sororities, our Advisory Board and Greek adviser, educated our chapter on Panhellenic and Kappa regulations and increased our philanthropy requirements to 8 hours of service from each sister. The chapter instilled a policy prohibiting members from posting on Internet gossip sites and censored photos that involve alcohol. We had leadership changes in 2009 when the president resigned, with others stepping into roles they were unaccustomed to, but with the help of the Advisory Board we took on these new responsibilities.
In March of 2009 we hosted Province Meeting which enhanced our chapter's leadership skills. We successfully hosted a new campus-wide philanthropy, mobilizing the university to accomplish several service tasks. We started a letter writing campaign to keep in touch with sisters studying abroad. At the end of the decade our chapter challenge intensified focus on increasing our chapter GPA with individualized attention and programs.
Philanthropy:
Trick or Treat Street, Kappa Klassic Golf Tournament, Habitat for Humanity, International Hospital for Children, mobilizing the campus with philanthropy service projects like clothing and canned food collection and sandwich making, volunteering at a local elementary school and a rehabilitation center, raising funds through Kappa Kisses and Kappa Kickball and hosting events for RIF.
Chapter Convention Awards:
Highlights of 2011-2019
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.:
Housing:
Philanthropy:
Chapter Convention Awards:
Highlights of 2020s:
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.:
Housing:
Philanthropy:
Chapter 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!