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→Highlights of 2021
Eta Nu started off the year in January with the initiation of the Lambda class. I-week was filled with fun bonding time as we reunited with our sisters who returned from studying abroad, played mini golf at a sisterhood event, and spent time with our Kappa families. Chapter elections were held right after initiation, and the previous and incoming chapter councils worked together on transitions. The chapter composite photos were taken in our house’s backyard in front of our beautiful wall of red flowers.
December was devoted to finals and getting ready for the holidays. Eta Nu earned the top GPA amongst sororities for the second quarter in a row, and 20 of our sisters earned a 4.0. Our sisters finished up the quarter and left campus for winter break. We spent a month celebrating the holidays and preparing for the initiation of our newest pledge class.
==Highlights of 2021==
Eta Nu began the year of 2021 with the virtual Initiation of the Xi class. Due to the COVID-19
pandemic, the chapter continued to meet virtually for council, chapter, and all other
meetings. Nonetheless,I-week was an exciting time for the New Members to get to know
each other and to spend time with their Kappa families, although it was through a computer
screen. Chapter elections took place after Initiation. Outgoing and incoming council officers
worked together through transitions to prepare incoming officers for the year to come.
In February, we excitedly installed our new chapter officers. We also had our first
philanthropy event, Kappa Krush, in which we sold roses to the student body to be delivered
to a person of their choice. We delivered them all on Valentine’s Day to support a cause of our
choice. We also finalized our spring quarter budget, gave out goodie bags to our members,
and our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion chair and Education chair gave an informative
presentation about Black History Month. We closed out the month with our annual New
Initiate Presents, where bigs were able to read sentimental letters to their newly-initiated
littles.
March marked the end of the winter quarter, so many of our sisters spent long hours
studying for finals. The studying paid off, however, as we had 42 members achieve 4.0 GPA’s
this quarter, more than we have ever had! We also had 2 merit scholar recipients. Dr. Seuss
day kicked off this month. Several members helped to make recorded versions of Dr. Seuss
books to be shared with children in the area. Our last four New Members who were not able
to attend Initiation in January attended another chapter’s Initiation, marking the
completion of the initiation of the Xi class!
After returning from spring break, we kicked off the month of April by taking photos for our
annual chapter composite. Wellness Week followed, which was a week filled with
presentations and mental health and wellness resources. We also started a Book Club
surrounding the topic of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We ended the month with an
energetic Cyclebar class that was open to the entire chapter!
The month of May was filled with many fun events that brought our chapter together. The
month began with a chapter-wide ice cream social event at our chapter house. Our second
philanthropy event, Krispy Kreme with KKG followed soon thereafter, which benefited Free
to Thrive. We also held a sisterhood event with a food truck at the Kappa house.It was much
needed to enjoy some great food and get together with sisters after midterms. Lastly, a
yearbook signing for our graduating seniors was held in the backyard of the Kappa house.
June was a quieter month for our chapter as our members hit the books to study for their last
finals week of the academic year. Luckily, the chapter was then free to have a relaxing
summer break!
July and August were filled with sisters visiting their families back home, working, and
holding internships. As September drew near, excitement built as our members were eager
to get back to school to reunite.
Our chapter came back together in late September, and began straight away with
recruitment practice. Our Marshal also held a comprehensive Ritual Review to reintroduce
the chapter to in-person formal chapter proceedings. We ended the month with our annual
Kappa Gala date event in the Kappa house backyard.It was very refreshing for our chapter to
get back to regularly scheduled social events.
October began with long-awaited in-person recruitment. Our chapter spent the first week of
October practicing songs and recruitment protocols leading up to the action-packed
weekend. We welcomed 46 New Members to join Eta Nu chapter. The Courage to Commit
Summit gave our chapter a place to openly discuss the importance of diversity, equity, and
inclusion. Following recruitment, our chapter enjoyed a Frankie’s Bikinis sale in the Kappa
backyard, benefiting the JED Foundation. We also held COB recruitment this month, which
welcomed 6 New Members to our chapter, bringing the total New Member count to 52.
Lastly, we held our next philanthropy event this month, Kappa Chi, in which we partnered
with the fraternity of Sigma Chi in a carnival style event to raise money for the JED
Foundation.
Our fall semi-formal took place in November, which gave our members a fun place to
socialize after a long year and a half of quarantine. Our Xi class began Owl Pal dates with the
New Members in order to form friendships and potentially find a little sister to add to their
families. Big Little Reveal soon followed, in which each New Member was warmly welcomed
into a Kappa family with decorative baskets and goodies. Thanksgiving break allowed for rest
and decompression after a difficult quarter at Santa Clara.
December brought a month-long holiday break for our members to relax and regroup for the
new quarter and the initiation of our new pledge class.
Eta Nu Chapter supports Free to Thrive, an organization that “empowers survivors of human
trafficking to be free from exploitation and to thrive by providing them with holistic and
trauma-informed, legal and support services in collaboration with our service partners, and
by increasing access to justice for all survivors.” Our chapter chose to support Free to Thrive to
help improve survivors’ access to legal help and justice.
Throughout every philanthropy event, our chapter supported each cause by publicizing and
raising awareness about the fundraiser and cause. Members also helped to plan philanthropy
events.In total, we raised over $7,000 for 5 different organizations.
A major way our DEI officer emphasized diversity, equity, and inclusion was through the
formation of a Kappa Book Club, which focused on literature predominantly surrounding
these issues. Additionally, early in the year, our DEI officer and Education officer made a
presentation about Black History Month for the entire chapter. Lastly, our Courage to
Commit summit was presented by a guest speaker who provided a space for open discussion
about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Until this new academic year, almost all of our chapter meetings and events were held
virtually. Towards the end of the last academic school year, we had a few socially distant and
outdoor social events, adhering to guidelines provided. Luckily,recruitment was able to
happen in person with everyone wearing masks, which went well as everyone was vaccinated.
Unfortunately, due to unprecedented circumstances on our university’s campus lately, we are
opting to have Initiation online due to the stress everyone is under because of extenuating
circumstances. Although we did need to do most of this year through a computer screen, we
remained thorough in our planned schedule and made sure our New Members felt welcomed
as well.