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Eta Pi

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→‎2012

==Highlights of 2011-2019==

==~~2012~~Highlights of 2011==

The Fall 2011 Semester of the Eta Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma was a semester full of wonderful changes. After voting in the previous school year to absorb the Local Sorority Kappa Psi Delta into the National Fraternity Kappa Kappa Gamma, we immediately began to take action in our new roles in our new colony. As a local chapter that had thrived on the New York University campus for 12 years, our transition went very smoothly. After all of the sisters had adjusted to the new terminology and structure of the chapter, business went on as usual and we had an extremely productive semester. Sisters co-programmed philanthropy events with other Greek Organizations on campus, we remained an active voice in the panhellenic and inter-greek council communities, many sisters attended a Founders Day event with the alumni association in Connecticut, and we had a beautiful initiation ceremony on November 4th with many alumni and Fraternity Officers present. Successful events included: • a welcome back to the big apple tabling event where sisters gave out slices of apple pie and candied apples • a toy drive in one of the residence halls • Semi-Formal hosted a Cucina de Pesce, a location that was a part of the Kappa Psi Delta history • Stressbusters and cocoa during finals week • Numerous fundraisers to raise money to purchase books for A Place for Kids, an after school program that the chapter had worked with for a couple of years • Volunteering time at A Place for Kids, working on reading skills with a kindergarten class at PS-2 in Chinatown '''Campus:''' Over the past year, there have been many changes to the Greek Community at New York University. Not only did we witness the absorption of Kappa Psi Delta into Kappa Kappa Gamma, but a new chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha was also installed on campus. These two events created an expansion in the Greek community and brought many organizations closer. '''Chapter:''' Obviously the main recent change of the Eta Pi chapter was the transition from local sorority Kappa Psi Delta to the national fraternity of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Since we had already been established and running smoothly on campus and within the Greek community, the transition was not a difficult one. We were able to keep pace with other organizations on campus, despite technically being classified as a colony of new members. We were operating on the same level that we had always operated on and because of this, our transition was quick and painless. The overall nature of the chapter reflected this attitude that simply because we were changing our letters didn’t mean that we were starting all over completely fresh. We wanted to move at a pace that was probably considered extremely fast for a colony, but we believed that the best way to make the change was to keep progressing forward not to slow down for the process. Because of this, the chapter ran as a cohesive, effective unit of women that were all striving towards our common goal, to absorb successfully into Kappa Kappa Gamma. One of the greatest challenges we encountered this semester was the actual process of the transition. Each member had to go through the new member process all over again. At the beginning of the year, this seemed a very daunting task. But each member of the chapter took this challenge with great stride, and with the help of our installation team and all of the alumni and advisers that stepped up to assist us, we made a strong transition from Kappa Psi Delta to Kappa Kappa Gamma. Another challenge we faced was keeping traditions of Kappa Psi Delta alive to honor the history of our organization. We are currently incorporating these traditions into some of the programs being planning for the Inspiration week for the Beta class. ==Highlights of 2012==

'''Scholarship:''' Eta Pi supports sisters in their academic endeavors by offering study hours in the library each week and an open study room booked 24/7 during finals week. Chapter members are also encouraged to maintain high grades by participating in the “Wise Owl” program, in which they are entered in a drawing for gift cards each week during chapter if they received an “A” on a paper, exam, or project during the week. Girls with a 3.8 GPA or above are awarded a “Kappa Kappa Genius” T-shirt. For the spring of 2012, these girls were Madeline Aaron, Jillian Fairchild, Elizabeth Green, Ariana Marsh, Madelyn McClung, Meredith Menache, Rebekah Nielsen, Elizabeth Owen Skidmore, Puja Patel, Kristina Rathjen, and Karen Shin. In the Spring of 2012, Kappa received the Outstanding Academic Achievement Program at the Fraternity and Sorority Life Awards.

==Highlights of 2013==

The year of 2013 was another successful year of growth for the relatively new Eta Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Our chapter was recognized for three awards, Sorority Woman of the Year to Jen Morrisette, Advisor of the Year to Allie Vukov, and Outstanding Recruitment, at NYU’s Fraternity & Sorority Life Awards.

Scholarship is very important to the women of Eta Pi, and this year we implemented Owl Pals to foster connections between members studying similar majors. Additionally, we began a Book Club to further explore academic interest, reading books like Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg.

We hosted a variety of successful sisterhood events on campus, like our Chapter Potluck, Canvas Crafting, and Holiday party. We also held sisterhood events at our house, such as the Kappa Film Festival. Eta Pi also initiated a total of 40 new members throughout the year who underwent an easy and informative New Member process. Eta Pi also held both Formal and Semi-formal dance events during the year.

Eta Pi hosted both a Leadership Consultant multiple times throughout the year who we found to be helpful and approachable, as well as a Kappa Trainer who taught us about the fraternity and leadership. We also sent girls to Leadership Academy and Province this year.

Our chapter also increased our participation in Panhellenic and Inter-Greek events on campus, including the NYU Greek Games, in which we placed second, Greek Week, and New York Dance Marathon. Our sisters also gained the maximum number of positions for Panhellenic Council and participate in the Inter-Greek Council.

Our networking both on and offline was a big success for our chapter, as we held events with our nearest alumni chapter (including our 2013 Founders Day Celebration) and achieved an incredible increase in our chapter’s PR presence throughout social media.

Eta Pi continued its dedication to philanthropy, contributing to the NYU Dance Marathon, for which our chapter raised $6700, Relay for Life, the New York Cares Day of Service, and the Rose McGill Foundation. We held philanthropy events of our own like those benefiting Reading Is Fundamental and the Be The Match bone marrow drive. We also co-sponsored and participated in philanthropic events such as the Breast Cancer Awareness Runway Show with Zeta Tau Alpha, the Best Buddies Walk, National Hazing Prevention Week, Suicide Prevention Walk, and Greek Allies’ Safe Zone training and Pay Attention project.

With respect to our chapter-wide goals, Eta Pi worked hard to increase ritual knowledge by holding formal chapters every week starting in the fall, and we have seen an overall increase in the chapter’s familiarity with the ritual. Additionally, at the outset of the year we wanted to increase our recognition on campus, in the Panhellenic and Inter-Greek community, and online. We have made great strides in increasing our presence in all of these arenas by participating in more events hosted by different organizations, increasing our attendance and presence in Panhellenic and Inter-Greek council meetings, and by marketing our online footprint successfully enough to gain over 1000 followers on Facebook and similarly increasing our following on other social media websites. We also wanted to work on fostering better, more streamlined communication both within Chapter Council and the entire chapter, and having the Leadership Consultant and Kappa Trainer discuss better communication practices has produced more positive, efficient communication throughout the year.

Eta Pi held recruitment during the Spring and Fall semesters of 2013, initiating five new sisters in the spring and thirty-five in the fall. Our chapter elected the new 2014 Chapter Council in November of 2013. Additionally, our chapter enabled other sisters to hold leadership positions outside of Chapter Council by creating new positions to help streamline necessary chapter processes like Assistant Chairs and the “Kapparel” Chair.

Eta Pi is proud to characterize ourselves as a diverse group of easygoing, approachable women who value academics, philanthropy, and sisterhood. As our chapter grows and learns more about the facets of Kappa Kappa Gamma sisterhood, we are excited to learn the ritual and traditions of our fraternity and create new ones for our own chapter to uphold and enjoy.

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