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→Highlights of 2013
This past year, one of the largest freshmen dorms has been under construction for renovation, which has limited on campus housing, requiring us to allow non-Kappas on the floor. We were all accepting of this change, and friendly and supportive of each other and the new girls on the floor. Next year, all of the Greek organizations will live in the same building. It is the building in which we already live, so we will not have to move our floor. We are looking forward to sharing a building with the other chapters at John Carroll and hopeful that this will allow us to grow closer with them.
==Highlights of 2014==
The Eta Zeta Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma continues to uphold standards and values of the fraternity through community service, sisterhood, and campus involvement. The year of 2014 has kept us very occupied. Our sisters achieved the highest sorority GPA at John Carroll. We achieved a GPA of 3.28 and moved from being ranked 3 to 1 out of the 5 sororities on campus. To encourage members to go study and dedicate themselves, we had programs that included the Kappa Library Log and Rate my Professor. The Kappa Fridge was created as a rewards program to help motivate girls in their academic studies.
To improve sisterhood, Kappa held many philanthropy and social events. Philanthropic involvement is frequently seen in our Kappa activities. To start off the year, Kappa members participated in Danie’s Day and led a fingerprint art station for the kids and their buddies. Kappas participate in Labre, going downtown to feed the homeless in Cleveland. Another off campus activity was going to the Montefiore Purim Festival where participants played games and did other activities at a nursing home. Kappa Kappa Gamma donated to Kappa Kidney Camp and Kappa Foundation. The Events chairman set up many events held throughout the year. Kappas did a tie-dye mixer with Delta Tau Delta, following a mixer with Chi Omega at a pottery-painting studio. Pre Greek Week activities, members mixed with 3 other fraternities and sororities. The Great Gatsby semi-formal was held in the Spring of 2014. Sapphire Ball was in early April. In the fall, Kappa had a fun campfire mixer with Lambda Chi Alpha and a pancake breakfast with Sig Phi Epsilon. Kappa held a Woodstock themed “Kappapaloza” date dance late October. A lot of excited Kappas went to Patterson’s farm in the fall, right after recruitment ended. An on-campus sister event included playing “Kapture the Key”. Before initiation, a sisterhood retreat with lots of fun games and activities occurred. Our annual Kappasta event was held on October, 26th, 2014. At the end of raffling and the Spaghetti dinner we raised $1,400 for Reading is Fundamental. Some Kappa members went to a Reading is Key event at the Boys and Girls Club CLE. Girls enjoyed sharing storytime, drawing Thanksgiving turkeys, and playing games such as Thanksgiving bingo with the kids. Each child went home with a book, and the remaining were donated to the Boys and Girls Club. The last Philanthropic event held at the end of the year was Through the Eyes of a Child. At this popular on-campus community service event, Kappa had a station of Christmas coloring pages and helped the kids meet Santa. Most Kappas agree that the best sister memories are unplanned, informal hangouts on the Kappa floor with sisters.
In 2014, several social media accounts were created for our Chapter. The PR chair worked hard to improve Eta Zeta’s Public Relations while active in her position. These accounts give Kappa the opportunity to show the difference we make on campus and off through posts of awards/honors, chapter goals, philanthropy events, sisterhood events, and other special events. Our new social media accounts include Instagram, Facebook page, Tumblr, and a newly designed website using the GIN system. This improves Eta Zeta because these platforms show our chapter in a positive light both on and off campus. Recording Secretary created a Google Drive that composites all the minutes, standing rules and by laws. This gives Eta Zeta Kappa members the chance to access these documents, improving our awareness of Chapter and Kappa procedures.
One of the biggest goals Eta Zeta’s Housing Chairman wanted was to establish better communication to improve Eta Zeta’s awareness of the housing policies and expectations. Weekly updates were sent out to Housekeeping and Residence Life about the cleanliness of the bathroom/hallways/trash, to insure that the facility was maintained. Housing Chairman decorated the common spaces for the holiday to give the floor an extra lift. The bulletin board would be decorated for the members with personalized notes. The goal was for the facility to have a fresher look. A major undertaking this year was to clean and organize the storage room, add new shower heads, and add new design in the study lounge so members could maximize the use of the lounge. Members now use the study lounge for an independent study, utilizing the rooms printer, textbooks, and other resources.
Corresponding Secretary had the duty of planning Parent’s Brunch for all chapter members and their parents. During the 2014 brunch, 14 seniors were recognized and received gifts. The Corresponding Secretary also sent out cards to every chapter during their Founder’s Day, beginning of each semester, before/after recruitment, and for holidays.
Another aspect Kappa wanted to improve was presentation with Panhellenic involvement. We are proud to announce three of our members were Pi Chis during formal recruitment. Also, the Panhellenic Delegate for this term collaborated with the Vice President of Organization. These two officers used participation groups to encourage Panhellenic meeting attendance. As a final incentive at the end of the year, two members of the chapter were awarded with gift cards for attending Panhellenic meetings.
Kappa held a Kappa Trainer as well as our PDC visiting the weekend before recruitment. At the Kappa Training, members were brought closer together through group activities. Our PDC came to our Recruitment Workshop and gave a brief presentation as well as some tips on how to best conduct ourselves during recruitment rounds. Members were involved during the workshop by doing mock recruitment rounds and voting. Also, they shared tips and information about cool things our chapter members have done helped get girls prepared and excited for the next weekend. Our membership chair said there was no challenge with keeping up spirits and morals of our Kappa girls leading up to and during recruitment. Eta Zeta welcomed 19 new members into Kappa Kappa Gamma after formal recruitment this fall. From Saturday to Sunday, our return rate was 71%. Quota for recruitment was 19 girls, and we reached quota. The New Member Chairman set up events to bond the new members with the rest of the chapter through Owl Pal, Kappa Kousin, Speed Dating for Bigs, weekly New Member meetings, and the New Member Retreat.
Our chapter Marshal led monthly ritual reviews, including a “What Not to Wear” fashion show addressing what is appropriate and inappropriate attire for formal chapter and a self-guided reflection on what is beautiful and good. She also helped Eta Zeta prepare for Initation by holding twice-weekly Initiation reviews to accommodate Eta Zeta’s varying and challenging schedules. She also provided surveys to active members to ensure they were understanding and grasping the material. At the end of the Initiation review period, she held a big review game, at which members demonstrated their knowledge of Initiation ritual in order to win the prize of not having to help set up for Initation after the Fireside ceremony. She held a Blue and Blue all-chapter sisterhood event during Inspiration Week, at which Eta Zeta members decorated cupcakes with blue decorations and participated in a Flowerside ceremony, in which New Members receive flowers selected to represent them by their bigs. On November 16, 2014, 18 New Members were initiated into Eta Zeta.
Our 2014 president, Alexandria Miranda, attend the bi-annual Convention this past year. Our chapter received an award for the most outstanding New Member Program.
This past year, we welcomed three non-Kappas to live on the floor. They found the floor to be a supportive and friendly environment. John Carroll Residence Life underwent a major change in the past year, moving all Greek organization housing into one dorm building. Sharing a building exclusively with Greeks has brought all the chapters closer together at John Carroll.
We do have a few girls that wear historical badges. Our president wears a badge that is passed down during each transition. It is a chain that is attached to an individual’s pin and has the President’s dangle and the letters that symbolize our chapter, HZ.
Also, the Vice President of Standards wears a pin with a chain containing the letters HZ and the President of Standards dangle.
During the New Member period, there is a special pin given to one New Member, who showed admirable portrayal of what it means to be a true Kappa Kappa Gamma. It is passed on by the member who received it the previous year. The back of the pin is initialed R.K with the date 11/1/01.
==Highlights of 2020s:==