| Epsilon Rho | |
|---|---|
| EP | |
 | |
| Founded | February 28, 1976 |
| College | Texas A&M University |
| Location | College Station, TX |
| Homepage | Epsilon Rho Homepage |
| Media related to Epsilon_Rho Chapter | |
2,073 initiates (as of June 2015)
Epsilon Rho, Texas A&M
Founded February 28, 1976
Texas A&M University founded in 1876 in College Station, Texas
30 charter members
Contents
Installation
As far as Kappas were concerned, the year 1976 at Texas A&M University was triply special. In addition to being America’s Bicentennial, it was also the university’s Centennial, and most special for 31 new Kappas, the Installation of Epsilon Rho Chapter, which took place during February 27–29, 1976.
It was also a special occasion for the 24 Kappa alumnae of the Bryan/College Station area who worked so hard—first in helping to colonize the chapter, then in seeing that the girls received all the help and advice they needed, and finally in arranging and staging the Installation weekend. A Beta Omicron, Tulane alumna, hosted a lovely reception at her beautiful College Station home on Friday evening for the installation team, local alumnae, and members of Gamma Phi, SMU, the installing chapter.
The Sunday afternoon reception honoring the new chapter was a beautifully fitting climax to the installation activities. Parents, some from hundreds of miles away, joined with campus friends and local alumnae in congratulating the new members. Guests had the opportunity to view the many beautiful gifts presented to the chapter during the previous night’s banquet.
An impressive array of Fraternity officials was on hand for the occasion including Marian Schroeder Graham, Beta Phi, Montana, Fraternity President, who captivated the girls to the point that they wanted to know what you have to do to become Fraternity President; Marian Klingbeil Williams, Theta, Missouri, Director of Personnel (Standards) and Rebecca Stone Arbour, Delta Iota, LSU, Director of Chapters were also present, in addition to the Theta Province Director of Alumnae, a Field Secretary, the Chairman of Chapter Advisory Boards, and Extension Committee members.
Louise Little Barbeck, Gamma Phi, SMU, former Fraternity President, was the featured speaker at the installation banquet Saturday evening at the Briarcrest Country Club. Active members from Gamma Phi, SMU, sister chapter to Epsilon Rho, were also on hand to help with Initiation and celebrate Kappa’s fifth chapter in Texas. Local Kappa alumnae helped immensely in every area of chapter life.
Texas A&M
Located in College Station, about half-way between Houston and Waco, the TAMU campus was undergoing much growth and building construction at the time of Epsilon Rho’s founding. Established in 1876 at Texas’s first public institution of higher learning, the old Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College was renamed Texas A&M University.
Kappa Kappa Gamma was the ninth sorority to be installed at Texas A&M, all of them within the previous two years, and it was said to be the last for at least three years. Since the university did not recognize sororities at that time, Panhellenic declared a moratorium on additional colonization in order to see what the official university attitude would be once the women’s groups had a chance to prove themselves in the previously all-male land of the Aggies.
Housing
The nine groups were in the process of setting up lodges in an apartment complex just being completed. Many of their members planned to rent apartments in the same complex, making it the center of Aggie sorority activity for the next three years.
Highlights of the late 1970s
During the remainder of the 1970s, Epsilon Rho faced the challenges of not having a house in which to hold recruitment or meetings. However, the chapter was able to hold successful Recruitment events in other locations, such as the Ramada Inn. In 1975, chapter meetings were hosted in the party room of the Barcelona Apartments. The following year, the sisters were able to move Recruitment from the Barcelona Apartments to their new "Kappa Korner," which was located in Sausilito Apartments on Munson and Highway 30.
Housing:
Epsilon Rho was without a chapter house of its own, but many members lived in rented apartments.
Philanthropy:
In November of 1979, Epsilon Rho participated in an all-Greek philanthropy project for the United Way in which they helped to raise $2900 by "kidnapping" prominent people in the community and holding them for "ransom" in Manor East Mall. Also, Epsilon Rho participated in Sigma Chi's Derby Days philanthropy event every year.
Chapter Convention Awards:
Highlights of the 1980s
The 1980s were a productive decade for Epsilon Rho. The chapter participated in Fall Rush each year and regularly welcomed an average of 50 new Kappas into the chapter. The sisters were kept busy with a variety of development programs, including an officer retreat and a standards workshop. Panhellenic activities were important to the chapter, and the Kappas gladly took part in the Panhellenic Alcohol Awareness Week each year. Additionally, Epsilon Rho scheduled events with other Greek-letter organizations, such as Monmouth Duo with Pi Beta Phi and Kite and Key with Kappa Alpha Theta. The chapter also participated in Chi Omega’s Songfest every year.
The chapter’s social calendar was always full with fun activities such as a Christmas formal and a flag football game. One of the highlights of the year was Parents’ Day and the related events. First, the chapter hosted a Parents’ Day Picnic in which the members gathered informally with their families. The Kappa Pickers group often provided the entertainment for the picnic. That evening, the families again came together, but for a much more formal event, Pledge Presentation. At this event, the fathers or escorts of the newest Kappas officially presented the young women to the chapter and then danced the night away. At the end of each year, Epsilon Rho said goodbye to the graduating seniors at the Senior Roast.
Founders Day was a large celebration each year. The chapter paired with the local alumnae association for the annual Founders Day Banquet, an elegant event that included the presentation of awards to both the active and alumna members. In April 1987, Epsilon Rho proudly hosted Theta Province Meeting.
Housing:
For the early part of the decade, Epsilon Rho members were without a home on campus. Without a house, meetings, Initiation, and other functions were held in other locations such as churches, the homes of alumnae, and hotels. By the mid-1980s, a chapter house was completed and 48 Kappas were able to call the new house home. The house became the focus for many fun activities, such as the annual door decorating contest for Parents’ Day and House Mother Appreciation Week. By the end of the decade, Epsilon Rho’s house received a few upgrades: a storage shed, fresh paint for the exterior, new blinds in the windows, and updated upholstery for the TV room furniture.
Philanthropy:
Philanthropy was important to the Epsilon Rho women. The chapter regularly participated in Cleaning Up the Grove with the Aggie Men’s Club and Kappa Alptha Theta. In 1987, Epsilon Rho organized a cookbook fundraiser that raised $1,900 for charity, specifically a local mental health center and the Rose McGill Fund. In 1988, the chapter hosted its first Kappa Klassic Golf Tournament, which again benefitted the mental health clinic. Other philanthropic activities included singing Christmas carols at local retirement home, participating in the Adopt-A-Grandparent Project, and spending time with underprivileged children during a Greek Week event. Epsilon Rho also made donations to CROP, a Christian fund that donates 25% of its money to community needs and 75% to world hunger, and to a Texas A&M graduate in need of a liver transplant.
Chapter Convention Awards:
Highlights of the 1990s
Throughout the 1990s, Epsilon Rho welcomed many more large pledge classes into the chapter. In order to ensure that all members, old and new, knew each other, the chapter held retreats, sleepovers at the house, picnics, and a variety of other sisterhood activities. Several times a year, the Kappas got together for big/little sister nights with ice cream and yogurt. In 1991, the chapter held a sister-only pumpkin carving contest and Easter egg hunt. That same year, Epsilon Rho won the Excellence in Pledge Education award during Greek Week.
The chapter also hosted useful development programs each month, including Responsible Behavior, Risk Management, and Professionalism. Social activities included Pledge Presentation, the Butterbash Ball Fall Casual, and the Valentine’s Day semi-formal. Epsilon Rho often paired up with other Greek-letter organizations for events, such as Kite N Key with Theta, Monmouth Formal with Pi Phi, Owl-O-Ween with Chi Omega, and the Ranch Party with the Tri-Delts. The chapter even accompanied ZBT to Country Western dance lessons.
Alumnae involvement was also important to Epsilon Rho. The Founders Day Banquet was held each year with the local alumnae association. For the Initiation Banquet, chapter alumnae and the mothers of initiates joined Epsilon Rho in welcoming the new Kappas.
Epsilon Rho had many achievements throughout the decade. The chapter was repeatedly recognized for scholarship on campus. In1990, the Kappas won Chi Omega’s Songfest.
Housing:
The chapter maintained a house on campus throughout the 1990s.
Philanthropy:
Epsilon Rho participated in a variety of philanthropic activities throughout the 1990s. The chapter was always a part of the Big Event, a Texas A&M-sponsored event to help out around the Bryan/College Station area. The Kappas also contributed to FestiveFall, another event sponsored by the University. The chapter held a community-wide spaghetti dinner that raised $2000 for charity as well as a canned food drive with Sigma Nu. The Kappas volunteered their time to paint bathrooms and pick up trash at a local park. In 1991, the sisters worked together to send Valentine’s Day cards to troops stationed in the Gulf. The chapter’s annual Kappa Klassic Golf Tournament prospered in the 1990s, and, in 1994, the event raised $15,000 for a local mental health clinic.
Chapter Convention Awards:
Highlights of 2000-2010
Epsilon Rho welcomed the new millennium with numerous sisterhood activities to strengthen the bonds of friendship. These sister-only events included a New Member retreat, a day of Valentine’s Day cookie decorating, and a pizza party study break. Other fun activities included the December semi-formal and the "Farewell Fleur de Lis" party to say goodbye to graduating seniors. Each year, the chapter held a Monmouth formal with Pi Beta Phi, Owloween with Chi Omega, and the Ranch Party with the Tri-Delts. The chapter also spent time thanking their parents for their never-ending love and support. A Mother/Daughter Tea was held in the fall, and a Dad’s Day Baseball Game proved to be a big hit with the fathers.
Housing:
Epsilon Rho continued to maintain a residence at Texas A&M University throughout the decade.
Philanthropy:
Epsilon Rho continued to focus on philanthropy throughout the decade. Each year, the chapter participated in the University-sponsored Big Event. Kappa Kaddies, the annual philanthropy golf tournament, proved to be a huge success year after year. In 2007, the event raised $8,000 for Big Brothers/Big Sisters in Bryan. The following year, $14,000 was raised through the Kappa Kaddies event. The chapter began another annual philanthropy event, Kappa Krawfish. The crawfish boil was a success and raised hundreds of dollars for philanthropy.
By mid-decade, Epsilon Rho began concentrating on Reading Is Fundamental, Kappa’s philanthropy. The chapter held a community-wide book drive to collect books and raise money. The books were donated to elementary schools in the Bryan/ College Station area.
Chapter Convention Awards:
Highlights of 2011-2019
Epsilon Rho was very busy as the chapter entered the second decade of the twenty-first century. The Kappas focused on providing members with personal development programs that would prepare them for life after college. In 2011, KKG Connections was held with alumnae from Dallas and served as a networking opportunity. Special programs were held for the seniors such as a professional etiquette presentation and a workshop on how to stay connected with the Fraternity after graduation. The seniors also hosted a potluck dinner, and the recipes were later compiled into a senior cookbook. The entire chapter enjoyed the programming as well. The Education Committee sponsored speakers who gave presentations about self-defense, nutrition, exercise, and more. Epsilon Rho also had Chapter Chaplains for the benefit of the sisters.
The chapter also had fun during a variety of social events. Examples of such activities include the February semi-formal, Monmouth with Pi Phi, KKG BBQ, and K-K-Jean, which was held at a local boutique.
Housing:
Epsilon Rho’s chapter house holds 46 members. The sisters are able to enjoy a large backyard and a spacious patio, one of the only ones found on Sorority Row. In 2011, the chapter added a second grill to the patio, which permits the members to enjoy many outdoor meals throughout the year.
Philanthropy:
Epsilon Rho continued the tradition of participating in Texas A&M’s Big Event. The 2011 Kappa Krawfish event was held on Parents’ Weekend. The 400 guests were able to enjoy entertainment provided by a local band as well as the chapter’s Kappa Pickers and Stomp Team. The event was a huge success and raised around $10,000 for charity.
A new philanthropic event was Kappa Kook Out, which was held at the house in the fall. Over $10,000 was donated to the Nehemiah Foundation of Navasota. The chapter volunteered at the Nehemiah center to tutor and spend time with local at-risk children. Many of the sisters volunteered at Nehemiah a few times a week, and the chapter was able to accumulate over 1,000 service hours in one semester. Epsilon Rho also gave to the Texas A&M community through Kappa Kappa Chino, a daytime event where Kappas passed out free coffee provided by Starbucks to students at various locations around campus.
Chapter Convention Awards:
Highlights of 2011
January: The Epsilon Rho executive council started out the 2011 year by attending an officer retreat at the home of advisor, Carole Gruen. At the retreat officers had the unique opportunity to increase the unity of the executive council by sharing ideas and engaging in fun team building activities.
February: On February 27th, we held Semiformal at Downtown 202 in Bryan, Texas.
March: March 5th was "Dad's Day" for the Epsilon Rho Chapter. March was highlighted with the successful and fun campus-wide service opportunity, The Big Event on the 27th in which the Owl, Minerva, and Sapphire groups were paired with the fraternity Ol' Ags to volunteer yardwork services to locals. We ended the month with our first recruitment workshop which was held from 2-4pm on Sunday the 27th .
April: April 2nd was our annual formal dance, Monmouth, hosted with the sorority Pi Beta Phi at The Hilton. On Sunday the 3rd, KKG Connections was held with a few Alumni from Dallas from 2-4pm. The purpose of KKG Connections is to get to know your local alumni and have connections when you graduate and start life in the real world. Friday the 8th was Texas A&M's Annual Chilifest Cook Off. Sunday the 10th was Epsilon Rho's second Chapter Workshop from 2-4pm, where everyone was required to get their dresses approved for recruitment. Wednesday April 13th was Stompfest, a stomp competition among the sororities and fraternities. The theme was "Back to the Basics" and Epsilon Rho dressed to the theme of "A&M Traditions" and we won second place. On the 16th Kappa BBQ which was a purely social event took place and parents and friends were invited for a delicious home cooked meal.
May: Senior Date Party was themed, "Viva los Seniors" and was held on May 2nd at Schotzis. In order to prepare for finals, the Kappa house was a quiet zone and our chapter room was used as the "Kappa Library" to study. Compared to previous years, more and more actives are taking advantage of the “Kappa Library” as a resource and this year there were many delicious snacks to choose from, provided by our VP of Academic Excellence.
June & July: Summer was a time for recruitment preparation. Melanie Urmeovich the Head of Recruitment and her assistants spent a lot of time in College Station. Epsilon Rho won the prestigious Panhellenic award from A&M for our outstanding participation in Texas A&M University’s Panhellenic system. August: PC '10 moved into the house on the 13th and then we began the month with work week on Sunday the 14th. During this week, we held a special night for our parents and friends to preview our skit that we were to perform for the potential new members during recruitment. We celebrated Bid Day and the arrival of our 44 new members, including 6 sophomores, with the theme, "Don't Mess with Kappa" where the chapter dressed in Texan attire and boots.
September: On the 25th we had KKG Ritual Review, where actives went over Kappa rituals and practices songs. On the 29th, our informal social event, K-K-Jean was held at The Tap. In September, Kali Davis attended Leadership Academy in Ohio on behalf of Epsilon Rho, and met many different Kappas from around the country.
October: October 16th was Chapter Ritual Review from 2-4pm. Composite pictures were taken on the 12th, 13th and 14th of October. October was a big month for Epsilon Rho because on Friday the 21st, KKG Fireside took place. The new members came to the house after their lovely Italian dinner and joined the actives for an evening of fun and surprises. They spent the night and bonded with the actives until they were left for a peaceful night of rest, waiting in anticipation for the morning to come. The women were initiated on Friday October 21st. We also started volunteering at Nehemiah, our local philanthropy during October. We celebrated Founders Day at our October 17th meeting where there was a founders day cake and our officers spoke about the history of Founder's Day and Sarah Atkins was formally affiliated as well. Brittany Sutherland, the Nominating Committee Chair explained what nominating committee is and when nominations would take place. The next week on the 25th , Owloween took place and we implemented a new system to make check in for events easier through googledocs. Sunday the 30th, Mom's Day was organized by Megan Montgomery at the Kappa house from 2-4pm. 130 mother and daughters total were present and there were snacks and treats provided while they decorated mugs purchased from U-Paint-It. Trick-or-Treat on Sorority Row took place on Halloween and Kappa was paired with Sig Ep.
November: On Friday November 4th, New Member Presentation was held. This is an event in which the new members are presented by a male family member or friend at David Gardner, the jewelry store. The next morning was Tri Deltas Game day, which many Kappas participated in. During the month of November PC 11 had an anti-hazing meeting that was required by Panhellenic. At the November 14th meeting, the slate was presented and elected on November 21st.
Our new philanthropy event, Kappa Kook Out took place on Thursday November 17th from 5-8 pm and it was a huge success! The week before the event banners were held alll round campus, at Academic Plaza, on West Campus, in the Commons and on the corner of Texas and George Bush. We set up for the event all afternoon with three letter signs on each sign of the house and one in the back yard, many tables and chairs in the back yard with red plaid table cloths. Country music was played and the event was truly a success. Over $10,000 was donated to the Nehemiah Foundation of Navasota this past year, and our donation made a significant impact on their ability to serve the surrounding community of Navasota. On November 30th, we held Kappa Kappa Chino, which is a nonprofit, non-fundraising event where Kappas volunteer their time to pass out free coffee, provided by Starbucks on various locations around campus.
The Kappa Powder Puff Team, which is part of Panhellenic Intramurals, placed 4th out of 18 teams - Congratulations! December: We began the month on Thursday December 1st where we had Ranch Party with Tri Delta. On December 4th from 2-5pm the newly elected officers had their "Triplet Meeting", where they had training with the previous officers and alumnae advisors. Academic Banquet was December 5th and PC'09 was awarded the PC with the highest GPA. We also have 8 young women who have 4.0 GPA's overall. KKP (Most Valuable Kappa) awards, were presented to; Stephanie Gonzales of PC'11, Meredith Barnes of PC'10, Sarah Wiggins of PC'09, and Brittany Sutherland of PC'08. Exams began the next Friday December 9th through Wednesday the 14th, then all the Kappas went home for a wonderful break.
Epsilon Rho worked to achieve the chapter GPR and remain in high scholastic standing among the sororities on campus. Girls who got A's on tests were rewarded and "No Skippy" recognized girls who did not skip class. After surpassing the GPR goal of 3.33 for the fall semester 0f 2009, the chapter voted on a GPR goal of 3.35 which challenged every girl to work hard in school. The "Test Bank" served as a great way for girl's to look at old tests in a certain subject, allowing them to practice and prepare for an upcoming test. When the chapter room isn't in use for chapter meetings, it is set up the Kappa library with tables and lamps for girls to study in a quiet location. By providing these helpful resources, the 2011 spring and fall GPR's were 3.3. Currently 8 actives have an overall GPR of 4.0 and around 15 actives achieved a 4.0 GPR for the 2011 fall semester.
In order to increase participation on campus in the chapter as well as support other organizations, the executive council implemented a points system and split the chapter into six "Kore" groups. Members would receive a point everytime they attended another organizations philanthropy, and each group was assigned to attend a certain philanthropy event. The “Kore” groups also helped in making sign-in at meeting faster and more efficient. Girls now check in by group rather than new member class like in previous years. We also announced a new, hands-on philanthropy approach in which girls would have the opportunity to volunteer at the Nehemiah center and work with local children several times a week. Through Nehemiah, the chapter worked on the service component of philanthropy by tutoring and playing with at risk children. In the year of 2011, approximately half of the women in each pledge class volunteered at Nehemiah a few times a week and we had a combined number of 1,000 service hours.
Highlights of 2012
January: The Epsilon Rho executive council started out the year 2012 by attending an officer retreat at the home of advisor Carol Gruen. During the retreat goals were made for the new year, decisions were discussed, and a positive attitude was implemented. Officers were able to strengthen the unity of the Council and get to know each other through team building activities. A profit share was held at Chick Fil A on the 26th and at Red Mango on the 31st. Profit Shares consist of encouraging members and friends to go to a specific place, like a restaurant, and tell the cashier that you are in support of a certain organization, like Kappa. The restaurant then donates a portion of the proceeds raised during that day and it is a win-win situation. The restaurant gets more business because of our marketing and we earn money for our philanthropy. Through these profit shares we raised $300 for the Nehemiah Center of Navasota during the month of January.
February: On February 10th, we enjoyed a sisterhood event where actives were invited to the midnight premiere of The Vow. Our annual philanthropy event, Reading is Fundamental, took place on February 11th at the Nehemiah Center of Navasota. RIF included one-on-one reading with the kids, Valentine themed cookie decorating, many arts and crafts activities, a performance by our very own Kappa Pickers, and a book reading by an Aggie football player. Each child was able to choose 2 books to take home and the rest of the books were donated to the Nehemiah Center of Navasota. The LEAD Conference was held in Austin this month. The entire Executive Council attended and gained leadership skills from alumnae and members of other chapters. Our Semi-Formal, themed “Texas Tuxes,” was held on February 16th. Our Events committee organized a fashion show for the Monday meeting before to assist actives and their dates in dressing in the perfect attire. On the 27th, guest speaker Jessica Bowers spoke at our chapter meeting about the harmful effects of alcohol. A profit share was held at Froyoyo on the 28th for the Nehemiah Center of Navasota.
March: On the 3rd, we invited our Dad’s to College Station for lunch at a local favorite, The Dixie Chicken. We then took them to an A&M baseball game at the newly renovated Olsen Field. The 18th marked the beginning of our Senior Programming series with a lesson on Interviewing and Business Professionalism. On the 19th, Dr. Elizabeth Grey spoke at our Monday meeting on the value of saying "I don't know" in both the medical field and in every day life. PC'10 had their own sisterhood event on the 20th with a viewing party of Pretty Little Liars and a plethora of pizza rolls. On the 4th and 25th, a Recruitment workshop was held for our newest members to enhance their understanding of Kappa Recruitment. A profit share was held at Fuddruckers on the 6th and at Spoons on the 22nd to benefit the Nehemiah Center of Navasota. Senior Programming continued on the 25th with helpful insight into Networking and Entrepreneurship. On the 26th, Kelsey Schmidt gave a presentation at our Monday meeting about the history of Kappa Kappa Gamma. The month ended with Parents Weekend, which was hosted at the Kappa house with lunch.
April: We kicked off the month with our annual philanthropy event, Kappa Krawfish! All proceeds were donated to the Nehemiah Center of Navasota. Seniors were prepped on Eating Healthy and leading a Balanced Lifestyle on the 1st. A Recruitment workshop was held on the 15th to help the entire chapter prepare for a successful Recruitment. Our annual "Monmouth" formal with Pi Beta Phi was held on the 5th, complete with a photo booth, casino, and face painting. PC' 09 had their own Sisterhood Event on the 10th with a Potluck Dinner. Seniors heard about how to manage their money after graduation with a lesson on "I'm Graduating, Now what" on the 15th. On the 17th, the in-house girls participated in a dinner swap with the girls of Alpha Chi Omega. Creative ideas about how to get involved in a community after college were shared with the seniors on the 22nd. Senior Programming ended on the 29th with an Alumna Presentation and Senior Banquet at Alumna Connie Appelt's house, the president of the College Station Alum Association. Our graduating seniors were given the chance to network with and learn from these women in a very unique and personal way. The Academic Banquet was held on the 30th, where girls were rewarded with gifts for their academic excellence.
May: We celebrated our graduating seniors on May 1st with an 80s themed date party and took advantage of the "Kappa Library" while preparing for finals.
June & July: From June 20-24th, five members of our Executive Council were able to attend Kappa Convention. The girls attended several programs throughout the day to gain creativity and insight on how to better lead our chapter. They left inspired after hearing so many great ideas and hearing the national Kappa President speak.
August: The Fall season began with 48 members of PC '11 moving into the house and embarking on Recruitment Work Week. During this week, we held a special night for our parents and friends to preview our “Monopoly” skit that we were to perform for the potential new members during Recruitment. We then kicked off Recruitment with a “Candy Land” day one and finished up with a “Don’t Mess with Kappa” themed Bid Day. Leadership Consultant Jessica Pereira stayed with us the entire week to help us build upon our Recruitment. She was immensely helpful. The new members spent the night at the Kappa House that night and the chapter was thrilled to have a new pledge class filled bright young women joining our sorority. The first meeting marked the announcement of our new academic program. The Period of Concern plan called for supervised study hours at either the Kappa Library or an on campus library, and supervision would be provided by the Academics Committee and the officers. With this new system the girls are held to a higher standard and are held accountable. We also required all of the girls on POC to meet with each of their professors and get to know them personally. These new changes were implemented with the hope of seeing an improvement in the Epsilon Rho Academics overall. After much hard work, the new Kappa website was introduced by our Public Relations chair.
September: At our Formal Meeting on the 3rd, Formal Pledging began. Owl Groups were announced, a program that combined New Members with active members, creating a group for girls from different pledge classes to get to know each other. They were also given the chance to pull tickets for the Florida Football Game as a pledge class with the New Member Executive. During the Monday meeting on the 10th, the new Kappa Kolor points system was announced, requiring girls to get two points for participation in our brand new philanthropy event. PC 11 attended Ritual Review on the 9th and the entire chapter attended Ritual Review on the 16th. We kicked off our socials with the first date party on the 20th. The theme was “Two by two” and it was held at The Tap. Actives revealed themselves to their new little sisters on the 23rd. at the Kappa house in a unique way.
October: October was a big month for our chapter as we initiated our new members! We hosted a profit share at the local burger joint, Grub, to raise money for our philanthropy on the 2nd. One last Ritual Review was held for the entire chapter on the 7th. On the 8th, girls were split up according to their majors and were able to answer questions that the new PC had about professors and classes. On the 9th, a profit share was held at Chick-Fil-A to earn money to support the Nehemiah Center of Navasota. During the week leading up to initiation, the 9th through the 11th, our Marshal committee planned nightly mixers for the pledge classes to get to know each other. After a week of activities, Fireside was held on the 12th and Initiation was held on the 13th. 55 members were initiated. Founders Day was celebrated with a presentation given by the Education committee during the Monday meeting on the 15th. An interesting video was displayed and both cookie cake and sparkling grape juice were served afterwards. The intramural chair organized a discount gym membership for actives at Athletes Prime, which has included many workout classes during the semester. To give members a chance to get more involved with philanthropic activity, girls went to "Lights After School" to help Lincoln Center host a carnival for kids. A group of girls gathered to go to "Trick or TREATs" at a local Animal Shelter on the 26th, , giving animals treats and taking dogs outside to exercise them. On October 27th, we hosted our first annual Kappa Kolor Run. Participants ran a 5k where they had different colored powdered paint thrown on them at each kilometer. The event was a huge success and raised about $11,000 for our local philanthropy, the Nehemiah Center of Navasota. On the 29th, the Academic's Banquet was held at the Monday meeting. Girls were rewarded for their academic excellence. We also raised money to contribute to the family we sponsored with Rose McGill Holiday Sharing through the Kappa Foundation. The chapter celebrated Halloween with Chi Omega at the “Owloween” date party at Hurricane Harry’s on the 30th. Members then passed out candy on sorority row with Kappa Alpha Order to young trick-or-treaters on the 31st.
November: The new members were presented at the Kappa House on November 3rd at the New Member Presentation, featuring a performance by the Kappa Pickers. Mom’s Day took place the 4th and members had the option to paint mugs, tiles or crosses with their mothers. On the 15th, “Ranch Party” was hosted with Tri Delta. We voted on our new Chapter Council on the 19th, securing a responsible and driven group of girls. On the 26th, the in-house girls helped decorate the Kappa House for the holiday season! Actives passed out free coffee and donuts on campus at our semi-annual event, Kappa Kappa Chino on the 28th. The intramurals team placed 2nd in the flag football league and 3rd in the indoor soccer league. The team also participated in a powderpuff tournament put on by the men of Ol' Ags and won 4th in the tournament. We worked hard all semester with the men of Squadron 17 to ensure a great dance performance at Chi Omega’s fundraiser, Songfest. The first night took place on November 30th and the Kappa Pickers performed between acts. We earned money to donate to Nehemiah because of our dedicated participation.
December: This month was a season to be jolly amid studying for finals in the “Kappa Library”. While the Stompfest Team prepared for their final performance on the night of the 1st, 9 of our other lucky members participated in Houston Alumni Association's Kappa Pilgrimage. Girls had brunch at an alumnae's house and toured some of the most beautiful homes in Houston. The "Triplet Meeting" occurred on the 2nd, where the new officers had the chance to meet with the previous officers and their advisors. Our Vice President of Standards hosted a Christmas party after the Monday meeting that took place on the 3rd. Girls dressed in tacky Christmas sweaters, decorated cookies with festive icings and sprinkles, and exchanged ornaments. Upon finals, our Chaplains hosted a Hot Chocolate Bar and provided bible verse cut outs to remind girls what the Christmas season was about on December 9th.
During the past year, Texas A&M joined the SEC Conference. Spirits are high at the recent winning of the Heismann by our very own Johnny Manziel. The Memorial Student Center opened on September 1st after two and a half years of renovation. This has given students a place to study together, eat together, and get to know each other in a central location. The campus feels more united for it. Texas A&M still holds true to it's reputation of kindness and chivalry, and the student body radiates with pride for attending such an incredible University.
Highlights of 2013
January: The Epsilon Rho executive officers started out 2013 with an officer’s retreat at Academic Advisor, Sarah Elmore’s house in Bryan, TX. This was the first time the new council had the opportunity to sit down and prepare for the year ahead. All of the officers expressed their goals for 2013, planned the chapter calendar, and made important decisions regarding the Epsilon Rho Chapter as a whole. Officers were able to get to know one another and strengthen the bond of the Council. January 14th, 2013 was the first chapter meeting to start the semester.
February: For Valentines Day, instead of having a normal day at Nehemiah we had a Valentines Day Party on the 14th, which included decorating cookies. Nehemiah Center of Navasota is an after school program to help at-risk kids enhance their growth. Each girl in our chapter is required to volunteer at least two times per semester in Navasota to help the kids with their homework, read with them, and play on the playground. Our annual RIF event (Reading is Fundamental) on the 16th was very exciting for the kids at The Nehemiah Center of Navasota. The Kappa Pickers performed and two A&M football players read books to the kids to get them excited about reading. Our chapter donated many books for the kids to take home and encourage them to read. Five wonderful Houston Alums came to the event along with kids at Nehemiah and their families. They enjoyed new books to take home, along with hot dogs, chips, and lemonade to snack on during the event.
To educate PC’12 on Recruitment, a Rookie Workshop was held on Sunday the 24th from 2:00pm to 4:00 pm. The new pledge class was informed and advised on how to vote and what Work Week and Recruitment would entail. On the 23rd, all Fathers were invited for a day in College Station to eat lunch at the Dixie Chicken and attend a Texas A&M basketball game in Read Arena. The 24th marked our first speaker of the semester. He was a local police officer who talked about different laws pertaining to alcohol. “Texas Tuxes”, our annual Semi-Formal Date Party, was held on the 28th.
March: We kicked this month off with the Province Meeting in Lubbock on the 1st-3rd. Twelve officers attended this meeting, learning many strategies to help make our chapter as successful as possible. During this retreat we were awarded with the Philanthropy Excellence Award for our dedication and support to our local philanthropy the Nehemiah Center of Navasota. This award encouraged us to continue working on all areas of our chapter. We had the honor of hosting Chelsea, our Leadership Consultant, during the 17th through the 22nd. Chelsea not only helped us address issues that are challenges for us, she also highlighted the areas where we excel. On Saturday the 23rd our chapter participated in Big Event along with an all Men’s Organization called Ol Ags. Big Event is a university wide community service project that A&M created to give back to the community around us. Recruitment team conducted another Rookie Workshop on the 24th for PC’12 to prepare them for Work Week and Recruitment. Also on the 24th was the kick off of Senior Programming. At their meeting they discussed interview tips along with dressing for success for professional interviews. Lastly, Professor Welch from Mays Business School, came to talk to the chapter about self motivation and dreaming big.
April: At our chapter meeting on April 1st, we had our guest speaker, Dr. Stoker speak to us about interviewing. He stressed the importance of being prepared for the interview and also expressing your knowledge about the company rather than just talking about your qualifications. Chapter Workshop was held on the 7th from 2 to 4 to prepare the entire chapter for success during Recruitment. Senior Programming was also held on April 7th with a chance to go ice-skating at a local ice rink. April 10th was the exciting roommate reveal for the girls living in the house for the upcoming year. During Aggie Parents Weekend, Kappa hosted a luncheon at the Kappa house for anyone who could attend with their parents. Kappa Krawfish, a philanthropy event, was held at Veteran’s Park on April 14th with around 300 people who showed up to eat crawfish and support Kappa. The Kappa Pickers performed along with a local band Votary and all the proceeds went to the Nehemiah Center of Navasota. Also on this Sunday was a yoga class at the rec center as the activity for Senior Programming. On April 21st a Kappa Trainer came to visit and presented a PowerPoint show on Ritual. She expressed the importance of Ritual and how it binds us all together.
Along with the Kappa trainer was a cooking class for the seniors at Marci Cory’s beautiful home. Our annual formal called Monmouth was held on the 18th along with Pi Beta Phi. We had a live band, photo booth, casino, and face painting that kept everyone occupied and having fun the whole night. Senior Programming ended on the 28th with a dinner that six alums attended with Houston alums hosting. The seniors were transferred to Alum status by Carolyn Hoyle, a local alum, who performed the ritual. The Houston alums made the traditional small blue pillow for each of the new alums to keep their Key safe and a few alums told their stories of why Kappa has been an important part of their adult life. The last date party for the semester had a theme of YouTube Hits chosen and voted by the seniors graduating in May. This date party was held on the 30th, which was the last day of classes to kick off the week of finals.
May: We took advantage of the “Kappa Library” in the house while preparing for finals and also congratulated the graduating seniors for the semester.
August: As the fall semester was about to begin, 44 members of PC’12 moved into the Kappa house to embark on Work Week held on the 12th through the 16th. During this week all the members of the chapter work rigorously to prepare for Recruitment. During this week we have one special night when we invite parents and friends to our preview of our recruitment skit. This year was especially exciting because our theme of our skit was changed from Monopoly to Disney. The amazing recruitment team worked very hard to change and improve our skit, which turned out as a great success. Recruitment began on the 19th and started with the theme “Candy Land” and ended with “Don’t Mess With Kappa” theme for Bid Day on the 24th. We welcomed the new sixty nine wonderful and bright young women of Pledge Class 2013 on Bid Day. We also had the wonderful opportunity to welcome our new house mom, Momma Hurley to our family. This first meeting of this semester marked an announcement of achieving 2nd ranked in grades for Panhellenic for the past semester with an overall GPA of 3.36. We also announced that our chapter won the Penny Wars, which was a competition put on by Panhellenic the past semester. During this meeting all the current officers introduced themselves and expressed what their duties are to the new pledge class of PC’13.
September: To kick off this month we sent a check to the Nehemiah Center of Navasota for $9,590.68 from our earnings from Kappa Kolor and Kappa Krawfish. We also sent a check for $1000 to the Kappa Foundation. September 8th was a day full of activities. First PC’13 had their retreat starting at 12pm to 5pm. Girls participated in many activities throughout the day to get to know one another. That night 65 girls attended the Panhellenic event to the Women’s A&M Soccer game vs. Baylor. Kappa won this event with the most attendance and received $100 toward our local philanthropy. The 12th - 15th, one of our chapter members was honored to attend Leadership Academy. She learned through this retreat how to channel her values and passions into being a better leader personally and in Kappa. As a way for the new pledge class to get to know one another, girls had the opportunity to pull tickets together for the SMU football game on the 13th. Big Little Reveal is an especially exciting night for the new pledge class and occurred at the Kappa House on the 18th. September 19th marked our first date party of the semester. The theme was “New Kappa’s on the Block”, which was celebrated with 90s costumes. On the 22nd, the first Ritual Review was held for PC’12, and the entire chapter attended a Ritual Review on the 29th. On the 23rd the Academics Award Ceremony was held. We celebrated girls who made great grades last semester, which included 10 girls who upheld their overall 4.0’s and 32 girls who received 4.0’s for the past semester. At the Monday meeting on the 30th for our guest speaker we had girls within out chapter speak about their experiences with study abroad. This gave other Kappa’s within our chapter a chance to learn about all the opportunities throughout A&M pertaining to the study abroad program.
October: This month started off quickly with Inspiration Week (I-Week). On the 1st, PC’13 and PC’12 had a mixer to paint pumpkins at the Kappa House. On the 2nd, PC’13 and PC’11 had a chance to mingle and make s’mores. And lastly on the 3rd, PC’13 and PC’10 devoured ice cream sundaes and PC’10 shared their experiences with the new pledge class. Then came the exciting weekend of ritual. Fireside was concluded on the 4th and initiation on the 5th. 68 new members were successfully initiated and had a wonderful time sleeping at the Kappa house on Friday night.
At our Monday Meeting we celebrated Founders Day with Lisa Hunziker, our guest speaker and alumna. Lisa spoke to the chapter about “Kappa Throughout the Years” and how special membership is in Kappa and how Kappa lasts a lifetime. After our meeting we had cookie cake and refreshments to celebrate. We conducted a Profit Share at Northgate Vintage on the 17th. Profit Shares consist of encouraging members and friends to go to a specific place, at a specific time and when checking out inform the cashier that you are in support of a certain organization like Kappa. The place the holds the profit share, like Northgate Vintage, donates a portion of the proceeds raised to our organization.
It is a great and easy way to help raise money for Kappa and our philanthropies. October 20th marked the New Member Presentation at the Kappa House along with Moms Day at Briarcrest Country Club. All the new members were presented to family and friends that afternoon after a successful Mom’s Day. We had 40 girls attend a “Dinner Swap” with the Sorority of Delta Delta Delta on the 23rd. This was the most girls we have ever had attend a dinner swap. We had our second date party for the semester called “Owl-o-ween” on October 24th. Sixteen Kappa’s attended the Aggie Greek Award Banquet on the 25th, which we were honored to accept the “Outstanding Community Relations” Award. On the 28th we had our Sister Sorority Event with Alpha Chi Omega at Froyoyo after the meeting, in which we had 59 girls attend. Our sister sorority is matched up by Panhellenic to encourage sororities to mix with each other. Lastly to end this exciting month, we had Trick or Treat on Sorority Row on the 31st. We had a chance to pass out candy and do an activity with all the kids that attended. We were paired with a men’s organization Alpha Tau Omega.
November: We kicked off November with another Panhellenic event hosted by Dillard’s. One hundred and ten girls from our chapter attended, which made us the chapter with the highest attendance. On the 4th we had a wonderful guest speaker who spoke about dressing for success and gave us interview tips for use in our future. We had our second Leadership Consultant arrive on the 3rd and stay all the way through the 8th. Emilee provided us with things we really need to focus on and also with attributes that we can continue to succeed in. On November 6th we had a Sisterhood event at our local bowling ally. Girls in all different pledge classes attended and had a blast bowling. We had another Profit Share at Newks Restaurant on the 12th to help raise awareness and money for our Kappa Kolor Run. The 16th marked our 2nd Annual Kappa Kolor Run, where many family and friends came out to run the 5K. This year we had four hundred and twenty five participants for the College Station community as well as students within A&M. The Texas A&M Yell Leaders started off the race with a few “Yells” to get everyone pumped up for the race. We also had a silent auction that was a huge success to raise money for Nehemiah. November 17th was the Powder Puff tournament, where we had 25 girls participate in. November 20th Kappa’s attended the Hunger Games Premiere with another sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta as another sister sorority mixer. “Ranch Party” on November 21st was our final Date Party for the semester. This party was with another sorority, Delta Delta Delta and was held at a ranch in Bryan, TX. On November 24th Chaplains put on a Kappa Fellowship Night at the Kappa house for movies and fun. Also that night was a tree decorating party that our new house mom hosted to get girls excited about the holidays. At every meeting this month we collected donations for the Rose McGill Holiday Sharing to help out a Kappa’s family in financial need this holiday season. We met our goal and bought gift cards from places requested by the family.
December: As activities were winding down, the Public Relations Chair hosted Kappa Chino on December 3rd. Kappa Chino is where our chapter gives our free Starbucks coffee and donuts to people on campus near finals week. This year we had fifty-two Kappa’s stop by the station to help out and hand out free coffee to anyone who wants it. During this week and the next the “Kappa Library” was opened at the Kappa House. Lastly, to close out the year we had out triplet meeting with all the advisors, previous officers, and new officers. Describe the recent changes on your campus and describe the overall nature of your chapter.
2013 was a very big year for Texas A&M that included immense changes for our University. In July President Loftin announced that he is stepping down as President of Texas A&M University. Much of our University was upset by this announcement because President Loftin embodied A&M and made extensive changes to our school. Although he is leaving, his idea of a new and improved Kyle Field will continue on. Reconstruction to our football stadium began right after our last home game against Mississippi State on November 9th. The new stadium will be the biggest in the SEC and will hold 102, 500 screaming fans. And lastly, although he didn’t win, Johnny Manziel was once again a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. He himself changed Texas A&M football along side Coach Sumlin, who in December signed a six-year extension contract.
Our chapter is very genuine and down to earth. We love to volunteer at our local philanthropy and continue to look at Nehemiah as an opportunity to stay positive and help the wonderful kids who need support. We are also a very spirited chapter and love to have fun.
Highlights of 2014
January: The Epsilon Rho chapter officers for 2014 attended an officer’s retreat Friday January 10th through Saturday 11th at adviser, Carol’s Gruen’s, ranch house. This was the first time the 2014 officers worked together to plan for a great year for our chapter. The officers established goals for the entire chapter to accomplish in 2014, created the chapter calendar for the fall, and made important decisions about the Epsilon Rho Chapter as a whole. This 2 day retreat allowed all the officers to bond as friends and officers and helped our Chapter Council grow. The first meeting of the year was on Monday, January 13th, 2014. A Leadership consultant, Emilie Blake, came to our chapter from January 26th – 31st. She had been a Leadership Consultant for us the year before. It was a great opportunity to strengthen our relationship with her while she gave us feedback on our chapter’s strengths and focus areas and assessed our progress since her last visit.
February: Our chapter had a great time country dancing at our Semi-formal, “Texas Tuxes”, on February 6th. On February 8th, our officers attended, adviser, Carol Gruen’s ranch house again for a meeting with the University of Texas Kappa’s Chapter Council. We shared ideas, talked about our chapter’s pros and cons, and bonded with each other and our advisors. Our chapter also hosted a Valentine’s Day party on the 13th. The party was also to celebrate our house mom, Martha Hurley’s, birthday. We decorated cookies and sang Happy Birthday to Mom Hurley.
The Nehemiah Center of Navasota is an after school program to help at-risk kids reach their full potential. Every Epsilon Rho member must volunteer at least two times a semester. The girls help the kids with their homework, help with arts and crafts, read with them, and play activities outside. On the 15th we hosted our annual RIF event (Reading is Fundamental) for the kids at the Nehemiah Center. The kids had a fun day as two Texas A&M football players read books to 13 kids and the Kappa Pickers sang 3 songs. Our Academics Banquet was on Monday the 17th. PC 13 and PC 12 had a fun evening on February 20th at the Kappa house for paddle pass. PC13 gave cute, personalized paddles to their big sisters. Dad’s Day on Saturday, February 22th was a success. Kappa’s and their dads had lunch at a local restaurant, the Dixie Chicken. Afterwards, everyone went to a basketball game. PC 13 had a meeting, Rookie Workshop, on Sunday February 23rd. The girls learned about work week, recruitment, and the voting process for Recruitment. At a chapter meeting of February 24th, Sara Tharp and Christa Peyton, our Marshal advisor, explained the importance of Ritual.
March: Kappa was a part of the first Panhellenic Preview Day on Saturday, March 22nd. Every sorority had a booth and members outside of their house so potential new members who were interested in recruitment could talk to each sorority or ask questions. The first day of senior programming was on March 23rd. As our spring philanthropy, Kappa Kook-out, was near, members held banners between March 24th and April 1st advertising to the student body. The Senior Date Party was a few days later on March 27th. Since the theme was Kappa Kappa Grammy’s, everyone creatively dressed up as their favorite celebrity or artist. As a way to give back to the College Station community, Kappa and the fraternity, Kappa Alpha Order, participated together in Big Event on March 29th. Big Event was founded at Texas A&M, and is an annual university wide community service project for students to serve the local residents in College Station. Our chapters split into smaller groups and did whatever the locals needed help with, such as pulled weeds, raked, and spruced up peoples front and back yards. There was another Rookie Workshop on March 30th, which furthered PC13’s preparation for work week and Recruitment. The same day the seniors had Senior Programming.
April: Our chapter kicked April off with our philanthropy event, Kappa Kook-out, on the 1st at the Kappa House from 5-8pm. Everyone had a great time eating burgers, and taking pictures with fun props at the photo station. A local musician played live music and the Pickers sang. The line of people who attended was down the street! We raised around $5,000 for the Nehemiah Center of Navasota. A Recruitment workshop was held on April 6th to prepare all members for an effective recruitment. That same day there was a senior programming meeting. On April 10th we had our formal, Monmouth, with the sorority Pi Beta Phi. The night was filled with a live band, face painting, photo booth, and fun games! Saturday, April 12th was the annual Kappa Krawfish event, on Parents Weekend. It is not a philanthropy event, but a relaxing event for Epsilon Rho’s members, their families and friends to eat crawfish at the Kappa house. PC 13 began learning Kappa’s rituals for initiation at Ritual Review on the 13th. Seniors attended a senior programming meeting the same day. April 16th was PC 13’s roommate reveal at the Kappa house. Chapter members volunteered at Kappa Chino on the 22nd. They had a great opportunity serving Aggies free coffee and food on campus. The next Sunday, April 27th, the senior members had another Senior Programming meeting. As the semester began to end, our chapter had its last meeting of the semester on April 28. At this meeting our chapter was awarded first place in the SAE philanthropy event and received $3,700 towards our philanthropy, Nehemiah.
May: On May 4th, the Senior Programming Dinner was held. The local alums hosted a dinner for the seniors at Kay Cox’s house. The chapter room became the “Kappa Library” for all the members as finals approached.
June: Our chapter had the privilege to host the Kappa Convention in Houston, TX. Four of our officers and a few of our advisors attended the convention from June 25th to 29th. They attended workshops, meetings, banquets, a speaker, and much more. We received the Best Advisory Board Award and Honorable Mention for Gracious Living, Panhellenic, and Philanthropy. During the convention, the officers saw the heart of Kappa Kappa Gamma. They learned that Kappa Kappa Gamma is bigger than just our chapter, but Kappa’s all across the country make a difference in this sorority.
July: N/A
August: As the summer ended, PC 13 moved into the Kappa house on August 16th. From August 18th to the 22nd our chapter attended Work Week. We worked extremely hard for a great recruitment. Over the week, we kept spirits high with costume themes everyday, dunking booth, slip and slide, and snow cones. The Nehemiah board visited our chapter one day during work week thanking us for all our support and donations. It was very special to us to see Epsilon Rho’s impact on Nehemiah. Saturday, the 23rd our parents and friends supported us by watching our wonderful Disney themed skit for recruitment. As a result, we received great feedback. The next week, August 25th through the 29th, our chapter and Recruitment team gave 110% during Recruitment. Our first theme of the week was “Candy Land”. We changed our philanthropy day this year. We explained Nehemiah and our national philanthropy through parodies of famous songs. Girls dress up as the iconic singers and sang the parts. It was a hit! As a result of our hard work, our chapter received 89 wonderful girls to our chapter! We were ecstatic to welcome them on August 30th with the theme “Don’t Mess With Kappa.”
September: September 1st was the beginning of school. This was also the first new member meeting at 6pm each week following the first weekly chapter meeting at 7pm. The officers described their positions during the chapter meeting for PC 14. PC 14 had formal pledging at the next meeting on September 8th, which was a formal meeting. Our chapter had a special opportunity on the 14th as a trainer, Sharon Gober, from Fraternity Council talked to our entire chapter. She taught us about the use of committees and ritual, and our chapter grew stronger from her advice. The Panhellenic soccer game was held on the same day. Our chapter won the highest attendance of the game. This is our second year to win. During our next meeting, September 22nd, we had an academic celebration. The members who earned excellent grades received gifts. 33 girls earned 4.0’s during the fall semester. September 30th was an exciting night for PC 14 because it was Big Little reveal at the Kappa house.
October: Composite pictures were taken on the first and second of October at the park nearby the Kappa house. The first date party of the fall semester was on the second as well. The theme was “Peace, Love, and Kappa” and everyone dressed up in 70’s theme costumes. On Sunday the 5th, PC13 attended a ritual review meeting. They prepared for initiation and fireside through entertaining activities. For the Ole Miss vs. Texas A&M game, Epsilon Rho hosted a Kappa Parents tailgate on Saturday the 11th at Spence Park for our members and their families. Everyone ate delicious barbeque and played games.
The next day all our members attended the chapter ritual workshop. We prepared for Fireside and practiced ritual to ensure that initiation would run smoothly. Our chapter celebrated Founders Day at our formal meeting on October 13th.The education officer, Monica Priwin, and her committee gave a presentation to the chapter. Everyone had dessert and spent time together after the meeting to continue the celebration. To celebrate PC 14’s initiation, our chapter had a Sisterhood-Initiation week event on the 22nd. Everyone spent the evening together watching Hocus Pocus and eating s’mores at the Kappa house. October 24th was a memorable night for our sorority. Our chapter had Fireside at the Kappa house for PC 14. The Aggie Greek Awards Banquet was that night. Epsilon Rho received the Loyalty award and the Selfless Service Award. Only 8 awards were presented and we received two. Also, our President, Rachel Huber, was a finalist for Sorority Woman of the Year. These awards were great accomplishments for our chapter. The next morning, we had initiation. 88 wonderful girls in PC 14 officially became members of our chapter. On October 28th we had a date party with the sorority Chi Omega. It was “Owl-oween” themed and everyone decked out in creative Halloween costumes. It was great having an event with another sorority. On Halloween, Our sorority participated in the Panhellenic Trick or Treat on the Row event. Kids who lived in the area played games in front of the Kappa house with our members from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.
November: On November 8th our chapter hosted our biggest philanthropy event, Kappa Kolor Run. It is a 5k run around sorority row in College Station. Chapter members are stationed throughout the race throwing powdered paint at the runners. Every runner received a t-shirt before the race and food was provided for everyone afterwards. Another part of the event was a silent auction; we had great items such as a weekend at a beach house, beat headphones, and a puppy. In all the three years our chapter has hosted Kappa Kolor, this was the highest attended race and the most money every raised. About 950 people attended the race, which greatly surpassed our expectations. Our chapter raised around $35,000 in total. This was a huge accomplishment for us and appreciated by our philanthropy, Nehemiah.
Later that day, our chapter celebrated Mom’s Day. Our members and their moms went to the Hilton in College station for a luncheon. There was great food, a raffle, and everyone spent great quality time together. For a fun treat, we had a sisterhood event on the 19th. Just our chapter saw the premiere of the Hunger Games at the movie theatre in College Station. The next evening, November 20th, our chapter had our last date party of the semester, Ranch Party, with the sorority Tri Delta in Bryan, TX. Everyone put on their cowboy boots and had a great time two stepping the night away. On November 21st and 22nd, we participated in Songfest, which is a dance competition hosted by Chi Omega that organizations pair up to compete in for two days. This is a great way for organizations to make friends with their partners and raise money for their philanthropies. We competed with the fraternity Beta Theta Pi and raised $2,000 for Nehemiah.
December: On the December 1st meeting, the new officers for 2015 were inducted. On Sunday the 7th, the new and old officers, and advisors attended the Triplet meeting to discuss each position for the new officers. On December 8th, we had karaoke at the Kappa house for our last meeting. The girls sang songs and ate yummy desserts for a relaxing last meeting before finals.
Over the year, Texas A&M stadium has been under construction. The new stadium will be the biggest in the SEC and will hold 102,500 screaming fans. Our Previous president, President Loftin, stepped down last year and was not replaced in 2014. He has been replaced by Michael Young in the beginning of 2015. Epsilon Rho is very genuine and down to earth chapter. We love to volunteer at our local philanthropy, Nehemiah. It has been an a wonderful opportunity that positively impacts spirited kids who need support and even our members. We are also a very enthusiastic chapter and love friendly competition. We are flexible, and willing to try new things for the benefit of the chapter overall.
Our Chapter holds its meetings in the chapter room of the Epsilon Rho Kappa house. The facility is a house owned by the chapter. Our chapter house, which we own, was built in 1981. We added an addition in 2000. Girls from in newest pledge class have the opportunity to live in the house. 49 sisters (including 3 officers) can live in the house.
Highlights of 2015
January: The Epsilon Rho chapter officers for 2015 attended an officer’s retreat in College Station on January 16th and 17th. This was the first time the 2015 officers worked together to plan for a great year for our chapter. The officers established goals for the entire chapter to accomplish in 2015, created the chapter calendar for the fall, and made important decisions about the Epsilon Rho Chapter as a whole. This 2 day retreat allowed all the officers to bond as friends and officers and helped our Chapter Council grow. The first meeting of the year was on Monday, January 26th, 2015.
February: The In-House girls had a Super Bowl party on Sunday, February 1th. Then there was a Valentine’s Day party for the entire chapter on the 11th at the Kappa house. Our chapter had a great time country dancing at our Semi-formal, “Texas Tuxes”, on February 12th. The Nehemiah Center of Navasota is an after school program to help at-risk kids reach their full potential. Every Epsilon Rho member must volunteer at least two times a semester. The girls help the kids with their homework, help with arts and crafts, read with them, and play activities outside. On the 13th we hosted our annual RIF event (Reading is Fundamental) for the kids at the Nehemiah Center. We had Texas A&M football players come out to see the kids!! Our chapter participated in Panhellenic Preview day on February 15th. This is an opportunity for incoming freshman girls to meet each sorority. A group of our chapter council attended the Province meeting on February 20th-22nd in Dallas. They worked with other Kappa chapters and brought back valuable tools to build our chapter. We celebrated all the hard work our members put into school by hosting an Academics Banquet on Monday the 23rd. PC 14 and PC 13 had a fun evening on February 25th at the Kappa house for paddle pass. PC14 gave cute, personalized paddles to their big sisters. Dad’s day was on February 28th. Our dad’s came to College Station for a BBQ cookout and then attended an A&M Basketball game with their daughters.
March: We had a Leadership Consultant visit our chapter from March 1st-6th. She observed how our chapter functions, and provided feedback about our chapters strengths and weaknesses. PC 14 had a Ritual Review meeting on March 1st where they learned about Fireside and Initiation. There also was a Rookie Workshop meeting on Sunday, March 8th to prepare PC 14 for work week and recruitment. Roommate Reveal was March 11th. This was when PC14 discovered their roommates and their room assignment in the Kappa house for the next school year. The first Senior Programming meeting was on March 23rd. As a way to give back to the College Station community, Kappa and the fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, partnered together for Big Event on March 28th. This event was founded at Texas A&M, and is an annual university wide community service project for students to serve the local residents in College Station. Our chapters split into smaller groups and did whatever the locals needed help with, such as pulled weeds, raked, and spruced up peoples front and back yards. The second Rookie Workshop was on March 29th, which furthered PC14’s preparation for Work Week and Recruitment. There was a Senior Programming meeting on the 29th as well. We held our spring philanthropy event, Kappa Kook-Out, on March 31st at the Kappa House. Everyone had a great time eating burgers, and taking pictures, listening to music and the Pickers. We raised around $4,100 for the Nehemiah Center of Navasota.
April: We had a sisterhood event in place of our weekly chapter meeting on April 6th. We had a “Kappa Karnival” at the Kappa house with corndogs, fun slides, and cotton candy! Everyone dressed up in their High School colors for a fun “High School Heroes” Senior Date Party on Tuesday, April 7th. There was a Recruitment workshop for the entire chapter held on April 12th to prepare all members for an effective recruitment. The third Senior Programming meeting was held on April 12th. On April 15th, Kappa participated in Stompfest, which is a dance competition between different organizations at Texas A&M. Our theme was the Disney channel movie “Holes” and we received third place! We had Kappa Con Queso on April 18th. We had a Mexican restaurant, Chuy’s, cater lunch at the Kappa house for Texas A&M Parents weekend. The fourth Senior Programming event was on April 19th. On April 23rd we had our formal, Monmouth, with the sorority Pi Beta Phi. It was masquerade themed and had a live band, dancing, face painting, and fun games! As the semester began to end, our chapter had its last meeting of the semester on April 27th.
May: On May 3rd the Senior Programming Dinner was held by the Bryan/College Station Alumnae Association. The chapter room became the “Kappa Library” for all the members as finals approached. Our house mother, Martha Hurley, hosted a brunch on May 6th for everyone before finals.
June: N/A
July: N/A
August: As the summer ended, PC 13 moved into the Kappa house on August 15th. From August 17th to the 21nd our chapter attended Work Week. We worked extremely hard for a great recruitment. Over the week, we kept spirits high with costume themes everyday, and a petting zoo came to Kappa with a baby monkey and camel. Saturday, the 22nd our parents and friends supported us by watching our wonderful new skit for recruitment, which was “Kappa Through the Decades”. As a result, we received great feedback. The next week, August 23rd through the 28th, our chapter and Recruitment team gave 110% during Recruitment. “Candy Land” was our first theme, which was used the first two days of Recruitment. On Philanthropy Day, which also consisted of two days, we explained our local and national philanthropies. Girls dress up as iconic singers and sang their parts through parodies of famous songs. On skit day, we introduced our new “Kappa Through the Decades”, which was a hit! As a result of our hard work, our chapter received 88 wonderful new girls! We were ecstatic to welcome them on August 29th with the theme “Don’t Mess With Kappa.” August 31st was the first day of school. The first new member meeting was at 6pm that evening with the first weekly chapter meeting following at 7pm.
September: PC 14 had formal pledging at the September 7th meeting. We had a wonderful LC visit us from September 13th-18th who reminded our chapter what it means to be a Kappa. She also showed us our chapters strengths and what we can improve on this year. September 22nd was an exciting night for PC 15 because it was Big Little reveal at the Kappa house. Our first date party, Kappa Kappa Galaxy, was held on September 24th. It was out of this world!
October: To kick off October, PC 14 had a Ritual Review on Sunday, October 4th to prepare for Initiation and Fireside. During our next meeting, October 5th, we had an academic banquet. The members who earned excellent grades received gift cards or small gifts. Composite pictures were taken on the 8th and 9th of October at the park near the Kappa house. The entire chapter attended Ritual Review on October 11th. We prepared for Fireside and practiced ritual to ensure that initiation would run smoothly. Our chapter spiced things up for Founders Day on October 12th by attending a zumba class just for our sorority. Everyone had a blast!
To celebrate PC 15’s initiation, Epsilon Rho went ice skating for our Initiation week event on the 14th. Our chapter had Fireside at the Kappa house for PC 15 on Friday the 16th. The next morning, we had Initiation. 88 wonderful girls in PC 15 officially became members of our chapter. On October 29th we had a date party with the sorority Chi Omega. It was “Owl-oween” themed and everyone decked out in creative Halloween costumes. It was great having an event with another sorority. On October 30th Epsilon Rho planned to participate in the Panhellenic Trick or Treat on the Row event, but it was canceled due to bad weather. Every year kids who live in the area play games in front of the Kappa house with our members from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.
November: During November, our chapter went through the voting process for the upcoming 2016 Chapter Council and planned for our biggest philanthropy event, Kappa Kolor Run. We had two profit shares for the event; one at Chipotle on October 10th and another one at Chick Fil A on October 17th. For a fun treat, we had a sisterhood event on the 18th. Our chapter saw the premiere of Hunger Games at the movie theatre in College Station. We held banners around campus for a few weeks leading up to Kappa Kolor, which was on November 21st. It is a 5k run around sorority row in College Station. Chapter members are stationed throughout the race throwing powdered paint at the runners. Every runner received a t-shirt before the race and food was provided for everyone afterwards. Another part of the event was a silent auction; we had great items such as a David Yurman bracelet, and an Apple watch. In the three years our chapter has hosted Kappa Kolor, this was the most money raised. About 885 people attended the race and our chapter raised $50,572.29 in total. This was a huge accomplishment for us and appreciated by our philanthropy, Nehemiah Center of Navastoa. That weekend our chapter also celebrated Mom’s Day. Our members and their moms attended a Happy Hour Meet and Great on Friday October 20th. There was a shopping event at a local boutique just for Kappas and our moms as well a tour of the Kappa house on the 21st. Finally, there was a luncheon at the Traditions Country Club Century Room on the 22nd. On November 20th and 21st, Epsilon Rho participated in Songfest, which is a dance competition hosted by Chi Omega that organizations pair up to compete in for two days. This is a great way for organizations to make friends with their partners and raise money for their philanthropies. We competed with Squadron 17, which is part of the Texas A&M Corps, and we raised $2,200 for Nehemiah. Elections for the new officers were on November 23rd, and they were inducted at the November 30th meeting.
December: Our chapter had our last date party of the semester, Ranch Party, on December 3rd with the sorority Tri Delta in Bryan, TX. Everyone put on their cowboy boots and had a great time two stepping the night away. On Sunday the 6th, the new and old officers, and advisors attended the Triplet meeting to discuss each position for the new officers. On December 7th, we had a Christmas party as our last meeting of the year. Describe the recent changes on your campus and describe the overall nature of your chapter. Several great changes happened over 2015. Texas A&M was honored to have Dr. Michael K. Young step in as our new President in May. While he is not an Aggie, he has extensive experience and has been a great leader this past semester. Texas A&M also finally finished their new football stadium over the summer. The new stadium will be the largest in the SEC and will hold 102,500 fans. Epsilon Rho is very genuine and down to earth chapter. We love to volunteer at our local philanthropy, Nehemiah. It has been a wonderful opportunity that positively impacts spirited kids and even our members. We are also a very enthusiastic chapter, love friendly competition, and love supporting other chapters at Texas A&M. We are flexible, and willing to try new things for the benefit of the chapter overall.
Chapter Philanthropy:
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community?
Epsilon Rho raises money for The Nehemiah Center in Navasota, which is an after school program for young children in the town of Navasota, TX. We have members of our sorority volunteer at Nehemiah everyday. We raised 4,100.39 from Kappa Kookout in the Spring, and $50,572.29 for Kappa Kolor in Fall of 2015. We also raised $2,200 for Nehemiah through Songfest.
Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? We chose Nehemiah because they are a loving organization that is positively changing kids lives. The people who run Nehemiah are so passionate, but they need help encouraging and working with the children. We felt a desire to get involved and help Nehemiah in anyway we can. Since our National Philanthropy is Reading is Fundamental, we promote the importance of reading. We want to build strong reading skills in these children, and illustrate how school provides endless opportunities.