| Eta Chi | |
|---|---|
| HX | |
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| Founded | November 12, 2016 |
| College | NC State University |
| Location | Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Homepage | Eta Chi Homepage |
| Media related to Eta Chi Chapter | |
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NC State University founded 1887 Chapter Founded: November 12, 2016 Charter members initiated: 109 164 initiates (as of June 2018)
Some of Eta Chi’s Outstanding Alumnae:
History of the UniversityPresentation and Establishment:After presenting to establish 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 establishing 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 charter 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 charter 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 2016On 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.
Highlights of 2017Kappa kicked off the spring semester and COB by Tabling in the brickyard! At this tabling event we sold donuts for one dollar each, with all proceeds supporting RIF. Sisters walked around campus spreading awareness of philanthropic causes and to help spread the Kappa name to potential new members. The event was a great way to meet our potential new members as well as inform the campus of the philanthropy that we support as an organization. On January 16, 2017, Eta Chi held a potential new member interest event at Build a Bear Workshop in Crabtree Valley mall. Each new member made and decorated a bear to send to a local children's hospital. This was a fun way to both meet our potential new members as well as help out others in our community and it allowed our potential new members to be a part of our efforts to give back. On January 19, 2017 Eta Chi hosted a potential new member interest dinner at the Kappa House. Spaghetti was served, as a myriad of new members came to enjoy the house and the company of prospective sisters. We were able to show our potential new members our beautiful house as well as interact with them in a comfortable and laid back setting. In late January Potential New Members met with initiated members for a night of board and card games and snacks, allowing for all girls to mingle and get to know each other better in a fun environment. By attending this event we were able to meet even more potential new members and have fun conversations with them over friendly competition. On January 24, 2017, the Kappa's went on two-on-one dates with potential new members. Each new member was paired with two sisters who took her on a "date" to a coffee shop, ice cream parlor, etc, to get her excited to join Kappa. These two-on-one dates allowed our sisters to get to know our potential new members on a more personal level. They were able to connect in a stronger way than some of the other events allowed. Sisters participated in a craft night together on February 1st, 2017. Sisters could either paint bricks as door stops or canvases for their rooms. Sisters enjoyed each other’s company, music, and snacks while painting in the kitchen of the house. It was a great way for sisters to talk, hang out, and get creative. Potential New Members were given a bid to be a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma on February 4, 2017, and were invited to the Kappa house for a super bowl themed bid day. Each new member was accompanied by a founding family to make this bid day the best day. There was food, dancing, games, and lots of photos taken. This day was a great and fun way for us to welcome our new members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. On February 10th, sisters and their dates joined together for a fun filled night at Defy Gravity. This was our first date function, titled “Kappa Krush”, where we enjoyed an evening jumping around a trampoline park and competing against each other in various games and obstacle courses at the venue. It was a great night for sisters and friends to engage in some friendly competition and have a lot of fun together! During the weekend of February 17 and 18, 2017, a new member retreat and movie night was held for our new members. A movie was shown and snacks were provided as our new members partook in fellowship and fun sisterhood memories. This event allowed our new members to bond with each other and begin to learn what sisterhood is all about. Kappa kicked off the spring semester and COB by Tabling in the brickyard! At this tabling event we sold donuts for one dollar each, with all proceeds supporting RIF. Sisters walked around campus spreading awareness of philanthropic causes and to help spread the Kappa name to potential new members. The event was a great way to meet our potential new members as well as inform the campus of the philanthropy that we support as an organization. On January 16, 2017, Eta Chi held a potential new member interest event at Build a Bear Workshop in Crabtree Valley mall. Each new member made and decorated a bear to send to a local children's hospital. This was a fun way to both meet our potential new members as well as help out others in our community and it allowed our potential new members to be a part of our efforts to give back. On January 19, 2017 Eta Chi hosted a potential new member interest dinner at the Kappa House. Spaghetti was served, as a myriad of new members came to enjoy the house and the company of prospective sisters. We were able to show our potential new members our beautiful house as well as interact with them in a comfortable and laid back setting. In late January Potential New Members met with initiated members for a night of board and card games and snacks, allowing for all girls to mingle and get to know each other better in a fun environment. By attending this event we were able to meet even more potential new members and have fun conversations with them over friendly competition. On January 24, 2017, the Kappa's went on two-on-one dates with potential new members. Each new member was paired with two sisters who took her on a "date" to a coffee shop, ice cream parlor, etc, to get her excited to join Kappa. These two-on-one dates allowed our sisters to get to know our potential new members on a more personal level. They were able to connect in a stronger way than some of the other events allowed. Sisters participated in a craft night together on February 1st, 2017. Sisters could either paint bricks as door stops or canvases for their rooms. Sisters enjoyed each other’s company, music, and snacks while painting in the kitchen of the house. It was a great way for sisters to talk, hang out, and get creative. Potential New Members were given a bid to be a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma on February 4, 2017, and were invited to the Kappa house for a super bowl themed bid day. Each new member was accompanied by a founding family to make this bid day the best day. There was food, dancing, games, and lots of photos taken. This day was a great and fun way for us to welcome our new members into Kappa Kappa Gamma. On February 10th, sisters and their dates joined together for a fun filled night at Defy Gravity. This was our first date function, titled “Kappa Krush”, where we enjoyed an evening jumping around a trampoline park and competing against each other in various games and obstacle courses at the venue. It was a great night for sisters and friends to engage in some friendly competition and have a lot of fun together! During the weekend of February 17 and 18, 2017, a new member retreat and movie night was held for our new members. A movie was shown and snacks were provided as our new members partook in fellowship and fun sisterhood memories. This event allowed our new members to bond with each other and begin to learn what sisterhood is all about. On February 19th, we held our first ever composite photoshoot! Sisters styled themselves beautifully as they each took photos for Eta Chi’s first composite. The composite now hangs on our wall in the parlor for all sisters and guests to see when they enter our home. A new tradition started to celebrate members obtaining GPAs of 3.75 and above at least one semester the previous year. This tradition is the Academic Excellence Tea held during Kappa's Academic Excellence Month. At the event on February 26, 2017 a Kappa alumni, Eileen Taylor, spoke to the attendees about how her educational experiences shaped her life. During the ceremony members who achieved a 4.0 GPA received a pearl dangle to attach to their key. Lunch and tea was served courtesy of our chef. Each attendee was able to take home their own Kappa mug. The event is meant to reward members for all the hard work they put into their classes. The tea will become an annual event encouraging members to do well in their academics endeavors in order to be invited to this lovely event! On February 26th, Eta Chi held its first Big/Little Reveal! Our spring class of nine girls were given a pair of colorfully designed socks; their big sisters wore a matching pair to each little sister. Big sisters stood behind a bed linen used as a makeshift divider, while the little sisters found their matching sock pair; they aligned themselves along the other side of the linen, across from their matches. Once all the sisters were matched to their Big’s, the sheet dropped and revealed their Big/Little pairs! It was a great event all around and even sweeter sight to see our newly initiated members embracing their new Big sisters! The Spring class of 2017 was initiated on March 25th by the Charter class of Fall 2016. On the 24th, the initiates took a part in the Fireside ceremony after dinner that was held for them by the chapter. They then spent the night in the house and learned more about Kappa Kappa Gamma, watched movies, spent time together, and were able to continue growing closer to each other as a pledge class. Our beautiful initiation ceremony was held early the next morning and these new members officially became our sisters! Kappa Kappa Gamma’s sister sorority Alpha Omega Epsilon (AOE) held a fundraiser fashion show on April 21st, 2017. The fashion show’s aim was to promote acceptable business dress in different scenarios. Many sisters of Kappa attending the event and some even participated in the show. Raffle tickets were sold to raise money for AOE’s philanthropy. This was a fantastic way for our chapter to engage and talk with sisters from other sororities around our campus. Sisters enjoyed their first Formal on April 22nd, 2017. Before the event sisters and their dates/friends met at the Kappa house to take lots of beautiful and fun pictures with each other. Out sisters and date/friends were then taken to the venue from the house. The event was held at the Raleigh Country Club where sisters and their dates danced, ate great food, and spent time together. The lovely decorations featured table pieces, a balloon arch, and the painted Kappa Kappa Gamma letters. Our very first formal was a smashing success and fun was had by all who attended.  Eta Chi hosted their first major spring philanthropy event on March 29—the 1st Annual Kappa Kappa Gamma Low Kountry Boil! With over 300 guests in attendance, the night was filled with fun games, great conversation, and a yummy low country boil feast—potatoes, corn on the cob, shrimp, and crawfish—topped off with a delicious banana pudding for dessert! The event raised over $2,500, with all proceeds benefiting Reading is Fundamental. On April 28th, 2017, the last day of classes for the semester, a sisterhood event was held for sisters as a way to celebrate a job well done throughout the year. The event was an 80’s themed skate night. Sisters received a free Kappa tank top for attending the event and enjoyed skating with one another, playing games, and celebrating the last day of classes. This skating event was a fun way for sisters to hang out after completing another year here at NC State. Members met at Talley on this day to hand out free coffee and snacks to students as a way to relax and prepare for the finals within the week. It was a great experience for sisters to interact with other students and even faculty in the NC State community. We were able to put a smile on a lot of people’s faces by doing this small gesture. It was a fun way to give to our NC State peers wishing them luck on their upcoming finals. The Eta Chi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma kicked off its Fall 2017 semester with spirit week in preparation for the upcoming formal recruitment process. During spirit week we prepared for recruitment by practicing songs and chants as well as preparing and decorating the house for our wonderful potential new members. Throughout this week we also did a number of sisterhood bonding activities and games to get everyone excited to recruit our new sisters. The first week of September 2017 we participated in our first formal recruitment as a chapter. This was a rewarding and exciting time for our sisters as we were able to talk with and meet our potential new members through each round of the recruitment process. We gained wonderful new members through this process and offered them a bid on September 9th and invited them back to the Kappa house for a Beatles themed bid day. This bid day was great fun for everyone and it was filled with dancing, eating, and great conversation between sisters and new members. This bid day was a fantastic way to end our first formal recruitment. On September 22, 2017 we went on our sisterhood retreat for the Fall semester. This was the first sisterhood event that our new members attended. For this event we went to the triangle rock club of Raleigh for a fun night of rock climbing. We were able to free climb and play climbing games as friendly competition among sisters. This event was an overnight event filled with lots of laughs and sisterhood bonding with our new members. On October 9, 2017 we had our big/little reveal for our Fall 2017 pledge class. At this event each other the bigs made a cute poster for their littles and were placed into a room in the Kappa house. They were instructed to play a certain song and their little had to go find them by listening to the song. This day was extremely sweet as bigs and littles were united. Many photos were taken and many smiles were shared. On the weekend of October 20 and 21 our Fall 2017 new member class was initiated into Eta Chi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Our fireside service was held on the 20th in the parlor of our house. The next morning we initiated these new members and they officially became our sisters. The ceremonies were touching and emotional for all who partook in this beautiful initiation process. During the first week of finals to end a great semester Kappa hosted its second annual sisterhood holiday party. This party was a great time for everyone to hang out and relax during the hectic finals time. There was great food, hot chocolate, and even a gingerbread house decorating contest. This event was a great way for sisters to spend some time together before the holidays. Our chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma seems to be a great addition to our NC State community and campus. Our chapter is always excited and willing to participate in the activities that the university has. We want to make a positive difference on our campus and so far it seems that we have been able to in a few small but meaningful ways. On March 29th, Eta Chi hosted their first major spring philanthropy event—the 1st Annual Kappa Kappa Gamma Low Kountry Boil! With over 300 guests in attendance, the night was filled with fun games, great conversation, and a yummy low country boil feast—potatoes, corn on the cob, shrimp, and crawfish—topped off with a delicious banana pudding for dessert! Corn hole boards were set up in the backyard and Eliza Bleu philanthropy boutique was set up in the parlor; the boutique generously donated 20% of proceeds made that evening to RIF. Overall the event raised over $2,500, with all proceeds benefiting Reading is Fundamental. It was a GREAT evening shared with family, friends, and sisters and we look forward to hosting it again next spring! Members of Eta Chi met at Talley on this day for the 20th annual Service Raleigh project. This service project allowed sisters to make a difference on our campus by doing a campus wide clean up. Sisters were sent to various places around campus and helped to beautify our school. This was a great way for our sisters to give back to the NC State community which we love and respect so much. We held our Fall 2017 carnival themed philanthropy event on October 26, 2017. During this event we had carnival games, hotdogs, cotton candy, popcorn, and even raffle prizes. This was a fun event for both family and friends of sisters to attend. All the proceeds from this event went to our philanthropy Reading is Fundamental. We raised $1,000 for RIF during this enjoyable Kappa Karnival event. On November 16 2017, we had our first ever reading is key event. We worked with the families of the Salvation Army and read the children a few books. Not only did we have the chance to share some of our favorite books with them, but we were able to do a few crafts as well. While it was a little hectic we all had a great time, and at the end of the night all of the children got to take a book home with them. This event allowed us to give back to our local community as well as continue to support our on philanthropy RIF by stressing the importance of reading to these children. We chose to donate our time and money to Reading is Fundamental because this is Kappa Kappa Gamma’s national philanthropy. Our chapter is passionate about helping contribute to our philanthropy in any way possible. Our Low Kountry Boil as well as Kappa Karnival events were extremely successful in raising money and books in support of RIF. We chose to donate our time to the Service Raleigh event because we care deeply about our NC State community and campus. This event was a way that Kappa was able to give back to NC State for all that they have done to help us during our first year as a chapter by allowing us to help beautify our campus. We chose to donate our time to Salvation Army as a way to give back to our community as well support our national philanthropy of RIF. This event gave us the opportunity to interact with children and teach them the importance that books and reading have.
Highlights of 2018Eta Chi started off the spring 2018 semester by having a night of PJs and Pancakes to get excited for another strong semester. Eta Chi also started a new tradition of Founders Cup which is a great way to stay involved on campus. Members are split up into different teams (named after the amazing founders of Kappa, of course), and compete to get the most points by going to the most campus events. On January 24th, Kappa held their first percentage night of the semester. It was at Armadillo Grill, a delicious Tex-Mex restaurant in downtown Raleigh. So many girls from Eta Chi came with their friends from all over campus along with many members from various other greek life organizations from NC State’s campus. On February 15th, Eta Chi held its second Kappa Krush date function at Moonlight Pizza Company. This night was date themed, meaning everyone dressed like a “date” on the calendar or a holiday. Sisters and their dates were able to enjoy delicious pizza while singing and dancing to fun music. There was also a fun backdrop where everyone could take pictures with their friends and dates. February 25th was a BIG day for our newest members and some other sisters. It was big/little reveal. The big sisters decorated boxes and surprised their new little sisters by being their “gift” and popping out of the box when the time came to reveal themselves. On March 24th, Eta Chi welcomed six new members into Kappa. After a special prospective new member pasta dinner, a fun bid day full of midnight ice skating, a new member retreat to a local escape room (where they did successfully escape), they were initiated into the Eta Chi chapter. On April 5th, Eta Chi hosted their Spring philanthropy event, Mac and Keys benefitting Reading is Fundamental. Sisters sold tickets to their peers and family to attend this fun event for a great cause. Sisters were able to mingle with those attending and everyone was able to eat unlimited mac and cheese with an assortment of toppings. This event was a great time for everyone and was a great way for Eta Chi to give back to RIF. On April 13th, sisters were able to take a break from busy weeks to dress in neon colors and enjoy a groovy night of bowling. Members of Eta Chi were given time to bond as the semester was wrapping up, whether they received the lowest or highest bowling score. April 14th was a busy day for members of Eta Chi. Sisters started off the day by participating in NC State’s largest service event of the year: Service Raleigh. They went to a local high school and spent the entire morning re-mulching the outdoor common area. After Service Raleigh, Eta Chi hosted a Mother’s Brunch. Mothers and daughters enjoyed socializing, snacks, and painting miniature pots while mingling with others. This was a great way for sisters and all of their mothers to get to know one another during a fun event. To start off the Spring semester, Eta Chi hosted a sisterhood event on January 6th called Pancakes and PJ's. Sisters ate a variety of pancakes with endless toppings while wearing their cozy pajamas. Sisters gathered in the kitchen catching up with winter b break memories and laughing over old memories from last semester. On January 24th, the chapter spent the evening at the bowling alley for a sisterhood event. This was an opportunity for members of all ages to spend time together and practice their bowling skills. The night started with pizza at the house and ended with friendly Still Life in Raleigh. At the venue, members and dates got to socialize, dance and even eat some yummy snacks such as chicken buffalo dip.
Members of Eta Chi held their biannual event of Kappa Kappachino on April 29th. During this event, members met in Talley Student Union and handed out free coffee and snacks to students passing through in order to give them encouragement to make it through finals week. It was a fun way to spread cheer during one of the most stressful times of the year. After a fun summer break, sisters got back to Raleigh in August and kicked off the new semester by spending time with other Kappas as they began their spirit week to prepare for recruitment. The week of August 13th was filled with fun as sisters practiced for formal recruitment. Every day, they dressed up in different themes and played sisterhood games. Spirit week gave members lots of time to bond and learn more about each other. The week even included a sisterhood pool party! Members of Eta Chi participated in their second formal recruitment during the weekend of August 31st-September 3rd. On September 4th, Kappa welcomed the Fall 2018 Pledge class home with a bid. It was a very Happy Bid Day! Sisters, new and old, dressed in fun colors and birthday themed attire, took more pictures than can be counted, enjoyed a yummy dinner, and even danced their hearts out with a DJ in the house. It was a great evening for new members to meet their sisters and feel at home right away. The pledge class of Fall 2018 and the initiated members enjoyed a night out at Defy Gravity on September 21st. Girls rotated around the complex playing various games while bonding with each other and defying gravity by jumping sky high. The night wrapped up with a fun midnight dodgeball tournament and sisters slept on the trampolines. During the week of September 24 to 28, members of Eta Chi participated in one of NC State’s most known traditions: Shack-a-thon. Shack-a-thon is a student driven fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. Sisters, with the help of another Greek life organization on campus, built a shack and were in it 24/7 during the week. Sisters also sold rice Krispie treats to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. On September 28th, sisters and their families enjoyed a fun day at the Kappa house with a spaghetti dinner, photo booth, and Kendra Scott trunk show. Eta Chi even won the Kendra Scott competition with over $400 being donated to RIF. Sisters and their families were treated to a special performance by one of NC State’s acapella groups: Grains of Time. It was a very special night for sisters to show their families why Kappa means so much to them. After a month of getting to know members of Eta Chi and a fun night of cardio dance to meet potential bigs, the pledge class of Fall 2018 finally received their big sisters on October 11th. Big sisters made posters for their new littles and surprised them by hiding behind them and then revealing themselves at the same time as everyone else. It was a very special night for all sisters to watch their families grow. The Fall 2018 pledge class become official members of Kappa Kappa Gamma on October 20th, 2018. After their period as a new member, the formal pledging ceremony, a fun new member retreat, and many sisterhood events, they were initiated into Eta Chi. During the week of October 29 to November 2, Eta Chi participated in Red and White week competitions with another Greek life organization on campus. Red and White week is Homecoming Week for the NC State community. Some of the events of the week included a lip sync battle, a competition for the best cupcakes, and a fight for the best banner. Eta Chi and their partner placed third overall for the week which left sisters feeling very proud since it was only their second homecoming week ever. On November 4th, the 2018 chapter council officers had a day of leadership to transition the new Eta Chi 2019 officers into their positions. These sisters participated in various bonding and team building activities in order to start preparing the new officers for their new positions. On November 11th, Eta Chi started a new tradition: Holiday Card Photos! Sisters dressed up in cute winter clothing and met in the Court of North Carolina to take pictures for an Eta Chi Holiday Card. Although it was a chilly evening, sisters were filled with the warmth of friendship and Kappa love. Eta Chi held its biannual Reading is Key event on November 15th at Combs Elementary School in Raleigh. On this night, sisters were able to spread the joy of reading with kids. The kids were able to make crafts with sisters, have a Dr. Seuss read-along, and they even received a book to take home with them. On November 30th, sisters of Eta Chi celebrated the December graduating seniors with a fun night of dancing and snacks at a venue in downtown Raleigh. Since this function was wig themed, sisters had a fun time channeling different personalities through new hair while giving the seniors one last event. The seniors received kind words from their sisters and got to leave through an arch of sparklers. Eta Chi wrapped up another great semester with their annual holiday party on December 8th. Members came dressed in their best holiday attire, competed for the best gingerbread house, exchanged gifts through “secret sister,” and enjoyed snacks and the company of fellow sisters for the last time of 2018.
To start off the year, Eta Chi had a roller-skating event. Although some girls may have had trouble staying on their feet, their sisters were there to help them up. The theme was Blue and Blue Looks Good On You Too, meaning all of the girls showed up in their best Kappa-themed blue attire. They finished off the night with yummy cake. Kappa sisters participated in NC State's Dance Marathon, where they stayed on their feet for 12 hours to benefit Duke Children's Hospital. This is a special NC State event that allows participants to interact directly with the kids they are fundraising for. Eta Chi even took home an award for the 3rd place Miracle Team for 2019! In February, the sisters had their first date function of the semester. Everyone was encouraged to bring a date and dress as opposites for the theme of "Opposites Attract." This gave everyone the opportunity to get creative and it was exciting to see what everyone wore. For the 2nd date function of the year, Kappa sisters dressed up in green, yellow, and purple attire with their dates for the Mardi Gras theme event. Color beads were handed out to the sisters tearing it up on the dance floor. In March Eta Chi hosted its second annual Mac and Keys philanthropy event to benefit Reading is Fundamental and was loved by all attendees. Guests were able to enjoy delicious mac and cheese while being entertained by live music from Mattie and the Masters. Kendra Scott and Vestige were also there selling beautiful jewelry and clothing. In April the third formal was hosted at Tobacco Road Sports Cafe. Sisters brought their dates to the house and took party buses to the venue. At formal, sisters ate catered food and showed off their best dance moves. Senior Send-off was hosted at Still-life in downtown Raleigh. Everyone wore a funky wig because they were "wiggin out" due to the seniors graduating. Each senior received a sign of what sisters in the chapter thought they were mostly known as in their time in Kappa. For example, most likely to know all the song lyrics by Taylor Swift. At the end of the night, Seniors left the venue through a sparkler arch created by their fellow sisters holding sparklers. Fall semester began with August work week/spirit week. After a long summer apart, the sisters of Eta Chi were eager to see each other again. Preparations for a new pledge class began while everyone dressed up for different themes every day. Seeing the girls "throw down for their hometown" was a favorite of the sisters. The week ended with a fun evening of outdoor games where girls cheered each other on fun events like potato sack races and the human knot. Labor Day Weekend Recruitment: Eta Chi's Fall 2019 pledge class got to run home to their new sisters and were able to experience a Grecian Getaway the Kappa way! The night was full of laughter, dancing, and white linen pants. September brought the Sisterhood Retreat. Sisters got to know each other better through group events involving races on rock climbing walls, encouraging each other up steep slopes, playing games, and hanging out throughout the night. The event was held at the Triangle Rock Club. Parents Weekend Brunch: Families enjoyed time together eating , taking pictures,playing corn hole, shopping at the Kendra Scott kiosk at the kappa house before the NC State football game vs Ball State. Kappa Kabana: sisters and their dates were dressed in their tropicana outfits ready for the Bahamas. Lei were handed out to the sisters tearing it up on the dance floor. October: Cheerwine and Design. Eta Chi had the pleasure of working with Panhellenic to host an event at the Kappa house called Cheerwine and Design. Members of all Panhellenic chapters on campus were invited to come paint canvases while drinking Cheerwine and meeting members of other chapters. It was a great time to chat and get creative while taking a small break from the chaos of the semester. Founders Day: Kappa hosted the Alumnae association and current members at the Hunt Library in the Duke Energy Center with a dessert bar that had a chocolate fountain. The Alumnae association spoke about the grand history of Kappa and giving words of encouragement to current members. Big/Little Reveal: Each big had a ball of yarn to wrap around the house and all the bigs end up outside the front of the house. The little would start at the end of the yarn in the house and follow it all the way to their big that was outside. Thrift Shop Date Function: Sisters came dressed in clothes they found in the back of their grandmother's closet for the thrift shop theme date function. The venue was a The Ugly Monkey and had arcade games inside. Initiation: Initiation took place in the chapter room and had two services. The night before the lil's slept over in the house and participated in Fireside. November: Kappa Kickball at Miller Field. The second annual event was held and composed of sisters being referees or welcoming guests. There were food trucks and a spotified confirmed singer named Levi who performed at the end of the tournament. Homecoming: Kappa sisters were busy with their homecoming partners Beta to get first place for all of the homecoming events. Kappa got 1st for the homecoming video, 1st for the most cupcake money raised, 1st for paint the town on Hillsborough Street, 2nd for homecoming banner, and 2nd for the dance performed at Stafford Commons. Overall, Kappa and Beta got 2nd place and was announced at halftime at the football game against Clemson. Sisters and their dates enjoyed a fun evening at Imurji, a local art and music gallery in downtown Raleigh. Food, photos, and dancing were enjoyed by all. December Holiday Party: Sisters got together in their ugly Christmas sweaters and wore their santa hats for a gingerbread house competition, secret sister gift exchange, putting together a scrapbook, and drinking hot cocoa.
To start off the Spring semester, Eta Chi hosted a sisterhood event on January 6th called Pancakes and PJ's. Sisters ate a variety of pancakes with endless toppings while wearing their cozy pajamas. Sisters gathered in the kitchen catching up with winter b break memories and laughing over old memories from last semester. On January 24th, the chapter spent the evening at the bowling alley for a sisterhood event. This was an opportunity for members of all ages to spend time together and practice their bowling skills. The night started with pizza at the house and ended with friendly Still Life in Raleigh. At the venue, members and dates got to socialize, dance and even eat some yummy snacks such as chicken buffalo dip. On February 13th, our chef prepared a delicious pasta dinner for Valentine's Day including her famous double chocolate chip brownies and cookies. Sisters came to the house to share a delicious meal and spend time together. The week of February 17th-21st, Eta Chi participated in the War of Roses, a week long competition supporting Pi Kappa Phi's philanthropy, The Ability Experience. Members painted a banner, baked cookies, and signed a Spread the Word to End the Word banner. Lindsay Dinallo entered the beauty pageant as our Rose Queen contestant and placed 3rd. Eta Chi placed 4th overall out of 6 sororities and raised $165. At the end of February our chapter holds an Academic Excellence Tea to celebrate academic excellence month. Any member from the previous spring semester or fall semester with a 3.75 term GPA receives and invitation; on average there are about 45 members who are invited. At the tea, a speaker is invited and members also receive prizes. The tea has been held for 4 years now and will continue to be held yearly. The tea is a special time where members can be praised for their hard work and dedication to academics. On February 28th, Eta Chi celebrated Valentine's Day a little late with our Kappa Krush date function. Members could bring a guest or date and dressed up in all different shades of red and pink. Members and dates met at the Kappa house to check in and then hopped on a bus to go to the venue, the Junction. Dance Marathon is a nationwide fundraising movement involving college and high school students at more than 300 schools across the country. NC State's Dance Marathon benefits the Children's Miracle Network at Duke Children's Hospital. Multiple organizations on campus participated this year including other Greek organizations. This year NC State's Dance Marathon raised a total of $69,745.92 which went towards music therapy, arts & crafts, and research opportunities. As a team, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Phi Kappa Tau raised over $7,000. Due to the COVID-19 outbreaks in North Carolina and the rest of the country, NC State moved all classes online for the rest of the semester and gave students an extended spring break. This resulted in our chapter suspending all social events for the rest of the spring semester. We were unable to host our main philanthropy event, Macn Keys, like originally planned on March 28th due to the pandemic. Instead, Eta Chi virtually sold raffle tickets to family and friends to win prizes such as an espresso machine and a basketball signed by Kevin Keatts (NC State's basketball coach) to raise money for Reading is Fundamental. Fall semester on August 20th, NC State cancelled all in person classes and closed dorms. Members living in the Kappa house were given the option to remain in the house or move out for the semester. From September 18th-21st, members of Eta Chi conducted formal recruitment through a virtual setting using Zoom to talk to PNMs in breakout rooms. Bid Day was September 22nd and the House of Blues was our bid day theme! Members of Eta Chi were able to sign up for time slots to take pictures in front of the Kappa house and the banner following CDC guidelines. All Bid Day activities were held over Zoom t o welcome the new members. New members were then able to sign up for time slots to take pictures in front of the house on September 24th. The New Member Pin Ceremony was held virtually on September 27th. New members dressed in white and established members wore dark colors. Our chapter held Big/Little Reveal on October 18ty. Groups of 3-4 new members came to the house at a time to finally discover who their bigs were. During the ritual chapter on October 18t we elected our new Chapter Council. The newly elected Chapter Council was installed on November 8th. On October 24th, Eta Chi had a virtual combination of Fireside and Initiation on Zoom. Only new members, their bigs, and Chapter Council attended to keep things running smoothly. All members wore light colors and recordings of songs were played instead of having members sing. COVID-19, unfortunately due to the pandemic, we were unable to have several events that we had planned for both Spring and Fall semester, including our Parent's Cocktail, Formal, Kappa Casino philanthropy event, and our Semi Formal. NC State also did not host the usual homecoming events that we participate in. Our chapter won two of the 2018-2020 Chapter Awards and earned three honorable mentions! Eta Chi on the Excellence in Chapter Management Award (Chapters with 119-179 members) and the Finance Award (housed). We earned honorable mentions for Most Improved Academic Excellence Award (8-11 Panhellenic groups), Panhellenic Award (8-11 Panhellenic groups), and Risk Management Award (Chapters with 119-179 members). =Chapter Philanthropy= Eta Chi support Reading is Fundamental. Our chapter supports this organization because it is Kappa's national philanthropy. =Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion= This year we added a position within our standards committee, so that our members at large could double as a Diversity sand Inclusion Chair. =Sesquicentennial Celebration= Eta Chi celebrated Founder's Day and Kappa's 150th anniversary early during chapter of October 11th by participating in fun Kappa-related activities on Zoom and learning more about Kappa history and Eta Chi history.
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