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→Highlights of 2018
We have a beautiful newly renovated house. We use our main dining room as the chapter room,
where hold meetings throughout the year.
==Highlights of 2018==
The 2018-19 school year began with a new Beta Xi Chapter Council ready to work hard and
continue the amazing work of the previous council. The new Chapter Council was comprised
of many new members, as well as some returning faces. Camille Szelc advanced from the role
of Treasurer to President, and Jennifer Harbour took her place, moving up from Assistant
Treasurer. Helen Williams took over the role as Assistant Treasurer, the only sophomore
position on Chapter Council. Emma Riddle and Tessa Lauritzen returned to their respective
positions of Philanthropy Chairman and Public Relations Chairman for the second year in a
row. Carter Pittman was VP Standards, Charlotte Fitzpatrick was VP Organization,Peyton
Travis was VPAE, Emily Parnell was Recording Secretary, Linda Castranova was Corresponding
Secretary, Caroline Cannan was Membership Chairman, Cameron Crawford was New Member
Chairman, Madison Rigby was Event Chairman, Cameron Shepherd was Registrar, Katie Bell
was House Chairman, Lexie Alexander was Marshal, Sarah Boatwright was Risk Management
Chairman, Kate Kaiser was Panhellenic Delegate, and Paige Nelson was Education Chair.
As the year began, Camille (President) got the Chapter Council in order by determining a set
time for weekly meetings. She efficiently created an easy way for all Council members to
communicate, set up a Google Drive folder for notes and forms, and reviewed the necessary
expectations and responsibilities of Chapter Council officers. The Council discussed their
personal and group goals for the semester, focusing mostly on encouraging attendance and
bolstering chapter morale throughout the year. To build a stronger community within the
chapter, Carter (VP Standards) created a Kappa Kompliments box where members could leave
encouraging notes to fellow Kappas to be read out at chapter. Cameron (Registrar) made sure
Key Reports was in order and allowed access to the new officers. Jennifer (Treasurer) worked
with the Chapter Council to set budgets for the 2018 spring semester and continued with
billing of the chapter for the new semester. Linda (Corresponding Secretary) introduced her
goal of moving everything over from the ListServe system to GinSystem and began the switch.
Peyton (VPAE) started off the year by creating a consistent schedule of study snacks, available
every Tuesday as a place for chapter members to take a mental break and grab a cookie or two. At
the first chapter of the year, Camille (President) did a great job of welcoming everyone
back and introduced transfers. The chapter voted on a new Standards Committee and AE
Committee. To begin the process of recruitment, Caroline (Membership) sent out Are
a Rush Captain Applications to be due at the end of the month. Sophomores are encouraged to apply
to be an Area Rush Captain as a fun way to get more involved in recruitment and assist the rush team in
the busy months to come.
In early February, the first formal chapter of the year was held. Camille (President) and four
other officers attended Ladder of Risk, a workshop designed to introduce the FIGP policy and
build a community between fellow sorority and fraternity leaders. Emma (Philanthropy) began
the application for GIRLS Academy, an opportunity for Kappa chapters to partner with and
mentor young girls from a local middle school. As a chapter, Beta Xi raised over $1,000 for RIF
at an event held by Outdoor Voices and was named one of the 20 highest donating KKG
chapters. Charlotte (VPO) did a great job of placing chapter members into their respective
committees, based off of their requests and needs of the officers. Kate (Panhellenic Delegate)
sought to build better relationships between the Beta Xi chapter and Panhellenic by
encouraging members to apply to be a Rho Gam for the following year’s recruitment.
Cameron (Registrar) planned “Rom Com of the Month” around Valentine’s Day, featuring a
night with popcorn, candy, and cheesy movies. The Kappas joined Pi Beta Phi for Monmouth,
a wonderful formal event held at The Belmont. Everyone had a blast at the Masquerade
themed party, spending the night dancing to the band, posing for photo booth pictures, or
coming up with a crazy design to request from the face painters. Paige (Education) planned an
interesting and informative program night about self-defense, focusing on what we can do as
women if we are placed in a threatening situation. The past two years of rush teams met with
Caroline (Membership) and her rush team at a triplicate meeting, allowing them to impart
their advice and wisdom. Caroline (Membership) also began meeting with Panhellenic at
bimonthly Recruitment Roundtables as a way to learn the rules and routines of recruitment
and led her first rush workshop with PC’ 17. On the last chapter of February, Alumnae
Relations Specialist for Theta District, Amy Sutton, visited to announce to the chapter that the
Warning of Probation had been lifted. The month ended with a Ritual Workshop held by Lexie
(Marshall) as a way to refresh the chapter’s memory of important Kappa history.
March came and went quickly with the nice week of Spring Break to give everyone a break
from school. Emma (Philanthropy) invited the founders of the B+ Foundation to come speak
to the chapter. They educated the chapter about their mission and main goals, while also
introducing their Roundup fundraising campaign. Peyton (VPAE) held a wonderful Professor
Dinner at the Kappa house, giving the members of our chapter a chance to get to know their
esteemed professors in a more intimate setting. She designed coffee cups as a party favor so
that each professor would remember the hospitality displayed by each girl. Before Spring
Break, the Not On My Campus committee gave a brief but informative presentation on staying
safe and watching out for your sisters during the break. The next week, Kappas set off all over
the country, exploring new places, relaxing at home, or visiting friends studying abroad in
foreign countries. After Spring Break, the chapter nominated Avery Campbell as the new
Nominating Committee Chair Representative. Emma (Philanthropy) also joined forces with Pi
Phi to throw Kappa Pi Phi Karnival. The event was held in the front yard of the
Pi Phi house with cotton candy, face paint, and even a mechanical bull! Chapter members sold wristbands
to their friends, encouraging them to stop by as a kickoff party for Roundup Weekend. Tessa
(PR) invited alumni and friends to the house that Sunday for a fun Easter party. Alumni were
welcome to bring their children for a fun afternoon of cookie decorating and egg hunting.
Cameron (New Member) began discussing Bid Day with Chapter Council, throwing around
ideas and asking for the opinions of the chapter. Madison (Event) planned a completely new event, naming
the party “Kappa Krush”. Chapter members secretly invited dates for their
friends, but the girls did not find out until their date found them wearing their tie at the party!
Everyone was excited to try something new, and the event held Vulcan was a huge success.
April was another busy month for the Beta Xi chapter as the school year began wrapping up.
Camille (President) and Kate (Panhellenic Delegate) presented the new Diversity and Inclusion
Statement written by Panhellenic to the chapter and encouraged members to apply for the
new Diversity and Inclusion committee. Katie (House) sent out new room assignments to the
sophomores eagerly awaiting their year living in the house. To continue boosting morale,
Carter (VP Standards) and the standards committee planned a night at the baseball park for
fun sisterhood event in early April. The Kappas took over the stands, eating hot dogs and
cheering on the UT baseball team as they took on the Baylor Bears. Peyton (VPAE) recognized
girls in the chapter who received a 4.0 in the fall and also announced that the chapter had
moved up in the UPC GPA rankings to the 7th position! The new members advanced even
higher, ranking 3rd. Chapter members visited Wooldridge Elementary for their biannual
Reading is Key event, engaging the students through basketball, bracelet making, and of
course, dance parties! Each student got to leave with a few books donated by the members of
our chapter. Cameron (Registrar) planned this month’s “Rom Com of the Month” around The
Bachelor, having a fun night of snacks and gossip as chapter members gathered together to
watch the finale. Caroline (Membership) held two recruitment workshops this month, re-
familiarizing the entire chapter with the songs, chants, and strategies soon to be used. The
recruitment team spent endless amounts of time meeting with the ARCs and taking on their
respective roles to prepare for the summer months. They did a great job of introducing new
changes and getting the chapter excited about a new season of recruitment!
Paige (Education) planned a final wrap up event for the seniors at Painting With a Twist. The seniors
got to visit a studio to recreate their own painting to take home, and they had a blast!
Madison (Event) was busy this month, planning both the last date event of the
year, Kite and Key, with Kappa Alpha Theta and Parent’s Weekend. The date event featured a fun band
Cedar Street Courtyard. Instead of doing separate Mom’s and Dad’s weekends, Madison
combined the two into one big Parent’s Weekend at the end of April. On
Friday, chapter members attended a joint shopping event and Happy Hour between Adelante and Santa Rita.
To show off the new house, Kappa hosted a brunch for all parents before the UT baseball
game. Towards the end of the month, the chapter welcomed back Casey, a Kappa Leadership
Consultant. Each Chapter Council officer met with Casey to get advice and set goals for the
next semester. Charlotte (VPO) did a great job in planning activities for Casey to introduce her
to more of Austin. As a whole, the chapter was so grateful that Casey was able to make time
to come back and visit again. The school year came to an end in May as Kappas began making their summer plans.
Paige (Education) brought back the tradition of Chapter Awards, much to the surprise and
excitement of the chapter. Outstanding Freshman went to Gigi Hanna, Outstanding
Sophomore went to Risk Management Chair Sarah Boatwright, Outstanding Junior went to
Peyton Bertram, and Outstanding Senior went to Hannah Love. Hannah was also presented
the Eleanor Niggli-Tyler Award for outstanding contributions to Beta Xi Chapter Kappa Kappa
Gamma. Kristen Graham won Lillian Lurker, a comedic award presented to a house girl who
spent hours in the Lillian, our beloved living room. For outstanding contribution to the
University of Texas and Kappa Kappa Gamma, senior Riley Longtain received the Braun-
Maynard Award. Last, Sally Cisarik won the Heather Lynn Dealy Award, nicknamed the
“Sunshine Award”. Paige (Education) also planned Senior Sendoff to honor those leaving us.
Each senior received a small present from the chapter and announced their future plans.
Jennifer (Treasurer) explained payment plans to the chapter, as she would begin billing for
the Fall semester in August. During the summer months, Beta Xi Kappas set off to do wonderful things all over the world.
Several members studied abroad, becoming familiar with the lifestyles in Spain, Italy, Croatia,
and more. Older Kappas began internships and summer jobs, hoping to gain experience and
make connections. Other members entered summer school or attended summer camps. To
keep in touch, Tessa (PR) kept up the chapter’s various social media accounts, gathering
pictures from everyone’s exciting summer experiences. Camille (President) and Emily
(Corresponding Secretary) took off to Denver to attend the Kappa Convention. They had an
incredible time getting to know Kappa chapters from all over the country and developing
stronger relations with the advisors who attended as well. Beta Xi was lucky enough to win
the advisory board of the year award for the chapter connections with the advisors. The most
notable part of their trip was the presentation by Lawrence Ross, who came to UT this past
Fall as well to discuss race relations in Sororities and Fraternities. Caroline (Recruitment) and
her rush team stayed busy reviewing letters of recommendation, planning out the fun days of
work week, and creating a strategy to use in the upcoming weeks. Chapter members moved
back to Austin in early August to participate in a week of preparing for recruitment. Caroline
(Recruitment) and her team even surprised the chapter with a swimming barge as a way to
cool off in the hot summer heat. A great work week led into an even better recruitment week.
Beta Xi was proud to show off the their unique personalities, and on Bid Day, we welcomed 68
amazing new girls into our chapter! The festivities planned by Cameron (New Member)
included dinner at Matt’s El Rancho, a dance party, and a sleepover at the house for all new
members. The girls loved getting to know their future sisters in a more intimate setting.
The school year started up again in September. Kappas welcomed the fall semester with open
arms, entering new classes and cheering on the Longhorns football team. Chapter Council
gathered together again on Sundays to communicate their semester goals and plan for how to
achieve them. After an orientation put on by Katie (House), PC’ 16 moved into the house,
enjoying the comfort of living so close to campus. The New Members eagerly explored
their new home, eating meals together, studying in the basement, and showing off the house to
their friends during guest lunches. They attended a New Member Orientation put on by
Panhellenic to learn all of the policies and responsibilities expected of new
members. Within Kappa,Cameron (Registrar) and Linda (Corresponding Secretary) worked with Cameron (New
Member) to gather all of the New Member information to input them into the various
systems. Linda (Corresponding Secretary) also gave a presentation on Ginsystem as the
chapter officially moved over from ListServe. Carter (Standards) elected a new member to the
Standards committee to replace the senior who graduated in May. Once again, Charlotte
(VPO) worked on organizing committees in time for the first committee night. Peyton (VPAE)
proudly announced that our chapter moved from 8th place to 4th place out of 14 sororities in
the UPC GPA rankings with an average GPA of 3.5581. Cameron (New Member) began the
New Member meetings before chapter each week to educate the New Members on various
aspects of Kappa, introduce them to the Chapter Council officers, and answer any questions
they had. The Kappas attended their first date event in late September, a fun, ranch
style joint date event with Tri Delta. Our chapter was approved for GIRLS Academy, so Emma
(Philanthropy) began working on those details. Tessa (PR) gathered pictures and stories from
the summer to publish the summer newsletter.
As October came around, energy in the house was at an all time high with the excitement of
Halloween, the Texas-OU game, and our date event with Chi Omega. The month began with
chapter composites planned by Cameron (Registrar). Avery Steen worked closely to pair the
sophomores and New Members for Key Sis dates, giving the newer members a chance to
spend time with their older sisters. Emma (Philanthropy) scheduled a bat tour for girls in the
chapter to spend time with Moriah, our B+ Hero. In preparation for the big game in Dallas,
Sarah (Risk Management) worked with the NOMC leaders to give a helpful presentation on
the risks of party weekends and how to stay safe. She also organized a list of girls going to the
game by fraternity so that all Kappas knew who to turn to if they needed help. On Friday,
Kappas loaded up buses and cars to head to the Red River Rivalry. After a nerve-wracking game,
the Longhorns came out on top with a 48-45 win. To celebrate Halloween, Madison
(Event) planned our annual Owl-o-ween with Chi O. From Ghostbusters to movie stars,
everyone enjoyed dressing up with their date. Tessa (PR) hosted a Halloween party at the
house for alumni and their children. In-house girls participated by handing out candy in a
mock trick-or-treat activity. Towards the end of the month, Kappas went back to Wooldridge
Elementary to host their fall Reading is Key event. Everyone loved seeing the children again,
and we even saw some returning faces! The month culminated with a sisterhood hangout
with Kappa Delta. Kate (Panhellenic) invited the KDs into our house to build ice c
ream sundaes and socialize.
November kicked off with a fun-filled Parent’s Weekend, featuring a great brunch at the
house before a big football game against West Virginia. The following week was an amazing
Inspiration Week planned by Lexie (Marshal). Casey the Leadership Consultant returned that
week to act as a guide and mentor through all of the Initiation rituals. Chapter Council was so
fortunate to have someone who knew our chapter so well to be there during this special
week. The week began with Big-Little reveal as the new members were welcomed into their
new families, dressing up and eating Amy’s ice cream. On Friday, Fireside was held at the
house. After bonding all night, the new members were finally initiated early Saturday
morning. To celebrate, Cameron (New Member) planned a wonderful brunch for the new
actives and their families. The weekend culminated with Founder’s Day, a special event held
each year to embrace our Kappa history and celebrate our esteemed alumni. This year, Paige
(Education) planned Founder’s Day at the Kappa House as a way to show off our beautiful
home and make the event more intimate. Kappa also participated in Greek Get Down, a
dance competition put on by AEPhi to raise money for their philanthropy. Peyton (VPAE) held
another Professor Dinner, giving the new actives a chance to talk to the people who led their
classes each day. On the last Thursday in November, Kappas attended Kappa Klassic, a semi-
formal held at Summit. Everyone had a blast, and Kappa commends Madison (Event) for the
wonderful job she did planning events all year. The Slate committee worked endless hours,
pouring over Chapter Council applications and debating who would be the next leaders of
Kappa. After long nights, they presented their nominations to the chapter, which were warmly
received. Kappa thanks Slate for the wonderful job they did, and we are all very excited for
the new Chapter Council to lead us into next year.
As the year came to a close, December was an important time for transitioning. New Chapter
Council members met with those who held their positions currently to learn the ins and outs
of each job. As a wrap-up and official transition day, Charlotte (VPO) planned the Leadership
brunch at the house. Old and new Chapter Council members gathered with their advisors to
celebrate everything that has been accomplished in the past year and discuss goals for the
semester to come. Chapter Council members also attended the State of Panhellenic dinner to
present what Kappa achieved in the last year. As a treat, Carter (VP Standards) and the
Standards committee replaced the last chapter with a sisterhood party. The house
transformed into a Winter Wonderland as chapter members took a break from studying to
enjoy free massages, cookie decorating, and a chocolate fountain. Overall, 2018 was a
remarkable year for Kappa as we transitioned off of a Warning of Probation, introduced a
wonderful new pledge class, and grew stronger together. We are very fortunate to have had
such an exciting year, and we anticipate that 2019 will be even better!
This year,the Texas Longhorns played a fantastic season and played against the Oklahoma Sooners in the
Big 12 Championship at the AT&T Stadium. This was the first year since 2009 that the Longhorns made
it to the Big 12 Championship,and it was the first time since 1903 that the two teams played each
other twice in one season.
The Longhorns will go on to play the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.
After a long campaign season and a runoff,Colton Becker and Mehraz Rahman were elected
as the new student body president and vice president. Our chapter is known throughout campus
for being very involved in multiple school functions and clubs.
The traditional "Kappa"girl is known for being respectable,responsible,and true to herself.
Our house is a landmark on campus, and we take pride in welcoming people to see this
special place.
Our chapter supports Reading Is Fundamental,B+ Foundation
Our chapter has been raising money and gathering books for RIF over the last few years.
We partner with Wooldridge Elementary to host a RIF event there twice a year, inviting
students from the school to come play games,eat snacks,and get their faces painted.
Each child leaves with books donated by our members. Throughout the year,chapter members
volunteer as mentors for some of the students at the school. We received our B+ Hero,
Moriah,a few years ago,along with many other sororities and fraternities on campus.
Moriah has become part of the sisterhood, and she is well loved by everyone in the chapter.
We spend lots of time taking her and her friends to participate in things around Austin as well
as hosting them to the house to paint,sing,or play hide-and-go-seek. Throughout the year,we
also raise money for the B+ Foundation through fundraising campaigns. As Moriah grows older,
we are so lucky to have had the chance to get to know her and her family.
Our chapter meets every Monday at 6 pm in what we call the "Great Room" in the house.
At 5pm, we offer chapter dinner to the entire chapter. As dinner comes to an end,our House
Boys assist us in moving the tables and chairs from a dining room setting to more of a
presentation-style setting.
Every year,we have multiple girls from our chapter apply to ride for Texas 4000. Texas
4000 is a non-profit organization that hosts one of the longest bicycle rides in the
world. The Kappas who apply and are accepted raise thousands of dollars, training a
ll year for their ride from Austin to Alaska. Our chapter assists these members by posting
on social media, selling t-shirts, and helping raise money. Not only are we incredibly
proud of our girls who take on this task, we also commend our chapter for the outpouring
love and support they provide.
Summer 2018 Riders:
Peyton
Bertram
and
Linda
Castranova;
Summer 2019 Riders:
Julie
DeLaRosa