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Gamma Xi chapter celebrated Founders Day by having the traditional Founders Day ceremony in which all members wore blue and heard about the Founders of Kappa Kappa Gamma. In addition, our chefs baked a beautiful Kappa birthday cake with, of course, blue frosting and decorated with the golden key. We have begun to celebrate Kappa’s 150th anniversary by planning to have the Minnie Stewart Van come to visit us on February 6, 2020. We have made this event a Sisterhood and are expecting a good turnout of active members, advisers, and alumnae to help us celebrate Kappa’s sesquicentennial!
==Highlights of 2020==
Gamma Xi had a very eventful year! The first event of 2020 was Officer Leadership Training which took place on Sunday, January 5th. The next day, at Monday night's meeting, all the new officers were installed. Our new officers were: Lizzy-Labeeuw Anderson (President), Sydney Brown (VP-Standards), Mary Dover (VP-Academic Excellence), Allison Herbst (VP-Organization), Anna Melnyk (Secretary), Tamar Ervin (Treasurer), Regan Finch (Marshal), Jade Sebti (Education Chairman), Skyler Seamons (Event Chairman), Madison Moneymaker (Risk Management Chairman), Maeneka Grewal (Membership Chairman), Katrina Simons (New Member Chairman), Julia Fry (Panhellenic Delegate), Kendall Bottrell (Philanthropy Chairman), and Lauren Haight (Public Relations Chairman). Maya Jones was the House Chairman for the 2019-2020 school year and Gabby Martin is currently the House Chairman for the 2020-2021 school year.
Later in January, we hosted students from 122nd Elementary School for “A Day in the Life”. To celebrate Kappa’s Sesquicentennial (150 years), the Minnie Stuart Van stopped at 744 Hilgard on February 6th. We had a great day learning about Kappa’s history and meeting alumni! Everyone was very excited to explore the van, which was filled with Kappa artifacts and history. Live-ins, non-Live-ins, Advisors, and Kappa alumni all stopped by to explore the van, celebrate 150 years of Kappa, and share Kappa memories. In addition to the Minnie Stuart Van, our chapter continued to celebrate 150 years of Kappa throughout the year. At Monday night meetings, members learned about Kappa’s history! Additionally, we highlighted Kappa’s 150-year celebration on our Instagram page. Throughout the year, members shared their favorite Kappa memory, favorite part of Kappa, why they are thankful for Kappa, etc., on Kappa’s Instagram story. Lastly, we celebrated Kappa’s Sesquicentennial during Formal Recruitment. We connected with Gamma Xi alumni and collected photos/videos from their time in Kappa. Our Preference round video displayed the lifetime friendship Kappa provides through alumni’s photos, videos, and group testimonials. Later, during the Winter quarter, we COB’ed eight great girls who joined PC’19. Before the pandemic, we had a fun quarter filled with social events and sisterhoods! However, due to the spread of COVID-19, Gamma Xi members had to transition to online school for the Spring and Fall quarter.
Academics is something very important to the members of Gamma Xi. We had many study parties before midterms and finals during the winter quarter. Even though classes were moved online during the Winter quarter, we were able to remain dedicated to our academics. During the Spring, 44 members achieved a 4.0 GPA, we had no members on POC, and we achieved the highest chapter GPA in Gamma Xi history! Additionally, KKG had an average GPA of 3.878, which was recognized for being above the Panhellenic average. Gamma Xi was also recognized at the Convention. Gamma Xi won two awards at Convention: “Chapter/Advisory Board Relations Award - Honorable Mention” and “Finance Award - Honorable Mention (Housed Chapter).”
The house closed for the Spring quarter. However, it reopened for the Fall quarter. The house remains open at half-capacity with live-ins following strict COVID guidelines/safety precautions. Room 18 in the house is designated as the quarantine room, should any live-in have to quarantine. Thankfully, no members of Kappa have had COVID while living in the house. For the safety of Caroline (house mom) and all members living in the house, non-live-ins may not enter the house.
At the end of September, Gamma Xi members participated in “Kappa Kamp” via Zoom to prepare for Recruitment. Formal Recruitment was also held via Zoom due to the pandemic. Although it was our first virtual Recruitment, it went very smoothly, and members were still able to portray their love for Kappa to PNMs. At the end of Formal Recruitment, we got a full pledge class of 50 amazing members. Of the 50 members in PC’20, eight are legacies, and four are Gamma Xi legacies! To celebrate the new PC, a virtual Bid Night was held the same day as the preference round. All the existing members dressed up in blue and welcomed the new pledge class. It was a fun night full of celebration, bonding, and virtual games! Only a week later, Gamma Xi decided to do COB since there were many amazing girls. Although there were over 20 girls interested in joining KKG, Gamma Xi decided to COB two girls who we felt were a great fit for the chapter.
Throughout October and the start of November, New Members completed their New Member training and education. Additionally, New Members also met a number of initiated members through virtual Key Dates. On November 6th was Big Little Reveal. Gamma Xi members joined a Zoom call, and each member of PC ‘20 was sent a video made by their big, revealing who they were. After the video reveal, each big/little pair was put into a breakout room with their other Kappa family members. A week later was pillow pass — to continue the tradition for the bigs and littles. Each big made a slide for their little, presenting their family and the heirlooms they were passing on. Members had a great night listening to each family’s heirlooms via Zoom. The following day, on November 14th, PC ‘20 was initiated virtually. However, this was our second initiation since the Winter COBs were also initiated virtually during the Spring. Although initiation was online, Gamma Xi made sure the importance of ritual remained. Officers, advisors, legacy relatives, and bigs were all in attendance for the initiation of PC’ 20.
2020 was a year of uncertainty. It started off great — full of raids, pinnings, sisterhoods, and defending our title as intramural soccer champion. Yet, in March, it took a turn due to the spread of COVID-19. However, the Gamma Xi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma was able to support one another through the difficult times. To ensure our sisterhood remained strong throughout the pandemic, there were a number of Zoom events: a baking event, a virtual Kappa only raid, many trivia nights, a talent show night, weekly yoga classes, and even a meeting on how to network during the pandemic. 2020 was a scary and unpredictable year, but Gamma Xi was able to remain close and support each other through these difficult times.
Gamma Xi supports Reading is Fundamental because we believe reading and having the resources to learn is a right and not a privilege! We are aware of the opportunities that arise when one is able to read and is educated, so raising money for Reading is Fundamental is something very important to our chapter. Our chapter was able to donate over $3,600 to Reading is Fundamental. We also host “A Day in the Life” during the Winter quarter. “A Day in the Life” allows children from underserved communities based in Los Angeles (students from 122nd Elementary) to come and experience a day in the life of a Bruin! We aim to inspire these children to reach for high education. Throughout the day, we create an environment that promotes the positivity of education. “A Day in the Life” was held in January and was a fun day full of bracelet making, face painting, reading with a Kappa buddy, UCLA trivia with prizes, dance parties, meeting UCLA athletes, and a tour of UCLA. At the end of the day, each student gets a backpack, school supplies, and their own book to bring home. Since students come from the same school each year, 122nd Elementary School, the same students often come year after year. Gamma Xi loved reuniting with students from past years and also forming new connections with other students. Because of COVID-19, Gamma Xi wanted to find a way to remain connected with these students. Starting this past quarter, September 2020, we started a tutoring program with the students at 122nd Elementary School. Three times a week, members of Gamma Xi tutor these students over Zoom. In an effort to raise money for Reading is Fundamental and additional charities, Gamma Xi created a “Week of Giving” the week before Thanksgiving. On Monday, we held a Food and Clothing Drive. On Tuesday, we held a Toy and Book Drive. On Wednesday, there was a “Flash Fundraiser,” in which members had 24 hours to raise as much money as they could for Reading is Fundamental; Gamma Xi was able to donate over $3,500! Thursday was dedicated to acts of service, and Friday culminated the week of giving with members sharing what they were thankful for. Throughout 2020, Gamma Xi was able to raise over $7000 for Reading is Fundamental!
In light of the revived movements against the racial injustices faced by African-American communities, our DEI committee was formed in June and has been meeting consistently in efforts to educate our members on how the Greek community has failed to welcome individuals of all backgrounds. In doing so, our own chapter has evaluated how we have contributed to these intolerances through our mere involvement in the historically racist system of Greek Life. As we move forward to create change within the greater Panhellenic community, we are encouraging open discussion surrounding race and forms of intersectional privilege among our members. Before recruitment, the Gamma Xi DEI committee led a training on inclusive recruitment practices, as well as worked with Chapter Council and Kappa Nationals to dissolve the legacy system within Gamma Xi. Beyond recruitment, the committee has continued to implement the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion by planning specialized program meetings to further educate our members on the disparities in our community and the actions needing to be taken to propagate social justice movements. In addition, Gamma Xi has fundraised for organizations such as the “I Have a Dream'' foundation, which works to grant access to higher education for students in under-resourced communities. It is important to note that Gamma Xi is not only focusing its efforts to promote the importance of racial diversity, but our committee has also directed its attention towards the LGBTQIA+ identifying community and other marginalized groups. The Gamma Xi chapter is committing to changing Greek Life for the better so all individuals, no matter what race, ethnicity, sexual identity, and disability status, can find a home in Gamma Xi.