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→Highlights of 2021
[[File:2020 Chapter History Report Photos.pdf|thumb|Baylor pics]]
==Highlights of 2021==
This past year, our chapter has had the incredible privilege of welcoming in our New Member class, rebuilding traditions
following the COVID-19 pandemic, and continuing to grow our chapter’s impact on the Waco
community with our new philanthropy supporting children’s mental health. While the spring
semester of 2021 was mostly virtual, our new members were given the chance to grow closer
together with their member class and be a part of our organization amidst a global pandemic. Our
chapter is proud to have had so many girls join Kappa during the spring semester, and with the start
of the fall semester, we have begun to implement more in-person events again. Starting this fall, we
hosted several sisterhood events specifically for MC 21, held our Lock-and-Key semi-formal in the fall,
as well as showcasing our winning Sing performance, titled “Ship of Dreams” in Baylor’s Pigskin Revue
which takes place every homecoming. Our float chairs also put together a beautiful NASCAR-themed
float along with the help of our friends in the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity that was a hit in the
homecoming parade. Our philanthropy chairs have led the charge in supporting Parkdale Elementary
School, which has been a partner of Kappa at Baylor for nearly 30 years. We are proud to say that
while there have been limits placed on how we can support the students at Parkdale, we have
continued to assist them in any way we are able to and we are looking forward to continuing that
relationship we have held with Parkdale Elementary for so many years. While this was an
unprecedented year in our chapter’s history, we are proud to say that the Epsilon Upsilon chapter of
Kappa Kappa Gamma has come out stronger because of it.
Chapter Philanthropy
What local organization does the chapter support and why? Our chapter has been in the
process of continuing our long-standing relationship with Parkdale Elementary School located in
Waco, Texas. Starting in August, our chapter council voted to support a new organization focusing on
children’s mental health, especially considering the impact that the pandemic has had on all
elementary-aged children. The organization we voted to support is the Children’s Health and
Mentorship Program, otherwise known as “CHAMP,” which focuses on supporting all aspects of
children’s mental health and giving them a healthy environment to learn and thrive, especially
following the mental strain that COVID-19 has had on all students, especially elementary-aged
students such as those in Parkdale.
How did the chapter support Kappa’s philanthropy? Due to the COVID protocols that Parkdale
Elementary School has put into place, our chapter was not able to attend Parkdale on Fridays like we
normally would during a year without social distancing policies. In order to accommodate for this lack
of in-person support, our chapter held a “Drive-Boo” where we had a drive-through Halloween party
for the students, a profit-share to raise money for CHAMP, and our philanthropy chairs have been
working to continue fundraising events in the spring.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Our chapter has implemented a Diversity, Equity,and Inclusion chair in our chapter council. Our current
DEI Chair, Kelsey Womack, has done an
outstanding job in educating our chapter on how we can uplift our community at Baylor and act in
such a way that is respecting and honoring to everyone who is on our campus and in our Waco
community. Kelsey, along with her committee, shared devotionals about inclusion in our weekly
chapter meetings and helped lead a worship night with a local fraternity on campus to grow closer as
a Baylor community with the intention of growing in diversity and inclusion.
Operating in a Pandemic
How did your chapter operations change due to COVID-19 (e.g., how did it affect
recruitment, initiation, etc. Were events/activities held virtually?). Share what you have done
this year. In the spring semester, our chapter had virtual new member period, initiation, and chapter
meetings. Along with the help of our Panhellenic council, we were able to have a socially distant
event outside in April, where our new members were able to sing the songs they learned virtually
from our recruitment chairs. This fall semester has held a strong desire to be back in-person, and our
chapter council has held several in-person chapter meetings and social events in order to grow closer
as a chapter. While we are supporting our philanthropy in a virtual setting, we intend to be back
helping out on their campus as soon as they lift social distancing policies. Additionally, we are
preparing to have a virtual open house day for our spring recruitment with in-person days following
the virtual meetings. The lack of in-person events has certainly helped our chapter grow closer
together and appreciate the time we now spend together outside of zoom!