Eta Chi

     

Eta Chi
HX
Founded	November 12, 2016 (2016-11-12)
College	NC State University
Location	Raleigh, North Carolina

NC State University founded 1887 Chapter Founded: November 12, 2016 Charter members initiated: ____initiates (as of June 2017) Some of Eta Chi’s Outstanding Alumnae: Fraternity Council Officers: Fraternity Loyalty Award Recipients: Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients: History of the University Presentation and Colonization: After presenting to colonize in 2012 and being selected to join the Pack in fall 2016, Kappa Kappa Gamma had been waiting many years to come to NC State. In 2015, S.E. Spencer (North Carolina) was selected as the Chapter Consultant and began making visits to NC State along with Lisa Thomson and others from Fraternity Headquarters. Throughout the 2015-2016 school year, Kappa representatives began to learn about NC State’s campus and Fraternity and Sorority Life culture. In the spring of 2016 Kappa Kappa Gamma was presented with the opportunity to rent a chapter facility from NC State. The property at 3501 Avent Ferry Road was approved to be the first home of Kappa at NC State. Starting in late September of 2016 Leadership Consultants and Kappa Headquarters staff began the process for colonizing the Eta Chi chapter. S.E. led a team of four Leadership Consultants, Hannah Bingham (Oklahoma State), Claire Kozel (Santa Clara), Maddy Poletis (Missouri), and Lindsay Webb (South Carolina) in a marketing blitz across NC State’s campus. After the consultant team distributed hundreds of lollipops, flyers, buttons, and bookmarks over nearly a week of tabling, more Headquarters staff and countless local Kappa alumnae descended on the Talley Student Center at NC State to interview potential charter members for Eta Chi. Nearly 200 fantastic women interviewed to be the first Kappas at NC State. On October 1, 2016, invitations to the final party and Bid Day were extended. Bid Day arrived on October 2nd. The day began with the Formal Pledging Service, which was conducted by the Colonization Chairman, Suzanne Mahoney, and assisted by several women from the Delta Beta chapter of Duke University and the Epsilon Gamma chapter of UNC-Chapel Hill. Following the service, the colonizing class of 127 women were escorted through the house to receive their bid day bags and Kappa t-shirts. It was a fun filled day of face painting, photo snapping, and great socialization with established sisters and new friends. It was truly an unforgettable experience and set the stage for the beginning of a great first year. On October 15th the colonizing class gathered for our first New Member Retreat. The day consisted of ice breaker activities, pumpkin painting, and hilarious team building games in the backyard. It was a great day for meeting new girls within our charter class and having a fun time goofing off together. In mid-October, the Eta Chi chapter participated in Southern SMASH on NC State’s campus. Southern SMASH is a non-profit event created by fellow Kappa, McCall Dempsey, to raise eating disorder awareness and promote positive body image by physically destroying weight scales. During the event, students were encouraged to visit booths hosted by the Counseling Center, an eating disorder treatment center, and several other hosts, that promoted diversity and healthy eating. After visiting these booths, students were able to write positive messages on cards for them to keep to promote self-love; as well as “tombstones” to write a message to the scale before they smashed them. Students then took sledgehammers and smashed the scales along with their tombstones. All sororities were invited to participate in the event, but Eta Chi had the most participants and volunteers by far and were able to spend time talking to McCall and showing support for their fellow Kappa. McCall also hosted a talk later that day to share her experience battling and defeating her eating disorder, which many members of Eta Chi attended as well. The event allowed Eta Chi to remind themselves of their own self-worth, as well as share body positivity and raise eating disorder awareness on our campus. During the last week of October, the Eta Chi chapter was given the task of partnering with Alpha Sigma Phi for Homecoming Week; NC State Wolfpack vs Boston College Eagles. Some of the events during the week were a Lip Sync Battle, a Craziest Fan competition, a float contest, Kupcakes for Kay, and many more. For the Lip Sync battle, we had the theme of NSYNC Y2K. Our songs were Pump It by the Black Eyed Peas, Please Don't Stop the Music by Rihanna, Down by Jay Sean, and Jumpin Jumpin by Destiny's Child. A few Kappa girls and a few Alpha Sig guys got together and performed a Mashup. For our float, it took a lot of hands to build. We constructed a large sculpture of the NC State logo, made from old t-shirts, chicken wire, and wood. The theme of our float was “Hang’m out to dry”, with another sculpture of a paper mache eagle centered in a birdcage. We also sold 100 cupcakes during the cupcake competition and raised $120 to be donated to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Overall, it was a very successful homecoming week and we did a great job with all of the competitions. Everyone had a blast and it was a great opportunity to meet new people and learn about who we are as a chapter. On October 30th, after the hard work and thoughtful review by our Nominating Committee, slates were presented to the chapter for our first ever Chapter Council of Eta Chi. Also that evening, we shared our family reveals. Elections took place the following weekend, on November 6th, where 19 women were elected officer positions within the chapter. In early November, the Eta Chi chapter was approached by Beta Theta Pi fraternity to work together to make lunches for over 100 volunteers at Habitat for Humanity's and NC State's Build-A-Block project. Build-A-Block is an ongoing effort to build 11 affordable and sustainable town-homes near the university's campus. The builders there were very appreciative and gracious, and invited both fraternities to come and help build over the following two semesters. Any left over lunch supplies were donated; fresh fruit and sandwiches were taken to local homeless shelters, and non-perishable items were kept by Habitat for Humanity for the following weekend's project. Installation: Installation weekend finally arrived on November 11, 2016. The evening began with a pizza dinner at the chapter house and then the charter class departed for the McKimmon Conference and Training Center. The Fireside service was held and graciously assisted by the Delta Beta and Epsilon Gamma chapters as the sponsoring chapters. A dessert reception was enjoyed following the service. During the reception, the District Director for the Lambda district, Katy Stovall (Drake University), shared some inspiring words with the founding class. She also presented gifts given from Alumnae Associations, Fraternity Council and Specialist Teams, and other chapters, to the Eta Chi Chapter Council and fellow sisters. The following morning of November 12th, the day began with a delicious continental breakfast before gathering to begin the Installation service. The Installation service was conducted by Beth Black and assisted by the Epsilon Gamma chapter of UNC-Chapel Hill and Delta Beta chapter of Duke University, who are the official big sisters of the Eta Chi chapter. After the service, everyone returned to the chapter house for lunch and photos before returning to the McKimmon Center for an official Model Chapter Meeting. The meeting was lead by Beth Black, with the assistance of the newly elected Chapter President, Peyton Hartis; Recording Secretary, Mary Dare Martin; and Marshal, Megan Darle Huber. The remainder of the Chapter Council Officers were sworn into duty during the Model Chapter Meeting as well. Overall, the weekend was undeniably memorable, enlightening, and a special experience. 109 new sisters were initiated that day. Establishing Kappa on NC State's campus has been such a special privilege. We are so excited to be able to contribute to State's campus and Greek community. Our chapter is comprised of 109 outstanding young women, of all grade levels, with a wide variety of academic pursuits. We are finding our way as a chapter and how we fit within our campus and community, but overall the chapter is beginning in a positive and welcoming manner. Many of us chose to join Kappa because we each sought to be a part of something new and saw the opportunity of being a founding sister as a great way to better connect with our school and to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. Over the course of this semester, our chapter bonded instantaneously and many of us have created relationships with our sisters that we know will last a lifetime. “I wanted to join Kappa to help better other women and Greek Life. It turns out it has bettered me. I’m so thankful for the support system I’ve been given and the family I feel like I’ve joined.” “I wanted to join Kappa because I never thought I’d join a sorority, but when I met with Kappas during colonization I knew I had found people just like me and this is where I belonged.” “I joined Kappa to start something new and leave a legacy here at NC State.” “Joining Kappa has been my best decision yet and I am so happy I took the leap and tried it! Being in Kappa has given me the motivation to try my best in school because I don’t want to leave this beautiful sisterhood.” “I joined Kappa because I saw it as a once in a lifetime experience and it was an organization with values I agreed with and had a passion for. I am so happy and touched to be part of this sisterhood.” “I wanted to join Kappa because I have been searching for a supportive community at NC State. I have found some, but I knew I was missing out on having a large group of people who are always there for you. Kappa had that and Kappa shared so many of my values.” “I joined Kappa because it wasn’t like any other sorority.” “I joined Kappa because I knew from the beginning it was the right house for me – the values, philanthropy, and the alumnae. They are my role models and I aspire to be just like them and our Founders." Remainder of 2016 On December 7th, our chapter held our first annual Sisterhood Christmas Party; the theme was ugly/festive Christmas sweaters. The date fell in the middle of the first week of final exams, so it was a great escape from a hectic schedule of studying and long hours in the library. The day consisted of Christmas themed snacks and hot chocolate, a gingerbread house decorating competition, and snapping photos on Santa's lap (S.E. Spencer hilariously took on this role). Afterwards, a large group of sisters exchanged Secret Santa gifts. The event was so much fun and a great way to finish off the semester and spend time with each other before leaving for winter break. Finally, on December 10th, several members from our chapter spent four hours wrapping gifts for a law firm named Murgitroyd. The firm is located in Durham, NC and specializes in Intellectual Property Law. Murgitroyd reached out to Eta Chi because they needed help wrapping books to give out as holiday gifts for their clients. In exchange for the time spent helping this company accomplish their goal of wrapping these gifts, Murgitroyd gave a donation of $700 to the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. Eta Chi is proud that four hours of our time was spent for a great cause; raising money for the Kappa Foundation. Philanthropy: In mid-October, the Eta Chi chapter participated in Southern SMASH on NC State’s campus. Southern SMASH is a non-profit event created by fellow Kappa, McCall Dempsey, to raise eating disorder awareness and promote positive body image by physically destroying weight scales. During the event, students were encouraged to visit booths hosted by the Counseling Center, an eating disorder treatment center, and several other hosts, that promoted diversity and healthy eating. After visiting these booths, students were able to write positive messages on cards for them to keep to promote self-love; as well as “tombstones” to write a message to the scale before they smashed them. Students then took sledgehammers and smashed the scales along with their tombstones. All sororities were invited to participate in the event, but Eta Chi had the most participants and volunteers by far and were able to spend time talking to McCall and showing support for their fellow Kappa. McCall also hosted a talk later that day to share her experience battling and defeating her eating disorder, which many members of Eta Chi attended as well. The event allowed Eta Chi to remind themselves of their own self-worth, as well as share body positivity and raise eating disorder awareness on our campus. In early November, the Eta Chi chapter was approached by Beta Theta Pi fraternity to work together to make lunches for over 100 volunteers at Habitat for Humanity's and NC State's Build-A-Block project. Build-A-Block is an ongoing effort to build 11 affordable and sustainable town-homes near the university's campus. The builders there were very appreciative and gracious, and invited both fraternities to come and help build over the following two semesters. Any left over lunch supplies were donated; fresh fruit and sandwiches were taken to local homeless shelters, and non-perishable items were kept by Habitat for Humanity for the following weekend's project. The week after Installation, Kappa t-shirts were sold at the chapter house to members for $1 each. The total proceeds, which amounted to $133, were donated towards the Kappa Foundation. On December 10th, several members from our chapter spent four hours wrapping gifts for a law firm named Murgitroyd. The firm is located in Durham, NC and specializes in Intellectual Property Law. Murgitroyd reached out to Eta Chi because they needed help wrapping books to give out as holiday gifts for their clients. In exchange for the time spent helping this company accomplish their goal of wrapping these gifts, Murgitroyd gave a donation of $700 to the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. Eta Chi is proud that four hours of our time was spent for a great cause; raising money for the Kappa Foundation. We chose to donate our time and volunteer at the Southern SMASH to show our support for a fellow Kappa. No matter where each of our paths takes us, we are all united by the bonds we share through our sisterhood. We were more than happy to assist and support a fellow sister, especially when the event promotes women empowerment and destroying unrealistic standards that many women feel the need to uphold and silently struggle with. We chose to donate our time and work with Beta for the Habitat for Humanity project because it was a great way to give back to our local community and help those families in need; every person deserves a roof over their head and a meal at least once a day. We look forward to working with Habitat for Humanity again in the following semesters. We chose to donate to the Kappa Foundation because, as fellow sisters, we believe in supporting the development of women and preserving our heritage; what better way than to honor the organization that gives us our reason to come together and be a family. Chapter Facility: Our Chapter meets in our beautiful, newly renovated house on Avent Ferry Rd in Raleigh, NC. The lower level of the house is where our Chapter meeting room is located, as well as our dining hall, kitchen, and a study/lounge space. The second floor of the house is where the main entrance is, consisting of an elegant foyer which opens up to our formal living room and a smaller study space; another private living room and bedrooms are also located on this floor. The third floor of the house consists of another private living room and the remainder of the bedrooms.