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→Highlights of 2020
Our members are involved in certain programs and clubs on campus and a majority hold officer positions in those organizations. A few of the things they have worked to accomplish include improved transition for freshman Plan II students by creating new activities and opportunities for involvement, contributed to enrichment and closeness of Greek community, donated 300 books to Wooldridge Elementary, and provided support, education, and leadership to Wooldridge students, B+ hero, and summer camp kids. We support Reading is Fundamental, Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation We chose RIF because it is our national philanthropy and we want to participate in the core values of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Hosting RIF events and book drives connects us with our sisters within the chapter and throughout the nation. We chose the B+ Foundation because it is a local philanthropy that we can participate in with other sororities and fraternities on the University of Texas campus.
==Highlights of 2020==
Beta Xi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma had a great year! Multiple members were awarded KKG foundation academic scholarships. Ashley Duester (PC ’17) was awarded the UT Sorority and Fraternity Life Office Outstanding Member of 2020 award. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we were lucky enough host a sisterhood basketball game in February and the Monmouth date event on March 2nd, 2020. After life started to change, sisterhood events began to look more socially distant. On November 10th, 2020 we held a sisterhood ice cream event at Zilker Park and a hot chocolate event in the key garden during finals week in December. We continued to stay philanthropically involved by hosting a chapter drive-in donation to EJI in Spring 2020. Because of the pandemic, we created operation plans for managing chapter facilities in the midst of COVID-19. We conducted a virtual work week, recruitment, and bid day. All new member meetings, formal and reverse pledging ceremonies, and formal chapter meetings were held virtually through zoom (informal chapter meetings consisted of a PowerPoint made by the members of chapter council and sent out to the entire chapter). Further, initiation was completely virtual and combined into one ceremony.
The Chapter celebrated Founders Day with a brunch at the Beta Xi KKG House. Kappa Alumni were invited to come celebrate the exciting day and share with each other the power of Kappa women.There was a speaker who presented a little bit about Kappa and the history of it and everyone had a great time in each others company.
The chapter begun began to celebrate Kappa’s 150th anniversary with Founders Day. Customized cups and napkins were made for the guests of Founders Day as well as for the active members to use throughout the year. For our philanthropy we support B+ Foundation, Reading is Fundamental, and various COVID relief organizations: Fuel Our Heroes, Communities in Schools of Central Texas, Boys and Girls Club. RIF is our Kappa affiliate philanthropy and B+ supports children battling cancer. As for COVID relief participation, we felt that the pandemic was one of the greatest crisis of our lifetime and we needed to help in any way possible. The chapter fund raised for the Equal Justice Initiative, started a summer anti-racism book club, established a Diversity and Inclusion position of chapter council and committee for recruitment. All Diversity and Inclusion positions and committees were made permanent. To celebrate 150 years of Kappa, our education chair made gift packages and sent them to all of the alumnae being honored. In these gift packs were personalized Yeti cups and notes. Here is a link to our Instagram that was run by our PR chair. It features pictures posted following public health guidelines and how we handled the social media aspect of the pandemic. https://www.instagram.com/texaskkg/?hl=en
