2,350
edits
Changes
Eta Beta
,→Highlights of 2020s
'''630 636 initiates (as of June 20172018)'''
------------------------
==Highlights of 2017==
[[File:Eta Beta1.JPG|thumb|Eta Beta Chapter, 2017]]
2017 was a year full of friendship, sisterhood, and memories for the Kappa Kappa Gamma Eta Beta chapter at Pepperdine University. To start the year off in January, the Eta Beta chapter transitioned it Chapter Council positions passing on its traditions and leadership to a new group of strong and hardworking sisters. Following this, the chapter was heavily involved on campus attending and raising money for all of the philanthropies hosted by the other Greek life chapters on campus. The chapter worked hard and achieved placing top 3 in numerous events throughout the first semester of the year. The Eta Beta's philanthropy came nothing short of amazing as our Philanthropy Chair, Elizabeth Ford, hosted our annual Kappa Kappa Gameday, a flag football tournament and tailgate. Gameday was a huge success and the chapter ended up raising just over $10,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The Eta Beta Chapter continued with their philanthropic achievement by having a semester annual RIF book drive where the members donated books to an underprivileged elementary school in downtown Los Angeles and even got to spend the day reading these books to the kids. Overall the RIF event brought in almost 60 books.
Even though the summer time is a chance for relaxation and leisure the Eta Beta chapter was still working hard where numerous members started incredible internships across the country. Just to name a few of these incredible internships our chapter has held this summer: our sister Haley Bekins interned with the presidential campaign for Donald Trump at his campaign headquarters in Nebraska, Elizabeth Ford interned with E! News in their Publicity department in Los Angeles, Shannon Hansen interned with Buzzfeed in their Journalism department in Los Angeles, Julia Latimer interned in the White House at the Presidential office of the United States Trade Representative, and Lauren Gottschall interned with the Los Angeles Dodgers in their Athletic Training department. This is just a short list of the numerous internships our sisters held this summer.
[[File:Eta Beta2.JPG|thumb|Eta Beta Chapter (Pepperdine), 2017]]
When the Fall season came around so did recruitment. This years recruitment theme was Kappa, Love, and Rock N’ Roll, a fun a playful theme we thought represented our chapter. A great new edition to the chapter’s recruitment room this year were the new 6 foot painted wooden letters done by our very own house chair Kat Perry. With the leadership of our philanthropy chair, Kaitlin Rassi, the Eta Beta Chapter grew with 23 new members. The Chapter made the new members feel right at home by hosting events like Senior-New Member brunch, Big- Little reveal, and Blue and Blue dinner. Things like these brought about a new sisterhood that lead to our incredible initiation which was held at the USC Kappa Kappa Gamma’s Delta Tau Chapter on November 11th.
The Eta Beta Chapter meets every Sunday at 6pm in the Fireside Classroom on Pepperdine's Campus; Chapter Council meets one hour prior to our regular chapter meeting (5pm).
==Highlights of 2020s:2018==
==Highlights of 2020s==
This year was filled with many challenges due to COVID-19. However, with those challenges our Chapter was able to come together, rise to the occasion, and adapt to our new circumstances. Pepperdine University went completely online on March 13, 2020 and from that day on our chapter operated completely virtually and will continue to do so in the coming year. While the shift to virtual was less than desirable, I am proud of our chapter for our ability to adapt to our new circumstances successfully.In March when our University went unexpectedly online, our Chapter Council’s goal was to ensure that our sisterhood remain connected and continued to offer a support system to all of our sisters for the duration of the semester even if we could not physically be together. As a chapter we held virtual yoga classes, virtual movie nights, virtual chapter events and zoom mental health check ins.Over the summer our Eta Beta President, Leila Anawalt attended the Kappa convention which had to be virtual this year due to COVID-19. Our head of membership and chapter President worked diligently to prepare for virtual recruitment. They held a virtual recruitment training session to prepare everyone how to maneuver breakout rooms and foster authentic and valuable conversation with PNM’s on zoom. Our virtual recruitment began on September 4thand our virtual bid night took place on September 7th. We had two nights of sisterhood, pref night and then bid day. While everyone wished we could have been in person for recruitment,we still managed to develop authentic connections and have great conversations with so many girls. On pref night we were still able to highlight what makes Kappa so special to us each and every member. We had individual members speak to the friendships and bonds they have found throughout their time in Kappa and we wrote and shared a few sentences about what we saw in each girl we invited back to pref night and our hopes for what they too will find in Kappa. Usually on Bid day there is screaming and jumping and hugging and while I wish more than anything we could have had that this year, there was still screaming, and jumping and*virtual* hugging via zoom. The same level of excitement for new members joining our sisterhood was still present through the screen. Since COVID-19 did not allow us to have an in-person celebration with food and balloons and so much more, our new member mom Lauren Graney sent each new member a card and special package to formally welcome them to Kappa. After completing their new member education requirements, the new members were ready and excited to be initiated. As Marshal I attended multiple virtual training sessions where I learned the guidelines and expectations for virtual initiation. On the morning of October 31st, we held a virtual initiation for our new members where they were able to learn more about the ritual that makes Kappa so special! Throughout the duration of the Fall semester we held virtual sisterhood events,virtual philanthropy events, had guest speakers come to chapter and held a virtual pumpkin carving mixer with Delta Gamma!
Over the summer in the aftermath of the atrocity committed by the police officers who murdered George Floyd our chapter council met and discussed how to best educate our chapter on the racial injustices taking place today and how our chapter could get involved. We decided to hold a virtual discussion as a chapter in order to foster an open dialogue. Our virtual gathering over the summer about racial injustices allowed sisters to share their own experiences, ask questions and make suggestions on how we can get involved as a chapter. Asa chapter we launched a social media campaign showing Eta Beta’s support of the Black Lives Matter movement and encouraging others to get involved and individually make donations to the Black Lives Matter Foundation, sign petitions and join marches in their individual communities. We had so many sisters in the streets peacefully protesting and marching and making donations to the BLM Foundation.Later in the semester we appointed our first ever DEI chairman named Sydney and we hope to continue and grow that position every year going forward!
This year was Kappa’s 150th anniversary! Since COVID-------------19 prohibited our chapter from gathering in person, we had our education chairman Megan give a presentation in chapter about Kappa’s history and as a chapter on October 13th our chapter attended the Kappa National’s Virtual Founders Day Facebook Live celebration!