2,350
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→Highlights of 2020:
We also had Leah DeCesare, chapter alumna, Fraternity Council member and author of Forks, Knives, and Spoons: A Novel, speak about her experiences within the house, her memories and the inspiration she derived from being a Kappa. It was a highlight of our year and the event was praised by many women within the chapter as one holding great value to each of us.
==Highlights of 2021:==
The past year of 2021 has been quite an eventful one for our chapter.
We began the year holding all chapter events over Zoom or socially distanced with masks on, as COVID-19 infection rates were still very high on the Syracuse University campus. By the end of 2021, we can see one another somewhat normally again, holding in-person events, allowing all active members into our chapter house, and sharing meals with one another.
A few of our chapter goals for 2021 included having a successful first remote recruitment, building strong relationships with our new members despite the obstacles of the pandemic, and fostering a safe space within the house for all members. In February of 2021 we had a wonderful remote recruitment, ending with getting to welcome 55 new members into our chapter. Over the remaining months of Spring, we encouraged members to FaceTime one another, as well as the new members, to ensure new and active members feel welcomed and loved within the house. Initiation of the new class was very exciting for all, and with the rising vaccination rates many members were able to comfortably see one another in person to congratulate new members on their initiation.
To celebrate our graduating class of 2021, we held a bagel brunch for the seniors on the lawn of the chapter house, recognized members for their high achievements and strong involvement in the house through awards, and provided space outside of the chapter house for seniors to pass down Kappa merchandise and goodies to their closest friends in the younger classes.
When returning to campus in late August 2021, restrictions and guidelines had been mostly lifted, allowing our members to finally get together in person and enter the chapter house. In September 2021 we were all learning to adjust to the “new normal” on our campus. We held in-person chapter for the first time in over one year and opened our chapter house to all active members to be able to visit.
Our House Board graciously hosted a Scholarship Dinner for the members of our chapter with the highest GPAs, a way to recognize each woman’s achievement and celebrate our members. During the first weekend of October 2021, we held Kappa Parents weekend, in which we welcomed the families of our members into the chapter house. We provided food and refreshments for families, booklets explaining the history of our chapter, and guided tours by our members who live in this year. That same weekend we held our first philanthropy with Sigma Phi Epsilon called Kappa x SigEp Dodgeball, in which we held a dodgeball tournament for teams of Greek community members to compete in. All proceeds from this event benefitted Reading is Fundamental, our previous national philanthropy partner, and Second Harvest Food Bank.
The following weekend we held our annual philanthropy, Kappa Kar Wash, to raise money for the JED Foundation and the National Eating Disorders Association, two of our new philanthropic partners, as well as the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Scholarship Fund.
Later in the month we held the Courage to Commit workshop for our chapter over Zoom, which was focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We received programming focused on recognizing privilege through small and large group discussions both with and without our facilitator to understand how to make our chapter a more inclusive place.
To end the month, we had our Founders Day ritual, led by our Marshal, Sophia Michaelson. Our chef, Patty, made blue and blue themed treats and refreshments for all chapter members. Through this month we began recruitment practices for PC20 and PC21, to prepare both classes to be part of in-person recruitment. In November 2021, we held informal chapter elections to vote in our new Chapter Council.
We also began all house recruitment practice and mock recruitment practices with other Panhellenic chapters, which has been a wonderful way to bring our house together and get excited for Spring recruitment. Many of our members have attended various workshops through the Panhellenic Council, focusing on topics such as diversity, equity, and inclusion, Title IX matters, and more. On November 15th we participated in the EXPO, in which women from each Panhellenic sorority gathered to represent their respective chapters and provide information to potential new members. Our members have participated in various philanthropic events across campus, benefitting a variety of organizations and raising thousands of dollars. Moving into the final month of the calendar year, we hope to hold more events for chapter members to celebrate the year we’ve had and bring sisters together prior to leaving campus for a month for winter break. It is a priority for this year and moving forward that all sisters feel safe and welcome within our chapter and fostering an accountable space.
The Beta Tau chapter supported Kappa’s new philanthropy through our annual philanthropy event, the Kappa Kar Wash. We held this event on Sunday, October 10th, in which we raised money for the six mental health organizations and the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation by washing cars in the parking lot of our chapter house. It is a wonderful event in which all members of our house arrive in specially designed t-shirts and participate in various roles throughout the day, all with the hope of being able to support mental health and the KKG Foundation. Prior to the change of national philanthropy affiliation, we held an event to benefit Reading is Fundamental, the previous national philanthropy partner of Kappa Kappa Gamma. It was called Kappa x SigEp Dodgeball, as we hosted a dodgeball tournament with Sigma Phi Epsilon where teams of students in the Greek community would buy in to enter a team in the tournament, with proceeds benefitting RIF and Second Harvest Food Bank.
As of now, we have two Diversity and Inclusion Co-Chairs assigned to promote DEI as well as educate the house. For example, our DEI Co-Chairs plan events, workshops, and presentations done by professional organizations (some through Syracuse University, some not) to engage the house on the topic of DEI, point out the issues we face, and work to become more accepting with the way we speak and our overall actions. This semester, we had a presentation on what acceptable and unacceptable Halloween costumes are, we had two different speakers come to speak to the house and had various individual members attending other DEI workshops. All received spectacular feedback and is something we will continue to do more of. Kappa Kappa Gamma and the Panhellenic Council offer several scholarships to support those with greater financial need so our house is not limited to only those who can comfortably afford the dues.
When a DEI incident occurs involving someone in the house, the correct action is taken up with standards and further progressed if needed. Moving forward, our chapter plans to promote additional resources outside our DEI-Chairs such as Antiracismdaily.com, Racialeuqitytools.com, and our University/FSL/Multicultural office. We also plan to expand our social media to follow more accounts surrounding social justice, post in celebration of more holidays, and promote DEI events and members' personal experiences if they feel comfortable. More surveys determining members' comfortability in the house will be conducted anonymously and made public to the house so everyone can see the results and better understand where our community is at. We recognize the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We take all action needed to make our house acceptable, accountable, and aware, but we also recognize there is a lot more needed to be done to not only educate our house but be an inspiration to the rest of Greek life.
Coming into this calendar year, we were somewhat adjusted to the virtual environment that the COVID-19 pandemic had forced us into. The local Syracuse area was facing great difficulty in January in association with COVID-19 and infection rates were high, so it was difficult to find unity at times. Over winter break, we practiced virtual recruitment over Zoom and held Zoom chapter meetings, giving some time for all our sisters to still interact with one another. During the first week of the Spring 2021 semester, we had virtual recruitment over Zoom. We held multiple Zoom chapters and casual conversations on Zoom or socially distanced with our new members, so all active members were able to build friendships with each new member. Initiation was also held virtually, as it was the previous year. At the end of the Spring 2021 semester, we held our senior programming outside, socially distanced, doing activities such as a bagel brunch outside of our chapter house, senior awards, and more. As of the start of the Fall 2021 semester in August, all our members were vaccinated and mostly on campus. With this, in addition to infection rates being lower and Syracuse University’s restrictions being lower, we have been able to hold in-person chapter, recruitment practices, and more. Though we are still extremely cautious of COVID-19 through regular testing and masks if deemed necessary, our members have loved being able to see one another in semi-normal circumstances again.