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|Image= [[File:EpsilonNu_House.jpg|200px]]
|Founded= {{start date and years ago|1973|10|13}}
|College= [httphttps://www.vanderbilt.edu/ Vanderbilt University]
|Location= Nashville, TN
|Homepage= [httphttps://chaptersvanderbilt.kappakappagammakappa.org/epsilonnu/ Epsilon Nu Homepage]|Media= [httphttps://wiki.kappakappagammakkg.org/index.php?title=Category:Epsilon_Nu Media related to Epsilon Nu Chapter]}}
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'''Vanderbilt University established 1873 in Nashville, Tennessee'''
'''Epsilon Nu founded October 13, 1973'''
'''1,836 879 initiates (as of June 20172018)'''
'''Charter members:'''
At the 1974 Convention in Columbus, Deborah Dukes, Epsilon Nu's second president, enthusiastically told of her Kappa affiliation. Sarah Harris Rowe, Upsilon- Northwestern, Kappa's ranking president, looked on with pride as her granddaughter, (Sarah) Ann Kanaga, an Epsilon Nu pledge, spoke before the convention. Also in the audience was Rheva Shryock, a delighted member, who had had reason to believe 38 years earlier that Vanderbilt would be worth looking into as a site for a Kappa chapter.
==Highlights from the 1980's==
Epsilon Nu in the 80’s worked very hard to be involved in campus and community philanthropic events. In 1985 they were selected as runner up for the Alexander Heard Award for the most Outstanding Sorority on campus. At the Nu Province Convention EN received Most Improved scholarship, Best advisory board relations, Honorable mention for chapter efficiency and the Miriam Locke Standards Award. Throughout the 80’s EN consistently pledged quota with outstanding women and worked to maintain high scholarship. In 1989 the chapter acted as hostess for the Province Meeting held in Nashville. They also received Best Chapter, Most Outstanding Scholarship and runner up for the Pledge Program. They were 3rd of 12 in scholarship from other sororities. The house was completely redecorated by the House Board this year.
==Highlights from the 1990's==
In 1990 a new philanthropy, Kappanello replaced the Balloon Derby. With music on our lawn and Italian food for 800 people we raised $2,700 for Buddies of Nashville-the largest organizational donation ever received by this charity. We received Honorable Mention in Scholarship at the KKG Convention. New Panhellenic Council rush rules were implemented to increase the number of pledges. Kappanello continued to be the chapter philanthropy and each year raised more and more money for Buddies of Nashville. The Buddies for Nashville placed the EN philanthropy chairman on their board. In 1991 the kitchen and chapter room were redecorated. In 1992 the longtime housemother, Dot Reich, passed away. A previous housemother, Peggy Roberts, was able to take her place. EN was very active honor societies, Dean’s List, sports, student government and other campus groups. And in 1994 Kappa Meeghan O’Connor was Homecoming Queen. And EN received Honorable Mention for Outstanding House Board at KKG Convention in Atlanta. EN was involved with other groups on campus in an alcohol awareness group called GAMMA(Greeks advocating mature management of alcohol).
==Highlights from 2000-2011==
The 2000’s found EN with new philanthropies such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee having two events each year to support BBBS. Their Kappa Kappa Gala benefit raised $11,000 funding the Jessica Herron Memorial Scholarship. And EN supported the KKG philanthropy, Reading is Fundamental.
We are a very diverse chapter with women from 35 states plus England, Brazil and Taiwan. We are very active on campus and our scholarship is high among other groups. Our pledge classes are all quota and have high grade points. They integrate well to the chapter and become leaders. We strive for each of our members to complete 15 hours of community service and to attend RIF at least once each semester.
==Highlights of 2012==
Our chapter here at Vanderbilt is named Epsilon Nu. It was founded on October 19, 1973 and Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority was founded in 1870 at Monmouth College. Initially, the first Epsilon Nu women were part of a local group, the Phileans Society, on Vanderbilt's campus. In 1972, they voted to affiliate with a national organization. They petitioned Kappa Kappa Gamma on July 9th of 1972, and after inspection the invitation was officially accepted. Fifteen charter members were initiated to Epsilon Nu on October 13, 1973, officially beginning the Kappa Kappa Gamma legacy at Vanderbilt University. Kappa's flower is the Iris and its colors are light blue and dark blue. Our philanthropy is Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee and our benefit is Kappa Kappa Gala. Besides being involved in Epsilon Nu's activites and events, our members are also apart of numerous organizations on campus. Some include: Alternative Spring Break, Best Buddies, Club Field Hockey and The Hustler. We also have many varsity athletes from the tennis, lacrosse, and soccer teams! The current number of members in Epsilon Nu is 186, including 137 active members and 49 new members.
==Highlights of 2014==
[[File:Epsilon Nu Sunshine Boxes.jpg|thumb|Epsilon Nu members and their "sunshine box" program (Fall 2017)]]
As a chapter we donate hours to Book ‘Em, which is an organization that gives books to underprivileged children and spreads the joys of reading and learning. Our chapter volunteers there frequently by helping to sort books, setting up for events, and reading at schools to children! Our chapter also volunteers at TAP, or The After School Program, where our members serve as school tutors to children in underprivileged areas. We help to motivate students and make sure that they are getting the educational help that they need. Many of our members have created strong bonds with the children in TAP, so it is very special organization to Epsilon Nu! During Halloween we trick-or-treated with many of the TAP students around Greek Row to show them our support! In the fall we have our annual philanthropy event called Kappa Kappa Gala, where we raise money for Reading is Fundamental. This year we had a record number of ticket sales and money raised for this wonderful organization. We believe in the power of education and empowering young kids to explore and learn more about their world. We chose Book ‘Em and TAP because it is important to try and make an impact and a change in your local community. We want to make sure we are giving back to the community that gives so much to us!
We also created "sunshine boxes" to give away at the beginning of the fall semester. Each box contained smiley-face stickers, candy, bubble toys, and personal notes from Kappas, and they were given to students who exemplify positivity. Our chapter President even donated her Jessica Herron chapter scholarship award to help fund the boxes. Epsilon Nu was featured in the Spring 2018 edition of ''The Key'' for this program.
[[File:Epsilon Nu Chapter House.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.0|alt=A|Epsilon Nu Chapter House]] Here is a picture of the Epsilon Nu chapter house! We typically hold chapter in the downstairs living room and many other meeting meetings in the upstairs living room, which is known as the “Tundra." ==Highlights of 2018== As a chapter, we strive to be continually involved in the Vanderbilt community and continue our great fundraising events for our philanthropies. Our annual event, Kappa Kappa Gala, raised a significant amount of money for Reading is Fundamental and TAP. Academically we received one of the highest house GPAs in Panhellenic. Our chapter is very involved in the campus community, and many of our members hold leadership positions in other organizations. The overall nature of Epsilon Nu is energetic and involved. Each member is committed to Kappa, but also is excited to share their other passions with their sisters. Along with Reading is Fundamental and the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, our chapter raises money and volunteers at The After School Program or TAP. TAP is a tutoring program for students in the local Nashville area. Vanderbilt students meet with these Nashville students a couple times a week to help them with their school work and encourage their academic curiosity. We believe in the power of education and understand the importance of child literacy. Many students in the Nashville area struggle to receive good education, so we want to give back to the community that has given so much to us. ==Highlights of 2019== In 2019, Kappa Kappa Gamma’s Epsilon Nu chapter at Vanderbilt University grew as both a sisterhood and a liaison to the Vanderbilt and Nashville greater community. Our annual philanthropy event, Kappa Kappa Gala raised $6000, the most money in our chapter’s history, for Reading is Fundamental, our national philanthropy, and TAP, our local philanthropy. Our sisters donated books and money as well as our time through the community. Three days a week, sisters spent time tutoring and mentoring children in public schools in Nashville. Our Kappa Kookout in the spring raised over $4000 for our philanthropies. This January, the Epsilon Nu chapter welcomed 39 new members to our chapter. We could not have gotten this amazing new member class without the hard work of recruitment chair Dana Rowe. To celebrate our incredible new pledge class, our Bid Day theme was Kappa Wonderland. We had so much fun on Bid Day celebrating and dancing with our new member class! Our hardworking and intelligent sisters had one of the highest average GPAs in the Vanderbilt Panhellenic community. We are so proud of our sisterhood, involvements, and academics and strive to continue our legacy as a chapter. ==Highlights of 2020:== Our chapter was given the House Board award and we were noted as honorable mention for the Academic Excellence award. We had one member receive the Epsilon Nu merit-based scholarship this year. We also conducted a virtual initiation during the Spring 2020 semester as one of the first chapters in Kappa to ever do so. We were unable to have in-person chapters, but our house has been opened for people to hang out in small, socially-distanced groups upon request. [[File:Epsilon Nu Badge Presentation Ceremony.png|thumb|Epsilon Nu Badge Presentation Ceremony]] '''Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion''' The chapter created a list of action items moving forward with recruitment this year to ensure we are more inclusive and open to as many new ideas as possible. These action items ranged from financial inclusivity, diversity and inclusion measures, as well as many other items to move our chapter toward a more socially inclusive environment. We added an official DEI officer and posted awareness of our actions and steps moving forward through social media campaigns. '''Philanthropy:''' Epsilon Nu supports Book’em, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, as well as The After School Program. Our chapter has supported these three organizations for several years now. The After School Program and Book’em encourage children in the Nashville area to independently read and work hard in school. Our chapter is highly encouraging of raising the literacy rates in Nashville Metro areas, and we work with these two organizations to do exactly that. Also, we support the KKG Foundation to support our sisters in times of need. '''Sesquicentennial Celebration''' Our chapter celebrated Kappa’s 150th anniversary at Trish Smith’s house. Since the pandemic put a damper on things, many people were unable to attend, but the women who did went through a safe, socially-distanced badge presentation ceremony (also held at Trish’s house) and celebrated the anniversary through tradition and ritual with members old and new. ---------------- ==Highlights of 2021:== 2021 has been a truly transformative year for the Epsilon Nu chapter. As a result of the Abolish Greek Life movement on campus, our chapter lost many of our crucial members. However, rising to the occasion, Interim-President Maddie Souza and President Alexa Mora, with the help of their Chapter Council, took on many responsibilities to ensure the future of KKG at Vanderbilt. Without them or the dedicated members of the Nashville Alumnae Association, we could not have accomplished all that we did in 2021 or the years to follow. [[File:EN 2021 1.jpg|thumb|Epsilon Nu 2021]] '''Philanthropy:''' In support of the Fraternity's new mental health initiative, we developed a new philanthropic partnership this year. We decided to work with Ac3ve Minds at Vanderbilt, our local chapter of the nationwide organization that seeks to decrease stigma and raise awareness surrounding mental health on college campuses. To accumulate support for Active Minds, we hosted our annual Kappa Gala. Gathering members of the Vanderbilt community, sisters performed three different choreographed dances, shared presentations from Ac3ve Minds, and also hosted a guest performer from Belmont! Thanks to all of those who donated, we were able to raise $3,000 dollars for Active Minds. '''Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion''' After installing an official DEI officer in 2020, we pushed our initiatives to become a more inclusive and diverse chapter even further in 2021. We added a DEI committee where both active and new members worked with our officer to develop individualized DEI immersion projects. We also engaged in introductory IGNITE VU diversity training and attended immersive speaker events. In fact, during one chapter meeting we were lucky to host Princeton History Professor Kevin Kruse for a Civil Rights History Discussion and Q&A over Zoom. [[File:EN 2022 2.jpg|thumb|Epsilon Nu Valentine's Day 2021]] '''Operating in a Pandemic''' During a year that brought unprecedented challenges, we navigated a recruitment process entirely online, but were able to welcome an amazing class of new women and establish strong sisterhood. However, we also found ways to connect in person while maintaining safe distance. On Valentine's Day, the Nashville Alumnae Association dropped off goody bags filled with owl cookies and candy for all of the new members, welcoming them to Kappa and had treats for the active members too! When regulations changed in the fall, we held a Professional Development Day where members could take headshots and sit in on a LinkedIn workshop. With the lifting of social distancing we were also able to attend football games, welcome 4 new members through an in-person COB recruitment process, and hold our annual fall formal: Kappa Glow! ---------------- '''Note to Chapter Registrar:''' Please refer to your chapter archives including chapter meeting minutes and back issues of ''The Key'' to fill in any gaps in the above historical highlights. If your chapter archives are not complete, please research your university library, campus newspaper and yearbook archives for newsworthy information about your chapter. Please double check your work for accuracy. Contact chapter Advisory or House Board members, local Alumnae Association members, or your Province Director of Chapters for assistance.