Zeta Phi | |
---|---|
ZΦ | |
![]() | |
Founded | April 11, 1992 |
College | Princeton University |
Location | Princeton, NJ |
Homepage | Zeta Phi Chapter |
Media related to Zeta Phi Chapter |
Princeton University established in 1746, Princeton, New Jersey
Founded April 11, 1992 with 52 charter members
880 initiates (as of June 2018)
Some of Zeta Phi’s Outstanding Members: (If you have chapter alumnae who have received recognition in any of these three categories, please list them with the date(s) of recognition.)
Fraternity Council Members:
Fraternity Loyalty Award:
Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:
Additional Outstanding Zeta Phi Alumnae: Melissa Gesell (Waterstredt), Chapter Consultant 1999-1999
Contents
Princeton UniversityEdit
Founded in 1746 as the College of New Jersey, Princeton University is the fourth-oldest college in the United States. Princeton became a fully-coeducational institution in 1969 following a period of limited attendance by female students. Today, approximately 5,000 undergraduate and 2,500 students attend Princeton University. Fraternities and sororities are currently not officially recognized by Princeton University.
Colonization On February 8, 1992, fifty-two young women gathered in the Prince William Room of the Nassau Inn to be colonized as the charter members of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey Area alumnae who had played pivotal roles in bringing Kappa Kappa Gamma to the Princeton campus or who would offer the chapter great support in the future the ceremony led by Marilyn Bullock, Kansas State, Director of Membership.
On that day, everyone was introduced to the Chapter Consultant who would guide the women through pledge education. Zeta Phi rented university classrooms for the weekly meetings where pages of Kappa’s mission, purpose, history, rituals, symbols, chapter and national organization, policies, and rules were discussed. The pledge retreat was held March 28-29 at a Firehouse on the Jersey Shore, led by alumnae who introduced the colonizers to the Kappa candle-passing traditions. Everyone put together the first pledge book of Zeta Phi—magazine clippings about the women in the colony, the world, and Kappa at Princeton. One of the most significant events of the pledge period was the great honor bestowed on us by the oldest Kappa Kappa Gamma alumna. Unbeknownst even to the Fraternity, she had in her possession a book of Kappa history signed by one of the Fraternity’s Founders. She presented this rare archive as a gift to Zeta Phi.
Since the Greek system was not formally recognized by Princeton University, difficulties arose for the sororities and fraternities seeking housing. No “official” off-campus fraternity houses existed and the sororities make due with a rented room or office space. However, since Kappa was colonizing and needed the Chapter Consultant to stay close to help the women take every step of the way, the Fraternity generous rented an apartment in Princeton at 72 Witherspoon Street and promised to support the apartment for the chapter’s first three years.
Close to our installation, we had begun to realize the great responsibility we had taken upon ourselves to start a new chapter. Still, at the end of the six week pledgeship, the most frequent to pass between the future sisters was: “Do we have to know the alphabet?”
Installation
Inspiration Week finally arrived, and with help from area alumnae, the Chapter Consultant acted as a big sister to all forty-nine of us (three of the original 52 would have to initiate in the fall). Monday, March 6 found us up early in the morning at the “Kappa apartment” for a bagel breakfast. The colonizers received antique hotel keys from one of the New Jersey Alumnae Associations, special notes to be opened each day, and other various gifts. On Tuesday the women decorated T-shirts; on Wednesday two alumna established the Zeta Phi candlelight reading ceremony; on Thursday the colony attended a formal meeting with the Fraternity officers; and Friday’s Fireside Ceremony was held at the Nassau Inn and attended by dozens of alumnae (“Alum Chums”), our big sisters from Dickinson College, and the mothers of our two charter legacies. Saturday, Installation was held at the First Reformed Church of Rocky Hill, led by Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity President Kay Smith Larson, Washington.
Now officially the 122nd active chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma in the Fraternity’s 122nd year. A reception was held at the Nassau Presbyterian Church, followed by a mock formal chapter meeting and an evening banquet at the Nassau Inn. Zeta Phi was presented with silver platters, banners, a punch bowl set, and other gifts from other chapters and alumnae. As a gift of gratitude to the alumnae and the Fraternity, a member composed a song expressly for the occasion. At the end of the evening we stood at our tables and sang:
Oh, we’re so glad to be here~ All womanly and true~ On April the eleventh~ Of 1992.
We’re psyched to be at Princeton~ We cannot tell a lie~ We’re thrilled that Kappa came here~ To start up Zeta Phi.
We love our orange and black clothes~ We’re tigers through and through~ But also wearers of the key,~ We love our blue and blue.
Sincerity and friendship~ And love and loyalty~ These are the things we promise~ To dear old K-K-G.
The First YearEdit
While the Princeton women of Kappa had come together motivated by the common desire to form special friendships with women in a more structured activity at Princeton University, the other activities and interests of Zeta Phi’s first active members were very diverse. Nearly one third were involved in theater (Princeton Triangle Club, Princeton University Players, Theater Intime, and directing). Singers aplenty came from the Glee Club, Chapel Choir, and the student a capella singing groups (Tigerlilies, Roaring 20, and Katzenjammers). Half of the class was involved in some aspect of the Student Volunteers Council (Big Sisters, Young Mothers Outreach, Children’s After School Sports Program, English as a Second Language Program, Tutoring, Habitat for Humanity, Somerset Youth Shelter, and Interpreting). Club sports activities included soccer, lacrosse, gymnastics, water polo, equestrian team, and skiing. Varsity sports practiced were crew, volleyball, soccer, and cheerleading. Princeton’s new Kappas also participated in Orange Key Tours, the Debate team, the Daily Princetonian, the Academics Committee, Eating Club Councils, yearbook, WPRB radio, the Women’s Center, the Honor Committee, the Rainforest Conservatory, Girl Scouts, and Student Government. Monday, March 20, the members attended the chapter’s first formal chapter meeting and elected its first chapter officers. The last two months of school were a time of organizational learning for the council and members. The last chapter meeting was held on May 17. Kappa Kappa Gamma members began their summer vacations in June, excited and uncertain about the tasks that lay ahead of them, rush and having new pledges, and the role of a sorority in their lives.
The first thing to take care of upon returning from summer vacation was the initiation of the three women who had completed their pledgeship in the spring but were unable to initiate on April 11. It was difficult to be on the other side of Initiation for the first time, but we were grateful for the practice. Organized by its dedicated chapter council, Zeta Phi finally gathered together for normal chapter business in October. Kappa was off to a great start after an overnight retreat during the first weekend in October, attended by an alumna member and led by our new Chapter Consultant.
Soon it was time for Zeta Phi to prepare for our first RUSH. In a few mad days, the Kappas learned scores of songs and rotation patterns—almost perfected by our first party night. Rush Week was Sunday, November 8 through Saturday, November 14. Parties were held at the eating clubs Tower, DEC, and Dial. We made decorations and wrote songs for the themes “Kappa Under the Sea,” “A League of Our Own,” and “Silver Screen.” 130 young women rushed Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Pi Beta Phi. On Saturday, all was decided. Kappa pledged 16 wonderful pledges who reflected the diversity of the chapter. They were officially pledged on November 14. Since the charter members of Zeta Phi had not rushed to join Kappa, the chapter extended and opened the bids to a few selected young women who had not been able to take part in Rush Week. On December 4, three more pledges were welcomed into Zeta Phi’s circle. After all the excitement, the chapter presented an alumna with a gift certificate in deep gratitude for her time and dedication throughout the Rush period. The pledges began their “Kappa education” on November 16. The pledge retreat was held at an alumna’s home. Most memorable were the personal stories the future sisters shared and trusted with one another. In the actives’ world, the chapter was honored with the visit of a Kappa alumna who was a former Advisor to President George Bush. Following her visit on December 4, the Nominating Committee presented the slate for the 1993 Chapter Council and the vote was taken.
Zeta Phi took part in philanthropic projects which included working for Isles in Trenton. The chapter gave donations to St. Peter’s Hospital and Womanspace. Members took part in Princeton University Players’ “A Chorus Line.” A Zeta Phi was elected USG Vice President (12/92) and Chairman of the Student Health Advisor Board (SHAB) and another Kappa made All Ivy League Crew for 1992. Two sisters, a violinist and a pianist, gave senior performances. One Kappa was accepted to Oxford University and left for England after graduation for a three-year program in Immunology.
In a short period of time, Zeta Phi was well on its way to establishing itself as a significant and respected organization at Princeton University. Both Chapter Consultants and alumnae commented on how far the chapter had come and grown as a sorority and as individuals in understanding the members’ roles. Friendships were strengthened, new friendships formed, and the Zeta Phis were eternally grateful for the overwhelming support and love given to them by the consultants and area alumnae. And now, they were full sisters in the bonds of Kappa Kappa Gamma, though still not sure about the alphabet! (The preceding information was adapted from Zeta Phi chapter’s 1993 newsletter, “Zeta Phigest.”)
Highlights of the 1990sEdit
Following Zeta Phi’s founding, the chapter continued to grow, regularly initiating approximately 30 members each year. To keep up with the needs of the expanding chapter, many sisterhood events were planned. The Kappas hosted sister-bonding retreats, a sightseeing and ice skating trip to New York City, game nights, winter semi-formals, and spring formals. The chapter paired with local alumnae for events such as Founders Day, Holiday Brunch, Chapter Weekend, and Senior BBQ. In 1995, Zeta Phi hosted Fraternity Vice-President, Cathy Thompson Carswell, Illinois Wesleyan, for Founders Day.
Zeta Phi provided programs and activities to improve the lives of members. The Kappas participated in campaigns to raise awarness for issues affecting women, such as eating disorders. The chapter also brought a Kappa alumna to campus to talk about the interview and job application process. Zeta Phi also hosted study breaks and sister dinners for chapter members.
Housing:
At Princeton, Greek-letter organizations do not have houses. For the first several years, Kappa maintained an apartment used for housing Chapter Consultants, holding social events, and maintaining records. When Zeta Phi no longer needed an apartment to house Chapter Consultants, the chapter obtained space a short distance from campus to store archives and other chapter possessions.
Philanthropy:
Throughout the 1990s, Zeta Phi emphasized the importance of philanthropy. The chapter hosted clothing and food drives for the needy, worked at a Trenton soup kitchen, painted houses for Habitat for Humanity, and visited a local nursing home. The Kappas also participated in events coordinated by other organizations: the Special Olympics; the Run for the Tiger, a 10k to raise conservation funds; and the annual Communiverity celebration, a festival hosted by Princeton town and university for local children and children from Trenton.
Convention Awards:
Highlights of 2000-2010Edit
Zeta Phi continued to strengthen both membership numbers and bonds of sisterhood as the chapter entered the twenty-first century. The Princeton Kappas added between 25-35 members to their ranks every year. In 2005, Zeta Phi took the initiative to learn more about the Fraternity’s history by utilizing the Archives in a Box program supported by the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. Zeta Phi planned fun events through the decade, such as the 2006 semi-formal bowling event and the annual Sapphire Ball spring formal. Other chapter traditions included a Senior Roast held in May to say goodbye to the graduating sisters.
Housing: Zeta Phi rang in the millennium with a house-cleaning event for the chapter office space near campus. The sisters came together to clean and organize the archives and memorabilia to make room for the next decade of memories and records.
Philanthropy: Philanthropy remained important to Zeta Phi throughout the decade. Annual philanthropic events included the Valentine’s Day Crush Project and the Kappa Kappacino charity bake sale. The sisters also regularly volunteered at a soup kitchen and Trenton and went “Kappa Karoling” to a local nursing home at Christmas. The Kappas were always represented in events such as the Race for the Cure and the annual Powder Puff football game on campus, which raised money for charity through the sale of refreshments.
In response to the tragedies on September 11, 2001, Zeta Phi participated in Arts Alive, a University-sponsored program that took children affected by the events to cultural and artistic programs in New York City and surrounding areas. Because of Princeton’s close geographic proximity to New York, students were able to directly respond by raising money, helping children, and contributing to funds that benefited the families of victims.
Highlights of 2011-2019Edit
(Information 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.:
Highlights of 2012Edit
Biennial Convention in Jacksonville, FL The President Margaret Tait '14 , Autumn Waryjas '15 and Sooyeon Kim '15 were fortunate to attend the Kappa Kappa Gamma convention over the summer and this experience augmented their appreciation for and understanding of the workings of Kappa. Our chapter won the houseboards award for a chapter without a house. It was also a great opportunity to meet and get to know Kappa sisters from all over the United States and Canada.
More than 70 girls participated in Recruitment this fall. The number of undergraduates who participated in rush was higher than expected as the ban on freshman participation in sororities at Princeton went into effect in September, 2012 . We were pleased with the recruitment results and we welcomed 20 new members to the Zeta Phi chapter (our chapter surpassed the panhellenic minimum number accepting the most new members out of the three sororities.)
This past year the chapter council sought to shorten meetings and have a specific agenda set for each meeting to increase efficiency and enjoyment for all. We continued our philanthropic efforts with a spring panhellenic philanthropy event held at Neiman Marcus. The proceeds raised during this event were donated to the Kappa Foundation. In the fall, many of the members participated in the annual Princeton Disabilities Awareness conference and spent a day with children with disabilities.
Members of our chapter have been engaged in a myriad of extracurricular activities. To name but a few: Jillian Wilkowski '15 interned with the New Jersey Democratic State Committee--which campaign for every Democratic candidate from Obama to Senator Menendez to Congressman Holt to local officials. Diane Hu '15 was a fellow for Obama for America in Pennsylvania and volunteered there over fall break. Senior, Ashley Eberhart '13 and a fellow Kappa Rebecca Scharstein '12 received first place in The Princeton Entrepreneurship Club’s annual startup challenge. Megan Partridge '14 founded Stitch your Story that enables conscious consumers to design and purchase fashion products that support the organizations and causes that they care most about.
In December 2012 we elected new chapter council members and Kellen Heniford '14 was selected as our chapter President.
Our chapter is a member of a campus Panhellenic which includes 3 National Panhellenic Conference Groups. Our university does not formally acknowledge the Greek organizations on campus. Since September 2012, the university prohibited freshman from participating in the recruitment process and has imposed numerous restrictions on the sororities and fraternities to prevent them from affiliating with or offering bids to freshman.
Princeton University is a 4 year liberal arts college with approximately 5,000 undergraduate students. Princeton is a coeducational, independent and nondenominational institution.The Kappa Kappa Gamma Zeta Phi Chapter was founded in 1992. We do not have a chapter house and all of our members reside on campus in university housing. We are the 119th chapter founded and we are in Region 1 and part of the Beta East province. Our province Director of Chapters is Alicia Hayden.
Highlights of 2013Edit
Throughout 2013, members of Zeta Phi were involved in a wide range of chapter and campus-wide activities. In April, Zeta Phi hosted Kappa Kappa Gamma’s Beta Province Convention under the leadership of Krystle Manuel-Countee ’13. At the Province Convention, Zeta Phi won the Risk Management Award (awarded to Risk Management Chair Lakshmi Davey ’15) and the Helen Kinslow Chapter Loyalty Award.
The following is just a brief list of some of the activities in which Zeta Phi members participated throughout 2013: Megan Partridge ’14 co-founded the startup company Stitch Your Story, Joan Cannon ’15 started a newsletter for the Princeton University Geosciences Society to help get freshmen and sophomores interested in joining the department, Clarissa Lotson ’16 attended a Princeton-sponsored Global Seminar in Rio during the summer, Emilie Burke ’15 was elected President of the Princeton University Women’s Rugby FC, Rebecca Zhang started a new club – The Princeton Film Society, Stephanie Rigizadeh ’15 interned at CBS News Washington working for CBS This Morning, and Katherine Pogrebniak ’14 won the Princeton Class of 1939 Scholar Award as well as the Churchill Scholarship.
One of Zeta Phi’s goals for 2013 was to increase the chapter’s philanthropic involvement. Under the leadership of Philanthropy Chair Yael Wollstein ’15, “Philanth Week” was created – a week during which the chapter participated in different philanthropic activities each day (ranging from making sandwiches for a homeless shelter to writing letters to soldiers). Increased philanthropic involvement was part of a larger effort to increase Zeta Phi’s interpersonal development. Other chapter goals included improved attendance at chapter meetings and greater unification between pledge classes. In addition to working on these goals, Zeta Phi excelled academically throughout 2013 and had a very successful Recruitment season in the fall. At the end of 2013 (in December), Zeta Phi elected new Chapter Council members, and Sooyeon Kim ’15 was elected President.
This year’s Recruitment was the second Recruitment after Princeton University’s ban on freshman participation in Greek life. Over 200 girls participated in Recruitment this year, and Zeta Phi successfully welcomed 48 new members to the chapter.
Increased philanthropic involvement, successful leadership, and a variety of meaningful sisterly social activities are just several indicators of growth that Zeta Phi has seen throughout 2013. Overall, the future of Zeta Phi looks very promising, and the Chapter Council is very optimistic about the direction in which Zeta Phi is heading.
Highlights of 2014Edit
Zeta Phi members collected a large number of achievements both on- and off-campus during 2014. Stephanie Rigizadeh was awared the Sue Fream Scholarship, an award that covers one member's dues for an entire year. Other members were involved in a variety of other activities: Katherine Pogrebniak '14 was selected as valedictorian of the Princeton University Class of 2014; Joan Cannon '15 won an Ivy League Championship as a member of the Princeton Women's Tennis Team and was elected president of the Princeton University Geosciences Society; Miranda Rehaut '16 helped to campaign for Wendy Davis in Texas; Sofia Suarez '16 was project leader on two trips to Kenya to implement a rain water cachement system at a primary school in Muchebe village; Arianna Lanz '17 was awarded the Bell-Burnell prize in Physics; Samantha Lee '15 was elected president of the Princeton Student Chapter of the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers; Divya Krishnan '16 was elected president of the campus dance group Naacho; Sophia Robertson-Lavalle '16 was named an American Chemical Society Scholar.
Our chapter goal of continuing philanthropic involvement also continued. Staying true to Kappa Kappa Gamma's emphasis on literacy, one philanthropic project was aiding in a Read Record Replay project. Read Record Replay is a group whose focus is on teaching English overseas. Members also participated in a panhellenic Powder Puff game, the proceeds of which were given to charity. In addition, a charity night was held at a local Lilly Pulitzer retailer, where a portion of all purchases was donated to the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. The chapter also beta tested a polling app, which raised money for philanthropic causes.
Recently the panhellenic community has become much more unified, as evidenced by the increase in panhellenic events. A panhellenic Powder Puff football game was held among all the sororities, the proceeds of which were donated to charity. Another panehellenic unity event was held at a local ice cream shop, where a portion of purchases made by Greek community members was donated to charity. There has also been promising discussion of adding another chapter to the Greek community, as the high interest in recruitment has indicated there might be enough women to sustain another Greek organization.
Zeta Phi continued to hold their meetings in rooms rented from the University, as they have in past years. The Zeta Phi chapter has never owned a house, lodge, apartment or suite. An off-campus storage unit is rented and maintained by the House Chair. Members may live together in University housing if they so choose.
Highlights of 2015Edit
Zeta Phi members, as usual, have collected many awards, scholarships, and other achievements this year. Vivian Mo '18 won 3rd place Hardware, Facebook's Favorite Hack at HackPrinceton this fall. Regina Zeng'18 was awarded "Outstanding work by a Freshman in Theater" by the Princeton University Department of Theater, Lewis Center for the Arts. Nicole Neville '18 was awarded the Cape Cod Association Scholarship. Kate Maffey '16 was awarded the John Page Award for leadership excellence in ROTC, Iron Mike Award for best physical fitness score in the battalion, 82nd Airborne Division Scholarship, ASIS Chapter Scholarship, and an FSPA Scholarship. Summer Ramsay-Burrough '17 was awarded the Leach Summer Scholars Fellowship to fund her summer chemistry research on nickel catalysts. Samone Blair '18 received the Judith Laffan Memorial Prize from the NES department for exemplary work in elementary Arabic. Sophia Robertson-Lavelle '16 was named an American Chemical Society Scholar. Allyson Brown '18 was awarded a scholarship by the Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation and while working as a camp counselor this summer, was also awarded the Rookie of the Year for teaching new subjects and dealing with tough situations. Caroline Tucker '17 served as President of the Princeton Glee Club and Opera Company. Valerie Wilson '18 received a $4600 grant to intern at an arts organization in Kampala, Uganda over the summer; she also presented her writing seminar research at the Quin Morton '36 Freshman Research Conference. Kat Giordano '18 was elected the tour chair and events chair of the Princeton University Wildcats. Clare Jeong '18 won Junior National Championships and competed in Poland in the Junior World Championships for speed skating. Safeeyah Quereshi '16 was named Arthur Liman Public Interest Undergraduate Summer Fellow , which funded her internship at the Midwestern Office of the US Commission on Civil Rights; she is also a Center for the Study of Religion Fellow and was awarded the Henrietta S. Treen Scholarship.
One of our goals was more active philanthropy work within the chapter. We participated in a philanthropy event at Fruity Yogurt, a local bubble tea and froyo shop, where a percentage of all of our orders went to the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. We also packed bags of cookies for TASK, a local food kitchen, for Thanksgiving.
This year, we have faced some financial issues and some problems with member retention. We've worked hard to ameliorate these problems, and our 2015 recruitment season was very successful and has renewed the energy in our chapter.
Campus climate has been slightly tenser than usual with protests and discussions centered around race and diversity, attracting nationwide media coverage. However, the chapter has been a refuge of comfort, acceptance, and friends. Members have commented on the supportive, positive, and welcoming environment they find in Kappa. For many, Kappa is a source of light in our campus community. Our successful recruitment season has reinvigorated our members and brought us closer together as a chapter. Princeton's rigorous schedule can be stressful but many sisters have noted that Kappa is a destressing and refreshing aspect of their campus life.
Chapter Philanthropy:
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community? Our chapter raises money for the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation and Reading is Fundamental, our national organizations. Within the community, our philanthropic commitments change as various organizations express their needs. This past year we have donated hours to TASK (Trenton Area Soup Kitchen).
Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? We chose to support TASK because they needed food and snacks for Thanksgiving. We thought this was the perfect opportunity to give back to our community, give thanks, and show our appreciation for our wonderful community.
Highlights of 2016Edit
At convention, Zeta Phi Chapter received an honorable mention for Academic Excellence. In the spring, the chapter took proactive steps regarding interpersonal and gender based violence by participating in Princeton University's Public Safety self-defense class and bringing in speakers from Womanspace. Zeta Phi faced low recruitment numbers, but worked to overcome this challenge by placing a revitalized emphasis on sisterhood events, boosting morale and improving member retention.
On December 11, 2016 Zeta Phi held a philanthropy event to stuff bears to donate to Toys for Tots for the holidays. In the future our goals are to increase membership, to continue to promote sisterhood by making our chapter a strong emotional and academic support network and by getting to know our sisters better through more casual sisterhood events. Describe the recent changes on your campus and describe the overall nature of your chapter. As a result of increasingly open campus dialogues, the University has made several important changes this fall.
On campus, some of the eating clubs have begun to have student read consent pledges upon admittance to parties as part of an effort to address the problem of sexual assault on college campuses. The University has moved to adopt gender inclusive housing options beginning next spring. The University has also bent to popular demand and announced that final exams will be held before winter break rather than in January in the near future. In the words of our members, Zeta Phi chapter is warm, welcoming, open, smart, caring, laidback, diverse, inclusive, and generally a fabulous group of young women.
Highlights of 2017Edit
One of our chapter goals for this year was to establish a strong pledge class of 2017 as part of our continuous goal of building a stronger tradition of sisterhood and creating a more involved chapte. To accomplish this, we dedicated a lot of energy and organization to Recruitment, Continuous Open Bidding, and the New Member process. We made all new members feel welcome by hosting study sessions and other activities where they could get to know each other and the old members. We also elected Pledge Class Captains to continue the bonding within a pledge class. All of the 2017 new members are active chapter members as of the writing of this report. Describe the recent changes on your campus and describe the overall nature of your chapter. Campus is talking a lot about sexual misconduct, especially in light of national allegations against high-profile figures like Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, and more. At Princeton, several graduate students have spoken out about harassment in their departments. According to the third annual "We Speak" survey, which was distributed to all students in the spring of 2017 to learn more about their knowledge and experiences of sexual misconduct at Princeton and their awareness of the University’s policies, procedures, and resources, 1 in 5 undergraduate students experienced sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence or stalking during the 2016-2017 academic year. In other news, University President Chris Eisgruber announced that a seventh residential college would be built in the next 10 years as part of his initiative to expand Princeton's opportunities to more students, especially students from underrepresented backgrounds. A bigger student body would most likely increase the amount of women going through recruitment and diversify our membership. Zeta Phi has seen a surge in sisterhood in the past year. With our 42 new members, we surpassed our expectations and welcomed an amazing and enthusiastic group of new sisters. Our members characterize our chapter as chill, supportive, artsy, funny, kind, involved, accommodating, respectful and considerate. Our members believe that our chapter cares a lot about supporting each other in achieving our goals, focusing on developing our academic, professional, and extracurricular interests. They appreciate how their Kappa sisters are always willing to take time to support each another at performances and competitions of all kinds. Members also believe that our chapter really values philanthropy, from Kappa-related events/fundraisers to volunteering on our own time. Samone Blair '18, Sonia Hashim '18, and Kristy Yeung '18 are Community Service Representatives for their eating clubs on campus. CR-08 Page 2 of 3 17.11.A Our members see the purpose of our chapter as fostering a safe and welcoming space for women of all backgrounds on campus, and standing for positivity and inclusivity under the banner of sorority tradition. They view our chapter as an unconditional support system that encourages and supports sisters in their diverse pursuits on and off campus, and alleviates some of the hardships that can arise at a demanding environment like Princeton's. Zeta Phi sisters have achieved considerable recognition for their skills and accomplishments. Kat Giordano '18 is the President of the Princeton University Wildcats, Samone Blair '18 is the Music Director and Claire Jones '18 is the Performance Chair. Meredith Hooper '20 is the Secretary of Glee Club and Rosamond van Wingerden '20 is the Alumni Liason. Samone Blair '18 is the President of the Princeton University Chapel Choir. Shriya Sekhsaria '18 won first place at Ivy League Championships for archery. Maia Chamberlain '20 finished third place in NCAAs for fencing. Kat Giordano '18 won the Princeton Silver Choice Award at Princeton Research Day 2017. Ashlyn Lackey '18 and Shriya Sekhsaria '18 entered their third year as TigerChallenge Fellows. Claire Jones '18 is the Editor in Chief of the Princeton Historical Review. Chapter Philanthropy: What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community? In Spring of 2017, we did a Reading is Fudamental (RIF) event with the Princeton YMCA and we also volunteered with them afterwards. In Fall of 2017, we donated money to HomeWorks, an organization working to provide Trenton girls with housing and academic enrichment. Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? We chose to support the Princeton YMCA because they were a local organization who worked with children. We chose to donate to HomeWorks because they are focused on young women and the organization is founded and run by a Princeton student. This semester we also volunteered with the Princeton Disability Awareness organization because a fellow Kappa, Mayya Velitskaya '18, is president of the group.
The enthusiasm this year is exciting and there seems to be a renewed sense of purpose and spirit among the chapter as a whole.
Chapter Philanthropy:
Reading is fundamental is Kappa's national philanthropy.
We held meetings in lecture halls. This year, we moved our meeting to the campus art museum's McCormick Hall to make the chapter feel more comfortable and homey.
Highlights of 2020sEdit
(Information 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:
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!